Membership cards have been received at Detachment Headquarters. If you are the Squadron Adjutant or Commander and your Squadron does not have your Membership Cards by now, that means that the Squadron has not sent in a Certification of Squadron Officers. As soon as that is received at Detachment Headquarters they will be either sent or delivered if you are in the Anchorage Bowl area.

The membership goals are set each year using the following method: The goal for Detachment is 100% of our current membership year plus 1 member. This extra member is given to the Squadron that the Detachment Commander is a member of. So right now your Squadrons goal for 2010 is what you have currently transmitted for 2009. Both your Squadrons goal and the Detachment goal for 2010 will increase as more members are transmitted for 2009 up until December 31, 2009.

As a reminder if you have not taken the opportunity to turn in your Certification of Squadron Officers, please do so as soon as possible. This helps the Detachment Commander, Austin Diaz, and myself in having points of contact at your Squadron and you in being able to give your members their 2010 cards.

There are a few Squadrons that have not sent in their Consolidated Squadron Report Form. Please send them to the Detachment Headquarters at 1550 Charter Circle, Anchorage, Alaska 99508. The goal is to have 100% Squadrons reporting this year.

The "Consolidated Squadron Report Form" is perhaps the most important document your Squadron can complete. The information that you enter on the form is combined with that of all of the other Squadrons and reported to The American Legion to show what we have done and accomplished through out the year. The American Legion subsequently sends this on to Congress to show what the American Legion Family has done through out our Communities, our State and the Nation. All this information of what we do as a Family helps maintain our non-profit status.

As we start out a new year remember to gather all of the information from the appropriate sources such as from your membership for hours, returned checks or bank statements for the donations so that next years Consolidated Squadron Report Form is easier to fill out and perhaps more detailed on what you actually accomplished through out the year.

The Detachment as a whole has 1378 members transmitted out of our year-end goal of 1474. This is equivalent to 94.6% of our goal. We only need 86 more members to be transmitted to achieve our 100% goal. Remember that membership is everyones responsibility! Keep up the great job.

Membership Goal Dates or Target Dates will be the Holes you are aiming for. The Last Hole (Target Dates) is as follows:

Hole #10 07/20/09 105%

Dont be a duffer and get left in the rough. Lets all aim for that Hole in one so we will be at 100% membership by the end of the Golf Match and not be left in the Rough or in the Snowdrift.

As of writing this article we have had all nineteen (19) Squadrons turn in membership so far for the 2009 Membership year.

We have finished the Ninth Hole and are now headed toward the Tenth Hole of the Golf Match. The goal of 105% is set for the Hole #10. Lets beat that goal prior to the July 20th cut off.

Even though we are starting a new membership year and we all want to go out and Recruit New Members along with Retaining and Renewing our Members from previous years, please help us reach the 105% goal by July 20th.

There will be a Detachment Executive Committee Meeting at 1:00 pm on Saturday July 25, 2009 at C. Russell Huber Post #57.

Remember that everyday we should pay tribute to our veterans by celebrating our freedom and the men and women who fought for our country. Always remember that with out the sacrifices of our veterans this country would not be the great Nation that it is. They have given of themselves so that we all may live in peace and enjoy all the rights and privileges we have being an American Citizen. All veterans gave something of themselves; some even gave all to ensure our blessings of life, liberty, freedom and the pursuit of happiness. Take a moment out of your day to say "Thank You!!" to our veterans.

If there is anything that any of your Detachment or District Officers can do to assist you or answer any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. My email is kcollier@alaska.net. Hope to hear from you soon.