SECTION 4 Membership Life Membership Eligibility Membership ...

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The Organizersof New VFW Posts• Must be thoroughly familiar with the background, attainments and objectives of the Veterans ofForeign Wars of the United States, also wholly oriented regarding the obligations of each PostOfficer.• Must have carefully read and digested the Veterans of Foreign Wars Constitution, By-Laws andRitual.• Must be a person whose conduct commands respect for themselves as well as for the Veterans ofForeign Wars which they represent.• Must take care that prospective members are given a wholesome impression of the Veterans ofForeign Wars, being aware that first impressions are lasting ones.• When not having the correct answer to a question, should not guess, instead, should get theanswer and give it to them later.• Must recognize that the only way we can build our strength is through personal contact.There is no satisfactory substitute for door-bell-ringing and hand-clasping. No remote impersonalapproach will work.• Must resolve that, once having organized a Post, will not abandon it, but continue to help newPosts get solidly on the ground. Do that by being available to advise and help Post Officers andCommittees.How to Organize a VFW PostThere are many ways to make contacts: through members who live in communities with no VFW Posts; businessmen;personal friends or advertising. Never let the first veteran you talk with discourage you from yourgoal. Somewhere in every community is the man who is interested in the VFW. Maybe concern about veteransrights. Perhaps the community needs are uppermost. It could be the support the VFW can give Americathat appeals most. The secret is to discover the veteran’s basic interests. Here are some suggestions.Remember, whenever you go into a community, be positive, talk positive, act positive.How to get LeadsIn nearly every community there is a Comrade who belongs or has belonged to the VFW in another area. ThisComrade may have been active in a Post before, but has moved to a community without a Post and might beinterested in helping you organize a Post in the new community. Any member who has maintained membershipeven though moving away is always a good prospect to help you organize a new one. A Comrade who belongedto the VFW in a community where a Post was terminated may be a good prospect to help in reorganizing thatPost.Go to city officials or the Chamber of Commerce. They have the interest of the community at heart and will help.they are well aware that the VFW will be an asset to their community. Many officials are, themselves, veterans;if not, they can suggest the names of many overseas veterans that might be interestedMost states have a county service officers’ program that needs the support of veterans organizations. Theseservice officers will gladly assist in the development of a new Post.63
Go to the County courthouse and go through their recorded service discharges. These are public records andfrom them you can compile a list of eligible veterans. Contact them. If by mail, enclose a self-addressed postcardthe veteran can mail back to you if they are interested.Most newspapers, radio and TV stations will carry news of your organizational meeting free if it is presented tothem as a news release. You may also need to use paid advertising – posters, circulars, ads on broadcastingstations or in newspapers. Any veteran who comes to your meeting is interested. Whether there are one or tenin attendance, this is the nucleus for a new Post. Do not be discouraged by a small turnout. These veterans willwork with you in contacting others.After the first eligible veteran signs up, get from them the names of others who may be eligible. This has a chainreaction effect. Before you know it, you will have the required number for a charter application.How to get a Charter ApplicationPersonal Contacts—After signing up that first eligible veteran, get a list of names of prospective members.Ask the them to go with you, if possible, and introduce you to other veterans in the community. If they can nothelp there may be a friend who can help you contact prospective members. You may have to go alone but it ismuch better to have at least two people. Try to get applications from prominent veterans in the community firstand use them to influence others. Going about things this way you must sell each prospect individually, but it isvery effective. A small community is usually easier to work because people you are looking for are easier to find.In larger communities night and weekend calls are usually more successful.When talking to prospective members, be positive in your approach. There is no doubt but that a Post will beestablished. Make out the membership applications for the prospect. If you do not, they may look at it and say,“come back and see me later.” These call-backs waste your time so try to avoid them. Collect enough dues tocover the National and Department per capita tax, and a little more to begin a Post fund. (No transaction iscomplete until you have a completed membership application with the new member’s signature and dues.) If thePost wants to, it can charge the amount of dues at its first meeting.Once you have the first member signed up, do not stop until you have reached the minimum of 25 applicationsfrom new or reinstated members. That is what it takes to complete the charter application.After completing the charter application, send it to the Department for approval. The Department will then sendit to the Commander-in-Chief approval.After forwarding the charter application to the Department Headquarters, call an organizational meeting toappoint or elect a temporary Commander and Quartermaster to head the new Post until it is instituted. Urge thenew members to bring with them to the meeting other veterans who are eligible for membership. Suggest thatthey bring with them their proof of eligibility. (Carry out this suggestion as explained under organizational meetings.)Organizational Meetings—Through you contacts get the names and addresses of as many eligible veteransas possible. Set a date and arrange for a meeting (both date and place to suit the convenience of theprospective members). Advertise by mail, newspaper or other medium available. Do not be disappointed if yourattendance is small. Many will wait to see what might happen at this meeting before committing themselves.Explain to those present the functions of the VFW and its programs as briefly as possible. Let them select atemporary Commander and Quartermaster. Explain to them the dues structure and let them suggest the amountof dues to charge. Remember to take into consideration that the dues must be the combined amount of theNational and Department Per Capita Tax. They should also have some money left over for the Post treasury.Explain to them the membership application. Have those present complete a membership application and64
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Page 5 and 6: CALL TO ACTION Membership Recruitin
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Page 15: 2013-2014Veterans of Foreign WarsVF
Page 19 and 20: General InformationNaming of Posts:
Page 21 and 22: VFW Life MembershipAny person other
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Page 27 and 28: (Rev. 01/12)How to Determine Eligib
Page 29 and 30: Campaign Military QualifyingMedals
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Page 37 and 38: ALL-‐AMERICAN DISTRICT AWARD
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