Membership is
Key by L. Robert "Bullet" Canepa, USN(Ret)
Membership is
Key It has been a pleasure to serve on your Board of Directors for the last two years. During this period we have faced many challenges as we worked together toward building a strong organization that will continue to attain its objectives. One of the things that I have enjoyed the most has been the opportunity to work with such a great group of board members. All of them are headed in the same direction as they work for the effectiveness of our organization in serving our membership and carrier Naval Aviation.
During this period, there have been two issues that have occupied a great deal of our attention—moving forward in our relationship with Navy leadership and increasing our membership. We don't have a great deal of control over the first, but we have total control over the second. I would like to give a few thoughts about the importance of increasing the numbers of our fine organization.
Over the last four years our membership has gradually declined from 13,500 to 11,500 members. Obviously, this is a major concern and has been addressed continually by our President, the Chairman of the Board and the Membership Committee. I am pleased to report that during 1996 we finally arrested the decline in membership and have actually increased the numbers of those on our rolls by a modest amount.
As of February 1997 we have approximately 3,000 active-duty members, together with 8,600 retired and civilian members. I am proud to note that we have a number of members on active duty with the Army and Air Force who recognize the importance of aircraft carriers to the security of our nation. It is vitally important that we increase our membership, par ticularly among active-duty Tailhookers, to ensure the security and viability of our fine organization.
In the past two years we have found that the most effective method to increase membership is simply to establish contact with our inactive members and personally remind them why they should be back on board. If they should need some convincing, just provide them with a copy of The Hook—it remains the premier publication of and about Naval Aviation.
There isn't anyone in this organization that doesn't have at least one friend who either used to be or should now be a member. All that is required is a little personal initiative in asking them if they are a current member. If they're not, give them a membership application. If that doesn't work, send the names and addresses of your prospective new or revived members to our headquarters, and we will contact them for you.
If each Tailhooker simply signed up one new member, our concerns for the future--membership and financial stability—would be history. Another way in which you can help in the membership effort is to sponsor a new member by providing them a gift membership. Our office personnel, Kathie Seguin or Patti Duran, will help you in arranging this.
We established the Top Hook Award at our last reunion in Reno. I'm pleased to note that we have some keen competition for the first award to be announced during this year's symposium on 4-7 September in Reno. One of our hard-charging member has already bagged nearly 50 new members!
After a little reflection upon my last two years on your Board of Directors, I think that the Tailhook Association has a lot in common with many corporate organizations that have emerged from somewhat painful reorganization and downsizing over the last five years. We are both a little smaller, but are stronger and more resilient. In our case, we have an important role to fill—to support Naval Aviation, particularly those at sea with our carriers and air wings. Our membership includes a significant amount of the "corporate knowledge" of carrier aviation that exists today. Our voice is one that must be heard.
As always, we would like to hear from you. Call us (1-800-322-4665 / 619-689-9223), write (9696 Businesspark Ave, San Diego, CA 92131) or e-mail us at thookassn@aol.com