What Are You Doing Here?

By Sheila McNeill

After my tenure as national president of the Navy League and after I think, perhaps, I have nothing to prove, I was wrong. I am asked to speak at the annual Thursday night dinner of the Submarine Veterans of WWII in November 2008. I came in at the last minute and sat down at the designated table full of submarine veterans and their wives. I was the last one to sit down. The submarine veteran next to me listens while we visit at the table for a few minutes and then turns to me and says, "What are you doing here? You don't know anything about us. You aren't a submariner. Why should you be speaking to us?" And I thought, Here we go again.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Mar 15, 2019
• ISBN: 9781644249543

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What Are You Doing Here?

Sheila McNeill

Copyright © 2019 Sheila McNeill

All rights reserved

First Edition

PAGE PUBLISHING, INC.

Conneaut Lake, PA

First originally published by Page Publishing 2019

ISBN 978-1-64424-953-6 (pbk)

ISBN 978-1-64424-956-7 (hc)

ISBN 978-1-64424-954-3 (digital)

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

The Journey Begins

Really, a Woman? Why my election was so difficult

The Election and Celebration

Growing Up

Finding Lasting Love

A Chance to Lead in the Navy League Major changes in my life and how did I ever get in retail

An Introduction to the Short Stories

Foreword

One question has swirled around Sheila McNeill since her involvement with the Navy League began fifty years ago. Sometimes it was overheard from nearby conversations when she walked into a room filled with mostly active duty or retired military personnel. Other times, those questioning why a woman with no prior military experience was in the same room. They took a more direct, sometimes confrontational approach when they asked McNeill, What are you doing here?

I first met McNeill in 1994 as a new reporter for the Florida Times Union, where an important part of my coverage area was Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay. It took one interview for me to recognize McNeill’s knowledge of the submarine force provided me an opportunity to gain better understanding of the issues facing the Navy’s ballistic submarine force. I quickly learned McNeill wielded more influence than imagined during our first interview. She convinced US Sen. Sam Nunn, chair of the Armed Service Committee, to be the guest speaker at the Camden Kings Bay Navy League Council in 1994 by sending him a series of short, snappy one-sentence letters. Nunn was among those who recommended her in 1997 to serve on the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services. The three-year appointment took her to installations across the world, where she interacted with many of the military’s top leaders.

In 2003, McNeill became the first woman to serve as national president of the US Navy League, where she toured bases across the world as an advocate for sea services. She was the voice who could take positions on issues that military officials were reluctant or unable to comment about with the media. She never, to the best of my knowledge, spoke about an issue that drew the ire of the military. She likely expressed what military officials wish they could have said if they weren’t concerned about political fallout.

McNeill helped convince the Navy and DoD to convert the four oldest Ohio-class submarines to carry guided missiles and conduct covert operations along troubled coastal waters across the world. She led the drive to save a Coast Guard Maritime Safety and Security Team based in St. Marys, Georgia.

She continues to be a strong advocate for the military despite her diminished role in the Navy League. When new commanders come to Kings Bay, one of the first people they are told to meet is McNeill because of her knowledge of the issues and her contacts in the community.

The question that has followed McNeill the past half century isn’t asked as frequently nowadays because of her long, dedicated service and her interactions with some of the nation’s most influential military leaders and elected officials. She can still walk the halls in the Pentagon, Congress, and the Capitol and be recognized by many of those serving.

McNeill’s reputation as a staunch advocate for the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard has answered the question that has followed her the past half century: What are you doing here?

Gordon Jackson

Preface

When I was growing up, succeeding at anything other than being a wife and mother was never a consideration. That was all I originally wanted. I don’t know how or why my ambitions changed so much. When Arlie asked me to marry him when I was a senior in high school, I couldn’t think of anything better. And after fifty years, I count marrying Arlie as one of my best decisions. Later in 1994, when he was fifty-nine and grappling with some big business decisions and contemplating if he might be ready for retirement, he asked me what else I wanted to accomplish. I told him I had just started! And that was true. My innate and constant desire to achieve in something larger than myself began at an early age and that is why I am including my childhood experiences.

The most frequent question I am asked today is, How did you get to be the first woman national president of the Navy League? When I was president and traveling, I would often run into the assumption that I was a career officer’s wife and the Navy League must be some kind of family support organization. It always gave me a chance to set them straight—and have a potential member.

A few years out of high school I went to work at Concrete Products, a local industrial plant. It was eventually bought out by another company and a new president; Bob Bledsoe was hired. My job required me to spend a good bit of time in the plant. These visits to the plant required a hard hat. For several months it was difficult trying to please Mr. Bledsoe: he didn’t want a woman in management, he didn’t want a woman negotiating his union contracts, and he didn’t want a woman wearing a hard hat. Yes, he really told me that. And after doing all I could to please him he called me in to his office one day and fired me—after seventeen years. That was my first taste of what are you doing here. I was happy in the job and I would have stayed forever. However, it was not to be. I have learned from that experience and others that there is a benefit that can be learned from negative situations.

I suppose the battle and being fired by Bob gave me a determination I might never have had. A few months later I decided to sue Concrete Products for sex discrimination.

It seems that many of the milestones in my life could begin with What are you doing here? My firing and my service as a member of the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services (DACOWITS) and my two years as national president of the Navy League gave me several of what are you doing here? moments. The attitude of many of the military members I met with was not that I was a woman but because many wondered, What did this civilian think she knew about our military issues? The best example was my focus group meeting with a group of senior enlisted Marines in Germany who all pondered the same question. By the time we left the bases, the troops understood and appreciated our mission.

My personal campaign to get the Navy League national president Jack Fisher to assign me the national responsibilities for legislative affairs took two years. No woman had ever held this position. He finally relented and the experience was exciting and remarkable. No one in the military or congress questioned my presence. We established programs and standards that are still used today. VADM Cutler Dawson, who was then the chief of legislative affairs, told me the Navy League legislative program put the Navy on the front burner on Capitol Hill those three years I was vice president of legislative affairs.

When I made the decision to run for national president of the Navy League, there were those men who really objected to a skirt running the Navy League. At the national meeting during interviews with the national nominating committee, I was asked by one of the members at my interview, What will the service chiefs think of a woman running the Navy League? My response was, I haven’t been a woman for thirty years. I’ve been an advocate for the sea services. And the services are beyond that kind of prejudices. The Navy League is the one behind the times. I am friends of all the service chiefs now due to my work on Capitol Hill and none have a problem with my gender.

On a positive note, my progress up the ladder in the Navy League and my tour as national president were some of the best years of my life. Once elected, I never had a bad moment.

After my tenure as national president of the Navy League and after I think, perhaps, I have nothing to prove, I was wrong. I am asked to speak at the annual Thursday night dinner of the Submarine Veterans of WWII in November 2008. I came in at the last minute and sat down at the designated table full of submarine veterans and their wives. I was the last one to sit down. The submarine veteran next to me listens while we visit at the table for a few minutes and then turns to me and says, What are you doing here? You don’t know anything about us. You aren’t a submariner. Why should you be speaking to us? And I thought, Here we go again.

At a Navy League convention five years after my presidency, I’m was sitting at a table in front of the podium with two recipients of our public service awards, Keith Post and Don Giles, and heard the current president Dan Branch say, "I would like to recognize all of the past national presidents. Would each of you gentlemen stand?"

Arlie began waving his arms to get the president’s attention. Kathleen Branch, Dan’s wife, called out loudly Lady, add lady to her husband to correct him. Dan’s mistake in not adding lady in his introduction didn’t matter a whit to me. I stood along with Morgan Fitch, Jack Spittler, Evan Baker, Jack Kennedy, Bill Kelley, Tim Fanning, and Mike McGrath. Memories rushed to my head about how many times this lady wasn’t supposed to be there and I kept smiling.

When I thought about it, it was actually humorous and a little surprising that after all that has happened it’s still hard for some to grasp, even to me.

These are my stories and people I’ve met along the way. Anyone who knows me realizes that I always have a story. I hope you continue to read about these events and more and find my answer to What are you doing here? and understand my reason for being there.

PART ONE

Anchors Aweigh

Chapter One

The Journey Begins

The US Airways flight leaving Jacksonville, Florida, was scheduled to arrive in Washington, DC, on a chilly afternoon in October 2002. My husband, Arlie and I were on the way to the most important event of my career. Arlie was there for my support and would be there no matter the outcome.

My mother, Nora, and sister, Debbie, were to join us later in Washington. They were excited about the possibility of me making Navy League history as the first female to hold the office of national president since it was founded.

The Navy League was established in 1902 and received enthusiastic cooperation and funding from President Theodore Roosevelt when he donated a portion of his Nobel Peace Prize money to the Navy League. The Navy League supports the need for strength in American sea power. Having served as the assistant secretary of the Navy and as recipient of both the Nobel Peace Prize and Medal of Honor, he fully understood that superior sea power sustains peace and is a deterrent to war.

The Navy League has grown from these wise roots to become the foremost citizens’ organization to serve, support, and stand for all United States sea service—the Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and US Flag Merchant Marine. During this time, we had a network of more than 275 councils, representing more than seventy-six thousand members around the globe. Navy League members are widely respected by leaders throughout government, industry, and military for their support and patriotic service to our men and women in uniform.

Decade after decade, the Navy League has demonstrated its leadership in advocating superior sea power to safeguard national security, protecting American economic interests and freedom of the seas.

I was dedicated to these principles and somewhat in wonder that I found myself running for the top position in this great organization.

My family was a little more optimistic than me about my prospects of becoming national president of the Navy League. Sure, I was confident but apprehensive and I had a right to be. I was intruding on territory where no woman dared to tread. I felt like I was about to board the Titanic as soon as the plane landed. And my reservations were well founded. I would be facing a nominating committee of eighteen Navy League members representing every region in the world before facing more than three hundred national directors—quite a lot of folks to decide if a woman should run this man-dominated organization. I had no idea what questions the nominating committee was going to ask me, plus the fact there was already a small but vocal group of men vehemently opposed to a female entering a private sanctuary of males. But I knew I could do it.

I had over prepared as Arlie often says I do. Having been national vice president for legislative affairs gave me the perfect training and access. Obtaining that position had also been a battle. No woman had every represented the Navy League on Capitol Hill before I did. During my turnover from the prior vice president of legislative affairs he told me he should continue to be the face on Capitol Hill and I could handle the paperwork. This was another of those what are you doing here? moments.

The fact that I ran for the presidency in 2001 and had lost was a positive factor. I ran knowing I would lose. It was too early for me and I had to prove I could lose and continue my hard work and dedication to the Navy League without any drama. Although I had been a member of the Navy League since 1966 my leadership positions didn’t begin until 1999.

I smiled to myself, leaned back in my seat, and closed my eyes. I would later think about this moment a year later when I was speaking at a WWII Submarine Veterans reunion in Camden County.

In November 2009, I was asked by John Crouse, who was a retired submarine master chief and now manager of the St. Marys Submarine Museum to speak at the annual Submarine Veterans of WWII annual dinner in Camden County, Georgia. This dinner preceded the WWII remembrance ceremony and the tolling of the bells the next morning at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay.

I was running late that evening and slipped into my seat at the head table at the last minute. I saw a couple of folks I knew but the gentleman sitting next to me I had never seen. The guests at the table had pleasant conversation as dinner began. Arlie, my husband, was seated at the table adjacent to me.

Suddenly a very tall, distinguished retired submarine veteran who was sitting to my left leaned over and said very angrily, What are you doing here? Why are you speaking to us? What gives you the right to speak to us? You don’t understand the submarine force!

He was so abrupt that I was taken back a little. I debated to myself. How could I let him know how much I respected what he and others had done in WWII in support of our country and the war effort? I thought how could I convey to him during dinner that I had supported the submarine force for many years. How could I convince him in the few minutes that we had during dinner? Instead I answered in a way that I knew would just frustrate him more,

I’m a member of the Navy League, I said.

A member of the Navy League, are you? Well, that’s just great—that sure makes you qualified, he said sarcastically. I then excused myself, smiling as I stood and walked over to John Crouse, who was standing by the bar overseeing all of the guests and making sure no one needed anything.

John, this gentleman is not very happy that I’m speaking, I told him. John and I worked together to build the St. Marys Submarine Museum in 1995 and 1996. I was president of the committee to build the museum and John was a very committed volunteer. He was hired as manager of the museum when it opened.

John gave a chuckle and told me he knew the man I was talking about and said, Don’t worry, he’ll change his mind. When John introduced me that evening he gave almost as long an introduction as my remarks were. He told of my involvement with the building of the St. Marys Submarine Museum, cochairing the fund-raising with him for the monument celebrating the one hundredth anniversary of the submarine force. Using the sail of the USS Bancroft (SSBN 643) this monument now greets everyone as they enter Kings Bay Submarine Base. He also talked on my service on the Defense Advisory Committee and my service as national president of the Navy League. He ended by saying, She knows more people in the Pentagon than almost anyone. You can’t walk down the halls without Sheila running into some admiral or general she knows!

I gave the high sign to John that he had said quite enough. He finished the introduction. I then spoke for about twenty minutes. At the close of my remarks the submarine veterans started rising. All of them were in their late to mid-eighties to nineties. Many required help standing. They didn’t stop rising. They continued to applaud, and I then saw him. The unhappy veteran was also standing. I returned to my chair, and he turned toward me, bowed from the waist, and said, I would have listened as long as you talked. Thank you.

That night, after the dinner, I fell asleep thinking about the comments the submarine veteran had made. After all that has happened I am still getting the what are you doing here? attitude. Little did he know at that time that I had been through far stronger storms than this one and I had time to gain enough confidence not to let it bother me.

* * * * *

When Arlie and I arrived in Washington, we checked in the hotel suite and were greeted by several supporters, including Carla Carper, the executive director of the Camden County Chamber of Commerce; Bill Dawson, manager of the Georgia Ports Authority in Brunswick; and Bill Kelley, former national president and his wife, Nancy, who was my first and best supporter when I was trying to decide if I should run. RADM Raymond and June Coutour joined us shortly along with RADM Chuck Beers, former Group Commander at Kings Bay and then an executive with Lockheed Martin.

Many of the national Navy League staff stopped by, some dressed in costume for Halloween. The development director, Veronica Brandon, was Elvira. We enjoyed the fact that they were in disguise and could come and go freely to our suite without anyone knowing. Those that would fight to keep me away from the presidency were in rooms close by.

My suite was made possible by donations from The Camden County, Carla Carper, executive director, and Glynn County communities. Word got out and every few days someone would drop by my office in Camden with a check. It was incredibly humbling. Woody Woodside, executive director of the Brunswick, Glynn County Chamber, got all the liquor furnished and Bill Dawson, manager of the Brunswick Port Authority flew up to tend bar. It was amazing.

Carla Carper kept a full duffel bag with her at all times to replenish the supply of buttons. Arlie, Nancy, Bill, Debbie, Carla, Fred Orton, and a dozen others were giving them out to everyone. Carla later told everyone, It wasn’t a walk in the park. It was grace under fire. The highlight of my life was being with Sheila at her election. This has put Camden County on the map."

Carla was so important to the campaign that week. Her enthusiasm and people skills made a big difference. She is comfortable around everyone and made a great ambassador for Camden County.

During the campaign week my nephew, Larry Youngner Jr., and his fiancée (at that time—now his wife), Kristy, both lieutenant colonels in the United States Air Force at that time were also in town. He had told me they would attend the Navy League board of directors meeting that day. This was the day the entire board was voting for the new national president. The night before, at dinner in a Crystal City restaurant. Larry and Kristy kept seeing individuals at dinner wearing the Sheila button and realized the Sheila they were supporting was his aunt!

The next day my supporters passed out buttons all day Arlie and I went to the Presidents’ Circle meeting. At that time, the national Navy League was building a 214,000-square-foot building occupying an entire block in Arlington, Virginia. This would house the headquarter staff and allow another six floors to be rented out bringing much needed revenues to the Navy League.

On the way, Arlie and I stopped by the building exhibit and made a financial pledge for a naming opportunity for the legislative affairs director’s office. It was a great opportunity to support this program. My heart will always be our work to obtain the funding the services need to perform their mission. To have this office named after us was awesome. Chuck Breslauer, my former boss and family friend for many years, and my mother and my sister arrived in Washington that afternoon to help with my campaign.

Later that afternoon, I attended the executive committee meeting and it was as painful as I thought it might be. Tim Fanning, the current national president, had proposed several changes to the bylaws, the most controversial being the removal of the past presidents from the executive committee, a committee composed of the vice presidents, secretary, treasure, the region presidents, a few people appointed by the current president, and the past national presidents. I had a completely different view from Tim and felt that those who had had the ultimate responsibility would be the best advisors. My actions were always to convince a few at a time until I had complete agreement—or as complete as one could get. The past presidents lent a unique perspective. Unlike Tim, I wanted them prodding and asking the tough questions.

Most of the nominating committee also served on the executive committee and would be attending this important executive committee meeting. Frankly, I didn’t want to be argumentative that day. As much as you hate to admit it you often must be political. All of those on the nominating committee were a part of the executive committee. I knew that Tim and two or three others would do everything possible to make me look bad. My appearing uninformed or emotional minutes before I appeared before them as a candidate for president would not be wise. The opposition would do everything they could to make the case that I could not lead the Navy League. They knew I was one of the key members opposed to most of these by laws changes. However, I found that most of the past presidents were making the argument and I didn’t have to. Of course, President Fanning used that as an opportunity—as did a couple of the steering committee members—that this meeting was consumed by the past presidents and that made their point of trying to get rid of them. The past presidents felt they had to speak up to protect the Navy League. There were many changes that day and they were presented as one package and the debate continued. We were not getting anything accomplished and I suggested we take the recommended changes one at a time. Tim finally said, We’ll take Sheila’s suggestion and take them one at a time, but it’s going to take a long time! Thankfully it was accomplished quickly. That fact was obvious to all present and my silly idea worked. I had been very vocal leading up to this meeting against Tim’s suggestions. And the amendment to remove the past national presidents was defeated.

The welcome aboard dinner was immediately after the directors meeting and was held on the ship, the Odyssey, a commercial cruise ship that takes short dinner cruises on the Potomac. The Navy League had the entire ship for the evening and there was no way to avoid running into my opponent, John Panneton, as we both campaigned all evening. We were courteous to one another but understood what this event meant. He and Tim had taken the first table as guests entered the ship. John was a retired lieutenant colonel in the US Marines and has a lovely wife, Alice.

During the evening, a young waiter approached me. He asked, Are you Sheila? I turned to answer him and I was surprised to see that he had my button on. Good luck to you, we are all rooting for you. We’ve been watching you all evening, he commented. Everyone seems to really like you. I think you will win.

Thank you so much, I answered. And I truly meant it. I would need a lot of luck. I would be entering a lion’s den. With all the comments over the past few months from Tom Benning and Mike Wilson, it had been an uphill battle.

It was amazing what a boost those waiters were! About that time, I realized all the waiter staff was wearing my button. Arlie told me later he gave them five dollars to each if they would wear them. This was so unlike Arlie’s nature but indicative of the unbelievable support he would give me over the next two years.

That evening turned out to be just wonderful. Many of my supporters were very vocal all evening. Rear Admiral Jerry Ellis and his wife, Rosemary, were both there and Jerry was determined to have conversations with the majority of those present on behalf of my candidacy. Rosemary told me she campaigned for me very hard; however, she laughed and said, Jerry hasn’t stopped campaigning all night. Jerry tried to talk with the Navy League judge advocate, a former Navy JAG in support of my campaign but there was no changing his mind. After I became president, this same attorney was with me at a dinner event I had organized with the secretary of the Navy and top defense companies. He walked over after the dinner and shook my hand and told me I was an excellent president. It was a very nice gesture as he definitely was prejudiced during the election.

Jerry was well qualified to speak about my history in support of the sea services, the Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Merchant Marine. He was group commander (a flag level position—flag meaning admiral, for those not familiar with the military) at Submarine Group 10 at Kings Bay. I held my executive board meetings in his conference room, and he tried to be at all the meetings. He was the military officer who nominated me for service on the Defense Advisory Committee, a committee that reports to the secretary of defense. The committee that gave me the knowledge and confidence to later run for president.

Mother and Debbie and the rest of the family were in the back table, so all night I went back to see them and send folks to meet my mother. Many of the tables chanted She-lah, She-lah as I passed. I didn’t see much of my opponent that evening but there were many who came up to tell me what a small button he had. They told me, Yours is bigger than John’s! Thanks, Brian and Chris; you’re right, bigger is better.

That evening on the Odyssey ended with my seventy-eight-year-old mother, Nora, and Rosemary Ellis doing a fast dance on the dance floor. On the bus during our drive back to the hotel, Charo from Puerto Rico started chanting She-lah again. Our group included about fifty Navy League members and we sang patriotic songs as we enjoyed the camaraderie and as we marveled over the incredible monuments. Nothing beats the sight of the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument at night. This would climax one of the most momentous evenings of my life.

Chapter Two

Really, a Woman?

Why my election was so difficult

The weeks before the election was stressful. I tossed and turned as thoughts danced in my head trying to sleep. I wondered why these few men were so adamantly opposed to my election. Again, Bob Bledsoe popped into my head: Sheila, I don’t want a woman in the plant. I don’t want a woman negotiating the union contract. How could I be safety director when he didn’t want a woman wearing a safety hat? How could I convince him that in spite of being a woman I could do it? And now, how could I convince the Navy League that in spite of being a woman, I could run the Navy League?

In fact, the following is a rather crude example but is at the crux of the barriers I faced. One of the officers at Kings Bay for several tours was attending Navy Week in New York back in 2002. The admiral who was the speaker for the evening was without his aide, so my friend Mike Altiser was his loop for the evening. The event was at the New York City Yacht Club. Vic Gainer, then president of the New York City Council of the Navy League, begins talking about his campaign against Sheila McNeill who was running for national president of the Navy League.

He said, We don’t want a skirt running the Navy League. Sheila will never win this election. She doesn’t even have a penis.

The naval officer, Mike, tells me he answered, Excuse me, gentlemen. I know Sheila McNeill and she doesn’t need one.

Unless you understand the military, you don’t know what a major thing this was. An aide does what his admiral wants and needs—he doesn’t contradict someone they are meeting with. I’m amazed that Mike spoke up but that man always was a wonderful officer and a gentleman. I laughed and realized how much this illustrated the supportive attitude of all the military officers I had worked with. I never understood Vic or Tim’s extreme arrogance and attitude toward me. To explain I have to go back to Sea Air Space (SAS), the Navy League’s maritime expo in April 2002. I knew that Vic was against a woman in leadership in the Navy League. He didn’t mind women doing the work, but they must stay in the background.

During one of the events, I saw assistant secretary of the Navy Susan Livingston and Admiral Skip Bowman, head of Naval Reactors, and I walked over to say hello. A photographer quickly came over and took our picture.

When I returned to my table where Vic was also sitting, he said sarcastically with a smirk, I guess that one goes in your book for your campaign for president.

I hope I can count on your support, I replied, knowing how he felt.

Vic said, No, you cannot. You will cause irreparable harm to the Navy League and the sea services if you are elected.

I said something inane like, I’m sorry you feel that way.

Later that evening, I was at a cocktail party talking to Mark Rosen, the Navy League’s legal counsel and the senior director for Communications. Mark, Vic, and I found ourselves together at the dinner hour. Vic suggested we go to the hotel restaurant. Thinking that maybe an evening with him might change his mind and at the very least might neutralize him, I agreed to join them for dinner. When we got to the restaurant in the hotel, we had to wait and I walked over to some staff members, Katie, Louise, and Marsha, who were having dinner in the same restaurant.

They said laughing, You won’t believe this. We thought you were having dinner with Vic Gainer.

I smiled and said, I am.

How could you do this? they asked. After all he has said about you and all the trouble he has made for you?

We just can’t believe after he has been so nasty you are having dinner with him. I replied. Maybe I can change his mind.

I watched the ladies give me that hope you know what you are doing look!

Mark, Vic, and I had a nice dinner discussing military issues the entire time. At the end of the evening, Vic said, You know, Sheila, in another century you and I could have been partners. There are a lot of things we agree on. I want you to know it’s nothing personal, I’d feel the same way about… He used the n-word.

Yes, that’s what he said—in front of Mark. I was too stunned to reply. But I did make the decision at that moment if I became president he would not serve in any leadership job. That kind of talk just stunned me.

A couple of months later, I attended a Marine Corps, silent parade sponsored by the Navy League. Tim and Vic were in attendance. Vic and I were staying at the Ritz-Carlton in Pentagon City and we stopped by the club room for coffee. Vic said, Did you see anyone there [at the Marine Corps parade] that looked like you? I thought to myself, What is he talking about? He continued, Did you see any woman there that wasn’t a wife? You should be at home cooking dinner for your husband. You have no business doing this. You will harm the Navy League. We know the numbers and the nominating committee will never elect you.

I just smiled and said, I’m sorry you feel that way but I’m still running.

I was just amazed anyone could be so insulting. He then went on to say, We’ve got to do something about Tim. He controls everything and doesn’t give anyone the opportunity for input… You and I are the only ones who work.

I remember thinking at the time, this man is a total paradox. Ironically, he was Tim’s friend and partner in the opposition to my election yet also wanted us to become conspirators. We then talked Navy League for a while. All the time I was being careful not to say anything he could twist and distort.

I knew he was playing both sides and anything I said would be repeated to those that would want to discredit me. I made a pact with myself a long time ago that I would respect the office of the national president even if I could not respect the man and would not say anything negative about him. Later Vic and I walked to our rooms and found we were next door to one other. When we got to my room, he leered and said, Joking, that’s the only way I could take it. If you get an urge in the middle of the night, just scratch on the wall and I’ll come over. I just ignored the remark and entered my room. Yes, I was shocked that he would say something like this, but it was in tune with his earlier comments. Perhaps in his strange mind and after all the sweet talk, he thought he had won me over.

A few weeks before the Navy League winter board of directors meeting, I was visiting San Francisco and I received a call from Bill Kopper, state president of Ohio. He said he had heard that Tim would quit serving on the building committee if I were elected. I told him I didn’t know if he would quit or not he’d have to ask Tim for that answer. The idea of the Navy League building, our own building, was originally proposed by Tim. Tim had a background is construction and corporate leasing and his expertise was needed by the Navy League. Bill said this was way out of line and that Tim was blackmailing the Navy League. What I didn’t tell Bill was that others had reassured me we would be fine and that most of the time Tim was so difficult in negotiations that he made everyone mad and distrustful.

On another occasion the few weeks before the election, as national vice president of legislative affairs for the Navy League, I attended a legislative affairs reception on Capitol Hill, hosted by the Navy League. Secretary of the Navy, Gordon England, greeted me with, Sheila, how many more days? Many of the leadership predicted it would happen. Tim (also in attendance as the national president) and I circled the room but did not meet one other. However, many were coming up to me telling me he was being very negative about me.

He told anyone who would listen, Sheila is an uneducated woman from South Georgia who owns a card shop. She is not qualified to run the Navy League. If she is elected, I will not serve on her steering committee. (This is the committee is composed of the national vice presidents, secretary, treasurer, and past national presidents.)

I decided it was now or never and pulled Tim aside and asked, "Tim, if I am elected, will you work with me?

He said with a satisfied smirk, No, and I will not stay on as the past national president. Read your bylaws. Any past president can serve—get Bill Kelley or one of your past president friends to do it. I was stunned. Tim strutted off with a satisfied smile and walked around the room bragging about his conversation on how he told me off. He also repeated his story to a member of the staff as well as a Navy captain who was present and, unknown to Tim, was my ride back to the hotel that night. I’ve been cleaning up her shit for a year and a half, he told everyone. This was pretty raw language for our leader, the current national president.

Over the next few days after the Capitol Hill reception, a couple of our corporate sponsors called the Navy League and complained of Tim’s comments at the Capitol Hill reception. He had managed to offend two corporate gold sponsors with his negative comments about me.

That evening, Shirley Fages and her husband, VADM Malcolm Fages, both dear friends, were waiting in my room. She had been visiting her daughter, Meredith, in Norfolk and was on the way back to Brussels where Malcolm served as the military representative for the United States at NATO. She had a car and offered to take me to headquarters for the hour I had before I had to leave for the airport. I had a chance to introduce her to everyone and show her the national headquarters. When we got to Tim’s office, the lights were out, so I was surprised to find him sitting there with his feet on the desk and a ball cap on.

Tim, I’d like to introduce you to my friend, Shirley Fages. Shirley, Tim is our national president, I told Shirley. Tim just stared and did not acknowledge either of us in any way. We couldn’t believe it—we waited, and finally we just walked away. Later someone explained to Shirley, He didn’t know who you were! It turned out that during this same time Seapower was trying to get an interview with her husband. My point was it didn’t matter who she was. Anyone who is introduced to him as he represents the Navy League should be treated with respect. Later, Shirley wrote a letter recounting the events and said to forward or copy as I wished. I’m glad she did because Tim told others I was lying, that we just walked by and never stopped at his office.

On another occasion, Tim said, Sheila presents herself as an admiral. This accusation was frustrating, hurtful, and potentially dangerous to my reputation. How ridiculous this accusation was! I confronted him one night on the way to the car and he readily admitted this. When I pushed him for an explanation, he referred to an article someone had sent to him from the Georgia Trend magazine.

This was a term Senator Max Cleland always used in that article and whenever we met. Also, many of my friends affectionately called me Admiral. The magazine Georgia Trend featured me on the cover with the title, Admiral McNeill. It was the July 2001 issue. How exciting that was. I was excited when Georgia Trend called me to say they had decided to feature my picture on the cover magazine. The article was a very positive one and I was proud of the honor.

They also had the questions of how many copies of the magazine I wanted. One hundred and sixty-five, I answered. I laughed and then changed the number to twenty-four. I called Arlie, Mom, and Debbie and everyone else I thought would listen. Debbie was great calling me for a week trying to find it on the website and Arlie is stopping at every bookstore and gift shop between Atlanta and Brunswick trying to get an early copy. He actually found one, bought several, and took a picture of it on the shelf. Of course, I called Shirley Fages, who was to be in DC the following week, and I promised to save her a copy.

To take this very positive article and turn it into a negative showed the lengths others would go to. And that is how I became Admiral McNeill to a few of my friends.

Georgia Trend is well read in the political and the business communities in Georgia. They have been very good to me over the years and are responsible for many of my great moments. Their May 2002 issue had an article on Spotlighting the Big Mules

They wrote,

There’s Sheila McNeill of Camden County. Called Admiral McNeill (there it is again) by her friends, she is vice president of the Navy League, a national organization of 74,000 members that is dedicated to maintaining U.S. Naval strength. When she goes to Washington, important people take note. Her main influence will be to help keep Camden’s Kings Bay Naval Base safe from future government base reduction plans. After commenting on a few others, he ended with, There are other Big Mules you can name. They do not seek publicity. They usually take up causes but are not hard or abrasive. They win people over by thoughtful conversation. They can stand and fight, but usually convince people to their cause with quiet logic. A Big Mule could be the richest man in Macon, or the owner of a small dry goods store in Canton. Mules are the keystones of any community because they place principles above self-interest. (Neely Young, editor and publisher of Georgia Trend)

I wrote to Mr. Young on May 13, 2002:

Dear Mr. Young,

I was quite surprised and truly flattered to find myself included in your May 2002 article on Georgia’s Big Mules. I’m not so sure about the term Big Mules—but being a true Georgia girl—and not too far removed from the farm I understand the compliment. Even the biggest mule cannot accomplish very much without guidance and assistance and I am quite fortunate to be surrounded by a very dedicated group of folks in Camden County who like to get things done. Thank you very much for this honor!

Sincerely,

Sheila

Georgia Trend continued to bring good things to my life. In December 2003 after I became president, I had a call from the Navy League’s public affairs officer, Ramona Joyce. "I’ve just had a call from a magazine by the name of Georgia Trend and they wanted to know your age, she said. When I asked why she said, You are being listed as one of the most influential Georgians in the January issue."

* * * * *

About three weeks before the national meeting when the election was to be held, I received a call from a Navy League past president in California who had heard that my nomination package with my letters of recommendation and platform were withheld from the nominating committee. I called Navy League headquarters and when I asked the specific question. Has the chairman of the nominating committee told you not to send my package to the committee? I have heard that they were ordered to put them in a locked closet at headquarters.

Linda Hoffman answered, Yes, but we will return them to you in today’s mail for next day delivery if you would like for us to. She had not been able to tell me about the incident but was relieved I had found out and was happy to get them out of the locked closet and in the mail to me. I was not at home that evening, but Arlie answered a call from the chairman of the nominating committee and a past national president, Jack Kennedy, who explaining they did not forward my scrapbook because the cover of the package stated I was running for president and it was supposed to be senior vice president.

It was accepted procedure with the Navy League that the person elected as senior vice president would take over as president at the next Navy League meeting. A dozen Navy League members had helped me by reviewing the package and none made note of the fact I had said that I was running for president rather than senior vice president. This was a technicality that was changed a few years later to an election to president-elect reflecting the job. I was amazed that some members of the Navy League would go to that length to see that I was not elected. I immediately wrote a letter to the nominating committee telling them my package had been withheld and sent all eighteen the package to their homes. Withholding my election package backfired on those who would do most anything to see that I was not the president because it gave each of the nominating committee an opportunity to study the entire package before they left for the meeting. The package included the recommendations from about one hundred Navy League members along with my array of pictures with military leaders and a detailed platform. It also pointed out just how far those who didn’t want to see a woman as president of the Navy League would go.

Chapter Three

The Election and Celebration

We arrived at the lovely suite our friends made possible. Bill and Nancy Kelley and Raymond and June Coutour arrived soon after. Raymond and June bought pizzas for all of us. But we had very little chance to get our bearings My God, I might win , I thought

The morning of the election, my region, the South Atlantic Coast Region, had a meeting in our suite. Carla had gone with Suzy Williams to get orange juice and sweet rolls, while we ordered coffee. My appointment was at ten with the nominating committee. Arlie, mother, Debbie, and Chuck came to wait with me outside the door as I waited for the interview. Dick Faharenwald, vice chairman of the nominating committee and a Navy League member from Hawaii, came out and told me it was time for my interview. I was told there were questions to set me up. As usual, I had overprepared. My experience as national vice president for legislative affairs and my experience with the governance issues of the Navy League gave me the background I needed. I was confident. Someone would surely question my educational background. With just a high school education, I knew this issue would be a negative. There was also the question of a national president who had no prior military experience. All the past national presidents had a military background, most at the flag and general officer level.

There are times when you know you strike out. There are times when you think you hit a home run. I felt good about the interview. I got so enthused when I discussed our support for our sea services. This is especially true discussing the issues on Capitol Hill and how just one person can make a difference. They allowed me to talk at length about our support of the Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and US Flagged Merchant Marine on Capitol Hill. In order to discuss this, I had to understand the issues. I did. During the interview, someone asked, What will the service chiefs think of a woman running the Navy League? This question was from one of the more progressive Navy League members, so I knew it was asked to get the subject out in the open and give me a chance to respond.

My reply was, I haven’t been a woman for thirty years. I’ve been an advocate for the sea services. And the services are beyond that—the Navy League is the one behind. I am friends of all the service chiefs now due to my work on Capitol Hill, and none of them have a problem with my gender.

I left the interview confident that I had done my best. The nominee from the nominating committee had to be presented and voted on by the entire board of directors. As confident as I felt about my interview, I didn’t know if I would be that nominee. We had to have a backup plan. We had to prepare for a nomination from the floor. A rare floor fight was not the best thing, but we felt that may be the only way a woman might win the election. So many unscrupulous acts had gone on we felt there would be no other choice. Earlier that morning I had asked John Thorne to be one of my endorsers. John was the civilian public affairs officer with the Coast Guard. While I could not involve the military, civilian employees were allowed to be involved. He had encouraged me and worked with me from the beginning. He agreed and said he was truly honored. We decided to ask Mike McGrath to second the nomination. Mike and John were to get with Bill Kelley and work out the process.

The committee had adjourned. A decision had been made. We had our legislative affairs meeting that I was running as national vice president. Don Ten Eyck, a member of the committee and also a member of the nominating committee, arrived, but he really didn’t give me an indication of the results. He did shake his head one time, but I didn’t know if he was greeting me or telling me something. I did have the fleeting thought: My God, I may have won the nomination. An indication of my support was demonstrated to me when a Navy League member later said he arrived at my meeting with my opponent’s button on and halfway through the meeting he removed it and was a supporter.

I later ran into the chairman of the nominating committee, Jack, on the second-floor lobby next to the escalator. He very abruptly said, You are the recommended candidate from the nominating committee. Obviously, he was not very happy about it. He didn’t extend his hand, but I did and he had to shake it. Use a little integrity here and don’t tell anyone, even your mother, until I advise John Panneton, the other candidate. I’ll call you when you can tell it.

We walked upstairs to our suite with about ten family and friends walking with us and people joining us as we walked. They all wanted to know if I had heard anything from the nominating committee. I just smiled and they followed. Despite Jack’s instructions not to tell anyone, as soon as we got into the room, I turned to everyone and told them I was the nominee. There was a burst of excitement and cheering. But I added, we can’t leave or make a call until we had gotten the okay from Jack Kennedy. We waited. We continued to wait and wait. I never heard from Kennedy again. He never called to tell me it was all right to speak about it. As far as he knew, I continued to wait for a call from him that never came. I’m sure that ignoring protocol to let me know of my nomination gave them great delight.

However, we finally received a call from a Navy League member who said the results of the nominating committee were posted on the bulletin board for everyone to see. As far as the nominating committee chairman knew, I continued staying in my room waiting for his call. Still maintaining my integrity as Jack had instructed, we all went down to look and it was posted! We took pictures.

Calvin Cobb, an attorney and a former Navy League national president came up and saw the notice and almost got teary. Tim actually shook my hand. It was quite a moment—seeing that notice for the first time, not my shaking hands with Tim, however momentous that was. I was supposed to be at a Sea Cadets meeting, so I went to the meeting to give them word of my nomination. As I waited in the back all the Sea Cadet board of directors began to rise as they applauded. After it got quiet, I said, I guess you heard.

They laughed and Jim Ward, the chairman, said, Sheila, I understand you have lots to do now so we’ll understand if you cannot stay for the meeting. The steering committee took our official photograph for Seapower, the Navy League’s official magazine and returned to our room. We then returned downstairs and mingled with other Navy Leaguers.

We later attended the national board of directors’ meeting. The board of directors consists of three-hundred-plus directors. Sitting in the audience were representative from every region in the United States, Europe, and Asia. Even as the nominee from the nominating committee, a feat in itself, we expected there would be a nomination from the floor for John Panneton. But if that happened, we had felt we had the majority of the board who would vote for me. Carol Ann Hackley, a national vice president and the only other woman on the steering committee, was seated next to me at the long dais. I sent her a note.

I wrote, It is so strange to see the ‘Sheila’ buttons on people I don’t know.

She answered, Yes and so many of them!

It took all the composure we both had not to sit with big smiles. I had been very uncomfortable with Larry and Kristy having to stay so long, so I sent them a note by a staff member telling them they didn’t have to wait through all this. They gave me the high sign that it was okay.

The past presidents had met and written a recommendation that all governance issues and past president elimination issue be turned over to a commission headed by the senior vice president. That would be me! This really annoyed Tim. In fact, he made the comment to others, She’s already running the Navy League and she hasn’t been elected yet. The past presidents had met without my knowledge, so I was not aware of the recommendation. Tim was convinced otherwise. On the other hand, maybe it’s best he sees me as someone that powerful. What a wonderful endorsement from the board of directors. They not only voted for me but put the governance issues in my hands.

The chairman of the nominating committee made an awkward, stumbling recommendation announcing that I was the nominee from the nominating committee. As soon as my name was announced, all three hundred members began rising. They shouted, stomped, clapped, and whistled. It was the most overwhelming moment of my life. Tim asked over the noise if there were any other nominations—and then he said, We’ll take this as a unanimous proclamation. When it quietened down, he called me up for the swearing in. As I raised my right hand, I repeated as the national judge advocate gave the oath of office:

I do solemnly swear that during the term of office for national president-elect I shall faithfully serve, to the best of my ability, the interest of our nation, its maritime services and the Navy League. My heart was pounding so hard I could feel the rush of blood in my ears. It would have been most appropriate for me to have thanked everyone.

But Tim Fanning, standing next to the judge advocate as the current national president, whispered to me, Don’t talk, you’ll have your chance tonight. That didn’t matter to me. I didn’t have to say a word. The fact that I had won speaks for itself. He could have his last final word if he wanted to. Again, the audience stood and repeated the stomping, shouting, and whistling. Arlie was sitting next to past national president Al Friedrich, who was one of those whistling through his fingers.

Arlie said to him, I wish I could do that.

Al said, I’ll just whistle louder.

We had very little time to get ready for the evening. I only had to freshen up. I wore the same suit, but it was still close timing with so many happy folks stopping to congratulate me. It was time for the formal dinner recognizing the new president. We were fifteen minutes late for the reception arriving about 7:15 p.m. and met with a strange situation. My opponent and the president greeting everyone like the hosts of the evening. They did not look in our direction, so we walked into the ballroom. I immediately saw Admiral Vern Clark, chief of naval operations, and his wife, Connie. When I greeted them, I could tell he seemed uncomfortable, apologetic, and somewhat sad when he approached me.

I said, Admiral Clark, do you know I won?

He was shocked and said, I assumed when I saw John with Tim… Then he gave me a big grin and a hug and said, I couldn’t be happier.

We would become very good friends over the next two years and a special section is written about some of those experiences. We were seated with the admiral and Mrs. Clark at dinner. At one point, I went to the table Mother was sitting at and asked her to come to the head table to meet everyone. I introduced her to Admiral Clark and Connie. When she returned to the table, Jack Kennedy asked her, Who did you meet?

Oh, some admiral friend of Sheila’s, she said. She later became quite familiar with the name Vern Clark and was delighted when she could call me and say she saw my friend on television.

The conversation at dinner would take another hour. As we sat that evening, Admiral Clark told me about a new class of ships he was working on. He even drew a sketch of a joint high-speed vessel that was needed. (You will find an interesting coincidence in the story of the USNS Brunswick) The Clarks were wonderful. Tim had Rabbi Kloner give the invocation and he prayed for me as president-elect and for the recipients of the SECNAV award. At the podium, Tim thanked him and said, "You promoted Sheila