Please accept this letter as an express of interest in the position of National President, Navy League of the United States.

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1 September 27, 2016 To: From: Nominating Committee, National President Navy League of the United States Brian Skon President, Navy League of the United States, Minnesota Council Chairman, USS Minneapolis Saint Paul Commissioning Committee Co-Chair, USS Minnesota Commissioning Committee (past) To Whom It May Concern: Please accept this letter as an express of interest in the position of National President, Navy League of the United States. Enclosed you will find a detailed list of the activities that I have been involved with while in leadership with the Minnesota Council over the past five years supporting the US Navy, the Navy League, USS Minnesota SSN 783, our local commands, and the Sea Cadet program. These activities explain what we do, but do not explain why we do these things. Commissioning USS Minnesota SSN 783 The process of commissioning USS Minnesota reinvigorated our council. We considered the associated activities as a campaign to promote our Sailors, the boat, and our council. After commissioning, the campaign never stopped. We will support USS Minnesota for its entire commissioned service. The Campaign Continues The value of commissioning a US Navy warship is that it allowed us to be visible and create credibility to support all of our efforts associated with other commands and our Sea Cadets. All current activities are built on the foundation of the 12 Namesake Visits we scheduled and hosted from 2011 to Examples include: In 2014 we raised $12,500 allowing the Minnesota Council to sponsor the Duluth Air Show Gala. This happened due to the tremendous reputation and recognition we gained from the effort we put into our commissioning events in In fact, we have a reputation within the Virginia-class community as one of the strongest commissioning efforts to date. I have received calls from the South Dakota, Iowa and Colorado commissioning teams. We partnered with local girl scouts in 2015 (500 boxes) and 2016 (300 boxes) to send cookies to USS Minnesota. In 2015 we were able to get these girl scouts on the NBC affiliate KARE 11, accomplishing a media touch for the Navy League. In early 2016 we raised $8,500 to provide each member of the crew of USS Minnesota a custom ¼ zip pullover as another reminder to the crew that our state still supports them. Three crew members lost all their belongings in a house fire in August 2016 and one of

2 the first things they asked replaced was these pullovers. Our credibility allowed us to raise the funds. In July 2016 we sponsored the US Navy F/A-18 TAC Demo Team through the Duluth Air Show. We were the only Navy presence at the Duluth Air Show raising $3,000 in net revenues with SWAG sales for our council. Also in July we supported Air Expo in the Twin Cities, raising another $1,500 in SWAG sales. In August 2016 we supported Tall Ships Duluth, bringing our promotional shelter and grossing $6,600 providing USS Minnesota SWAG to those attending this event. In September 2016 we raised $6,000 to support the 2016 Minnesota United States Navy Birthday Ball. We use this money to subsidize our midshipman, our sea cadets and junior Sailors. In 2014 and 2015 approximately $8,000 was raised each year to support the respective Navy Balls. Strategy for the Navy League As National President my focus would be on improving the visibility of the Navy League. 1. Promotional Shelters find a vendor that will provide a consistent price for 10x10 and 10x15 that councils can use in their communities, with a Navy League logo on a backdrop. We purchased ours in 2012 and literally thousands of people have seen our Navy League logo. 2. Air Shows & events with Navy presence actively encourage councils to promote the Navy League at all air shows with a Navy presence, specifically the Blue Angels or F/A-18 Navy TAC Demo Teams, partnering with the local Naval Recruiting District if possible. 3. Membership a. When a military flight demonstration team is part of an air show lineup, the attendance dramatically increases. Most in attendance have limited exposure to the military yet attend because of their support, interest, and enthusiasm. b. The Navy League can harness that enthusiasm with a recruitment theme like If you never served your country in the military, serve it now in the Navy League. To significantly grow the Navy League in the years to come, that growth will likely need to come from those who have never served. The opportunity is to harness that enthusiasm for the military when recruiting. c. The value of the Navy League is that it is open to anyone. Most Navy veteran communities have closed groups that offer up auxiliary memberships to those who never served in that community. Whether civilian or veteran, our memberships offer up equal status for all. That is a huge strength of our organization. d. Visibility using promotional shelters encourages our councils to get out in the community. In reading Sea Power, I notice many councils hold events for local commands. That support is vital and the activities are necessary. It also focused within the Navy family. At Tall Ships Duluth, we provided tremendous visibility to Page 2

3 thousands of folks to the Navy League, many who had no idea that USS Minnesota or the Navy League existed despite past our efforts. The campaign never stops. 4. Ship Commissioning Events a. Thinking outside of the box, I believe the commissioning of USS America LHA 6 provided a huge opportunity to engage our council s nationwide leading up to the commissioning ceremony. This is America s Flagship. It was a regional commissioning effort based in San Francisco. The local committee is responsible for nuts and bolts activities, but in a larger sense we could have used this ship to develop activities that would allow us to engage our local councils independent of the commissioning committee giving them something to do and a reason for community and media touches. i. I believe the Navy League as a whole should adopt USS America LHA 6. What a significant way to unify our councils. b. USS Gerald R Ford CVN 78 & USS Zumwalt i. As first in class ships, both ships provide opportunities to engage councils nationwide due to their significance, giving them something to talk about, specifically in relation to STEM education 5. Fundraising a. I read recently about donor fatigue in an provided by our national headquarters. The longer we get away from the commissioning of USS Minnesota we find the same thing. The success we have had (and continue to have) with fundraising is identifying the purpose of the campaign and that as volunteers, 100% of money donated goes toward the reason we are seeking funds. b. Promotional shelters have been referenced previously in this letter. I would initiate a campaign to raise money to help local councils subsidize purchasing these shelters. The campaign strategy would include allowing corporate sponsors placing their logo on the backdrops. For example, east coast companies with suppliers in the heartland could get significant exposure to thousands if properly used annually at multiple events. c. The value we have in Minnesota is that we will continue our campaign with the commissioning of USS Minneapolis Saint Paul LCS 21, allowing us to again be visible in our community, using these events to maintain credibility as well. That is the challenge of the Navy League national office as well as councils nationwide, continuing a campaign that really never ends. The opportunity we have is the ability to use Navy League positions as campaigns to get our organization front and center and relevant. The following represents positions I support. Working with the Board of Directors, I would welcome evolving them into some sort of formal positions: 1. Support SECDEF s position of truncating the LCS buy at 20 per class understanding that the process of purchasing these 40 hulls are in place. 2. Oppose adding frigates based on up-gunned LCS platforms. The same issues of manning, range, and survivability that have been identified in both classes of LCS will likely apply in the up-gunned class of LCS/frigates 3. Propose a position adding a traditional class of blue water frigates. Page 3

4 a. The US Navy has opposed using the Coast Guard s NSC hull as a frigate. This appears to be primarily due to the fact that money has been tied up in LCS and the effective lobbying provided by industry in support of LCS. b. The NSC hull provides: i. A proven hull ii. Ship builders that are skilled in building this hull iii. A supply chain able to provide the parts necessary to complete these hulls The importance of this position is supporting a traditional deep water/blue water hull. There may be other more capable hulls available from our allies as well. c. Like the proven DDG line keep building frigates for years in order to stabilize the industrial base. Our ship construction process has been to build a class, then when the class ends there is often a gap in construction resulting in problems with industry layoffs, supply chain, etc. Those same problems existed with the gap between the Seawolf and Virginia class submarines. We need to support an acquisition process that stabilizes our shipyards and industrial base for years to come. 4. Support keeping the F/A-18 Super Hornet manufacturing line with Boeing open for the next 10 years. Per Boeing the minimum purchase needed to keep the line open is 17 airframes per year. With the continuing issues related to F-35 Lightening II production, keeping this very solid, proven aircraft and line open is vital. Additionally, the electronic warfare platform only available on this air frame requires us to keep this line open. As tough it is to receive funds from Congress, developing a plan improves the chance to be successful in lobbying for funds to accomplish these things. Ultimately, it is about our Sailors and Marines. We need our councils to promote the Navy and Navy League on behalf of those who volunteer to serve in the worlds greatest Navy. We need to ensure that the equipment purchased is the very best industry can provide and maintain. This is personal to me. Our daughter Alison spent five years in the Sea Cadet program. Both Alison and my oldest son joined the US Navy in Cameron graduated from Naval Station Great Lakes on August 12, 2016 and Alison graduated from Naval Station Great Lakes on September 16, My wife and I are proud of their choice to serve our country in the Navy. We were very impressed with the quality of Sailors at Naval Station Great Lakes. Alison has orders to USS Harry S Truman CVN 75 and Cameron has orders to USS John C Stennis CVN 74. Thank you for considering my application for National President, Navy League of the United States. I look forward to your reply. Sincerely, Brian Skon President, Minnesota Council Navy League of the United States bdskon@gmail.com Page 4

5 Alison Skon, 19 and Cameron Skon 23 Fleet Week 2014 Minnesota State Capitol In this picture Navy League President (me on left), the US Navy Leap Frogs, the USO Show Troupe, Commanding Officer Naval Undersea Warfare, Commanding Officer USS Minnesota SSN 783, Commanding Officer Minnesota National Guard, and PAO Fleet Week Cameron on watch checking bags at Great Lakes 9/18. He had to check his sister s bags Page 5

6 Brian Skon, President, Minnesota Council 5095 Needham Ave NE, St Michael, MN Objective To obtain the positon of National President, Navy League of the United States Education BACHELOR OF ARTS BETHEL UNIVERSITY 1986 Major: Communications Minor: Psychology/Sociology Record of Achievement, Navy League of the United States, Minnesota Council MANAGEMENT 2010 to Vice President 2011 to 2013 Co-Chair, USS Minnesota Commissioning Committee 2013 to present President, Navy League Minnesota Experience 2011 May - attended Keel Authentication Ceremony, PCU Minnesota SSN 783 Chair, USS Minnesota Logo Contest, 33 schools represented, 130 entries August - Scheduled and hosted Namesake Visit, PCU Minnesota SSN 783, Launch of Logo Contest, announced at Target Field in partnership with Minnesota Twins, Commanding Officer (CO) and Executive Officer (XO), PCU Minnesota SSN 783 October Scheduled and hosted Namesake Visit, Chief of the Boat and enlisted personnel, PCU Minnesota SSN 783 October hosted 2011 Minnesota Navy Birthday Ball in partnership with NOSC, NRD, NROTC October attended commissioning of USS California SSN 781 in preparation for PCU Minnesota commissioning December Scheduled and hosted Namesake Visit, CO & XO, announcement of winner, USS Minnesota Logo Contest, Target Field in partnership with Minnesota Twins, covered by NBC, ABC, CBS affiliates, & Minneapolis Star Tribune Youth Programs - attended Sea Cadet Balls presenting awards, JR NROTC award programs 2012 Received permission from BOD to develop and purchase a 10x15 special event promotional shelter. Used at The Great Minnesota Air Show, featuring the Blue Angels June Scheduled and hosted Namesake Visit, CO and COB, total of 10 Sailors, PCU Minnesota SSN 783, scheduled first pitch, Minnesota Twins for CO. Included 25 Sea Cadets. Manned the rails with Sailors and Sea Cadets during National Anthem on third base line. Partnered with The Great Minnesota Air Show who assisted in paying for ½ of Namesake Visit. They considered crew of PCU Minnesota and the Blue Angels as equal partners of their air show. Introduced Navy League and crew from announcing stand July promoted the Navy League at Eden Prairie Air Expo, raising $3,000 selling USS Minnesota swag August promoted the Navy League at Tall Ships Duluth, raising $4,500 selling USS Minnesota swag September hosted new XO, PCU Minnesota SSN 783, for Namesake Visit in partnership with the Duluth Air Show, including Duluth media and presenting plaque to Duluth mayor and City of Duluth October o Attended Christening Ceremony, PCU Minnesota SSN 783. Scheduled and hosted Distinguished Visitor events in Norfolk, including visiting Nauticus/USS Wisconsin, and Naval Station Oceana Page 6

7 o Hosted 2012 Minnesota Navy Ball in partnership with NRD, NOSC, NROTC. Hosted CO & COB PCU Minnesota. Spoke from platform, raised approx. $7,500 to subsidize NROTC midshipman & junior Sailors Raised approximately $50,000 in USS Minnesota Commissioning funds in 2012 Youth Programs attended award ceremonies for JR NROTC, Sea Cadet Balls Provided $750 to each Sea Cadet unit (five units) Developed team to handle various roles involving the commissioning of USS Minnesota o Special Events Chair, Commissioning Events o Development Chair, Commissioning o History Ships Wheel, Ships Silver Service o Awards, presentation handled by Co-Chair o Namesake Visits handled by Co-Chair o Distinguished Visitors handled by Co-Chairs o Treasurer funds disbursed by NL treasurer Developed Navy League/USS Minnesota Website Directly involved in raising $100,000 toward commissioning of USS Minnesota SSN 783 Ran the Ships Store - everyone who provided funds received shirts/other items and was noted in USS Minnesota Commissioning Book at appropriate level Developed USS Minnesota Plankowner certificates, provided to all crew Purchased 200 plaques, which included a brass casting of USS Minnesota Logo Developed Commissioning Coins - Navy League (logo on one side)/uss Minnesota (logo on other side) Purchased Ships Sponsors Gift for Mrs. Ellen Roughead September o Hosted Chairman s Reception, USS Minnesota Commissioning Events o Hosted lunch on pier for entire crew of USS Minnesota, catered by Famous Dave s (MN company) o Assisted with Ships Sponsors Luncheon, USS Minnesota Commissioning Events o Primary Host - Distinguished Visitor Tours on board SSN 783, USS Minnesota Commissioning events o Booked USO Show Troupe for Chairman s Reception, USS Minnesota Commissioning events o Approved all invoices for payment, USS Minnesota Commissioning events o Ran approx. $110,000 surplus USS Minnesota Commissioning events o Interviewed by multiple media outlets, including KSTP TV, Minneapolis Star Tribune, radio o On platform for USS Minnesota Commissioning Ceremony October partnered with NRD, NOSC, NROTC for Minnesota Navy Ball, booked USO Show Troupe for entertainment, raised approx. $5,000 to subsidize NROTC midshipmen & junior Sailors November attended dinner with reserve unit based at MSP NOSC, tied to Naval Forces Japan Youth Programs attended award ceremonies for JR NROTC, Sea Cadet Balls 2014 January On board with USS Minnesota Home Port Change. Hosted Distinguished Visitors in partnership with CO February Attended USS Minnesota Change of Command, Naval Station New London March proposed formal name change to Minnesota Council to BOD, approved April Hosted & scheduled introductory Namesake Visit, new CO & COB USS Minnesota SSN 783, met with Governor Mark Dayton, D Minnesota, booked media May signed contract with University of Minnesota Foundation, donating $70,000 to establish a USS Minnesota/US Navy/Navy League Scholarship. When I signed the contract we made history with this donation and are a permanent member of the President s Club July promoted the Navy League at Eden Prairie Air Expo, raising $2,500 selling USS Minnesota shirts August Fleet Week partnered with NRD & USS Minnesota, featuring the Duluth Air Show & Blue Angels o Booked USO Show Troupe for Fleet Week 2014 o Scheduled lunch & presentation with Federal Premium at their headquarters location with community leaders, both CO of USS Minnesota and myself spoke, performance by USO Show Troupe o Scheduled first pitch for new CO with the Minnesota Twins Page 7

8 o Raised $12,500 to host the Duluth Air Show Gala event with Navy League MN as primary sponsor o Introduced new CO to 25,000 attendees at Duluth Air Show Sent letter to SECNAV Ray Mabus for LCS to be named after ex-uss Minneapolis Saint Paul SSN 708 October attended USS America Commissioning, and spent four days underway between SFO and SAN October 2014 Minnesota Navy Ball o Booked CAPT John Meier, CO - PCU Gerald R Ford CVN 78 as primary speaker, partnering with NRD, NOSC, and NROTC. o Raised $7,500 to subsidize our NROTC midshipman and Jr Sailors November attended dinner with reserve unit based at MSP NOSC, tied to Naval Forces Japan Youth Programs attended award ceremonies for JR NROTC, Sea Cadet Balls Raised $5,000 for Sea Cadets, sending checks to each sponsored unit 2015 January sent second letter to SECNAV Ray Mabus requesting an LCS be named after ex-uss Minneapolis Saint Paul SSN 708, as a primary 2015 initiative of Navy League Minnesota July promoted the Navy League at Eden Prairie Air Expo, raising $2,000 selling USS Minnesota shirts September SECNAV Ray Mabus announced the naming of PCU Minneapolis Saint Paul LCS 21 September raised $10,000 to support the 2015 Minnesota Navy Birthday Ball o This included receiving $4,500 from Northern Tier, a major MN corporation September booked Deputy UnderSecretary of the Navy Jodi Greene as primary speaker. Initially booked MCPON but lost that booking in the transition from CNO Greenert to CNO Richardson October o Booked Deputy Under-Secretary of the Navy Jodi Greene as primary speaker. Initially booked MCPON but lost that booking in the transition from CNO Greenert to CNO Richardson o Hosted 10 Sailors from USS Minnesota on a Namesake Visit for the 2015 Minnesota Navy Ball which included a tour of the Minnesota Vikings Stadium and tour of Federal Premium, an ammunition factory here in MN I worked with both the Minnesota Vikings and Minnesota Gophers football team resulting in our Sailors being acknowledged on the field on consecutive days in the same stadium o Partnered with the NRD, NOSC, NROTC, & Sea Cadets for the 2015 Minnesota Navy Birthday Ball Booked the USO Show Troupe as entertainment November attended dinner with reserve unit based at MSP NOSC, tied to Naval Forces Japan Youth Programs attended award ceremonies for JR NROTC, Sea Cadet Balls 2016 February raised $8,500 from two different corporate donors to develop a ¼ zip pullover for the crew of USS Minnesota. We customized them with their official logo, and donated 144, one to each member of the crew. We had enough money to pay for 255 of these items and used the difference as fundraising items February named Chairman, USS Minneapolis Saint Paul LCS 21 Commissioning Committee by NL BOD April spoke with local media regarding the material condition of USS Minnesota SSN 783 July promoted the Navy League at the Duluth Air Show, sponsoring through the air show the US Navy F/A-18 Tac Demo Team. Spoke to 25,000 attendee s each day of the air show about the Navy League from the announcing stand o We raised $2,500 selling shirts/ball caps, ¼ zips at the Duluth Air Show July promoted the Navy League at Eden Prairie Air Expo, raising $2,000 selling shirts/ball caps August o promoted the Navy League at Tall Ships Duluth, with gross revenues of $6,600 selling our ¼ zips and shirts/ball caps o Hosted planning meeting for 2016 Minnesota Navy Ball with NRD, NROTC, USNAA o Completed customizing September o Hosting Secretary Jodi Greene, Ships Sponsor, USS Minneapolis Saint Paul for Navy League Breakfast o Partnering with Upper Midwest Chapter, Naval Academy Alumni Naval Academy Hockey weekend o Speaking to the St Paul Club (9/21), promoting the Navy League & LCS 21 October partnering with NRD, NOSC, NROTC, USNAA, & Sea Cadets 2016 Minnesota Navy Ball, October 15 o In partnership with USNAA, booked ADM Jonathon Greenert, 30 th CNO o Raised $8,500 from corporate donors to date to subsidize NROTC midshipman, Jr Sailors, and Sea Cadets Page 8

9 NAVY EVENTS Attended commissioning ceremonies: o USS Gravely DDG 107 o USS Makin Island LHD 8 o USS California SSN 781 o USS George H W Bush CVN 77 o USS America LHA 8 o Worked with crew of USS Minnesota SSN 783 to attend the last Civil War internment in our countries history due to an historical tie between USS Monitor and steam frigate USS Minnesota. 10 members of crew were invited by SECNAV Mabus to the chapel ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery MY FAMILY My 23 year old son graduated from Navy Boot Camp at Great Lakes Naval Station on August 12, 2016 My 21 year old son is a senior at University of Wisconsin River Falls My 18 year old daughter with graduate from Navy Boot camp on September 16, 2016 and has been assigned to USS Harry S Truman CVN 75. She was a Sea Cadet for five years My wife Peggy was named the 2014 Minnesota VFW Teacher of the Year, K-5, for her support of deployed parents, USS Minnesota, our Sea Cadet program, and excellence in teaching Page 9