This is a follow up to the email below from Adjutant General Kevin Jones dated Sept 11, 2019.   The letters to the posts with the lists are now available on OMS.  They are also being sent by mail.  A sample letter is attached. 

Based on questions we have received, I would like to offer the following clarifications:

1. The members identified have been deceased in OMS.  If the post quartermasters can definitively verify that a member is living, they should email the Member Service Center at MSC@vfw.org or call 1-833-VFW-VETS.  They should include member name, member number, current address, and phone number.

2. We do not expect post quartermasters to independently verify that the members are deceased.  We believe the data we received is accurate, and random spot checks have verified their status.  However, we are realistic there may be a small margin of error, which requires correction.

3. Life Member payouts for September have already been determined and are being processed.  Anyone added back in will be paid out in January.

4. The member count for contest purposes will be reduced this year to account for these deceased members.  So if a post had 100 members at the end of the year (June 30, 2019), and they had 10 members on this list, their 100% goal for 2020 will be 90 members and not 100.  Essentially, this is amnesty for contest purposes. 

5. The payouts for September will be for the current count of life members.  The payout is split in thirds for posts, departments, and national, so the $9.06 payout for Plans ABC is $3.02 to each level.  Plan D payout of $10.44 is split $3.48 each, and Plan E payout of $21.24 is split $7.08 each.  79% of the members deceased were in Plans A, B, & C; 17% in Plan D; 4% in Plan E. 

6. The national leadership is discussing a plan with the National Council of Administration to make up the difference in the payouts.  This will require a vote, and the additional payout will not occur in September.   It will be after the period Sept 12 – Nov 1 for posts to notify National of any living members on the lists.  Living members will be paid from the Life Membership Fund; the remaining amount will come from other sources.

Please let us know if you have questions.  You may contact me or Assistant AG Kim DeShano.  Thank you.