Branch President Resources

COA Launches 2012 COA Membership Drive!

We need your help to boost membership of COA! Currently, about 57% of Commissioned Corps officers are COA members. Our goal is to boost membership to 75% by the end of the 2012 calendar year, with a long-term goal of achieving 90% membership. We believe the full membership of all of our officers is critical for safeguarding the welfare and future of the Corps. COA has prepared numerous resources to help Local Branches with this membership drive, including a FAQ list, talking points about the value of COA, and ideas for ways to increase membership. For details, click here.

The 2nd Branch President Full-Day Workshop will be held at the 2012 COF Symposium at University of Maryland, College Park, June 19. This objective of the workshop is to improve the cohesiveness and consistency of COA between diverse types of Local Branches, create stronger bonds between National COA and Local Branches, and offer better resources to assist Local Branches.

National COA encourages all Branch Presidents to utilize the detailed guides and resources listed below to succeed in the capacity as Branch President:

• Branch President Orientation - Detailed demonstration to assist new Local Branch Presidents with COA policy, vital requirements and suggestions for a successful Local Branch.
  
  
• COA Membership Directory - Directions to assist navigation through the COA Members Only (i.e., obtain active/inactive COA members affiliated with the Local Branch; to view current Branch Officers and assigned Liaison).
  
  
• Checklist - Provides important reminders and assists Branch Presidents to organize leadership efforts in this Local Branch officer capacity.
  
  
• Strategies for Local Branches - Strategies for increasing participation and engaging local officers to participate in Local Branch activities.
  
  
• Recognition Certificate Template - Provided for Local Branch use (at Branch's discretion) for acknowledging a branch member's involvement in a Branch sponsored activity.
  
  
• EXAMPLE Welcome Packet - COA's North Carolina Branch has provided this packet as an example for assistance and guidance in welcoming new officers to your Local Branch.
  
  
• COA logo is available upon request for appropriate use by Local Branches (see Branch Handbook for details).
  
  
• Branch of the Year Award - Nomination information and demonstration to assist with calculation of officer percentages.
  
  
• For Branch Locations and Contacts, visit Local Branches.

Consider reactivating an "inactive" Branch! Interested in establishing a new local branch?  Use the Branch Handbook (pdf, 256 KB) as a guide.

-- Appendix A - Branch By-Law Form (pdf, 698 KB)
-- Appendix B - Branch Officer Update Form (pdf, 766 KB)
-- Appendix C - Media Kit Expanded Below

1. Media Kit Action Overview (pdf, 33.7 KB)
2. Media Outreach Primer (45.6 KB)
3. Core Message (35.5 KB)
4. USPHS Fact Sheet (24.9 KB)
5. Haiti - Sample Press Release (28.7 KB)
6. Haiti - Sample Letter to the Editor (11.7 KB)
7. COF Conference - Sample Press Release (28.8 KB)
8. COF Conference - Sample Letter to the Editor (10.0 KB)