Department of Alabama, VFW

General Order #1: 2020-2021 Series

July 1, 2020

1.      Having been duly elected according to the pro-forma 87th State Convention on June 13, 2020 and properly installed as Commander, Department of Alabama, Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, I Alan Bowser hereby assume command.

2.      The following officers having been duly elected and installed will be accorded the proper recognition: 

o    Sr. Vice Commander – Scott Gedling, Post 6226, Arab o     Jr. Vice Commander – Tammy Johnson, Post 5162, S Huntsville o         Quartermaster - Lee Lambert, Post 5035, E. Tallassee  o         Judge Advocate – Joyce Shelly, Post 8600, Gadsden o       Surgeon – Amber Monske, Post 5850, Eufaula o       Chaplain – James Little, Post 4850, Jasper o       District 1 Commander – Will Harris, Post 2214, Cullman o District 2 Commander – Larry Becker, Post 6073, Scottsboro o District 3 Commander – Billy Culver, Post 668, Birmingham o   District 4 Commander – Hubert Stapler, Post 4758, Pell City o             District 5 Commander – William Cooper, Post 5732, Opelika o       District 6 Commander – Luther Massey, Post 5377, Linden o          District 7 Commander – Steven Chapman, Post 4388, Red Level o           District 8 Commander – Bryant Bray, Post 5660, Fairhope

3.      The following appointments are hereby announced: 

o    Adjutant – Lee Lambert, Post 5660, Fairhope o        Chief of Staff – Pedra Munoz, Post 6683, Enterprise o    Inspector – Janice Harris, Post 1349, Prattville o    Sgt.-at-Arms – Thomas Baltzell, Post 5228, Smith Station

o    Convention Committee Chairman – Charles Stephens, Post 3128, Fort Payne o    Finance Committee Chairman - Scott Gedling, Post 6226, Arab

4.      All previous appointments are hereby null and void.

5.      All other appointments are posted on the website at www.alvfw.org.

6.      POST COMMANDERS: If you do not have an email address please designate a member of your Post, with an email address, to disseminate information from District and Headquarters. Also, please ensure the Post roster on the website (www.alvfw.org) is always up to date & accurate.

7.      GENERAL ORDERS:  All material in State General Orders are directive in nature and will be read to the membership at the Post regular membership meetings each month.

8.      ATTENTION COMMANDERS:  all levels are directed to Section 703 of the National By-Laws which requires that each accountable employee and officer(s) be bonded with an Indemnity Company in the sum at least equal to the amount of liquid assets for which he/she may be accountable.

9.      The next Business Session of the 2020-202 Council of Administration will be July 25,

2020 at 9:00 AM at the Department Headquarters, 1231 Carmichael Way, Montgomery,

AL.  Any member having any item(s) to come before the Council should contact their representative and provide them with the information.

10.  SCHOOL OF INSTRUCTION for Districts 1 – 4 will be held at 9:00 a.m. August 1,

2020, at the Kelly Ingram Post # 668, 1801 11^th Ave, Birmingham, AL 35234.  For Districts 5 – 6 will be held at 8:00 a.m. August 9, 2020 at the Department Headquarters, 1231 Carmichael Way, Montgomery, AL 36106. District 7 – 8 will be held at 8:00 a.m. August 8, 2020 at the Department Headquarters, 1231 Carmichael Wy, Montgomery, AL

36106. Registration is $25.00 and will include lunch and a Commander’s Program Book. Post Commander, Post Quartermaster and at least one (1) Trustee must attend to receive credit for All-State.

11.  ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES VISITS:  All Commanders are required to notify the Department as soon as possible and no later than 72 hours after any contact by phone, letter or visit by Federal, State or Local Enforcement Officers of the ABC Board, IRS Office, local Sheriff, Police Departments or any other agencies of their visit and any violation, request noted or any information requested.

12.  CONTROL OF UNITS:  National By-Laws Section 709 states, "No Post, County Council, District or Department and no activity, clubroom or holding company or unit sponsored, conducted or operated by, for or on behalf of any Post, County Council, District or Department may own any property jointly or in common with any individual, firm, partnership, association, corporation or other business or charitable entity, including veterans organizations nor may they participate in any arrangement whereby the funds of such Post, County Councils, District or Department or activity clubroom, holding company or unit sponsored, conducted or operated by, for or in its behalf are expended on property held by another entity for the joint used of such Post, County Council, District and Department and other individuals, firms, partnership, associations, corporation or other business or charitable entities, including veterans organizations.”

13.  Any VFW Post loaning, renting, leasing or allowing use of in anyway their VFW Post facilities or property to any civic, military or other Veteran’s organization will have a signed rental or lease agreement if for one (1) time or for a year with a hold harmless agreement included in the signed document.  A copy of the agreement must be submitted to the State Commander at Headquarters at least seventy-two (72) hours prior to the use of the facilities by the other party to ensure proper compliance.

14.  WEARING OF HATS:  Attention of Commanders, at all levels, are directed to action of the National Council of Administration prohibiting the wearing of VFW sport caps and/or western style caps at VFW meetings in place of the regulation cap of the VFW official uniform as set forth in Section 803 of the National By-Laws and Manual of

Procedure.  This prohibition is in accordance with previous directive of Commanders-inChief that it is held to be objectionable and contrary to accepted rules of order and proper decorum implicit in the ritual of the Veterans of Foreign Wars to permit the wearing of other than the official VFW caps at VFW meetings.  This also applies to informal meetings.

15.  ATTENTION OF POST COMMANDERS:  are directed to Section 218, Manual of Procedure, Duty of Trustees, which states that Post Trustees shall prepare and submit quarterly, through their Post Commander, a Post Trustees Report of Audit to the

Department Quartermaster.  The first report is due at the close of the Quarter June 2020.

Post must have audit to Department Headquarters no later than 31 July 2020.  Do not mail these reports to National Headquarters.

16.  BUDDY POPPY:  2020-2021 Buddy Poppies will cost $100.00 for 500 and $200.00 for 1,000.  Minimum order is 500.  The order form can be found online at www.alvfw.org. Please allow 8 - 12 weeks for delivery.  Support the disabled veterans in the VA Hospitals that make Buddy Poppies by having a great program for 2020-2021.

17.  A House Committee is elected to act as management for the business affairs at the club.  State VFW Club Regulations for Alabama Organizations and By-Laws explains in detail their overall responsibilities.

18.  NOTICE: National By-Laws Article II Section 213 requires that the office of Quartermaster be bonded, that the Post be properly insured and that all trustee audits be submitted on time.  Failure to comply will subject your Post Charter to suspension.

19.  MANDATORY:  National By-Laws and Manual of Procedures Article II Section 218 (a) (1) K requires the Commander or their representative to attend all properly called District meetings.  There will be no exceptions to this requirement. Also, Post Officers are strongly encouraged to attend all properly called State meetings.

20.  The Congressional charter "An Act” Section 5 and the National By-Laws Article 1 Section 101 describe in detail the requirements for membership in the VFW and it does not allow for any type of Honorary or Associate membership, PERIOD.

21.  All members are required to follow the proper chain of command prior to calling or writing National Headquarters. A copy of the letter written to National must be sent to State Headquarters.

22.  All Posts must participate in the core programs listed in the Commander’s instructions.  Programs, especially membership, are the VFW and not the canteen.  Without doing the programs it is not the VFW and there will be no canteen.       

BY ORDER OF:

ALAN BOWSER STATE COMMANDER

OFFICIAL:

MATTHEW L. LAMBERT STATE ADJUTANT