HOW TO
OPERATE YOUR
POST
BUTCH SPARKS, PAST STATE COMMANDER
KILLEEN, TX JULY 27, 2013
OVERVIEW
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MISSION
RESOURCES
BUSINESS PLAN
IMPLEMENTATION
DOCUMENTATION
POST’S MISSION
TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE AND SERVICE
TO OUR VETERANS, ACTIVE DUTY,
THEIR FAMILIES AND THE
SURROUNDING COMMUNITY
NEEDED RESOURCES
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MEMBERS
PLACE TO MEET
CONSTITUTION & BY-LAWS
DEDICATED & TRAINED OFFICERS &
COMMITTEES
• FUNDS
• AVAILABLE MANUALS, HANDOUTS,
GUIDELINES, ETC. AVAILABLE FROM
DEPARTMENT
POST BUSINESS PLAN
(STEP 1)
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ELECT KNOWLEDGEABLE POST OFFICERS
INITIATE CERTIFICATION OF OFFICERS
INITIATE POST AUDIT
HAVE INSTALLATION OF OFFICERS
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)
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
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
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
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
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
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:
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POST ACTIVITIES
AUXILIARY ACTIVITIES
S.A.L. ACTIVITIES
RIDERS ACTIVITIES
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN
• GIVE PROPER CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE
– AWARDS AND CITATIONS
– THANK YOU NOTES
– CREDIT AT MEETINGS
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
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
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
REVIEW
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MISSION
RESOURCES
BUSINESS PLAN
IMPLEMENTATION
DOCUMENTATION
QUESTIONS?