Director's Message, 19MAY09

Welcome to the new Western Region USAWOA website. We currently have a total of eighteen (18) Chapters within the Western Region of the USAWOA. I am pleased to welcome WOC Marty O'Clair as the new USAWOA Webmaster and Graphic Designer.

Members are not required to be Army Warrant Officers to join our association. The Western Region consists of enlisted personnel, as well as officers, up to and including a Major General as association members. This allows us greater flexibility when seeking new ideas and with fund raising events to better our association. Please send all comments, ideas and recommendations to the Western Region Director.

I would like to address a few areas of concern that I believe the association may be able to do a better job of tracking:

(1) WO1 personnel issue and retention of individuals in our association: We need to get members more actively involved in meetings by asking them to volunteer on a committee. Also, I think it would be beneficial to send questionnaires out to all members to ask what they would like to see achieved within their chapter and their recommendations on how they can possibly make it happen. Input will vary by chapter and association, so please make sure that you answer any questions they may have and offer suggestions. Your participation will show the committee your willingness to be an active member in the association. I have found over the years that most great ideas come from association members. We must listen to what the members have to say. Don’t lose sight of the fact that the members are the future of this association. I ask that we all make an effort to remember when we were young and full of ideas, yet no one would listen. We can make a difference, we can listen, we can make changes, and we can learn from each other.

(2) Recruiting and Retention: I believe Recruiting and Retention should be the responsibility of each Chapter Vice President. Also, he/she should be tracking when membership dues are about to expire. I have found that monitoring the membership roster sixty days out works best. This provides adequate time to contact the individual for their renewal fees and prevents them from missing an issue of the ‘Newsliner’. If the member chooses not to renew, the advance contact will allow you time to determine why, while addressing the member’s issues prior to the final renewal date. Sometimes it’s as easy as just answering their questions and getting them involved with a committee to persuade them to renew membership in the Chapter. There may be times when the member can make recommendations that could be accomplished prior to their renewal date. We have been doing a poor job of retaining our retired Warrant Officers as members. We need to focus on retaining and recruiting as many retired Warrant Officers as possible. Retirees are an important part of our association. They have the knowledge of creating and maintaining a favorable Chapter and how to keep young Warrant Officers involved. I also believe it is very important that we get our families more involved in the association. In doing so, I believe it will help build the partnership between the association and the family. It is my recommendation that we hold at least a couple meetings per year with the families in attendance. Having the two come together for a picnic, with games and music, can only strengthen the Chapters, making them more successful.

(3) All Chapters are required to have, as a minimum, the following positions filled in their organization:

a) President

b) Vice President

c) Secretary

1
d) Treasurer

e) Planning Committees for:

1) Fundraising

2) Memorabilia

NOTE: If you choose to run for any of the above positions, you must be a member in good standing and your association dues must be current. If you are elected, but are delinquent in dues, the election will be invalid. Another election will be conducted once your dues are made current. Dues that are not current will also make voting in chapter meetings invalid. All chapters are required to review their membership roster every month to identify all members whose membership expires 60 days out from their expiration date and ensure the member renews their membership as soon as possible.

From now to end of the year, I challenge each Chapter to recruit two new members each month. We must also give our best effort to retain all current members. Also, do not lose sight of the fact that it is very important that we prepare our young Warrant Officers to take over, as they are the future of this Association. Without this effort, the Association will face a bleak future. Changes are never easy to accept, but must be done if the Association is to survive.


Russell G. Brewer
CW5 (R)
Western Region Director, USAWOA