CPOA Personal Info Update Mailing

[BMCS Dave Considine]

Has anyone else received a postcard in the mail to call a 1-800 number to update your CPOA personal info for a directory?? Just want to make sure it is legitimate before I call and give them any information. Thanks

[BMCS Ian McVicker]

Yeah, I got mine about a week ago.

[CWO Chris Sparkman (BMC)]

yeah, I got an email about every other week saying I needed to update it. When I called, they started asking question that I felt were kinky. Hell, they a hard time understanding what BM stood for :confused: Seemed to be a lot of questions they were asking that I assumed they would already know and just needed to verifying, so I stopped and then solicited my fellow chiefs in the mess.

Some of them did not participate, some decided to do it. One of the guys said at the end of the updating process, they tried to sell him something. :( I never made it that far, but if I had, I probably would not have been real happy if something was bieng sold.

CS

[BMCM Deane Smith]

At the end, they want you to buy a CPOA directory. If you decline, they want you to buy a calendar...and it just keeps going.

[MKC Tony Balcer]

I thought it was kind of weird.
They sent me an email and I also got a postcard at home. I figured this… The postcard came to the house and email made it to my work. Had my name on it and everything….. They have my info pretty much covered, if you ask me. Maybe I’m just a cynical dick, but I figured something was up with that. Who would have thought the CPOA was a scam?

[AMTCM John Long]

I recieved one as well. I thought it was bogus because my new CPOA card from April has my correct paygrade while the postcard had my old one. :confused:

[PACS Steve Carleton]

Some time ago they sent an e-mail to do a form fill, when the form didn't list any Coast Guard medals and awards, I decided I wasn't going to waste my time.

I'm guessing that this is a National CPOA effort to sell the mailing lists and make a little money.

[ETCM Joseph Harold]

I have received several emails and mailings. It is starting to get annoying. How many times are they going to tell me it is my last chance to update the information?

This appears to be something the CPOA has at least authorized, but it is a pain in the ass and they are really just trying to sell you something that may be nice, but I know I don't need.

I experienced something like this when my High School was planning a reunion. I thought it was all part of the reunion process and called to update my info. I didn't like the hard sell at the end of the interview and saw this for what it was right away. (fool me once...)

Answer at your own risk, but it is just a commercial (not official) enterprise.

R,

[BMCS Dave Considine]

Thanks everyone, that's pretty much what I had figured. My high school did the same thing a few years back. The commercial company goes in and says, "we will publish a directory of all your alumni, you will get 5% of the profit from the sale of the directory. Just give us your list of alumni and we will try and track them down."

I'm definitely not going to answer, global has my updated information!

[SKC Raymond Kurtz]

At the spring race in Dover I filled out an entry form to possibly win a all expense paid trip to Daytona. About a month after I got back I got a call saying I had won. Man was I excited!! That is until I was asked to provide a credit card number. I asked the million dollar question, if all expenses are paid and everything is free, why do I need a credit card number? Oh, you have to do that, state law says that a credit card is needed to hold the slot open for you. I said forget it and hung up.

I called the number on the post card, I must be getting old and senile because I usually don't fall for that sort of thing. I thought it was legit, after all it was from the CPOA. It WAS just a sales pitch. Its fine if my information is in some book, but I don't need a directory. Why not save the money it took by hiring the company to do the "updates" and print the books by just creating a website for all of us to use?

[BMCM Stuart S. Slesh]

They sent me one, twice, and I was going to call today. Luckily I signed on here first........

[SKC Amanda Sawyer]

I called the CPOA Hq out of Springfield VA - They stated that this is a legit "solicitation" and that the CPOA is trying to get updated info from all of its members in order to create a National directory. We need to keep in mind that not all members of the CPOA are still on active duty.
Most of the info they ask for (unless you are retired and settled for the long haul) will be outdated when you transfer.
Amanda

[ETCM Joseph Harold]

But that company is still using hard sell tactics to get you to buy a copy of that directory. Bad taste in my mouth.

[MKC Art Bailly (ret)]

I have a question. Does it leave a bad taste in your mouth to sell raffle tickets or solicit for support for your fund raisers? How many times have you solicited to get money for your local Chiefs mess or CPOA function to support local charities? Did you ask t hem what the money was going for? Maybe it was a good cause and if it is then we should cut them a little slack.

[BMCM Stuart S. Slesh]

Art, I don't like the tactics. They sent the cards saying they wanted to update their information,................. so why try and sell anything. When you buy or sell the raffle tickets, the people selling them are up front, saying that they're selling you raffle tickets. With this you call to update your information, and then they hit you up ........... it's like a tela-marketer getting you to call them.

[BMC John Phillips III]

I got my card a few weeks ago and I called them. I will admit I was a little surprised when the (what sounded to be a very old) lady told me she wanted to update my info in the member directory, then tried to sell me the very same said directory, but I respectfully declined and she was content with that and we said goodbye to each other. I got the card, it sat on my end table for a few days and I called them at my convenience. So it wasn't really a bother. Now if they had called me? Well I might have asked if she was in a tall building or if she had a knife, but then again, I have already been compared to the 40 year old virgin enough now haven't I?

[ETC Pat Kaschube]

I received the card and called them also. I wasn't all that upset over the sales pitch. I even bought a calendar. Figured what the heck it's for a good cause. It would have been nice to have some info on the card indicating that there was going to be a sales pitch but in reality what the heck, how hard is it to say no thank you and move on to something that is truly an issue.

[ETCM Joseph Harold]

I have a question. Does it leave a bad taste in your mouth to sell raffle tickets or solicit for support for your fund raisers? How many times have you solicited to get money for your local Chiefs mess or CPOA function to support local charities? Did you ask t hem what the money was going for? Maybe it was a good cause and if it is then we should cut them a little slack.

But it wasn't for a charity or a raffle. It was for this company to make a percentage of the profits. What Stu said below (actually below you, above this post). I don't like the tactics. You think you are contributing something worth while and get the sales pitch. Now, each person may get a different level of pitch depending on how hard the person wants to sell the product, but I didn't like it when it happened with my High School, so I didn't want to do it again with the CPOA.

R,

[PACS Steve Carleton]

ETCM,

Your remarks bring up interesting points --

What is the percentage of monies that the CPOA generates from this venture?

Why didn't the National President put something out to the members to inform us of this project?

Where is the CPOA National Office planning to spend the money?

[DCCS Todd Holcomb]

I received two as well and did the same thing JP3 did and told them if I changed my mind I would give them a call. The guy told me "it's only for a limited time and at the end of Sep I wouldn't be able to purchase one" I said "thanks but no thanks, but I'm pretty sure that if I call this same number back and say I've already updated my info I just want to buy a copy, the person on the other end is gonna sell it to me" he didn't say anything else except "thank you for your time"

Todd

[MKC Art Bailly (ret)]

Did the CPOA authorize this or contract the company to send out the cards? If so I think we have some issues to take up with the National CPOA. I agree with what you guys have said. It should be done up front and it would have been nice to get some heads up before the cards were sent out.
Anyone have a contact with the National CPOA to ask them about the cards that were sent out and what the proceeds are going to?

[BMCS Jim Madsen]

I've learned my lesson. And wasted a few minutes of my time in the process.

[CMC Bruce Bradley]

Art, the National Office did authorize this, that where the company got the addresses from. I think that they get a little back from every directory sold. This is the same company that did it for my High School, University and a couple of other organizations I belong too.

I did call in the last time we got cards, a couple of years ago and gave them all my info. They are just clueless civilian phone bank operators so you have to sometimes explain a lot to them. But at the end it was the high powered sales pitch. I ended up hanging up so I doubt that my entry make the directory last time and this time around I'm not wasting my time.

[CWO Chris Sparkman (BMC)]

Crazy!! I just got an email today thanking me for updating my information.....I didn't update anything, I declined. Well at least they were polite and thanked me. Then in the same sentence they tell me "it's my last chance" to get this valuable "keepsake"... Oh well, maybe next time...or maybe I'll just go ahead and order one.

P.S. You have until December 11th to get your copy

You can call toll free 1-800-597-7350 anytime during the hours below until December 11, 2006.

(Eastern Standard Time)
Mon. - Fri. 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
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After December 11, 2006 we cannot take any more orders, so if you're interested, please call today.

Once again, thank you for participating in this wonderful project, and should you choose to reserve a copy, you can expect delivery of your U.S. Coast Guard Chief Petty Officers Association Membership Directory by early May, 2007.