POST OFFICER DUTIES &
RESPONSIBILITIES
BUTCH SPARKS
PAST STATE COMMANDER
JULY 27/28, 2013
KILLEEN, TX
WHO CAN BE A POST OFFICER ?
• A MEMBER IN GOOD STANDING
• BEEN DULY ELECTED BY THE GENERAL
MEMBERSHIP IN ACCORDANCE WITH (IAW)
CONSTITUTION & BY-LAWS (C&BL’S)
• SOME CAN BE APPOINTED BY THE POST
COMMANDER WITH POST MEMBERSHIP’S
APPROVAL IAW C&BL’s
• FORMALLY INSTALLED BY A DEPARTMENT
REPRESENTATIVE
• SHOULD BE A GRADUATE OF THE LEGION ALEI
COURSE
Recommended Post Officers
• Post Commander
• Post Adjutant
• First Vice Cmdr
• Second Vice Cmdr
• Finance
Officer/Treasurer
• Hub Master
• Service Officer
• Chaplain
• Sergeant-at-Arms
• Historian
• Judge Advocate
• Standing Committees
Examples of Standing Committees
• Americanism
• Children and Youth
• VA&R
• National Security
• Membership and Post
Activities
• Public Relations
• Legislative
• Finance
• Economic/Fundraising
• Welcoming
• Memorial Team
• Training
POST COMMANDER
• POWER LIMITED BY CONSTITUTION &
BY-LAWS
• PRESIDES AT ALL POST MEETINGS
• CONTROLS MEETING AGENDAS
• GENERAL SUPERVISION OF POST
OFFICERS
POST COMMANDER (cont’d)
• APPOINT COMMITTEES
• SEES THAT POST CONSTITUTION & BY-LAWS
ARE OBSERVED
• PERFORMS OTHER DUTIES AS DIRECTED BY
THE POST
• COORDINATES PROGRAMS WITH
AUXILIARY, SONS, & RIDERS
• COMMUNICATES WITH COMMUNITY
LEADERS
ADJUTANT
• POST ADMINISTRATOR
• HANDLES ALL POST CORRESPONDENCE
• RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING ALL POST
RECORDS
• MAINTAINS MEMBERSHIP RECORDS
• PUBLISHES OFFICIAL ORDERS,
ANNOUNCEMENTS & INSTRUCTIONS
• ASSISTS OTHER OFFICERS AND
COMMITTEES
ST
1
VICE COMMANDER
• BE FULLY INVOLVED IN AND RESPONSIBLE
FOR ALL ASPECTS OF POST MEMBERSHIP
• CHAIRMAN OF THE POST MEMBERSHIP
COMMITTEE
• KNOWLEDGEABLE OF COMMANDER’S
DUTIES
• MAKES A MEMBERSHIP REPORT AT ALL
MEETINGS
• PERFORMS OTHER DUTIES AS NEEDED
2ND VICE COMMANDER
• RESPONSIBLE FOR PATRIOTIC
OBSERVANCES
• DEVELOPMENT OF POST ACTIVITIES
• ENTERTAINMENT
• PERFORMS OTHER DUTIES AS NEEDED
FINANCE OFFICER/TREASURER
• IN CHARGE OF ALL FINANCES
• CHAIR OF POST FINANCE COMMITTEE
• MAINTAINS BUDGET AS APPROVED BY
MEMBERSHIP
• DEPOSITS ALL FUNDS AND MAINTAINS
FINANCE RECORDS
• MAKES DISBURSEMENT OF FUNDS AS
APPROVED
FINANCE OFFICER/TREASURER
(cont’d)
• COUNTERSIGNS ALL CHECKS WRITTEN
FROM POST ACCOUNTS
• PROVIDES WRITTEN MONTHLY REPORTS
TO POST EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE &
MEMBERSHIP ON STATUS OF POST
FINANCES
• INITITATES NECESSARY IRS AND OTHER
REPORTS AS REQUIRED
• PERFORMS OTHER DUTIES AS NEEDED
SERVICE OFFICER
• BRINGS ATTENTION TO POST MEMBERS
THEIR RIGHTS AND BENEFITS GRANTED
TO THEM BY LAW
• MUST KNOW HOW TO UTILIZE THE
EXPERT SERVICES AVAILABLE THROUGH
LEGION CHANNELS
• MUST KNOW HOW TO UTILIZE THE
EXPERT SERVICES OF AGENCIES IN THE
SURROUNDING COMMUNITY
CHAPLAIN
• MORAL LEADER OF THE POST
• ASSISTS WITH OBSERVANCES OF
PATRIOTIC OCCASIONS, FUNERAL
SERVICES AND DEDICATION
CEREMONIES
• SHOULD VISIT SICK IN THE HOSPITAL
AND AT NURSING HOMES
• LEADER OF 4 CHAPLAINS SERVICES,
MEMORIAL DAY SERVICES, AND OTHER
SOMBER EVENTS
JUDGE ADVOCATE
• ADVISOR IN CONDUCT OF POST
BUSINESS
• RETAINS PROFESSIONAL COUNSEL
WHEN REQUIRED
• CHAIRMAN OF POST CONSTITIUTION
AND BY-LAWS COMMITTEE
• IN CHARGE OF ANNUAL AUDIT OF POST
• RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ORDERLY
CONDUCT OF DISCIPLINARY
SERGEANT-AT-ARMS
• PRESERVES ORDER AT ALL TIMES AND
DURING MEETINGS
• RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PROPER ROOM
SET UP FOR POST MEETINGS
• CUSTODIAN OF THE POST COLORS
• IN CHARGE OF POST COLOR GUARD
• RESPONSIBLE FOR ASSURING MEMBERS
OBSERVE PROPER ETIQUETTE DURING
POST MEETINGS
HISTORIAN
• SHOULD WORK CLOSELY WITH ALL POST
OFFICERS TO COMPILE AND PRESERVE
RECORDS OF THE POST
• AN ANNUAL POST NARRATIVE HISTORY
AND YEARBOOK SHOULD BE PREPARED,
AND FILED WITH THE POST RECORDS
• ATTENDS POST FUNCTIONS AND
DOCUMENT EVENTS WITH WRITTEN
NOTES AND PHOTOGRAPHS
WEBMASTER/HUB MASTER
• MAINTAINS POST WEBSITE
• WORKS WITH POST OFFICERS TO KEEP WEBSITE
CURRENT
• WORKS WITH DEPARTMENT, DIVISION, AND
DISTRICT TO OBTAIN CURRENT NEWS, PLANNED
EVENTS, ETC.
• WORKS CLOSELY WITH THE POST PUBLIC
RELATIONS CHAIR
• KEEPS MEMBERSHIP INFORMED VIA THE HUB
MASTER NETWORK
• PROVIDES INPUT TO THE HUB MASTER NETWORK
AMERICAN LEGION
POST OFFICER RESOURCES
• CURRENT OFFICERS GUIDE AND
MANUAL OF CEREMONIES
• POST ADMINISTRATIVE GUIDE
• NATIONAL CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS
• DEPARTMENT CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS
• POST CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS
QUESTIONS?