Department Chairman Responsibilities

Program Chair Manual 

Community Service Chairman – This individual is responsible for encouraging and reporting all community service activities within the Department to include the following:

• Reads and understands all VFW Community Service materials
• Maintains a working knowledge of all program aspects so as to be the Department authority on community service and volunteerism
• Promotes the execution of community activities by the Posts, Districts and Department 
• Ensures District and Post chairmen are aware of the need to identify community service opportunities within their area of influence
• Ensures District and Post chairmen have all necessary materials to encourage and execute community service efforts
• Provides timely and accurate program activity reports of Department participation to the VFW National Programs office twice each year (6 month report – May 1- October 3 deadline December 1 and year-end report – May 1 – April 30, deadline June 1)

Patriot’s Pen Chairman – This individual is responsible for overseeing the Patriot’s Pen Essay
Contest at the Department (state) level, to include the following:
• Reads and understands all Patriot’s Pen program materials
• Promotes the Patriot’s Pen Program at the Post, District and Department levels
• Maintains a working knowledge of all program aspects so as to be the Department authority on the Patriot’s Pen Program
• Ensures that all District and Post chairmen have received program materials and District report forms, and they understand how to execute the program 
• Recruits and orients judges for Department judging
• Conducts the Department judging
• Oversees the presentation of awards
• Reports Department winner and participation (by final report) to National VFW Programs Department
• Coordinates with the National Programs Office to communicate program changes and updates
• If necessary, assists interested students in finding a local participating VFW Post (via referral from the National VFW Programs office or the Department Headquarters)
• Coordinates with the National Programs Office to ensure (if their first-place state winner is named the National first-place winner) that he/she is prepared for the Washington, D.C. trip in March

Voice of Democracy Chairman – This individual is responsible for overseeing the Voice of Democracy Audio Essay Competition at the Department (state) level, to include the following:
• Reads and understands all Voice of Democracy program materials 
• Maintains a working knowledge of all program aspects so as to be the Department authority on the Voice of Democracy Program
• Promotes the Voice of Democracy Program at the Post, District and Department levels
• Ensures that all District and Post chairmen have received program materials and District report forms and they understand how to execute the program
• Recruits and orients judges for Department judging
• Conducts the Department judging
• Oversees the presentation of awards
• Reports Department winner and participation (by final report) to National VFW Programs Department
• Coordinates with the National Programs Office to communicate program changes and updates
• If necessary, assists interested students in finding a local participating VFW Post (via referral from the National VFW Programs office or the Department Headquarters)
• Coordinates with the National Programs Office to ensure the first place state (Department) winner is prepared for the Washington, D.C. (March) trip and the Freedoms Foundation (June) trip

Safety Chairman – This individual is responsible for overseeing the various safety programs and the
Recognition of Public Servants at the Department (state) level, to include the following:
• Reads and understands all Safety Program materials
• Maintains a working knowledge of all program aspects so as to be the Department authority on the Safety Program
• Promotes the execution of Safety Programs at the Post, District and Department levels
• Ensures District and Post chairmen are aware of all Safety Programs
• Ensures District and Post chairmen have all necessary Safety Program materials
• Provides timely and accurate program activity reports of Department participation
• Submits the official Department Public Servant Award Recipients to National VFW Programs Department by deadline date

Youth Activities Chairman – This individual is responsible for overseeing the promotion and execution of the various youth activities/recognition programs at the Department (state) level to include all youth programs that are not scholarship or Scouting-related as follows:
• Reads and understands all Youth Activity Program materials
• Maintains a working knowledge of all program aspects so as to be the Department authority on Youth Activities
• Promotes Youth Activities Program participation and leadership at the Post, District and Department levels
• Ensures District and Post chairmen are aware of all Youth Activity Program opportunities
• Ensures District and Post chairmen have all necessary program materials to execute the programs
• Provides timely and accurate program activity reports of Department participation

Citizenship Education Chairman – This individual is responsible for overseeing the promotion of various patriotic, citizenship education, and community efforts as they pertain to these areas at the Department (state) level as follows:
• Reads and understands all program materials relevant to patriotic activities, flag etiquette and citizenship education
• Encourages Post chairmen to conduct patriotic events and citizenship education efforts in their local communities
• Encourages activities with schools, youth, civic and other fraternal groups that promote patriotism and a greater understanding of good citizenship and civic responsibility to include but in not restricted to the following:
o Veterans in the Classroom – historical and flag etiquette presentations
o U.S. Flag Disposal ceremonies
o Veterans Day, Memorial Day, Loyalty Day and VFW Day events
o Presentation of Patriotic Citizen Awards
o Department response to the Library of Congress Veterans Oral History Project
• Ensures District and Post chairmen have all necessary program materials to execute the Programs.
• Provides timely and accurate program activity reports of Department participation

Teacher Award Chairman – This individual is responsible for overseeing the Teacher Award Contest at the Department (state) level, unless the Department elects to give the responsibility to the Citizenship Education Department Chairman. The duties include the following:
• Reads and understands all Teacher Award program materials
• Maintains a working knowledge of all program aspects so as to be the Department authority on the Teacher Award Program
• Promotes the Teachers Award Program at the Post, District and Department levels
• Ensures that all District and Post chairmen have received program materials and District report forms and they understand how to execute the program
• Recruits and orients judges for Department judging
• Conducts the Department judging
• Oversees the presentation of awards
• Reports Department winner and participation (by final report) to National
• If necessary, assists people interested in nominating a teacher in finding a local participating VFW Post (via referral from the National VFW Programs office or the Department Headquarters)
• Coordinates with the National Programs Office to communicate program changes and updates
• Coordinates with the National Programs Office to ensure the winner(s) are prepared for a trip to the VFW National Convention (if they are named one of the three first-place national winners)

Buddy Poppy Chairman – This individual is responsible for overseeing all aspects of Buddy Poppy activity within the Department to include, but is not limited to the following:
• Reads and understands all program materials relevant to Buddy Poppy promotion, as well as purchases from VFW Programs by the Department (state) and Post and Department Buddy Poppy activities and events
• Encourages District and Post chairmen to conduct Buddy Poppy events year around, but especially on Veterans Day and Memorial Day
• Encourages participation in all Buddy Poppy competitions, especially the National Buddy Poppy Display Contest
• Conducts Buddy Poppy orientation at all schools of instruction, etc.