The Joint Civilian
Orientation Conference (JCOC) was initiated in 1948 by the
Defense Department under the first Secretary of Defense, James
Forrestal. The JCOC is an official program of the Department of
Defense to acquaint leading citizens from all parts of the
country representing industry, the professions, and other primary
categories of civilian endeavor with the programs and policies of
the Defense Department as they relate to our national defense.
The conference consists of high-level briefings held in the
Pentagon, and field trips to Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine
Corps military installations-to present the important aspects of
each branch of the service. The Conference lasts approximately
one week.
Participants in a
JCOC review firsthand the military organizations and defense
concepts of our country, and are given a frank appraisal of the
awesome tasks and attendant problems faced by the military
services. It is the general idea that, through these people, a
large important segment of the American public will be given a
better understanding of our military posture.
The
Defense Orientation
Conference Association
The Defense
Orientation Conference Association (DOCA) was founded on March
30, 1952, by participants in the Joint Civilian Orientation
Conferences after eleven such conferences were held. DOCA is a
non-political, non-partisan, non-profit association directed
toward the interest of national defense without special advocacy
of any particular military service or defense concept. DOCA objectives are as follows: to provide a means of
continuing the education of its members in matters pertaining to
national security under the direct jurisdiction and supervision
of the Departments of Defense and State; to enable members to pass on such
information to others; to provide a permanent medium for
cooperation between its members and Departments of Defense and State.
DOCA membership is
obtained by one of two methods. The first method is to be
selected by the Secretary of Defense for participation in a JCOC.
Following such participation, admittance into DOCA is by
invitation. The second method is for those persons who have not
participated in a JCOC. In this case, a present DOCA member in
good standing nominates candidates. Such nominees must be
approved for membership by the DOCA Selection Board, and
subsequently attend a DOCA field trip or other trip arranged by
either the Department of Defense or Department of State. It
should be understood that DOCA has no direct or indirect
affiliation with business, political or religious groups or
organizations. Members seek no special favors, political
advantages, or material gains through DOCA.
DOCA is managed by
a Board of Directors elected to office at the annual business
meeting. An Executive Committee, composed of the President, the
Chairman of the Board, two immediate Past Presidents, Executive
Vice President, six Regional Vice Presidents, up to three Vice
Presidents At-Large, and the
Secretary-Treasurer, has the authority to act for the Board of
Directors on all matters between meetings of the Board. None of
the elected officers or directors receives any salary, expense,
or is reimbursed in any manner for the time given or money
expended in behalf of the Association.
In all planning
the foremost thought has been to keep DOCA distinct from
conventional associations with multi-committees and top-heavy
staffs.
Association
activities are administered by a staff from the Headquarters
Office in Burke, Virginia. The staff consists of an Executive
Vice President/Chief Operating Officer, Managing Director, and Executive Assistant. These are
the only full-time paid employees of the Association.
The Association is
supported by annual membership dues. Each field orientation trip
is self-supporting, financed on pro-rata basis by individual
members participating.
To accomplish the
objectives of DOCA it is necessary to provide members the
opportunity to continue the education engendered by the JCOC or
otherwise gained under the auspices of the Department of Defense.
The responsibility for this rests with the Board of Directors for
planning and with the Headquarters staff for implementation. This
is accomplished by publication of written material, visual aids,
scheduled briefings on various phases of national defense during
DOCA field or other trips arranged under the auspices of the
Department of Defense and/or the Department of State, and full
briefings at the annual meeting. When these have been provided,
it becomes the responsibility of the individual members to carry
out DOCA's other objectives.
