VP of Membership Report

BradChad's Membership State of the Union

By LT Brendan McGinnis USN

Inmy new role as VP of Membership, I'm excited to introduce myself and outline my vision for the future of NHA and our community's engagement. I’m a former and current HSC-23 Wildcard, currently serving as a Single Type/Model/Series MQ-8C Fire Scout Super JO. Between these two Wildcard tours, I served as an HT-28 Hellion Instructor, contributing to the training of our future Navy, Marine, and Coast Guard Aviators.

As a dedicated and recently recognized Lifetime Member of NHA, I've witnessed firsthand the challenges and sometimes overlooked contributions of Junior Officers within our organization. Attending the NHA Symposium provides a unique opportunity to connect and make unconventional contributions to the Navy. It's the only rotarydriven event where an Ensign can ask the Air Boss how we can initiate changes at a deck plate level to improve the lives of our Sailors and commands. Not only is this type of interaction welcomed at these events, but it's actively encouraged.

Future goals as the NHA Membership VP are as follows:

1. JO Roll Call (No not just JOs): We are committed to enhancing accountability among our current members. This starts with a thorough review of squadron rosters by our NHA Representatives. The aim is to foster better communication among leadership and representatives. I’m working closely with the JO President, LT Zoe “Latrina” Macfarlane, to ensure that the average JO NHA Representative can reach out effectively, whether they're at the bottom or the top of the chain, with a single message on our mobile devices via Groupme or text messages, not just work emails. What would help us the most would be if everyone could take the time to update their membership profiles with current personal information, squadron affiliation and region to help us get you validated in our system. The website information is listed below in my contact information.

2. Participation (and the ability to do so) directly correlates to Membership: Membership directly influences participation and the opportunities available to our members. We are emphasizing the importance of the Navy Air Logistics Office (NALO) reliability for our unfunded travelers and ensuring that all traveling parties can make the most of the Symposium, making it more than just a whirlwind 48-hour experience. "Max Beep" is already in motion, with efforts underway to give HSC-21 a run for their money!

3. Early Engagement of Aviators: A critical focus for us is to involve aviators early in their career journeys. For instance, at NAS Whiting, where we're producing approximately 15-20 aviators every two weeks across three squadrons, there's a significant gap in their knowledge about NHA. We plan to engage NAS Whiting NHA Representatives more actively in this process, helping them understand the value NHA offers and the benefits it can provide as they advance in their naval careers. We're also keen to introduce them to the unbeatable "Nugget" Membership offer and facilitate a smooth handoff to FRS NHA Reps at their next command.

Thank you all for your continuous commitment to our organization and please reach out if you have any questions or concerns.