Membership Video

MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM

DEPARTMENT OF OHIO MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM OVERVIEW 2021-2022

The goal for every Post and District Commander should be to receive "All State" and "All American" Post and District Honors.

The key to this is "membership". Membership affects every aspect of our organization from posts, districts, and departments to the VFW National Organization. Membership Goals and Program Reporting are the criteria set for these awards by the Department of Ohio and the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. National Organization. If you follow the guidelines as set forth in this book, rest assured that you will bring pride upon yourself, your post, your district and your community. We must continue to build a strong organization for the future as well as today.

Membership Mission: We must make every effort to retain and recruit a stable membership base from all generations of veterans that is informed and actively involved at all levels of the organization. We must foster camaraderie among United States veterans of overseas conflicts. We must continue to serve our veterans, the military, our communities and advocate on behalf of all veterans.

Membership Vision: Ensure the organization remains a welcoming environment for veterans of overseas conflicts, active duty military service members, and families for the membership lifespan of today's Current Conflict veterans. Ensure that veterans are respected for their service, always receive their earned entitlements, and are recognized for the sacrifices they and their loved ones have made on behalf of this great country.

The following are the Department of Ohio Membership Goals for 2021-2022 and how we intend to reach our Vision. There are two important considerations in how we have prioritized them.

Build a strong organization for the future as well as today.

Work together with VFW National, Department of Ohio and VFW community organizations to achieve our goals.

VFW National and the Department of Ohio are here for the "Big Fight"...shaping VFW's image, developing new membership markets and ensuring that our current membership is aware of what our organization is doing for them.

The VFW has been successful in recruiting younger members (39 years and younger) for the past several years. There is only one way to make this success permanent... Retention -Retention -Retention! We must improve in the ways we communicate with these new members. This must be done at the grassroots level either thru an email, post newsletter or a team that goes out and visits this new group of veterans and makes them feel welcome in our posts. Our posts can no longer hold on to a concept of another era and expect our organization to survive. In many cases we have lost touch with our members, we don't know who they are or what their needs are. We have to get back to the basics, and that is taking care of Veteran’s. This should be our #1 priority.

With everyone working together as a "team" (together everyone achieves more), we will have a very successful and rewarding VFW year! Keep in contact with your Department Line Officers and Membership Chairman on any questions or problems you may have. We are here to serve you.