EANGUS Update

by | May 11, 2014 | Retirement

Team EANGUS:  The ops tempo of the National Office continues to increase and we had a record number of Hill visits in April.  This only provides a snapshot of our activities, but you will especially notice the increases in Hill visits and communications with members and leadership.  If you like this information please send a note to EANGUS President John Helbert, CCd above.

MEMBERSHIP:  Bryan Birch has reported that we had over 600 members utilize the online Joins or renew via the EANGUS website In April.   More and more of our members are utilizing the online join or renewal process, relieving states of having to constantly process memberships manually.  And we are having more state associations utilizing the mass upload function via the EANGUS website by paying for their memberships directly through our payment portal  and by utilizing Electronic Funds Transfers, which generates significant reductions in credit card charges for processing.  We are also working on implementing installment payments (12 months is optimal) for life membership.

COMMUNICATIONS:  There were six Minuteman Updates issued in April:

WE CARE FOR AMERICA:  We added First Command Education Foundation as a sponsor for a $3000 CSM Virgil Williams Scholarship.  We also determined the three University of Phoenix “Future Phoenix” scholarship recipients. We will formally announce in May, once recipients have confirmed.

ACCOUNTING:  Cheryl Garner has had an incredibly busy month in preparation for our annual audit and the upcoming Finance Committee meetings, including the following:

  • Interviewed and selected intern for summer session
  • Completed Personal Property tax returns for three entities
  • Submitted financials/documents to the auditors prior to field work next week
  • Reconciled all cash accounts
  • Distributed quarterly financials to the Finance Committee & EC

CORPORATE PARTNER PROGRAM:  A newly implemented contract selling our banner ad space has already grossed over $100,000, with EANGUS likely to net at least $30,000 within the next 30 days.

LEGISLATIVE:  Daniel Elkins and Kevin Franklin had more than a dozen visits with Capitol Hill offices, staffers, and DoD officials on key issues (see key meetings log below).  They have also implemented a Legislative Intern program and expect to have two interns working by the end of May.  They also issued their first Legislative Update to our members via MinuteMan Update, which will become a new communication tool from the National Office.

  • 2 Apr – Daniel Elkins attended House Guard & Reserve Caucus Breakfast and the The Military Coalition Veterans Committee meeting.
  • 3 Apr – Daniel Elkins attended the Senate Reserve Caucus Breakfast
  • 8 Apr – CMSgt Larry Crowson, National Guard Association of South Carolina, conducted a visit to the National Office and presented Executive Director Garver with a large MinuteMan statue in appreciation of speaking to the South Carolina Joint conference earlier in the year.
  • 9 Apr – Daniel Elkins and Kevin Franklin met with Congressman Bill Huzienga.
  • 10 APR: Steve Fink and Joan Gardiner attended the Operation Homefront “Military Child of the Year” awards in DC.
  • 11-12 Apr – Daniel Elkins traveled to Louisiana and spoke at their Enlisted Conference.
  • 14 Apr – Al Garver participated in a conference call with executives of the National Guard Youth Foundation to discuss the Youth Challenge Program and inviting them to participate in our annual conference in Phoenix.
  • 15 Apr – Daniel Elkins and Kevin Franklin met with staff from the DOD Education policy.
  • 16 Apr – Kevin Franklin attended an Army Modernization briefing on the Hill.
  • 21 Apr – Kevin Franklin attended a second Army Modernization briefing on the Hill.
  • 22 Apr – Daniel Elkins and Kevin Franklin met with Jon Clark of the House Veterans Affairs Committee; Debra Wada and Craig James of the House Armed Services Committee; Rep. Tim Walz’s Legislative Director Tim Bertocci; and Rep. Tammy Duckworth’s Military Legislative Assistant James Jarosz.
  • 23 Apr – Al Garver met with the President of NAUS (National Association of Uniformed Services), then traveled to the Pentagon to meett with SGM Michael Shultz, OSD-Reserve Affairs, and discussed a number of inititiatives, including the new DoD policy relating to early retirement credit for Title 10 service in support of the Global War on Terror.
  • 23 Apr – Al Garver, Daniel Elkins and Kevin Franklin met with Sergeant Major Michael Schultz, Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs.
  • 25-26 Apr – Al Garver traveled to Denver, Colorado, to speak at the general session of the combined conference of the National Guard Association of Colorado.
  • 24 Apr – Daniel Elkins and Kevin Franklin met with Senator Marco Rubio’s  Legislative Assistants Emily Bouck and Hampton Sydney.
  • 25 Apr – Daniel Elkins and Kevin Franklin met with U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham’s Military Legislative Assistant Craig Abele; U.S. Senator Ron Wyden’s Legislative Assistant Ben Widness; U.S. Senator Tim Kaine’s Military Legislative Assistant Karen Courington; and with U.S. Senator Richard Burr’s Legislative Assistant Brooks Tucker.
  • 28 Apr – Daniel Elkins and Kevin Franklin met with staff for U.S. Senator Burris
  • 29 Apr – Daniel Elkins and Kevin Franklin met with the staff of U.S. Senator Marco Rubio.
  • 30 Apr – Daniel Elkins sat on a panel with other VSOs on a Veterans Employment Panel sponsored by Monster.com and Military.com
  • 30 Apr – Daniel Elkins and Kevin Franklin met with Patrick Campbell of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.