A New Decade: The 1970s

The early 1970s brought continued growth for the Association, with membership expanding to more than 2,600 members. Two new District Clubs were established during this period: the Columbia River Club in Astoria, Oregon, and the Oklahoma City Club in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

The Coast Guard also welcomed a new Commandant, ADM Chester R. Bender—later widely recognized for introducing the uniform commonly referred to as the “Bender Blues.” ADM Bender was first honored at a dinner held at the Washington Navy Yard in Washington, D.C.
The Association’s first formal request to the new Commandant was for a review of several retirement policies. These included:
• The requirement that temporary lieutenants serve four years before becoming eligible for retirement.
• The requirement that W-2s through W-4s complete two years of active duty before qualifying for retirement.
• The policy requiring retirement requests to be submitted six months in advance of the desired retirement date.
Retirement Reform and Broader Advocacy
During this same period, the Department of Defense conducted extensive studies addressing the complexities of military retirement and disability benefits. In response to a direct request from Assistant Secretary of Defense Robert T. Kelley, the Association submitted formal input and later participated in a series of meetings at the Pentagon.
Although the Association represented the majority of Coast Guard warrant officers, it recognized that broader influence often required collaboration. In 1969, the Association had joined the Council of Military Organizations (COMO), a coalition of 17 military-related organizations representing approximately 600,000 members nationwide.
At the time, there were more than 1,250 Coast Guard warrant officers and approximately 29,200 warrant officers across the other services. Participation in COMO allowed the Association to amplify its voice on issues affecting not only Coast Guard warrants, but the broader warrant officer and military community.
The early 1970s reflected a maturing organization—one that combined internal advocacy for its members with strategic partnerships to influence national military policy.