Jim Noone to command NPC American Legion Post 20

James A. Noone, a Vietnam War veteran and retired Navy captain, will be sworn in as commander of National Press Club American Legion Post 20 on June 2 at the annual convention of the D.C. Department of the Legion at Bolling Air Force Base.

Noone, a 38-year Club member with nearly 40 years of experience in Washington in journalism, public affairs, law and government relations, was elected to succeed Kenneth Dalecki at a Post election meeting on Thursday, May 25. Dalecki is stepping down after five years as Post commander. Other Post offices elected are vice commanders Alfredo Diaz and Thomas Young, adjutant Michael MacMurray, treasurer Myron Belkind, judge advocate Anthony Gallo, chaplain Michael Hurley, historian John Hurley and secretary Johah Gitlitz.

Noone served with Navy ground forces in Vietnam and served in the Navy Reserve, retiring as a captain in 2001. His military awards include the Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medal, and the Vietnam Service Medal. He is a member of the American Bar Association, Bar Association of the District of Columbia, Military Officers Association of America and Reserve Officers Association. He serves on the boards of the Naval Historical Foundation and International Midway Memorial Foundation and is past president and board member of the U.S. Navy Public Affairs Association.

He was a member of the Club travel committee and established the annual Club Civil War battlefield visits in conjunction with the Civil War Trust. He started his career as a reporter and editor for the Scranton Tribune. He was a copy editor at the Washington Post and staff correspondent for the National Journal. He served with the U.S. Information Agency in Washington and as a Foreign Service public affairs officer in Brazil. Noone became the manager of government relations for ITT Corporation and in 1988 became a principal in the Washington law/government relations firm of Karalekas & Noone (K&N). In 2004, K&N merged with the government relations firm The Washington Group (TWG), which later became part of Mercury/Clark & Weinstock. At TWG, he headed the firm’s defense, homeland security and federal business development practice. Noone is a graduate of the University of Scranton, the American University School of International Service (MA), and the American University Law School (JD).

Post 20, which was named the Outstanding Post by the D.C. Department of the American Legion last year, was formed shortly after World War I at the urging of Gen. John J. Pershing, a Club member and leader of U.S. Expeditionary Forces in Europe during the war.