ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING SET FOR LATE OCTOBER

Annual Council of Chapters Meeting
9:00am Friday, October 27, 2006
Lions Gate Hotel & Conference Center
Sacramento, CA

9:00am Call to Order
Invocation & Pledge of Allegiance
Welcome Remarks
Roll Call of Affiliated Chapters
Establishment of Quorum
Introduction of Executive Committee & Others
Approval of Minutes
Treasurer’s Report
9:50am Installation of Area Directors
10:00am Recess - Convene Area Meetings with Area Directors
11:00am Reconvene Council-Area Director Reports
11:30am Recognition
11:45am National Update
12:15pm Recess - Lunch
1:30pm Reconvene Council
Auxiliary Update
2:00pm Old Business
Strategic Planning
Mission Statement
Stragegic Plan
3:15pm Break
3:30pm Stragegic Planning (Cont’d)
Leadership Succession
Community Support
4:00pm New Business
5:00pm Adjourn

Note: Subject to Revision

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RALLY 2006 EVENT/ACTIVITY UPDATE

The 2006 Navy League of the United States Seapower luncheon will take place Saturday, 28 October, at the Lions Gate Hotel and Convention Center and will honor the United States Navy and Marine Corps Recruiting Commands.

Resolution certificates and plaques will be presented.

The California Council of Chapters (CAL-MOAA) Executive Committee (EXCOM) will meet in the morning and continue in the afternoon as necessary. All Rally attendees are invited to attend the luncheon which begins with a reception at 11:30am with the luncheon to follow at 12 o’clock noon.

The menu features salmon with dill sauce, vegetarian lasagna, or classic chef salad for $28 per person or $24 if paid by October 1st; in addition, a cheeseburger with fries has been added for $18 per person or $16 if paid by October 1st.

On that same Saturday evening, October 28th, the MOAA Sacramento Chapter will be holding its dinner dance, a Halloween party, at the Elks Lodge in Carmichael and all Rally attendees are cordially invited to attend; in addition, MOAA members have now been invited to the Navy Ball at Lions Gate, Garden Pavilion, originally scheduled for October 21st, and now set for Saturday, October 28th, providing Rally-goers with another choice for the evening. The Navy Ball cost will be $50 per person.

Rally 2006 will will be brought to a close with the Navy League luncheon Saturday mid-day; however, if more time is needed for the EXCOM meeting the group will reconvene in the Coast Guard Training Center facility at 2:30pm.

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ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND

I’m tired of reading all the negative comments about the Rally.

You elected leaders know, from your military background, that once a Command Decision is reached it’s your job to salute and execute the plan.

The bylaws require your attendance, or that of a designated alternate, at annual meetings.  And in either case, you should encourage attendance from your Area or Chapter members.

The fact is, we have been overlooking the social aspect of Chapter membership for too long.  Those of us of WWII era remember the importance of the Officers Clubs in our service lives.  Membership in those elite clubs was equivalent to fine Country Clubs–a place for war fighters to relax with wives and friends.  I feel the decline of the Clubs has contributed to the declining social intercourse among the Officer Corps.

We all recognize tht the main reason for the existence of MOAA is to serve as our “union”–to protect and defend our rights and benefits in Washington.   The clout that MOAA National has depends on the number of members they represent.  If, by attracting more local members by making local Chapters more interesting to eligible officers, we are adding directly to that clout.

And how does all this relate to the Rally?  Phelps has done a magnificent job in setting up delightful social arrangements, in addition to the mandatory business requirements.  And all this very reasonable prices, even for the more penurious among us.  As to getting there, Southwest Airlines has been running specials that cover all of California to Sacramento for less than $60 each way.

So let’s see if we can’t return some of the fun and zest to MOAA membership–and maybe even encourage more eligible candidates to join us.  So, get those mess dress uniforms out, buy the ladies a party dress, and join us at the Rally.

CAPT BILL STURMAN, USN RET 
Governor Emeritus
Riverside March Field Chapter
                                                                                           

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PHELPS HOBART CREATES SPECTACULAR EVENT

Council and chapter members arriving in Sacramento Wednesday, October 25th, will be off to a fast start for Rally 2006 with a wide range of social, recreational, and tourism events available, including golf, tennis, and bridge tournaments as well as local sightseeing with museum and local historical site visits included.

The Council Executive Committee (EXCOM) scheduled meeting as well as the bylaws-required Council of Presidents annual meeting will take place on Friday and Saturday, and are considered the major and most important events of the convention, certainly not subordinate in any way to extracurricular activities.  The focus of Rally 2006 will be on the two meetings, where the business affairs of the Council will be conducted.

Earlier this year, CDR Keith P. Robinson, USN-Ret, and president of the Sacramento Chapter, declared that his chapter would host the 2006 Rally.  One of the chapter members, Phelps Hobart, a former Naval officer and now professional and highly experienced convention planner, would serve as chairman.

The registration packets have been distributed to Council leaders and includes an eight (8) page registration brochure, giving full evidence of a highly creative and well-planned event, with focus on the business meetings and yet provision for a very interesting, productive, and enjoyable visit to the Sacramento area and its attractions.

In a recent communication to Council leaders, Colonel William Gavitt, USAF-Ret, currently a member of the National MOAA Board of Directors and a past CAL-MOAA president, said, “Phelps Hobart was an unknown factor to CAL-MOAA when he stepped forward and offered to organize this Annual Meeting.  He was determined to put some excitement into it by arranging activities that would turn the trip into a mini-vacation as well as a business meeting.  He is obviously a man of action and with superior PR and organizational talents.”

Colonel Gavitt continued, “I have numerous references to organizations in which he is active: USNR, the Navy League Sacramento Chapter, the Merchant Marine Committee, VP for Military and Veterans Affairs, the American Independent Party, the Maritime Day Committee, Operation Homefront fundraiser and others.  He is a prolific writer and comes from a distinguished family.  He has the energy, the experience and hopefully the support of the Sacramento Chapter to help present a worthwhile event.”

Thursday, October 26th, includes meetings and activities which should appeal to everyone.  There will be a general assembly with keynote speaker, breakout sessions on a wide variety of topics; an exhibit hall featuring the displays and merchandise of  special groups and vendors; sightseeing will range from Old Sacramento to the California State Capitol, the California Veterans Monument, and even a junket to the Thunder Valley Casino.  The evening spotlights a gourmet pasta dinner and social time with special speaker.

Friday and Saturday will highlight the business meetings; however, many events and activities have been scheduled concurrently and later in the day which should appeal to almost everyone.  Phelps knows the area and attractions and has chosen features which very likely will bring enjoyment to MOAA members and others.

When the Council leadership faced a choice of a so-called convention-heavy, Rally or convention-light, just the business meetings, and had a proposal from Phelps Hobart to plan and implement a first class, very different kind of annual meeting than in recent years, the decision seemed very clear. 

We are delighted to have Phelps and his skills for Rally 2006. 

“  

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PRESERVING CALIFORNIA’S MILITARY HISTORY

More than 20 men of Colonel Jonathan D. Stevenson’s Regiment chose California’s Santa Clara Valley and the area around San Jose home when the war with Mexico ended in 1848.  The men were recruited in New York with the express purpose that they would stay in California to help develop it as an American territory.  Most of them had  occupations useful for settling the sparsely populated countryside, but others recruited at the last minute off the streets of New York City were to become troublemakers.

A native of New York City, Sherman O. Houghton enlisted at eighteen in Company A.  He rose from private to lieutenant in two years.   He was with a small band under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Burton that was surrounded near La Paz.  They held out for days until relieved by Capatain Naglee’s cavalry.  After the war he went into the mercantile business and later became mayor of San Jose.

Captain Kimball H. Dimmick, a lawyer by profession, commanded a company of volunteers which he raised in Norwich, New York, Company K, which arrived in San Francisco on the Loo Choo, and was assigned to man the garrison at the Presidio of San Francisco.  He later became a very influential judge in the Los Angeles area.

Adolph Pfister, born in Strasburg, Alsace in 1821, traveled around Europe for two years before sailing to New York in 1844.  He enlisted in Captain Dimmick’s Company K as a bandsman, and was a part of the regimental band in Monterey.  Later, he went to the gold fields, crammed his pockets with nuggets, and returned to enter the hotel business, later becoming a member of the San Jose City Council and ultimately mayor.

So many interesting characters.  So many stories.  So much to learn.  And it’s possible to find out a lot about these kinds of people and the state’s military history with a visit to the California Military Museum.  Located in Old Town Sacramento, it’s the center for California’s military history, collecting, preserving, and interpreting the past for the education and enjoyment of present and future generations.

The CAL-MOAA late October Rally will offer plenty of time to visit Old Sacramento and nearby attractions, including the museum.  Displayed there are more than 30,000 artifacts, including weapons, uniforms, unit records, battle flags, medals and information usually not presented in history class.  Just as members from the greater San Jose area will find the men and work of Stevenson’s Regiment very interesting, convention attendees should find detailed histories there of people and events associated with their own home towns.

The museum is arranged in chronological order.  The exhibits begin with Spanish California, the time of the missions and presidios.  The exhibits progress through the Bear Flag Republic, early statehood, the American Civil War, the Spanish-American War and all the military events of the 20th Century.

Sacramento reporter Peter Hays said, “The museum is a remarkable ‘time line of history’ made graphic by thousands of artifacts, dating from expeditions of Juan Batista de Anza from Mesxico across the Colorado desert to California in the 1770s to the present.”

The museum is open from 10am to 4pm Tuesday through Sunday and certainly available to Rally attendees.  The adult admission is $5. 

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MOAA DEDICATES RESOURCES TO RALLY 2006

VADM Norbert R. Ryan, Jr., USN-Ret, President, announced August 16th that National MOAA would provide a wide range of assistance as the Council approaches the late October meetings in Sacramento.

A number of National senior staff personnel will attend the Rally, including Col Chris Giaimo, USAF-Ret, Director Council and Chapter Affairs, Col Lee Lange, USMC-Ret, Deputy Director, Council and Chapter Affairs, and Col Michael Jordan, USAF-Ret, Director of Contract Services and Marketing.

In advance of the event, National will provide publicity and promotion through the organization’s standard media outlets.

The MOAA website has had Rally information posted now for several weeks.

There will be a special story on the Rally featured in the upcoming September issue of “The Affiliate.”

There will also be a story published in Military Officer magazine due out at the end of September.

Col Jordan will be prepared to provide Council leadership with a very informative marketing brief, which will provide a comprehensive overview of marketing objectives and tools.

In addition, a MOAA marketing display is being prepared and will feature give-aways and a raffle.

Finally, National is arranging vendor displays by its insurance provider, Marsh Affinity Group Services, as well as MOAA Travel and the MOAA Exchange, with a selection of MOAA merchandise.

Admiral Ryan said, “We really appreciate the effort you have put into planning at your end and hope the CAL-MOAA Rally is a big success.” 

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LTCOL Jesse J. Craddock USAF(ret) President Silicon Valley Chapter MOAA in his dissertation http://www.cal-moaa.org/blog/2006/08/04/whats-a-rally/#comments  gets to the heart of the situation involving the forthcoming 2006 Rally.Who’s coming?  It acknowledges first of all our aging membership cannot be expected to respond no matter how creatively and attractively a major undertaking, the in the works 2006 Rally, is packaged.

This leaves a very finite and small number of attendees that are obligated to attend, a somewhat larger number that attend just because they are loyal supporters and finally we have the largest group, the 45 Chapter Presidents and 5 subchapter Leaders. It is this latter group that composes the Council and whose attendance or representation at an Annual Meeting is a necessity for support.

However, for the last three years the record for attendance of this latter group has been bordering on a 50% statistic. Even in one case with National MOAA furnishing the hotel, banquet and other amenities. So the reality of what we can expect in attendance at Sacramento from the basic core of Cal-MOAA members is far short I’m afraid of what is needed to support the envisioned 2006 Rally.

Unless a large number of other paying attendees are identified and can be expected to attend and this must not be a speculated or hoped for attendance figure. Then a revaluation seems in order. Here is the latest on prospective attendance figures http://www.cal-moaa.org/pdf/2006-rally-attendees.pdf .

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NEED FOR RENEWAL 

The California Council of Chapters (CAL-MOAA) is an organization filled with potential and yet troubled, with its intermediate and far futures uncertain.

The Council is a strong group with 45 chapters and 5 subchapters, affiliated with a powerful and influential uniformed services organization, with a website and weblog feature providing improved communications, positioning the organization for growth and statewide success.

At the same time chapter membership is decreasing, and it is becoming more and more difficult to obtain interested and qualified chapter and Council leaders, particularly those with a willingness to respond quickly and effectively to the needs of the organization, specifically immediate requirements.  In a larger sense, making the transition from TROA to MOAA is proving more difficult than many thought it would be.

It’s critical to develop Council EXCOM member and chapter president interest in the organization and its activities.  If ever there was a time for renewal, it’s right now.  The future of the Council is at stake.

In order to counter some of the negative trends, a decision was made to expand the upcoming October 2006 annual meeting into an extended convention.  And Phelps Hobart, Chairman, quickly set the event as a “Rally”.

Well, what is a Rally?  For that we go to the American Heritage dictionary: (1) to call together for a common purpose; assemble, (2) to reassemble and restore to order, (3) to rouse or revive (one’s strength, for example) from inactivity or decline, (4) to meet for a common purpose, (5) to join in an effort for a common cause, (6) to recover abruptly from a setback or disadvantage, (7) to show sudden improvement in spirits, (8) an assembly intended to inspire enthusiasm for a cause.

The October Rally is an effort to reach out across the broad spectrum of the uniformed services communities, generate excitement and enthusiasm, help become a more relevant and responsive professional organization, and in short move to a time of regeneration and renewal.

At this point in time, early August, the Council is engaged in little or no activity, with the exception of planning the upcoming Rally.  We need to develop and implement policies and procedures which will make it possible for the Council to reach out to the military communities, build coalitions, identify relevant state issues, get fully involved, and record some achievements.

The truth is, we are handicapped in some ways because we are without a strategic plan, a roadmap for the future.  We will be caught up with the status quo until such time as the Council of Presidents approves a plan created by CDR John Sammons, USPHS-Ret, Council vice president, in its current or a modified form.

We’re having a Rally in October.  Let’s get the juices flowing.  Let’s renew our interest in the Council and its work.  Let’s generate some enthusiasm.  Let’s get on track so we can face future opportunities and challenges with energy. 

The Council is experiencing challenging times.  Support the Rally through attendance and full participation, and help insure a very bright future for CAL-MOAA  

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