ALL-STATE POST COMMANDERS COMPETITION

2009-2010

The following point system will be used to judge the ALL-STATE POST COMMANDERS Contest.   THE ABSOLUTE COMPETITION CUT-OFF DATE WILL BE THE LAST WORKING DAY OF APRIL, 2010.

Posts must be 100% in membership and have at least 25 members by the last working day of April, 2010 to compete.

POINTS:

75        Attaining 100% membership by last working day in December.

15        Placing First in their membership division on the last working day of December, 2009, and March and April, 2010. (45 points possible)

10        Placing Second in their membership division on the last working day of December, 2009 and March and April, 2010. (30 points possible)

20        Being first Post in their membership division to attain 100% membership. (Weekly National reports)

10        Being second Post in their membership division to attain 100% membership. (Weekly National reports)

50        Attaining 100% membership by last working day of February, 2010

50        Commander attends Fall and Spring District meetings, Mid-winter Conference and the Department Convention. (200 points possible)  MUST BE THE COMMANDER!

25        For submitting each quarterly Audit to Department Headquarters by the end of the month following the audit quarter.  Points will be given for each quarter ending June 30, 2009; September, 2009; December, 2009 and quarter ending March 31, 2010. (100 points possible)

5          For each new or reinstated member and for each percentage point EXCEEDING 100%.

10        For submitting at least one (1) activity report by January 31, 2010, in each of the following categories: Community Activities, Citizenship/Teacher, Voice of Democracy and Patriot’s Pen. (40 points possible)

 

Poppy Purchase: Post/ Auxiliary MUST purchase at least 5% (Five per cent) more poppies than purchased the previous year, May 1, 2009 through April 30, 2010

Commanders must submit an entry to their District in BOTH Voice of Democracy and Patriot’s Pen programs and an entry in at least one of the three categories of the Citizenship/Teachers Award (K-5, 6-8, 9-12).

Up to five(5) Post Commanders may become a member of the ALL-STATE TEAM, which consists of an All-State Commanders cap, Lapel pin, Citation, and $25.00 for the Department Convention banquet..

The top Post Commander of the All-State Team will be designated as the “TEAM CAPTAIN” and in addition will receive the following:  Round trip airfare to attend the National Convention, August, 2010 in Indianapolis, IN (TRAVEL MUST BE BOOKED THROUGH VETERANS TRAVEL SERVICE), and $500.00 to help defray expenses.

 

ALL STATE DISTRICT COMMANDERS AWARD

2009-2010

 One District Commander may earn the distinction of being selected as All-State District Commander, based on the following criteria:

 The District must be 100% in membership by the last working day of April, 2010.

 All Post inspection must be completed and reports submitted to the Department Inspector by November 30, 2009.

All Posts in the District must be bonded by the established deadline.

All Posts must participate in the Buddy Poppy Program.

The District must submit to the Department an entry for Voice of Democracy, Patriots Pen, and EACH of the Citizenship Education Teachers Award categories.

District Commanders must attend all Council of Administration and District meetings. 

All of the above criteria must be met and the Commander with the highest membership percentage will be the winner.  The winning Commander will receive the following:  An All-State Commanders cap, Lapel pin, Citation, and $25.00 for the Convention banquet.

 

ALL-STATE POST QUARTERMASTER COMPETITION

2009-2010

The following point system will be used to judge the ALL-STATE QUARTERMASTERS Contest.  THE ABSOLUTE COMPETITION CUT-OFF DATE WILL BE THE LAST WORKING DAY OF APRIL, 2010.

Post must be 100% in membership and have at least 25 members by the last working day of April, 2010 to compete.

POINTS:

75         Attaining 100% by the last working day in December.

50         Attaining 100% by the last working day of February.

25         Attaining 100% by the last working day in April.

15         Placing First in their membership division on the last working day of December, March and April. 45 points possible. (Weekly National reports)

10         Placing Second in their membership division on the last working day of December, March and April.  30 points possible. (Weekly National reports)

20         Being First Post in their membership division to attain 100% membership. (Weekly National reports)

10         Being Second Post in their membership division to attain 100% membership. (Weekly National reports)

25         Post Quartermaster attending Fall and Spring District meetings, the Mid-winter Conference and the Department Convention. (100 points possible) 

5          For each new or reinstated member and for each percentage point in membership EXCEEDING 100%.

25         For submitting each quarterly Audit to Department Headquarters by the end of the month following the audit quarter.  Points will be given for each quarter ending June 30, 2009; September, 2009; December, 2009 and quarter ending March 31, 2010. (100 points possible)

Poppy Purchase: Post/ Auxiliary MUST purchase at least 5% (Five per cent) more poppies than purchased the previous year, May 1, 2009 through April 30, 2010. 

Quartermaster MUST be bonded for an amount which is at least equal to the amount of liquid assets for which, as far as can be anticipated, he or she may be accountable.

The top four (4) Quartermasters in the Department will receive this award with the final approval resting with the Department Commander.  Winners will receive the following: an All-State Quartermasters cap, a Lapel pin, a Citation and $25.00 to pay for the Department Convention banquet.

Department of Wyoming

VFW Membership Program

2009-2010

1. All Posts that finish in first or second place, in each of the six membership divisions as of the last working day in April, will receive a plaque for their achievement....Post must have a minimum of twenty –five (25) members and at least 100% membership to qualify for either the First Place Award or the Second Place Award.

 

2. All Posts achieving 100% membership or more will receive a plaque plus a 100%      Pin for the Post Commander and Quartermaster.  Qualification for this award runs     through the last working day of June.

 

3. Members who recruit new or reinstated members between July 1, 2009 and December 31, 2009, will have their names entered, one entry for each member       recruited, for a drawing for one $100 VFW Emblem and Supply gift certificate, to be awarded at the Department Midwinter Conference, January, 2010.  Names will also be entered for members who recruit new or reinstated members between January 1, 2010 and May 31, 2010.  It is the responsibility of the Post Quartermaster to provide the Department Membership Chairman with the names of Post members who qualify for this drawing no later than January 5, 2010 and June 4, 2010.

 

4. Each Post achieving 100% by the last working day of May, 2010 will be entered into a drawing for $100 VFW Emblem and Supply gift certificate for the Post Commander and Quartermaster, to be awarded at the Department Convention.  A minimum of 25 members as of the last working day of May, 2010, is required for this award.

 

5. The top three (3) recruiters, who sign up the most new or reinstated members by the last working day of May, 2010, will receive an expense allowance of $100 to help defray the expense of attending the Department Convention in June, 2010.  Recipients must attend the convention to be eligible for this award.  It is the responsibility of the Post Quartermaster to submit the recruiter’s name and number recruited to the Department Membership Chairman no later than June 5, 2010.

  

6. The Post that recruits the most reinstated members will receive a $100 VFW Emblem and Supply gift certificate, to be awarded at the Department Convention.  Post must have a minimum of 25 members to qualify for this award.  A reinstated member is a member whose dues have lapsed for a period of more than two years.  A reinstated member is one that last paid dues in 2007.

 

7. Any member recruiting five (5) new and five (5) reinstated members (must have both) by December 15, 2009, will receive a $100 VFW Emblem and Supply Gift Certificate to be awarded at the Department Mid winter Conference, January, 2010.  It is the responsibility of the Post Quartermaster to submit the recruiter’s name and number recruited to the Department Membership Chairman no later than December 30, 2009.

 

8. District Commanders will receive a bonus of $25 for each percentage point over 100% memberships their district achieves by the last working day of May, 2010.  Fractions of 1% will be figured accordingly.  Maximum award will be $100 per District.

 

9. Membership divisions will be from the last membership report from the last working day of June 2009.

 

10. Any member who recruits ten (10) or more “New – Life” members will receive a special gift from the VFW Supply and Emblem Dept.   Qualification for this award runs through the last day of May, 2010.      

The Top Four (4) Officers are not eligible for awards:  Commander, Senior Vice Commander, Junior Vice Commander and Quartermaster.   The Membership Chairman is also not eligible.

All Awards are subject to the State Commanders approval and requirements can be waived or points awarded as the Commander chooses.

Jim Pedersen

Department Membership Chairman 2009-2010

340 Trout Peak Dr.

Cody, WY  82414

307-527-6159

wyonavy@bresnan.net

 

       

Click on Publications at the left to see the Unmet Needs Program criteria and application.

With the help of corporate sponsors, the VFW Foundation receives funding to establish, administer and promote the Unmet Needs Program.

But these corporate gifts will fall short of military families’ critical needs, and the program will be mostly funded by individual donations from people like you.

Funds from donations are available to the five branches of service (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard), as well as members of the Reserves and National Guard. Funds awarded by the program are offered in the form of grants--not loans--so recipients don’t need to repay them. As they are typically less than $2,500, there is little chance that they will affect the recipient’s taxes.

A simple phone call home while deployed offers a vital link between service members and their families and provides an immeasurable boost in morale. Keeping in touch, however, can become quite costly.

As the largest organization of combat veterans, VFW knows the importance of keeping military families in touch. That’s why in 1996 VFW launched the VFW Operation Uplink™ program — the premiere calling program for deployed service members that provides free phone time to active-duty military personnel and hospitalized veterans.

VFW Operation Uplink™ initially provided calling cards to deployed and hospitalized troops, but on Mother’s Day 2006, due to the growing popularity of the program and thanks to the generosity of corporate donors like Sport Clips and United Auto Workers-General Motors, the program began hosting “Free Call Days.”

At least one designated day each month, deployed service members making calls to the U.S. from their local Morale Welfare & Recreation (MWR) center are greeted by a recording which states their call will be free courtesy of VFW Operation Uplink™. The program began working through 191 internet cafes abroad and is now offered through more than 866 locations.

CPT Shawn Bailey, Jalalabad, Afghanistan, FOB Fenty, says of the program, “I am so grateful for the ability to hear my wife and my 8-month-old over the phone. Your service is crucially important for the morale of the soldiers. You are doing your country an immeasurable service by ensuring the communication of military families!”

Members of VFW and Ladies Auxiliary VFW Posts, as well as other caring citizens generously support the program.

Free Call Days have provided more than 3 million free phone calls, equaling more than 37 million minutes in free talk time.

The VFW is proud of VFW Operation Uplink™ because it provides an easy way for individuals and organizations to make an immediate difference in the lives of active-duty military personnel.

 The VFW Military Assistance Program (MAP) is the outstretched hand between the VFW and active duty, Guard, and Reserve military units. MAP offers grants to VFW Posts who participate in military unit functions, such as sponsoring "Farewell and Welcome Home Activities," "Family Readiness Group" events, or other sponsorship ideas.

MAP also links with VFW’s Operation Uplink and Unmet Needs programs to create an all-star team of military assistance. MAP and Operation Uplink have provided more than 200 computers to set up Internet Cafes where servicemembers’ families may e-mail their deployed loved ones.

In addition, MAP has forged partnerships with various service providers, including www.vetjobs.com, aimed at providing the transitioning service member with relocation and employment assistance.

For more information, call the MAP office at (816) 756-3390, ext 211; Fax: (816) 968-2779 or email: map@vfw.org

Among all the flowers that evoke the memories and emotions of war is the red poppy, which became associated with war after the publication of a poem written by Col. John McCrae of Canada. The poem, "In Flander's Field," describes blowing red fields among the battleground of the fallen.

For more than 75 years, the VFW's Buddy Poppy program has raised millions of dollars in support of veterans' welfare and the well being of their dependents.

The VFW conducted its first poppy distribution before Memorial Day in 1922, becoming the first veterans' organization to organize a nationwide distribution. The poppy soon was adopted as the official memorial flower of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States.

It was during the 1923 encampment that the VFW decided that VFW Buddy Poppies be assembled by disabled and needy veterans who would be paid for their work to provide them with some form of financial assistance. The plan was formally adopted during the VFW's 1923 encampment. The next year, disabled veterans at the Buddy Poppy factory in Pittsburgh assembled VFW Buddy Poppies. The designation "Buddy Poppy" was adopted at that time.

In February 1924, the VFW registered the name "Buddy Poppy" with the U.S. Patent Office. A certificate was issued on May 20, 1924, granting the VFW all trademark rights in the name of Buddy under the classification of artificial flowers. The VFW has made that trademark a guarantee that all poppies bearing that name and the VFW label are genuine products of the work of disabled and needy veterans. No other organization, firm or individual can legally use the name "Buddy" Poppy.

Today, VFW Buddy Poppies are still assembled by disabled and needy veterans in VA Hospitals.

The minimal assessment (cost of Buddy Poppies) to VFW units provides compensation to the veterans who assemble the poppies, provides financial assistance in maintaining state and national veterans' rehabilitation and service programs and partially supports the VFW National Home for orphans and widows of our nation's veterans.

ALL AMERICAN STAR-SPANGLED BONUS

TheBuddy Poppy Program is offering an additional opportunity to distributepoppies on March 3, in order to assist in meeting two of this year’s All American requirements.  This additional Buddy Poppy date marks the anniversary of VFW’s victory in sealing the Star Spangled Banner as the national anthemon March 3, 1931.  Further details on this event will be sent to eachDepartment headquarters, Buddy Poppy chairmen and Post Commanders.  Contact information:  nclifton@vfw.org (816) 968-1148.  Please visit  http://www.vfwstore.org/SearchResult.aspx?CategoryID=128 for Buddy Poppy merchandise.

 

2010-2011 Theme: "DOES MY GENERATION HAVE A ROLE IN AMERICA'S FUTURE?"

Entry Deadlines:

Postmarked to VFW posts by November 1st

Postmarked to District by November 15th

Department judging should be completed by January 7th with winners to national by January 15th.

District participation reports should be forwarded to Department by January 15th and from Department to National by January 31.

Please go to the FORMS tab on the left menu list for: Educators Letter; Voice of Democracy and Patriot’s Pen Competition Entry Forms