"WHAT DO I GET FOR MY MONEY?"

To someone being introduced to the U.S. Mormon Battalion, Inc., and being invited to join, this is a natural question. What d. I get for my $15 National; $10 Auxiliary, per year (or $150; $75 lifetime)? To answer this question--and offer some insight into the workings of this organization-owe submit examples below. These are National dues; company dues are extra, usually less.

First of all, becoming a Staff member, whether National or Company, requires some serious considerations. Are you willing to devote much of your discretionary time to furthering the objectives of this organization? And, are you financially able to spend a significant number of dollars on Battalion business each year, without dipping into the family budget? The position requires such planning and expenditures of time and money, but please note: No officer uses any dues money on his/her participation in Battalion activities or expenses. Admittedly, a National officer may have greater need to sacrifice time and money than a Company officer, but it is considerable for both.

To illustrate the uses made of your dues, let us site some examples:

• We present about 300 neckerchief slides a year to Eagle Scouts at their Courts of Honor. These slides, made from our own design and specifications, are paid for by your dues. A National or Company officers presents the slide to an Eagle Scout at their own expense, and, if the Scout's family gives a gratuity, the money goes into the company treasury.
• We hire the printing of, and publish several books, such is Daniel Tyler's. Each printing can cost thousands of dollars. True, we offer these books for a suggested donation, but we cannot "sell" them--or anything else, for that matter--so there is some loss involved. The money received goes into our bank account to print more books.
• Another point: We own an income-tax number. Many things done by the companies is legalized by that tax number. For example, San Diego Company "B" could not order the manufacture of their Commemorative Mormon Battalion Blanket without a tax number. Being a not-for-profit organization, they cannot sell the blanket as "The U.S. Mormon Battalion." With the tax number (which they used), they can offer the blanket for a suggested donation. This is just one example of how we must work together--not solo.
• You are obviously aware that we publish our own house organ--The Valiant. The writing and formatting is done without cost to the Battalion, but the printing and mailing costs are about $60. per issue. We hope you enjoy receiving this paper.
• The Manual--now being revised to include more information on forming and operating a company--adds to our costs, but, again, the formatting is done by the Staff, and only the printing and mailing costs are the major expenditures.
• We have a headquarters, with a fax number (562-1350), and a full-time secretary (paid for by our Colonel), where we must maintain a telephone number (801-256-0329), costing $40 a month. This is proving very useful, not only by the companies, but in the number of orders for books, which come in from the public.
• Quartermaster mailings of books and materiel causes considerable expense to the Battalion, as well, and memorialization plaques, made by a local foundry, are another costly item.

Please, this enumeration of expenses is not a complaint; we are merely pointing out some of the uses for your relatively-modest dues, and the extraordinary results achieved from their use. We ask you to compare your dues for a year ($15 Bn.; $10 Auxiliary) with the price of a ball game ($100 plus, for 3 hours in the nosebleed section during a playoff). Truly, what are you getting for your money?

Also, please note: Only paid-up members of the Battalion are to represent the Battalion in any activity in which OUR NAME is used. We do not SELL anything; we offer the item with a suggestion for a donated amount, and allow the recipient to offer a remuneration. Please support our Battalion/Auxiliary objectives and purposes.