Your First AA Regional Forum: Bring a Service Question
A Regional Forum invitation appears in a service report. You may wonder whether it is a convention, an election or a meeting only for people already holding office. Start with the event's purpose, then decide what you would like to understand by attending.
Know which kind of event you found
AA's official forum resource explains the format and its service purpose. It identifies opportunities to meet people from GSO, the boards and Grapevine, alongside members and trusted servants. This is a useful starting point for understanding the event, rather than guessing from the word forum.
The resource says no formal actions result from forums. You can therefore listen, ask questions and gather information without presenting a discussion as a new rule for your group. Keep a forum account distinct from a formal decision-making process.
Check the actual announcement and costs
Checked October 30, 2026, the official page lists the Pacific Regional Forum in San Diego for December 4–6, 2026. Treat that as a dated example, not a recommendation to book travel. Recheck the particular event's announcement before committing time or money.
The page states there is no registration fee for AA members at Regional Forums. That does not establish that your transport, meals or accommodation are covered. Ask about your own arrangements and any agreed service reimbursement before assuming another person or group will pay.
Prepare one question you can explain
Choose a concrete service question: a role you do not understand, a resource you cannot locate or a connection between your group and the wider structure. Make it brief enough that someone can identify the issue without hearing every detail of a local disagreement.
Our oldtimer guide concerns long experience. You do not need someone else's sobriety duration to be curious about service. Ask for a source or explanation you can return to, rather than expecting one conversation to resolve everything.
Bring information back with its context
Record the topic, source and any next step you want to check. If reporting to your group, say whether you heard a personal experience, an explanation of a service function or a pointer to a publication. Avoid converting an interesting comment into a commitment made on your group's behalf.
If your own anniversary falls near the event, make that a separate plan. An event's date or souvenir does not establish a personal sober year. Choose any medallion by the recipient's confirmed milestone and preferences, leaving the forum's service purpose clear.
Medallions to consider
For a personal AA anniversary happening separately from the forum, compare these current designs. A numbered keepsake marks a confirmed sobriety duration, not a service position or an event attendance.
Tricolor Jet Black Rainbow Sparkle (1-50y)
Annual options run from 1 year to 50 years, with 18 months also listed. The photo shows the sample inscription IX; choose your confirmed milestone using the product page's Sobriety Time selector.
Tricolor Opulent Deep Blue (24h, 1-65y)
Annual options run from 1 year to 65 years, with 24 hours and 18 months also listed. The photo shows the sample inscription XXV; choose your confirmed milestone using the product page's Sobriety Time selector.
Common questions
Are Regional Forums only for elected officers?
The official resource welcomes newcomers to service as well as trusted servants and other AA members.
Does a forum discussion create a formal action?
AA describes forums as sharing sessions from which no formal actions result.
Does no registration fee mean my whole visit is funded?
No. Confirm travel and other costs and any agreed reimbursement separately.
Keep reading
For a confirmed AA milestone, compare the designs in Elite Medallions and Deluxe Coins. Check the live product selector for the duration you need.
