The meetings leading up to the excitement of the General Assembly on Saturday is traditional in scope, it is the content that changes from year to year. The senior leadership, utilizing the available opportunity to meet face-to-face one of the few times each year, attend the various meetings.

OPCOM (The National Operating Committee)

This all day session is an opportunity for the heads of each National Auxiliary Department to present their achievements during the previous year and their Department's plans for the future. Each sitting Department Chief (DC), under the direction of the National Chief of Staff, COMO Warren MacAdams, field questions and generally discuss their programs on open floor.

Since much of their discussions are about future plans, not yet announced to the general Auxiliary, the session in not open to the public. The meeting is observed and attended by the current sixteen District Commodores and most of the Assistant Department Chiefs.

"It is very important that the District Commodores are in on the ground floor of new programs and ideas. Allowing us to hear it first hand gives us an opportunity to prepare for the eventual implementation of some of the proposals," said D5NR COMO Bob Amort.

Area Planning Meetings

Each of the three National Auxiliary Areas, Atlantic-East, Atlantic-West and Pacific convene in separate session. As with the OPCOM meeting, this session allows the District Commodores, Vice Commodores and Directors of Auxiliary to sit behind closed doors and discuss their present and future plans with each National Area Commodore (ARCO). Problem solving is part of the agenda as well as discussion of National resolutions. The National Commodore and various heads of national programs visit each meeting.

Chief Directors Meeting

The Chief Director of Auxiliary (CHIDIRUAX) convenes this meeting with all of the Directors of Auxiliary and their staffs, Coast Guard and civilian. New policies and procedures are discussed as well as open floor problem solving.