Jonathon Green, Albert Lea-Austin Chapter president and chapter legislative officer, serving on the Sergeant-at-Arms Committee, recently joined some 1,300 other delegates, members, and guests at the 30th Biennial National Convention of the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE), held in Louisville, Ky, Sept. 7-11. NARFE, one of America’s oldest and largest associations, was founded in 1921 with the mission of protecting the earned rights and benefits of America’s active and retired federal workers. The largest federal employee/retiree organization, NARFE represents the interests of nearly five million federal employees, retirees, spouses and survivors. Dan Adcock, NARFE legislative director, warned delegates that a “perfect storm” might be approaching that threatens federal retirement benefits. He said the aspects of this “storm” are a $400 billion federal deficit, the credit crisis and associated foreclosures and bank bailouts, the prospect of higher unemployment, the waging of wars, the decline in retirement and health benefits in the private sector, the retirement of the “baby boomers” and a possible recession. He said any attempt to overhaul federal entitlement programs is likely to come early in the 111th Congress.

The delegates heard from U.S. Rep. John Yarmuth of Kentucky who pledged his — and his fellow congressional Democrats’ — continued support of issues most dear to NARFE: repeal of the Social Security Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset (WEP/GPO) and Premium Conversion. The highlight of the Convention was the election of the National Officers who will guide NARFE over the next two years. National President Margaret L. Baptiste of South Carolina, the first woman and the first survivor annuitant to serve as NARFE president, was re-elected by acclamation after her only announced opponent withdrew from the race. Also elected national officers were: Joseph Beaudoin of Virginia, elected National Vice President; Nathaniel “Nat” Brown of Arizona, re-elected National Secretary; and National Treasurer Richard Ostergren of California, re-elected National Treasurer. The delegates from Region V chose Richard Thissen to again be their Regional Vice President to represent them on the 14-member NARFE National Executive Board. NARFE has 10 regions and Minnesota is in Region V.

The Convention delegates also pledged to reach a goal of $9 million for Alzheimer’s Research by NARFE’s 90th birthday in 2011. To date, NARFE members have donated over $7.6 million, which is used as grants for research proj ects.

The delegates selected The Nugget Hotel, Sparks/Reno, NV, as the site for the 2012 Convention. The 2010 Convention will be held in Grand Rapids, Mich.