Visit Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and join your fellow members as we gather to hear interesting and informative speakers, collaborate, mentor, conduct association business, see old friends and make new ones.

“As the Capital City of Louisiana, Baton Rouge is the heart and soul of the state’s eclectic culture. With over 300 years of history, Baton Rouge has a colorful story to tell, which can be tasted through our culinary offerings, seen through the picturesque views of the Mississippi River and historical landmarks and experienced through the vibrant arts and culture scene. In the “Red Stick,” every day is worth celebrating, even more so through our festivals and events held throughout the year. So, sit back, relax and let us make the planning easy – we’ll be waiting to welcome you with Southern hospitality and an authentic Louisiana experience!” – Visit Baton Rouge

Order your free welcome guide, or sign up for the newsletter, or just learn more about the city at www.visitbatonrouge.com.

Registration Information

Standard registration is $300 and includes the welcome reception (Thursday), all meetings (Thursday-Sunday), lunch (Friday), and coffee break (Saturday), and the option to purchase tickets for the Memorial Breakfast ($45), Banquet ($110), and tour of the USS Kidd and Veterans Museum ($12).

Registration for the meeting will open June 1, 2023 and will be open through September 20, 2023. 

Hotel Information

Hilton Baton Rouge Capitol Center
201 Lafayette St, Baton Rouge, LA 70801
Phone: (225) 344-5866

ROA’s room block offers a rate of $134 (plus tax). Reservations must be made by Monday, September 11, 2023, to enjoy the group rate. CLICK HERE to book your room now. Or call (800) 955-6962. Be sure to mention ROA to get the group rate.

While the hotel does not have a parking garage, they do offer valet parking at $28 per day, reduced from $33 per day for ROA. There are also several public parking lots and garages in the nearby vicinity.

Schedule

Event highlights include:

• State of the Association address by ROA Executive Director, Maj. Gen. Jeffrey E. Phillips, USA (Ret.). His briefing will provide updates on ROA’s status and activities, following the ROA strategic plan’s five areas of focus: increase revenue and reduce expenses, influence legislation and military policy, grow membership, improve strategic communications, and provide quality products and services.
• Legislation Update by ROA Director, Legislation & Military Policy, Mr. Matthew L. Schwartzman. The newest member of ROA’s full-time staff will brief attendees on ROA’s legislative priorities and activities.
• A panel discussion hosted by ROA’s Health Services Committee.
• A tour of the Veterans Museum and USS Kidd
• And much more!

CLICK HERE for a detailed agenda.

Tour the USS Kidd and Veterans Museum

Join us on Friday, September 29, 2023, at 2:00 pm, for a guided tour of the USS Kidd and the Veterans Museum.

The USS Kidd was named for Medal of Honor recipient Isaac C. Kidd Sr., who was killed aboard his flagship USS Arizona during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. She is one of only four Fletcher-class destroyers still preserved as museums and the only known destroyer preserved in her World War II configuration.

USS Kidd is recognized as one of the most authentically restored vessels in the world by the Historic Naval Ships association, an organization whose fleet spans several nations scattered across five continents. The attached Veterans Museum displays a variety of artifacts that celebrate veteran and naval military history, with displays and interesting artifacts for all generations.

Purchase your $12 ticket when registering for the convention. Attendees will be divided into small groups of 20-25 people for the guided tour of the USS Kidd. The museum and USS Kidd are a short 10-minute walk from the convention hotel. 

Tour the Rural Life Museum and Louisiana State Capitol

The Department of Southeast invites you to see a bit of Louisiana history and state government. Join them on Thursday, September 28, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. for a three-hour tour to the Rural Life Museum and Louisiana’s State Capitol.

The Rural Life Museum “takes visitors on a time-traveling journey through the state’s history, with hundreds of artifacts, plantation quarters and a variety of architectural styles unique to the region” explains louisianatravel.com. A guide will tour the group through many of the 30 buildings and botanical gardens on the 430-acre grounds. The museum focuses on how the working classes lived in the 18th and 19th centuries.

The next stop is Louisiana’s State Capitol. According to Visit Baton Rouge, “The Louisiana State Capitol is the tallest capitol in the US! The Observation Deck on the 27th floor overlooks the city of Baton Rouge at a height of 450 feet / 460 feet to the tip. The views of the Capitol gardens and the Capitol lakes are spectacular!”

Tickets are $45 ticket. Tickets include transportation. If interested, contact Lt. Col. Richard Stephens, Jr., USAFR (Ret.), rstephensok@gmail.com, 405-215-2570.

Association Business

Resolutions

Resolutions recommended by departments, service sections, and standing committees will be considered by the convention body. To be properly filed, a resolution must be received in the prescribed format in the Resolutions Handbook at National Headquarters no later than Monday, August 28, 2023. Resolutions recommended by the National Resolutions Committee for presentation to the national convention will be provided to delegates. CLICK HERE to download the resolutions handbook and to see current resolutions. For more information, contact Matt Schwartzman, ROA’s Director for Legislative and Military Policy (mschwartzman@roa.org or 202-646-7713).

Elections

Convention delegates will elect 12 new members to the National Executive Committee. Each service section will elect a vice president (two-year term), two executive committeemen (two-year term), and a junior vice president (two-year term). For the Naval Services, one executive committeeman will be from the Navy, PHS, or NOAA, the other will be from the Marine Corps, PHS, or NOAA. CLICK HERE to check the Candidates’ Corner regularly to see who has been added to the list of endorsed members running for office.

To be considered for an elected office, you must be endorsed by your department. Endorsement letters must be signed by your department president or secretary and should be sent to Diane Markham (dmarkham@roa.org or 1 Constitution Ave NE, Washington DC 20002).

Constitution and Bylaws Amendments

There are no proposed amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws. The deadline has now passed for submitting proposed amendments for consideration during this convention. Proposed amendments for consideration during the 2024 convention must be submitted to Diane Markham (dmarkham@roa.org or 1 Constitution Ave NE, Washington DC 20002) no later than March 7, 2024.

Delegates

Every member is encouraged to apply to their department leadership to become a delegate. Delegates cast votes on behalf of their department on issues such as resolutions, proposed changes to the constitution and bylaws, and the election of national officers. To find out who your department leader is, visit your department’s group webpage or contact Tracey Ware at tware@roa.org or 202-646-7733.

Departments should submit their completed forms to national headquarters no later than September 15, 2023. CLICK HERE to download the reporting form and CLICK HERE to see the number of delegates and votes each department is allowed. Forms and questions should be sent to Diane Markham at dmarkham@roa.org or (202) 646-7728.

What to Do

Immerse yourself in Louisiana culture by exploring historical landmarks and attractions, where you can learn about Louisiana's colorful and storied history. Embark on an outdoor adventure at one of Baton Rouge's sprawling parks, where you can rent kayaks, picnic, hike and much more. Find your new favorite artist by exploring the arts and culture scene, where local and nationally renowned artists are on display at every corner of the city. Dance the night away at free live local concerts or large-scale festivals, where you're sure to jam to every genre from swamp blues to alternative rock. Whatever you're looking for, we know that you'll find it here in Baton Rouge! Plan your stay at www.visitbatonrouge.com.