Speaking for myself, I volunteered to become a FlyerTalk moderator years ago primarily to give back to the FlyerTalk community in return for all that I have benefited from the community.

My understanding back then was that the primary role of a FlyerTalk moderator is almost identical to that of the role of the proposed FlyerTalk ambassador: to help FlyerTalk members get their questions answered and to make them feel welcome and comfortable posting on FlyerTalk so that they may be encouraged to participate more often. This is still my understanding today. Although the role of a moderator is also to discipline FlyerTalk members who are in violation of the Guidelines & Rules of FlyerTalk, that is not the main role, but rather an unfortunate necessary part of the job. Furthermore, I dislike when my volunteer role is compared to that of a police officer.

In addition to assisting FlyerTalk members publicly, I still receive unsolicited private messages from FlyerTalk members, new and veteran, with questions and suggestions that are for some reason addressed to me only, even if I am not the moderator of a particular forum. I am more than happy to answer those questions and be mindful and thoughtful of any suggestions that come my way. I attempt to assist fellow FlyerTalk members any way I can.

Although I believe this proposal has been presented with good intentions and I support any method that helps make FlyerTalk a better place for as many people as possible, I see this idea as duplicitous. Regardless, I try to keep an open mind. I would support a trial period with a selection of several different FlyerTalk members to be a part of a pilot FlyerTalk ambassador program.

There is a thread I launched in the Delta forum called The Delta Forum Lounge Thread — Everybody is Welcome!. Note the portion of the title which reads Everybody is Welcome! Although this thread serves other purposes, it is important to note that it has served well as a starting point where new FlyerTalk members, as well as veteran FlyerTalk members who are new to the Delta forum, can ask any question they like. In response, they can expect at least a half-dozen warm welcomes from FlyerTalk members who regularly participate in that thread, as well as get answers — often within an hour of posting the question.

I do not know about the past record of other Lounge threads that appear on FlyerTalk, nor am I suggesting or advocating that there be a Lounge thread in every FlyerTalk forum. However, instead of the FlyerTalk ambassador idea, why not just have a welcoming thread in every FlyerTalk forum where FlyerTalk members can feel welcomed — and even have questions answered — by FlyerTalk members in those forums who choose voluntarily to serve as ambassadors, even if only for that moment?