WASHINGTON, DC, August 4, 2009 – President Barack Obama, meeting privately with the leader of nation’s largest veterans service organization this morning, pledged to keep the medical care system administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs essentially as is – quelling fears that VA healthcare would be absorbed into a national health care system.
“(I) got his very strong assurance the VA as our veterans know it will continue to exist,” said National Commander David K. Rehbein. “It will not be diluted or folded into some sort of national system and that the folks who go to the VA…that will be considered their insurance, so any insurance requirements (will be met) simply by being enrolled in the VA.”
Another topic discussed during the one-on-one meeting in the Oval Office was Medicare reimbursement to the VA, a proposal long championed by The American Legion. This proposed practice would require Medicare to pay for care provided at VA medical facilities to Medicare beneficiaries – that is, eligible veterans over the age of 65 with non-service related injuries, illnesses and conditions. Currently, Medicare is precluded by statute from doing this.
“Medicare reimbursement to VA would be a boon to veterans in that it would encourage them to take advantage of what we consider the best care anywhere,” said the Commander. It would also generate much-needed revenue for the VA.”
In fact, The Medicare VA Reimbursement Act of 2009 (H.R. 3365), which is now being considered in Congress, resulted from a discussion Rehbein had with House Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Bob Filner (D-CA) at the Legion’s DC headquarters just three weeks ago. “I am pleased that Chairman Filner visited with us and then took prompt action,” Rehbein said.
President Obama and Commander Rehbein also discussed the positive effects that the enhanced educational benefits contained within the newly enacted and American Legion-pioneered Post 9/11 GI Bill will have on the veterans community and the nation as a whole.
The vexing problem of a dramatically growing backlog of VA benefits claims was also considered by the two. Rehbein said he feels the President “fully appreciates” its gravity and will do what he can to aid in its solution.
Commander Rehbein, obviously pleased with the meeting’s outcome, characterized the 25-minute White House chat as “very friendly…conversational in style” in which “issues were discussed rather than positions being presented.”
With a current membership of 2.6 million wartime veterans, The American Legion was founded in 1919 on the four pillars of a strong national security, veterans affairs, Americanism, and the mentoring of youth. Legionnaires work for the betterment of their communities through more than 14,000 posts across the nation.
Showing posts with label information. Show all posts
Showing posts with label information. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Military and veterans health care should not be part of any national health care bill, says The American Legion
WASHINGTON (July 22, 2009) – The national commander of the nation’s largest veterans service organization has reacted to tonight’s urgent call by President Barack Obama for national health care reform.
“While The American Legion appreciates the complexity of the healthcare reform challenge facing the President and Congress,” said David K. Rehbein, “on behalf of our nation's 26-million veterans and the nearly two million personnel now on active duty in more than 130 countries, we urge Congress to ensure that veterans’ and military health care not be part of any national health care bill. They should be exempt in the legislation.”
Rehbein added, “Our nation must maintain its long standing tradition that veterans’ and military health care systems will remain independent and focused on our most deserving citizens.
“The American Legion has a proud tradition of securing and preserving the earned benefits of America’s veterans,” Rehbein said. “Ensuring timely access to quality healthcare for today’s military and veterans is of paramount concern. These are the citizens who have borne our battles in previous wars as they still are in Iraq and Afghanistan. They have earned our care the hard way. We, as a nation, have an obligation to ensure that their healthcare is not compromised,” he concluded.
With a current membership of 2.5 million wartime veterans, The American Legion was founded in 1919 on the four pillars of a strong national security, veterans affairs, Americanism, and the mentoring of youth. Legionnaires work for the betterment of their communities through more than 14,000 posts across the nation.
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Media contacts: Craig Roberts, (202) 263-2982, Cell (202) 406-0887 or Joe March, (317) 630-1253; Cell (317) 748-1926. A high resolution photo of Nat. Cmdr. Rehbein is available at www.legion.org.
“While The American Legion appreciates the complexity of the healthcare reform challenge facing the President and Congress,” said David K. Rehbein, “on behalf of our nation's 26-million veterans and the nearly two million personnel now on active duty in more than 130 countries, we urge Congress to ensure that veterans’ and military health care not be part of any national health care bill. They should be exempt in the legislation.”
Rehbein added, “Our nation must maintain its long standing tradition that veterans’ and military health care systems will remain independent and focused on our most deserving citizens.
“The American Legion has a proud tradition of securing and preserving the earned benefits of America’s veterans,” Rehbein said. “Ensuring timely access to quality healthcare for today’s military and veterans is of paramount concern. These are the citizens who have borne our battles in previous wars as they still are in Iraq and Afghanistan. They have earned our care the hard way. We, as a nation, have an obligation to ensure that their healthcare is not compromised,” he concluded.
With a current membership of 2.5 million wartime veterans, The American Legion was founded in 1919 on the four pillars of a strong national security, veterans affairs, Americanism, and the mentoring of youth. Legionnaires work for the betterment of their communities through more than 14,000 posts across the nation.
-30-
Media contacts: Craig Roberts, (202) 263-2982, Cell (202) 406-0887 or Joe March, (317) 630-1253; Cell (317) 748-1926. A high resolution photo of Nat. Cmdr. Rehbein is available at www.legion.org.
Monday, June 8, 2009
another Veterans Corps???
Congress is trying to establish a new “Veterans Corps” under the established programs of AmeriCorps. (http://hamptonroads.com/2009/03/worthy-AmeriCorps-program-benefit-veterans) The provisions introduced to both the House and Senate asked that the taxpayers to put more money into a bureaucracy and establish a program from the ground up to do the job that so many Veterans Service Organizations are already doing. From what I can tell, this new initiative will give AmeriCorps the funding it needs to establish transition assistance volunteers to help veterans.
Now correct me if I’m wrong, but I’ve always thought the point of VSOs, like The American Legion, are chartered by Congress to organize volunteer efforts, manage donations, and bypassing the government bureaucracy, and putting the efforts and initiatives at the hands of veterans who understand how to help another veteran. Maintaining true grassroots and empowering fellow veterans to serve their peers not only ensure the quality but also the bond that ties a veteran to his/her community. Why do we want to waste more taxpayer’s money to build something that is already there???
So why is the Obama administration looking in another direction on helping our veterans??? Can it be simply that Obama, or Congress, didn’t really think this through? Are they just jumping into the bandwagon to simply do something for the sake of doing something???
If it were up to me, I’d say instead of building another veterans’ service organization under AmeriCorps, Congress and Obama should look at what all of the VSOs are doing, and help build partnership across the board and help facilitate peer support to reduce the redundancy and maximize support to those returning veterans that need the help…
I think this is a case where politics and the appearance of doing something needs to take a backseat. Acting with reason and operating with the best interests of our veterans and servicemembers should be our first responsibility. Congress can really make a difference by coming to the VSOs and ask for an alliance or some sort to establish this “Veterans Corps”… but that’s just my opinion…
Now correct me if I’m wrong, but I’ve always thought the point of VSOs, like The American Legion, are chartered by Congress to organize volunteer efforts, manage donations, and bypassing the government bureaucracy, and putting the efforts and initiatives at the hands of veterans who understand how to help another veteran. Maintaining true grassroots and empowering fellow veterans to serve their peers not only ensure the quality but also the bond that ties a veteran to his/her community. Why do we want to waste more taxpayer’s money to build something that is already there???
So why is the Obama administration looking in another direction on helping our veterans??? Can it be simply that Obama, or Congress, didn’t really think this through? Are they just jumping into the bandwagon to simply do something for the sake of doing something???
If it were up to me, I’d say instead of building another veterans’ service organization under AmeriCorps, Congress and Obama should look at what all of the VSOs are doing, and help build partnership across the board and help facilitate peer support to reduce the redundancy and maximize support to those returning veterans that need the help…
I think this is a case where politics and the appearance of doing something needs to take a backseat. Acting with reason and operating with the best interests of our veterans and servicemembers should be our first responsibility. Congress can really make a difference by coming to the VSOs and ask for an alliance or some sort to establish this “Veterans Corps”… but that’s just my opinion…
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
How to start a good social network for veterans:
I hear a lot of ambitious people wanting to start a social network these days to “provide transitional service and connect the veteran community”. While I admire their initiative and desire to help, often they lack the knowledge of what social networking really is and don’t know how to really tap the potential of social networking and employ the power of social media and new media.
One example:
I recently received a call from CPT “Socialnetwork Champion” to discuss his social network for the Marines. I asked a few questions about his desires, and this is the facts I collected:
• They have a brief market analysis and have determined that their targeted audience should be Marines and Veterans age between 18 and 35.
• They want to provide transitional services to these veterans.
• They have lined up one headhunting company to provide this employment service.
• They want to provide a matching feature to connect Marines with potential mentors and employers.
• They want to provide a vehicle of communication for active duty Marines and veterans.
I think what they have so far is great, but here are some problems:
• Their market research is incomplete and failed to capture the growing market share in Baby Boomer generation that encompasses the Vietnam generation veterans.
• If they do not target the older generation then how are they to provide the matching service for young veterans? Just peer-peer will not get them the experience and institutional knowledge our older veterans have with regards to the VA and other processes necessary to ensure a successful transition.
• Their identified goal of providing transitional services is too general. There are just too many issues for any one person to tackle. Transition means anything from PTSD support, to financial services, to family life mentoring, to job placement, to social reintegration. If a social network does not identify and target a function to provide a service, users may be distracted and do not recognize the things that makes your social network unique. The point here is that social networking is like any other competitive market, where you have to offer something new and useful in the product you are trying to deliver to ensure users return. Social networks are nothing if you don’t have users and no one is coming back for a unique service and/or function.
If you are thinking about using a social network to connect and provide a service to our veterans, here are some of the things to think about to ensure your success:
• You need to identify your targeted audience. Be as precise as you can and cast your net as wide as you can. What you may need to do is to segment your audience types and by demographic. Once you have that, then do your market analysis to determine just what the needs are in each segmented section and determine the services and function you can provide to that section.
• Then you have to carefully determine the risk and return on your investment on each of the sections of your segmented audience group. If you are providing a peer-peer support service to women veterans, then you need to determine what competitive edge you have, is there a existing social network providing the exact thing? Also keep in mind that the functions you decide must meet a need and has to depend on your Voice of Customer analysis. So you may want to do a small online survey to see just how many people may be interested in getting online peer support for VA home loan process (or whatever else you have identified). What you don’t want to end up with is a high price function, connecting Marines with golf courses that provide discount to veterans, that only serves a small population and is not demanded by users on the social network environment.
• Also you need to design a functional process that your social network will adopt and practice. You must always identify key input variables and output variables of that functional process so you can improve on this process int eh future depending on user input.
• You must identify all open-sourced social networks and see if any of them can provide what you wish to accomplish before you decide to spend a few million dollars on tech cost. A lot of times software companies will sell you on things that they know won’t work because they know the exact same function is being performed by Facebook or Boomj. But they will sell you the software solution anyhow just to make money off you. So do as much as you can open-source, and host only critical information on paid technology. I recommend that database functionalities are a must pay service since that allows you to collect user data for your own segmentation and targeted marketing.
• And lastly, know your users and keep up on your users. Drive your users to your site. Your social network is nothing without users so don’t focus too much on the technology and forget your users…
One example:
I recently received a call from CPT “Socialnetwork Champion” to discuss his social network for the Marines. I asked a few questions about his desires, and this is the facts I collected:
• They have a brief market analysis and have determined that their targeted audience should be Marines and Veterans age between 18 and 35.
• They want to provide transitional services to these veterans.
• They have lined up one headhunting company to provide this employment service.
• They want to provide a matching feature to connect Marines with potential mentors and employers.
• They want to provide a vehicle of communication for active duty Marines and veterans.
I think what they have so far is great, but here are some problems:
• Their market research is incomplete and failed to capture the growing market share in Baby Boomer generation that encompasses the Vietnam generation veterans.
• If they do not target the older generation then how are they to provide the matching service for young veterans? Just peer-peer will not get them the experience and institutional knowledge our older veterans have with regards to the VA and other processes necessary to ensure a successful transition.
• Their identified goal of providing transitional services is too general. There are just too many issues for any one person to tackle. Transition means anything from PTSD support, to financial services, to family life mentoring, to job placement, to social reintegration. If a social network does not identify and target a function to provide a service, users may be distracted and do not recognize the things that makes your social network unique. The point here is that social networking is like any other competitive market, where you have to offer something new and useful in the product you are trying to deliver to ensure users return. Social networks are nothing if you don’t have users and no one is coming back for a unique service and/or function.
If you are thinking about using a social network to connect and provide a service to our veterans, here are some of the things to think about to ensure your success:
• You need to identify your targeted audience. Be as precise as you can and cast your net as wide as you can. What you may need to do is to segment your audience types and by demographic. Once you have that, then do your market analysis to determine just what the needs are in each segmented section and determine the services and function you can provide to that section.
• Then you have to carefully determine the risk and return on your investment on each of the sections of your segmented audience group. If you are providing a peer-peer support service to women veterans, then you need to determine what competitive edge you have, is there a existing social network providing the exact thing? Also keep in mind that the functions you decide must meet a need and has to depend on your Voice of Customer analysis. So you may want to do a small online survey to see just how many people may be interested in getting online peer support for VA home loan process (or whatever else you have identified). What you don’t want to end up with is a high price function, connecting Marines with golf courses that provide discount to veterans, that only serves a small population and is not demanded by users on the social network environment.
• Also you need to design a functional process that your social network will adopt and practice. You must always identify key input variables and output variables of that functional process so you can improve on this process int eh future depending on user input.
• You must identify all open-sourced social networks and see if any of them can provide what you wish to accomplish before you decide to spend a few million dollars on tech cost. A lot of times software companies will sell you on things that they know won’t work because they know the exact same function is being performed by Facebook or Boomj. But they will sell you the software solution anyhow just to make money off you. So do as much as you can open-source, and host only critical information on paid technology. I recommend that database functionalities are a must pay service since that allows you to collect user data for your own segmentation and targeted marketing.
• And lastly, know your users and keep up on your users. Drive your users to your site. Your social network is nothing without users so don’t focus too much on the technology and forget your users…
Friday, March 13, 2009
Student Veterans
There have been a lot of activities recently from the Students Veterans of America regarding how to advance student veterans’ issues and concerns. The SVA leadership sincerely believes that student veterans need to get involved in The American Legion because we have the experience and expertise to offer mentorship to the younger generation of veterans hoping to advocate for their own initiatives. Below you will see a example of a very thoughtful response to a student veteran regarding two issues: 1. The acceptance of military credits by colleges and universities; 2. The truthfulness of our military recruiters.
From the response you will see that our mentor from The American Legion Department of California carefully laying out counter arguments and actionable directions for our young veterans (I have removed their names to protect their privacy):
From the response you will see that our mentor from The American Legion Department of California carefully laying out counter arguments and actionable directions for our young veterans (I have removed their names to protect their privacy):
Dear Ms. (student veteran),
The reason I structured my statements the way that I did was because, in order to structure a resolution-type action within the American Legion, you must be able to clearly address the issue, and then provide an "action" to be forwarded.
I do have sympathy for your situation with recruiters, however, the word you used was "equivalent." Many fields/MOS specialties have "equivalent" counterparts in the civilian world. Some of the Army training I went to was very technical and had highly paid counterparts in the civilian world, but, if I wanted a civilian rating or degree, I had to either pay the fees associated with it, or take the certification testing required to get the "civilian rating." I think the issue of "credit" would be better stated to "encourage the military education/training programs to, as much as is reasonable, coordinate with a college in the area to include the equivalent syllabus materials, so that students graduating from the course, can pay the fees associated with the credit, upon successful completion of the course." (My attendance at CAS3 only resulted in one Masters Level Statistics or Calculus credit through one of the military-friendly Colleges, I don't remember which one. I paid the fees associated with that credit and was given a copy of the college transcript.) I think that is a fair solution, given that the college has not taught the class and are trusting that the military has taught the college's class syllabus. I do not think it fair that any college be required to accept course credit of any other institution, given that the degree that would be received, would be theirs, and their name is on the line. If I could say it another way...it would be like if I created a tool, then took it to Sears, and then demanded that they put it into their inventory as a Craftsman's tool. It is not reasonable to think that they would. It may be a great tool, but it is not a Craftsman. To take that a step back to the military, many of the medical fields require State Certificates in addition to the college training/classes. Many are not "degree producing" certificate programs, such as blood taking etc.
As for "truth is advertising" of the recruiters, I would approach that as a resolution that would be couched in a way that said something like, "As the military is under great change, it is particularly important that recruiters are kept up to date with the latest changes...etc..." As I have sworn in many troops since I moved here, I always ask the person being sworn what they have been promised. I am a firm believer that both parties have the responsibility to be both truthful and transparent in what they are offering and asking. Both are signing documents that should say what is promised. If you think about it, there are very few places of military training that offer "degrees." The service academies would be one example, but even that is a degree from the academy, and not of civilian college.
Your mentioned the GI Bill. There is a new one in place. If you need more personal help with what your benefits are, there should be a county office called "Veteran Service Office" in your area. They are just like the old Personnel Action Centers. They are a wonderful resource for discovering what benefits you are entitled to, as well as finding out about unique programs in your area.
Bottom Line: You will have to decide for yourself which direction you want to go with these issues. If you join a local post, they can help you in the wording of any resolution you might want to have voted on. If it passes your local area it is forwarded up through the channels just like the military does. Some of your general issues with education should probably be left in the political/civilian side of the issue. You will need to get to know your local political representatives.
Hope this helps,
Sincerely,
(The American Legion Departmetn of California Mentor to Student Veterans)
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
New Guide Helps Nonprofit Professionals
During the first three weeks of 2009, hundreds of nonprofit professionals participated in a resolutions poll or shared their resolutions for 2009 through Convio's website, online community and industry blogs. The poll answers along with other shared insight was used to create the first ever Nonprofit Resolutions Guide from Convio. The Guide is available for free at www.convio.com/resolve2009
Results of the poll show that constituent empowerment, integrated channels and technology resolutions are top priorities in 2009:
30 percent of participants resolve to empower supporters to help tell their story, reach new people and raise funds,
20 percent want to better integrate traditional and online campaigns, and
19 percent want to better use technology to turn ideas into action.
These results, combined with analysis of feedback from Convio's Connection Café blog (www.connectioncafe.com) and more than one dozen industry bloggers who participated in the online discussion led to development of the Guide to help nonprofits keep their resolutions. Each section of the Guide focuses on key resolutions with insight and tips on how to maintain momentum throughout the year. Readers will also find related success stories from other nonprofit organizations and information pulled from some of the best ideas shared in Convio's online community over the past year.
Download the Guide and Join the Discussion
The Resolutions Guide is available immediately as a free download at www.convio.com/resolve2009
The nonprofit community is invited to continue sharing ideas, insight and obstacles to successfully using technology to drive results and support mission-critical needs, by visiting any of the participating blogs and/or linking their own posts to them:
A View from Judi Sohn - http://www.momathome.com/ - Judi Sohn
Beaconfire Wire - http://beaconfire.com/blog/ - Michael Cervino
Beth's Blog - http://beth.typepad.com/beths_blog/ - Beth Kanter
Connection Café - http://www.connectioncafe.com - Jordan Viator and Convio blog team
Donor Power Blog - http://www.donorpowerblog.com/donor_power_blog - Jeff Brooks
Everyday Giving - http://everydaygiving.typepad.com/ - Roger Carr
FI Space - http://www.fispace.org/ - David Neff
Mobile Commons - http://mcommons.com/blog/ - Matt Wilson
NTEN Blog - http://www.nten.org/blog - Holly Ross, Nonprofit Technology Exchange Network
Social Actions Blog - www.blog.socialactions.com Tech Soup - www.blog.techsoup.org
Tech Soup - www.blog.techsoup.org - Robert L. Weiner
Robert L. Weiner Blog - www.rlweiner.com/blog - Robert L. Weiner TREW Marketing Spotlight - - Wendy Covey
About Convio
Convio is the leading provider of on-demand constituent relationship management (CRM) software and services that give nonprofit organizations a better way to inspire and mobilize people to support their organization. The company's online marketing suite offers integrated software for fundraising, advocacy, events, email marketing and Web content management, and its CRM system, Convio Common Ground, helps organizations efficiently track and manage all interactions with supporters. All Convio products are delivered through the Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model and are backed by a portfolio of best-in-class consulting and support services and a network of partners who provide value-added services and applications focused on the unique needs of nonprofit organizations.
Convio clients include nonprofit organizations, Institutions of Higher Education, Associations and Faith-based organizations around the world such as American Red Cross, American Diabetes Association, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Humane Society of the United States, Easter Seals, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Susan G. Komen for the Cure®, Sierra Club, and National Public Radio. For more information, please visit www.convio.com
Results of the poll show that constituent empowerment, integrated channels and technology resolutions are top priorities in 2009:
30 percent of participants resolve to empower supporters to help tell their story, reach new people and raise funds,
20 percent want to better integrate traditional and online campaigns, and
19 percent want to better use technology to turn ideas into action.
These results, combined with analysis of feedback from Convio's Connection Café blog (www.connectioncafe.com) and more than one dozen industry bloggers who participated in the online discussion led to development of the Guide to help nonprofits keep their resolutions. Each section of the Guide focuses on key resolutions with insight and tips on how to maintain momentum throughout the year. Readers will also find related success stories from other nonprofit organizations and information pulled from some of the best ideas shared in Convio's online community over the past year.
Download the Guide and Join the Discussion
The Resolutions Guide is available immediately as a free download at www.convio.com/resolve2009
The nonprofit community is invited to continue sharing ideas, insight and obstacles to successfully using technology to drive results and support mission-critical needs, by visiting any of the participating blogs and/or linking their own posts to them:
A View from Judi Sohn - http://www.momathome.com/ - Judi Sohn
Beaconfire Wire - http://beaconfire.com/blog/ - Michael Cervino
Beth's Blog - http://beth.typepad.com/beths_blog/ - Beth Kanter
Connection Café - http://www.connectioncafe.com - Jordan Viator and Convio blog team
Donor Power Blog - http://www.donorpowerblog.com/donor_power_blog - Jeff Brooks
Everyday Giving - http://everydaygiving.typepad.com/ - Roger Carr
FI Space - http://www.fispace.org/ - David Neff
Mobile Commons - http://mcommons.com/blog/ - Matt Wilson
NTEN Blog - http://www.nten.org/blog - Holly Ross, Nonprofit Technology Exchange Network
Social Actions Blog - www.blog.socialactions.com Tech Soup - www.blog.techsoup.org
Tech Soup - www.blog.techsoup.org - Robert L. Weiner
Robert L. Weiner Blog - www.rlweiner.com/blog - Robert L. Weiner TREW Marketing Spotlight - - Wendy Covey
About Convio
Convio is the leading provider of on-demand constituent relationship management (CRM) software and services that give nonprofit organizations a better way to inspire and mobilize people to support their organization. The company's online marketing suite offers integrated software for fundraising, advocacy, events, email marketing and Web content management, and its CRM system, Convio Common Ground, helps organizations efficiently track and manage all interactions with supporters. All Convio products are delivered through the Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model and are backed by a portfolio of best-in-class consulting and support services and a network of partners who provide value-added services and applications focused on the unique needs of nonprofit organizations.
Convio clients include nonprofit organizations, Institutions of Higher Education, Associations and Faith-based organizations around the world such as American Red Cross, American Diabetes Association, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Humane Society of the United States, Easter Seals, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Susan G. Komen for the Cure®, Sierra Club, and National Public Radio. For more information, please visit www.convio.com
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Thursday, December 18, 2008
National Grassroots Conference
Good morning to all departments of the Western Region.
First I want to thank you for your dedicated work in membership. We continue to hold a competitive edge over our Southern Region brothers and sisters in terms of membership. We still have a ways to go to be the leader of the pack, but I sincerely believe the West is the Best, and will continue to support you. Please feel free to contact me if you should need anything at all.
I also want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. May the new year bring you renewed passion for the world’s greatest and largest Veteran Service Organization.
Allow me to be a bit philosophical for the moment: it was taught to me that no matter of our success, we shall continue to learn and better ourselves in whatever our endeavors maybe. With that said, there is a wonderful upcoming opportunity for all of us to sharpen our skills and rejuvenate our minds.
This year’s National Grassroots Conference will be February 4-7, 2009 - Renaissance Vinoy Resort & Golf Club - St. Petersburg, FL. There are a range of topics you may find interesting. Such as:
- (Re)Building Your Grassroots Program
- How to Write Effective Messages
- Ethics & Transparency in Grassroots
- Finding & Training Your Key Contacts
- Speed Networking
- Web 2.0/Social Media Crash Course
- Grassroots and Diversity
- Effectively Involving Your Senior Management
- Integrating CSR and Grassroots Strategies
- Prioritizing Issues and Managing Demands
- Association Grassroots Management
- Grassroots Communication
- Embracing Social Media
As you can see, there is something for everyone there. I have always heard that volunteer management is difficult, and our most profound challenge is to motivate and utilize our dedicated workers effectively. I believe this conference will give you some ideas and help you with your work at the department level.
To view a complete agenda please go to http://pac.org/conferences/grassroots/agenda
You can also visit http://pac.org/conferences/grassroots/registration for registration information. Note: we are not a member of the Public Affairs Council and will have to pay the non-member registration fee if attending.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
First I want to thank you for your dedicated work in membership. We continue to hold a competitive edge over our Southern Region brothers and sisters in terms of membership. We still have a ways to go to be the leader of the pack, but I sincerely believe the West is the Best, and will continue to support you. Please feel free to contact me if you should need anything at all.
I also want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. May the new year bring you renewed passion for the world’s greatest and largest Veteran Service Organization.
Allow me to be a bit philosophical for the moment: it was taught to me that no matter of our success, we shall continue to learn and better ourselves in whatever our endeavors maybe. With that said, there is a wonderful upcoming opportunity for all of us to sharpen our skills and rejuvenate our minds.
This year’s National Grassroots Conference will be February 4-7, 2009 - Renaissance Vinoy Resort & Golf Club - St. Petersburg, FL. There are a range of topics you may find interesting. Such as:
- (Re)Building Your Grassroots Program
- How to Write Effective Messages
- Ethics & Transparency in Grassroots
- Finding & Training Your Key Contacts
- Speed Networking
- Web 2.0/Social Media Crash Course
- Grassroots and Diversity
- Effectively Involving Your Senior Management
- Integrating CSR and Grassroots Strategies
- Prioritizing Issues and Managing Demands
- Association Grassroots Management
- Grassroots Communication
- Embracing Social Media
As you can see, there is something for everyone there. I have always heard that volunteer management is difficult, and our most profound challenge is to motivate and utilize our dedicated workers effectively. I believe this conference will give you some ideas and help you with your work at the department level.
To view a complete agenda please go to http://pac.org/conferences/grassroots/agenda
You can also visit http://pac.org/conferences/grassroots/registration for registration information. Note: we are not a member of the Public Affairs Council and will have to pay the non-member registration fee if attending.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Monday, December 15, 2008
Eligiblity question:
I received an email today regarding the eligibility of Lebanon and Grenada veterans. apparently there are some confusions... here is my reply, with some research, i think will benefit you in case you are being asked the same questions...
Here is the original message:
"Maybe I am looking in the wrong areas but when I look for eligibility for the Grenada area, it either don't show up or I see a statement such as "Congress has not enacted legislation that would make the periods covering the 1983-1984 Lebanon crisis or the invasions of Grenada and Panama wartime service.92". Can you link me to something or send me a congress act which declares this as a wartime? I guess I am one of them stubborn ones that just have to see it in writing somewhere. You attention to this is appreciated. ....And "Merry Christmas" to You and all your Staff!"
In effect, Lebanon and Grenada are not Congressionally declared wars. Since the Constitution of the United States divides the war powers of the federal government between the Executive and Legislative branches: the President is the Commander in Chief of the armed forces (Article II, section 2), while Congress has the power to make declarations of war, and to raise and support the armed forces (Article I, section 8). Over time, questions arose as to the extent of the President's authority to deploy U.S. armed forces into hostile situations abroad without a declaration of war or some other form of Congressional approval. Congress passed the War Powers Resolution of 1973 in the aftermath of the Vietnam War to address these concerns and provide a set of procedures for both the President and Congress to follow in situations where the introduction of U.S. forces abroad could lead to their involvement in armed conflict.
The War Powers Resolution of 1973 is a United States federal law providing that the President can send U.S. armed forces into action abroad only by authorization of Congress or if the United States is already under attack or serious threat. The War Powers Resolution requires that the president notify Congress within 48 hours of committing armed forces to military action and forbids armed forces from remaining for more than 60 days without an authorization of the use of military force or a declaration of war.
After Republican President Ronald W. Reagan dispatched U.S. Marines to Lebanon in 1982, he reported to Congress, along the lines mandated in the War Powers Act. With a Republican majority in the Senate but a substantial Democratic majority in the House of Representatives, Reagan's military initiative encountered considerable opposition in Congress, resulting in persistent challenges to the deployment of troops in Beirut. The congressional challenges, motivated primarily by narrowly partisan political considerations, weakened and undermined the Reagan Presidency's negotiating position with Syria and with the various warring political factions in Lebanon, thereby making the situation in which the Marines were involved a whole lot more dangerous than it would been in the absence of congressional challenges.
In late 1983, however, congressional leaders worked out a compromise authorizing the President to keep the Marines in Lebanon for a period of eighteen months. Approved by the two houses of Congress, the compromise was sent to the President for his signature.
In other military actions initiated by President Reagan, he proceeded without invoking the War Powers Act and, in general, acted as if his military initiatives did not require congressional authorization in advance. A notable example was the U.S. invasion of Grenada on October 25, 1983. Seeing a serious threat to American national interests in the southern Caribbean region, Regan had the National Security Council and Joint Chiefs of Staff draw up a plan for the U.S. military operation in Grenada, explained the situation to Democratic House Speaker Thomas P. "Tip" O'Neill, and informed him of the presidential decision that had already been made, as regards what was to be done about the situation. Speaker O'Neill, top leader of the overwhelming Democratic majority in the House of Representatives, indicated that, if the Grenada mission turned sour, Congress would not accept responsibility for the fiasco, that responsibility for the disaster (and its attendant political costs) would be borne either by the President alone or by the President and the Republican Party. Accepting responsibility for the operation, Reagan sent U.S. military forces to Grenada, effecting liberation of the small island nation from the Marxist-Leninist (Communist), pro-Cuban dictatorship that had been established through a coup d'etat.
Shortly after the American invasion of Grenada had begun, all resistance was overcome, since the greater part of the Grenadan population welcomed the invading forces as liberators. A rapid sequence of events ensued: U.S. citizens were safely evacuated from the island, the Cuban agents and so called "construction workers" (in reality, heavily armed and well trained paramilitary personnel) were expelled, the despotic Marxist- Leninist regime was overthrown, and a political coalition committed to democratic elections and more favorably disposed toward American interests was allowed to assume governing authority. Faced with a fait accompli, the U.S. Congress, after the fact, applied the War Powers Act, declining to grant an extension to the 60-day time limit and, in effect, requiring U.S. military forces to be removed from Grenada no later than December 25, 1983. However, the U.S. troops did not leave Grenada until June, 1985.
Therefore, the mechanism was there to enact the War Powers Resolution to justify Lebanon and Grenada, President Regan, however, did not fulfill his executive duties in compliance with Congress to resolve the conflict.
The Department of VA at this time does not recognize Servicemembers of this conflict to be eligible for wartime benefits. Therefore, The American Legion in support of our fellow veterans and recognizing their sacrifices, at the 19th Convention, passed a resolution to recognize operations in these countries. Please visit http://www.legion.org/documents/resolutions/08n124.pdf for review of this resolution.
To conclude, please keep in mind that The American Legion, although federally chartered, is a grassroots organization guided by the collective wisdoms of our membership. While our dates of eligibility reflects Congressionally declared period of war, it is not strictly bounded by congressional actions. Our eligibility dates are solely determined by our membership, amended at times to reflect the need for service to our fellow veterans. Under these conditions, The American Legion has seen fit to expand our eligibility dates to those veterans thereby ensuring their protection under civil engagements.
Here is the original message:
"Maybe I am looking in the wrong areas but when I look for eligibility for the Grenada area, it either don't show up or I see a statement such as "Congress has not enacted legislation that would make the periods covering the 1983-1984 Lebanon crisis or the invasions of Grenada and Panama wartime service.92". Can you link me to something or send me a congress act which declares this as a wartime? I guess I am one of them stubborn ones that just have to see it in writing somewhere. You attention to this is appreciated. ....And "Merry Christmas" to You and all your Staff!"
In effect, Lebanon and Grenada are not Congressionally declared wars. Since the Constitution of the United States divides the war powers of the federal government between the Executive and Legislative branches: the President is the Commander in Chief of the armed forces (Article II, section 2), while Congress has the power to make declarations of war, and to raise and support the armed forces (Article I, section 8). Over time, questions arose as to the extent of the President's authority to deploy U.S. armed forces into hostile situations abroad without a declaration of war or some other form of Congressional approval. Congress passed the War Powers Resolution of 1973 in the aftermath of the Vietnam War to address these concerns and provide a set of procedures for both the President and Congress to follow in situations where the introduction of U.S. forces abroad could lead to their involvement in armed conflict.
The War Powers Resolution of 1973 is a United States federal law providing that the President can send U.S. armed forces into action abroad only by authorization of Congress or if the United States is already under attack or serious threat. The War Powers Resolution requires that the president notify Congress within 48 hours of committing armed forces to military action and forbids armed forces from remaining for more than 60 days without an authorization of the use of military force or a declaration of war.
After Republican President Ronald W. Reagan dispatched U.S. Marines to Lebanon in 1982, he reported to Congress, along the lines mandated in the War Powers Act. With a Republican majority in the Senate but a substantial Democratic majority in the House of Representatives, Reagan's military initiative encountered considerable opposition in Congress, resulting in persistent challenges to the deployment of troops in Beirut. The congressional challenges, motivated primarily by narrowly partisan political considerations, weakened and undermined the Reagan Presidency's negotiating position with Syria and with the various warring political factions in Lebanon, thereby making the situation in which the Marines were involved a whole lot more dangerous than it would been in the absence of congressional challenges.
In late 1983, however, congressional leaders worked out a compromise authorizing the President to keep the Marines in Lebanon for a period of eighteen months. Approved by the two houses of Congress, the compromise was sent to the President for his signature.
In other military actions initiated by President Reagan, he proceeded without invoking the War Powers Act and, in general, acted as if his military initiatives did not require congressional authorization in advance. A notable example was the U.S. invasion of Grenada on October 25, 1983. Seeing a serious threat to American national interests in the southern Caribbean region, Regan had the National Security Council and Joint Chiefs of Staff draw up a plan for the U.S. military operation in Grenada, explained the situation to Democratic House Speaker Thomas P. "Tip" O'Neill, and informed him of the presidential decision that had already been made, as regards what was to be done about the situation. Speaker O'Neill, top leader of the overwhelming Democratic majority in the House of Representatives, indicated that, if the Grenada mission turned sour, Congress would not accept responsibility for the fiasco, that responsibility for the disaster (and its attendant political costs) would be borne either by the President alone or by the President and the Republican Party. Accepting responsibility for the operation, Reagan sent U.S. military forces to Grenada, effecting liberation of the small island nation from the Marxist-Leninist (Communist), pro-Cuban dictatorship that had been established through a coup d'etat.
Shortly after the American invasion of Grenada had begun, all resistance was overcome, since the greater part of the Grenadan population welcomed the invading forces as liberators. A rapid sequence of events ensued: U.S. citizens were safely evacuated from the island, the Cuban agents and so called "construction workers" (in reality, heavily armed and well trained paramilitary personnel) were expelled, the despotic Marxist- Leninist regime was overthrown, and a political coalition committed to democratic elections and more favorably disposed toward American interests was allowed to assume governing authority. Faced with a fait accompli, the U.S. Congress, after the fact, applied the War Powers Act, declining to grant an extension to the 60-day time limit and, in effect, requiring U.S. military forces to be removed from Grenada no later than December 25, 1983. However, the U.S. troops did not leave Grenada until June, 1985.
Therefore, the mechanism was there to enact the War Powers Resolution to justify Lebanon and Grenada, President Regan, however, did not fulfill his executive duties in compliance with Congress to resolve the conflict.
The Department of VA at this time does not recognize Servicemembers of this conflict to be eligible for wartime benefits. Therefore, The American Legion in support of our fellow veterans and recognizing their sacrifices, at the 19th Convention, passed a resolution to recognize operations in these countries. Please visit http://www.legion.org/documents/resolutions/08n124.pdf for review of this resolution.
To conclude, please keep in mind that The American Legion, although federally chartered, is a grassroots organization guided by the collective wisdoms of our membership. While our dates of eligibility reflects Congressionally declared period of war, it is not strictly bounded by congressional actions. Our eligibility dates are solely determined by our membership, amended at times to reflect the need for service to our fellow veterans. Under these conditions, The American Legion has seen fit to expand our eligibility dates to those veterans thereby ensuring their protection under civil engagements.
New GI Bill info
The American Legion's new GI Bill website now has an interactive function, a map of state by state benefits... you can click on teh map and see if there are any specific benefits you are entitled as a veteran other than the GI Bill.
click here to learn more
click here to learn more
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
COMMUNICATION SURVEY
If you have a second, please take this survey... it's a communication audit conducted by the national headuqarters...
thank you
CLICK HERE
thank you
CLICK HERE
Web users' privacy and security
From Bill's last post, i feel that we should blog a little bit about some standard web user inforamtion to protect our user's privacy and security... i have also included some American Legion social networks in the blog, (you can click on the blue links to visit TAL myspace, facebook, and flickr accounts...)
Website security is critical to the protection of our members’ privacy. There are a lot of ‘bots’ out there doing massive crawls searching and tapping and extracting information from servers, remote hosts, proxies, etc., and using the information for future spam emails…
That is why when your post or department enter into the social networks, such as MySpace, Facebook, or Flickr (a photo sharing site), you may want to consider the following security measures:
- Do not input your actual birthday… with a name and birthday, I can find most of the relevant information on you from various search engines and list servers. With that information, I can socially engineer a situation to obtain your SSN… that’s bad since with these information, I can now apply a credit card in your name… so DO NOT use your real birthday!!!
- Do not input your address or actual phone numbers… there are a lot of crawl-bots on the web that identifies these information, and capture them and turn it over to a list server for direct solicitation purposes… unless you want to get mail and emails about Viagra, you do not want to put your contact information down… if you do please make sure it is set to private.
- You may want to consider setting up a free email just to handle all registration online… a email is free from hotmail.com or google.com
- If you are technological savvy, you can consider an OpenID as a source of your virtual identity… OpenID requires no personal information, but also keeps track of your credentials online so you do not have to sign up for a lot of random useless services… just google the word Open ID and you should be able to find out more…
Website security is critical to the protection of our members’ privacy. There are a lot of ‘bots’ out there doing massive crawls searching and tapping and extracting information from servers, remote hosts, proxies, etc., and using the information for future spam emails…
That is why when your post or department enter into the social networks, such as MySpace, Facebook, or Flickr (a photo sharing site), you may want to consider the following security measures:
- Do not input your actual birthday… with a name and birthday, I can find most of the relevant information on you from various search engines and list servers. With that information, I can socially engineer a situation to obtain your SSN… that’s bad since with these information, I can now apply a credit card in your name… so DO NOT use your real birthday!!!
- Do not input your address or actual phone numbers… there are a lot of crawl-bots on the web that identifies these information, and capture them and turn it over to a list server for direct solicitation purposes… unless you want to get mail and emails about Viagra, you do not want to put your contact information down… if you do please make sure it is set to private.
- You may want to consider setting up a free email just to handle all registration online… a email is free from hotmail.com or google.com
- If you are technological savvy, you can consider an OpenID as a source of your virtual identity… OpenID requires no personal information, but also keeps track of your credentials online so you do not have to sign up for a lot of random useless services… just google the word Open ID and you should be able to find out more…
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Major Themes from the NALC Survey
Recently The American Legion conducted a short survey... here are some of the answers...
What do you tell others when they ask you about your membership in The American Legion?
I am a member of “largest and best” organization for U.S. veterans of war time
I describe the many programs and interactions with the community
I am a part of an organizations for veterans, that helps other veterans and builds relationships with veterans
What do you value most about your membership in The American Legion?
Making a difference in the lives of veterans
Building comradeship with other members
Helping the community through Legion programs
What led you to join The American Legion in the first place?
Someone asked me to join
Sought a sense of fellowship and belonging
Family history
Wanted to give back to the veterans and community
Based upon your own experiences, what do members at the local, post level think or say about The American Legion?
They worry about the increasing age of membership, remember the “good old days”
They hold the organization in high regard
They value the contributions they make to the community and the support they provide for one another
They want more interaction and direction from the top
Based upon your own observations, what do others in the local community – non-members – think or say about The American Legion?
·The people who know about the Legion and its programs love it and appreciate all that they do
·The people who don’t know about the Legion believe it is a place for “old guys to drink”
·Many people don’t know the American Legion exists
Thinking of The American Legion’s vision for a strong America:
● Strong National Security
● Taking Care of Veterans
● Mentoring Youth
● Promoting Patriotism and Honor
How would you synthesize these four pillars of service into a single, simple paragraphthat explains the Legion’s reason for being? Assume you were writing this for a family member or friend to explain why you are a member of The American Legion.
·Several members described the American Legion as a family who supports each other and supports the four pillars.
·Several members mentioned the American Legion as a continued commitment and service to their country.
·Many members also listed their actions and activities which help fellow veterans, the youth, the community and the country.
Considering the future, what do you think are The American Legion’s three greatest opportunities for growth and recognition at the national level? At the local, post level?
Note: The major opportunities for national and local were often the same.
·Creating cyber posts
·Increasing advertising and public relations
·Increasing membership and membership involvement
·Reaching out to Vietnam veterans
If you have any additional questions please feel free to ask.
I am a member of “largest and best” organization for U.S. veterans of war time
I describe the many programs and interactions with the community
I am a part of an organizations for veterans, that helps other veterans and builds relationships with veterans
Making a difference in the lives of veterans
Building comradeship with other members
Helping the community through Legion programs
Someone asked me to join
Sought a sense of fellowship and belonging
Family history
Wanted to give back to the veterans and community
They worry about the increasing age of membership, remember the “good old days”
They hold the organization in high regard
They value the contributions they make to the community and the support they provide for one another
They want more interaction and direction from the top
·The people who know about the Legion and its programs love it and appreciate all that they do
·The people who don’t know about the Legion believe it is a place for “old guys to drink”
·Many people don’t know the American Legion exists
● Strong National Security
● Taking Care of Veterans
● Mentoring Youth
● Promoting Patriotism and Honor
·Several members described the American Legion as a family who supports each other and supports the four pillars.
·Several members mentioned the American Legion as a continued commitment and service to their country.
·Many members also listed their actions and activities which help fellow veterans, the youth, the community and the country.
·Creating cyber posts
·Increasing advertising and public relations
·Increasing membership and membership involvement
·Reaching out to Vietnam veterans
If you have any additional questions please feel free to ask.
Monday, November 24, 2008
There was a comment posted with regards to virtual posts... i thought that was a great point to discuss here so here are my two cents...
Virtual Post vs. Virtual Community
I recently became aware of many legionnaires, posts, districts, and departments wanting to test out the idea of a “virtual post”. Florida has actually put together one of these and you can visit one of them at http://post401.ning.com/
You can also visit the following virtual posts hosted on ning.com:
Colorado Department virtual community: http://colegion.ning.com/
DC Post 1 http://americanlegionpost1.ning.com/
And http://americanlegionpost133.ning.com/
There are a few things to remember when you are planning and executing a virtual post:
- It is not a virtual post alone. If you strictly focus your effort on reaching members online it will be difficult. If you combine your virtual tools with a visible community presence, your virtual post will be successful with a reinforced purpose from the grassroots activities your post carry… this is why we are encouraging these different virtual posts to carry visible initiatives to enhance their virtual outreach… DC post 1 has done poker games, bike rides, golf outings… this combined with their various user groups on ning, myspace, facebook, has help their membership to increase.
- Use your virtual post as a way to communicate and lead your members. This is a place where you can update your event calendars, let people know of post involvements in the community, solicit feedbacks, and drive discussions for your post… if your post lack a post home, you can also use the virtual tools to host meetings, contact your members etc…
- Be sure to keep your virtual post site updated frequently… if you post some information and leave it behind, no one will want to be part of it… here is a real life criticism for DC post 1: First impressions now that I’ve transferred in.
“24 hours later no welcome message, not even an automated welcome.
Looks like it was born September 2007 and died November 2007.
Last post in the forums was Nov 2007.
Last meeting was posted as being Dec 6th 2007. And I don’t have a clue how or where the meetings are held.
Post’s MySpace page was last logged into in May.
Total membership appears to be 23.
It’s almost like it doesn’t enjoy much support and is intentionally hidden as it has no mention on National website and isn’t even listed in the post directory. I’m waiting for responses to my e-mails and to see if I actually get a new membership card…stay tuned” --internet user
o From this you can see that even if you have a virtual post, communication is very important to get new members excited about your post…
to conclude, i recommend that you build a virtual post as a tool to help your actual post succeed... you have to build it with some tangable real life purpose.. Department of Colorado built their virtual post to anticipate the new GI Bill intatives and is attempting to combine virtual interactiosn with student veterans outreach.. that is only one of the many great ways to build and sustain a virtual presence for The American Legion
Virtual Post vs. Virtual Community
I recently became aware of many legionnaires, posts, districts, and departments wanting to test out the idea of a “virtual post”. Florida has actually put together one of these and you can visit one of them at http://post401.ning.com/
You can also visit the following virtual posts hosted on ning.com:
Colorado Department virtual community: http://colegion.ning.com/
DC Post 1 http://americanlegionpost1.ning.com/
And http://americanlegionpost133.ning.com/
There are a few things to remember when you are planning and executing a virtual post:
- It is not a virtual post alone. If you strictly focus your effort on reaching members online it will be difficult. If you combine your virtual tools with a visible community presence, your virtual post will be successful with a reinforced purpose from the grassroots activities your post carry… this is why we are encouraging these different virtual posts to carry visible initiatives to enhance their virtual outreach… DC post 1 has done poker games, bike rides, golf outings… this combined with their various user groups on ning, myspace, facebook, has help their membership to increase.
- Use your virtual post as a way to communicate and lead your members. This is a place where you can update your event calendars, let people know of post involvements in the community, solicit feedbacks, and drive discussions for your post… if your post lack a post home, you can also use the virtual tools to host meetings, contact your members etc…
- Be sure to keep your virtual post site updated frequently… if you post some information and leave it behind, no one will want to be part of it… here is a real life criticism for DC post 1: First impressions now that I’ve transferred in.
“24 hours later no welcome message, not even an automated welcome.
Looks like it was born September 2007 and died November 2007.
Last post in the forums was Nov 2007.
Last meeting was posted as being Dec 6th 2007. And I don’t have a clue how or where the meetings are held.
Post’s MySpace page was last logged into in May.
Total membership appears to be 23.
It’s almost like it doesn’t enjoy much support and is intentionally hidden as it has no mention on National website and isn’t even listed in the post directory. I’m waiting for responses to my e-mails and to see if I actually get a new membership card…stay tuned” --internet user
o From this you can see that even if you have a virtual post, communication is very important to get new members excited about your post…
to conclude, i recommend that you build a virtual post as a tool to help your actual post succeed... you have to build it with some tangable real life purpose.. Department of Colorado built their virtual post to anticipate the new GI Bill intatives and is attempting to combine virtual interactiosn with student veterans outreach.. that is only one of the many great ways to build and sustain a virtual presence for The American Legion
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Friday, November 21, 2008
setting the record...
In the last 24 hours of launching W.R.I.T.E.S. I have received some feedbacks from departments unsure if this is for just leadership or for the entire membership of the western regions.
I wanted to remind everyone thinking along that line that the purpose of TAL W.R.I.T.E.S is to open dialogues and have transparent communication between all levels of leadership and volunteers. The purpose is to empower our leaders, our members, our volunteers with knowledge about the organization and its current initiatives as well as relevant technologies that can make their jobs easier…
So I encourage you to let everyone know about this and invite them to contribute… who knows… maybe a good idea from Idaho can help California with some of its challenges or vice versa…
So be open, be honest, share, and help each other to be successful…
Thank you sincerely,
jin
I wanted to remind everyone thinking along that line that the purpose of TAL W.R.I.T.E.S is to open dialogues and have transparent communication between all levels of leadership and volunteers. The purpose is to empower our leaders, our members, our volunteers with knowledge about the organization and its current initiatives as well as relevant technologies that can make their jobs easier…
So I encourage you to let everyone know about this and invite them to contribute… who knows… maybe a good idea from Idaho can help California with some of its challenges or vice versa…
So be open, be honest, share, and help each other to be successful…
Thank you sincerely,
jin
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
DMS 99
There have been some questions regarding the test DMS members this year. As you know, the national headquarters is testing an inhouse DMS to cut cost. all new members solicited through this new DMS will be supressed from the department records. we are sending out the first welcome letter/email to encourage them to transfer to their local posts and bring a copy of their DD214 to verify their eligiblity. if they do not wish to transfer, then we keep them in the DMS99 HQpost and will try to retain them for one year. If you receive calls from individual indicating that they joined recently online or by mail, and you do not have records on them, then they are DMS99 members. Their memebrship card will say they belong to Post (your department code) 99... for example, if i joined online in California, then my card will say CA Post 5 99
let me know if you have any questions...
let me know if you have any questions...
New GI Bill
The American Legion launches the new GI Bill site: www.mygibill.org
this will help you with your student veteran outreaches
this will help you with your student veteran outreaches
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