I was told 'Not to Join'???

[FLMarine]

I've read a several pages of this thread, but not all of it. I'll give a younger guy's perspective of the WBCCI club. Heck, I've already alienated myself from Corporate Airstream by insulting them because of their lack of customer service so why not give my opinion here.

My family used to be part of the WBCCI back in the early 80's when I was a kid, but when I bought my Airstream I was given info on the WBCCI and I checked out the website and saw a bunch of old folks in blue berets with tons of rules and I decided that I wanted no part of that.

I was already part of a great club, which was my brother and friend both had an Airstream and we got together as much as we could. We didn't have to worry if having a beer at 10am would insult some blue beret wearing old folk. Even though I was in my early 30's when I bought my Airstream I had been in the Marine Corps for about 10 years and I worked very hard and partied very hard too. The last thing I need is some blue beret wearing person to tell me I can't have a drink or someone I can't relate to.

In the last couple of weeks I've talked to some good folks who are part of the WBBCI and looking to get some younger folks into the club. As long as the blue beret wearing members who take themselves too seriously or try to relive their past as executives are part of the club I will never join.

To me Airstreaming is being around friends and people who don't judge, are friendly, and want to enjoy life. So far I have found the Airstreamer's who aren't part of WBBCI are more welcoming than those who are. Until WBBCI changes their attitude I will not be a part of the club. I don't have time for that drama.

[Landrum]

Well.....me and my wife (along the 3 small kids) are young, WBCCI members, and really enjoy the club. Perhaps our unit is the exception, but something tells me that's not the case. I wasn't going to respond, but I would hate to say nothing in case others see your post and shy away. It may not be for you (and there is nothing wrong with that), but how does the saying go.....don't knock it till you try it.


Sent from my iPhone using Airstream Forums

[Hittenstiehl]

We joined the 4 Corners Unit and thereby the WBCCI. What a great group of folks with Airstreams. We have met members from 6 months old to 80's.

We have not seen any blue berets or blazers, didn't get any rules, we enjoy a cocktail, have fantastic nightly fires and no one tells us what to do except lots of good repair info (for our vintage) for happy trailering.

In this case...don't knock it till you try it.

Go Army. ;o) ;o)

[SeeMore]

Hilarious - "To me Airstreaming is being around friends and people who don't judge....." written out of sight of any mirrors

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by FLMarine

In the last couple of weeks I've talked to some good folks who are part of the WBBCI and looking to get some younger folks into the club. As long as the blue beret wearing members who take themselves too seriously or try to relive their past as executives are part of the club I will never join.

To me Airstreaming is being around friends and people who don't judge, are friendly, and want to enjoy life. So far I have found the Airstreamer's who aren't part of WBBCI are more welcoming than those who are. Until WBBCI changes their attitude I will not be a part of the club. I don't have time for that drama.

I've been a member of WBCCI for as long as I've owned an Airstream. I see more drama here on the AirForums every single day than I see at any WBCCI meeting. Most of the WBCCI rallies I attend don't even include club business; they're just monthly gatherings of friends who all just happen to belong to WBCCI.

Your post was full of "blue beret wearing members this" and "blue beret wearing members that" and if you think that wearing a blue beret makes me some kind of martinet who will tell you how to have fun, then I'll oblige you and tell you how to have fun— somewhere far away so that judgmental hypocrites like you don't spoil my fun!

[SteveSueMac]

Originally Posted by FLMarine

...snip....

(1) To me Airstreaming is being around friends and people who don't judge, are friendly, and want to enjoy life.

(2) So far I have found the Airstreamer's who aren't part of WBBCI are more welcoming than those who are.

(3) Until WBBCI changes their attitude I will not be a part of the club.

(4) I don't have time for that drama.

Hi there - first, thanks very much for your service in the Marines.

I shaved down your post quite a bit here and numbered your sentences to address a few things.

(1) - couldn't agree more.

(2) - well obviously the problem is you haven't met me :-) (or anyone in the NEU, or perhaps hundreds - maybe thousands of other WBCCI members who'd likely welcome you with wide open arms). Besides - now really - how many members/non-members have you met recently? The 80s were 40 years ago and if you were a kid then, maybe you owe it to yourself to look with fresher, adult eyes?

(3) I don't know what attitude you're seeing and in what context. I'm a WBCCI member but I tend to think of myself as a New England Unit member mostly because that's 99.9% of my experience with the club. The attitude there is exceedingly laid back, fun loving, colored by an adult beverage or 7 or 8 from time to time and some of the most genuinely decent folks on the planet. As former (and late) Speaker of the House Tip O'Neill always said, "all politics are local." No need for you to join anything that's not appealing to you - but maybe the best way to assess is to spend more time with locals and see what you think.

(4). Can't blame you. Life is too short for BS. My experience has been drama-free. That's all I know about it. See your statement #1 above.

If you're ever in the New England area, look us up: http://newengland.wbcci.net

You'd be welcome any time I'm sure.

[dwightdi]

If you think the benefits (caravans, local rallies, international and special event rallies, and magazine) are something you are interested in, try an outing with several local units and pick one that fits your fancy. If you use the benefits, the $65 dues are worth the price. If you can't find a local that meets your needs, but are still interested in the national events, join as a MAL. If you want no structure, no dues, and do not have the time to attend national activities, go to the local AirForums rallies. Now that the Blue Beret is on line, you do not even need to join to get that.

[polarlyse]

And here I thought life was " Like a box of chocolates". I have yet to see a blue beret on anyones head . We are recent members and have nothing but positive things to say. But then I hesitate to talk about politics with new friends.

See ya'll on the road sometime.

[xrvr]

People in glass houses!? Peace,Jim

[Msmoto]

@FLMarine

As we have a special relationship.... I will offer this. I think there may be some ideas in WBCCI which are in need of change. But, unless some young folks like yourself join, it may not occur.

This may be an unfortunate stereotyping of those who have an Airstream, but I suspect the level of OCD, or perfectionism, is higher than in the general public. For sure, my own conversions, like the bathroom door removal, full LED conversion, HDMI connections, and custom cabinetry, as you are familiar with in your 27FB, came out of that idea of having it exactly the way I wanted it. And those who are somewhat "set" in tradition may not be thinking in the same way Wally might have, that is, to make improvements. IMO this should be applied to the structure of WBCCI, not only the actual trailers themselves.

Even with my new Serenity, I have multiple things I am "correcting" or changing for my own preferences, and these are items I think should have been included in the original unit. And, I know you have had some significant disappointments with corporate as well.

But, WBCCI needs folks such as yourself in order to change. Thus I encourage you to join, be active and maybe some old fogies and younger people like yourself can institute change as in improvement.

My experience has been I cannot tell the difference between the WBCCI members and those who are not, e.g., at the recent Alumilina where both were in attendance.

[switz]

I initially joined one of the local units after sending in the WBCCI paperwork. I never saw or received any information from that unit after my check cleared until the next renewal.

Meanwhile, we heard about another local unit and drove to one of their local rallies without the trailer as it was in the shop (another long sad story). What a great group of folks, so we switched membership to this unit. We have really enjoyed this group experience.

We also love to camp alone (where we can find such places) and see the sunsets and local critters and mornings with a cup of coffee just watching the wind blowing the trees.

I believe in the old saying that "Contempt prior to investigation leaves a man in everlasting ignorance."

So, this year we are getting our feet wet by attending both the International and the Region rallies. We have scheduled ourselves for a major WBCCI caravan in 2016. We also have several local group rallies this year along with solo trips scheduled.

I had all the "chain of command" stuff I ever want to experience while in the Navy from 1965 to 1971 as both an enlisted man and then a young officer. Sometimes I thought the proper color of that uniform was not blue but brown.

My wife and I have no aspirations of leadership, but are willing to help as a worker bee at the rallies or events we attend. When everyone does their bit, there is a sense of community during the event. I have learned that having my mouth closed allows me to learn a great deal from those with more experience.

[ALANSD]

WBCCI has been talking about change as long as I have been around this Forum site, which is a long time.
The change here in Georgia had to be " forced" by those good folks who started the SE Camping Unit. After all fellowship and camping is what this stuff is all about. Not meetings, rules and regulations except when and as needed...

My experience with the N. Georgia Unit took all the wind out of my sails and totally turned us off to being in the club. That is why I helped start the very first AirForums Rallies, and have continued to keep them going for 15 years now.

[Gene]

Different units are, surprisingly, different. Some are rigid, even militaristic, some not. When we bought our Airstream in 2007, the WBCCI was a topic of much heat. We saw no reason to get involved as everything pointed to a very rigid structure and leadership. But we have been to 4 Four Corners Unit rallies and they were anything but formal. I understand some other units are just as informal and welcoming. It appears there have been changes in who runs the group and they have been positive changes.

But our style of travel is to go far and wide, or just go somewhere for some quiet time in a pretty place. If we want to go to a rally, I suppose we can go to a Forum rally, but we haven't. We have met people on the road we know through the Forum and didn't need the WBCCI to do that. Maybe if things in the WBCCI had been better in 2007, we would have joined, but we now know we didn't have to for our way if traveling.

So, if you want informal units, they are there. If you want rigidity, join the army. If you don't need caravans, don't want to pay the annual fee, or aren't all that interested in rallies, don't join. The social space people like is available in many ways and for some the WBCCI serves that purpose, for others, it is the Forum.

Gene

[FLMarine]

Originally Posted by Protagonist

I've been a member of WBCCI for as long as I've owned an Airstream. I see more drama here on the AirForums every single day than I see at any WBCCI meeting. Most of the WBCCI rallies I attend don't even include club business; they're just monthly gatherings of friends who all just happen to belong to WBCCI.

Your post was full of "blue beret wearing members this" and "blue beret wearing members that" and if you think that wearing a blue beret makes me some kind of martinet who will tell you how to have fun, then I'll oblige you and tell you how to have fun— somewhere far away so that judgmental hypocrites like you don't spoil my fun!

You're right that my post was full of "blue beret wearing members". I mentioned that several times as a reason I didn't want to join the WBBCI from my younger than average perspective. I've been to several rallies and talked to several WBBCI groups. Some were great, some were full of old folks who missed their days of being a corporate executive and the power it held. Those guys and gals are the reason I didn't want to join.

I was a Marine Officer who had lots of power, and couldn't be happier I'm no longer in that position. All I want to do is enjoy life after a short lifetime of doing things for this country that I cannot talk about in polite company. Being part of a club with tons of rules and egos is something I don't want to be part of. Maybe I'm a minority in the Airstream community being younger, but to me Airstreaming is being around friends and family.

The last thing I will do is tell you how to have fun. If you don't want to hang out around me I could care less. Oh, did I insult your group. Yep, I did but was from a younger perspective that in a couple of years guys like me will either take over or let the club fade from existence. If you alienate people like me, then the blue berets will fade from existence in several short years.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by FLMarine

The last thing I will do is tell you how to have fun. If you don't want to hang out around me I could care less. Oh, did I insult your group. Yep, I did but was from a younger perspective that in a couple of years guys like me will either take over or let the club fade from existence. If you alienate people like me, then the blue berets will fade from existence in several short years.

I don't mean to alienate guys like you— if they would consider joining the club. But since you insulted my club I felt alienated by you, and responded in kind.

The only way the club will evolve is to recruit new members who have new ideas. So to everyone who says they won't join unless the club changes first, I say that's backwards. WBCCI won't change until you join first, and stick with it long enough to make a difference.

Not all change is necessarily progress, but all progress is the result of change.

[bobzdar]

Originally Posted by FLMarine

You're right that my post was full of "blue beret wearing members". I mentioned that several times as a reason I didn't want to join the WBBCI from my younger than average perspective. I've been to several rallies and talked to several WBBCI groups. Some were great, some were full of old folks who missed their days of being a corporate executive and the power it held. Those guys and gals are the reason I didn't want to join.

I was a Marine Officer who had lots of power, and couldn't be happier I'm no longer in that position. All I want to do is enjoy life after a short lifetime of doing things for this country that I cannot talk about in polite company. Being part of a club with tons of rules and egos is something I don't want to be part of. Maybe I'm a minority in the Airstream community being younger, but to me Airstreaming is being around friends and family.

The last thing I will do is tell you how to have fun. If you don't want to hang out around me I could care less. Oh, did I insult your group. Yep, I did but was from a younger perspective that in a couple of years guys like me will either take over or let the club fade from existence. If you alienate people like me, then the blue berets will fade from existence in several short years.

Maybe you don't realize it, but you come off as having a fairly large sized ego yourself....

[FLMarine]

Originally Posted by Msmoto

@FLMarine

As we have a special relationship.... I will offer this. I think there may be some ideas in WBCCI which are in need of change. But, unless some young folks like yourself join, it may not occur.

This may be an unfortunate stereotyping of those who have an Airstream, but I suspect the level of OCD, or perfectionism, is higher than in the general public. For sure, my own conversions, like the bathroom door removal, full LED conversion, HDMI connections, and custom cabinetry, as you are familiar with in your 27FB, came out of that idea of having it exactly the way I wanted it. And those who are somewhat "set" in tradition may not be thinking in the same way Wally might have, that is, to make improvements. IMO this should be applied to the structure of WBCCI, not only the actual trailers themselves.

Even with my new Serenity, I have multiple things I am "correcting" or changing for my own preferences, and these are items I think should have been included in the original unit. And, I know you have had some significant disappointments with corporate as well.

But, WBCCI needs folks such as yourself in order to change. Thus I encourage you to join, be active and maybe some old fogies and younger people like yourself can institute change as in improvement.

My experience has been I cannot tell the difference between the WBCCI members and those who are not, e.g., at the recent Alumilina where both were in attendance.

Thanks MsMoto,

As we do have a special relationship as the owner of your former Airstream I agree that unless folks like me join then the club will fade away. I would love to be part of the change and hope to do so. In the next year or so I will be attending as many rallies as possible as my fiance will allow, lol.

I'm really not a bad guy, just very opinionated and willing to stand up for what I believe in. I want the WBBCI to succeed, but it needs to change to the times to do so. Unless current members see to the change and allow it change then it will fade from existence. Now that I live in NC again I want to be part of the Airstream Community, but I will not do so if it's a bunch of old folks who want to relive their younger years of being in a position of power. All I want is to have a good time and enjoy the company of like minded folks.

I gave up a career in the Marines because I was tired of being deployed, tired of war, and tired of the killing that is associated with war. I'm now breaking into the civilian side of flying helicopters, and I just want to enjoy life. I have talked to a gentleman in my region who is not only a veteran but part of a WBBCI that has changed my mind about the group. Hopefully I will make friends in the area over the near future.

[Hittenstiehl]

There you go, there is a soft spot left in there.

Good luck with your Airstream, we all look forward to seeing you on the road whether in a rally setting or not.

Joining is not the point enjoying is and you already got that figured out.

[Air Apparent]

The Northern Illinois Unit of the WBCCI has been transitioning from a traditional unit to a more casual, less structured unit. Many of our rallies are being held in state parks or Army Corps of Engineers Parks with no rally fee. We are having pot luck meals and less structured activities.
I invite all Airstream owners, including those who are not WBCCI members, to join us at one of our rallies to take a "test drive". See the Airforums calendar for our rallies.

We are using electronic communications with our members including Airforums, Facebook, Constant Contact, etc.

Organizations are either growing by re-inventing themselves or slowly dying. We have had many new members join in the last several years bringing new blood into the unit. We welcome and want younger members to join our unit to help us become a truly cross generational unit. We are looking to do things differently and not the same old way. We look forward to new members helping us to become the premier Airstream unit in the Midwest. I would like to see the Northern Illinois Unit become the 4 Corners Unit of the Midwest.

The WBCCI isn't for everybody. But don't judge it solely on the past. I didn't like how things were done in the past as well. I have noticed that the WBCCI is changing even at the national leadership level. I am considered a rebel by some. I am a baby boomer and I am president of the Northern Illinois Unit this year. My wife and I are still working for a living. I am having minimal business meetings. My goal is to maximize our fun using our Airstream.

Don't judge an organization solely on internet threads. Take a "test drive" and then judge for yourself. If you are interested in creating a great unit, come join us.

As the politicians would say "I am President of this unit and I approve of this message".

[dwightdi]

In order to build better /bigger unit, Unit leaders need to provide activities that make unit membership more valuable and enjoyable for their member families. Leaders need to determine the common interests of the members and plan activities to bring the members together. This includes planned communal activities at the rallies or providing access to activities not be available to individual members. We planned a private tour of the Fermi Labs, (not open to the general public). Plant tours are also interesting. We planned a unit tour to Johnson Wax facility and museum in Racine, WI.

Communal cooking brings the members together. We bought a large grill and cooking equipment for our outings at State Parks. Free communal coffee and donuts in the morning gets people talking to each other early. We bought a video projector, so members to enjoy videos together and share travel log experiences. A communal portable fire pit keeps the conversations going into the night. For us in the Northern climates, renting facilities with warm buildings, indoor kitchen, dining, and alternate indoor activates, extends our camping season. Combining camping with local festivals adds interest to the rallies. As a balance, free time should be planned for, to allow for exploration of individual interests. Leadership and the unit need to offer more than just camping in a state park.

Links on the Unit website allow members to share their travel Blog/logs and keep up with what other members are doing. A shared database of members' cell phones allows us to keep in touch with our traveling members. Frequent broadcast emails, keep the members aware of what is going on within the club and personal information, the members want to share.

Without leadership that brings members together, the group fragments into small cliques, which have wine and cheese parties or play cards in their individual trailers.

A unit president serves the unit's members for one year. Imperial narcissistic personalities should not apply.