The mission of our chapter is to provide local visibility and support for the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), benefit the members of the uniformed services, their families and survivors and to advocate for a strong national defense. We support projects and programs that benefit the local community and its members. We provide a forum for members to enjoy the camaraderie of fellow military officers.

Membership in the Bella Vista Chapter is open and encouraged to anyone who holds or has ever held a commission or warrant in any component of the Army, Marines Corps, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Public Health Service or National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and their surviving spouses. For further information, please contact the Chapter president and membership chairman, CDR Bob Nolan, USN(Ret) at 479-866-1803 or kinsailing@earthlink.net.

Our chapter is active in many local civic affairs. We deliver magazines and paperbacks weekly to the VA Hospital in Fayetteville from the collection unit we built and operate in the AARP recycling center. These books and magazines are distributed to veterans in the VA Hospital and are greatly appreciated. The chapter has several members that volunteer at the VA Hospital and we continue to support the Bella Vista Wall of Honor with donations to help maintain the grounds at the Wall. We support the local AARP recycle center with volunteers from the chapter. AARP donates thousands of dollars back into the community from this operation. Helping Hands is another project for which we provide volunteers. The chapter is active in the Veteran’s Task Force of Northwest Arkansas networking with other groups such as the local American Legion and other military and civic groups to benefit our veterans and their families.

We support MOAA National with their legislative agenda and our members are active in contacting their Congressmen and Senators concerning legislative issues pertaining to all chapter members, active duty and retired military personnel locally and nationally. We are a member of the Arkansas Council of Chapters and are active in all their activities, both on the National and State levels.

All activities of the chapter are announced through emails to members and often through the local Bella Vista newspaper, The Vista. We hold six dinner meetings a year in the odd numbered months with one meeting being a picnic. Our chapter newsletter is distributed via email and we enjoy a large readership. The chapter Board of Directors meets six times a year in even numbered months and all members are welcome to attend. Leadership opportunities are available within the chapter and we encourage any member to take on one of these positions…you’re never too old to serve.

The Bella Vista Chapter of MOAA was chartered in 1966 under the umbrella of The Retired Officers Association of America (TROA). Our membership has varied over the years, but we now have 79 members in good standing. Our dinner meetings are held at The Concordia Community Center in Bella Vista and commence with a social time at 1730 followed by dinner at 1800. The Chapter's newsletter keeps all members apprised on upcoming activities and meetings times and agenda.