One of my election platform planks involved new Ham recruiting, new Ham training/licensing and new Ham retention. Of these three, important steps, the easiest is training/licensing, the next is recruiting folks (young or old) to become licensed and the most difficult, I believe, is the retention. I also actually place retention at least on a par with recruiting. The reason is that my gut reaction from teaching classes is that something up to 50% of new licensees "fall on fallow ground" and die away within about a year. There are many reasons for this, but I suggest it is important to the overall goal of increasing League membership to be able to hit each of the three member-generating/maintaining activities with cohesive, intelligently-developed and pursued programs. There are enough "silent majorities" in this country. We don't need one of these in Amateur Radio which, itself, will become silent without recruitment/licensing/retention. Some reasons for loss of interest among licensed amateurs lies within themselves. Much of it; however, lies within we, the active Hams who are largely indifferent to the full "joining up" process. We need to find triggers that activate new Hams and triggers that motivate active Hams to become Elmers in the broad sense of the word. Let's face it, I know from experience that my favorite soap/detergent/OTC drug/house care/etc., company is able to sell products consumers have no idea they need. They do this by finding the "triggers." 73, I am anxious to meet you all next week, Jim, K8JE Neophyte Director, GL Division Jim Weaver k8je@arrl.org