INVESTIGATING COMMITTEES

INVESTIGATING COMMITTEES

WHO

Bylaws - Sec. 102 Application New Members The Auxiliary President appoints three (3) members to the Investigating Committee. The member making the recommendation shall not be a member of the investigating committee.

WHAT

ROLE: Ensure every application is filled out completely and correctly and Ensure the eligibility of an applicant, as stated on the application

Bylaws Section 102, page 13, Investigating Committee shall: Make a careful investigation of the facts set forth in the application, and

Bylaws Section 102, page 13, Investigating Committee shall: Make a careful investigation of the facts set forth in the application, and See proof of honorable service of the Eligible Veteran, unless the Veteran is a member of that VFW Post.

Examining Proof of Eligibility: The Eligible Veteran s service must comply with the VFW s Eligibility Information. The Auxiliary does not review the applicant s relationship to the Eligible Veteran.

The VFW has three qualifiers for Membership, and all three must be met:

The VFW has three qualifiers for Membership, and all three must be met: 1. Citizenship must be a U.S. citizen or U.S. National

The VFW has three qualifiers for Membership, and all three must be met: 1. Citizenship must be a U.S. citizen or U.S. National 2. Honorable Service must have received a discharge of Honorable or General (Under Honorable Conditions) from the U.S. Armed Forces or be currently serving

The VFW has three qualifiers for Membership, and all three must be met: 1. Citizenship must be a U.S. citizen or U.S. National 2. Honorable Service must have received a discharge of Honorable or General (Under Honorable Conditions) from the U.S. Armed Forces or be currently serving 3. Service in a war, campaign, or expedition on foreign soil or in hostile waters.

QUALIFYING SERVICE: An authorized campaign medal (see a full list of qualifying medals and badges in VFW Auxiliary Bylaws Section 101)

VFW ELIGIBILITY GUIDE Bylaws Section 101

QUALIFYING SERVICE: Receipt of Hostile Fire Pay or Imminent Danger Pay (verified by a military pay statement)

QUALIFYING SERVICE: Service in Korea for 30 consecutive or 60 nonconsecutive days (between June 30, 1949 and today)

QUALIFYING SERVICE: Persons in the armed forces of the United States become eligible for membership immediately upon arrival on hostile soil, in hostile waters or the airspace above in the performance of service.

QUALIFYING SERVICE: Discharges Discharges issued during and immediately after World War II have a section on the back listing the medals and decorations that have been earned. Persons discharged later received a DD-214, "Report of Separation" form, which lists the medals and decorations on the front.

QUALIFYING SERVICE: "Report of Separation" form, which lists the medals and decorations on the front. Lost separation documents can be replaced by completing and submitting GSA Standard Form 180, "Request Pertaining to Military Records."

QUALIFYING SERVICE: If the Eligible Veteran claims entitlement to a medal, which is not shown on the individual's separation papers, that person may request verification and correction of records by submitting a GSA Standard Form 180.

HOW

Methods the Investigating Committee could use: Applicant joining on a member of that Post (not another Post) Committee only needs to verify that the Eligible Veteran listed on the application is a member of that Post.

Methods the Investigating Committee could use: Applicant joining on a member of that Post (not another Post) Verification by one or more members of the Committee: Contact the Post Quartermaster or other Post officer and be told that the Eligible Veteran listed on the application is a member of that Post; no official document appears to be required See a plaque or list at the Post of life and/or continuous members Any other methods authorized by the VFW

Methods the Investigating Committee could use: Applicant joining on an Eligible Veteran who is a member of another Post or not a member of the VFW

Applicant joining on an Eligible Veteran who is a member of another Post or not a member of the VFW If the Eligible Veteran is still in the military, acceptable proof includes: Orders of various types, including: Travel orders Medical orders Morning reports Assignment listings Records showing hostile fire or imminent danger pay Photograph of Veteran in a war zone Sworn Affidavit Prior DD-214 Any other methods authorized by the VFW

Applicant joining on an Eligible Veteran who is a member of another Post or not a member of the VFW If the Eligible Veteran is discharged from the military, acceptable proof includes all of the items listed above for active duty and: Separation Document DD-214 Photograph of tombstone or grave marker showing eligibility Record from a memorial or website showing eligibility Any other documents or records acceptable by the VFW

HOW 2

Investigating Committee meets and determines what it will report

Investigating Committee meets and determine what it will report: Just like any committee, it meets! If an application is incomplete, the members may want to see if they can help the applicant provide the missing information.

If the Investigating Committee finds the application is complete and determines the applicant is eligible, at least two (2) members of the Investigating Committee are to sign the application in the designated area.

The Auxiliary is not to take action on the application until the Investigating Committee reports to the Auxiliary.

WHEN

Order of Business During an Auxiliary Meeting

Per the Podium Edition Bylaws and Ritual 2018 ( Bylaws or Ritual, depending on the context), the Ritual provides an Auxiliary Order of Business (Contemporary Meeting Item #3, Reading and Referring of Applications for Membership, page 10; Traditional Meeting Item #4, Reading and Referring of Applications for Membership, page 19) and proceeds to delineate those items on pages 14 and 27, respectively, using the exact same words,

President: Mister/Madam Secretary, do we have any applications for membership? Secretary: Mister/Madam President, we have (or don t have). Secretary reads names of applicants.

The Ritual language does not provide for referring the applications to the Investigating Committee, but Bylaws Section 102 and the header does. After the Secretary reads the names of any applicants, the President should then state that the applications are referred to the Investigating Committee.

The very next item in the Auxiliary Order of Business is #4 and #5, respectively, Report of Investigating Committee. The language used is:

President: We will now have the report of the investigating committee. The committee will recommend election or rejection in accordance with Section 102 of the National Bylaws.

WHERE

After the Auxiliary votes: The Application needs the following information added and verified, usually by the Treasurer or Secretary: Check one of the boxes for Rejected or Election Insert the Date of the vote If the member is Initiated, enter the Obligation Date If the member is purchasing a life membership, make sure the information for payment by check or by ACH is properly completed.

And, now,

For the most difficult part

READING THE INFAMOUS...

DD-214 AND OTHER DOCUMENTS

DD214 - Iraq

CERTIFICATE OF MILITARY SERVICE

DA24 SERVICE RECORD

DD214 REQUIRES WORK

ENLISTED RECORD & REPORT OF SEPARATION

VFW Auxiliary

ENLISTED RECORD & REPORT OF SEPARATION

VETERAN HEADSTONE

OTHER SOURCES?

DD215

OSSR4

QUESTIONS?