Naval Submarine League cancels annual symposium

The Naval Submarine League has canceled its annual symposium and industry update, saying many of the uniformed and civilian military personnel scheduled to appear at the November event are unable to attend due to the government shutdown.

The event, which is typically held in mid-November in Arlington, VA and focuses almost exclusively on submarines and undersea warfare, has been an important venue for the Navy to communicate with industry and with the public on a range of budgetary and operational priorities.

NSL, a non-profit organization intended to support the U.S. submarine force, will hold its annual meeting virtually on Nov. 12 to comply with its bylaws in the absence of the typical multiday convention and trade show, the group announced today.

NSL is evaluating its ability to conduct the event at an undisclosed date later this year, NSL Chairman and retired Navy Adm. John Richardson wrote in the announcement.

“This is dependent on the government reopening as well as formal approval for speakers to participate, which is controlled by DOD/DOW,” Richardson added. “Their bandwidth has been affected by government furloughs and approval timelines are unclear. We will work closely with our sponsors, exhibitors and registrants to determine the best way ahead.”

The announcement comes as the government shutdown stretches to nearly a month, throwing Navy and Pentagon-wide activities into disarray.

The NSL symposium is the first major military convention to be canceled due to the shutdown. The annual Association of the United States Army (AUSA) event proceeded as scheduled earlier this month.

This development also follows a series of moves by the Defense Department to restrict public information access.

The Pentagon has classified budget reconciliation spending plans, restricted think-tank appearances and communication with Congress and rolled out a new press access policy effectively barring resident media from the building.