FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                             MEDIA CONTACT:                                                                                                Caroline Witherspoon                                                                                                 Becker Communications, Inc.                                                                                                (808) 533-4165  HONOLULU NAVY LEAGUE AND GEICO PARTNER TO RECOGNIZE HAWAII SAILORS AND MARINES WHO DEPLOY ALONE *Inaugural IA Recognition Awards Luncheon to be Held on March 17, 2009* HONOLULU (REVISED 2/18) – Each year, hundreds of Hawaii-based Sailors and Marines are sent on assignment alone as Individual Augmentees (IAs) to Iraq, Horn of Africa, Afghanistan and Philippine Islands theaters of operations with little or no ceremony marking their deployments or returns.  Showing their appreciation to IAs and their spouses, the Honolulu Navy League and title sponsor GEICO will host the inaugural IA Recognition Awards Luncheon on Tuesday, March 17, 2009, at the Hickam Air Force Base Officers Club. Many times, with very little notice, IAs are asked to head to unknown territories, face unknown enemies and spend over a year away from their homes and families.  “Because IAs are deployed individually, they often leave and return with little fanfare,” said Don Morrison, Honolulu Navy League president.  “The Navy League recognition program is an opportunity to celebrate their return and show appreciation to the IAs and their spouses and families for their service.” Held from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., the IA Recognition Awards Luncheon will feature keynote speaker Admiral Robert F. Willard, USN, Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet.  In addition, all IAs at the luncheon will receive a commemorative certificate and special IA “Boots on the Ground” coin presented by the Honolulu Navy League and GEICO. “As part of our commitment to giving back to Hawaii, GEICO is pleased to partner with the Honolulu Navy League on this inaugural luncheon thanking Hawaii’s IAs for a job well done,” said Ron Addington, Regional Event Marketing Coordinator for GEICO Hawaii. Tickets to the IA Recognition Awards Luncheon are $30 per person and reservations are required. For more information, please call (808) 422-9404.  The Navy League of the United States, Honolulu Council is a non-profit organization dedicated to educating citizens and elected officials about naval matters and the importance of sea power to the general peace and well-being of our Nation, and the importance of this on their way of life. The Navy League supports all members of the Navy, Marines, Coast Guard, Merchant Marine, and their families.  Our goal is to generate sufficient funding to enable us to continue support of our mission’s youth programs including the Navy Sea Cadet Corps., NJROTC, support services to families of deployed personnel, scholarships for military spouses, and recognition for our active service personnel.  For more information, visit www.HonoluluNavyLeague.org.   Title Event Sponsor GEICO, a longtime auto insurer in the Hawaii market, is proud to support patriotic Americans in uniform serving their country – particularly our Individual Augmentees. The men and women of GEICO are proud to be part of the Honolulu Navy League recognition of these outstanding citizens, and to be a Member of the Family of Navy League Sponsors. Through events like this, GEICO is letting civilians and military know about its “giving back” program that can reduce the average premium of auto insurance for vehicle owners in Hawaii. For more information about GEICO, visit www.geico.com. For an online rate quote that you can compare with your current premium, visit: http://www.geico.com/landingpage/go49.htm?soa.  # # #