fromthepresident First 100 Days E
MOAA President Lt. Gen. Dana T. Atkins, USAF (Ret), refl ects on what he’s learned during a comprehensive review of association programs, as well as what his next steps will be as CEO.
Ever since Franklin D. Roosevelt pio- neered the concept upon taking of- fice in 1933, the “fi rst 100 days” serves as a gauge of presidential success and ac- tivity. I recently logged that notable mile- stone as your new president. I am convinced, more than ever, MOAA is the most infl uential and respected mili- tary service organization, adept at deliv- ering member value and advocating on behalf of our military community. That perspective has been reinforced upon the recent completion of a bottom- up review (BUR) of all MOAA programs and services, conducted by the staff and moderated by members of the board of directors using a panel process. The goal of the BUR was to ensure
MOAA’s resources are optimally aligned with our core mission and competen- cies. The outcome of the BUR validated and reinforced that alignment for us. The process also provided a unique op- portunity for intensive immersion in the full range of your association’s activities, which considerably accelerated my per- sonal learning curve. It won’t come as any surprise the BUR
process confi rmed the association’s en- during strength and core competencies rest upon four pillars: advocacy, member- ship, programs and services, and councils and chapters. The BUR also presented us with some opportunities to realign personnel and other resources to better focus on our core
missions, member services, and member- ship outreach. Part of that process will entail updating our strategic plan to ac- complish our long-term goals for advo- cacy, membership, and more. Meanwhile, your association has ag-
gressively pursued our advocacy mis- sion. We’ve had multiple discussions with House and Senate Armed Services committee leaders and staff on a variety of issues, especially military health care reform, TRICARE fees, and the Survivor Benefi t Plan/Dependency and Indemnity Compensation “widows tax” that penal- izes survivors up to $15,000 a year in cases in which military service caused the servicemember’s death. As I write this column, MOAA is preparing to marshal more than 160 state and national leaders to “storm the Hill” on these topics. My next goal is to visit more MOAA
state councils and local chapters, whose leaders and members are the core of our association. You generate the most in- tensive segments of our grassroots input to Congress, and you are the face of our association within the states and commu- nities. I want to be able to share insights and build relationships with you so we can continue down our successful path, shoul- der to shoulder, to “never stop serving.”
— Lt. Gen. Dana T. Atkins, USAF (Ret)
online: Find MOAA at
www.moaa.org,
www.moaa.org/facebook, and
www.moaa.org/twitter. 10 MILITARY OFFICER MAY 2016
PHOTO: ROB CANNON
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