Friday Class Leaders' Breakout Sessions

1. Friday’s three Breakout Sessions centered upon Best Practices, another discussion of AOG communications, and an Open Discussion. Jack Miller ’54 led the Best Practices session, and a spirited discussion ensued. This session proved to be a valuable one because it resulted in several specific, meaningful “best practices” coming to the surface during the course of the discussion. As two examples of these best practices, Dutch Hostler ’68 discussed the “virtual” Marchback that his class began several years ago and that has resulted in tens of thousands of dollars of donations, not to mention a great deal of fun by all those participating, and the moderator sharing with the audience his class’ practice of arranging for cadets to brief his class on cadet life during reunions so that his classmates can stay abreast of how the Corps has, and hasn’t, changed.
2. MG Alan Salisbury ’58 led the next Breakout Session, a discussion of the ways in which the AOG is attempting to improve its communications, marketing, and outreach. Whereas the discussion led by Tom Mulyca the previous day focused on the technological capabilities of the AOG’s communications plan, this session focused on the strategic goals the AOG has for that plan and how it hopes to achieve those goals. During this session, General Salisbury led the audience through the process the Communications Committee used to develop these goals, and he provided his listeners with an update of the progress the AOG is making toward meeting those goals. He focused his remarks on the AOG’s goal of “marketing” and “branding” itself and how this process will help the AOG reach out to more graduates, as well as other people who may be able to help the AOG reach its goal of becoming the premier alumni association in America.
3. The Class Leader Breakout Sessions concluded with an Open Discussion forum led by Dan Evans ’64. Because of the lengthy discussion engendered by the previous two sessions, time was again at a premium, but several specific points did arise during this discussion. LTG Stroup ’62 stated that he was considering having a separate session for first-time attendees during next year’s Leaders’ Conference. The purpose of this separate session would be for these individuals to receive briefings on the kind of important but basic information that would greatly benefit them but that would not similarly benefit those who have attended many Leaders’ Conferences. Three other comments dealt with effectively managing the content of AOG communications, incorporating bus schedules into the conference handouts, and dividing a portion of next year’s Breakout Sessions into groups based very generally on seniority. These groups, perhaps consisting of senior classes, mid-level classes, and junior classes, could meet together to discuss issues particularly germane to themselves.