The Navy Yard Association (NYA) of Mare Island was established in 1921 when a group of concerned shipyard employees lead the effort with other Naval shipyards and federal activities to lobby the the U.S. Congress to create a federal employee retirement system.  The NYA mobilized support nationwide and was successful in this effort which eventually resulted in the creation of the civil service retirement system.  Since that time the NYA has remained active with a number of noteworthy achievements:

• ·         Successfully fought politically motivated efforts to close Mare Island in 1923 when a Naval Commission recommended the Shipyard operations be relocated to Alameda
• ·         Successfully lobbied for the capital improvements needed at Mare Island to maintain a high level of service on a competitive basis such as the construction of anew dry dock to construction of a new fire station built in the early 1980’s
• ·           In the 1960s was instrumental in creating the Council of Naval Employee's Groups (CONEG) comprised of all West Coast Naval shipyards.  CONEG was active in obtaining the 65/35 split for new construction, the larger percentage going to the Naval Shipyards.
•          In 1986 organized the National Associations of Naval Shipyards (NANS) mobilizing Public Shipyards as single force capable of advancing causes in common.  At the Annual meetings in Washington, DC, NANS delegates met with representatives of Navy and Congress to discuss shipyard workloads and ultimately to fight the closures of Naval shipyards.
• ·         Created the Northern California Naval Civilian Employees Council (NCNCEC) with representatives from Concord Naval Weapons Station, Alameda Naval Air Station, mobilizing northern California Naval Bases as a combined entity
• ·         In the early 1990s, took the lead to mobilize the Northern San Francisco Bay Area to work with local, county, state and federal legislators to fight the closure of Mare Island and provided key testimony before the 1993 Base Closure Commission hearings
• ·         Organized in coordination with the Navy, the City of Vallejo and surrounding communities a 3 day base closure celebration in 1996 that included multiple activities across the 5,000 acre shipyard site Highlighting and commemorating the history of the site.
• ·         Was Successful in establishing a permanent detachment of former Mare Island employees involved in environmental cleanup efforts for the Navy and other Federal agencies.
• ·         Continues to organize employee reunions and support redevelopment efforts at the former Mare Island Naval Shipyard
• ·         Provide ongoing support to Mare Island Historic Park Foundation's goal to preserve Mare Island's history and make these facilities available to the public.