ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The $10.5 billion Pentagon Federal Credit Union has joined the National Cooperative Business Association, a move which the CU said should help emphasize its identity as a financial cooperative. The NCBA is the lead national membership association representing cooperatives of all types and in all industries.

“We looked into the organization and found it worth our time and attention and with very affordable dues,” explained Frank Pollack, CEO at Pentagon.

Many credit unions are indirectly members of the NCBA because their leagues are often members, along with associations like CUNA and NAFCU. But Pentagon is the latest of three very large credit unions which have taken the step of joining NCBA on their own.

The $31 billion Navy Federal Credit Union has been a member for about a year and the $15 billion State Employees Credit Union has been a member about nine months, according to Adam Schwartz, a vice president with the association.

Schwartz attributed the decision of the larger credit unions to join NCBA to an interest in strengthening their ties to the broader world of cooperative organizations.