MICHIGAN OV• ReportingER yourSE positiveAS impact onVE the MichiganTE communityRA • N April/May/June 2013 Volume 80 Number 4 SENIOR VICE COMMANDER JUNIOR VICE COMMANDER The year is coming to a close This is my last MOV article and all election reports should Ron for the 2012-2013 year as your be in to National and Depart- Department Jr. Vice Commander. Harry “Les” ment. Please remember you may Devereaux I want to take this opportunity to only hold one elected position at thank you once again for the Croyle the Post. Also delegate fees for Senior honor and privilege of serving as Junior National and Department Con- Vice Commander your Department Jr. Vice. vention should have been sent Now more than ever, member- Vice Commander in; you must do this, even if you ship in the Veterans of Foreign do not send somebody to National and Department Convention is June 6-9. If you Wars is needed to continue the fight to may be, all election reports sent in to State Department Convention. If you think your can make it, please come out and join in the take care of he who has born the battle. and National, a membership plan ready to Post is All-State, please get the paperwork fun and business of the Veterans of Foreign As our elected officials look for ways to implement, an outline of the goals set for into Larry Thayer by the deadline. Wars. June 21-23 is VTS Training at Camp cut budgets, they always look our way. your year and a burning desire for suc- Membership, comrades, is down about Trotter and the golf outing. If you have new Last March the VFW was in Washington cess. The Department of Michigan will 2,000 members from last year; we still officers or would like to join us at this train- D.C., visiting our representatives. It was be holding VFW Training Seminars all have until the end of June to get this to ing, we would like to see you there. There a very simple message that we tried to across the state to assist you. The dates, 100%. We cannot keep losing members will be a lot of information presented for convey to them, “We gave at the office”. locations and times should be announced at this rate without replacing them, and you to take back to your Post or District. Our Commander-in-Chief John Hamilton very soon. Every member needs to learn we must do more to keep the members We also have a bookkeeper job open at made it very clear that our sacrifices how the organization operates, so please that we have. At the end of last year the Department. If you are interested in for this nation were already paid in full. attend one of these seminars. the Department of Michigan Membership this job, please get a hold of me by May Each and every member of this great The next time we meet will be our stood at 49,809 members. Now let’s break 11; the job will pay $28,000 a year. If you organization has done his or her part in VFW State Convention in Troy, Michi- that down by age: 12.195% is below the have some Quick Books and accounting all the wars this nation has sent us to. gan. Candidates for state office will be age of 54; 19.181% is 55 to 65 years of expertise, it would help. The only way to keep this organization elected for the ensuing year; our new age; 20.237% is 66 to 70 year of age; It has been a pleasure serving you this strong is through membership. If each Commander takes over the leadership of 5.971% is 71 to 75 years of age; 6.553% year and my door will be open to all who one of us recruits just one member, we the Department, and the new Command- is 76 to 80 years of age; and 35.042% are show up at it next year, so come on down will be a hundred percent. If each one of ers statewide take charge. Never forget 81 and over. We need to all be working and say hi. If you have any comments or us recruits two members, we can grow by we must work together for the success of on this before it’s too late. anything else that will help keep the Vet- leaps and bounds. Let’s get growing!!!! all. If we do not work and if we do not Commander Kennedy will be holding erans of Foreign Wars a great place, call To every Post, Council and District that work hard, no one will meet the goals we the Joint Testimonial on May 17-19 and me at any time. has attained one hundred percent in mem- set for ourselves. bership – thank you. It looks like a sure thing that we will I hope all the newly elected officers are have a full twelve scholarships for the ready for their next year of service. Com- Patriot’s Pen Contest this year. That means QUARTERMASTER manders at every level should have their that every District will have a Patriot’s Pen officers elected or appointed as the case contestant at the Mid-Winter Conference. State Convention is just around the corner and approach- JUNIOR VICE, continued on page 5 ing quickly. We have lots to get done before then. Elections Lynn and the All-State program have STATE ADJUTANT both come to an end for another Patterson year. Remember that you need State Quartermaster The year is almost over and time to have your election reports in has flown by. It has been an honor to National and Department by to serve the Department and all of 1 June 2013. Also due are your you. I thank you for a wonderful Stu delegate fees for National and State Con- responsibilities of a Post Quartermaster. year and all of the new comrades Billey ventions. You need to elect delegates for Bonds for the New Year will be coming that I have met along the way. It your Post and have to send in National due shortly. When you are trying to fig- has truly been a pleasure. State Adjutant delegate fees, even if no one from your ure out your bond, please use the highest By the time this article is Post is going to the National Convention. amount of money that the Post has for published, a lot will have trans- Audits are due at the end of the month the year. This is for the Post’s protection. pired. Post Commanders, please following the end of the quarter. So for If you are under bonded and something remember to review Section 200 of the National and Department by June 1. this last audit (Jan/Feb/Mar), your audit happens, you will only be covered for the National Bylaws and Manual of Pro- Please make note that the proposed would be due the 30th of April. If you amount that the Post has a bond for; the cedure to make sure that you have Bylaw amendments and resolutions that have more questions on this, please talk rest would be a loss for the Post. completed everything before the State will be voted on at the Convention are with your District QMs. I don’t think State Convention registration closes Convention. One in particular is Section included in this edition of the MOV. that we use the District QMs to their full Saturday, June 8, 2013 at NOON! We will 213-Arrearages, Deficiencies and Omis- There have been some complaints this potential. I would like to get them more be trying to have caucus rooms so that all sions. This includes election reports, all year that Posts were unaware that the involved with the Posts in their District the candidates will have time to visit the audits and list of delegates. Also remem- Department raised their per capita on and help train new QMs in the duties and Districts for any last minute questions you ber that all election reports are due to dues last year. That amendment to the QUARTERMASTER, continued on page 2 STATE ADJUTANT, continued on page 5 Michigan Overseas Veteran April/May/June 2013 2 STATE JUDGE ADVOCATE STATE SERVICE OFFICER Concerns as to whether our Posts are Advocating for Others tax-exempt still continue to surface. Andy One of the new and innovative Our organization is a 501(c)(19); this ways for the Department of Vet- does not entitle us to tax-exempt sta- Conklin erans Affairs to help reduce the Dan tus from the State of Michigan. Many backlog in claims is through the Posts have confused this issue with a State Judge Fully Developed Claims (FDC) Crocker tax ID number, and have filled out the Advocate Program. It is the fastest way exempt certificate for purchases and of getting one’s compensation State Service Officer not paid the tax. There are a few Posts you or your officers to attend. If not, please or pension claim processed. Par- that actually applied for tax-exempt status notify the Department so we can do a bet- ticipation in the FDC Program allows for control over the disability claims process. years ago and received it; I understand the ter scheduling job! Also when you attend faster claims processing, while preserving Veterans have the option of visiting a State of Michigan will still honor them. these training classes, please do not hesi- great quality of service and your right to private health care provider instead of a Check out your Post’s status and stay tate to give input, whether it’s negative or appeal a decision.