POST OFFICERS
Officers for the 2025-2026 Legion Year
Roles of Post 61 Officers
Commander
It shall be the duty of the Post Commander to preside at all meetings of the Post and to have general supervision over the business and affairs of the post. The commander shall be the chief executive officer of the Post. The Commander shall approve all orders directing the disbursement of funds and along with the Finance Officer shall sign all checks. The Commander shall perform such other duties as directed by the Post. All American Legion meetings are conducted under Robert’s Rules Of Order and under parliamentary procedure. Therefore, one of the Commanders first duties shall be to learn how to properly conduct a meeting and maintain order. It will be the Commander’s responsibility to record and maintain a list of all officers and their names in order to establish a quorum at meetings. Without a quorum of officers a meeting cannot be conducted. The Commander, along with the Finance officer, Adjutant, and the Judge Advocate will conduct an audit annually and report back to the membership with the results. The Commander and the Finance Officer shall make available all documents needed to file a tax return.
1st Vice Commander
One of the primary concerns of the 1st Vice Commander is membership. During a normal legion year, the 1st Vice Commander shall become familiar with the ceremonial protocol for regular meetings. Chances are the 1st Vice Commander will be called to conduct one or more meetings due to the absence of the Commander. Knowing how to prepare to conduct a meeting is very important, as well as good experience. The 1st Vice Commander must be ready to fill in for the Commander upon a moment’s notice. The 1st Vice Commander shall assist the Adjutant in the yearly membership drive.
The 1st Vice Commander shall periodically place notices in the local papers about joining Post 61.
The 1st Vice Commander shall assist the Commander in any way possible and accept committee assignments.
2nd Vice Commander
The 2nd Vice Commander shall be responsible for creating an atmosphere in which members want to attend meetings. The 2nd Vice Commander shall set up and run the programs that spice up the meetings. The 2nd Vice Commander shall will set up the social calendar, find guest speakers, and/or groups to come and present programs to the membership, and work closely with the Sergeant-at-Arms to make sure guests are properly introduced to the Commander and the membership. The 2nd Vice Commander will notify the membership of all upcoming patriotic holidays to ensure that they receive the attention they deserve. The 2nd Vice Commander shall work closely with the Judge Advocate to make sure that these dates get in the news media.
The 2nd Vice Commander shall become familiar with the ceremonial protocol for regular meeting in order to be able to conduct a meeting if necessary.
The 2nd Vice Commander shall assist the Commander in any way possible and accept committee assignments.
Adjutant
The Adjutant serves as the “first sergeant” of the Post. Post activities revolve around the Adjutant. The Adjutant should be regarded as the “continuity person” in the Post. The Adjutant is the personnel officer, the intimate contact with the individual post member, maintains the membership records, minutes of meetings, checks up on and assists the work of other officers and committees and publishes official order, announcements, and instructions. All post records should be available to the Adjutant for ready access. While the Commander’s duties are largely inspirational and executive, an Adjutant’s duties are administrative. The Adjutant is the officer who runs the ship’s machinery. One of the Adjutant’s primary duties is membership; being responsible for maintaining membership logs, renewals, and forwarding dues collected to our Department offices. The Adjutant shall be prepared to submit a report of the minutes of the last Post meeting. The Adjutant shall assist the Commander in all ways possible and shall be present, and take part in the annual audit of the Post financial records. It is in the Post’s interest to keep the same Adjutant over a period of years.
Sergeant-at-Arms
The Sergeant-at-Arms shall know how to arrange the Hut for all meetings and shall assist the Post Commander and Adjutant in the preliminary arrangements for meetings, including leading the color detail during presentation and retirement ceremonies. The Sergeant-at-Arms must make sure that new members are welcomed, and made to feel that they are welcomed and important to the post. The Sergeant-at-Arms shall work closely with the 2nd Vice Commander to insure that all guests are properly introduced to the membership. When a Legion member passes to Post Everlasting, the Commander will ask the Sergeant-at-Arms to drape the charter and have the members stand, hand salute, and observe a moment of silence. The Sergeant-at-Arms is normally in charge of things pertaining to the flag and assisting the Commander in making sure that everything is in place in order to conduct a meeting. The Sergeant-at-Arms shall be responsible3 for posting and retiring the Freedom Flags at appropriate times and dates and can select a committee to assist.
Finance Officer
The Finance Officer is in charge of all receiving and disbursing of Post funds. The Finance Officer shall work in close correlation with the Adjutant in all matters relating to finance. The Finance Officer shall maintain a correct and permanent finance record. The Finance Officer, along with the Commander, shall sign each check before being issued. The Finance Officer shall produce the financial records needed to perform an annual audit. The annual audit shall be conducted bye the Finance Officer, the commander, and the Adjutant. The Finance Officer, along with the Commander, shall provide all financial records needed to file an annual tax return. The Finance Officer shall be prepared to submit a financial report during all monthly Post meetings.
Service Officer
The Service Officer is responsible for bringing to the attention of all veterans and their dependents the rights and benefits granted them by law. The Service Officer must know how to use the expert services available through American Legion channels, as well as those of other agencies in the community. The Service Officer should have a good working relationship with the county Service Officer. Thee Service Officer can help veterans in obtaining decorations and medals through the various armed forces and decoration units.
Judge Advocate
The Judge Advocate is charged with protecting the integrity of the Post. The primary duty of the Judge Advocate is to supply advice in the conduct of the post and to procure proper council when needed. The Judge Advocate can help the Post by using contacts with office holders in local government. The American Legion is absolutely non-political and cannot endorse or oppose any political candidate, even if the candidate is a Legionnaire or Post member. Our Post home must be free of any political materials that would appear to be an endorsement of a particular candidate. Every effort must be made to remain non-partisan. The Judge Advocate shall put a Post 61 article in the local news media monthly to alert the public about Post meeting times, upcoming events, and Legion facts and history. All articles are to be approved by the Commander prior to submitting to the news media.
Chaplin
The Chaplain must be a person capable of moral and intellectual leadership and one who gives dignity and respect to the office. The Chaplain should be in close touch with the Commander and all officers of the Post. The Chaplain shall be prepared to open and close all Post meetings with a prayer. The Chaplain shall become familiar with the Manual of Ceremonies which gives and important place in the observance of patriotic occasions, funeral services, and dedications. The Chaplain should cooperate with the Post in seeing that graves are decorated on Memorial Day. The Chaplin can be of service to bereaved families of Post members.
Historian
The Historian is responsible for preserving and compiling the records of the Post. The future can only be judged by the past. Keep in mind that what you do as Historian will do much in guiding the footsteps of those who follow. Remember that without the recorded history of this Post, its policies and accomplishments will be a blank to the ones who come after we are gone. There should be a close and effective cooperation between between the Adjutant, the Commander, and the Historian. The former deal with matters of current interest and the latter on matters of historical interest. The Historian shall keep up to date and maintain Post 61 “Hall of Heroes”, along with all photo albums and photos of all involvement of the Post. The Historian shall work closely with the 2nd Vice commander and the Commander to make sure that post activities are recorded and published.