Structure
As with
every
organization
the VFW has
a chain of
command.
Modeled
after the
formation of
military
units dating
back to the
American
Civil War
where
members of a
local
militia
would choose
their
leaders, the
members of
the VFW also
choose their
leadership
at every
level.
It should be
noted that
as long as a
member is in
good
standing
(Membership
current)
that each
member has
an equal
say,
regardless
of how long
they have
been in the
VFW or
positions
held.
The VFW is a
close to a
true
Democracy as
there is
where the
majority
rules and
the
membership
has final
say with
elected
officers
enforcing
the rules
established
by the
membership
at the Post,
District,
State and
National
levels.
Post
Officers
This is
where the
real work of
the VFW
happens, at
the Post
level. Post
officers
conduct the
day to day
affairs of
the VFW
following
the
guidelines
as
established
by the
By-Laws of
the Post,
District,
Department
and National
as well as
lawful
directives
of the Post
membership. The
Post is the
direct link
to the local
community
and plays a
vital part
within the
community. VFW
Programs are
designed to
augment and
help every
Post willing
to do the
work be a
successful
Post. Post
officers are
the voice of
the veterans
in the
community. Post
Commanders
or their
representative
are required
to attend
every duly
called
District
meeting and
represent
the concerns
of the Post
at the
district
level.
Post
Meetings
The final
authority of
all Post
related
business
rests in the
hands of the
assembled
Post
members. Every
Post is
considered a
corporation
with a
President/CEO
(Commander)
Chief
Financial
Officer
(Quartermaster)
and
Secretary
(Adjutant)
along with
other
officers who
must answer
to the
shareholders
(Members)
who are
required to
hold a
meeting
(Stockholders
meeting) at
least once a
month where
every member
has an equal
share and
say into
how, what
and when the
Post
conducts its
operations. Whatever
lawful
actions the
Post
membership
wants done
the officers
must ensure
happens.
Each Post
also must
elect
delegates to
represent
the concerns
of the Post
at the
District,
State and
National
Conventions.
District
Officers
Districts
are
comprised of
several
Posts within
a geographic
area. The
individual
Posts within
this area
establish
and elect
District
Officers who
are the
primary
liaison
between the
Post and the
State. The
District
Commander is
considered a
State
Officer and
represents
the concerns
of the
District on
the State
Council of
Administration.
District
Meetings &
Convention
Every
District is
required to
meet several
times a
year, one of
those
meetings has
to be a
School of
Instruction
and another
has to be a
convention
for the
purpose of
electing new
officers.
County
Conventions
While not
commonplace
the National
By-Laws
allow for
the creation
of a County
Council in
accordance
with
Department
By-Laws. A
County
Council is
comprised of
Posts within
a county who
may be in
the same
District or
multiple
Districts. At
the present
time Iowa
VFW has no
County
Council.
State
Officers
Of primary
importance
is the State
or
Department
Commander. The
State
Commander is
the only
person
within the
state that
can
interpret
the State
and National
By-Laws and
can issue a
ruling and
can suspend
a Post and
remove
people from
office,
subject to
appeal to
the National
Commander.
State
Council of
Administration
In between
state
conventions
business
decisions
have to be
made that
state
officers do
not have the
authority to
make. Several
times a year
the State
Council of
Administration
meets to
make these
decisions. It
is comprised
of the
elected and
appointed state
officers and
every
District
Commander.
State/Department
Conventions
This is
where the
Post
Delegates
elect State
Officers and
pass or
reject
resolutions,
By-Law
changes,
amendments
and other
such
business as
presented.
Area
Conferences
Are
comprised of
four
conferences,
Eastern
Conference,
Southern
Conference,
Big 10
Conference
and Western
Conference.
Iowa is in
the Big 10
Conference. Conferences
are much
like
Districts
except they
are
comprised of
states. Through
informal
agreement
each
conference
is allowed
to nominate
a candidate
for National
office every
year. These
positions
rotate from
conference
to
conference.
National
Officers
Commander-in-Chief,
Senior Vice
Commander,
Junior Vice
Commander,
Adjutant
General,
Quartermaster
General,
Chaplain
General,
Surgeon
General, and
Judge
Advocate
General.
National
Council of
Administration
Between
conventions
decisions
have to be
made in
regards to
the business
concerns of
the VFW that
the National
Officers do
not have the
authority to
make.
Several
times a year
this body
meets to
make
decisions
about the
VFW subject
to approval
at the
National
Convention.
National
Membership
Convention
The annual
membership
meeting (National
Convention)
is the
supreme
authority of
the VFW. At
this
meeting the
VFW Post
Delegates
present make
decisions on
the By-Laws,
Resolutions, Policies
and
Procedures
of the VFW
and elect
National
Officers for
the ensuing
year.
