Air Force Sergeants Association · Chapter Playbook

Legislative
Awareness Week Find your Members · Reach the office · Host the conversation · Share the platform

One week, every chapter, one message: the quality of life of the enlisted force and their families. Use this page to find who represents your base and your community, set up a meeting or fireside chat with the district office, invite your elected officials to an AFSA event, and walk them through AFSA's 2026–2027 Legislative Platform.

October 18–24, 2026
How the week works

Three moves every chapter can make

Building a strong chapter legislative program starts with engaging local elected officials. When Members are home for a district or state work period, they want to hear from the people who live and serve in their district — and AFSA can provide the stories and solutions that drive meaningful change.

1
Find

Identify the Representative and both Senators who cover your chapter, your installation, and the surrounding communities.

Look them up ↓
2
Reach Out

Call or email the district office to request a meeting, propose a fireside chat, or invite the Member to speak at a chapter event.

Scripts & templates ↓
3
Share

Walk the office through AFSA's seven focus groups and the bills and NDAA sections that matter most to enlisted families this year.

The platform ↓

Before the week

  • Run the lookup and note the district or state office phone number — not the Washington, D.C. office
  • Check Congress.gov for AFSA-supported legislation the Member sponsors or co-sponsors, so you can open with a thank-you
  • If you want a proclamation, submit the request as soon as possible
  • Plan to attend out of uniform, on personal time, using personal email
  • Personalize your scripts and templates below

During the week

  • Meet the Member or district staff — in person or by phone
  • Host a fireside chat or invite the Member to bring remarks at a chapter meeting
  • Share personal experiences that illustrate impacts to readiness and quality of life
  • Leave a one-pager with concise district-level perspectives

After the week

  • Send a thank-you to the office and the staff who made it happen
  • Recognize the official publicly at the event and in AFSA communications
  • Capture photos and share with local media and on social media
  • Tell AFSA HQ how it went: milgov3@hqafsa.org
Move 1

Find Your Members of Congress

Everything else in this playbook starts here. Look up the Representative and Senators who cover your chapter, base, and surrounding communities — then head for the district or state office, not Washington, to reach local schedulers.

Your Representative

Enter the ZIP code for your home or installation to open the official House lookup with your district results.

Enter a 5-digit ZIP code to run the lookup.

Opens the official House.gov “Find Your Representative” results in a new tab.

Your Senators

Select your state to open its official Senate.gov page listing both Senators and their office contacts.

Choose a state first.

Opens the official Senate.gov state page in a new tab.

Prefer one search by full address? Use the official Congress.gov Find Your Member tool. Chapters overseas and in the territories can use the same tool with the address of the nearest stateside chapter or the member's home of record.

Step 1

Search by address

Open the Congress.gov tool. In the “Find Your Members” box, enter your home or installation address to pull up your Representative and Senators.

Step 2

Open the Member's website

Your results list each Member with party, service dates, and a link to their official site. Select the Member you want and navigate to the “Contact” page.

Step 3

Find the local office

On the contact page, open the “office locations” page and note the phone number for the district or state office closest to your chapter — that's where the local schedulers are.

Key staff to know

You'll typically coordinate a meeting or event through one or both of these roles.

Scheduler

Controls the Member's calendar and confirms availability. Your first stop for locking in a date.

District Director

The lead on district events and local engagement. Your partner for anything happening back home.

Move 2 · Interactive tool

Reach Out to the Office

Fill in your details once — every script and template below personalizes itself. Copy, paste, and adjust. These are starting points and building blocks: be creative with your event and don't limit yourselves.

Important — personal capacity

Make it clear you are representing yourself — not in an official capacity as active-duty personnel. Do not use your government email. Tip: start with a thank-you — check Congress.gov for AFSA-supported legislation the Member sponsors or co-sponsors, and reference it.

Personalize your scripts

Optional — blanks stay highlighted until filled

Phone script — requesting contact for a meeting
Hello, my name is {{name}}, and I'm calling as your constituent and a member of the Air Force Sergeants Association. We are looking to set up a time for members of our local chapter to meet with the Congressman or staff regarding key policy issues impacting enlisted servicemembers, their families, and our veterans. Could you please provide the best contact information for the appropriate staff member so we can follow up to request a meeting? Thank you very much — we appreciate your time and support for our military community.

If asked for more context, add: “We're discussing quality-of-life issues, military pay and benefits, concurrent receipt legislation, and support for VA mental health reforms.”

Phone script — speaking event or engagement
Hi {{staff}}, this is {{name}} with AFSA Chapter {{chapter}} in {{city}}. I just emailed an invitation for [Rep./Sen.] {{member}} to offer brief remarks at our chapter meeting on {{date}}, focused on military Quality of Life — pay, housing, health care, and family readiness. We're flexible on timing and format and can host staff if the Member is unavailable. Could I confirm the best point of contact for scheduling and any lead times you recommend? I'm happy to send the run-of-show and access information right away.
Email template A — setting up a meeting with staff
Hi {{staff}}, My name is {{name}}, and I am [briefly introduce yourself — e.g., a constituent, a veteran, a member of the Air Force Sergeants Association]. I first wish to extend a thank-you for the [Representative's / Senator's] support on {{bill}}. I am reaching out to request a meeting with [Representative / Senator] {{member}}, or a member of your staff, to discuss key issues affecting our military and veteran communities. The purpose of this meeting would be to share insights and discuss potential solutions related to [briefly list topics — e.g., access to VA health care, transition support, toxic exposure], and to explore opportunities for collaboration or legislative support. Members of our local chapter are looking to schedule meetings the week of {{date}} and would be happy to accommodate your schedule. Thank you for your time and continued support of service members, veterans, and their families. I look forward to the opportunity to connect. Warm regards, {{name}}
Email template B — hosting the Member at your event
Hi {{staff}}, My name is {{name}}, and I am a constituent and member of the Air Force Sergeants Association (AFSA) Chapter {{chapter}} in {{city}}. Thank you to [Representative / Senator] {{member}} for [brief appreciation — e.g., supporting {{bill}}, meeting with military families, visiting the base]. On behalf of AFSA Chapter {{chapter}}, I'm writing to invite [Representative / Senator] {{member}} (or a member of your team) to offer brief remarks at our upcoming chapter meeting focused on Quality of Life for the military. EVENT AT A GLANCE • Event: AFSA Chapter {{chapter}} Meeting / Town Hall on Military Quality of Life • Date / Time: {{date}} (flexible per your availability) • Location: [Venue name + address / Installation name & access details] • Audience: [Estimated attendance; who's in the room — Airmen, Guard/Reserve, veterans, families] • Role requested: [5–10 minutes of remarks] + [5–10 minutes Q&A] (format is flexible) • Topics: Pay and housing stability, health care access, spouse employment, Guard/Reserve support • Press: [No press / open to press / local media invited — your preference] • On-site POC: {{name}}, {{phone}} LOGISTICS & SUPPORT • Run of show: [Attach 1-page agenda, or note “attached”] • Base / installation access: [If applicable: lead time, visitor-list process, parking] • Accessibility: [Any accommodations or instructions] • Materials: We can provide a one-pager in advance with concise district-level perspectives. We're happy to adjust the agenda to fit the Member's schedule — an alternative window is [Alternate Date(s) / Time(s)]. If the Member is unavailable, we'd welcome a senior staff representative to bring greetings and engage in Q&A. Thank you for your continued support of our service members, veterans, and their families. We would be honored to host [Representative / Senator] {{member}}, and I'm glad to coordinate details at your convenience. Warm regards, {{name}} [Title / Role], AFSA Chapter {{chapter}} {{phone}} | [Email]
Email template C — inviting the Member to a fireside chat
Hi {{staff}}, My name is {{name}}, and I am a constituent and member of the Air Force Sergeants Association (AFSA) Chapter {{chapter}} in {{city}}. Thank you to [Representative / Senator] {{member}} for [brief appreciation — e.g., supporting {{bill}}, meeting with military families, visiting the base]. During AFSA's Legislative Awareness Week, our chapter is hosting a small, informal fireside chat on Quality of Life for the military, and we would be honored to have [Representative / Senator] {{member}} join us as our guest. Rather than a speech, the format is a moderated conversation: a few questions from our chapter moderator, followed by open dialogue with Airmen, Guard and Reserve members, veterans, and families about what they are experiencing in the district. FIRESIDE CHAT AT A GLANCE • Date / Time: {{date}} (flexible per your availability) • Location: [Venue name + address / Installation name & access details] • Audience: [Estimated attendance; who's in the room] • Format: [20–30 minutes] moderated conversation + open Q&A (format is flexible) • Themes: Pay and housing stability, health care access, spouse employment, Guard/Reserve support • Press: [No press / open to press / local media invited — your preference] • On-site POC: {{name}}, {{phone}} We can share the moderator's questions in advance, and if the Member is unavailable we would welcome a senior staff representative to take part. An alternative window is [Alternate Date(s) / Time(s)]. Thank you for your continued support of our service members, veterans, and their families. I'm glad to coordinate details at your convenience. Warm regards, {{name}} [Title / Role], AFSA Chapter {{chapter}} {{phone}} | [Email]

Adapted from Template B for a conversational format. Attend and host out of uniform, in your personal capacity — see “Personal Capacity” below.

Email template D — proclamation request
Subject: Request for Official Proclamation – [Occasion, e.g., National POW/MIA Recognition Day] Dear [Scheduler / Constituent Services], On behalf of the Air Force Sergeants Association (AFSA) Chapter {{chapter}}, we respectfully request that [Official's Name] issue an official proclamation recognizing [Occasion] in conjunction with our upcoming ceremony. Attached are a draft proclamation and event overview for your consideration. We would also be honored to welcome [Official's Name], or a designated representative, to present the proclamation during the ceremony. Thank you for your continued support of our military members, veterans, and their families. We look forward to working with your office. Respectfully, {{name}} AFSA Chapter {{chapter}} {{phone}} [Email]

Send the full package: cover email, draft proclamation, one-page event summary, AFSA organizational overview, and an invitation to attend and present. See “Host & Recognize” below.

Move 2, continued

Host & Recognize

Hosting a Member at a chapter meeting — or asking an official to issue a proclamation — raises community awareness, strengthens relationships with public officials, and highlights AFSA's advocacy for Airmen, Guardians, veterans, retirees, and their families.

How to request a proclamation

Step 1
Submit the request now

Offices need lead time to prepare a proclamation — the sooner your request is in, the easier it is for a busy office to say yes.

Step 2
Contact the local office

Reach the district, constituent services, or scheduling office — not Washington, D.C., when applicable.

Step 3
Send the full package

Include a draft proclamation, event details, and an AFSA point of contact so staff have everything in one place.

Step 4
Follow up within a week

No response? A polite phone call one week later keeps your request moving.

The request package

  • Cover email or letter
  • Draft proclamation
  • One-page event summary
  • AFSA organizational overview
  • Invitation to attend and present the proclamation

Who can issue recognitions

Governor Lieutenant Governor Mayor County Judge / Commission State Senator / Representative U.S. Representative / Senator

Events worth recognizing

National POW/MIA Recognition Day Veterans Day Memorial Day Military Appreciation Month Air Force Birthday Chapter anniversaries Gold Star Family events Community outreach events
Sample proclamation — National POW/MIA Recognition Day

Proclamation

Recognizing National POW/MIA Recognition Day

WHEREAS, the freedoms enjoyed by the citizens of the United States have been preserved through the courage and sacrifice of the men and women who have served in our Armed Forces; and

WHEREAS, thousands of American service members were captured as Prisoners of War or remain Missing in Action, and their courage, sacrifice, and unwavering commitment to duty deserve our Nation's enduring gratitude; and

WHEREAS, we honor not only those who endured captivity or whose fate remains unknown, but also the families who continue to carry the burden of uncertainty and remembrance; and

WHEREAS, the National League of Families' POW/MIA Flag reminds us that America will never forget those who have not yet returned home; and

WHEREAS, the Air Force Sergeants Association joins communities across the Nation in honoring these heroes and reaffirming our commitment to achieving the fullest possible accounting of every missing service member;

NOW, THEREFORE, I,  , do hereby proclaim   as National POW/MIA Recognition Day within   and encourage all citizens to remember the sacrifices of our Prisoners of War, those still Missing in Action, and their families.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this ____ day of __________, 20____.

Best practices: personalize with local information · invite the official to present in person · recognize them publicly at the event and in AFSA communications · capture photos and share with local media and on social media.

Ground rule

Advocate as a Private Citizen — Not in Uniform

AFSA chapter legislative engagement is conducted in your personal capacity: out of uniform, on personal time, using personal email. That keeps members consistent with Department of War (DoW) ethics guidance and Department of the Air Force policy, and avoids any appearance of official DoW endorsement of AFSA priorities. This is best-practice guidance, not legal advice — consult your Staff Judge Advocate or Ethics Counselor when questions arise.

Before every meeting, call, or event

Out of uniform. Personal capacity. Personal email. Introduce yourself as a constituent and AFSA member — not as a representative of your unit, the Air Force, or the DoW. Do not use your government email or duty title in any outreach.

As a private citizen & AFSA member
Personal capacity, out of uniform — consistent with DoW guidance
  • Meet with Members of Congress and staff, or host them at a chapter event
  • Educate the office on quality-of-life issues and share personal experiences that illustrate impacts to readiness
  • Explain what pending legislation would do and support AFSA legislative priorities
  • Participate in grassroots campaigns and write personal letters to elected officials
  • Build professional relationships through education and dialogue
Keep uniform and official duty out of it
Activities to avoid
  • Conducting AFSA legislative outreach in uniform or in an official capacity
  • Requesting that Members of Congress support or oppose legislation while acting officially or in uniform
  • Encouraging attendees to contact Congress, circulating petitions, or using advocacy QR codes or pre-written letters during official activities
  • Participating in partisan political activities while representing the Department of the Air Force or the DoW
  • Creating the appearance of official DoW endorsement of AFSA legislative priorities

If the topic comes up while you are on duty

Keep it to education and awareness: explain the issue factually, share your experience, and point people to AFSA. Save the ask — supporting a bill, contacting Congress — for when you are acting as a private citizen. In uniform, inform. Out of uniform, advocate.

References

  • DoDD 1344.10 — Political Activities by Members of the Armed Forces
  • DoD 5500.07-R — Joint Ethics Regulation
  • DAFI 51-508 — Political Activities, Free Speech and Freedom of Assembly
  • AFI 1-1 — Air Force Standards
  • Applicable Staff Judge Advocate guidance · AFSA Legislative Priorities
Move 3

The 2026–2027 Legislative Platform

What to bring into the room. AFSA's platform is the blueprint for its testimony and advocacy — seven focus groups, each holding the issues that matter most to AFSA's members. Open a group, pick the points that fit your district, and copy them into your one-pager.

This platform of legislative objectives serves as a “blueprint” for testimony and advocacy efforts, in conjunction with responses dictated by day-to-day events.

In understanding our Nation's current fiscal situation, success in each of these areas will not always be defined by what is gained. Rather, success will be determined at the level of which a benefit is preserved or from gaining a portion of our objective.

At its core, AFSA's mission is, and will always be, to defend the quality of life for service members and their families. With reverence for God and Country, AFSA works with our nation's Congressional and Military Leaders on Capitol Hill, and within the DoW and VA.

1961
Defending the quality of life for service members and their families since
75,000+
AFSA members whose issues the platform represents
7 / 125
Divisions and Chapters worldwide carrying out the mission at the community level
7
Major focus groups in the 2026–2027 platform
  • Support full military pay raises in line with current law.
  • Protect and strengthen BAH, COLA, special pays, leave policies, commissaries, exchanges, and MWR programs.
  • Improve Regular Military Compensation to reflect real-world economic conditions.
  • Expand bereavement leave and allow voluntary leave transfer between service members.
  • Strengthen oversight of privatized military housing and enforce the tenant bill of rights.
  • Improve access to VA healthcare, reduce claims backlogs, and fully fund ancillary support programs.
  • Extend concurrent receipt to all disabled retirees, ending the offset of earned benefits.
  • Support full implementation of the PACT Act to ensure veterans exposed to toxic substances receive timely and complete benefits.
  • Expand access to Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) for treatment of persistent TBI and PTSD/PTSI.
  • Strengthen suicide prevention efforts through research, treatment access, and caregiver support.
  • Ensure women veterans receive equitable access to high-quality, gender-specific care.
  • Ensure veterans have access to emerging and alternative therapies, including psychedelic-assisted treatments, under strict medical supervision, with full informed consent, safety protocols, and evidence-based evaluation.
  • Guarantee veterans' right to informed consent across all treatment options, with clear disclosure of risks, benefits, alternatives, and the voluntary nature of participation in any medical or therapeutic intervention.
  • Preserve earned TRICARE benefits and oppose fee increases and higher pharmacy copays.
  • Expand access to healthcare benefits to not fall behind private sector and other federal employees.
  • Ensure any military medical billet reductions or MTF restructuring do not reduce access or shift costs onto families.
  • Allow pre-tax payment of health, dental, and long-term care premiums to reduce out-of-pocket burden.
  • Expand access to TRICARE Reserve Select, including for Air Reserve Technicians.
  • Expand access to affordable, high-quality childcare aligned with operational realities.
  • Strengthen military spouse employment programs and eliminate PCS-driven licensure barriers.
  • Promote policies that accommodate military lifestyles, including tax and payment flexibility.
  • Preserve Impact Aid to ensure military-connected children receive consistent educational support.
  • Fully fund MilTA, MyCAA, and GI Bill programs and preserve benefit transferability.
  • Ensure all components of the Total Force have equitable access to federal tuition assistance.
  • Improve credit transfer and prior learning recognition to reduce time-to-degree and cost.
  • Focus on empowering the Airman for future success before, during and after transition.
  • Allow surviving spouses to receive the full final month of retired pay.
  • Permit DIC recipients to remarry at age 55 without loss of benefits.
  • Protect survivor benefits from offsets or erosion under budgetary pressures.
  • Credit all post-9/11 active-duty service toward Guard and Reserve early retirement.
  • Reduce the retirement age and remove caps on creditable inactive duty points.
  • Expand education benefits for Guard members and dual-status technicians.
  • Reform duty status authorities to ensure compensation, benefits, and protections match service performed.

Questions about AFSA's legislative priorities? Reach the Military and Government Relations team at milgov3@hqafsa.org.

Move 3, continued

Featured Bills & NDAA Sections

A short list of specific measures chapters can walk an office through during the week — what each would do, which focus group it supports, and how to explain it. Engage in your personal capacity, out of uniform.

Active advocacy — before Congress now

GI Bill Transferability Reform

AFSA is advocating for GI Bill transferability reform — updating the transfer rules so service members can share their earned Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits with the families they serve for. A benefit earned in uniform shouldn't expire at the front gate.

The problem

Under current law, GI Bill benefits can only be transferred while still serving — with a four-year additional service obligation. Members who separate or retire before transferring, or who welcome children later in life, lose the option, no matter how many years they served.

The fix

Let the transfer follow the service: allow earned benefits to move to a spouse or child whenever the family needs it — during service or after — so no one is penalized for separating first or for when their family grows.

Why it matters

Transferability was built as a retention tool, but it has become a trap for career members. Enlisted families disproportionately grow later in a career and lose out. Fairness means the benefit follows the service, not the paperwork deadline.

Legislative avenues

H.R. 4540 · House
Military Family GI Bill Promise Act
Education · Preserve benefit transferability

Bipartisan House bill (Vindman–Mills) allowing eligible members and veterans to transfer earned benefits to a spouse or child at any time — during service or after separation — including dependents added to the family after retirement, and adding a 10-year service pathway to qualify.

How to explain it
  • Lets the transfer happen at any time — while serving or after separation
  • Covers a spouse or child added to the family after retirement
  • Adds a 10-year service pathway to qualify
Senate companion effort
Post-9/11 GI Bill Transferability Entitlement Act
Education · Preserve benefit transferability

Senate companion effort (Blumenthal) ensuring any member who has completed ten years of service can transfer benefits to dependents at any time — on active duty or as a veteran — including those who separated without transferring or gained a dependent after retirement.

How to explain it
  • Ten years of service unlocks the ability to transfer
  • Transfer allowed at any time — on active duty or as a veteran
  • Covers members who separated without transferring or gained a dependent after retirement

AFSA is engaging members of Congress, testifying alongside The Military Coalition, and mobilizing its chapters to move transferability reform this session through both avenues — so the benefit follows the service, not the paperwork deadline.