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| As we close in on 32,000 members I would like to point out to the membership that as far as overall growth is concerned, we should be .... more concerned. According to the membership report put out by the Membership Comitteee chairman (Shirley Gossett) we in the last year we have raised membership on the veteran side by 175 members and on the active duty side by 1,486. Clearly, were it not for the continual stream of troopers within the 82nd, our 'growth' would be seen as flat or nil. This is something that should be focused upon more and discussed.
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Stare Master
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Mark, are those numbers net gains after taking into account delinquents and those that pass away? Or are those raw numbers of new people who become members? Delinquents are the biggest impediment to the Association gaining strength. This is something I have grappled with personally and through the Chapter. This year we have had at least half a dozen new members but our overall membership is exactly the same as it was last year(although three quarters of our Chapter are now AAM). We did have three long time members pass away last year, but if we had all of the delinquents in the State renew their membership our Chapter would double in size. As for the active duty members, my question is how many of them renew their membership after they leave the Division and are no longer strong armed by their 1SG's?
Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you, Jesus Christ and the American GI. One died for your soul, the other for your freedom.
"History teaches that when you become indifferent and lose the will to fight someone who has the will to fight will take over." COLONEL BULL SIMONS
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Site Owner/Operator
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 I suspect that what they refer to as a delinquency rate is largely due to seniors either no longer being active in the association due to limited funds, poor health or passed away. While I am sure there are some that we need to go back after, the bulk of the energy needs to be put into the new membership. As you can clearly see, if it where not for the active division, its not good. While no hard stats exist, you can make a pretty accurate guess that our pickup rate after service is about nil, they usually dont wander back in until they start to get nostaligic for the old days. That was one of the points made in my Transforming Membership document, if we can show them a value we can get them and keep them vs get them, let them go and try to fish for them later.
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Stare Master
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I know that every year we pick up a handful of new members but our membership numbers have remained flat for the last several years. Since I have become active in the Chapter six and a half years ago there have probably been a couple of dozen younger veterans who at one point or another have just failed to renew. Over the last two years I would say that we have probably had around ten like that. Those who pass away should be listed that way unless no one notifies the Association through their Chapter or directly to National.
Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you, Jesus Christ and the American GI. One died for your soul, the other for your freedom.
"History teaches that when you become indifferent and lose the will to fight someone who has the will to fight will take over." COLONEL BULL SIMONS
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Site Owner/Operator
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| I make periodic phone calls to the long delinquent here in Chicago and find that I get quite a few 'dad passed away x years ago' If they're one of those card carrying members who never surfaces, they family just doesnt think to contact us and you only find out they died when the mail kicks back, you call or the family calls and says please cease the newsletter.
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Paratrooper
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I have at least 2-3 Membership applications for our Chapter in my Truck and Car at all times. I run into 82nd Troopers, young and old, frequently. I fact I met one Memorial Day Weekend and met another just yesterday in a SteaknShake in Peoria. I always ask them to join the Chapter and offer them an application. I can't remember the last time one has accepted.
RJ 
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Stare Master
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| Mark, I'll give you two examples of what I am talking about. The local paper automatically run a notice about our meeting each month on the Tuesday before our meeting. Since they started doing that I have signed up at least a dozen, and maybe two dozen new members over the years. I am not sure that any of those contacts from the paper has actually been to a meeting, even when we have the meeting here in town, and the majority fail to renew after that first year. One guy I talked to joined because he thought the Vulcan Chapter would be composed of former 3/4 ADA Troopers. His application and check for an annual membership were the last we heard of him. A former post commander here was in the Division and commanded a company of the 173rd in Vietnam. After he retired he became VP of a local contractor. The Chapter signed him up at a Veteran's Day Parade one year. He maintained an annual membership until he let it lapse last year and I sent him two personal letters(I never did get a home phone, just a business phone) pointing out that his membership was delinquent. I have never heard anything back from him. The fact is that most of those who have become delinquent in our Chapter since our longtime Secretary/Treasurer retired a little over two years ago are annual members who have chosen, for whatever reason, not to renew.
Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you, Jesus Christ and the American GI. One died for your soul, the other for your freedom.
"History teaches that when you become indifferent and lose the will to fight someone who has the will to fight will take over." COLONEL BULL SIMONS
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Site Owner/Operator
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509Trooper (5/29/2008)
Mark, I'll give you two examples of what I am talking about. The local paper automatically run a notice about our meeting each month on the Tuesday before our meeting. Since they started doing that I have signed up at least a dozen, and maybe two dozen new members over the years. I am not sure that any of those contacts from the paper has actually been to a meeting, even when we have the meeting here in town, and the majority fail to renew after that first year. One guy I talked to joined because he thought the Vulcan Chapter would be composed of former 3/4 ADA Troopers. His application and check for an | | | |