At a noon press conference outside the Cannon Office Building in Washington, DC, amid a light snowfall, our DAV National Commander Joe Johnston (pictured above center, with your intrepid Chapter Commander Jim Spencer next to him, and the Virginia Senior Vice Commander Jim Procunier far left) emphasized the 3 top priorities of our legislative agenda:

The Commander's Action Network supplies members with solid, factual information on critical veterans' issues. The DAV CAN program helps DAV activists to keep elected representatives on notice that veterans' issues are important to their constituents. DAV CAN provides a package of information that includes postcards, sample letters, suggested letters to newspaper editors, phone numbers and other materials. Anyone can join the Commander's Action Network, from DAV members to non-member veterans, the families and anyone committed to fighting for veterans' rights.

As US citizens, we have a First Amendment right "to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."  In the DAV context, the National Legislative Office has prepared an 18-page pamphlet, The DAV, Its Legislative Process and You! You can view this pamphlet at this link: DAV Legislative Process.  This pamphlet discusses the resolution as a forerunner of DAV initiated legislation, detailed procedures for properly constructing a resolution, and the legislative process from resolution to public law.  All Congressional bills are introduced as resolutions.

However, at the DAV Chapter level, resolutions can also address proposed issues for the Virginia state legislature and for the Department of Virginia DAV, such as the Department Constitution and Bylaws.  I encourage all Chapter members to consider what issues they would like to see addressed and what procedures they would like to be changed.  We can discuss these at the next Chapter meeting.

Chapter 11 continued its annual parade participation in the Annual George Washington Birthday Parade in Old Town on Monday, February 17th, President's Day.  This year we invited other Northern Virginia DAV chapters, on rather short notice, but a recent snow and the threat of rain that day limited participation.  However, we were well received by the parade bystanders.

Commander Spencer, wearing green, in St Patrick's Day Parade

Chapter 11 also continued its participation in the St Patrick's Day parade on Saturday, March 1st.  The other Northern Virginia chapters were again invited for the first time, on even shorter notice, with the Mid-Winter Conference intervening, so participation was scant.  With more notice on these annual events, we will hopefully have multi-Chapter participation next year.

Chapter 11 was represented at the conference by Commander Jim Spencer as the Chapter representative on the Department Executive Committee (DEC) and Auxiliary Unit 11 was represented by Grace James, former Department Auxiliary Commander.

Commander Spencer was recognized for his active participation in the Mid-Winter Conference in Washington, DC and participation in the Department Legislative Committee meeting.  He is a leading candidate to formally join the committee during the Annual Department Convention held June 5-8 in Chesapeake, VA.

During the DEC meeting, Commander Spencer presented three Chapter checks of $100 each for the Department Service Commission, the Winter Sports Clinic, and the Homeless Committee.  This is an installment payment on our service to veterans.  See the following article.

Chapter 11 currently has no officially certified Service Officers.

With more funds to expend on service to veterans, Commander Spencer inquired with Department of Virginia DAV officials at the Department Spring Conference whether the Chapter Service Officer training to be conducted on June 3-4 is considered service to veterans.  I was told that it is.  In addition, with claims processing scheduled to become all digital by 2015, I was also informed that purchasing a computer to process veterans' claims is also deemed service to veterans.  Therefore, as an incentive to solicit volunteers to become CSOs to assist veterans filing claims, I propose the Chapter purchase a laptop computer for all Chapter members that successfully complete the CSO training.  This will be a New Business topic at the next Chapter meeting.