PRESIDENT’S REPORT

Once again, it is my great pleasure to extend greetings to all. Since my last report, I joined several Air Force reservists from three different bases to successfully deploy to Operation Iraqi Freedom and integrate with a much younger active duty. The Department of Defense has leaned heavily on the Reserve and Guard, officer and enlisted, civilian and contractor to defend our country and sustain the high ops tempo created by today’s emerging threats. Our reserve component continues to step up to every challenge. ROA and our department have also encountered numerous recent challenges and continue to address new ones. Our core elected and appointed DONY officials are continuously working present and future issues concerning our membership and their contributions to a strong national defense.

The Department of New York conducted a successful 2006 State Convention in Saratoga Springs, NY in April, electing a strong contingent of energetic and ambitious DONY reserve officers who will serve our membership well. Our department remains fiscally strong and vibrant through our Investment Committee’s high return no-risk investment strategy. We have been able to donate to the ROA National Capital Campaign and proudly recognize many of our own New York units.

Following our State Convention, I deployed to Southwest Asia and returned shortly before our July 2006 ROA National Convention in San Antonio TX. DONY shared a well-attended hospitality suite with the DONJ and DOPA. Our department had a contingent of approximately 20 members travel to Texas and represent DONY as delegates and candidates. We are proud to report that MAJ Lizette Colon was reelected as National JAG and CPT Melissa Mitravich was elected as National Jr VP Army during the convention. Unfortunately, Chaplain (COL) Richard Bower lost a close election for National Chaplain. The final highlight of the convention was the presentation of the ROA Pershing Award presented to LTC Paul Baron’s family, which was accepted by COL Eileen Bonner, LTC Glennie Millard, MAJ Lizette Colon and CPT Melissa Mitravich during the Banquet Dinner. The Brooklyn Chapter will present the award to LTC Baron’s daughter, Andrea Baron Aron, during their December 3^rd Holiday Brunch.

ROA National has developed a new membership, education and financial strategy to keep our association vibrant throughout the 21^st century. Please visit roa.org and view their vision. A new website is being unveiled which will help communication with membership and increase continuity between state, chapter and individual. Our EXCOM continues to serve our current membership, consolidate chapters, and solicit new membership. With the current operations tempo of our drilling ROA members, DONY is lucky to have many active and retired members pulling more than their weight to keep our department moving forward.

Our membership continues to slowly decrease due to this OPS Tempo and our inability to highlight the great benefits of ROA to our incoming young officers. We need to follow up on our non-life member renewals and reattack our spousal membership program. The Reserve Enlisted Association has recently become an active member of the Military Coalition. Hopefully, we can gain some momentum as our enlisted embark on the same mission as ROA. Please work hard to inform any non-member or spouse of the hard-fought progress and benefits ROA has gained for our Reserve forces. LTC Luton Reed and CPT Melissa Mitravich are working overtime to recognize junior officers, ROTC and JROTC programs. Joining our webmaster LTC Mike Talone, MAJ Fazal Hussain has become our ESN editor, creating top-rate, informative newsletters and websites for our membership.

I proudly serve DONY and our ROA organization to the best of my abilities and hope all will do the same.