Greetings Chapter Presidents!
As most of you know by now, our Web Site (WWW.USCGCPOA.org) has been having some problems. Please keep in mind that our Web Master Joe D’Elia is working diligently trying to find out the problem. He should have us in working order soon. Your patients is greatly appreciated.
When you are able to open up the web site please copy the Convention Hotel and Registration forms. Keep in mind that this hotel is downtown New Orleans and close to the French Quarter, Bourbon Street, WWII Memorial and not too far from Harrah’s Casino. We would like to see all the chapters send their Presidents, if the president is unable to attend than please send a representative. It’s recommended that the chapter hold a fund raiser to help with the cost of sending a Rep. Keep in mind that the BOD can approve an Interest Free Loan for the purpose of sending a Representative to the Convention this loan must be pain within ten months. If your chapter plans on submitting a Resolution it/they have to be in the National Office prior to the 19th of April. I believe that as of this date there haven’t been any other Resolutions received at the National Office.
During the weekend of March 19th the Board of Directors met at the National Office for a business meeting. We had a full Agenda and accomplished it. Most of the meeting hours were consumed by completing the 41st Annual By-Laws Convention Committee Report that was approved by the members of last year’s convention. This was the report that the committee meeting was on the convention floor and all the members had a say so in it. It involved the total re-write of the By-Laws and the transfer of many of the sections in the By-Laws to the Operations Manual. The Draft of this By-Law and Operations changes are on the web site along with the Resolution. (The Resolution will also be in the next Magazine) I recommend that all the Chapter Presidents copy these Drafts and Resolution and go over them with your membership at a meeting. Seeing that this By-Law committee meeting was held on the floor the approval of the Resolution should go smoothly. The minutes from this meeting should be on the web site also.
During our meeting we were entertained by two representatives (Troy Crawford and Greg Pratt) of USAA. They presented a possible CPOA Affiliation with USAA’s Military Affinity Program. The membership will be informed of the progress on this proposal. Greg Pratt is a retired Master Chief from the US Navy. He will be the one that relieves MCPOCG7 Rick Trent who will be retiring from USAA. During Rick’s years at USAA he stayed close to the Coast Guard and the CPOA, we wish Rick well in his retirement. If I know Rick, he will stay well connected with the Association.
We discussed the CPOA’s Membership Application. This Application is printed on the Web Site and in each Issue of the Chiefs Magazine and is the only official Application that should be used in the Association. Some of the chapters have made up a different version of the Application. If your Chapter is using anything other than the Official one, Please discontinue the use of it and make copies of the one that is published.
During the meeting we approved a new chapter (Grand Haven MI.) and two Branches (“Steel City Branch” in PA. and the “Western Lake Michigan” in MI.) We also had to revoke the Charter of the “Philadelphia Chapter”
We also discussed a CPOA Membership Directory for 2010. The last publication of this book netted the CPOA just under $10,000. In 2007. If you’re unfamiliar with this book it’s a Biographical listing of the members of the CPOA. Sometime in the near future you might receive a call or a form in the mail to fill out with your personal information (name, rate. Awards address, e-mail address etc.) This is a good way to stay in touch and keep up to date with your shipmates and Aviation mates. Keep in mind that the Association gets a profit from each book sold, so when called upon, please subscribe.
The Board of Directors also approved to bestow an honorary membership in the CPOA to Admiral Thad Allen upon his Retirement next month.
On Sunday afternoon we were again entertained with the presents of MCPOCG-10 Skip Bowen, MCPOCG-11 (select) Mike Leavitt and MCPOCG Reserve Forces (select) Mark Allen. Both Mike and Mark pledged support to the association and our President pledged support to these well qualified Master Chiefs. As you probably know by now the Change of the Watch for MCPOCG Skip Bowen and Mike Leavitt will be on 21 May at Cape May, NJ. MCPOCG Reserve Forces change of the Watch will be on May 15th at TISCOM in Alexandria, VA. MCPOCG-10 Skip Bowen will be retiring and over the past four years he’s given us good support, we wish him well on his next journey.
As you know MCPO Mark Allen has been our National Membership Chairman for the past few years. Due to his new position as the Reserve Force Master Chief he has stepped down as the Membership Chairman. During our meeting Mark gave us his final report (should be on the website as an enclosure to the minutes) Mark also left us with a recommended relief as the Membership Chairman stating that she is well qualified, a real go getter and has some good Idea’s. The President will take this into consideration when he appoints a new chairman. We also wish Mark well in his new position.
We briefly spoke about the chapters and the Chiefs Magazine. There are many Chapters in our Association that are involved in their community and are helping out many Coastie’s and their families but the chapters aren’t submitting Pictures and stories. I believe that you need to share your accomplishments with other chapters and what better way to do this is through the Chiefs Magazine. Also if you want to ask a question, express your views or vent yourself send a “Letter to the Editor” and ask Tom to print it, keep in mind that Tom has the right to edit the article. Come on Chiefs, submit those articles.
Tom continues to send out notices about the Gross Receipt Reports, he shouldn’t have to, and all the chapters should know that this report is an important Tax Item and its due in the National Office prior to March First of each year. Presently there are 16 chapters that haven’t sent in there form. If your chapter is one of these please send it in as soon as you can.
There are many chapters that haven’t updated there Chapter Information on the web site. Please check yours and have it updated by the web master Joe D’Elia (webmaster@desertanchor.com) and don’t forget to send Tom the information also.
It’s that time of the year now
that many of the areas are having their CCTI’s. Please have your Membership
Chairman stay in contact with the CMC’s and the Chief of the Mess. Request the
info on the new chiefs and talk with them about joining the Association. While
I’m on the subject, we need to increase our
Visibility through Communications
with the chiefs that have not yet become a member. Recruiting isn’t just the
National Membership Chairman’s job; it’s the job of each one of us.
We need to contribute to our Growth and development of the CPOA
DATES TO REMEMBER:
April 19th… Deadline for submission of Resolutions.
May 9th… Mothers Day
May 15th… Armed Forces Day
May 18th…
This day marks the 90th
anniversary of the CPO in the Coast Guard (1920)
May 31st… Memorial Day, Flags fly at half staff until noon
June 14th… Flag Day, Show your Patriotism, FLY YOU’RE FLAG
June 20th… Father’s Day
July1st… Cutoff date for ad’s in the Convention Magazine
July 4th… Independence Day
July 15th… Cutoff day for Reservations at Convention Hotel
July 20th… Dead line for submission of the President’s outstanding Chapter Award Package
August 1st… Convention Registration forms must be in to the Convention Chairman along with $30.00
Registration Fee
August 4th… 220th Birthday of the US Coast Guard, celebrate with your shipmates
August 16th through the 20th… CPOA’S 42nd Annual Convention, CPOAA’S 31st Annual Convention and
10th Annual CGEA Convention in New Orleans, LA
I encourage you, the President’s of each Chapter or his/her Representative to attend this coming convention. If it’s your first year attending we usually have a class on Parliamentary procedures on Sunday prior to the convention. This class is usually held by the National Vice President. There is still time to conduct a Fund Raiser to help with the cost to send someone. Keep in mind that the BOD has the authority to loan the Chapters an interest free loan to send a representative.
As I gather more info to pass on to you I’ll do so, if I can be of any assistance to you or your chapters please don’t hesitate to call on me. I’m here to assist you as much as I can.
Yours in Service
BMCS Jack Crowley USCG Retired
Region Three Advisor