Commander May 2, 2016 General Orders # 11 2015 – 2016 ...

1 Commander May 2, 2016 General Orders # 11 2015 2016 Series, published monthly by the VFW Department of Idaho. To be read at regular Post meetings, and placed in file for future reference. 1. Congratulations to all newly elected Post and District Officers. Please ensure you familiarize yourselves the Sections 218 and 418 of the National Manual of Procedure, which lists your duties and obligations. Sections 218 will be included with these General Orders . 2. Congratulations to Dalton B. Johnson for being selected as Idaho s Scout of the Year. Dalton was sponsored by Rigby Post 1004. 3. Since the last General Orders , 4 Posts and 2 Districts have joined the 100% Club. Good Job. Grangeville Post 3520 100% Potlatch Post 10300 Wilder Post 11065 Twin Falls 2136 District 2 District 4 4. All Posts must elect delegates to the District and Department Convention IAW section 222 of the Manual of Procedure. Delegates to the National Convention should be elected at the last Post meeting in June.

2 5. All Department Officers and Committee Chairman are reminded they must submit written reports of their activities 10 days prior to the Department Convention or travel pay will not be given. 6. All-State nominations must be submitted to the Department by May 25th to receive recognition at the Department Convention. District Commanders must nominate Posts and Area Commanders must nominate Districts. This information is in the All-State SOP. 7. Post Commanders shall ensure that a properly completed Election Report is submitted to Department and National by June 1st IAW Sec. 218 (a)(1)(i) of the Manual of Procedure. 8. MEMBERSHIP - MEMBERSHIP- MEMBERSHIP!! Team Idaho is 324 members short of reaching 100%. We have 1081 comrades that have not renewed their membership as of today. If you don t know who they are, the Membership Chairman can get you that info. I know that we can succeed if we just put in a little more effort. For those of you that are working hard already, keep up the good work.

3 Let s continue to move forward and march on!!! 9. A BIG, BIG, Congratulations to _____. If you want to know whose name to fill in, read your emails from Dept. HQ. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. 10. Thanks Tom & Susan for keeping the Department running. ONE TEAM, ONE MISSION. VETERANS By order of the Commander Attested to: Rick W. Johnson Thomas E. Black Commander Adjutant/Quartermaster Adjutant/Quartermaster May 1, 2016 1. State Quartermaster Tom Black Comrades, please send your Department Convention registration forms to State Headquarters as early as you can, the deadline is May 23rd, however you certainly don t need to wait that long. Please make your hotel reservations with the Lewiston Red Lion before May 22nd. Post and District Election Reports must be sent to National Headquarters as soon as possible following elections this month. I look forward to seeing everyone in Lewiston for the Wet & Wild State Convention 12-16 June, all forms are included in the General Orders .

4 We now have poppies on hand at Department Headquarters for any Posts that may need them quickly. I still appreciate everyone using the poppy order form so that I can maintain accurate records. order poppies early in anticipation of Memorial Day. Remember the cost of poppies is $60 per 500 or $120 per 1000. Please use the Buddy Poppy order Form that is attached to these General Orders . Please remember that I am always willing to assist anyone with anything needed. I am available at the other end of an email or phone call. Yours in True Comradeship, Tom Black 2. The following need to send missing Audit Reports to Dept. Quartermaster: Posts:10300, 6232, 3886, 4000, 1004, 2146 3. The following Posts have not posted bonds for the 2015 2016 year: 3886 and 4000. 4. District Meetings: District 2 May 14 noon Post 10300, 735 Pine St, Potlatch District 7 May 14 11:00 Post 735, Pocatello District 8 May 14 noon Post 2146, 485 Constitution Way, Idaho Falls 5.

5 Department State Convention Forms are included with these General Orders . Please note the deadlines and the fact that NO meal tickets will be sold at the Convention. 6. The Department of Idaho State Convention Delegate Fee Schedule is attached to these General Orders along with the Delegate Credentials 7. Note: Attachment regarding Proposed Changes to the Department By-Laws. These changes are being published for your review prior to Convention. They will be voted on during the Business Session at the Convention. 8. Congratulations to the Auxiliary! April 5, 2016 to CDR Johnson: This is to advise you that we received approval from the VFW Aux National HQ to institute VFW Aux 7019 Kuna today!!! Kudos to Dept Chief of Staff/Organizer Melanie Palmer, Post 7019 CDR Hilderbrand, Post 7019 ADJ Jerry Palmer, and Post 7019 Comrades. Thank you for all your hard work in making this coordinated effort a very successful one. We are looking forward to welcoming our new Aux 7019 to the Department of Idaho Family.

6 Way to go TEAM IDAHO!!!! Carmelita Jones, President, Department of Idaho Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary 9. MEMBERSHIP CORNER, Denny Croner, Program Chairman Comrades, yes it is that time of the year where we still have time to get our job done before the Fiscal Year door slams shut. As of this writing, about half of our Posts have made goal and most of those are continuing to help those that are struggling. We only have two Districts at 100% or more and a couple more knocking on the door. Is Idaho in a position to finish with pride in knowing we did our job? Yes, but comrades, Santa Claus has come and gone. We all need to review our membership plan and adjust it as necessary or we will finish the race in the also ran column on the National Scoreboard! In every organization we can find those that rise to the top. In Idaho s VFW we call them Golden Eagles and recognize those that have excelled in recruiting new or former members. Our current benchmark for membership in this elite group is (10) Ten or more recruits.

7 As of today we have the following Comrades who have earned this prestigious award: District One: Brian Beeler Post 889 District Two: Carl Roy Post 3296 Rick Johnson- Post 4902 District Four: Gordon Petrie Post 4900 District Five: Mischa Brady- Post 63 Byron Ely Post 1173 Rich Cesler- Post 1173 District Six: Robert Smith Post 2136 Bob Wayment- Post 2136 District Eight: Robert Akins Post 2146 A quick look at the Memstats Recruiter Report shows we have several more Eaglets that could be hatched before we all meet in Lewiston! Behind every successful Recruiter is a team that makes it all come together. Our team includes every member that comes to a meeting, our Auxiliary members, and every member of our community that supports our programs! How we take care of them determines our continued success. Have a great day and get out and help a veteran or his family member experience the benefits of the VFW and our Auxiliary.

8 10. IDAHO VFW RAFFLE FUND, John Crotinger, Chairman The raffle continues to move forward and the reports that we have received indicate a successful year. POST COMMANDERS AND DISTRICT COMMANDERS, Please continue to make sure that tickets are available. The sale of all allotted tickets will insure that Posts and Districts will receive funds to use for Voice of Democracy and Patriot s Pen Programs. Please remit your monies and ticket stubs to John Crotinger to receive credit for sales. Continue the good work and a BIG THANK YOU for your work on this Program!!! 11. DEPARTMENT CREDENTIALS, John Crotinger, Chairman Posts are reminded to pay the Post Delegate Fee to the Department Quartermaster. Delegates must be registered to ensure the right to vote at the Department Posts are required by Department By-Laws to register even if not attending the Posts are also required to have submitted the Post Election Report t have a voting right at the Convention.

9 VFW National requirements state Post must submit their Election Report prior to June who do not report by that date may be subject to suspension, until such time as the Election Report is submitted.. Post Commanders please ensure the above requirements are met. Meeting the requirements will make the Department Convention function smoothly and avoid the problems created by last minute trying to meet the rules. 12. WESTERN CONFERENCE HAWAII Aloha Comrades, Brothers & Sisters, Please share / provide Hawaii's web-site to your membership: Western Conference in Honolulu Hawaii information is on our w/site, Nov. 3-5, 2016 I know some folks have made reservations at the Halekoa Hotel, (Military Hotel), almost a mile away from the Ala Moana Hotel, our W/Conf Hotel! (NOT AN EASY WALK) Any questions from anyone have them call me: Cell 808-741-1936, best number! Dept. phone: 808-946-7250 Fax: 808-946-7269 or Email: Warm aloha, Norbert K.

10 Enos, AQ Conference Chairman 13. MAY Check List: Review state incorporation paperwork for your post. You should get a card from the Secretary of State that must be signed and filled out and returned no later than 60 days from the date on the card. Posts need monthly Audit Reports. Posts need monthly Community Activity Reports sent to the JVC by the 26th of the month. Posts need to continue working membership daily. Posts and Districts should have their elections and provide a copy of the election report to the Department and National. Posts should pay their delegate fees to the Department before the Department convention in June. Posts should remind their members to register for the Department Convention in June. May 7th VE Day-1945 Flag Day is next month so make plans for parade, appropriate ceremony. All posts need to report deceased members to the Department Adj/Quartermaster before the Memorial Service at the Department Convention in June.