A.A. has no real government. Each group is free to work out its own customs and ways of holding meetings, as long as it does not hurt other groups or A.A. as a whole. The members elect a chairperson, a secretary, and other group officers. These officers do not give orders to anybody; mostly, their job is to see that the group runs smoothly. In the average group, new officers are elected twice a year.
But the individual group is not cut off from the rest of A.A.. Just as A.A. members help each other, so do A.A. groups. Here are three of the means they use to exchange help:
- Groups in the same area set up a central office or "intergroup" office.
- Groups everywhere share their experiences by writing the A.A. General Service Office, in New York City.
- Groups in the U.S. and Canada choose representatives to go to the A.A. General Service Conference, held once a year.
All these A.A. offices and the representatives at the Conference make suggestions, based on the experiences of many different A.A. groups. But they do not make rules or issue commands to any groups or members.
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