We Must Set Sail

Officer, The, Sep 2009 by Kayye, Paul T

Starting out as the president of the Reserve Officers Association is never a new beginning because we are a dynamic organization with many programs in place and a Constitution and Bylaws to guide us. That does not mean that we stop looking at where we are and where we want to go, and be willing to make some course corrections to achieve a stable, strong, and lasting voice addressing the military policy of the United States.

A very small percentage of our 65,000 members attended the summer Convention in Orlando. Because of this, my remarks given at the Convention as the baton was passed are going to be repeated now so that the remainder of our members can read what I said.

Being elected president of the Reserve Officers Association is the highlight of my career in ROA and I am humbled by being honored to hold this position. I will do my best to live up to your trust. I look forward to serving you, but I will need the help and expertise of the Executive Committee, the National Council, energized national committees, ROAL, past national presidents, the national ROA staff, and, indeed, anyone from the grassroots arena who wishes to contact me.

We are one of the few organizations with Reserve in its name and we are at a time when the Reserve forces are more important than ever. Because of this, the work of ROA is more important than ever.

Refresh in your mind the purpose of ROA as stated in our charter: "To support and promote the development and execution of a military policy for the United States that will provide for adequate national security." We do this in part by advising the Congress and educating the public.

In order to carry out our charter and to grow, we need to be more agile and adaptable so that we can respond to our members' and organization's needs quickly and as easily as possible. We are not as agile and dynamic as we should be, but some steps are being taken to improve and change to meet our needs. We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails.

I am going to continue this effort. I am charging the Presidential Working Group with its final task: a review and rewrite of the Constitution and Bylaws to be completed by the next Convention in February. We will then have a full year to review the suggestions and approve an updated Constitution and Bylaws.

We will also have the task of choosing a new executive director. In addition to being an outstanding manager fully knowledgeable in Reserve affairs, that person will have to have talent for fund-raising. In line with this, I will continue to emphasize the effort to grow our endowment and sustain membership programs.

I will expect more productive and effective national committees. My committee assignments will be completed by mid-September or earlier. Continuing to encourage grassroots participation is a must. After all, the Association belongs to its members.

We have lots to do and can't sit still. Quoting President Franklin D. Roosevelt: "To reach a port, we must sail; sail, not tie at anchor; sail, not drift." And with that, we will maintain course-steady as she goes, but we will change course as we detect rocks and shoals.

I want to thank my beautiful wife, Gay, for her support and patience. And thank all of you for coming to this Convention. Thank you for serving this wonderful and great nation and this wonderful and great Association.

Where we go from here depends on the dedication and enthusiasm of all of us. Let us examine ourselves, let us dedicate ourselves to the continual betterment of ROA.

RADM PAUL T. KAYYE, MC, USNR (RET.) * ROA NATIONAL PRESIDENT