Legion media producers: what do you want from NALPA?

Legion media producers: what do you want from NALPA?

The National American Legion Press Association (NALPA) is undergoing a rebirth.

The organization established in 1923 to assist Legion writers, editors, photographers and communicators at every level is now surveying NALPA members and other Legion media producers to help determine which materials for publications and guidance are most needed, from ads and public service announcements to social media templates.

The survey can be accessed here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NALPAsurvey

NALPA is perhaps best known for its annual journalism awards presented for the nation's outstanding post newsletters and websites. The awards are presented during an annual luncheon at the American Legion National Convention.

NALPA now publishes a quarterly newsletter, maintains a website and offers tips for post media and public relations efforts.

NALPA leaders and American Legion Media & Communications staff are now working together to enhance the program, provide more and fresher materials, and offer guidance to help navigate an ever-changing media landscape.

“Our goal is to offer members the very latest tools and techniques of communications technology to help them connect their posts with veterans of all eras,” said Mike Moses, NALPA president. “We are asking our members and everyone in the American Legion Family involved in communications, public relations, writing, editing, and community and media relations to take a few minutes to take a short survey online. Our intention is to focus services directly to the needs of our communicators.”

“Clearly, today’s communication requirements have expanded way past just editing and mailing a post newsletter,” NALPA Executive Director Patrick R. Rourk said. “Successful posts are using online newsletters, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, YouTube and other social media in reaching out to veterans of all ages, young people, reporters and the public. We hope to be able to help post communicators with educational materials, templates and other tools to make all of this easy and effective for them.”

A dues-based group, NALPA's goal is to provide meaningful assistance, encouragement, practical tools, training materials and other features to assist communicators, historians and public relations chairmen at all levels of the American Legion Family. Annual dues are $15; American Legion, American Legion Auxiliary and Sons of The American Legion members can join online at the NALPA website at www.nalpa.org.

“We are working closely with Media & Communications Division staff to ensure our strategies and goals are in full consonance with the growth of media technologies and our respective organizations,” Rourk added. “This survey will enable everyone involved in telling the Legion story to let us know directly what they want, need, and desire to do the best job they can.”

Changes under consideration include a new web presence with an updated portfolio of downloadable materials. The tools, events, awards, and even the look of NALPA will be influenced significantly by the survey results.

“We are even asking if the basic branding of NALPA itself needs adjustment, upgrade or an entirely new face and name,” Moses said. “What you tell us is crucial to how we will serve Legion Family communicators as new modes of engaging our audiences emerge every day.”

Current NALPA members will be sent email requests and link to the survey. All Legion family members involved in any aspect of internal, external, community or media relations, newsletters, or public relations are urged to take the survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NALPAsurvey.