Post Service Officer Report PSO THE AMERICAN LEGION

Post Service Officer Report (PSO) THE AMERICAN LEGION DEPT. OF MN 2020 FALL CONFERENCE BREEZY POINT RESORT, MN

Post Service Officer Report Why is it important that this report is completed annually? • The Post Service Office Report is a way for each Post to inform both Department and National of all the VA&R services that are offered within your Post and District. • The Post Service Officer Report is utilized to collect data for a National Report that illustrates what Posts are doing to serve veterans and their families. ü The Lenker Report is the National Report that is completed by the VA&R Admin Assistant and DSO. ü The Lenker is awarded to the Department that provided the best and most VA&R activities throughout the reporting year. This award is presented during the National Convention each year and is one of the highest recognitions.

Post Service Officer Report Each year the reporting period is from 31 May 2020 to 01 June 2021. • Traditionally the Post Service Officers report was mailed out to all Post Adjutants between late February and mid-March. ü This included a packet containing: a letter explaining the instructions of the reporting period, the report itself and the list of who the report should be sent to once completed. ü Instructions also went out to all 10 District VA&R Chairman including selecting the best PSO in the District.

Post Service Officer Report • Starting in 2020, we modernized the way we administered the PSO report. The Post Service Officer report became accessible online for FY 2020. This would cut back on spending and prevent incorrect mailing addresses returns. • Unfortunately, this resulted in extremely low response turn in the FY 2020. 28 Posts out of 500+ Posts completed the report ( roughly 0. 05% of all the Posts within Minnesota). We understand some of this can be contributed to the pandemic and Posts closings. • What Dept. VA&R is doing to make this year a successful turn in. Our commitment to you: ü Marketing this new way to Department, District Leadership via email reminders ü Reminders on our Dept. website a month prior to reports are due. ü Column in the Legionnaire a month prior to turn in. ü Reminders on ALL social media platforms

How to access the report? Go to www. mnlegion. org

Hover Veteran Services

Click on Post Service Officers

- Click on PSO Report - Print out and complete it

What to do when the report is complete? Once the Post Service Officer or Post Adjutant have completed the report, please mail to the perspective VA&R District Chairman. This link will have the most current District Chairmen

VA&R District Chairmen A letter will be mailed out to the 10 District Chairmen about their role and instructions. ◦ It is important that the 10 District Chairmen ensure that all the PSO Reports are received from the Posts within their District Chairmen select the best PSO report from their District turn ins. This Post Service Officer will receive a Meritorious Certificated from National and be in the running for the Dept. annual Pat Cliff award. The Pat Cliff award is an annual Department level award that is presented during Department Convention for the Post that encompass meaning of the VA&R Pillar. ◦ District Chairmen should also observe the overall performance of each Post and not just the dollars donated, or number of hours volunteered.

District Chairmen Send ALL completed reports by the deadline highlighted in the instructions, as well as the one identified as your choice for the award to: Department Headquarters: Attention: VA&R Admin Assistant Heather Larson The American Legion 20 West 12 th Street- Room 300 A St. Paul, MN 55155

Questions/ Comments/ Concerns Questions or concerns, please feel free to contact Heather. heather. larson 2@va. gov or hlarson@mnlegion. org