Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How does someone get selected to be an HMSO Leader?
A: The leaders we have in place now were all plank-holders for the idea of reinventing the HMSO with modern ideas and a focus that reaches out to the community vs. just a surf club. We wanted to have a positive legacy. Being a leader is more than sporting a T-Shirt and if you feel there is something you have that can bring good not only to the HMSO but also to the community as a whole – we are always looking for folks to come aboard as a leader.
Q: Are the other clubs that are also called HMSO?
A: There are some other clubs out there that use the HMSO name and a similar logo. They are of no relation to the Oahu chapter however. In the past the HMSO here in Hawaii spawned the other chapters but today, there is no relationship and likely won’t be in the future.
Q: Does military rank matter in the HMSO?
A: Absolutely not! We all could frankly care less. Rank is something you ought to keep to yourself. Like hemorrhoids – no one is impressed. We have guys up and down the spectrum and from all walks of career. Our members range from pilots, to lawyers, to special operators, to truck drivers, to cooks, to military police. We depend on the fact that maturity and equal respect rule the club. This isn’t an Officers Club. In the same light – it isn’t an Enlisted Club either. It is a surf club and only Mother Nature has any rank in the ocean.
Q: What are “Expression Sessions” – are they like contests?
A: They are, but without all the drama…
Q: I want to join mainly for the contests and the competitive spirit. Is the HMSO the right club for me?
A: No, not at all. Go get a sponsorship and get on the contest circuit. Then you can put stickers all over your board from various company’s owned by guys that don’t surf themselves but are more than willing to sell you sunglasses, surf trunks, necklaces, trucker hats, or truly fashionable zinc oxide in all colors for your nose and a host of other “things” that really enhance the soul of surfing.
Q: I’ve seen some HMSO guys out in the line-up. The all seem like they are really good looking, in great physical condition, and are absolute studs, and surf with more soul than James Brown. Is this representative of all the members?
A: Why yes it is. We do have one really ugly guy who can’t surf though.
Q: How do the surf trips work?
A: Well, we travel to surf. Pretty simple concept!
Q: No really, how do the surf trips work – and where do we go, how do we get on them – describe them please!
A: Well, we gather up the leaders and decide where we want to go with input from members too. Let’s say for example we decide on Salani Surf Resort in Samoa for a trip next year (a concept we are actually exploring now). That “off-island” trip is a culminating event – a year end blow-out of sorts. We take the funds gathered up over that last year from membership fees and Logo Item sales and we use those funds to offset the cost of the trip to those that want to go. So if the resort was going to cost members $200 per day and we are able to negotiate a group rate of 20 people at a rate of $150 per day – then the HMSO funds may be able to knock that down to $100 per day or less. And the way the priority goes for folks who are interested in the trip is based on the membership # on the card you are given. So let’s assume we have 400 members and we have room for 40 people to go on a trip – the guys or gals with the lowest card number would get priority if 75 people wanted to go. So it is wise to get a membership card with a low number! Join now!
Q: Do I have to pay $35 every single year?
A: Yup! But look on the bright side of it – you get a new T-Shirt, Logo Sticker, and a new membership card with a new membership number.
Q: I noticed on the website, that there were a bunch of surfboards shaped by Mike Casey and Dick Brewer or boards from Strong Current Surf Shop. What gives?
A: Mike is our club shaper. Dick Brewer shapes some of the higher end guns for members for bigger waves (as does Mike Casey) and both are legends. And Strong Current - and the owner John Moore is sort of a club mascot in a way. Drop in and see him and wear your HMSO shirt. Or buy one there –as they are for sale at Strong Current Surf Shop. Just so you know - John Moore is also the only civilian member of the HMSO!
Q: What if I just want a shirt or sticker and don’t want to be a member?
A: No problem – we like people who like our cool logo shirts. You are supporting a great club with a great cause. Sure beats that surf shirt you bought from some shop that was printed in China. Our logo shirts are printed right here on Oahu. They are all top quality shirts (our short sleeves are Hanes Tagless T’s for example) and will last you a long time. And our stickers are printed and cut right here on island too. We try to support only local vendors on all items.
Q: I’ve noticed a trend with boards and clothes and places you recommend to eat and about everything related to HMSO. Seems to be some sort of support you local “fill in the block” vibe going on. What gives?
A: Well, what gives is the fact we only want to give to folks on Oahu. If it can be made here locally, we will endorse it. And we will go out of our way as an Organization to do so. Surfboards are a great example. Personally - you won’t see me riding some board made by slaves in China that enrich some guy in California. I won’t recommend them to anyone else either for that matter. If you want a board, I’d turn you onto a local shaper and you’ll find that you get what you want, you get at a much less cost than an off the rack board, and you get it in the color or design you truly desire and that works for you. The goal of most shops (there are some exceptions) is to separate you from your money as quickly as possible. They will likely have the “perfect” board for you when you walk through the door. It isn’t true, but how would you know if you didn’t have the knowledge base to start with. The HMSO has a goal to educate our military surfers saving you money in the long run and making the experience better. If you are a new surfer, don’t buy a board at the PX (you’d be the Village Idiot the first time someone saw you) instead – get with one of us for a suggestion. We won’t steer you wrong. It may cost you a beer someday after we finish a nice evening glass-off at the most. Guinness…
Q: Is this a family friendly environment.
A: Yes. But we do have one pervert in the club. He is the same guy mentioned earlier that is also ugly. Just stay away from him. Keep pets away from him also.
Q: Short Boards?
A: No problem. You may see a trend with longboards and even guns, but keep in mind that most of us are older or just really enjoy the glide. A longboard can be surfed in more conditions so that may be a factor too. But short boards are more than welcome. Heck, I think every single one of the leaders has a short board or two and a few of them actually surf them (I leave mine in garage – we get along better that way).
Q: Do you have women in the club.
A: Yup. We are both a fraternity and a sorority. We don’t have anything in between if you know what I mean.
Q: Civilians? Can we join?
A: Nope!
Q: What about Civil Service?
A: Yup – you have to have a military affiliation of some sort. The membership application addresses all the categories.
Q: How about Civil Air Patrol?
A: Nope!
Q: Peace Corps?
A: Nope!
Q: Afghanistan National Army?
A: Nope!
Q: Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders?
A: I’ve been known to make exceptions for deserving folks now and again.
Q: I’m active duty and will PCS someday. Is this all worth it?
A: Of course it is. You will so greatly enhance your overall surf experience by surfing with the HMSO as you will know spots you never would have considered before. You will also have board knowledge, and be able to always call on a club member to come join your dawn patrol. It is a network of like minded folks.
Q: What is the deal with the Wounded Warrior project?
A: Well, we wanted to find a way to give back to the local community. And by that – what is more local than our own wounded veterans? We take folks out that have been hurt and help them heal both mentally, physically, and emotionally in the way that only Mother Ocean can heal. Sometimes, these guys or gals just need someone to show them the ropes and that is our primary function when it comes to surfing. See the tab on the website for more.
Q: What is the deal with the Haleiwa Surf Museum and the HMSO “connection” that seems omnipresent?
A: Well, it all wraps around Hurricane Bob Brown. He is the unofficial Mayor of Haleiwa and the Elder Statesman of surfing here in Hawaii. Drop in and see him and he museum in the North Shore Marketplace. Tell him HMSO sent you. He’ll talk your ear off. He is also a veteran and a member of the HMSO. You can also purchase HMSO items at the Surf Museum. When you buy them at the Museum, the funds go back to the Museum so we can help to keep it alive and well!Q: I’ve been checking out the galleries, what seems to be the deal? There is no real rhyme or reason to the pictures! Military, Surfing, Waves, Motorcycles, Surfboards, VW Vans, and on and on…
A: First, thanks for noticing that there is no real “rhyme or reason” which is a good thing in our book. Since we are all military veterans, we have lived lives full of too much “rhyme or reason” and the gallery is more eclectic in nature and represents whatever the heck the member body emails me picture wise. Some guys are into VW’s; some guys are into Ducati Motorcycles. We even have some guys that are really into the ladies and the beauty they naturally have when they are in the water, or enjoying the surfing lifestyle.
Q: The club is cool without a doubt. Can you help me start a chapter where I live?
A: Sure! I’ve been asked this about four times last year alone. Motivated folks that want to give back want to start a club – go for it! You’ll need about 5K start-up money based on my experience. You’ll need to trademark a logo (like we did – so don’t use ours), and get with the whole legal program (pay taxes) to be legitimate. You have to be real careful with a club too – like if you run a contest & even if you have a “Hold Harmless Agreement” you have to be prepared to lose everything you own if someone comes in and gets hurt or killed heaven forbid, at a contest you are sponsoring! Any lawyer worth a crap can eat right through a “Hold Harmless Agreement” given the proper motivation (usually in the form of $$) so be careful in that realm. And make sure you pay taxes on what you earn. Meaning memberships which you need to keep good records on. I personally have an accountant on retainer for another business that I run that pays the bills for my family and myself and he also does HMSO as a part of that. And watch out for the “Not-For-Profit Model” if you are forming a new club. There is a great deal that goes into running a legitimate Not-For-Profit. I’d venture to say that a large majority of the clubs or organizations out there you see hawking the “We are a Not-For-Profit” are in fact a total “For Profit” organization. This is important when it comes to charitable donations. Folks can’t write them off (the donation) if the organization isn’t a legitimate “Not-For-Profit. In our case, we do not accept any donations outside surfboards to be donated to kids who don’t have one and Santa forgot. The only means to raise money is through the sale of logo items and for a T-Shirt sold, the profit is about a buck if you really want to call that a profit.
Q: How many members do you have?
A: Gosh, I really don’t know. Not enough in my book! The club membership body regenerates itself every year. I send out a note on each anniversary to see if folks want to remain a member. If so, they keep their same card number and drive on & I send them a new shirt and sticker as part of the dues. I would say on Oahu, there is a pretty good size core element. We are without a doubt – the largest organized Surf Club in Hawaii – that I do know! Most of the member body is actually comprised of folks living off-island.
Q: Can you advertise for my business on your site? I noticed you have links.
A: The goal is not really to sell links. I do them for members if they have a business and are members in good standing at no cost. Others get them at no cost if they do something positive for the military. Like Camp Erdman as part of the YMCA on the North Shore. Send me your information and we can talk about it on email.
Q: Can I get a member list with addresses and emails?
A: So you can sell Stand-Up-Paddleboards or AMWAY to our members? I think not. But nice try…
Q: Can you start a blog about surfing on Oahu?
A: The problem with daily blogs is that if they aren’t updated daily, they are worthless and not viewed. I’ve been asked this before though so you aren’t weird for asking. Actually, you might be weird but asking that question is OK with me. I personally just don’t have energy to do a daily blog. But if you want to volunteer – just let me know and maybe we can make a love connection!
Q: I build houses for Habitat for the Homeless. Can you send your club members down to help out?
A: Well I can certainly ask our folks if they want to help. By all means! We already have some community service outreach programs but HMSO folks might be game to help you out too. Send me a note and I’ll disseminate it to the masses.
Q: What is the deal with “Point Panic” on the South Shore and surfing? How come I can’t surf there with my surfboard?
A: Well, it is set aside for those who choose to bodysurf (sans surfboard) and they don’t have many places like that on island they can go to. I’d say, surf somewhere else and give those folks a break. It is hard to paddle far and that place just happens to be a short paddle for these folks. You can take lefts by the way all you want provided you do so Ewa side of the pole on shore that denotes so as a regulation. I know some folks that love that place. I know some sharks that love folks that love that place just the same. By the way, you may have heard about tickets issued for violating the rules here. I have seen DNLR and the HPD together – ticket people for surfing there! Seen it with my own eyes!!
Q: I don’t see a great deal of Stand Up Paddle Surfing (SUP) stuff on your website. What gives?
A: Wow! A touchy subject to me personally… Let me state this right off the bat. I’d love to SUP myself; I think it would be an awesome platform for free-diving and bringing home some fresh kill, or for exercise, or just to paddle my kids around on for fun on a flat day at The Bay! Note that I didn’t say that I do it! I would just love to do it someday and might once the hype has died down and the prices drop on the boards, paddles, etc. And since it is so touchy right now – I will avoid it until there is legislation on the books that control it. I have great friends that SUP and there are members and leaders in HMSO that do it. That all said – I do believe at this point in time, that there needs to be some legal regulation regarding surfers and SUP boards. Over the last couple of years it has really come to a head that the SUP community can’t regulate itself. Some have tried, but it is just too rabid and too out of control at this point. They are a Personal Water Craft (PWC) – they have a mechanical assist or mechanical advantage in the water. They are like any other jet-ski, kayak, zodiac, canoe, boat, barge, hovercraft and should not be allowed within a certain distance to swimmer or surfers. Say 500 feet perhaps? What it is going to take – is for some innocent person to get hurt really good by a SUP in the water for some action to take place. It is ashamed that it has to happen that way, but legislators aren’t motivated to take a proactive approach to problem solving. It is too unpopular and that isn’t how they win elections. Instead, they will take a reactive approach once something bad happens. It is sad, but it is true. Till then, just enjoy the ride and treat a SUP in the same fashion you would if some guy pulled up in the line-up with a jet-ski. Keep your distance, be safe, and try to live in harmony. Common sense is an uncommon virtue my friend.
Q: On the West Side of Oahu, there is a place called “Military Rest Camp” but each and every single time I go there, it is overrun with civilians in the water. What is the deal?
A: Well, some of those long haired folks in the line-up aren’t actually civilians. They are local guys who served their country honorably and like to surf that wave in particular. I’m one of them by the way! They let civilians use the place (called Pokai Bay) but they can’t park their cars inside the military compound. They can however walk right thru the gate and paddle out and use all the facilities if they choose that are community facilities. They can’t rent cabins or be there in during the hours of darkness (I think) and that about covers the rules. I know where you are going with your train of thought and trust me – we all feel the same pain. It does seem like there ought to be a refuge spot for military on island to surf especially with Barbers Point now gone from the DOD inventory. Maybe Pyramid Rock at the Marine Base but I really don’t know to be honest. I’ll tell you this – don’t bother to complain, just “embrace the suck” and figure something out. You can’t change it and it just isn’t worth thinking about.
