July 13th, 2012

From the Desk of AOC President, Laurie Buckhout

Fellow Crows,

I can't believe how this year has flown by as your president!  I have less than 90 days left as your president - but as always, we keep pushing the envelope.   I want to share with you the main discussion from our latest Board of Directors meeting (June 26th) about the AOC's strategic direction.  I tasked our Senior Advisory Board to ensure we are truly focused on providing value to each of you and want you to hear it straight from me.

While the AOC's Strategic Direction study is still ongoing, you need to know that your AOC is focused now more than ever on being your ADVOCATE.  The AOC is the professional voice for the Spectrum Warfare community's interest.  We continue to remain focused on providing you ACCESS through networking and professional relationships with our community's decision makers and subject matter experts.  The advocacy and access provided by your membership in the AOC enable these vital results:

- INFLUENCE of evolving SPECTRUM WARFARE policies, plans, programs and professional development;

- COLLABORATION across operations, government, industry, academia and critical partnerships;

- PROFESSIONAL IDENTITY established and maintained through our recognitions, standards, and personal experiences; and

- SERVICE to our nation, our warfighters, and our profession.

Some in our industry anticipate the cyclical, post-conflict bleakness.  I, along with your AOC leaders, see an incredible opportunity as our senior leaders "get it" and truly appreciate Spectrum Warfare.  This is "our time" and I am encouraged by this community's collective energy and brilliance! The AOC community provides tremendous value to our respective professions, the warfighters, and our national security as a whole.

We proudly continue to provide you the same tremendous value as an AOC member through our expert staff, quality processes, responsible stewardship, expanding membership, and opportunities to serve and engage.  We are realizing this even now as we address the White House oversight of all government events following the GSA conference this spring.  Your AOC was already WELL-ahead of these new regulations, and has aggressively addressed the planning process so that the essential dialogues between government and public/industry are maintained.

Thank you for taking a few minutes to share in the board's dialogue this past week.  Amidst the challenges of an ever increasing contested and congested EMS, daunting international and domestic economic challenges, the value of this association is truly realized.  I look forward to giving you an update on our Strategic Direction at our annual convention September 23-26 in Phoenix, AZ!

Very Respectfully,