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Team
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Design firm: 2009–10 U.S. Navy CEC-OSC, Washington, DC
Creative director: Denise McCall
Newsletter editor: Barrie Donley
Presidents: Denise Nesius (President), Marlene Shear (Honorary President), Shelly Worden (Vice President)
Photography: Danielle Dasher, Marlene Shear, Shelly Worden
Content contributors:
- CEC-OSC: Melissa Adams, Anne Beebe, Susan Bell, Shawna Dancel, Sara Delao, Derek Donovan, Christina Harmeyer, Heather Hascall, Kyra Hawn, Shenafa Kenney, Carol Loose, Linda Mossey, Alice Pope, Beth Reuning, Clara Stader, Stephanie Straub, Kemper Thrun, Melina Tye
- CEC: Rear Admiral W.G. Shear, Jr.
Editor: Susan Sponar
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Description
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Wars and natural disasters had a big impact on the first
decade of the 2000s, making volunteer participation from military spouses needed more than ever. In time for the 60th anniversary of the U.S. Navy Civil Engineer Corps Officers’ Spouses’ Club (CEC-OSC), we established a CEC-OSC identity to support communications among target audiences and to increase community morale and participation.
Research and strategy
We researched
60 years’ worth of club archives, strategized club bylaws and constitution
updates, and compiled data from the current culture and communication metrics.
The team built a custom club identity taking into account the history, culture
and long-standing “bee” theme related to Seabee history and various other
service facets of the U.S. Navy.
The identity
components include a logo, coins, stationery, certificates, a masthead and cover page design, as
well as a website, Facebook page and photo archive updates. The bee image is the basis for the materials that
target communication to audiences with dignity and a compelling call to action.
We brought to the forefront the club mission of friendship and service with the
tagline, “Promoting esprit de corps”— group spirit—“everywhere we go!”
Challenges
It was a
challenge to carve a visual identity for a club that formed back in 1950. The
CEC logo was prominently used early on, but was found to be lacking on club
materials for the latter part of the last century and the beginning of this
century. Communication was also a challenge with widespread audiences and ages.
Also, CEC spouses who were not club members were not privy to information that
members had on a monthly basis. Tight economics with time restraints on members
and nonmembers were also a challenge.
Effectiveness
The
identity design launch was successful because it impacted volunteer
participation in the CEC Community. Board and committee participation increased
50 percent and continues to thrive. The limited-edition coins reached and
recognized CEC spouses servicing across our nation at the end of a critical
decade in U.S. history. The club’s website and
Facebook page launch increased dissemination of news with an online payment
option, reaching prospective members, and giving worldwide spouse service an
image to the public. Our team website
launch brought in 445 visitor views in the first year,
with 26–38 visits per month on a continuing basis. The Facebook page has
reached and engaged spouses relocating to DC, and has up to 67 visits per
week. With new enthusiasm, participation has increased at club events, public
recognition from high-ranking officials has increased at CEC events and CEC
monthly news updates from the chief to club members have begun. Seventy-five club members
joined out of one hundred CEC spouses in the DC Area. As the CEC spouse organization for the nation's capital, we are leaders for other clubs serving in the
nation and
the world. The team enhanced the tradition of the CEC community’s legacy
for future generations. We bridged the gap that unknowingly developed without
a club visual
identity, making the entire local CEC community stronger going into this new decade and for future
generations.
Our work also had an influence on the Military Spouse Residency Relief Act (MSRRA) becoming law. Our 2007–2009 CEC-OSC president, Joanna Williamson, with her partners and club member participation, led the efforts in this area. The MSRRA amended the Service Member's Civil Relief Act (SCRA) of 1940, guaranteeing the equity of the spouse of military personnel by providing them the option to claim the same state of domicile as their active duty spouse, and guarantees equity regarding matters of property, taxes, voting and residency. Often, military spouses would experience impediments in voting and property ownership as well as deterrents in employment and education because they accompany their active duty spouse under federal government orders.
Our team came into place after Joanna’s presidency and before the act became law. On October 16, 2009, the 2009–2010 CEC-OSC president sent a letter to First Lady Michelle Obama to share our club identity and plans, as it related to her military-family focus as First Lady, and also to request changes, including for the MSRRA to become law, to aid military spouses.
Although our team's part was small compared to the leaders and the folks “in the trenches” cold calling and posting to Facebook for MSRRA support, the visual identity that the 2009-2010 team established aided the efforts to serve spouses and the larger community, and recognized U.S. military spouses serving worldwide at a critical time in our nation's laws and history. Our collective efforts were met with a receptive government. Not only did the MSRRA become law on November 11, 2009, but the First Lady Michelle Obama and Second Lady Dr. Jill Biden announced a Presidential Directive on Military Families on May 12, 2010. As stated in the press release about this initiative, “President Barack Obama has directed the National Security Staff to lead a new 90-day review to develop a coordinated Federal government-wide approach to supporting and engaging military families.” The results of this government-wide study directive were released on January 24, 2011. Later, the campaign Joining Forces was formed by First Lady and Second Lady to increase public awareness of issues facing military families, in addition to the entire administration taking action to lay a foundation that will live on across the nation for all uniformed services—serving America's military families for years to come.
In more recent news, in 2012 the nation’s first military spouse career fair took place in Washington, DC, on January 13, 2012, with the support of business alliances and Joining Forces. The past 2009–2010 CEC-OSC president received a letter back from First Lady Michelle Obama on March 10, 2012, and at this year's Anniversary Ball on March 17, 2012, in Washington, DC, military spouses were called to the podium with their active duty service member in honor of their part in the U.S. service member's awards.
Pro bono
The entire identity,
stationery and certificate printing was produced by the club at no charge to
the community, and only member time was spent. The coin and web publishing were
paid for by the CEC-OSC budget using only $391 in extra funds that year.
Stationary printing was donated. We ended the year with a surplus in the
overall budget. The art is copyrighted by Denise McCall, creative director/designer/illustrator, for use by the U.S. Navy
CEC-OSC, Washington, DC.
The team served its
military community and nation, and the club mission ultimately serves the
world. The travel and service exposure U.S. military families have in their
lifetime impacts everyone’s future. Morale affects the military community, the
health of military families and, ultimately, the health of the nation. Military
spouses are vital to American family values and prosperity. As partners to
military officers in times of peace and war, military spouses answer the call
to serve with quiet sacrifice, grace under pressure and conviction of purpose.
This case study is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts.
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