RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION ISSUES OF CRITICAL CONCERN
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This is a report that I promised to send upon attending the meeting at SLO.

First, the meeting was a helpful reminder that there are several dedicated MOAA members working to solve some of our salient common problems. That is both disturbing and reassuring. Nobody has solved the problem of current in-flesh immortality and we all seem to have declining membership although talking with Earl Gustafson was helpful in finding what a successful chapter has done to minimize the threat.

As I thought about the issues surrounding declining membership, I was reminded of my own chapter as well as the common dilemmas we all face. We have essentially 3 choices with a few variants:
1) Increase membership
2) Increase income sources
3) Decrease the mission

Increasing the membership means we need to understand the needs of the officers following us and that we need to be prepared to compromise our personal preferences for the good of larger numbers. This, in turn, means several things are possible. We can survey and probe and question our younger members and eligibles for information, for example, but we may already know that those coming behind us are not joiners and their lives are more complex than our own were at a comparable period in our lives.

Surveys may be marginally useful, but my personal experiences with my own children (1 O6 and 1 O5) is that they frankly have no time for the formal social format that many chapters promote and that they are happy without us. They do not feel that they need us and they may be correct. Because of this, I suggest that we look at the concept of simply accepting people wherever they are. If they are satisfied with membership and a newsletter…OK…If they want monthly dinners…OK…If they want stimulating speakers or WWII redux or dancing girls or you name it, we need to consider the activity or lack of it as long as we can forward the mission.

As we do this without censure of those who do not have the same view or understanding of MOAA, we can probably grow our ranks.

Unfortunately, my experience in my chapter points to a reluctance to change anything. When I suggested that we permit “business casual” at our meetings, the response of the ex board was nearly unanimous in “I feel more comfortable in suit coat and tie.” While I am sure that is truth…it does not recognize that younger officers may be put off by seeing a bunch of old men wearing more formal garb. “Maybe we should do that sometime, but I will still wear a coat and tie.” That is not a true compromise and will generate no interest. Compromise means sacrifice, and if we do not appear to be welcoming, then the effort, however sincere will not work.

Similarly, 60% of active duty military feel that we should withdraw from Iraq. While that is less than the civilian percentage, it is still a significant majority. The notion of implying criticism of the current administration is anathema in my chapter…and, I suspect, in most other chapters. Who in his right mind would join a group that is not flexible enough to consider an opposing view (held by a majority of citizens in and out of military service). Enough said, but we need true compromise with some sacrifice by current members. National MOAA clearly articulates positions that touch political points, but for some older members, that in itself is seen as disloyal. We cannot grow under that lack of light.

There are other income sources beyond membership fees and dinner surplus funds. As a leader in another organization, we held our 5th annual Flag Day event and raised $1000 each for Fisher House and the Soldier’s Project. My chapter was invited to participate, but declined. The chapter could have gotten credit for the civic support we provided, but felt that the issue was partisan because it admitted that we are not taking care of returning gravely injured soldiers. We can do some specific fund raising that is in concert with our mission. This may even attract some younger members, but we again need to compromise if we are to achieve our
mission goals. We could have some nationally known speakers and charge the public for attendance. We can use the USO as I did at Flag Day, etc. Many politicians would be happy to help, but we need to ask.

Lastly, we could diminish our mission. I do not recommend that although we could gain from a CALMOAA plenary session to define mission essential activities given that we are seeing a decline in revenue that may put us out of business in 10 year or less anyway.

I am happy to have participated in the annual meeting and it was reassuring to see fellow members in action. I am prepared to talk with Warren to discuss these ideas in more detail when he has the time.

George Giacoppe
Golden West Chapter

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