RAAUZYUW RUENAAA0435 3132238-UUUU--RUCCBWF.
ZNR UUUUU ZUI RUEWCSE3977 3132240
R 092238Z NOV 06 PSN 050046I15
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1//
TO NAVADMIN
INFO RHMFIUU/CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1//
RUENAAA/CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1//
BT
UNCLAS //N01650//
NAVADMIN 312/06
MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/NOV//
SUBJ/SPIRIT OF HOPE AWARD RECIPIENT//
REF/A/MSG/CNO WASHINGTON/191756ZJAN2006//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  THIS NAVADMIN ANNOUNCES THE SELECTION OF MR.
JAMES H. GAFF, JR. AS THE 2005 SPIRIT OF HOPE AWARD WINNER.
INSPIRED BY THE SELFLESS GENEROSITY OF BOB HOPE, THE SPIRIT OF HOPE
AWARD RECOGNIZES THOSE MEMBERS OF OUR NAVY COMMUNITY WHO MOST EMBODY
THE VALUES OF THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE MILITARY:  DUTY, HONOR,
COURAGE, LOYALTY, COMMITMENT AND INTEGRITY.
2.  MR. GAFF WILL BE RECOGNIZED AS THE 2005 SPIRIT OF HOPE AWARDEE
IN A CEREMONY AT NAVAL STATION MAYPORT BY ADMIRAL STAVRIDIS,
COMMANDER USSOUTHCOM.
3.  MR. GAFF WAS NOMINATED BY HELICOPTER ANTI-SUBMARINE SQUADRON
LIGHT 44 FOR HIS LIFELONG DEDICATION AND SERVICE TO SAILORS AND
THEIR FAMILIES, ESPECIALLY THOSE ASSIGNED TO THE NORTHEASTERN
FLORIDA AREA.  A VETERAN OF THE WORLD WAR II AMPHIBIOUS NAVY, MR.
GAFF HELD EVERY POSITION OF LEADERSHIP IN HIS LOCAL NAVY LEAGUE
COUNCIL AND ROSE TO PRESIDENCY OF THE FORT LAUDERDALE (FL) NAVY
LEAGUE.  UNDER HIS LEADERSHIP, THE COUNCIL LED THE FORT LAUDERDALE
FLEET WEEK, ONE OF THE NATIONS LEADING MARITIME EVENTS, AND WAS
AWARDED THE PRESTIGIOUS "NATIONAL OUTSTANDING COUNCIL AWARD."  SINCE
HIS RETIREMENT TO NORTHEAST FLORIDA, MR. GAFF CONTINUED HIS
LEADERSHIP IN THE NAVY LEAGUE WHERE HE RAISED OVER 50 THOUSAND
DOLLARS FOR THE LEAGUE, ANOTHER 30 THOUSAND FOR NAVY MARINE CORPS
RELIEF, AND PERSONALLY RECRUITED OVER 60 NEW MEMBERS.  AS PRESIDENT
OF THE USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT (CVN 71) COMMISSIONING COMMITTEE, HE
RAISED FUNDS AND SOLICITED DONATIONS TO ESTABLISH THE THEODORE
ROOSEVELT SHIP S LIBRARY AND PERSONALLY DONATED OVER 30 THOUSAND
FIRST EDITION BOOKS TO 7 OTHER FLEET WARSHIPS.  IN 2003, IN THE WAKE
OF OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM, HE ORGANIZED A RETURNING COMBAT
VETERAN S APPRECIATION GOLF TOURNAMENT, WHERE 66 COMBAT VETS WERE
TREATED TO BREAKFAST AND GOLF; NOW IN ITS FOURTH YEAR, THIS
TOURNAMENT HAS BECOME KNOWN AS THE "VETERANS APPRECIATION DAY."  MR.
GAFF HAS ALSO PERSONALLY OPENED HIS HOME TO OUR SAILORS FOR
THOUSANDS OF SOCIAL AFFAIRS AND DINNERS.  HIS CONTINUOUS RECORD OF
GIVING HAS EARNED HIM A PLACE ON THE 2005 NATIONAL SCROLL OF HONOR,
WHICH IS AWARDED BY THE NAVY LEAGUE OF THE UNITED STATES FOR A
LIFETIME OF DEDICATED AND HONORED SERVICE.
4.  POC:  MR. PETE DARBY AT COMM (703) 614-4259/DSN 224, OR EMAIL AT
PETER.DARBY@NAVY.MIL.
5.  RELEASED BY RADM E. MASSO, N1B.//
BT
#0435

NNNN