The MOWW Operating Year is from July 1 through June 30. All MOWW Chapters are required to submit a report at the end of the first 6 months, and the last 6 months, detailing the Chapter accomplishments.
Normally, by this time, the Dallas Chapter is running full speed, but, due to Covid, that is not the case this year.
Here is a synopsis of what the Dallas Chapter report for July 1, 2020 to December 31, 2020 contains, along with additional information regarding the impact of the Covid-19 virus upon our programs. However, before I specifically address our 7 Program areas, let me list some of Dallas Chapter’s other non-Program successes.
We have not missed a monthly Chapter or Staff meeting, no small task given the challenges. It is important to continue our monthly meetings and agendas, so that when the opportunities change, we all have a Chapter to return to.
We have presented two Silver Patrick Henry Awards, and two Above and Beyond awards to our companions.
We have published all our monthly newsletters, thanks to our Newsletter Editor, our National Security Coordinator, our Chaplain, our Marshalls, and several others.
We sent at least 6 Email Blast to inform our membership about how we are adapting to COVID, as well as initiated a monthly event notification EBlast.
We published 6 Commander’s Corner articles.
We approved a Budget.
We solidified our Strategic Goals and Chapter Action Plan
We completed our Staff Leadership and Treasurer Training
We are developing our future MOWW leaders and we have implemented Succession Planning for some of our long serving Program Coordinators.
We have appointed Program Coordinators for Veterans Affairs, National Security, Homeland Security, Patriotic Education, Scouting, ROTC and Law and Order (First Responder) Outreach Programs. These coordinators have provided quarterly reports to the chapter staff.
We have the funds to send some students to YLC, with a goal to raise funds to send many more.
We have joined, as a participating member, the Collin County Veteran’s Coalition. While started in Collin County, the CCVC actually serves veterans in 5 North Texas counties.
We are now a member of the United States Veteran Administration’s “Veterans Advisory Council” for North Texas. Their normal monthly meetings are on hold, but we will participate when the Veteran Administration reopens,
We have co-sponsored a Symposium on “China, Marathon or Sprint”, with 5 other local Veteran Service Organizations, that had over 150 participants.
We have published 2 articles on National Security, and will be consolidating them for an article in “Officer Review”, our National magazine.
We established a permanent Memorial for Congressman Samuel Johnson at the Collin County Courthouse, as well as inducting him as a Perpetual Memorial Companion in the Dallas Chapter.
We purchased a Laptop that now contain copies of all Chapter artifacts. This laptop will be passed from Commander to Commander every year. This will greatly decrease the learning curve for future commanders.
Our Adjutant records are now recorded digitally, with continuous backup.
We have published biographical information on our staff members and new inductees, so that all companions stay informed about who is on the staff, as well as getting to know new companions.
We have inducted, four new companions, and inducted Colonel Sam Johnson as a Perpetual Memorial companion. Recruiting in the Covid age has been particularly challenging.
Law and Order
Our Chapter has been able to successfully identify and recognize 6 Dallas Police Department Officers, one per month, through our affiliation with the Dallas Community Police Award Committee (DCPAC). The Officers have been notified of their selection, but presentation of the award is temporarily postponed until the Dallas Police Department reopens for public visitation. The DCPAC has also selected the 2020 Officer of the Year.
Three of our monthly speakers have addressed Law and Order topics and programs.
The Dallas MOWW has partnered with One CommunityUSA to recognize additional Law and Order/First Responder heros.
ROTC/JROTC
The ROTC/JROTC programs have been significantly impacted by the Covid virus. Units are not meeting, or doing so only through Zoom, which impacts their ability to directly interface and train. The Chapter staff is assessing new innovative ways to recognize these young leaders, and hopes to recognize them by Zoom in the near future.
National and Homeland Security
Two of our Monthly Speakers have addressed topics relevant to National and Homeland Security. We have also published articles, that address U.S. Security organizations and status.
Our National and Homeland Security Coordinator will be submitting an article to the Officer Review magazine very soon.
Patriotic Education / Youth Leadership
Our Youth Leadership Conference Planning is going forward, with plans to conduct Socially Distanced YLC events at four locations in Tx and Ok. The interviews will be conducted safely, and whenever possible by Zoom conference. The required documentation has been moved online, to streamline the application process and to minimize face-2-face exposures.
Veterans Affairs
Four of the six Chapter Meeting speakers have addressed topics relevant to Veterans Affairs, and one addressed Veterans Military History, as well.
Our new membership in the Veterans Affairs Council and the Veterans Center of North Texas are great steps towards maintaining our Veteran focus, but they will not be fully realized until we can meet in person, again.
Scouting
Scouting is a Program area that has been relatively unrestrained in the last 6 months. The Boys and Girl Scout troops are continuing to pursue their goals, and are achieving them. To date, 59 Boy Scouts, and 40 Girl Scouts have been recognized for achieving the Eagle and Gold rankings, respectively.
Going Forward
Our number one priority has got to be Recruiting.
Due to the Covid virus several of our older Regular members have elected to not renew their annual memberships, likely believing that they will not be able to meet in groups. In order to maintain our pre-Covid membership levels we have the formidable task of recruiting 20 new members in the next 5 months. This is our largest recruiting goal ever, made doubly challenging because of Covid. Please do all you can to continue to recruit, and support the Dallas Chapter.
Respectfully submitted,
Charles D. Daniels
Former Commander Emeritus Dallas Chapter
Military Order of the World Wars