American Legion - November/December Training Newsletter

JOIN DONATE RENEW
Success with Resolutions
When I was traveling as national commander, Legionnaires would often say to me, “The American Legion should ...” No matter what the ideas were, my response was always to explain how we are a grassroots organization and encourage them to follow the resolution process. The idea for every program of The American Legion, from American Legion Baseball to the American Legion Riders, began at the post level and moved forward through adoption of a resolution. Legionnaires seeking to resolve a particular problem or change a process can write a resolution stating very specifically what action is to take place. The three main purposes of a resolution is to state a position on veteran issues, to create and support the organization’s pro- grams, or to authorize change within the organization. When a post decides to put forth a resolution, it is important to determine if the subject falls within The American Legion purpose. There are so many good and just causes in the world which may attempt to lead us away from our specific mission. The Preamble of The American Legion is an excellent guide to ensure the subject matter is germane to the principles of our organization. If you find a subject needing a resolution, there are many things you can do to help it succeed. The following are a few ways to make sure your resolution is well written and follows the proper formatting. It should cover only one subject. Double check it for proper spelling and grammar. Write the “Resolved” clause first. It sounds counterintuitive but stating the result you wish to achieve will help you compose the reasons needed for the action. Research and construct a set of facts to support your position. These facts will make up your “Whereas” clauses and explain in detail why the resolution is needed. If you have supporting documentation, it may be submitted along with the resolution. Outline a cost analysis or return on investment report up front may help make your case. Resolutions requiring financial support or impact can often start with an uphill battle. Pay close attention to the timing of such resolutions. If you need help with writing a resolution, download the resolution booklet at legion.org/resolutions. The booklet explains how to format a resolution and the steps involved to submit it up the chain for consideration. Part of that chain involves following your department’s procedures. Also, use the Resolutions collection in the Digital Archive to search for and view adopted resolutions. Submitting resolutions is an important function to keep The American Legion alive and relevant. If an issue arises that affects veterans, children and families, and you feel it needs action, start by putting pen to paper to achieve your goals. Denise H. Rohan Past National Commander
TRAINING TUESDAYS
The last Tuesday of each month American Legion National Headquarters will present 60 to 90-minute sessions on topics aimed at post commanders and adjutants. Each session will be recorded and made available for later viewing. Post Administration Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2020 – 7 p.m. EST Things post adjutants should know and learn to make their term a success. Presenter: Russell Myers, Department of Maryland adjutant Helping Veterans Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2020 – 7 p.m. EST Learn more about the Mission Blue Post Assistance Program (Mission Blue PAP), Operation Comfort Warriors (OCW), National Emergency Fund (NEF), and Temporary Financial Assistance (TFA). Presenters: American Legion national program staff liaisons
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION
IT’S BUDDY CHECK TIME!
Why? Our most sacred responsibility is to look out for each other and our fellow veterans. t’s what we do for our battle buddies. To reconnect with veterans who may need assistance but don't know where to go or who to ask. When? By resolution, at least twice a year around The American Legion’s birthday (March) and Veterans Day (November). As a regular part of our daily routine. Anytime throughout the year. How? legion.org/buddycheck
FIND IT ONLINE MyLegion.org is a FREE website designed to connect members of The American Legion to their post and department leadership.
PAID-UP-FOR-LIFE (PUFL) FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What happens when a member applies for PUFL on legion.org? When a member applies for a PUFL membership, a letter is sent to the post to notify and give them the opportunity to review and accept the PUFL member- ship. A post may deny for reasons such as the member’s eligibility may be in question, or the post may be in the process of taking disciplinary action against the member, etc. The post is given 30 days to notify national of any issues. If there is no reply after 30 days, the PUFL card is mailed to the member. Generally, it takes 4 to 6 weeks for a new PUFL member to receive their card. The exception to this process is if the PUFL is being given as a gift by the post. What is the procedure if a PUFL member wishes to transfer to another post? Departments should report a PUFL member’s transfer to another post using a Member Data Form. If there is any reason why the transfer should not be processed, the Member Data Form is forwarded to the PUFL Specialist for handling. Departments and posts can contact the PUFL Specialist with questions and concerns by calling 317-630-1221, or by email at pufl@legion.org. How does a PUFL member get an up- dated card with new post information? A request for a new PUFL card reflecting the new post can be written on the Member Data Form, and the request will be forwarded to the PUFL Specialist. The department can also follow up with a call or email to request new cards. If the member is paid in full, we will send both paper and plastic cards, however, if the member is still making payments on their PUFL membership, they will only be sent a paper card. What happens when a PUFL member’s address is marked undeliverable? When a PUFL member’s address is reported undeliverable, a report is available in myLegion for the department and post to research and verify if the address is correct, has changed, or if the member has died. The post reports back to national headquarters. Annual dues are not posted to PUFL records that are coded as undeliverable or are in a cancelled status, and no per capita is paid to national, department or the post. When an update is received, the dues for the current membership year will be posted to the member’s record around the first of the following month, the per capita is paid, and national will send a paper PUFL card to the member. If a PUFL member’s address is marked undeliverable, a change of address should not be submitted in myLegion because this does not remove the undeliverable code. Instead, a signed Member Data Form should be submitted or call Customer Support Services at 1-800-433-3318. How is Honorary Life Membership different from PUFL? A post may wish to honor certain members with an Honorary Life Membership. The post usually waives their own portion of the dues and continues to pay the department and national per capitas annually for the member for their lifetime at that particular post. You should consider this type of membership non-transferable. A post may want to consider purchasing the member to be honored a PUFL membership instead; this will ensure that the annual dues payment is never forgotten as years pass and officers change. 4 The American Legion Training Newsletter Nov.-Dec. 2020 When an Honorary Life member transfers, is the new post required to accept the person as Honorary Life? When an Honorary Life member transfers to a new post, the Life Member status is considered voided since the new post is not obligated to honor that Honorary Life membership by continuing to pay the membership dues. When a transfer request is received for an Honorary Life member, a letter is sent to the member notifying them that if they transfer, their Honorary Life membership will no longer be valid, and they will once again become responsible for paying their own annual dues. The request is held for 30 days, and if no reply is received, the membership is transferred, and the Honorary Life code is removed from the record.
American Legion online resources
Visit legion.org to keep informed on news about The American Legion’s mission, programs and services that are vital to engaging and recruiting members. Don’t forget to check your department website as well for news and up- dates. A listing of department links may be found at legion.org/departments. Looking for guides, manuals or brochures? Check out our publications page to find a treasure trove of items to download and print to help your post succeed!
	WHO SHOULD TAKE ONLINE BASIC TRAINING? EVERYONE! Basic Training is not just for new members or longtime Legionnaires. Basic Training is for everyone. This training is designed to remind or educate all of us about the extraordinary accomplishments of Legionnaires past and present. It’s also designed to align all of us to the strategic mission of The American Legion. Take the course and find many more training topics at www.legion.org/training.
	District Training in a Box Click here
	Missing an Edition? Go to http://www.legion.org/training/newsletters and read or download any past edition you are missing!
About this newsletter This periodic and Legionnaire-driven newsletter, produced by the Internal Affairs & Membership Division, is designed to address best practices, ideas and training that every Legionnaire needs to know to engage our membership through effective training now and into the future. Highlighting new training ideas and resources becoming available in 2020 and beyond, it will also feature essays from successful leaders and training ideas of posts, districts, departments and individuals throughout The American Legion. Are you a trainer? A writer? We need your submissions! Send your training ideas and articles to train@legion.org.
		Keep up with us on social media! NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020