TEAM #1 AFTER ACTION REPORT

It was a chilly dawn Wednesday, April 2nd, 2008, when more than 125 council and selected chapter presidents along with MOAA professionals stood at the base of the U.S. Capitol http://dc.about.com/cs/walkingtours/a/Capitol.htm for a group photo signaling the start of the annual “Storming the Hill” event.

Sixty four (64) carefully organized teams consisting of a primary member, usually a council or chapter president, and one or two support members, usually a MOAA board member, advisory committee member, or staffer, were set to go by 8:00am and headed for the Senate or House office buildings.

Because of the number of legislators, California had four (4) teams, with #1 being COL Warren Enos and BG Wayne Hoffmann, CAL-MOAA president and vice president respectively–Wayne is also a MOAA officer, national chaplain and of course a board member; #2 was made up of CAPT Warren McDonald and CDR Sarah Rogers, both MOAA board members; #3 was Col Bill Gavitt and Col Ken Jordan, again MOAA Board members; and #4 included Col Renee Rubin, a former board member, and Gen Mike Carns, Chairman, MOAA Board of Directors.

Preparations for legislator visits got underway more than a month before the event with each team leader making and confirming a visit schedule. Initial contacts with a legislator were usually made by U.S. Mail followed by a fax letter, and to both the Washington and local offices. In most cases follow up letters again were sent using both means. Finally, as the “Storming” date came closer telephone calls were made to the offices and staff schedulers in an often last minute effort to set a meeting.

It can be a frustrating experience because office staffers often do not know until very late if and when the legislator will be available and because the staffers are very busy and more often than not fail to respond to letters and phone calls.

The intent in 2008 was to approach certain legislators, usually those who serve on key committees, serve in leadership positions, or are otherwise influential and could play a significant role, and ask them to sponsor specific bills and/or support the legislation.

This year the objective was to ask legislators to (1) reject big Tricare, perhaps triple, fee hikes for retirees and survivors, (2) fix benefit inequities for military widows and disabled retirees, and (3) support authorizing at least a 3.9% military pay raise vs President Bush’s proposed 3.4%. In addition, the intent was to speak with the legislator about those issues California chapter presidents asked to be brought to their attention.

Team #1 members COL Warren Enos and BG Wayne Hoffmann shortly before 8:00am walked to the Cannon House Office Building, just to the east of the Capitol, for a first appointment set at 9:15am. There was a reasonably full day schedule confirmed which included Representatives Diane Watson/33 at 9:15am, Anna Eshoo/14 at 9:45am, Doris Matsui/5 at 10:30am, Adam Schiff/29 at 11:15am, Mike Honda/25 at 1:15pm, Buck McKeon/25 at 2:00pm, Laura Richardson/37 at 3:00pm, and finally Lucille Roybal-Allard/34 at 3:30pm.

Since there was time befort the first appointment, it was possible to go to the Cannon cafeteria, located at the lowest level, for coffee. And it was a chance to meet and have some good conversation with a retired Air Force major general who was now a candidate for Congress.

As it turned out, and this was not unexpected based on past history, the team met with two legislators, Mike Honda of San Jose who was very receptive, gracious, and gave his time freely, and Laura Richardson who approached, was very pleasant, but allowed only a very few minutes for the visit, with the remainder of the time spent with an office staffer.

The truth is, perhaps the most important person to see in the office is the legislator’s legislative assistant, an individual responsible for reviewing bills, making an analysis, and then presenting certain legislation as appropriate. And for all practical purposes, that’s what happened with the six (6) remaining appointments. Sometimes a young aide would meet with the team in the legislator’s office, or perhaps in some nearby cubbyhole, or the open lobby, and on two (2) occasions out in the hall. And that provided a chance to get a nice photo with the American flag in the background.

One young staffer, about age 25 and only 2 or 3 years out of college, confessed, “A very large number of bills come through here and occasionally I get together with others (in this case the 2 others were age 21 and about age 23) and we review the legislation and then we determine which of the bills will go to our Congresswoman for evaluation.” In this particular situation we were delighted because the legislative aide said he would forward our requests to the legislator.

A luncheon was arranged at the Capitol Hill Club http://www.yelp.com/biz/capitol-hill-club-washington, a very nice experience, pleasant atmosphere, good company, wonderful conversation, and a splendid, restful interlude. The paintings along the wall, General MacArthur, the Reagans, and many more, were very beautiful.

The first afternoon appointment was with Congressman Mike Honda of San Jose in the Longworth House Office Building http://www.aoc.gov/cc/cobs/lhob.cfm. As mentioned earlier, he was quick to meet with the team, engaged in interesting and useful conversation, demonstrated full knowledge of the issues, and in turn agreed to support MOAA’s efforts fully.

The last three meetings of the day were set for the Rayburn House Office Building nearby http://www.aoc.gov/cc/cobs/rhob.cfm where we met with three reasonably interested, very courteous, young legislative assistants, all of which were somewhat knowledgeable of current MOAA interests and issues.

At one point during the afternoon the bell rang confirming Congresswoman Richardson’s earlier comment that she had to leave because of a pending vote. She is a first term legislator with a highly experienced legislative assistant and chances are history will show it was well worth the time spent with him.

The team approached the legislators per the arranged schedule, indeed spent time with an important and likely influential individual, presented the issues of current concern to MOAA and its members, and asked that specific bills be cosponsored and indeed supported. It will take some time, but eventually it will be determined how much impact the office visits had in terms of passing important legislation.

Later, at an early evening reception just prior to the Council Presidents’ Dinner, team members exchanged experiences and on balance most had much the same kind of luck seeing a live legislator. Yet the event was considered a success. “Stormers” were told early on that they would feel good about the day, the experience, and most outcomes, and that’s exactly how it turned out.

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