How to Use This Website

This is a rudimentary "How To" for working the website.
I promise to flesh this out and make it a "production quality" help guide.
For now, here are the main things you will want to do:

1. Create an account
2. Post events, announcements, discussion topics, and blog posts (as well as other things you could post).
3. Private message (PM) and/or email other grads
4. Post your bio
5. More to come...

Ok, really quick... here goes...

Creating an Account

1. The easiest way to create an account is to click here: http://www.usafaway.org/user/register. Fill in the required info (and as much of the optional info as you want other grads to see. Only registered and logged in users can see the information you list here.

2. The system will send an email to the email you entered.

3. Click the special link in that email to activate your account.

4. You are now a registered member of the website, with a Limited Membership. Paid members will be automatically upgraded to Full Membership once their Paid-Up status has been confirmed. If you are not yet a PAID Member, make sure you visit the About Us pagee to download your application form. Once we receive your form (and payment!) you will be upgraded.

Posting to the Site

1. Log in (see Creating an Account if you don't have one) and click “Add Content” in the left hand menu.

2. Select the type of content you wish to create. Most of the content types are pretty self explanatory, but just as a quick note, you will generally want to post either an
event, a file, a discussion (forum) topic to which others can reply, a page (for news and announcements) or a personal blog entry (for things that interest you, but not necessarily "news" for fellow grads.

3. By default, a teaser of your post will go on the front page. If you do not want this, be sure to uncheck "Promoted to front page" in the box at the top of the screen. Please note that ourleadership has (and will exercise) the right to remove your posts from the front page.

4. If you want your post to "stick" at the top of the page, check "Sticky at top of lists" in the box at the top of the screen. Please note that ourleadership has (and will exercise) the right to "un-sticky" your posts.

5. Inappropriate posts will be removed. While you are authorized to post personal announcements and information on the site, any posts deemed detrimential to the reputation of the USAFA Way of Life Alumni Group will be removed without warning and without explanation.

How to Private message (PM) and/or email other grads

There are several ways to contact grads via this website, including the easiest: use the contact info they've made public. If a grad does not have public contact info, you may still be able to reach him/her via Private Message (PM) or the email contact form. This allows you to contact the grad while still protecting their privacy. There are two ways to do ths:

1. View their profile and click "Send Private Message." This sends them a quick message stored on the site in their account in-box. You may also click the "contact" blue tab underneath their name. This sends them an email that is not stored on the site. This is better for grads who do not log into the site often. Don't know their username? Log in and find it here, or use AlumniSearch in the top menu bar.

2. Another way is to enter your own PM box by clicking "View Inbox" in the left hand menu after logging in. At the bottom you'll see a button for "Write a new message." Click this, and enter their username in the "to box." Don't know their username? Log in and find it here, or use AlumniSearch in the top menu bar. Over time, those grads that you have contacted and that have contacted you will show up in your "contacts" drop down list.

Please note, that when someone contacts you via contact form, and you reply, they will now have your email. If you do not want them to have your email, simply log into the site and PM the grad rather than replying to their email.

How Long Someone's Been a Member and Other Neat Trivia

To see how long someone's been a member, click their name to open up their profile. Don't know their username? Log in and find it here, or use AlumniSearch in the top menu bar. Click the "view" tab if it is not already selected. Just above the "Alumni Profile" you should see a spot that says "Member for" with time they've been a member listed beneath. This also allows you to PM them, contact them via email form, and view their latest blog posts.

How to Post Your Bio

If you would like your bio linked to your online user account, simply post it in your blog as an attachment. Now right-click on that blog post title and select "copy shortcut." Then, edit your profile and where it says "Resume Link" paste the link in. Now, people can go to your resume post. YOu can update your resume simply by deleting the attachment (don't delete the whole message- just the attachment) and posting a new version of your resume.

More to come... stay tuned!