POST EXECUTIVE COMMITTEES
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I hope everyone had a safe Veteran’s Day and I thank all of you for your service.
Over the last few weeks The Department has experienced some Posts who have apparently attempted to “weaponize” their Executive Committees as a method and means to deal with personal/ personnel issues within their Posts.
So let me take this time and reiterate what I stated at the Fall Conference:
2017 OFFICER’S GUIDE AND MANUAL OF CEREMONIES- PAGE 21:
Executive Committee
“…the government and management of the post is entrusted to the executive committee…is further charged with hiring such employees as may be necessary, authorizing and approving all expenditures, requiring adequate bonds from those with custody of post funds, hearing reports of post committee chairpersons, and generally managing post affairs”.
“DELEGATION OF THESE FUNCTIONS TO THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE IS IN NO WAY INTENDED TO USURP THE POWERS OF THE MEMBERSHIP THROUGH REGULAR POST MEETINGS. Rather, this allows the routine operational affairs of the post to be handled outside of post meetings. Committee reports of general interest to members should be given at post meetings…”
The Post Executive Committee is the vehicle that ” steers and directs” the Post in accordance with the established Constitution, By-Laws and The American Legion Programs.
The Post Executive Committee is not a monarch within a Post and has no special privileges that over rules the Post membership who always has the final word. Please get this word out to all of your Posts.
UPCOMING HOLIDAYS
At the time of this email, we are now 10 days away from Thanksgiving and 42 days away from Christmas. These are sacred times for Americans and the communities that we live in. So I ask that all of you District Commanders gently remind your Posts- that have social quarters/ bars- to be mindful of Post members/ guests who are drinking during these celebratory times.
This might be a good time to request that your Posts review their Bar/ House Rules on “over service”, bartender training, ABC Rules & regulations, rowdy/ unacceptable behavior and required courses of action within the individual Posts that have a social quarters/ bar.
We already had one reported incident within the past year where alleged “over service” at a Post bar possibly contributed to a major domestic incident. This is not what The American Legion stands for and we do not seek negative publicity. One more realistic reminder- If you have an unfortunate incident at one of your Posts ; please don’t wait until The Department reads about it in the news. Report the incident ASAP because bad news isn’t like wine and it doesn’t get better with age.
Once again, thanks for all of your help.
Joe Vaccaro
The Department of Virginia
Judge Advocate
Department Judge Advocate Sends- Post Executive Committees & Upcoming Holidays