Secretary of the Navy Instruction 5720.44A, Events for the Internal Community

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Secretary of the Navy Instruction 5720.44A, Events for the Internal Community

SECNAVINST 5720.44A
3 JUN 1987

0206 EVENTS FOR THE INTERNAL COMMUNITY

a. General. Navy Week, Navy Birthday and the Marine Corps Birthday, events intended primarily for the internal audience, are designed to enhance team spirit and pride in the traditions of the Sea Services.

(1) On 13 October 1775, the Continental Congress authorized the fitting out of ships for the Continental Navy. Because this was the first legislation for what was to become the U. S. Navy, 13 October is celebrated as the Navy's birthday. If 13 October falls on a weekend, internal activities observing the birthday can be scheduled at local command discretion.

(2) An external commemoration separate from Navy Birthday, Navy Day is usually celebrated on or about 27 October and is sponsored by the Navy League of the United States. The specific date of the observance is determined by each local Navy League Council.

(3) The Marine Corps Birthday is 10 November. Guidance for commemoration of the Marine Corps Birthday is provided in the Marine Corps Public Affairs Manual, Volume I, (Community Relations).

(4) Navy Week, the week around 13 October, is the focus of other Navy oriented festivities and observances.

(5) There are similar events of importance to various communities within the Services, such as the Surface Warfare Ball, Supply Corps Ball, etc. These internal events should be supported at command discretion.

(6) Guidance on visual information (VI) coverage of events of significance to the internal community is provided in Article 0309g (Audiovisual Coverage of Command Events).

b. Command Observances. The following general policies apply to events for the internal community.

(1) During internal events, commands should promote maritime topics of local interest, emphasizing the Navy and Marine Corps' heritage, current capabilities and future potential. The importance of naval personnel as members of a professional team supporting the Maritime Strategy should be underscored.

(2) All naval personnel, including reserve, retired, NROTC, NJROTC and Sea Cadets should be encouraged to wear their uniform on Navy Birthday to demonstrate to the American public their pride and the extent of Navy and Marine Corps links with communities.

(3) The following observances are especially suited for local commemoration of Navy Birthday:

(a) Special formal ceremonies which honor individuals who are part of the Navy's heritage.

(b) Holiday routine, with special holiday menus.

(c) Publishing and posting of Navy Birthday messages from seniors in the chain.

(d) Posters and static displays.

(e) All hands picnics involving families.

(f) Full dress ship.

(g) News coverage by internal media (i.e., newspaper, SITE, etc.).

(h) Special familygrams highlighting contributions of assigned personnel.

(i) Navy Birthday dining-out, ball and other official social events.
c. Observances External to the Command. Some naval activities lack facilities spacious enough to accommodate an internal, Navy- or Marine Corps- sponsored function in a community with a large military population. In such cases, commands desiring to sponsor such a function off base should forward a request to the Immediate Superior in the Chain of Command ISIC) with justification for the off-base request. The letter must state that the function is officially sponsored by the command and will be attended in the main by military personnel and their spouses or other escorts. The event must not be or have the appearance of a community relations activity involving civilians or community leaders, although local membership of Navy and Marine Corps related organizations (e.g., Navy League) may participate as special guests. No command support can be authorized for Navy Birthday and similar observances that are either sponsored by civilian organizations or attended primarily by persons not on active duty. Participation in such observances by individuals, however, may be permitted in certain cases. These cases include but are not limited to the following forms of individual participation:

(1) Navy and Marine Corps personnel may attend civilian-sponsored birthday luncheons, dinners and other functions, and serve as speakers at such functions, even if command participation (e.g., bands for entertainment) is not authorized.

(2) Navy and Marine Corps bands and color guards may appear at civilian-sponsored birthday functions to provide patriotic openers or specific presentations, provided they are not the sole attraction and their appearance at the event is not otherwise prohibited [See Article 0402 (Principles Governing Participation in Community Relations Events)]. Further, bands cannot provide entertainment at functions in the civilian domain that are sponsored and attended primarily by persons not on active duty. This includes functions sponsored by organizations having a special relationship with the Navy and Marine Corps. See Article 0414 (Official Public Appearances by Naval Personnel).

(3) Personnel who attend local places of worship should be encouraged to wear their uniforms to services, masses and other forms of worship on Navy Sabbath (the Saturday and Sunday nearest the Navy Birthday) and request clergy to consider incorporating the Navy Hymn in services.

d. Entertainment at Events for the Internal Community. Navy and Marine Corps band units are authorized to participate in social and entertainment functions if they are sponsored by a Navy or Marine Corps command and have as their principal purpose the promotion of morale and esprit. Functions may be free or a charge levied to defray the costs of food, beverages and other incidental expenses. Bands, honor guards and exhibits may be authorized for functions off base only if there are no suitable facilities on base to accommodate the number of active duty personnel and their guests eligible to attend (see subparagraph c above).

  
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