He Was a Good Man – Remembering Our Submariners

He Was a Good Man – Remembering Our Submariners Every once in a while, I am reminded that the one constant in life is change and tied to that is the passage of time. No, I am not channeling a former presidential candidate… time is really passing and despite the commercials on tv promising to […]

James R Webb – an American Submarine Hero

Everybody needs heroes. You know, a bigger than life person that stands out among other people. Someone who lives a life of adventure and leads others through periods of adversary and innovation. The kind they write books about. When I was a kid, it was Horatio Hornblower. Hornblower was the most memorable character in a series […]

Submarine Veterans Charitable Foundation Newsletter February 2025

Shipmates, Submarine Veterans Charitable Foundation Newsletter February 2025 Shipmates! This month we welcome our two newest Ambassadors: Leah Torino, Tri-State Base and Frank Espinosa, Central Texas Base. Welcome aboard! Now the news. Brotherhood Fund As we move through another season weather continues to dominate and overwhelm many of us. From freezing, to wildfires, ice and […]

Libraries … temples of learning, ambition, aspiration – USSV CF Library Fund

Being a baby boomer, I grew up in a world where books and periodicals were still central to most of our lives. From the time I was able to read, my world really revolved around printed information. We had one television which was black and white and it was very much subject to rules. Not […]

The Best Hat Ever; THE Kap(SS) 4 Kid(SS) FUND

“Hi, my name is Mister Mac, and I am a hat-oholic.” “Hi Mister Mac…” I’ve been a hat-oholic since I was a kid and discovered the power of hats. My very first hat was a blue and gold short, billed cap that I got as a Cub Scout in Pack 99 in my home community. […]

The Ultimate Qual Card – Creating a Legacy (The USSV CF Legacy Fund)

The Ultimate Qual Card – Creating a Legacy (The USSV CF Legacy Fund) In submarine school, the seasoned petty officers that taught us informed us that once we got on board our first boat, we would be issued bedding, a bunk bag for our dirty clothes and something called a qual card. They emphasized over […]

Blessed are the volunteers… for they shall inherit the next watch … The USSV CF Scholarship Fund

Blessed are the volunteers… for they shall inherit the next watch I have always liked the fact that duty in the armed forces has been a volunteer organization since the draft ended. I signed up in the delayed entry program in April of 1972 when I was just seventeen. The draft still existed but I […]

When times are tough, where do Submariners turn? The Story of the USSV CF Brotherhood Fund

When times are tough, sometimes your family is the first place you look for help. This is the second part of a series concerning the USSV Charitable Foundation. In the first part of the series, I talked about the overall program definitions. Now I will talk about the individual funds within the program. Submariners are […]

Your Table is ready Mr. Ambassador… Serving the USSV CF

Your Table is ready Mr. Ambassador Mac. Petty Officer Mac. Chief Mac. Mister Mac. (and a hundred various civilian titles including manager, trainer, leader, coach, speaker, preacher and on and on). Of all the titles I have had in my life, one that I have never had was Ambassador. At least not until this week. […]

“The Flight Is Doomed” … until the submarine shows up to the rescue

“The Flight Is Doomed” Of all the submarine stories from history that have been forgotten over time, very few are as interesting as the one about a submarine rescuing an airplane in the Pacific Ocean which then then towed it to safety. Nearly 100 years ago, flying between the continental US and Hawaii was still […]