How time flies. It has been a busy seven months, and I anticipate a busy five months ahead.

Transcription

1 VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS GUIDE TO THE GO: DEPARTMENT OF VIRGINIA Articles are listed by number not by pages: Faithfully Serving the Deserving NUMBER 8 February 1, Lee Jackson Highway Staunton, Virginia (540) FAX: In Virginia Website: stateheadquarters@va.vfwwebmail.com GUIDE TO THE GO: Articles are listed by number not by pages: 1. Commander s Message 2. District Meetings 3. By-Laws and Manual of Procedure 4. Closing 5. Dues Notice Schedule 6. Account Access 7. General Orders 8. Gun Raffle 9. Hospital 10. Important Dates 11. Leadership Reference Guide 12. Legacy Life Membership 13. Life Membership Drawing 14. Membership 15. Membership Webinar Training 16. National Convention Housing 17. National Convention Registration 18. Partners in Patriotism 19. Patriot s Pen 20. POW/MIA 21. Reporting 22. Resolutions 23. Roster Updates 24. Vietnam War Commemoration 25. Vietnam War Commemoration Program 1. COMMANDER S MESSAGE: How time flies. It has been a busy seven months, and I anticipate a busy five months ahead. I want to thank everyone who attended the Recruiting Class at the Winter Council Meeting and for those that didn t attend, you missed a golden opportunity to learn how to recruit and increase your Post membership. I especially want to thank the instructors, Hal Roesch, Tom Hines, Ken Wiseman and Kim DeShano. If I missed anyone, I apologize. With all the knowledge you received at the class there is no doubt in my mind that the Department will be a 100% plus this year. Tom Hines is the Department Membership Chairman. Tom is always looking for someone to go recruiting with him and is willing to go almost anytime and anyplace to recruit, but he needs help from your Post and your members. You know your communities and the people in them, Tom doesn t. If your Post sets up a recruiting event, have your members there to help him. I also want to thank those who attended the Service Officer Training. Unfortunately I couldn t attend the school, but I am sure it was informative and well run. Jan. 15 th was the Day on the Hill in Richmond. The weather was bad, rain and freezing rain, which kept a lot of our members at home, but the veterans that we are, we made do with what we had and had a productive day. Yours in Comradeship, Earle P. (Buddy) Weekley, Jr. Department Commander

2 2. DISTRICT MEETINGS: 1 st Date: 02/07/15 Meeting: 11:00 AM Lunch: to follow meeting Location: Post 2296, Tasley Daugherty Rd Buddy Weekley State Commander 2 nd Date: 02/28/15 Lunch: 12:00 Noon Meeting: 1:00 PM Location: Post 4411, Franklin 3385 Beaverdam Rd Buddy Weekley State Commander 3 rd Date: 02/21/15 Meeting: 10:00 AM Lunch: To follow meeting Location: Post 637, Hopewell 1400 Lynchburg Street Ken Wiseman State Surgeon 4 th Date: 02/07/15 Meeting: 2:00 PM Dinner: To follow Meeting Location: Post 8759, Amelia Amelia City Veterans Ctn Tom Gimble State Jr. Vice Commander 5 th Date: 02/14/15 Lunch: To follow Meeting Meeting: 12:00 Noon Location: Post 4637, Martinsville 2327 Old Chatham Road Mike Boehme State Judge Advocate 6 th Date: 02/08/15 Meeting: 2:00 PM Lunch: to follow Meeting Location: Post 4491, New Castle 295 Hunters Drive Doug Keller State Sr. Vice Commander 7 th Date: 03/08/15 Lunch: 11:30 AM Meeting: 1:00 PM Location: Post 8613, Shenandoah 1103 Varina Ave Doug Keller State Sr. Vice Commander 8 th Date: 02/22/15 Meeting: 1:00 PM Location: Post 3103, Fredericksburg 2701 Princess Anne St. Ken Wiseman State Surgeon 9 th Date: 5/17/15 Registration: 10:00 AM Lunch: 12:00 Noon Meeting: 1:00 PM Location: Post 1184, Pulaski 2 Dora Hwy 10 th Date: 03/15/15 Lunch: 11:30 AM Meeting: 1:00 PM Location: Post 8241, McLean 1051 Springhill Road Mike Boehme State Judge Advocate 11 th Date: 5/02/2015 Lunch: Before meeting Meeting: 11:30 AM Location: Post 632, Harrisonburg 450 Waterman Drive 12 th Date: 5/09/15 Registration: 10:00 AM Meeting: 11:00 AM Location: Prime Steak House, Norton 13 th Date: TBA Lunch: 12:00 Noon Meeting: To follow Lunch Location: Post 3. BY-LAWS AND MANUAL OF PROCEDURE: All officers should obtain current 2015 copies of the podium edition of the Congressional Charter, By-Laws, Manual of Procedure and Ritual. Copies of the revised edition of the Congressional Charter, By-Laws, Manual of Procedure and Ritual are available through the VFW Store at National Headquarters. The 2015 revised edition reflects the amendments adopted by the 115th National Convention, which became effective on August 20, 2014.

3

4 4. Your default password will be Virginia1 once you have accessed the mail program you will be asked to change it, it must contain at least one uppercase letter and one number. For District Officers your address will be or or for Districts other than the first just replace the 1 with your District #. For Post Officers your address will be cdrpost176@va.vfwwebmail.com or adjpost176@va.vfwwebmail.com or qmpost176@va.vfwwebmail.com for Post other than 176 just replace the 176 with your Post #. All Posts should prepare now for the full transition to the computer age. You can always find a library to get online. 7. GENERAL ORDERS: The cut off for the General Orders is the 20P th P of the month. No EXCEPTIONS. Subscriptions for hard copy via USPS for General Orders are $24.00 for the year. Please contact State Headquarters for more info. 8. GUN RAFFLE: The Winner of the Henry Military Service Tribute Edition Rifle was Brett Reistad from Manassas. The Gun Raffle was to support Hal Roesch s campaign for National Jr. Vice Commander in Chief. Thank you to anyone who bought a ticket. 9. HOSPITAL: Comrades, as January ends we have finished half of the second reporting period. Looking at the Post and MAUX's, it disturbs me that 50% have not reported anything for hospital work in three months. Be it visiting shut-in's or those who have current medical issues, trips or donations to the VA or something else related to helping a hospitalized Veteran there are many ways your Post and MAUX can get credit. 78 Posts and MAUXs of the 154 total in the state need to talk to members at your next meeting and either get a report for something done since November 1st or plan something before April 30th so the work is done and reported. Our commitment to our nation's Veterans is a solemn obligation and an act we can all hope will be returned to us when we are the ones in the hospital or confined to our homes. 10. IMPORTANT DATES: Kenneth B. Wiseman, III Virginia State Surgeon March 1-5, 2015 April 18, 2015 Legislative Conference, Washington, DC Department Commander and President s Homecoming, Harrisonburg, VA June 11-14, 2015 Department Convention, Williamsburg, VA. Room Rate $87.00, cut-off date Phone July 18-22, 2015 October 2-4, 2015 November 19-22, 2015 National Convention, Pittsburg, PA National C-I-C Homecoming, Pittsburg, PA Southern Conference, Savannah, GA 11. LEADERSHIP REFERENCE GUIDE: Attention Post Commanders and Quartermasters: the VFW Leadership Reference Guide is now available online at the National VFW website ( You will have to create an account and log on as a VFW member to be able to view or print it.

5 12. LEGACY LIFE MEMBERSHIP: Legacy Life Membership: This prestigious program is available to all Life Members. Three levels of membership each offer their own package of exclusive member benefits. Financial contributions to the Legacy Life Member program are tax deductible to the maximum extent allowed by law. Enrollment Cost: Annual Payouts: Post: Department: National: Levels: Gold- $1200 $18.00 $18.00 $18.00 Silver- $800 $12.00 $12.00 $12.00 Bronze- $400 $6.00 $6.00 $ LIFE MEMBERSHIP DRAWING: What will your Legacy be? Congratulations! General Lewis B (Chesty) Puller Post 1503 is the winner of a free Life Membership in the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Department of Virginia. General Lewis B (Chesty) Puller Post 1503 was made eligible for this Free Life Membership for having 95% of their membership goal reported to State Headquarters by the January 5, 2015 deadline. 14. MEMBERSHIP: Commanders and Comrades, Kim DeShano, State ADJ/QM We have used up half of Buddy's year. Are you satisfied with the membership of your District or Post? I hope to see improvement in the percentages from this point forward. If your annuals have not renewed by now, you have to renew them or recruit new members to replace them. We only have six months left to reach our goal of 100% for the Department. Most Posts depend on writing letters or calling by phone to renew their members. I believe this only works about 20% of the time. The best way is to send out two member teams to visit these comrades in person. I realize this takes a lot more effort and cost a little more than the letter and phone call, but the success rate is much higher. I hope you will make every effort to renew all of your members. Recruiting new members is easy; however keeping them in the Post is the problem. This is where leadership of the Post is critical. You, as Officers of the Post, must lead by example. Don't ask your members to go out and recruit if you are unwilling to do so. Change is one of the three certain things in life, the others are taxes and death. Will you lead your Post in changing a little to make the younger veterans, male and female, feel welcome? If ignored they will not come to many meetings. Then you have to go out and recruit more members to replace them. Makes sense to try to keep what you already have. I will be talking to District Commanders at Winter Council about visiting some Post in their Districts. We will try to work with them to raise their membership percentages and resolve any others problems they may have while in the area. The State Team is looking forward to visiting and helping train recruiters at the Post level while we are helping with membership. The holidays are behind us now and we have clear sailing for a while. Weather can be difficult at times but we can usually work around it. If your Post would like help with planning or execution of a membership event, please don't hesitate to contact me or State HQ. 15. MEMBERSHIP WEBINAR TRAINING: Yours in Comradeship, Tom Hines-PDC Membership Chairman Continuing Membership webinar training will be held on the second Wednesday of each month from 11 a.m. 12 p.m. CST.

6 All interested parties are encouraged to participate, and each session will be recorded for those unable to participate live. 16. NATIONAL CONVENTION HOUSING: 116th National Convention Housing will officially open February 16, Housing reservation information will be located on the convention website accessed through the main VFW website at The convention website will also have general convention information including the registration form and links to other convention related information for Pittsburgh July 18-22, 2015 including a tentative agenda. 17. NATIONAL CONVENTION REGISTRATION: Section 222 of the Manual of Procedure states each Post will pay, in advance, a national convention registration fee of twenty-five dollars ($25) which shall entitle the Post to a packet of convention information and materials and one identified registered delegate for the National Convention. Each additional delegate attending the National Convention will pay a ten dollar ($10) delegate fee provided the Post has paid the mandated $25 advance registration fee. All advance registrations should be mailed to the VFW National Headquarters, 406 West 34th Street, Kansas City, MO 64111, ATTN: Convention Registration or you may register on-line by going to PARTNERS IN PATRIOTISM: Have You Heard About the VFW s Partners in Patriotism? Would you like to support the VFW s life-changing programs for veterans, service members and their families without receiving all of the unwanted mail? The VFW has developed an option that lets you support VFW programs on a monthly, quarterly, or yearly basis, as well as reduce expenses and eliminate unwanted mail. It is called Partners in Patriotism. As a member of Partners in Patriotism, you choose a set dollar amount for your donation (minimum amount of $10) that is either charged to your credit card or set up as an Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) from your bank account. If you are interested in joining Partners in Patriotism, you may contact the VFW Development Department Donor Services at , ext. 6318, or us at partners@vfw.org with Partners in Patriotism Application in the subject line. 19. PATRIOT S PEN: Don Hall and I would like to thank all of the Posts and Districts that participated in the Patriots Pen Youth essay contest. 81 Posts and 53 Auxiliaries participated with all 13 Districts. Participation was greater this year with 2,237 students. Monetary donations were $25, with $9, additional money, $ from the Department, $ from the Commanders Club and $ from the Ladies Auxiliary for a grand total of $36, First place winner was Parker Moore from Post Second was Zane Runicka from Post 960 and third was Caleb Hanger from Post Thanks and I hope to see this participation next year. 20. POW/MIA: Joe Martin / Don Hall Patriot s Pen Chairmen November 26, 2014 Missing WWII Airmen Identified The Defense POW/MIA Office announced the identification of remains belonging to an airmen who had been missingin-action since World War II. Returned home is: Staff Sgt. Charles J. Jones. The crew of the B-24D Liberator was on a mission out of Nazdab Air Field in New Guinea to attack an anti-aircraft site at Hansa Bay on April 10, 1944, when the aircraft was shot down by enemy anti-aircraft fire. The airmen recovered is being returned to their families for burial with full military honors. November 18, 2014 MIAs Identified Capt. Richard W. Vincent, U.S. Marine Corps, Company D, 2nd Battalion, 18th Marines, 2nd Marine Division, was lost Nov. 20, 1943 in Tarawa. He was accounted for Oct. 21, He will be buried with full military honors Sgt. Arnold Pitman, U.S. Army, Company L, 3d Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division, was lost Dec. 12, 1950 in North Korea. He was accounted for Oct. 7, He will be buried with full military honors

7 December 05, 2014 Two Korean War MIAs Identified The Defense POW/MIA Office announced the identification of remains of two Americans who had been missing-inaction since the Korean War. Identified are: Army Pfc. Paul L. Tingle, of San Francisco, was lost on Nov. 26, 1950, in North Korea, where he later died as a prisoner of war. He was assigned to Company I, 3rd Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. He was accounted for on Nov. 12, and will be buried with full military honors at a location yet to be determined. Marine Corps 1st Lt. Raymond O. Ball, from Ohio, was lost in North Korea on Nov. 27, 1950, and accounted for on Nov. 13. He was assigned to Company E, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, and will be buried with full military honors at a location yet to be determined December 15, 2014 Three Korean War MIAs Identified The Defense POW/MIA Office announced the identification of remains of three soldiers who had been missing-inaction since the Korean War. Recovered are: Army Pfc. Anthony Massey Jr., 23, of Graves County, Ky., was lost in North Korea on Nov. 28, 1950, and later died as a prisoner of war. He was accounted for on Dec. 5, He was assigned to Company C, 24th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, and will be buried with full military honors on a date and location yet to be determined. Army Sgt. 1st Class Gordon L. Hannah, of Minnesota, was lost in North Korea on Jan. 28, 1951, and accounted for on Dec. 3, He was assigned to Company K, 3rd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, and will be buried with full military honors on a date and location yet to be determined. Army Cpl. Donald A. Therkelsen, 23, of Cook, Ill., was lost in North Korea on July 17, 1953, and accounted for on Dec. 2, He was assigned to Medical Company, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, and will be buried with full military honors on a date and location yet to be determined. December 20, 2014 Korean War MIA Identified Cpl. Francis D. Knobel, U.S. Army, Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division, was lost Dec. 12, 1950, in North Korea. He was accounted for Dec. 10, He will be buried with full military honors December 29, 2014 Airman Missing From WWII Accounted For The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, lost during World War II, have been identified and are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors. Army Air Forces Maj. Peyton S. Mathis, Jr., 28, of Montgomery, Ala., will be buried Jan. 3, 2015, in his hometown. On June 5, 1944, Mathis was the pilot of a P-38J lightning on a bombing mission on Japanese gun positions in the Shortland-Poporang area of the northern Solomons Islands. en route Mathis lost power in his right engine. At approximately the same time the mission was canceled. Mathis crashed while attempting to land at Kukum Air Field on Guadalcanal Island in the Solomon Islands. A rescue team located the crash site the same day, but was unable to recover Mathis because the aircraft was submerged in water in a dense jungle swamp. In 1949, an Army Graves Registration Company searched for Mathis P-38J, but was unable to locate it. He was subsequently declared non-recoverable. In 2012, while surveying another crash site, Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) was led by local individuals to another crash site. JPAC surveyed the area and in 2013 JPAC excavated the site. While there in 2013 the team took possession of additional remains that were in custody of the local police department. These additional remains were reported as being found by local villagers prior to the team s arrival to excavate the site. To identify Mathis remains, scientists from JPAC and the Armed Forces DNA. January 09, 2015 Three MIAs Recovered The Defense POW/MIA Office announced the identification of remains belonging to three American servicemen who had been missing in action from World War II, Korea and Vietnam. Recovered are: Army Air Forces Maj. Peyton S. Mathis Jr., 28, of Montgomery, Ala. On June 5, 1944, Mathis was piloting a P- 38J Lightning when the aircraft lost power while attempting to land at Kukum Air Field on Guadalcanal Island in the Solomon Islands. A rescue team located the crash site but was unable to recover Mathis because the aircraft was submerged in a dense jungle swamp. He will be buried with full military honors on a date and location yet to be determined. Army Cpl. Francis D. Knobel, 20, of La Crosse, Wis., was assigned to Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division, when he was lost Dec. 12, 1950, in North Korea. He will be buried with full military honors on a date and location yet to be determined. Air Force Col. William E. Cooper, 45, of Albany, Ga., was assigned to the 469th Tactical Squadron, 388th Tactical Fighter Wing, when his F-105D Thunderchief was shot down while on a strike mission on a highway-railroad bridge north of Hanoi, North Vietnam, on April 24, He will be buried with full military honors on a date and location yet to be determined.

8 January 15, 2015 Pentagon sets up new POW-MIA office The Pentagon is taking the first steps to set up a new agency that will direct the troubled effort to search for America's missing war dead, two years after an internal report found the current prisoner of war program was mismanaged and wasteful. Defense officials say they will begin merging two existing agencies into one POW-MIA office that will be more streamlined and effective. The new organization will be running next year. The decision comes as Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel prepares to leave the Pentagon. Last March Hagel announced he would create a new office to deal with POW-MIA issues that would be more focused and innovative. The failings of the POW-MIA program were highlighted in 2013 when The Associated Press disclosed a report that called the program acutely dysfunctional. January 16, 2015 MIAs from Three Wars Identified The Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office announced the identification of remains belonging to one Marine and two soldiers who had been missing in action from World War II, Korea and Vietnam. Identified are: Marine Corps Pvt. Jack M. Redman, 20, from Watseka, Ill., was lost on Nov. 20, 1943, during the Battle of Tarawa. He was assigned to Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment. He will be buried with full military honors on a date/location yet to be announced. Army Sgt. Joseph M. Snock Jr., 21, from Westmoreland, Pa., was lost on Nov. 30, 1950, in North Korea, where it would be learned he died as a prisoner of war. He was assigned to Heavy Mortar Company, 31st Infantry Regiment. He will be buried with full military honors on a date/location yet to be announced. Army Sgt. 1st Class James W. Holt, 26, of Hot Springs, Ark., was lost Feb. 7, 1968, in Vietnam. He was assigned to Company C, 5th Special Forces Group. He will be buried with full military honors on a date/location yet to be announced. 21. REPORTING: Until they are home Joe Martin Chairman Comrades to view whether your Post has submitted an Audit Report, Americanism, Community Service, Safety, Youth or Hospital report you will have to visit the Department website ( The website is updated daily. If you have any questions please call State Headquarters. There will be no form for Homeless when reporting for assistance to a homeless veteran please put it on a Community Activity report under aid to others. 22. RESOLUTIONS: It is the time of year to begin thinking about any changes you would like to see concerning the operation of the VFW at the Department and National levels. All changes must be presented in the form of a resolution and be submitted to the Department for consideration at the Department Convention. If a Post wishes to make a resolution or by-law change, it is not necessary that a draft of the proposed new text be submitted through your District. However, by obtaining the support of the other Posts within your District you can reinforce your Post's position. The Resolutions Committee consists of Rick Raskin, Post Chair; Tom Ferguson, Post 2239; Ron Link, Post 7589; and Harold Sayles, Post Any member of the committee can assist you in drafting your resolution. Please see additional information in these General Orders or ask any member of the Resolutions Committee about your thoughts. We encourage everyone to have any proposed resolutions and by-laws changes submitted by 15 May Resolutions may be submitted at the Department Convention up until 1700 hrs the evening prior to scheduled voting. However, since those resolutions will not be included in the abstract document they may not receive due attention by the Convention Delegates.

9 Please send all resolutions to Department Headquarters either via U.S. mail or electronically via ROSTER UPDATES: Rick Raskin Chair, Resolutions Committee New District 12 Commander Ray Wells 5228 Josephine Rd Norton, VA New Quartermaster VFW Post 2157 John Hahn 132 Lanyard Lane Monette, VA New Quartermaster VFW Post 2424 Randall Paugh 90 Summerfield Drive Fishersville, VA New Dues Amount VFW Post 6364 From $48.00 to $30.00 New Commander VFW Post 7916 Charles Wilson Sandalwood Lane Manassas, VA New Quartermaster VFW Post 7916 James Adams Cohasset Lane Woodbridge, VA New Jr. Vice Commander VFW Post 8613 Rondol Comer PO Box 143 Stanley, VA New Meeting Time VFW Post :30 PM 24. VIETNAM WAR COMMEMORATION: The Department of Virginia VFW will commemorate the experiences and sacrifices of our American Vietnam War veterans by co-hosting a viewing of the highly acclaimed documentary Last Days in Vietnam on Sunday, March 29 th at the Johnson Center Theater of George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. Virginia VFW is working with the Vietnam Veterans of America, George Mason University (GMU) Office of Military Services, the GMU Department of History and Art History, and the GMU Veterans Society to make this Oscar-nominated documentary available for free to veterans, families, and friends. No advance registration is required. More details, including start time, map, and parking information will be available soon. Please plan to join us Sunday evening for this remarkable event! 25. VIETNAM WAR COMMEMORATION PROGRAM: Margo Sheridan Vietnam War Commemoration Chairman 50 th ANNIVERSARY VIETNAM WAR COMMEMORATION PROGRAM. The Commemorative Partner Program is designed for federal, state and local communities, veterans' organizations and other non-governmental organizations to assist a grateful nation in thanking and honoring our Vietnam Veterans and their families. As a Commemorative Partner, VFW Posts are encouraged to participate in the Commemoration of the Vietnam War by planning and conducting events and activities that will recognize the Vietnam Veterans and their families' service, valor, and sacrifice. Events and activities should be dignified, memorable occasions that show a sensitivity and appreciation for the solemnity of war and the losses suffered by many. Commemorative Partners should communicate how their events will achieve the Congressionally-mandated objectives of the program. Events or activities should meet one or more of the Congressionally-mandated objectives of the program and, as a minimum, with an emphasis on objective one.

10 1. To thank and honor veterans of the Vietnam War, including personnel who were held as prisoners of war or listed as missing in action, for their service and sacrifice on behalf of the United States and to thank and honor the families of these veterans. 2. To highlight the service of the Armed Forces during the Vietnam War and the contributions of Federal agencies and governmental and non-governmental organizations that served with, or in support of, the Armed Forces. 3. To pay tribute to the contributions made on the home front by the people of the United States during the Vietnam War. 4. To highlight the advances in technology, science, and medicine related to military research conducted during the Vietnam War. 5. To recognize the contributions and sacrifices made by the allies of the United States during the Vietnam War. For VFW Posts interested in becoming an official Commemorative Partner, they must submit an application and a signed Statement of Understanding. Applications are available at on the Commemorative Partner Program. The approval process is usually less than 30 days. Partners will be kept informed through electronic notifications. Once approved as a Partner, the Commemoration will provide organizations with a starter kit of materials for developing and implementing their programs. If you have any questions regarding the Commemorative Partner Program application process, please direct them to: whs.vnwar50th_cpp@mail.mil. Official: By Order of: Kim A. DeShano State Adjutant Earle P. Weekley Jr. State Commander

11 PREPARING A RESOLUTION TO BE CONSIDERED BY THE NATIONAL CONVENTION The policy of the Veterans of Foreign Wars is established by resolutions adopted by the delegates attending Department and National Conventions. Most such resolutions originate at the Post level and are passed through the District and Department before being acted upon at a National Convention. Many times, an otherwise worthy idea gets nowhere merely because it is not correctly presented. A resolution contains two separate parts; a statement of the problem to be solved, and the proposed solution to the problem. The problem is outlined in the "WHEREAS" clauses, and the proposed solution is given in the "RESOLVED" section. The "RESOLVED" section of a resolution should be complete in itself without depending on the "WHEREAS" clauses to give it meaning. EXAMPLE: WHEREAS, the rising cost of living has created an intense hardship on those disabled veterans whose only income is a meager pension check; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, that we petition Congress to enact legislation which would provide a substantial increase in non-service connected pension rates. (Note: The "RESOLVED" section has a proposed solution that makes sense and can stand alone without the "WHEREAS" clause giving it meaning.) A resolution may deal with a local problem. It needs no action on a level higher than that of the Post. If the problem concerns an area larger than that served by the Post, it should, after Post approval, be presented before the District or County Council. All resolutions of statewide, regional or national concern must be acted upon by the Department Convention. Those resolutions approved by a Department Convention, which affect persons or matters outside the state boundaries, must be forwarded to the National Convention for final disposition. When submitting a resolution to the Department Convention, a notation on the bottom should show the previous action taken, such as, approval by Post and, if applicable, by the District. A Post or District submitting a resolution to its Department Convention must follow guidelines established by the Department, which may require submitting the resolution to the Department Adjutant prior to the convening of the convention. Resolutions not in proper form, unclear as to meaning, or concerning matters clearly not within the scope and purpose of the Veterans of Foreign Wars cannot be considered by the National Convention. Resolutions approved by a Department Convention, which affect matters outside state boundaries, must be forwarded by the Department Adjutant to the National Convention for final disposition. Approved resolutions should be sent to national headquarters at the close of the department convention. The Adjutant General requests all resolutions be forwarded to National Headquarters on or before the first working day of July. A resolution disapproved by the Department Convention or not acted upon by the Department Convention will not be considered by the National Convention. Resolutions may also be originated by Department officers or by the Department Convention itself and acted upon by the Department Convention. A National Officer may originate a resolution concerning National affairs and submit it directly to the National Convention without Department action. Likewise, a National Convention Committee may originate a resolution and present it for approval during the National Convention. Policy set by the National Convention is binding upon all subordinate units of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. No Post or Department is permitted to take any individual action or espouse any cause contrary to the National By-Laws or to the actions of the National Convention except that it may propose changes in policy by the preparation of a resolution for consideration as outlined herein.

12 PREPARING PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE NATIONAL BY-LAWS, MANUAL OF PROCEDURE OR RITUAL By-Laws: Any member in good standing, a Post, a District, or a Department, may propose an amendment to the National By-Laws; provided, however, before consideration at the National Convention, the proposed amendment must be approved by a Department Convention. Immediately following a Department Convention, the proposed amendment(s) must be forwarded to National Headquarters. Manual of Procedure and Ritual: Any Post, District, or Department may propose an amendment to the Manual of Procedure or Ritual; provided, however, before consideration at the National Convention, the proposed amendment must have been forwarded, through channel and have been properly approved. In order to meet National By-Law/Manual of Procedure Article XIV requirements, to provide 15 day notice to all Posts of all amendments, the Adjutant General requests all amendments be forwarded to National Headquarters on or before the first working day of July. By-Law, Manual of Procedure or Ritual changes not in proper form, unclear as to meaning, or concerning matters clearly not within the scope and purpose of the Veterans of Foreign Wars cannot be considered by the National Convention. A proposed change to the National By-Laws, Manual of Procedure or Ritual must be submitted as such, not as a resolution. Proposed amendments must be definite and specific as to the verbiage to be deleted or added. Use of the most recent amended copy of the National By-Laws, Manual of Procedure and Ritual is encouraged, as proposed changes considered by convention delegates cannot be amended on the floor. EXAMPLE 1: Proposed Amendment to National By-Laws proposed by Department of. Section By-Laws Amend Section 202, National By-Laws, by deleting the words "two-thirds (2/3)" in the first sentence of paragraph one, and inserting, in lieu thereof, the following: "majority". EXAMPLE 2: Proposed Amendment to National Manual of Procedure proposed by Department of. Section 518- Officers: Duties and Obligations. Amend Section 518, Manual of Procedure, by deleting paragraph (a) (1) d. in its entirety and inserting, in lieu thereof, the following: "Plan and organize all social functions." EXAMPLE 3: Proposed Amendment to National Ritual proposed by Department of. Amend the Ritual by deleting on page 48, in the last sentence of the Member's Obligation, the words "and a citizen of our great republic." Further amend by placing a period after the word "comrade" in the same sentence. If you require help composing a proposed change to the Bylaws, Manual of Procedure or Ritual, please contact Administrative Operations at National Headquarters for advice and assistance in properly preparing a proposed amendment to be voted upon by your department convention.

13

14