MOAA councils and chapters can participate in grassroots advocacy efforts by lobbying at the state level for issues affecting local veterans and servicemembers and their families. Here are some tips for success:

• Designate a chapter legislative liaison if you don’t already have one. The first step is identifying the right person to lead. Put out a call to find members who are interested. Keep experience and proximity in mind. Someone with a background in advocacy or experience serving on a school board or county committee is a plus. It might also be best to select someone who lives in the state-capital area, because that individual more easily can represent the chapter when it’s asked to testify on a bill.
• Build a legislative committee. Enlist two or three chapter members to support the legislative liaison, so the work can be divided.
• Collaborate with other veterans’ groups in the state. Talk to representatives from other organizations about issues affecting their membership. You might learn about something you’re not familiar with or realize you’re both working the same issue and can pool your resources and your voice.
• Build relationships with your state legislators. Visit them once a quarter or even once a month, and bring along fact sheets about the issues. Give them your chapter newsletter, and invite them to chapter meetings. Suggest they sign up to receive national MOAA’s Legislative Update e-newsletter.
• Keep your membership informed. Send representatives to national MOAA events, such as Storming the Hill, the Council Presidents’ Seminar, and the annual meeting. Read Military Officer magazine, and sign up to receive emails from national MOAA. Then, most important, share the information with the membership. Write an article for your chapter newsletter, present the information during your chapter meeting, and post a legislative report on the chapter’s website.

Keep active duty servicemembers in your chapter and community informed. Even though active duty personnel can’t participate in lobbying efforts right now, they and their families are affected by many of these legislative issues. Show them what your chapter is doing to support the active duty community, so they might want to give back in the same way later.