HOW TO OPERATE YOUR POST

1. HOW TO OPERATE YOUR POST BUTCH SPARKS, PAST STATE COMMANDER KILLEEN, TX JULY 27, 2013

2. OVERVIEW • MISSION • RESOURCES • BUSINESS PLAN • IMPLEMENTATION • DOCUMENTATION

3. POST’S MISSION TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE AND SERVICE TO OUR VETERANS, ACTIVE DUTY, THEIR FAMILIES AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY

4. NEEDED RESOURCES • MEMBERS • PLACE TO MEET • CONSTITUTION & BY-LAWS • DEDICATED & TRAINED OFFICERS & COMMITTEES • FUNDS • AVAILABLE MANUALS, HANDOUTS, GUIDELINES, ETC. AVAILABLE FROM DEPARTMENT

5. POST BUSINESS PLAN(STEP 1) • ELECT KNOWLEDGEABLE POST OFFICERS • INITIATE CERTIFICATION OF OFFICERS • INITIATE POST AUDIT • HAVE INSTALLATION OF OFFICERS

6. POST BUSINESS PLAN(STEP 1 cont’d) • UPDATE AND/OR DEVELOP POST CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS • REVIEW/UPDATE POST RECORDS AND GET NEWEST MATERIAL FROM DEPARTMENT • ESTABLISH POST GOALS AND OBJECTIVES FOR THE MEMBERSHIP YEAR (JULY-JUNE)

7. POST BUSINESS PLAN(STEP 2) • CALL AN EARLY EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING OF ALL NEWLY ELECTED & APPOINTED OFFICERS • INVITE OUTGOING COMMANDER & ADJUTANT AND OTHER INFLUENTIAL MEMBERS • INVITE BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEMBERS • INVITE AUXILIARY, S.A.L., & RIDER OFFICERS

8. POST BUSINESS PLAN(STEP 2 AGENDA) • BUDGET • OLD, AND POSSIBLY NEW SOURCES OF INCOME • ESTIMATED EXPENDITURES • POSSIBLE METHODS OF FINANCING SELECTED PROGRAMS WITH OTHER THAN POST FUNDS • ASSIGNMENTS • OUTLINE DUTIES OF ELECTED AND APPOINTED OFFICERS • ESTABLISH TRAINING PROTOCOLS FOR OFFICERS

9. POST BUSINESS PLAN(STEP 2 AGENDA)(cont’d) • DISCUSS INDIVIDUAL PROGRAMS & COMMITTEES IN POST TO DETERMINE THE FOLLOWING • QUALIFICATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS FOR COMMITTEE CHAIRS AND MEMBERS • ESTABLISHED PROGRAMS • POSSIBLE NEW PROGRAMS • PROGRAMS OF RECOGNITION & SERVICE TO ALL VETERANS

10. POST BUSINESS PLAN(STEP 3) • POST COMMANDER ACTIVATE COMMITTEES • SELECT CHAIRPERSON AND MEMBERS OF EACH POST COMMITTEE • MAKE PERSONAL CONTACT WITH EACH CHAIR TO DETERMINE WILLINGNESS TO SERVE • ARRANGE MEETING OF COMMITTEES TO FORMULATE PROGRAMS

11. POST BUSINESS PLAN(STEP 3)(cont’d) • INSTRUCT CHAIR AS TO PROGRAMS, AVAILABLE MATERIAL, POST REPORTS, ETC. • BUILD TIMETABLE FOR EACH COMMITTEE TO FIT INTO THE OVERALL POST CALENDAR • ADD A YOUNGER MEMBER TO THE COMMITTEES

12. POST BUSINESS PLAN(STEP 4) • ESTABLISH AND PUBLISH A POST CALENDAR IN COOPERATION WITH THE AUXILIARY, S.A.L, RIDERS AND COMMITTEE CHAIRS • THE ANNUAL PROJECTED CALENDAR SHOULD BE DONE BY MONTH STARTING WITH AUGUST AND INCLUDE: • POST ACTIVITIES • AUXILIARY ACTIVITIES • S.A.L. ACTIVITIES • RIDERS ACTIVITIES

13. POST BUSINESS PLAN(STEP 4 POST CALENDAR)(cont’d) • ITEMS FROM THE POST ADMINISTRATIVE MANUAL PROVIDED BY DEPARTMENT • POST COMMITTEE SPONSORED EVENTS • COMMUNITY SCHEDULED EVENTS • DIVISION SCHEDULED EVENTS • DEPARTMENT SCHEDULED EVENTS • TRAINING SCHEDULES

14. IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN • COMMANDER’S 1ST POST MEETING • WILL SET THE PATTERN FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR • WORK CLOSELY WITH ADJUTANT, OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE HEADS • HAVE WELCOME COMMITTEE GREET ALL MEMBERS ATTENDING THE MEETING

15. IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN • COMMANDER’S 1ST POST MEETING (cont’d) • CONDUCT A FORMAL MEETING • COMMITTEE REPORTS SHOULD BE WRITTEN, BRIEF & TO THE POINT • GO OVER POST GOALS AND EXPECTATIONS FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR WITH THE MEMBERSHIP • CONSIDER HAVING A GUEST SPEAKER AT SOME OR ALL OF POST MEETINGS TO BRIEF SOME PHASE OF THE LEGION

16. IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN • FORMULATE INSTRUCTION TO POST OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE CHAIRS ON PROCEDURES FOR KEEPING PUBLIC RELATIONS CHAIR AND EDITOR OF YOUR NEWSLETTER, COMMUNITY PAPER, ETC., INFORMED

17. IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN • PLAN FOR A BETTER INFORMED MEMBERSHIP • HAVE TALKS OR TRAINING AT ALL POST MEETINGS • GIVE ALL MEMBERS A JOB • ENCOURAGE ENROLLMENT/COMPLETION OF THE AMERICAN LEGION EXTENSION INSTITUTE COURSE • PASS ON INFORMATION

18. IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN • PLAN FOR A BETTER INFORMED MEMBERSHIP (cont’d) • DEVELOP A MONTHLY POST NEWSLETTER, BULLETIN OR WEBSITE • ACQUAINT ACTIVE MEMBERS WITH VETERAN BENEFITS

19. IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN • APPOINT COORDINATING COMMITTEE FOR PATRIOTIC OBSERVANCES • WORK WITH STANDING COMMITTEES; INCLUDE YOUNGER MEMBERS • WORK WITH COMMUNITY, PARTICULARLY IN RECOGNITION OF OUR ACTIVE MILITARY PERSONNEL, AS WELL AS ALL VETRANS

20. IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN • GIVE PROPER CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE • AWARDS AND CITATIONS • THANK YOU NOTES • CREDIT AT MEETINGS

21. IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN • ENCOURAGE LEGIONNAIRES TO VOICE THEIR INPUT BY ATTENDING AND PARTICIPATING IN MEETINGS AT POST, DISTRICT, DIVISION, DEPARTMENT, OR NATIONAL • ENCOURAGE ATTENDANCE AT CONVENTIONS, AND CONFERENCES • ENCOURAGE ATTENDANCE AT TRAINING VENUES

22. IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN • FOLLOW STANDARD PROCEDURES AND SCHEDULE FOR THE YEAR • KEEP POST MEETINGS PLANNED ONE TO THREE MONTHS IN ADVANCE • SOCIAL ACTIVITIES THREE TO SIX MONTHS IN ADVANCE

23. DOCUMENTING RESULTS • LAST BUT NOT LEAST, IT IS VITAL THAT POSTS COMPLETE AND SUBMIT THE CONSOLIDATED POST REPORT DOCUMENTING THE POST ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR

24. REVIEW • MISSION • RESOURCES • BUSINESS PLAN • IMPLEMENTATION • DOCUMENTATION

25. QUESTIONS?