MOAA in Action fromthepresident
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Now more than ever, America’s military families need the leadership, dedication, organization, and inspiration that characterize the association’s annual Storming the Hill event.
There is no better example prov- ing America is a great country than MOAA’s Storming the Hill event. After storming April 18 this year, I couldn’t be more proud, more enthusiastic, and more optimistic about being an American and an MOAA member. Our team this year — consisting of 56 council and chapter members, 31 members of the association’s board of directors, seven members of the Auxiliary Member Advisory Committee, two members of the Currently Serving Advisory Council, 10 members of the Currently Serving Spouse Advisory Council, and 43 staff members — was a juggernaut of infl uence and good old American moxie. We made our mark on the Hill and proved there is nothing more powerful than an American with good ideas, unless it’s an organized group of Americans with good ideas. What sets MOAA apart is the dedica- tion of the association’s individual mem- bers and their spouses, coupled with a well-organized strategy to make a diff er- ence by having our voices heard. All of MOAA’s stormers made the commitment to educate themselves and do their part to make a diff erence. We know MOAA makes an impact on the Hill. We capture the spotlight and get our points across. But we also off er added value with our desire to be prob- lem solvers by being servant leaders. MOAA’s brand of advocacy has servant leadership as its core.
MOAA won’t rest on our Storming the
Hill laurels. Over the course of the next few months, we will be working hard to be both servant leaders and thought leaders. We take our role seriously as the people who not only ask the tough questions but who also have worked on good answers and are not afraid to talk about them. America’s military families need our
brand of advocacy more than ever. No matter what administration is in charge, uniformed leaders are part of the admin- istration and must fall in line once hard decisions on budgets are made. Younger servicemembers feel they cannot speak out if they are concerned or fearful about their futures. They are worried about their careers and their place in a system that is becoming increasingly competitive. And for the fi rst time in a long time, headlines blare that retirees are surprised to fi nd themselves back in a fi ght to preserve their hard-earned benefi ts after years of service and sacrifi ce. There is no lack of need for MOAA’s
servant leadership. Over the next few months, you’ll be hearing more about our plans for the future. There will be many challenges ahead, but I hope you feel as ready as I do to face them.
— Vice Adm. Norbert R. Ryan Jr., USN-Ret.
*online: See video highlights of Storming the Hill 2012 at
www.moaa.org/storming. 14 MILITARY OFFICER JUNE 2012
PHOTO: STEVE BARRETT
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