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ell the National Congress has finally arrived. What are we going to talk about and discuss?

ho knows? Your editor has never been party to such affairs. The most he ever attended was perhaps a gathering of OC’s at a Provincial Conference, where he doubts much was ever achieved.

ith these conferences the first portion was an address by the Command OC, normally complaining that the part time element has not completed certain forms in said manner, thus making double work for his HQ staff. The second part normally followed with each individual staff department usually complaining about the same problem. Then finally, right at the end, the poor unit OC’s could have their say. Not that any notice was taken of course, but protocol stated that we were allowed to comment.

remember one memorable conference, when an OC belonging to a senior Port Elizabeth unit, complained bitterly that the SADF must simply leave the medal structure alone, for they were once again toying with the ideal of abandoning the JCD in favour of their medals. This OC is currently a member of our Branch. Something must have stuck for the JCD medal structure was left alone.

ne of the problems I, and other part time unit commanders seemed to have was that the PF, in spite of paying lip service to the good work the units did, is that they never really understood the meaning of commitment. Commitment to hold down a full time position in industry or commerce, and at the same time run a unit, like mine, that at one time had six separate call outs for a two month camp in a single year.

nother item of concern is that many who were senior officers in the SADF now manage the SA Legion. Now look at the scenario when they were in their positions of authority in the SADF.

hey received an Ops Order from their higher HQ for troops for a certain duty and date. So they simply tasked the units. Supply or else!

he same with the main training establishments new intake each year. Regularly as clockwork thousands of new fresh youngsters dutifully reported for duty. If any did not, then the MP’s looked for them. Never did they have any problem filling their quota.

ut take industry. You need to market your product or service. If you don’t achieve the set target, the firm could go under. First of course comes the retrenchments, and you are probably in the firing line for that.

o to achieve targets you have to go out and sell, market, advertise, get exposure; do demonstrations, anything to make the public aware of what you and your organisation can offer.

ow the SA Legion is slowly dying. Dying because most of its members are in their 70’s to 80’s. Oldies from WW II. Where are the thousands of younger members that went through the SADF, and now the SANDF? Where are the thousands of PF who controlled them? Are their pensions so good that they all can live in the lap of luxury and not give a darn as to why they served in the SADF in the first place? It seems a little reminiscent of General RC Hiemstra, who resigned from the South African forces in 1941 because he refused to take the oath to fight the enemy outside South Africa's borders. He did also claim that South Africa could place in the field at a moment's notice 100,000 trained men, plus up to around 100,000 commandos. Judging by South Africa's performance in two World Wars, and later in the Border Conflict, this was by no means an over estimate, and represented a powerful, trained, and disciplined fighting force. But now? Quo Vardis SANDF?

entlemen we need to advertise. We need to do this now. To make all the effort we can. There is TV, there are newspapers, and there is the Internet. There should be advertising material in the form of licence holders, bumper stickers, newspaper and magazine articles, etc, etc. We of the SA Legion pride ourselves that we are, and I quote, “The Legion is national, non-sectarian, and apolitical.”

e can hide our heads in the sand and say the SA Legion is not dying, that it is not happening, but it is. And I believe it is simply that many of our senior executives for the most part did not work in industry for the major portion of their careers, and so are simply not marketing orientated. There was never any need to get exposure to get troops for any task. You simply said give me a company by such and such a date, and the overworked part time unit OC had to comply.

t will not work with the Branches. You cannot simply state, “Increase your membership by 50%”.

o attempt to do this we need to have the tools to sell the concept of the SA Legion. You cannot simply leave it to each Branch. You need to be able to supply Branches with the advertising material, so that they have the ammunition to go out and sell the concept.

have tried. I have a simple web page design, I have a simple brochure, that could be slightly modified to suit every single branch, I have suggested licence holders, as well as stickers for the rear windows of cars, bumper stickers, but all I have ever heard is “that a good idea”, but no other action. As a Branch we do not have the funds or the expertise to go it alone. It needs to be a combined national effort. With input from other Branches too.

urely there must be someone at National Headquarters that has been exposed to marketing, or if not, has a good friend who is either a Marketing Director or runs and Advertising Agency.

e all use toothpaste and soap. We probably use what our wives buy; yet every day, since the advent of TV there has probably been a soap or toothpaste advert. Why? We would have to buy it anyway, even if it was never advertised, but the company advertises to get you to buy their product above all others. We need to advertise the SA Legion to the thousands of ex, and current members of the SADF and SANDF. The ball is in your court.

his National Congress is in the SANDF backyard. What about the “old boy net?” It always worked before, so why not get it going again.

n excuse often offered by the Moths is that the SA troops in WW I and WW II were mostly, if not all, “Red Tabs”, or volunteers. The troops for the Border were mostly conscripts that now want nothing to do with the army. I cannot believe that. Listen to the worst conscript that you know, and listen to him now tell about his experiences. Most tell of their “unfortunate experiences” with pride. They will tell you how they survived. We need to capitalise on that. But what about the PF? They were “all volunteers”, yet neither the SA Legion nor the Moths has many PF members. Why? Do they want to forget too?

entlemen think about a national advertising campaign. Produce the material in bulk and then pass it down to the Branches to use. Bulk production will dramatically lower the cost. The cost for 500 brochures some two years ago was in the region of R1,500, or R3, 00 a brochure. Produce these nationally and you will bring the cost down to cents.

he Royal British Legion produce their newsletter Poppy Press, and in one of their latest issues they talk about their Poppy Wine, available at various restaurants. They also have the Royal British Legion Credit Card too. For additional information visit their website at www.poppy.org.uk. Thus at the Congress lets try to consider pro-active ideas to advertise and swell the SA Legion membership by all means possible.

Our future rests in your hands.

he Moths web page has an added page, to display the simple SA Legion web page designed by myself on their site. As we have no web address it does not fully operate as a web page, simply showing the three pages as a continuous link. They have also kindly added our last two newsletters as well. To visit the site when on the Internet, simply type in Moth Web Page. Do not just type in Moths. All you will get is a lot of gogga moths. Once the site opens go to Extras and there you will find our link. Please look at it, and let us get our own up and running.

very worrying point is that in spite of all the arrangements regarding accommodation, meals, transport, entertainment, etc, that has, and are still being made, even as the Congress is taking place, no one of the local organising committee has arranged perhaps the most import items. For without these items how will anyone know that we are at a Congress, and when we return home, that we have been to a Congress? Here I am referring to what is now standard for all conferences / congresses, that is if you have any connection with Government, National, Provincial, or Local. It is the “labelled carry bags, the tee shirts matching caps and bottled water”. This is the visible evidence stating, on your return to your home bases “been there, done that”. Thankfully we have at least produced a simple plastic folder, but an impressive ID tag, reminiscent of those now seen at major events, so we will all have to simply make do, and use these items to show all that we have “been there, done that”.

appeal to all delegates, not to take any comments in this newsletter the wrong way. Everything that I say and do is, in my humble opinion, done to try to promote the SA Legion; to make it a viable and strong organisation, that makes one proud to be a member of, and that will reach out with new impetus, and snare in all the thousands of conscripts, volunteers, and PF, who served in the SADF and SANDF, and make them too want to become members of a brotherhood of those that served their country, no matter how insignificantly,, for we were all players.

The power of one

One song can spark a moment; one flower can wake the dream,

One tree can start a forest; one bird can herald spring,

One smile begins a friendship; one handclasp lifts a soul,

One star can guide a ship at sea; one word can frame the goal,

One vote can change a nation, one sunbeam lights a room,

One candle wipes out darkness; one laugh will conquer gloom,

One step must start each journey; one word must start a prayer,

One hope will raise our spirits; one touch can show you care,

One voice can speak with wisdom; one heart can know what is true.

One life can make a difference, you see, it’s all up to you.

Disclaimer

The views expressed in this newsletter reflect the personal views of the Editor and are not the official views of the Port Elizabeth Branch of the SA Legion. Many of the articles published in this newsletter come direct off the Internet, or from other published articles in magazines, old newsletters, etc. Though often no direct acknowledgement is made to the authors, when it is known, readers must know that the editor readily acknowledges that others have written many of the articles, and all he has done is perhaps edit them to fit into available space.

-oooo-

Special Congress Issue September 2007

The power of one