PROCEDURES FOR FORMING A VETERANS ASSISTANCE COMMISSION

PROCEDURES FOR FORMING A VETERANS ASSISTANCE COMMISSION

1. Those interested in forming a Veterans Assistance Commission should arrange a meeting and invite all the local veterans organizations in the county to attend. All Commanders should be present for this organizational and informational meeting. The veterans organizations do not need to secure the approval of the county board to form a Veterans Assistance Commission, The forming of a Commission is the responsibility of the local veterans organizations, not the county board.

2. If two or more veterans organizations, in the county, would like to form a Veterans Assistance Commission , they should draw up a petition to be presented to the county board of their intentions. The petition should then be signed by each Commander of every post that has voted, in said county, that their organization supports the establishment of a Veterans Assistance Commission and that their organization plans to be an active participant in the Commission.

3. The Commanders, of each veterans organization, shall submit a written statement showing the names and addresses of their elected delegate and alternate to the Commission. See Chapter 15, Exhibit 1.

4. The delegates then shall elect a president or chairman from their ranks to head the Commission. In addition to this office, the members should then elect a vice-president, plus any other offices deemed necessary by the members that would be needed in carrying out the Commission business.

5. After the Commission is formed and all officers have been duly elected, the Commission shall take to the following steps:

5. A. Elect a Superintendent to be in charge of the Commission office and to carry out the assigned duties of the commission.

B. Make by-laws for the Commission outlining the rules and procedures to be adopted by your Commission.

C. Prepare manual of Veterans Assistance Commission, Office, Delegate, Executive and Committee operations and responsibilities

D. Prepare and publish guidelines for general assistance your Commission will provide for the poor veteran and his family.

E. Prepare a list of office equipment, office supplies, etc., the Commission will need to run the Commission office.

F. Prepare information on County veterans population and income amounts of VA benefits being received in said county. Prepare and document information showing the need to provide services to poor veterans and their dependents.

THE ABOVE ITEMS MUST BE DONE PRIOR TO PRESENTING A COMMISSION BUDGET TO THE COUNTY BOARD. THE BETTER PREPARED YOU ARE WILL BE OF ASSISTANCE TO YOU IN GETTING APPROVAL FOR FUNDING FROM THE COUNTY BOARD. IT IS MOST IMPORTANT THAT THE VETERANS ASSISTANCE COMMISSION DOCUMENT AND KEEP ALL RECORDS PERTAINING TO THE FORMING OF AND OPERATION OF THE COMMISSION.

Present prepared Veterans Assistance Commission budget to the county board for approval. See Chapter 15, Exhibit 3.

The Illinois Association of Veterans Assistance Commissions will assist any County Veterans organizations that request information on how to form a Veterans Assistance in their county and provide any and all pertinent data to assist them in this undertaking.

In addition, we will make every effort to appear before any interested veterans organizations, to explain the various functions and procedures involved with operating a Commission for the benefits to which military veterans and their dependents may be entitled.

We sincerely hope that every county that does not currently have a Veterans Assistance Commission would avail themselves to this information on how to establish a Commission.

The "Bogardus Act" granting relief to the veterans in our State, through Veterans Assistance Commissions, has been a part of the State Laws since the late 1870's.

It is now our responsibility to insure that these laws are protected and expanded to provide the poor veteran and his dependents the care they so richly deserve for honorably serving their country. It behooves us all to keep sacred what those before us have worked so diligently to establish.