Scott Jamieson
2021-2022 Legislative Ambassador
As we are half way through our Program Year, now is the perfect time to review our Legislative Program Goals, Reporting and Awards.
Take Action
Responding to Action Alerts is simple. To identify the correct members of the House and Senate for your area, access the VFW Action Center, follow the directions and a list of both Federal and State Officials will be provided. You can easily fire off three emails (one to your Representative, and one to each of your Senators) in less than thirty seconds. Take the time to let your elected officials know how you feel and promote the best interests of veterans everywhere.
You can always check and see what Campaigns are active with the National Legislative Service by checking the active campaigns here.
As always, be sure to check out our Legislative Resources and the Program Overview.
Report
Reporting goals for each of our Programs are found in the National Program Book. Legislative Program goals are:
- Number of Auxiliary members who subscribe to VFW Action Corps Newsletter
- Number of personal contacts made with legislators on veterans issues
- Number of email, mail and phone calls to legislators on veterans issues
- Number of Auxiliary members who attend events where they could interact with legislators on veterans issues
Broadly speaking, these can be boiled down into three categories so you don’t have to remember the gritty details. To wit, the things that count are:
- Action Corps signups
- Contact with Legislators
- Legislative event participation
Make a point to report! Every Action Corps signup, every contact made with a legislator, every legislative event – report, report, report!
Awards
Another often overlooked component of many Programs are awards, so let’s highlight the awards associated with the Legislative Program.
Citations are available to all Auxiliaries for training members in the legislative process. Completed forms are to be mailed to Auxiliary Headquarters, Attn: Awards Administrator. Citations will be mailed directly to the Auxiliary. One Auxiliary in each Conference who hosts the best member training will receive a citation and a $25 Award.
Additionally, a $25 VFW Store gift card will be awarded to one Department Legislative Chairman in each of the 10 Program Divisions for the best promotion of legislative education and member involvement in the Legislative Program.
Let’s strive for a strong finish focusing on taking action, reporting and informing membership about awards.