By Lt. Gen. Edward Hanlon Jr., USMC (Ret)

As I assume chairmanship of the Council and Chapter Affairs Committee of MOAA’s board of directors, I’m honored to be working with our new board of directors Chair Gen. Jack Sheehan, USMC (Ret), and the MOAA headquarters team, led by our new Council and Chapter Affairs Director Col. Terri Coles, USA (Ret), to improve the resources provided to our council and chapter leaders, support your efforts to strengthen our existing chapter organization, and encourage more currently serving officers to join our ranks.

As many of you are aware, this past year, MOAA went through an extensive and comprehensive bottom-up review, with the intention to find where we could be more efficient with our resources and more effective in our mission. This review will go a long way to set MOAA up for success as we move into 2017 and the era of a new administration in Washington.

The MOAA headquarters team is committed to providing the best support possible to all members and, of course, to our vital council and chapter network. But it is imperative our chapters and councils also take on the challenge to drive effectiveness and efficiencies into your environment. Collectively, we have much work yet to be done at the national and state levels, and we need a fully integrated and cohesive MOAA, from our board of directors chair to our newest member.

General Sheehan has made a pledge to find ways to bolster our council and chapter system, and I ask you to help us do that through your feedback and engagement. One former Supreme Allied Commander Europe used the phrase “one team, one fight,” and this describes MOAA as we fight for our advocacy mission. We need your help as we go forward.

Finally, I’m looking forward to making a personal connection with many of you at the Southeast Chapter Leaders’ Symposium Jan. 27-28 in Orlando, Fla., and during our annual Storming the Hill event in Washington, D.C., April 4-6. Our work together is important, and I’m grateful for your leadership and support.