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Legion Programs. Oregon American Legion College 10-12 July 2015 Prineville, OR. DEPARTMENT SECOND VICE COMMANDER.
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Legion Programs Oregon American Legion College 10-12 July 2015 Prineville, OR
DEPARTMENT SECOND VICECOMMANDER • The Department Second Vice Commander shall perform such duties as may be requested by the Department Commander and the Department Executive Committee; oversee The American Legion programs specified in the Department of Oregon By-Laws.
THE FOUR PILLARS OF THE AMERICAN LEGION • The American Legion’s four pillars – Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation, National Security, Americanism, and Children and Youth – are as relevant today as when our organization was founded in 1919. • The post should be a pillar of the community, conscious that it represents the national organization to citizens in its community.
COMMITTEES • Committees are usually appointed to carry out the Legion programs. A committee may be a committee of one or several Legionnaires. The Committee has a Chairperson who plans, directs and monitors the program. Pick your Chairperson wisely as they will have a major part in the success of a program
PROGRAMSFrom the Resolution No. 50: Training and Education (21st Century) • RESOLVED, That all levels of The American Legion leadership are urged to develop a standard for its leadership to include a knowledge about programs, activities, goals and objectives of the organization in order to do their best and be more proactive towards the needs of those they serve; • And, be it further RESOLVED, That all levels of The American Legion be strongly and resolutely urged to develop and execute a continuing education program pertaining to The American Legion programs for leadership and members.
PROGRAMS • Programs are the lifeblood of the Legion. • Programs are needed to maintain interest and, especially, to keep up with the times. • Don’t let your programs go stale. • Any program run exactly the same way year after year is going to grow stale. • New programs are needed; old programs should be changed, revitalized or, in some cases, dropped.
PROGRAMS • Look to see where The Legion might serve in connection with local schools and school programs, drug abuse and teen suicide prevention, Scouting, care for disabled or aging veterans, or the community’s need for volunteer group. • A program won’t happen without someone to make it happen.
PROGRAMS • In any given post, there is a reliable group of members who do most of the work. Nearly all posts build their programs around this manpower pool. Even so, this percentage of active members does not need to hover at the same mark. Pick up department and national planning manuals for ideas on how to increase the number and contributions of active Legionnaires, and use this material as a base for your own presentation to make your post more effective.
PROGRAMS • Many outstanding posts devote their energies and resources to just two or three programs or activities, more than justifying their existence. • Programs are effective to the degree the post adopts and puts them into operation. • Encourage members to actively participate in civic affairs. • At the beginning of the year select programs that your Post will participate in. • Select someone to be in charge of each program. Select a person who is interested in the program.
Prior to the appointment of Committee Chair and members: • Identify the goal of the program. • Determine the tasks committee members need to perform. • Identify activities that will help committee members to succeed. • Consider the characteristics of the committee members. • Provide necessary information to committee members. • Ensure committee members give feedback.
A suggested agenda should include: • Funding • Old, and possibly new, sources of income. • Estimated expenditures. • Possible methods of financing selected programs with other than post funds.
Discussion of individual programs and committees to determine the following: • Qualifications and suggestions for committee chairs and members. • Established programs. • Possible new programs (use available handbooks and department material as guides). • Program schedule. • Discussion of programs unique to your post. • Initiate study of the post and community for new programs.
Activate committees for programs • Select chairperson and members. • Make personal contact with each chair to determine willingness to serve. • Arrange meeting of committees to formulate program. • Instruct chairmen on programs, available materials, post reports and more. • Build timetable for each committee to fit into the overall post calendar. • Coordinate with the post’s Auxiliary unit. Many programs depend on Auxiliary support to be successful..
Have a list of programs by the month that the Post will be involved in and any scheduled times that events will occur, i.e. Memorial Day Ceremony, County Fair, Flag displays, school events. • The Post should show attention to appearance of the Post property and Legionnaires that are helping with programs in the community. This doesn’t require a capital improvement, just one of attention to detail and routine fix-ups. • Ensure that Legionnaires participating in public are properly attired. First impressions are the longest lasting impressions. Neat and clean Legionnaires will generate more contact with the public than if they are afraid they’ll catch something from a Legionnaire. LOL
Common Legion Programs • Americanism program seeks to inspire love of country and good citizenship through patriotic observances, flag etiquette, civic instruction in schools, the Americanization of immigrants, community service, and youth activities such as Boys State, Boy Scouts, Oratorical Contest, School Award Medals and American Legion Baseball. • Children and Youth ensures that any child of a veteran in need of care and protection shall receive proper and timely service and aid, strengthening the family unit. • Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation program assists veterans in pursuing claims, understanding their rights and obtaining their benefits. Committee members also visit comrades who are sick or disabled, and provide comfort to members’ families in illness and bereavement.
National Security This program urges post members to assist in community emergency preparedness, and to support local and national civilian defense projects. • Membership & Post Activities This committee is responsible for obtaining, retaining and increasing post membership – specifically, renewals, enrollment of new members, transfers and reinstatements. The first vice commander often chairs the membership committee. • Visiting or VAVS this program gives comfort and assistance to members and their families during illness or bereavement, and visit hospitalized veterans. • Social activities Members join because of real or expected comradeship, fun and social activities. A good post recognizes this, giving as much attention to planning a social event as it does to any other project.
AMERICANISM Baseball Boys State / Nation Citizenship Flag Advocacy Flag Etiquette Get Out the Vote Junior Shooting Sports Oratorical Contest Scholarships Scouting Youth Cadet Law Enforcement Program Youth Programs Alumni
CHILDREN & YOUTH Child Welfare Foundation Family Assistance Scholarships Youth Support • NATIONAL SECURITY & FOREIGN RELATIONS Junior ROTC National Security & Foreign Relations Operation Comfort Warriors POW/MIA Troop Support
VETERANS AFFAIRS & REHABILITATION Benefits Center Career Center Education Center Health Center Homelessness Service Officers Suicide Prevention System Worth Saving Veteran Services Women Veterans
COMMUNITY SERVICE American Legion Auxiliary Family Support Network Financial Assistance Financial Center Heroes to Hometowns Legion Riders Legiontown USA Legislative Action Center Media National Emergency Fund Sons of The American Legion Volunteering
Name something that would be classified as working a program:
Donating Blood • Crime prevention • Fire Prevention • Get out the vote • School Awards • Veterans in the classroom
Have American Legion information booths at community events. • Pass out Legion information, V.A. Benefits information, have a service officer available to answer questions. • Publications on all major American Legion programs are available from department headquarters and National Headquarters. • See the complete list at www.legion.org/publications. Many can be downloaded for free; others are available at low cost. • The community knows The American Legion by its posts. In your community, The American Legion is your post. So you need to ensure that your community knows about the American Legion by your participation and sponsoring events in the community. • Have fundraising plan to ensure post programs remain vibrant.
Have raffles i.e. raffle quilts, raffle dinners. • You’d be surprised how many businesses will donate or discount merchandise and supplies to Legion activities. • Provide a community event like a chili feed, spaghetti dinner, potluck lunch, pizza night or BBQ. So Posts will be able to have this type of events free to the public. Experience has shown that even free events will generate funds through donations. During events people will donate just because they appreciate that the work that is being done for our veterans.
Post notices in the local paper, city web sites, radio and TV stations about the event. Put flyer up in businesses. Have banners made to advertise recurring events. Simple banner holders can be made from PVC pipe. • If you have questions about how to start a program, revitalize a program or just get some help with the program, you can go to your District and/or the Department 2nd Vice Commander. They can give you advice on how to make your programs successful.
