USCF Membership Card

I recently renewed my United States Chess Federation membership, paying $109 for 3 years of membership. I've always paid year-to-year. I'm not sure what I expected to be different this time, if anything. Maybe I thought I'd get a larger-than-normal "thank you" or something like that, for paying so far in advance.

I opened the letter from USCF, and included was a letter thanking me for renewing my membership, and two full color advertisements for different online chess retailers. On the bottom of the letter was a perforated card, meant to be my USCF membership card. This letter was printed on something barely resembling card stock. I wouldn't print a business card on this type of paper, let alone an ID card I'm supposed to keep for three years.

Now, imagine my surprise when, as I tear the card along the perforated edges, I noticed that on the back of this letter, is yet ANOTHER full page color advertisement. Yes, including the back of the card! So, on my membership card is my name, my USCF ID number, my membership type, expiration date, and on the reverse, a picture of Hikaru Nakamura playing chess with a wooden chess set that is being advertised. There are also some chopped off letters, making the rest of the text unreadable.

I was outraged. Appalled. Angry.

My first thought was, "I'm supposed to keep this f*ing thing for three years!?" I'm not paying to be advertised to. I'm paying for the magazine, which is outrageously priced, and the "privilege"of maintaining a USCF rating through tournament play, which I have to pay extra for anyway.

So, I ripped through uschess.org until I found someone I could contact about this problem I'm having. I finally found a "contact us" page, with a basic form to fill out my question/comment. My question/comment follows.

• "I send payment for three years' worth of membership, and you send me a membership card that's printed on the back of a full page color advertisement!?!?!? I am outraged. There is no way I'm keeping this thing. I'm trashing it right now, and either want a refund for my membership dues or a new card with either a blank back, or with actual relevant information."

This is immediately forwarded to Bill Hall, the Executive Director of the USCF, and Judy Bisner, Chief Business Officer. A supervisor in the Membership Department sent the following response:

• "Membership ID cards are printed out in batches of hundreds at a time, all on the same paper stock. There is no other way to print them.
  
  "We will be glad to cancel your membership and refund your dues, ( $109.00 ) if you wish."

The exchange continued:

• "All I ask is that you print one copy on different paper. That must be possible."

• "I'm sorry that you are upset about your ID card. The ONLY thing I can do for you is have it printed out on a plain sheet of copier (zerox) paper. We do not have any thing that is heavier. If this would be agreeable to you, let me know."

• "Can you laminate it?"

• "No, but you can."

• "If I'm going to do anything myself, I'll do it properly on heavy card stock, and then laminate it. I can just photocopy this thing you gave. I'm shocked that you expected me to keep this thing for 3 years."

To which I have not received a reply. I'm ashamed of my national chess organization.