The wheelmen in my state, Indiana, where I have been state captain for two years have been very hard to get to do anything or to attend any function. This past weekend was the first time in over two years that any have showed up at a display or demo. In 2016, my wife was state captain, and, because it was the state bicentennial we had lots of requests to go places. After the first three, nobody showed up the rest of the year. We put over 3000 miles on my car and trailer instate, going to the events. We earned enough money to buy two pop up tents, make a $1000.00 donation to national, and still have a little in the bank. I am resigning as state captain as of January 1st, and despite several emails, no one has offed to take over. If there is no response, the national commander will have to find someone to do the job. I have always tried to be friendly and helpful within the group, but at this point, I give up! It just isn't worth it. June and I are still undecided as to our further membership in the group. She has been the costume chairman, and had been working on revising the costume bulletin for a good while. She was pushed hard all this past spring and summer to get it done, and then it wasn't posted until I got fed up and really pushed those in charge to do so! It's up now, not that anyone ever reads it!
How many of you know how the leaders of the group are actually elected? It turns out, the most recent past commander is supposed to get nominees for vice commander, who present resumes for consideration, and then all the past national commanders are the only ones who really get to vote on who gets the job. This year, there were nine past commanders, which means they go back 18 years? How many are still active, know the nominee, and their qualifications? Are all nine even voting? Then that person is voted in at the business meeting at the national meet. Now I think that someone might be able to be nominated from the floor, but it never happens, and I don't remember it even being offered. The rest of the offices are hand picked by those in power as well. It would seem more correct for the past commanders/executive board to present two or more candidates to the voting members at the business meeting, and let them chose. That would take a change of the rules and would have to be proposed one year, and voted on the next.