How A.A. service works

grupo de A.A.

Two or more alcoholics who meet to stay sober and help others, with no other affiliation. There are no dues or fees. The group is the foundation of the whole service structure.

El Manual de Servicio de A.A.

The handbook of the service structure, published with the Twelve Concepts. The 2026–2028 edition is current.

A.A. World Services · AAWS

The corporation of the General Service Board that publishes Conference-approved literature and employs GSO staff.

AA Grapevine / La Viña

A.A.'s international journals, in English (since 1944) and Spanish (since 1996). They are supported by subscriptions, not contributions.

Delegado(a) Alterno(a)

Supports the Delegate, stands in when needed, and organizes the Pre-Conference, FORO and Servathon.

RSG suplente

Supports the GSR and stands in when the GSR cannot attend. Alternates vote only in the GSR's absence.

Área

One of 93 areas in the U.S. and Canada. Each sends one Delegate to the General Service Conference. Area 09 is in the Pacific Region.

oficiales del Área

Delegate, Alternate Delegate, Chair, Secretary, Treasurer/AP, Treasurer/AR and Registrar — elected by the Third Legacy Procedure for a two-year panel.

Asamblea de Servicio de Área · ASA

The gathering of GSRs, district and Area officers and committee chairs that elects the Area officers and decides Area business. It meets at least three times a year (January, May and September in Area 09).

Comité de Servicio de Área · CSA

Officers, DCMCs, DCMs, past Delegates and committee chairs who meet between Assemblies to discuss problems, gather the districts' conscience, advise the Delegate and set the next Assembly's agenda. GSRs are encouraged to attend but do not vote.

Box 4-5-9

The General Service Office's newsletter, named after the office's old post-office box.

oficina central / intergrupo

A local service office that answers phones, keeps meeting lists and sells literature. Autonomous — not part of the general service structure.

Acción Recomendable de la Conferencia

A recommendation approved by the Conference, usually by a two-thirds vote, that guides the General Service Board.

comité coordinado

An autonomous service body that works with the Area, such as intergroups/central offices and Hospitals & Institutions.

Delegado(a)

Carries the Area's conscience to the General Service Conference, votes there as a member of the Conference for the good of A.A. as a whole, and reports back to the Area.

Compartimiento del Delegado

The Delegate's report to the Area after the Conference, at the May Assembly and then at district report-backs.

distrito

A group of A.A. groups in one geographic area (or sharing a language) whose GSRs meet regularly. Area 09 has 16 English-speaking and 6 Spanish-speaking districts.

Miembro del Comité de Distrito · MCD

Elected by the GSRs of a district (or sub-district). The vital link between the groups' GSRs and the Area service structure.

Coordinador de Miembros de Comité de Distrito · CMCD

In larger districts with sub-districts, the DCMC chairs the district committee and represents the district on the Area Service Committee. Each district has a role address such as d05dcmc@msca09aa.org.

Comité Ejecutivo

The seven Area officers, chaired by the Area Chair.

acción plenaria

A recommendation that comes from the full Conference floor rather than through a Conference committee.

FORO

A summer Area service event on general service topics, started in 1992 by the Spanish-speaking districts. Bilingual today.

Junta de Servicios Generales · JSG

The trustees — Class A (non-alcoholic) and Class B (alcoholic) — who look after A.A.'s two operating corporations, A.A. World Services and AA Grapevine.

Conferencia de Servicios Generales · CSG

A.A.'s annual meeting of delegates, trustees, directors and staff — the group conscience of A.A. in the U.S. and Canada. Delegates make up at least two-thirds of its members.

Oficina de Servicios Generales · OSG

The office in New York that serves all A.A. groups in the U.S. and Canada: publishes literature, supports the Conference and runs aa.org and the Meeting Guide app.

Representante de Servicios Generales · RSG

Elected by a group, usually for two years, to carry its conscience to the district and the Area and to bring news of A.A. as a whole back to the group. GSRs vote at Area Assemblies.

representante de Grapevine / de La Viña · RLV

A group member who makes the magazines known in the group.

conciencia de grupo

The collective voice of a group, reached after members have heard the facts and each other — an “informed” group conscience.

grupo base

The group a member chooses to belong to and where they take part in the group conscience.

Hospitales e Instituciones · HeI

Committees that carry the message into hospitals, treatment centers and correctional facilities. In Area 09, H&I is a coordinate committee.

triángulo invertido

A.A.'s upside-down organization chart: the groups are on top and hold final authority; the General Service Board is at the bottom, serving them.

distrito lingüístico

A district made up of groups that meet in a language other than English. Its boundaries can overlap the geographic districts — in Area 09, Districts 20 to 25 serve the Spanish-speaking groups.

miembros en regla

Voting members who have attended at least one Assembly or ASC in the previous 12 months.

opinión de la minoría

After a vote, those on the losing side may be heard. If what they say changes minds, the body may vote to reconsider.

moción

A formal proposal for the body to decide. In Area 09 a motion is usually introduced as new business at one meeting, discussed by the groups, and voted on at a later meeting.

asuntos nuevos

Motions and topics brought to the Area for the first time.

asuntos pendientes

Motions and topics carried over from an earlier meeting, usually ready for discussion and a vote.

Asamblea de Servicio de A.A. de la Región del Pacífico · PRAASA

A yearly weekend of service sharing for the 15 areas of the Pacific Region, held before the Conference. Open to all members.

panel

The two-year term of an Area's officers and Delegate. Area 09's Panel 76 serves 2026–2027.

Pre-Conferencia

Each spring GSRs and DCMs bring their groups' conscience on the Conference agenda to the Delegate — at district boot camps, a Spanish inter-district meeting and the Area's mock conference.

punto de agenda propuesto

A suggestion for the Conference agenda. Any member, group, district or area may submit one to the General Service Office.

reserva prudente

Money kept aside so a service body can keep working through a lean time.

Foro Regional

A free weekend where members meet trustees, directors and GSO staff. Each region hosts one every other year.

custodio regional

A Class B trustee elected for a region. The Pacific Regional Trustee serves Area 09 and the other 14 Pacific areas.

Registrador(a)

The Area officer who keeps group and GSR records up to date with the General Service Office.

rotación

Trusted servants serve a set term and then step aside, so others can serve and no one becomes indispensable.

Servathon

A fall Area event that focuses on one or more of the Twelve Traditions and on every kind of A.A. service. The first was held in 1973.

Séptima Tradición

“Every A.A. group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.” Groups support their district, Area, central office and GSO.

comité permanente

An Area committee that carries out an ongoing service, such as Public Information, Archives or Literature. Area 09 has 19.

unanimidad sustancial

A two-thirds majority. Area 09 uses it for long-term policy, contracts and the annual budget; most other business passes by simple majority.

Procedimiento del Tercer Legado

A.A.'s own election method: written ballots until someone has two-thirds, with candidates withdrawn after set rounds and, if needed, a choice by lot (“going to the hat”).

servidor(a) de confianza

Anyone who holds a service position. “Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern.” (Tradition Two)

custodio

A member of the General Service Board. Class A trustees are non-alcoholic friends of A.A.; Class B trustees are A.A. members.

Doce Conceptos para el Servicio Mundial

The principles that guide A.A.'s service structure — the third of A.A.'s three Legacies.