VP Gordon Lam recently completed the four-day Chapter Leaders Course (CLT) conducted at the AUSA National Headquarters in Arlington, VA. The course was held 4-8
November 2015.
Lam joined nine other officers from chapters located in California, Texas, New York, New Jersey, North Carolina, Nevada, and Carlisle, PA. The CLT curriculum is designed to assist chapter leaders in performing the various administrative tasks required by National Headquarters, as well as provide ideas and strategies to improve chapter functions for recruitment, retention, and program execution. Topics addressed included basic AUSA organization information, marketing, membership, communications, and the Chapter Leader Portal (CLP).
Informative presentations and discussions were conducted on subjects of ranging from finance/insurance and donated memberships. Information was shared on the NCO & Soldier Programs, Corporate Memberships, Reserve Component, and retiree and veteran issues.
Previously, the CLT was conducted at sites away from Arlington and hosted large enrollments of over 50 chapter officers operating in small group break out sessions. With the availability of a newly renovated AUSA HQ building, the decision has been made to host the next CLT in Arlington, 2-6 March 2016, and maintain the class size to ten chapter officers. The on-site venue enables attendees to meet and see the entire national staff. This interaction was invaluable in understanding how various programs operate. Lam shared that the session was most informative and enlightening. Although a relatively new comer to the Pittsburgh area and the Fort Pitt chapter, he now feels more confident in assisting the chapter fulfill its annual plan and requirements having completed the CLT curriculum.
Attending the CLT provided Lam the opportunity to attend the inaugural event in the AUSA’s Conference and Event Center where Dr. Emma Sky, senior fellow at Yale University’s Jackson Institute and director or Yale World Fellows, spoke as part of the GEN Lyman Lemnitzer Lecture Series.
