Conventions signal start of new administrative year.
On Aug. 26 the national conventions of the Legion, Auxiliary and SAL will get underway in Cincinnati, Ohio. New national leaders will be elected, new goals will be set, and new ideas will be advanced for the betterment of the three organizations.
In similar fashion, many of the departments of the Legion and Auxiliary, and detachments of the SAL, are conducting state-level conventions during the month of July. The mantle of leadership will be passed to the newly elected and newly appointed volunteers within your state. And at some point, recently, the same thing has taken place within your post, unit or squadron. While some incumbent officers will retain the leadership position for the coming year, more will be new to their duties: new officers, new chairmen, new committee members, all with new enthusiasm and fresh perspectives.
As a TALARC member, you might want to visit with the newly-elected post or squadron commander or unit president to explain the "who" and the "what" of The American Legion Amateur Radio Club. Let them know that it is a nationwide program sanctioned by the National Executive Committee. But more to the point of our existence as a club, tell them that as amateur radio operators we are capable of providing a service to the community that can aid communication and assist first responders in times of local disasters.
You might consider asking your local leaders for a few minutes on the meeting agenda in September or October. This will allow time to get your thoughts together, enlist assistance from other mams in your area, and gather ideas, information, and materials for a short presentation to members. Those you speak to won't need a course in radio communication, but rather a brief introduction to TALARC that will garner support for your efforts and may enlighten a few ham operators who are unaware of the club.
If you pursue this idea, remember that there is a good deal of information available to aid your efforts. It's on the TALARC website at www.legion.org/hamradio. A TALARC brochure is available on the site for download and distribution. Click on "Club Resources" at the left side of the landing page.
By relating general information about the Legion's radio club you will be garnering support for the program and support for extending a service to your community. Where you go from there – when the talking's all done – well, that's up to you. Good luck with your efforts.
- Ham Radio