Injured Veterans Back on Water, Courtesy GAC
Military veterans will soon have another outlet to channel and share their experiences, on a restored wooden yacht in California, thanks in part to GAC worldwide. The GAC Group’s five regions have donated to support the Wooden Boats For Veterans foundation (WBFV) – an organization that helps veterans harness their power of past military experiences. The foundation currently has two boats in operation and is in the process of restoring a 1938 wooden yacht, ‘Clover’, itself a veteran having seen service in the English Channel during World War II. Once restored, the boat will be able to host up to 24 disabled veterans on trips around the San Francisco Bay and along the coast of California.
US Navy is Buying the Wrong Ship, Costing Taxpayers Billions
The United States will spend $585 billion on its armed forces in 2015 — the biggest military budget in the world by far. That’s just the Defense Department budget and doesn’t include the tens of billions of dollars that Washington spends on veterans, the purview of the Veterans Administration, or nuclear-weapons development, which falls under the Department of Energy. There’s tremendous pressure in Congress to spend less. Though the Pentagon argues vehemently that budget cuts will harm national security…
Chairman Cummings Honors Merchant Mariners on National Maritime Day
In honor of National Maritime Day, U.S. Congressman Elijah E. "As the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, I am honored to take the opportunity afforded by National Maritime Day to pay tribute to our nation's Merchant Mariners and to the entire maritime industry. "I also honor the tireless work of the men and women of the United States Coast Guard, who ensure the safety and security of our nation's ports, who protect our economic interests in the maritime environment around the world, and who every year, save the lives of thousands of mariners in distress. "In 1933, the United States first honored our Merchant Marine by authorizing the designation of May 22 as National Maritime Day.
PMI's Ton Mate Program to Begin in May
Gregg Trunnell, Director of the Pacific Maritime Institute (PMI), announced that their U.S. Coast Guard approved 500/1600 Ton Mate Program is scheduled to begin on May 30, 2006. Funding for this program is now available through the Veterans Administration for G.I. Benefits and from SLM Financial Corporation, a "Sallie Mae" Company. "The Mate Program is an innovative two-year training curriculum that is aimed at creating a larger pool of qualified Able-Seamen and Mates for the towing industry. The Program is organized so that every shore-based training phase is reinforced by an onboard training phase. This approach allows trainees to apply their new knowledge and skills on the job," said Gregg Trunnell.
