chaptersinaction We Need You
Many MOAA members’ husbands and wives support the association and its mission. That’s why they volunteer their time to help keep councils and chapters strong.
T
his month, I’m writing to all MOAA members reading this column who are
not currently chapter members. We need each of you to join a chapter and help us make an already robust system even stronger. Our nation- wide chapter system includes 35 state councils and 411 chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and even in Germany. More than 62,000 chapter members help MOAA every day by “opening doors” for us on Capitol Hill and by taking action in communities across the country as ambassadors on behalf of the as- sociation. MOAA chapters are the main source of grassroots support for national MOAA’s legislative objectives. Chapter members build relationships with legislators in their home states and districts by educating them on issues important to the military community — help- ing MOAA accomplish many goals it couldn’t on its own.
Take Action: Find out how your state stacks up on military family benefits and veteran and retiree issues in MOAA’s “State Report Card” insert at pages 44- 45. If more can be done in your state to ensure servicemembers and their fami- lies get the benefits they deserve, take action now. The association’s councils and chapters have an unmatched power to effect change at the state level.
MOAA chapters have a presence in their communities, and the skills our chapter members bring to the table are in high demand in volun- teer positions and efforts in every community. Our chapter members are giving back — and gaining the satisfaction of helping make some- one’s life a little bit better. Our chapters are all about members and their spouses working together to make a difference. This depart- ment’s main article, “Support From Spouses,” examines some of the activities and accomplishments of spouses in chapters. Despite our best efforts to get the
word out about chapters, we find many of our members don’t know there is a chapter in their area. The education process is continuous. We know people are very busy and might not connect with or notice their local chapter. That’s one of the reasons why I’m writing you. Think about why you decided to join MOAA and why your membership is important to you. Chapters take your membership to the next level. You’re going to hear a lot more about chapters in the months ahead as we work to do a better job of get- ting the word out through our mar- keting efforts. Our chapter system makes a huge contribution to our association. Chapter members get sat-
isfaction on a job well-done in return for their hard work. I ask that you consider joining a chapter today. Visit MOAA’s Web Base at
www.moaa.org/ chapterlocator to find the chapter nearest you. Find out when they meet and stop by. We’ll be looking for you. — Col. Lee Lange II, USMC-Ret. Director, Council and Chapter Affairs
Support From
Spouses Teamwork is key to a successful chapter system.
D
ottie Conner supported her husband, Lt. Col. Jim Conner, USAF-Ret., when he was on
active duty. That spirit of teamwork continued when her husband joined MOAA and started holding leadership positions in the Calusa (Fla.) Chap- ter and Florida Council of Chapters, where he now serves as president. “I began helping with the Calusa
Chapter myself because I believe in MOAA’s goals ... and I like what MOAA does for me,” says Dottie. Dottie has used her skills to sup-
port MOAA. She has authored a col- umn for the chapter’s newsletter, The Calusa Communicator, and cochaired with her husband the 2010 Florida
online: Visit
www.moaa.org/chapterlocator to find the MOAA chapter nearest you. 46 MILITARY OFFICER NOVEMBER 2012
PHOTO: STEVE BARRETT
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