Daniel F. Foley, Minnesota, National Commander NATIONAL ORGANIZATION The National Headquarters of The American Legion is located in Indianapolis, Ind. However, to operate most effectively, certain staff functions are located in the Washington, D.C., offices of the Legion, and in New York City, with several field representatives located in strategic areas throughout the country. For example, our rehabilitation, national security and legislative operations are located in the Nation's Capital since the vast majority of their work requires close liaison with the Congress of the United States and with various agencies of the Federal Government. The headquarters of The American Legion Magazine is in New York City, a major publishing center. The midwest location of National Headquarters proper makes it more readily accessible to Posts and Departments and helps to speed required services to the field. The National Commander is the chief executive officer. He and five National Vice Commanders and the National Chaplain are elected by the National Convention to serve until the following National Convention. Daniel F. Foley, of Wabasha, Minn., an Army veteran of World War II, was elected National Commander at the closing session of the 1963 National Convention in Miami Beach, Fla. American Legion achievements under his leadership are outlined in this condensed annual report. National Adjutant E. A. Blackmore, appointed by the National Commander and confirmed by the National Executive Committee, is the organization's chief administrative officer with responsibility for directing the activities of the National Headquarters staff to best serve the needs of this vast organization of more than 2,600,000 American Legionnaires. NATIONAL VICE COMMANDERS EARL D. FRANKLIN, JR., Colorado GEORGE EMORY SIPPLE, Wisconsin REV. JOHN J. HOWARD, Virginia, Na- 120 H. ARMAND DE MASI, Italy, National FRANCIS POLEN, Indiana, National BERTRAM G. DAVIS, New York, Na- THE NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Between National Conventions, the administrative authority of The American Legion is exercised by the National Executive Committee composed of the National Commander, the five National Vice Commanders, National Chaplain, and one committeeman (plus alternate) elected by each Department. Past National Commanders are life members of the NEC without vote. The NEC appoints the National Adjutant, Treasurer, Judge Advocate, and Historian. The NEC also has full and complete control over the annual budget. NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEEMEN Alabama: Hugh W. Overton Arkansas: Claude Carpenter Canada: Francis S. Kaszas Delaware: Dr. Park W. Huntington District of Columbia: Frederick H. Livingstone Italy: Sexson E. Humphreys Kentucky: Kenneth Fern Missouri: Roy L. Carver Montana: Neil Shepherd Nevada: Thomas W. Miller New Hampshire: Raymond F. Mudge New Jersey: William G. McKinley New Mexico: W. Peter McAtee New York: Louis E. Drago North Carolina: W. D. Robbins Jack Williams (Acting) Panama, C.Z.: George A. Black, Jr. South Carolina: E. Roy Stone, Jr. Utah: William E. Christoffersen PAST NATIONAL COMMANDERS Hanford MacNider, Iowa Henry L. Stevens, Jr., North Carolina Harry W. Colmery, Kansas Daniel J. Doherty, Massachusetts Lynn U. Stambaugh, North Dakota James F. O'Neil, New Hampshire Donald R. Wilson, West Virginia 121 ALTERNATE NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEEMEN Alabama: Robert L. Gunn, Jr. Alaska: Richard I. Eliason Arizona: Robert E. Cockrill Arkansas: John F. Gibson California: Howard Owens Colorado: Connecticut: LeRoy B. Butler District of Columbia: Franklin H. Florida: Billy Anderson France: Howard F. Davis Georgia: Mrs. Mary B. Howard Idaho: Bernard F. Gratton Indiana: Herbert C. Netter Kansas: Frank Barber Maine: Maurice R. Parisien Maryland: Milton L. Hubbard, Sr. Missouri: James F. Kerr New Hampshire: Louis E. Willett Oklahoma: Dr. Tom B. Clark Pennsylvania: Daniel A. Drew NEC FUNCTIONS The functions of the National Executive Committee are explained in article VII of the National Constitution of The American Legion, as follows: SEC. 1. Between national conventions, the administrative power shall be vested in the National Executive Committee, which shall be composed of the National Commander, the national vice commanders, and the National Chaplain in office, and one National Executive Committeeman and one alternate from each department to be elected as such department shall determine, the alternate to act only in the absence of the committeeman. SEC. 2. The term of office of such National Executive Committeemen and alternates shall be 2 years. The term of office of each National Executive Committeeman and alternate shall commence immediately upon the adjournment of the National Convention next ensuing after their election and shall end at the adjournment of the second next suceeding annual convention. SEC. 3. Members of the National Executive Committee shall be delegates to the National Convention with vote, which vote shall be exercised with their respective departments, except that the vote of the National Commander shall be exercised only in his capacity as chairman of the National Convention. PAST NATIONAL COMMANDERS LIFE MEMBERS Section 4, article VI of the National Constitution provides that: All past national commanders, while in good standing in their respective posts, shall be members for life of the National Executive Committee, without vote, and shall also be life delegates to all national conventions of The American Legion, with vote, to be exercised by them with their respective departments. NEC Quorum Is 25 The bylaws of The American Legion provide, in article I, as follows: SEC. 1. In case of death, resignation, or removal of his respective department of any national committeeman or alternate to the National Execu tive Committee, the successor shall be selected as such department shall determine and shall serve for the remainder of such unexpired term. SEC. 2. The National Executive Committee shall meet within 24 hours before and after each National Convention and within 45 days following its adjournment and in May of each year. Special meetings may be held upon reasonable notice at the call of the National Commander. The National Commander shall call a meeting of the National Executive Committee upon the written request of National Executive Committeemen from 15 or more departments. SEC. 3. Twenty-five members shall constitute a quorum of the National Executive Committee. Standing Commissions and Committees SEC. 4. The National Commander shall name such committees as he shall deem advisable, subject to ratification by the National Executive Committee at its next meeting succeeding the appointment. SEC. 5. The National Executive Committee shall appoint, upon nomination by the National Commander, a National Finance Commission to be composed of seven members. Of the seven members appointed following the national convention (1945) at which this amendment is adopted, two shall be appointed to serve for a term of 1 year, two shall be appointed to serve a term of 2 years, and three shall be appointed to serve a term of 3 years; thereafter each succeeding appointee shall serve for a term of 3 years or until removed by the majority vote of the National Executive Committee. The National Commander and the National Treasurer shall be ex-officio members of said commission and the National Adjutant shall be ex-officio secretary of the said commission. The National Finance Commission shall be charged with the preparation of the yearly budget and the handling of funds under that budget, and such other duties as shall be prescribed by the National Executive Committee, subject to the approval of the National Executive Committee. SEC. 6. There shall be the following standing commissions: National Americanism Commission, National Child Welfare Commission, National Convention Commission, National Economic Commission, National Finance Commission, National Foreign Relations Commission, National Internal Affairs Commission, National Legislative Commission, National Publications Commission, National Public Relations Commission, National Rehabilitation Commission, National Security Commission. The commissions shall consist of such number of members of The American Legion as the National Executive Committee may from time to time determine. Appointments to such commissions shall be made by the National Executive Committee upon nomination by the National Commander. The National Executive Committee is empowered to assign duties and responsibilities to all standing commissions and committees and to group standing committees with commissions for the purpose of efficient supervision and coordination of activities. Subordinate Officers and Employees SEC. 7. The National Executive Committee shall provide for the appointment and employment of such subordinate officers and employees as may be needed for the administration of the affairs of The American Legion, and prescribe their duties and emoluments. SEC. 8. All questions affecting the election, eligibility, and conduct of national officers shall be referred to and determined by the National Executive Committee. All questions affecting the election, eligibility, and conduct of the National Committeeman from any department, or of department officers, or members of department executive committees, shall be referred to and determined by the executive committee of the department involved, which shall be the final authority thereon, except and provided that no candidate for nomination or election to, or no incumbent of any remunerative elective public office shall be eligible to serve as National Executive Committeeman or as Alternate National Executive Committeeman from any department, and the question of eligibility in such case shall be determined by the National Executive Committee as the final authority thereon. INTERNAL AFFAIRS COMMISSION Herbert J. Jacobi, District of Columbia, Chairman Robert E. Lyngh, Colorado, Assistant National Adjutant, Director The Internal Affairs Commission supervises the following committees: Constitution and By-Laws, Graves Registration and Memorial, Membership and Post Activities, Pilgrimage, Resolutions Assignment, and Trophies, Awards, and Ceremonials. Three meetings of the Internal Affairs Commission have been held since July 1, 1963. During these meetings the Commission has had for consideration a total of 31 resolutions, 6 of which originated within the Commission and the National Executive Committee. One resolution was referred and eventually rejected, making a total of five resolutions rejected. One resolution was actually a combination of eight nominations for the International Amity Award. By National Executive Committee action, this was increased so that nine such awards were made during the past year. The problem that is rapidly developing concerning available space in the National Cemetery System for future veteran burials received considerable attention from the Commission. The Commission was successful in drafting a resolution outlining the policy of The American Legion which was adopted as American Legion policy. Further emphasis was placed on this program by the adoption of a resolution at the April 30-May 1, 1964, National Executive Committee meeting, which approved the National Commander's contacting the President of the United States with the hope of changing the administration's view on cemeteries. The Commission worked with the Membership and Post Activities Committee, with the chairman sitting in on 2 days of committee meetings. The Commission further gave support to a membership workshop planned for August 1964. The Commission has the continuing task of guiding the work of the Internal Affairs Division of National Headquarters. This division provides the administrative services necessary to the program divisions of Headquarters and is responsible for maintaining a first class National Headquarters building. Statistics are seldom interesting, but the few that follow indicate to some degree the volume of business which flows through National Headquarters. All materials and printed matters used by the various divisions in the operation of National Headquarters of The American Legion are received and distributed by this section. Distribution includes all departments, rehabilitation branch of |