While Team Navy isn't doing quite as well in the interservice competition as we'd hoped in the Project Valour-IT Veteran's Day 2006 fundraising challenge, it's clear we have the momentum. How can we not, with Frank J. of IMAO on our side? It's obvious that one thing is needed to put Team Navy over the top: more submariners. It's easy to join Team Navy; if you have a blog, just click here and follow the written procedure -- submariners are good at that.
One area where the Navy has taken the lead is in submitting items to be auctioned off to benefit Project Valour-IT. Lex and Chap both have several items up for bids, and I'm putting a lot up as soon as I'm done with this post. And what will I be offering? Only the best in submarine SWAG: a collection of three items associated with USS Seawolf's Alpha Trials and Commissioning. In addition to a commissioning coin and rare commemorative keychain that doubled as a VIP ticket to the SSN 21's postponed commissioning scheduled for Nov. '96 (she was actually commissioned in July '97) I have an actual Alpha Trials coin. These were given out by EB only to those who were actually onboard for the Alpha Trials; what makes this coin even more valuable is that EB only made up the coins for 1st of a class Alpha Trials; for SSN 22's, I think I remember everyone getting a commemorative pen. Anyway, here's a picture of the loot:
Head on over to the Valour-IT auction page if you'd like to bid on these pieces of recent submarine history! And if you've got a lot of stuff cluttering up your closets, please consider getting rid of it for a good cause. Or, just hit the button to the right to make a contribution now.
Go Team Navy!
Update 2053 05 Nov: Ken over at SmadaNek has the most current update...