About MOAA and the Redwood Empire Chapter

To join our chapter, please print out and complete the membership application found here and here is the application for a surviving spouse.

INTRODUCTION

MOAA was originally founded as The Retired Officers Association (TROA) on Feb. 23,1929 by a group of retired officers. The name of the Association was officially changed to the Military Officers Association of America in January 2003.

MOAA is both a nonprofit organization and a corporation currently incorporated under the laws of the State of Virginia. It is a national organization of individual members who are drawn from the seven U.S. uniformed services. Overall direction and control of the Association's affairs are vested in a board of 36 directors elected by the membership. A paid professional staff headed by the president, acts for the board in conducting the routine business of the organization.

The Association is also a tax exempt organization under Section 501(c)(19) of the Internal Revenue Code, here after referred to as the "Code." This tax exemption does not, however, extend to affiliates.

AFFILIATES

Local organizations of retired officers have been in existence in various communities since the early 1940s, but it was not until 1953 that the National Board of Directors approved the formal affiliation of such organizations with MOAA National. Although these organizations call themselves by a variety of names (chapter, association, club, group, council, etc.), there are basically two different types of "affiliates:" councils, which are state or regional combinations of local chapters; and chapters, which are local organizations.

Councils and chapters are independent, self governing, and self supporting organizations that voluntarily choose to affiliate with MOAA National for the purpose of cooperation and mutual support.

By late 1982 more than 420 local and state organizations had been chartered as affiliates of the Association. Today there are presently over 450 councils and chapters. MOAA was conceived and organized by retired officers as an independent nonprofit association, operated to benefit uniformed services retired officers, their families and survivors, and to support legislation bearing on a strong national defense.

MOAA’s purposes were stated succinctly in the preamble of the earliest bylaws. Little has changed to this day.

Those purposes are as follows:

To inculcate and stimulate love of our country and our flag.
To defend the honor, integrity, and supremacy of our national government and the Constitution of the United States.
To advocate military forces adequate to the defense of our country.
To foster fraternal relations among all branches of the various services from which our members are drawn.
To further the education of children of service personnel.
To aid active and retired personnel of the various services from which our members are drawn, and their dependents and survivors, in every proper and legitimate manner, and;
To present their rights and interests when service matters are under consideration.
To foster the integrity and prestige of uniformed service.

Redwood Empire Chapter was formed in 1964 with Col. William Brey as the first Chapter President.