Conference

*Dress for the Banquet should be service dress blues or civilian business suit as appropriate.

Attendees: Individuals permitted to attend LOA's Annual National Conference are:

a. Current LOA members in good standing

b. Speakers invited by the Executive Board

c. Industry exhibitors attending in support of a paid exhibitor's booth

Membership Dues: Members must have their dues paid before attending the conference.  Dues should be sent in time for the dues to arrive, and be posted, prior to the conference. Dues may also be paid at the conference, as well as paying next year’s dues if the member desires. These dues paid at the conference are separate from the conference registration fees and only update the membership status.

Membership Dues Payment: A POC from the Host Chapter should establish e-mail contact early with the National LOA Treasurer and National LOA Executive Director for Public Relations. The Executive Director for Public Relations will instruct the POC how to update the membership roster as members pay their dues and/or pay their registration fees. The Treasurer will instruct the POC on collecting dues for memberships. All money and membership forms collected will be given to the Treasurer at the end of the conference.

Conference Registration Fees: The Executive Board will establish the conference fees each year to help offset the cost of the conference. All effort will be made to keep the conference fees as low as possible. The intent is to keep fees low to encourage maximum attendance. The planning budget should be set as soon as possible so the Executive Board and the Host Chapter can determine if a conference registration fee will be required.

Conference Budget:

a. The Executive Board: shall inform the host chapter of the maximum budget amount available for the conference.

b. The Host Chapter: shall present the planning budget to the Executive Board for approval. The Host Chapter should not exceed the planning budget. The Executive Board must approve any exceptions. The Host Chapter will submit any exception requests through the President of National LOA.

Host Chapter Compensation: For hosting the conference, the Host Chapter will be paid a sum of 5% of the net proceeds from the conference.

Contracting for your conference is critical to your success:

1. Conference/Hotel Contracts: The Host Chapter should ensure that a Contracting Officer goes to all planning meetings with the conference center/hotel, and reviews all contracts for hidden problems prior to signing. We always request prevailing per diem rates at the hotels so LOA members can come TDY and not have to pay extra money. This should be one of your first negotiations with the hotel.
2. Conference meeting space: The Host Chapter should ensure they obtain the best price possible for the use of conference space. Some hotels will not charge for the conference space if you book enough rooms with them. The Host Chapter needs a clear understanding of all charges for using the conference room.
3. Exhibit Area: The Host Chapter should ensure they obtain the best price possible for the use of the exhibit area where the display booths will be set up. The Host Chapter needs a clear understanding of all charges for using the exhibit area. Remember that most exhibitors will want to set their booths up on Sunday and take them down on Wednesday. Will the hotel or conference center charge for the Sunday?
4. Audio/visual support: Some hotels/conference centers insist that you use their audio/visual set up, or use their contractor. That is okay, but the Host Chapter should ensure they know all the costs and negotiate them to the lowest level before any contracts are signed with the hotel/conference center.
5. Food: The Host Chapter should ensure they know all the costs for food and negotiate for the lowest prices before signing any contracts. This can be one of your most expensive costs.
   1. Break snacks: You will want coffee, etc. in the morning and nice snacks for your breaks between sessions. Find out what is available, make your plan for what you want for each break, and then negotiate for the price – before you sign any contract with the hotel/conference center. Once you sign it, you cannot bring in your own food, and it can really be expensive.
   2. Lunches: You will want nice lunches, even if they are not full meals. Find out what is available, make your plan for each luncheon, and then negotiate for the price - before you sign any contracts with the hotel/conference center. Prices for lunches should include tax, gratuity, etc. There should just be one price you plan to charge for lunch.
   3. Banquet: You will want a nice banquet. Find out what your dinner options are, make your plans, and then negotiate for the best price – before you sign any contract with the hotel/conference center. Prices for the banquet should include tax, gratuity, etc. There should just be one price for the meal.
   4. LOA Reception: The LOA reception is usually held in the exhibit hall. It gives the attendees a chance to see all the technology, and allows the exhibitors to show their wares. This event is always a "no host" bar (members pay for their own drinks), and LOA pays for heavy hors d'oeuvres. This needs to be a nice reception, and you should not run out of food. Find out what is available, make your plans, and then negotiate for the best price. This can be very expensive too.

**** END OF CRITICAL SECTION ****

Conference Breaks: Conference breaks are set by the agenda developed by National LOA. The Host Chapter needs some method to inform conference attendees that the break is over and they should return to the conference hall - such as chimes, etc.

 Session Planning:

a. When there is a guest speaker that has a question and answer period at the end of their speech, make sure you have at least two officers in the audience with intelligent questions. They do not have to ask them if other questions are being asked, but we do want at least two questions for each speaker.

Briefings: The President of National LOA invites all speakers to the conference, and works with the speaker's staff to receive an advanced copy of the briefings. Many speakers are General Officers and are taking time out of their busy schedules to come speak at LOA. It is not wise to push them too hard for advanced copies of their briefings they may not have ready. The Host Chapter POC should work closely with the President of National LOA to ensure request for advanced speeches are sent to the speaker's staff in sufficient time for them to work it. We do not need more than one person calling the staffs of our speakers looking for speeches. The President of National LOA can grant permission for the Host Chapter POC to call if coordinated prior to the call. The Vice President of National LOA is responsible for obtaining gifts for the guest speakers.

Conference Questionnaire: The Executive Director for Public Relations, National LOA, will provide a questionnaire to the Host Chapter. The Host Chapter will reproduce the questionnaire and put one in each welcome packet. The Host Chapter will collect all questionnaires at the end of the conference and deliver them to the Executive Director for Public Relations.

Registration Form: The Host Chapter will provide the information to be contained in the registration form. The official registration form will be designed by the Executive Director for Public Relations, and approved by the National LOA Executive Board before release and posting on the website.

Conference Registration: A registration process should be implemented that is both fast and efficient. Receipts should be available for registration fees.

Golf Tournament: When possible, the start needs to be "shot gun"

Tours: We will not charge members for the tours.  If there are costs associated to certain tour venues, the host chapter will work those into their proposed budget.  The purpose of the tours is to allow our members to see something they might not have a chance to see otherwise. We hope they will see something that will help them solve problems in their present/future jobs. Or, we hope they see something that rekindles their pride in serving in the best Air Force in the world. At one conference, we accidentally left someone behind when returning to the hotel. We recommend someone on each bus be in-charge of conducting a "head count" before leaving on the tour and returning from the tour.

Booth Assignments: The Executive Director for Public Relations will be responsible for Exhibitor booth assignment. National LOA should tell the Exhibitors exactly what they receive for their booth payments early on in the process. National LOA should also tell the Exhibitors what they would need to pay for while attending the conference. The Executive Director for Public Relations will prepare a booth payment confirmation letter to be mailed out by National LOA as a booth payment is received.

Name tags/Badges: As we do not have a nametag on our dress uniform, nametags are a must. Host Chapters may design the nametags. If an Exhibitor registers for the conference, they should get the same badge/name tag as all other attendees. If they are just going to be in their booth, and not participating in any of the events, then they will need another type of badge. They should still have to pay for attending the social mixer as the conference budget is paying for that and in effect it is not free.

Conference Guest: National LOA will pay for special guests. For example, a luncheon guest speaker will not be required to pay for his/her lunch. The Host Chapter will make a reservation for the guest and charge the cost to the conference budget. National LOA will identify Guest in advance.

LOA Banquet: The evening event starts off with cocktails in the Exhibit Area. Chimes should call the members to the banquet room. The President of National LOA will welcome the guest. A member of the Host Chapter will present the invocation. Dinner will be served. There will be a 15-minute break between dinner and the formal part of the program. The President of National LOA will introduce the guest speaker. The guest speaker will present the address to the membership. The President of National LOA will present the guest speaker with a gift. Then, the President of National LOA will call each scholarship winner forward to receive his or her checks from the guest speaker. At the end of the scholarship presentations, the guest speaker will be seated. The Vice President of National LOA will read the names of each scholarship donor. The President of National LOA will present significant contributors with a gift as the Vice President calls their names. The President of National LOA will provide closing remarks.

Conference Meeting Room set up: The preferred style is long tables in rows, from the front of the room to the back. An isle in the middle of the room usually divides these rows. DVs, speakers, and General Officers should be seated within the first two rows. They should also have nameplate to designate their place. This will tell others that the seat is reserved and the DVs, speakers, and General Officers where we want them to set.

Escort Officer Duties: Escort Officers may be of any rank. We normally encourage use of company grade officers. This allows the company grade officers exposure to senior officers in our business. Throughout the years, our DVs have expressed their favor with this practice. In some cases, Logistics Group Commanders, Wing Commanders, etc. have wanted to meet the DVs too, but usually meet them along with the Escort Officer and then let the escort officer take the DVs to quarters.

Escort Officers should meet the DVs at their arrival. For commercial travel, this would be at the arrival gate at the airport. For military airlift, this would be at the aircraft. If at the airport, the Escort Officer should have a sign large enough for the DV to see that says, "Welcome to LOA 2000". We will tell the DVs to be looking for this sign.

Escort Officers are responsible for the DVs transportation from the airport/flight line to the DVs quarters. At quarters check-in, the Escort Officer should ensure the DV has quarters and they are acceptable. Normally, one of the members of the National LOA Executive Board will meet the DV at the check-in point. If the Escort Officer has problems, or the DVs have problems, the Escort Officer should know whom to call.

When the DVs are checked in, the Escort Officer should make arrangements with the DVs for the next event. At a minimum, the Escort Officer should volunteer to meet the DV the next morning to show him/her to their seat in the conference room. Some DVs will say they do not need/want an Escort Officer after they are checked in. If they say that, they normally mean it. Just have the Escort Officer to offer to be of service if anything comes up.

The Escort Officer should check with the DVs now and then to make sure all is well, unless they are told they are not needed. Even then, be available if needed.

The Escort Officer is responsible for the transportation to get the DV back to the airport/flight line in time to catch their aircraft for departure. Make sure you know the DVs plans.

The Escort Officer for the "Key Note" Speaker – banquet speaker, will have funds available to offer the speaker complementary refreshments at the cocktail hour. These funds are provided by the host chapter and charged against the conference expense account. Depending on local cost, $20 is usually enough for this event. Any funds left may be returned to the host chapter treasurer to be returned to the conference fund. All other speakers are on their own for refreshments, but the Escort Officers should be with them to help with any other problems or questions that may arise.

The Escort Officer may wear the uniform of the day. See dress requirements section.

Mementos:

In the past, chapters that host the conferences have given some mementos to the members attending the conference. One year (when we were still MOA), we received MOA coffee mugs with the MOA logo on them. At registration, each member got a coffee mug. Another year, we received notebooks with the MOA logo on them and wooden pencils with the words MOA on them. At two different conferences, we have received coins. Most of these mementos have not broken the conference budgets, and just add a little class to the conference. It is always nice to return home with something neat and have everyone say, "Where did you get that, and how can I get one?"

At one time, we talked about LOA coffee mugs. Coffee mugs are practical mementos because you can use them at the office. There is a company in Oklahoma, Midwest

Trophy, that sells white ceramic mugs (that you could have the LOA logo put on) and they sell for $1.39 each. The beauty of this company is that they already have our logo, already do work for LOA, and might be able to help us get what we wanted faster – just a thought. At one time, MOA had small lapel pins that were extremely popular. At one time, we had discussed LOA lapel pins. The same Oklahoma company makes those too and they cost $1.90 each. Again, they already have our logo. You also see ads in airline magazines for these kinds of lapel pins for as low as $ .98 each, and usually have a coupon for an additional 25% off. Wine glasses with the LOA logo on them are always popular over the years too. If you decide to get wine glasses, besides checking out prices in your local area, you might want to call a chapter that has had them and see what they paid for theirs. It could be cheaper to just replace their logo on one side with yours and leave the LOA logo on the other side – just a thought. Another idea would be writing pens with the LOA logo on them. There are almost endless ideas. There are two bottom lines to this story: First, your budget has to be stable enough to afford you giving away mementos. It will also dictate how nice the mementos can be if you give any. You will have to decide what you can do, given your budget and what you must spend on the other conference items. Second, if you decide on an item like the coffee mugs or lapel pins, you can buy enough for the conference to give away. Then, you can apply to National LOA for the franchise on the item. We will give you permission to sell that item for two years, and will not authorize any other chapter to sell them. You can then order more and sell them to the membership, at a slight profit, to help put funds into your local chapter.

At the end of two years, another chapter can bid to sell the item. We would then have to see what would best benefit National LOA. However, if no one wanted to bid to sell the item, you can renew your franchise. We have not had one chapter try to make something another chapter is selling to date – there are too many other things you can make and sell.

Again, this is the Host Chapter’s call about what they give out, and if they give anything. Your management of the allotted budget drives it all.

Security:

The goal of security is to ensure your guests are safe and free from hassle. As you know, the local AF OSI office keeps track of any local "threats" within their area of responsibility. It might not hurt to touch base with the OSI office on base and see if anything extraordinary needs to be done to ensure the conference attendees not being surprised/disturbed.

Web Page: The National LOA Web Page is the only authorized point of access for conference information on the Internet. The host chapter should send data to be posted on the National LOA Web to: webmaster@loanational.org Some information categories are: agenda, hotel info, spouse/guest activities, golf, exhibitor list, booth diagram, registration form, and committee teams

--signed--

Richard A. Dugan, Colonel, USAF
President, Logistics Officer Association

Approved by the Executive Board, September 1999
Revised by the Executive Board, December 1999
Revised by the Executive Board, September 2000
Revised by the Executive Board, March 2002