Report Contents

• President’s Letter
• Advocacy
• Membership
• Philanthropy
• Councils and Chapters
• Engagement
• Financials
• A Look Ahead

President’s Letter

By Lt. Gen. Brian T. Kelly, USAF (Ret)

I concluded my 33-plus years in the U.S. Air Force serving as the Air Force’s deputy chief of staff for manpower, personnel, and services, or A-1 — the “people guy.” So it won’t surprise you I spent much of my first year as MOAA’s president and CEO getting out and meeting with the people. I sat down with MOAA members across the country, and I shared our stories with leaders in Congress, the VA, DoD, and the media.

It’s been a privilege to meet so many MOAA members volunteering in their communities across our country and making a difference in the lives of our currently serving, retirees, veterans, military families, caregivers, and survivors.

[RELATED: MOAA CEO Highlights Advocacy Priorities on Member-Hosted Radio Show]

Returning from my travels, I am blessed at MOAA headquarters with the support of our skilled staff and rely often on the insight and experience of our MOAA board of directors. Working together, we are sharing the message that MOAA may be an association of officers, but we are not an organization about only officers. We are an association that takes our responsibility
as officers to advocate for and help protect all ranks of all eight uniformed services.

MOAA’s present state is strong and growing. But there are real challenges ahead, and it’s imperative we take proactive steps today to ensure MOAA’s long-term success. In 2023, I identified six key focus areas.

1. Long-term financial stability. With strong management, we have a significant investment portfolio, but we are taking measures to reduce our portfolio withdrawals to cover operating costs. We are leveraging new income streams while also adjusting expenses. Small adjustments now will mitigate long-term risk to our portfolio.
   
   
2. Growing membership. We saw the association grow to more than 360,000 members this year and our entire headquarters staff continues to identify new ways to keep growing. In 2023, for example, we launched an interactive exhibition booth that can be tailored to the event audience.
   
   
3. Maintaining key advocacy positions and mission focus. I’m grateful to our engaged membership and our hardworking Government Relations team for helping us earn top lobbyist recognition by The Hill for the 17th year in a row. In 2023, we focused on connecting with leaders positioned to directly influence our legislative advocacy agenda. As we enter the second year of the 118th Congress, we continue to push for the Major Richard Star Act, which, despite widespread support, is stalled due to funding challenges. Burial eligibility rules set to take effect at Arlington National Cemetery continue to be a significant concern, and MOAA seeks a solution so those currently eligible can retain an option for full military honors. Poor living conditions in military housing and spouse unemployment and underemployment are focal points for our support for those currently serving, and we will continue to advocate against any threat to service-earned pay and benefits.
   
   
4. Chapter system viability. Chapter and council members constitute 9% of our membership but are among our most enthusiastic and active members. MOAA is committed to supporting and enhancing council and chapter leadership to improve recruiting and chapter effectiveness.
   
   
5. MOAA Foundation stability. MOAA’s two charities — the MOAA Scholarship Fund and The MOAA Foundation — allow us to deliver on our strategic pillar of philanthropy. The MOAA Scholarship Fund continues to provide valuable educational assistance to the children of officers and enlisted members, distributing more than $7.5 million in grants and interest-free loans to nearly 800 students in 2023. The MOAA Foundation is still in its infancy, but it is a positive example of how MOAA serves all ranks through efforts like its Crisis Relief Program, supporting veteran and currently serving families when they need it most.
   
   
6. Strengthening brand and reach. Military Officer magazine, our publication for Premium and Life members, continues to be a vital tool for sharing our story and informing our members about taking legislative action. Through email, The MOAA Newsletter reaches hundreds of thousands of readers every week, and we continue to gain followers on social media. But MOAA must share its story beyond its membership and continue to evolve to more effectively communicate our stories and needs with Congress, DoD, the media, and the American public.

Challenges always inspire new energies, and I’m grateful to be working alongside the entire MOAA team. The following pages are a testament to the team’s focus on our members and the incredible achievements we had in 2023. Know that we head into 2024 with an improved and clear vision. I feel every day a determination to move forward to confront our challenges, keep our commitments, and build on the greatness of our association.

Advocacy

MOAA’s greatest mission is to improve the lives of those who serve and who have served and their families. This is achieved largely through the tireless advocacy efforts taking place in our nation’s capital. MOAA’s experts in Washington, D.C., are there to support legislation that benefits the military community, and they are equally vigilant in fighting to stop legislation that threatens our livelihood and our benefits.

Advocates from military and veterans service organizations, including MOAA, pose as part of a Feb. 28 press event on behalf of the Major Richard Star Act. (Photo by Sean Shanahan/for MOAA)

This past year, MOAA worked independently and in concert with The Military Coalition and other key allies to ensure key legislative priorities were addressed. These priorities spanned a wide range of issues and stakeholders, but all had one goal in common: to encourage the federal government to enact and maintain policies, compensation, and benefits that sustain an all-volunteer force of the size and quality needed to maintain a strong national defense and that fulfills commitments to those who have served.

• All-Volunteer Force: MOAA hosted a reception on Capitol Hill to welcome the 118th Congress and express the importance of protecting and preserving the all-volunteer force. 
  
  
• BAH Restoration Act: MOAA supported the effort and ensured BAH-related text was added to the House version of the National Defense Authorization Act. Take Action: Urge Your Legislators to Pay Full Housing Costs for Servicemembers
  
  
• Military Spouse Hiring Act: MOAA led a Hill Day event to build co-sponsorship for this bill that addresses the high rate of military spouse unemployment. Take Action: Urge Your Legislators to Support the Military Spouse Hiring Act
  
  
• Major Richard Star Act: MOAA led a working group of key veterans’ advocacy stakeholders to generate support for the Major Richard Star Act, which would reverse an unjust offset that affects more than 52,000 combat-injured retirees. Take Action: Urge Your Legislators to Support Concurrent Receipt
  
  
• Quality of Life: MOAA joined fellow advocates at the House Armed Services Committee’s Quality of Life roundtable on Capitol Hill to discuss the urgency of implementing immediate actions and broad reforms to assist the currently serving military community. Take Action: Urge Your Legislators to Improve the Quality of Life for Our Servicemembers 
  
  
• Service Families: MOAA urged the Supreme Court to protect the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and preserve its ability to shield servicemembers and veterans and their families from financial abuse.
  
  
• Health Care: MOAA hosted a congressional briefing with the National Military Family Association to discuss with legislative staff the latest challenges to TRICARE and military treatment facilities. MOAA supported legislation that would require a detailed report on the TRICARE pharmacy network, which has been cut by more than 13,000 locations since 2022.
  
  
• Veteran Benefits: MOAA presented legislative priorities for veterans at a joint session of the House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs committees. MOAA stressed the need to continue toxic exposure benefit reforms, to modernize and fully fund the VA, and to help reserve-component members access the benefits they have earned.
  
  
• Arlington National Cemetery: MOAA supported the Expanding America’s National Cemetery Act, which would authorize the transformation of a VA-run national cemetery into the next location affording military honors as Arlington National Cemetery reaches capacity. Take Action: Ask Your House Member to Support the Expanding America's National Cemetery Act
  
  
• Survivors: MOAA supported Gold Star Families Remembrance Week, designed to help families of the fallen receive the benefits they deserve. MOAA supported the Caring for Survivors Act, which addresses longstanding disparities within the Dependency and Indemnity Compensation program. This legislation will keep benefits for survivors of veterans on pace with similar federal programs and let some survivors of disabled veterans access the payments sooner. Take Action: Ask Your Lawmakers to Improve Survivors' Benefits
  
  
• Top Lobbyist: For the 17th consecutive year, MOAA was named a Top Lobbyist by The Hill, which honors leading organizations who leverage their expertise and grassroots connections to make a difference in the nation’s capital.
  
  
• Advocacy in Action Event: In April, nearly 200 MOAA members from across the country converged on Capitol Hill to bring MOAA’s legislative message to the nation’s legislators. MOAA’s legislative team is tracking dozens of bills and is active on Capitol Hill almost daily.

MOAA members and staff pose on the steps of the Capitol in Washington, D.C., the morning of April 26 at the beginning of the annual Advocacy in Action event. (Photo by Mike Morones/MOAA)

Membership

MOAA is proud to represent more than 360,000 members as one of the largest military and veteran service organizations in the nation. Our growing membership numbers are the result of effective messaging, the delivery of needed resources and services, and active recruiting through our councils and chapters.

Never Resting, Always Testing

Over the past year, MOAA has operated under the “never resting, always testing” philosophy. The team has developed and deployed several digital marketing campaigns across all of MOAA’s social media platforms as well as targeted print campaigns designed to bring in paid members. The digital campaigns include concise copy, animation, discounts, and special gifts.

This year, MOAA introduced a new Veterans Day membership campaign and began using geotargeting and geofencing, which allow MOAA to use social media to target potential members by demographics and location.

In addition to comprehensive digital and direct marketing campaigns, MOAA has attended and supported numerous events across the country that attract our key audiences.

Successful membership recruitment requires MOAA to continually improve its presence at on-site events. This year, MOAA debuted a new recruitment booth at the National Guard Association of the United States (NGAUS). This state-of-the-art space includes a video wall that allows MOAA to customize messages for each event, an open and inviting footprint, and digital kiosks for individuals to join. This new and enhanced booth helped contribute to our outreach program being the most effective source of new BASIC members.

MOAA debuted a new recruitment booth in 2023. (Staff photo)

In the fall, MOAA partnered with 12 social media influencers who have a strong following in the military community. These influencers, who are officers and military spouses, shared MOAA’s mission and our theme “Because People Matter” with their followers and urged them to join the association.

Print and social media aren’t the only ways that MOAA used to increase its membership. The organization partnered with Connected TV, which airs MOAA commercials on a variety of streaming networks, with goals of increasing brand awareness and growing membership.

As we go into 2024, MOAA will be focusing on strategies to increase the conversion rate of BASIC to PREMIUM members, recognizing this is crucial to both membership and revenue growth. In addition, MOAA will be leveraging its partnerships as well as effective social media strategies to target and build membership in our key areas. MOAA will also be adding some exciting and new member benefits — so stay tuned.

Philanthropy

MOAA’s philanthropic activities are conducted through its two 501(c)3 charities: The MOAA Scholarship Fund and The MOAA Foundation. Through grants, scholarships, education, programs, activities, and financial resources, MOAA Charities support MOAA members and the greater uniformed services
community, regardless of rank or branch of service. As a testament to the charities’ effective management and transparency, both earned Platinum ratings from Candid, the industry leader in rating and reviewing charities.

More than 100 golfers participated in MOAA's annual golf event, raising a record amount for MOAA's two charities. (Staff photo)

The MOAA Charities Golf Classic 

In its 19th year, this charity golf event raised more than $220,000 (a new record) in support of MOAA’s two charities. Save the date for next year: May 20, 2024, at TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm.

Crisis Relief Program

This year, the program secured $200,000 in donations and provided more than 220 small grants to military and veteran families facing a crisis situation.

[RELATED: Donate to MOAA Charities] 

The Crisis Relief Program assists uniformed services personnel, veterans, and their families in crisis in the wake of natural disasters, catastrophic events, and other emergency situations out of their control. The program fills a gap in service for more than 12 million veterans who did not serve a full career or do not have a disability rating through VA.

Scholarship Fund Grants

Nearly $3 million was disbursed this year, the largest amount of grants in the history of the Education Assistance Program. Total disbursements for students in the program this year were nearly $10 million (compared to $7 million in 2022).

Community Outreach Grants

The MOAA Foundation provided 47 grants to our MOAA councils and chapters doing charitable work in their communities. We received the largest number of applications since the program launched in 2017.

As we move into 2024, MOAA Charities is excited to incorporate new technology to make supporting our efforts easier and more intuitive for donors. This includes new grant management software for our Education Assistance, Crisis Relief, and Community Outreach programs; a software platform that helps connect our team to social media influencers who will help spread the word about donating to our charities; and engaging an outside agency to identify and apply for grants.

Our team also will build on the success of this year’s MOAA Charities Golf Classic and celebrate 20 years of supporting The MOAA Foundation and the MOAA Scholarship Fund during a day of camaraderie at TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm in Potomac, Md. Learn more at MOAA.org/GolfClassic.

Councils and Chapters

Nurturing our nationwide network of councils and chapters continues to be a high priority for MOAA. Our 37,000 chapter members represent one of the most engaged segments of our MOAA membership. Their contributions in 2023 include active participation in our legislative advocacy mission — both at the federal and state levels, building the MOAA brand through impactful community service, and helping grow national and chapter membership.

In 2023, we recognized our most successful councils and chapters through two annual awards programs: the Col. Marvin J. Harris Communications Awards and the Levels of Excellence Awards.

• For communications excellence, 145 geographic and virtual affiliates were recognized for print and digital communications.
• 169 councils and chapters were recognized for management
  excellence, to include a new three-star award, designed to encourage first-time applications for the Levels of Excellence Award, as well as our traditional four- and five-star awards.

Many MOAA councils and chapters are instrumental in carrying out community service to benefit servicemembers, families, survivors, and veterans throughout the U.S. Chapter support of ROTC and Junior ROTC programs through individual recognition and scholarship awards programs is particularly important as the services face significant recruiting challenges and a declining propensity to serve among the primary recruiting age population. Much of this work is locally funded by generous MOAA members and delivered by committed volunteer leaders in our council and chapter system.

Recognizing the importance of volunteer leadership to the success of our association, MOAA sponsors two national awards recognizing volunteer leadership: the Colonel Steve Strobridge Legislative Leadership Award and the Surviving Spouse Liaison Excellence Award.

Receiving the Colonel Steve Strobridge Legislative Leadership Award in 2023 for legislative leadership at the council level was Col. Monti Zimmerman, USA (Ret), for his work in support of the Virginia Council of Chapters. Also receiving the Strobridge Award for legislative leadership at the chapter level was Col. Chris Dooley, USAF (Ret), for his work in support of the Chattanooga (Tenn.) Chapter.

Receiving national recognition for working with our surviving spouses at the council level was Cheryl Toland for her work with our Washington Council of Chapters. Recognized for his work in support of surviving spouses at the chapter level was Lt. Col. Roy Yenchesky, USA (Ret), for his work with the Wichita (Kan.) Chapter. Surviving spouse engagement is particularly important, and this segment of our membership fills important volunteer leadership roles throughout our association.

[UPDATED MONTHLY: MOAA's Surviving Spouse Corner]

For 2024, our national team will continue to promote the benefits of chapter affiliation and support our dedicated volunteer leaders who make significant contributions to our association’s success at the national, state, and local levels. To learn more about the incredible work of MOAA chapters and councils, be sure to check out Military Officer magazine each month.

Engagement

At MOAA, we want to do more than simply inform our members — we want to engage with them. From Military Officer magazine to the Member Service
Center to in-person and online events, MOAA provides endless opportunities for members to get involved, share their voices, and amplify the organization’s key messages.

Communications 

Military Officer magazine continues to be recognized by the design and communication industries as a best-in-class publication.

The MOAA Newsletter continues to be an industry leader, boasting open rates that average 46.5%, well above the industry average for nonprofits, which is 39.4%. The MOAA website remains a vital communications outlet for the organization. In 2023, there were approximately 5.1 million pageviews with the following topics being the most read:

• TRICARE coverage and costs
• COLA predications
• State tax breaks for military retirement

[UPDATED MONTHLY: MOAA's COLA Watch]

On social media, we’ve seen continued increases in followers on platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram, with Instagram achieving a 19% increase (through September 2023), and LinkedIn receiving the highest number of new followers at 3,919 (through September 2023). MOAA began exploring new outlets and features, including Threads and Reels.

In 2023, MOAA began recording and publishing Advocacy Update, a weekly video series that highlights MOAA’s Government Relations activities and what individuals can do to support them. At the time of this report's publication, MOAA had published 28 videos on its YouTube channel.

Member Benefits

MOAA offers its members a strong value proposition through a member benefits portfolio that it consistently monitors and updates. This year, MOAA added to the long list of key and important benefits listed online.

• BetterUp: MOAA’s newest offering gives members the opportunity to
  work virtually with top-notch coaches in three key areas — leadership effectiveness, mental fitness, and connection and belonging. Special rates apply for MOAA members.
  
  
• New Products: To keep MOAA members looking great with cool swag, we added a dozen new products to The MOAA Store.
  
  
• MOAA Insurance Plans: The MOAA Insurance Plans portfolio saw several enhancements in 2023. MOAA increased its Active Service Discharge Plan benefit amount from $200,000 to $250,000, with corresponding increases for spouses, to provide a suitable substitute for SGLI/VGLI. Additionally, the eligibility period increased from 180 days post military separation to 270 days. MOAA also added a new under-65 Hospital Indemnity Plan and enhanced our simplified issue term life policy benefits from $150,000 to 250,000. As we wrap up 2023, we are in deep discussion with our insurance administrator on a bundled product that will significantly enhance the MEDIPLUS TRICARE Supplement Plan we offer TRICARE customers.
  
  
• MOAA Vacations: Iceland and the Columbia River highlighted the 2023 MOAA Vacations group excursions. These group trips give our members the opportunity to meet each other while experiencing new destinations across the globe. For 2024, trips to Paris and Normandy, Venice, and the European holiday markets have already been planned and are available now.

Hundreds of transitioning servicemembers, veterans, and military spouses, attended MOAA’s event Oct. 4 at the Army Navy Country Club in Arlington, Va. (Staff photo)

Transition Services

MOAA serves thousands in the uniformed services and veteran communities each year through an award-winning career transition support program, an exceptional financial and benefits education initiative, an acclaimed military spouse professional development program, and an award-winning military and veteran caregiver support program in cooperation with the Elizabeth Dole Foundation. Highlights from 2023 include:

• Maintained relationships with 35 military installations and communities and delivered career transition and professional development support reaching more than 30,000 members and prospective members — all ranks and all services — and both officer and enlisted audiences.
  
  
• Participated in four Service Academy Career Conferences, connecting with hundreds of transitioning officers and building the MOAA brand in front of a key target audience.
  
  
• Hosted an in-person fall networking event in Arlington, Va., connecting transitioning military community members and spouses with veteran-friendly companies, including Booz Allen Hamilton, CACI, Leidos, and Northrop Grumman.
  
  
• Continued our annual program of in-person and virtual Military Executive Transition Seminars to deliver self-marketing assistance in an accelerated single day or two half-day format.
  
  
• Launched two new offerings: A “Dare to Dream” virtual workshop series to help participants gain clarity on their personal and professional aspirations through self-reflection and guided discovery and a focused workshop dedicated to helping National Guard and reserve-component members understand their earned benefits.
  
  
• Hosted seven military community virtual career fairs and 41 webinar events reaching over 23,000 registrants and archived online for future viewing.
  
  
• Delivered the career transition and benefits education portion of the Army’s and Navy’s flag and general officer transition program — maintaining an important connection with an influential audience.

For 2024, plans include expanding our emphasis on professional coaching in cooperation with BetterUp to provide expert guidance, tools, and resources to help MOAA members navigate life transitions and seeking new opportunities to expand MOAA’s brand and reach throughout the military and veteran community. 

Financials

In 2022, MOAA and The MOAA Foundation’s consolidated financial condition saw a dip from nearly $168 million in 2021 to approximately $144 million. This was primarily affected by a loss in its investment portfolio. MOAA’s Statement of Financial Position shows a decrease in total assets as of Dec. 31, 2022, of about $22 million — mainly due to this 14% loss on investments.

With net assets of $94.5 million as of Dec. 31, 2022, MOAA is still in a solid financial position. The dedicated support of our more than 360,000 members allows us to remain financially secure and continue our mission.

More information on the financial health of MOAA can be found in the PDF version of this report, as well as online and in Military Officer magazine. More detailed financial information is contained in the MOAA audit report. To request a copy, call (800) 234-MOAA (6622).

A Look Ahead

As we move into 2024, we have the opportunity to build on some incredible successes and position MOAA as the resource for servicemembers and veterans and their families and survivors.

In addition to focusing on the six challenges outlined in the President’s Letter, MOAA will:

• Create new in-person and virtual engagement activities aimed at addressing the needs of our members.
• Provide new opportunities for members to build their leadership skills and acumen.
• Improve functionality and customer service through a new and improved membership database system.
• Welcome and onboard a new class of board of directors.
• Stay focused on key legislative priorities that ensure the protection of benefits earned by military servicemembers and veterans and their families and survivors.

This work is ongoing, and with the help of our more than 360,000 members, MOAA will continue to succeed and deliver.