Aaron Bresnahan posted on May 01, 2010 00:09
May 2010 Navy
by Aaron Bresnahan
There has been a good deal of discussion about AUSN and how it fits into the broader frame of Associations with links to the US Navy. AUSN has positioned itself as being the leading Association for Navy personnel and our legacy puts us in a unique place to leverage our members and competencies to take our Association to the next levels. How can we become more relevant when our name recognition is still building? One way to do this is through development of strategic partnerships within key Navy enterprises, with other Associations supporting Navy interests, and through corporations or individuals dedicated to similar agendas.
One of my favorite quotes from Benjamin Franklin is, “We must, indeed, all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately.” Obviously, his quote was made in the context of the debates for American independence, but his point is still valid for us today. There are multiple independent Associations out there with different missions and member needs; some focus on equipment and some on specific community needs. However, our common goal or unifying purpose is to support a strong national defense and to ensure that the current and past members of our armed forces are rewarded for their sacrifices.
It has been said that modern demographics have changed and that young people today are not joiners. I tend to disagree. I think that they are willing to join. They just do it on their own terms. I think part of the problem is that some Associations have been unable to adapt their operational models to become more relevant. That being said, we need to meet the needs of current members by reaching them through the traditional avenues, such as luncheons, dinners, magazines, or annual meetings. However, to be more relevant, we need to embrace other forms of connectivity that meet the needs of a busy family or work life. I am glad to see that we have an active Web site, an active Facebook site, and a growing Groupsite network––but, are these enough? Maybe we need a bit more cross-pollination.
At the local and national level, we come in contact with organizations that would make strong partners. In recent years, AUSN has been developing stronger ties with the Navy Memorial and the Naval Enlisted Reserve Association. However, many of our AUSN members are also linked to the Fleet Reserve Association, the Navy League, the Surface Navy Association, the Submarine League, the Supply Corps Association, and too many others even to list within this article.
I ask each one of you at the national and local levels to begin exploring ways to find common activities and programs in order to unite ourselves with some of these other organizations. At a chapter level, you could begin inviting some of the other groups to your meetings or find ways to promote local symposiums. You can also promote the Groupsite concept to create virtual chapters and virtual meetings places for your local colleagues. At the district level, we could invite regional leadership to be more involved with long-range planning and sponsorship. At the national level, we can exhibit together, share agendas, and take the lead within The Military Coalition.
Let’s find ways for us all to “hang together.” “Mission first, people always!”––Benjamin Franklin