Military Officer - January 2008 - (Page 46) chaptersinaction Mission Accomplished Chapter leaders learn how to improve their chapters at the Chapter Presidents’ Symposium, while personal affairs officers, auxiliary members, and spouses focus on adding value to their organizations. I t’s hard to believe a year has passed since I became the director of Council and Chapter Affairs. My deputy, Col. Barry Wright, USA-Ret., and I have crisscrossed the nation, visiting chapters and councils to find out firsthand what the issues are and getting ideas about how to improve MOAA’s chapter system. We had a great Council Presidents’ Seminar in April 2007, where our council and chapter presidents heard from some of the top leaders in Congress and the administration. They did a great job taking our mes- sage to the Hill, and at press time, Congress appears poised to take action on the top three issues MOAA presented to legislators during Storming the Hill. The “Give Me 10!” recruiting program made its strongest showing yet, with more than 2,800 new members recruited. The 2008 version of Give Me 10! launched Jan. 1 and will run until Dec. 31. Last year’s Communications Awards submissions were some of the best ever, keeping the judges busy determining 49 award winners. We also saw a record number of Levels of Excellence award nominations, with 88 chapters receiving awards. This month’s main article highlights the Midwest region Chapter Presidents’ Symposium held in Grapevine, Texas, Oct. 5-7, 2007. Council and chapter leaders and their spouses and MOAA leaders and staff attended this 10th annual signature event that focused on training and problem solving for chapter leaders and training for personal affairs representatives. New in 2007 were combined recruiting-and-retention workshops, a chapter leaders’ workshop for all attendees, and a communications seminar with Kris Hegle, one of Military Officer’s contributing editors. Feedback says we are on the right track. So if you’re in the Western region, get ready for the 2008 symposium in Lake Tahoe, Nev., Oct. 16-18. Barry and I are lining up our 2008 visit schedule now, with the help of board members and MOAA staff. If your chapter has not been visited in the past three years, we will be contacting you soon to arrange a visit. As we start a new year, I’d like to wish all of you the very best in 2008. — Col. Lee Lange II, USMC-Ret. Director, Council and Chapter Affairs Leaders Exchange Ideas M ON THE ROAD: This month, Col. Lee Lange II, USMC-Ret., director of MOAA’s Council and Chapter Affairs, will visit chapters in California and North Carolina. Go to MOAA Calendar, page 88, for dates. 46 MILITARY OFFICER JANUARY 2008 * ore than 300 MOAA chapter leaders, personal affairs representatives, auxiliary members, and spouses attended the 10th annual Chapter Presidents’ Symposium Oct. 5-7, 2007, in Grapevine, Texas. The symposium is held in a different region of the U.S. every year; in 2007, it brought together delegates from 16 states in the Midwest region. Throughout the symposium, chapter leaders exchanged ideas, shared success stories, and visited with key members of the national staff and board of directors, including chair of MOAA’s board of directors Gen. Michael Carns, USAF-Ret. MOAA president Vice Adm. Norb Ryan Jr., USN-Ret., and his wife, Judy, welcomed delegates and their PHOTO: STEVE BARRETT
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