Fort Benning, GA (USARA News, March 31, 2011) The USARA Board of Directors unanimously approved a Bylaws Resolution on March 23, 2011 to implement a realignment of Ranger Regions to better accommodate future regional events and schedule changes of the Annual Ranger Musters (ARM) to better adjust for the poor economy. We will place greater focus on planning and scheduling activities at the local and regional levels to adapt to our growing membership; provide more cost-effective options; and to increase member participation. This change will give us better Command and Control, providing increased communication with those we serve, but who have been unable to attend USARA events as our regions were previously aligned. The realignment will be effective April, 1, 2011.

The President is currently nominating, and the Board of Directors will approve, the appointment of three (3) Interim Regional Directors (Mid-Atlantic, Northwest Region and Midwest Region) for one year period. The current Regional Directors will not be affected (other than the actual geographical realignment of member States, and their new regions designation).

The Board of Directors will complete a six-month review of the interim Region Realignment at the scheduled ARM 2011 Board Meeting (September 08, 2011). A final will be conducted at the next scheduled Mid-Term Board Meeting (March 2012 time-frame). At that meeting, if the interim realignment period is declared successful; changes to Article V, Section 1 of the USARA Constitution will be required; and USARA bylaws changes would be made and the three additional Regional Directors will be added to the Elected Officials List in accordance with the USARA Constitution and Bylaws; any and all final changes affected by the Ranger Regional realignment will follow the provisions Article IX including a vote by general membership.

The following shows a map of the new Ranger Regions, and a list of States included in each:

Northeast Region (Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey)

Mid-Atlantic Region (District of Columbia, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, West Virginia)

Southeast Region (Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida)

Midwest Region (North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan)

South-Central Region (Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas)

Northwest Region (Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming)

Southwest Region (California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Hawaii)

International Region (no compositional change)