NATIONAL: www.legion.org

BOYS STATE: www.tnboysstate.org

STATE: www.tennesseelegion.org

SAL: www.legion.org/sons

DEPARTMENT OF TENNESSEE MID-WINTER

CONFERENCE: Once again Embassy Suites Nashville-SE, January 13-14, 2024. Suggest reserving your room prior to December 11, 2023, to receive the discounted rate. We will have limited Mid-Winter Conference Registration hours at Embassy Suites Nashville-SE, Murfreesboro. We will have a separate line for preregistered attendees and another for those who have not. We will have preregistered attendees’ packets ready, so they can reach their desired event on time. Bottom-line: Please Preregister; forms available at www.tennesseelegion.org.

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TYPES OF MEMBERSHIP: There are only two types of active American Legion memberships – Regular and Paid Up for Life. Honorary, associate, social, canteen, or guest memberships are NOT permitted. The American Legion Constitution, Article IV, Section 2, states, “There shall be no form or class of membership except an active membership.” All members must be eligible through the nature and timing of their US military service. Honorary Life Membership is a subset of Regular membership whereas the member’s post recognizes outstanding members for exceptional service or accomplishment by paying the member’s dues annually for the rest of their lives if they remain with their current post.

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ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP DUES: shall be paid by October 20, of each year prior to the start of the next calendar year. Legion membership is annual. The Legion year being from January 1 to December 31. Department and National dues shall be paid for the full year, irrespective of the month in which the member shall join the local Post. Membership dues collected at a local Post include Department and National dues. Membership dues are three-fold, Post, Department and National. Membership is not considered current until paid and transmitted to all three levels.

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TRANSMITTING MEMBERSHIP DUES: Per National Constitution Article X, Section 3.1: “The annual dues shall be collected by each Post and transmitted promptly through the Department to the National Treasurer. Departments are designated agents for collection for The American Legion with respect to such annual dues and upon the receipt thereof shall remit them promptly to The American Legion. In no event shall the period transpiring between the receipt of such annual dues by a Department and the remittance thereof to The American Legion exceed thirty (30) days.” Please process membership transmittals at least weekly.

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OPEN HOUSE: December 18, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 318 Donelson Pike, Nashville, Department Headquarters.

AMERICAN LEGION ORATORICAL CONTEST:We enclosed Oratorical information for each Post and to share with your High Schools. Please visit your schools as soon as possible. First place state scholarship is $3000. Please have contestants’ applications reach Department Headquarters by January 17, 2024, no exceptions. District Contests Scheduled: Seventh District; February 10, 2024 @ 10 a.m. Smith Grove Baptist Church, Woodbury and the Ninth District, UT @ Martin; February 24^th @ 11 a.m. Division Contests Scheduled: Middle; March 9 (time TBD) and West; March 9th (time TBD), Humboldt Veterans Hospital. Department Contest: March 30, 2024 @ 10 a.m., Department Headquarters.

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THE EMPLOYER OF VETERANS AWARDS: The Department of Tennessee may submit a total of three nominations for this category for National consideration. One nomination for a small company with 50 or fewer employees; one nomination for a medium sized company with work forces of 51 to 200 and one nomination for a large company with 201 or more employees. Recognize your local Veteran Employers by sending in an award application by January 5, 2024.

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EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIAN OF THE YEAR AWARD: To recognize a well-rounded Emergency Medical Technician, who has exceeded, above and beyond, the duty requirements expected of the position held and who exemplifies the virtues of professionalism and dedication and has demonstrated a distinct pattern of community service to the community, state, or Nation. Submissions due to the Department by January 5, 2024.

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HOW TO REPORT PHISHING: If you got a phishing email or text message, report it. The information you give helps fight scammers. If you got a phishing email, forward it to the Anti-Phishing Working Group at reportphishing@apwg.org. If you got a phishing text message, forward it to SPAM (7726). Report the phishing attempt to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

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PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO DEPARTMENT,DETACHMENT, OR RIDER CHARTERS: Posts will submit resolutions, not affecting the Department Constitution and Bylaws, to the Department Adjutant. Resolutions to be considered at a Department Executive Committee Meeting must be to the Department Adjutant by December 5, 2023.

OCTOBER CALENDAR

Sept 30 & Oct 1: Tennessee Legion College, Department Headquarters, 9 am – 4:30 pm; both days

7-12: Fall Meetings, Indianapolis IN

9: Columbus Day (Offices Closed)

13: Navy Birthday

24: Notification of CWF Grant Recipients

31: Halloween

NOVEMBER CALENDAR

2: 5th District Meeting, Post 88, Donelson, 6 pm

3: 4th District Meeting, Post 57 Carthage, 6:30 pm

4: 6th District Meeting, TBD, 1 pm.

6: Daylight Savings Time Ends (Fall Back)

7: Election Day

9: 7^th District Meeting, TBD, 6 pm.

10: Marine Corps Birthday

VA MEDICAL CENTER CONTRIBUTIONS: Please send your contributions by December 8, 2023. This will give the VA enough budget information for Christmas party planning for their hospitalized veterans.

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RESOLUTIONS: Posts will submit resolutions, not affecting the Department Constitution and Bylaws, to the Department Adjutant. Resolutions to be considered at a Department Executive Committee Meeting must be sent to the Department Adjutant by December 15th, 2023.

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DEPARTMENT HEADQUARTERS OFFICES: Will be closed November 10, 23 and 24, 2023; and again, December 22, 2023 through January 2, 2024, please plan accordingly.

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DOES YOUR POST COMPLY WITH DEPARTMENT CONSTITUTION ARTICLE IX,SECTION 8? The officers of the Post shall be: (a) Post Commander. (b) One or more Post Adjutants/Finance Officer. (c) Post Service Officer. (d) Such other officers as the Post shall deem necessary that are contained in the Officers Guide and Manual of Ceremonies, under Post Officers. (e) A Post Executive Committee composed of such odd number of members as is provided in the Constitution and Bylaws adopted by such Post, and in addition thereto the Post Commander and Post Adjutant, who shall be ex-officio members of said Committee.

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POSTS THAT HAVE NOT TRANSMITTED AT LEAST ONE MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL OR NEW MEMBER FOR 2024: Second District: Posts 120, Loudon, and 154, Elk Valley. Third District: Posts 96, Copperhill and 148, St. Elmo. Fourth District: Posts 18, Celina and 66, Pikeville. Sixth District: Post 40, Ashland City. Eighth District: Posts 127 Hohenwald; and 128 Decaturville. Ninth District: Posts 20 Union City; 166 Gleason; 180, Bruceton; and 200 Trenton. Tenth District: Posts 30, Dyersburg, and Post 86 Ripley.

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BUDDY CHECK: As American Legion members, our most sacred responsibility is to look out for each other and our fellow veterans. To reach out to members and former members who may need help, the National Executive Committee passed Resolution 18, calling for an annual “Buddy Check” twice a year – The American Legion’s Birthday and again during Veterans Day time frames.

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MISSING POST DATA REPORTS: Post 11, Etowah; Post 56, Hartsville; Post 59, Kingston Springs; and Post 66, Pikeville.

LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER OF THE YEAR AWARD: To recognize a well-rounded Law Enforcement Officer, who has exceeded, above and beyond, the duty requirements expected of the position held and who exemplifies the virtues of professionalism and dedication and has demonstrated a distinct pattern of community service to the community, state, or Nation. Applications due to Department Headquarters by January 5, 2024.

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FIREFIGHTER OF THE YEAR AWARD: To recognize a well-rounded Firefighter, who has exceeded, above and beyond, the duty requirements expected of the position held and who exemplifies the virtues of professionalism and dedication and has demonstrated a distinct pattern of community service to the community, state, or Nation. Submissions due to the Department by January 5, 2024.

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ONE-YEAR POST YEARBOOK : To be eligible for the national contest, an entry must be a first-place winner in the department’s contest, be certified as such by the department adjutant and be uploaded by the department to the contest website by August 1, 2024. Please note this has to be an electronic submission.

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MATERIALS: We receive very few printed publications and brochures from National. It is up to each post to obtain their own material by going to https://www.legion.org/publications Downloading and printing the item they desire. We distributed the Officers Guide and Manual of Ceremonies (one for each post), Post Adjutants Guide (one for each post), Why You Should Belong, Membership Applications, and Legionnaire Insurance Trust postcards during the Commander’s Tour. Post Officers, please check with your respective District Commander if you need any of these items.

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SONS OF THE AMERICAN LEGION: The following Squadrons have not certified their officers for 2023-2024; therefore, their membership cards remain at Department Headquarters: Fifth District – Squadron 290, Hendersonville; Eighth District– Squadrons 12, Jackson and 28 Savannah; and Tenth District – Squadron 249. Bartlett.

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MISSING POST OFFICER CERTIFICATION: Post 66, Pikeville.

NOVEMBER CALENDAR CONTINUED

10: Veterans Day Observed (HQ Office’s Closed)

11-18: Buddy Check Week

17: Eighth District Meeting, Lexington Post 77, 6:30 pm

18: Tenth District Meeting, WOW Building, 100 Boyd Ave, Brownsville,1 pm

20: Ninth District Meeting, Post 55, Martin, 6 pm

23-24: Thanksgiving Observed (Offices Closed)

30: First District Meeting, Location TBD, 6 pm