When Gen. Thomas D. Waldhauser, USMC (Ret), became MOAA’s chairman, he set out to make the association “stronger and more meaningful” for its members and the entire uniformed services community.

As Waldhauser’s two-year term comes to a close, he sat down to reflect on his tenure, the association’s recent big moves, and the priorities that will help position MOAA for its next century of service.

Q: Looking back on the past two years, what do you see as a highlight for the association?

A: During the past two years, we have tried to have the board focus on the long term. As we get close to our 100-year anniversary in 2029, we thought it was important to make sure whatever decisions we make in conjunction with the MOAA team would set the organization on the pathway for the next 100 years.

From a long-term strategic perspective, we looked at governance. We looked at our revenue and expenditures, and we looked at membership. I know the team has worked to provide technology as well. And this all falls under the category of relevant programs for our vast and diverse membership.

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Q: What was a highlight for you personally?

A: We were able as a board to work very closely and directly, in a strategic sense, with our President and CEO General Kelly and the staff. That was something we wanted to emphasize during my time as the chairman.

Q: You mentioned the importance of long-term strategy. TotalForce+ has played a huge role in this.

A: Right. TotalForce+ was the manifestation of a vision General Kelly had. And working with his staff, General Kelly was able to bring this vision to fruition for the first time in 2025.

TotalForce+ was designed to fill a gap for all servicemembers and families with regards to personnel issues that ran the gamut for everything from VA care to education to pay. It was really designed to be a unique event, which got at a niche that had never really been dealt with before.  

Now, TotalForce+ is something that is not just one time a year. This past year, General Kelly and the staff have held roundtables that kept TotalForce+ on the radar screen for all those out there.

We're going to have our second event here in February, and this continues to expand in scope and scale, and the excitement around this event from vendors and participants and presenters really is remarkable.

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Q: You’ve also provided oversight and guidance for MOAA Charities over the years. What changes have you seen there, and how do you see this tying into MOAA’s future?

A: The charities are just a classic example of the good that MOAA does, not only for officers but for everyone in the services, to include the scholarships and the Crisis Relief Program, which has grown and become sustainable as well.

I'm confident going forward, MOAA Charities will continue to grow and continue to expand and be relevant to our membership.

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Q: What would you say MOAA members can do today to support the association?

A: The members can support the association by simply continuing to serve. What's our motto? Never Stop Serving. Our members never stop serving through the actions they do at the local level with the councils and chapters in their communities. They are the face of MOAA.

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Q: How do you view MOAA’s advocacy at the national level? 

A: Our stature on Capitol Hill continues to grow, especially with members of Congress and their staff. They reach out when there's tough issues and discussions that need to take place with regards to benefits or potential legislation. They always seek out MOAA because MOAA has a trusted relationship.

That’s been a big help at the national level for us. We’ve been awarded top lobbyist by The Hill 19 years in a row. That doesn't happen by accident. That's a result of some very, very hard work, including the councils and chapters who support our efforts during our annual Advocacy in Action event on Capitol Hill.

Q: Any final thoughts?

A: As a chairman, your goal is to make the organization better than when you arrived, and that's what we try to do here. And I think over my past six years on the board, the last two as chairman, we have helped set the organization on a course to be viable for the next 100 years.