March / April 2009

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March / April 2009

ANNUAL COMMITTEE REPORT:

Membership Affairs

BY BILL MEEKS, JR., CHAIR

The VVA Membership Affairs Committee, as required by the VVA National Board of Directors, provides this yearly report on the Membership Resolutions to the membership.

M-1-95 Verification and Security of DD Form 214: Vietnam Veterans of America requires that all applicants for individual membership in VVA provide a copy of their DD Form 214 or other acceptable documentation establishing eligibility for membership. These documents are to be kept at the local level in a confidential and secure manner in accordance with the provisions of the VVA Constitution. Verification to the national organization shall be done by the local chapter secretary or, in the absence of the secretary, a designated chapter official.

All DD 214s for life members or veterans incarcerated members that are sent to the VVA Membership Department as required by the VVA Constitution are entered into the VVA database and then destroyed. The VVA database is under password and behind locked doors in the VVA office, and all information in the database is backed up and stored at a secure off-site location.

M-2-95 Communication Between VVA’s Organizational Levels: Vietnam Veterans of America recognizes that the national office must reply to all communications from state councils and chapters within five working days and state councils and chapters must reply to all communications from the national office within ten working days. The VVA Membership Department makes every effort to address all questions pertaining to membership matters in a timely manner. The VVA Membership Affairs Committee has a Membership Chairs talk list to distribute membership-related items and issues. This input from talk list members (VVA officers, State Council Presidents, and State Council Membership chairs) often provides insights on membership matters from other organizational levels of VVA.
Your comments and suggestions to improve your VVA membership experience are always welcome.

The Membership Affairs Committee: Bill Meeks, Jr., Chair; Patrick Welch, Vice Chair. Members: Carol Baker, Peter Bessigano, Fred Elliott, Ned Foote, Charlie Hobbs, Len Ignatowski, Charlie Montgomery, Marshall Mudge, Mike Oravetz, Jim Pace, Larry Frazee, and Dick Southern. Special Advisors: Sharon Hobbs, Linda Haberkorn, John Miterko, and John Pancrazio. Staff Liaison: Ernestine Horton.