The Governor’s Office of Community Initiatives today honored the United States Naval Academy Midshipman Action Group for 30 years of service to Maryland communities. Commandant of Midshipmen Colonel James P. McDonough, Deputy Commandant of Midshipmen Captain David S. Forman, and 14 Midshipman Action Group representatives gathered at the Maryland State House to receive a governor’s citation to mark the occasion.
"The volunteerism of the Midshipman Action Group has grown to encompass such a robust and responsive cadre of Midshipmen who care very deeply about our communities at large,” said Col. McDonough. “The Midshipmen also give freely of their limited liberty time in order to work with community partners and impact positive change throughout our many diverse communities."
The Midshipman Action Group, known as MAG, is the U.S. Naval Academy’s community relations program for the Brigade of Midshipmen. Since 1992, MAG has partnered with organizations in the Annapolis, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C. areas to promote educational, environmental, and social service projects. The group’s work both builds and reinforces the peer leadership, character development, and teamwork skills that help prepare Midshipmen for future service.
“The remarkable service and leadership that the Midshipmen have shown over the years is an inspiration to us all,” said Governor’s Office of Community Initiatives Executive Director Steven J. McAdams. “We are grateful for their service and are proud to be a partner in their lasting legacy of service to Maryland.”
For the duration of the Hogan administration, MAG has been an invaluable partner to the Governor’s Office of Community Initiatives, engaging in numerous community-based projects. Most recently, the office joined MAG to support the donation of thousands of pounds of food at the Anne Arundel County Food Bank—contributing to the hundreds of thousands of pounds of food that MAG has donated to the food bank over the years.
“The Midshipman Action Group is responsive to the needs of our communities through inclusive collaboration to help our neighbors in need on many levels,” said United States Naval Academy Community Relations Director and Midshipman Action Group Faculty Representative Miriam Stanicic. “The MAG mission statement is, ‘service to the nation begins with service to the community’—and the Midshipmen strive to do that every day.”
To learn more about the U.S. Naval Academy Midshipman Action Group, visit https://www.usna.edu/MAG/index.php.