ADJUTANT

The adjutant is the primary administrative officer for the post. Post activities revolve around the adjutant.  Most posts retain a good adjutant over a period of years. The role of adjutant provides continuity for a post. While the commander’s duties are largely inspirational and executive, an adjutant’s duties are administrative and functional. The commander navigates the ship, while the adjutant is the engineer who sees that the ship’s machinery is working and maintained. 

The adjutant is the personnel officer and personal point of contact for individual members of the post. They maintain membership records and minutes of meetings, checkup and assist the work of the other officers and committees, and publish official orders, announcements and communication with post members. 

All post records should be maintained and accessible by the adjutant, in a comprehensive filing system. 

The office involves a great deal of work and attention to detail. An effective adjutant is an essential component of a successful post. It is suggested that some degree of compensation should be paid to the adjutant, particularly in large posts, due to the commitment required by the role. 

Suggestions for the new adjutant

The only indispensable qualifications for the job of adjutant are honesty and willingness. They should go through all the post records at the first opportunity. The constitution, minutes of meetings, and reports of officers and committees will give insight into the post’s policies and traditions. Communications from department headquarters will bring the adjutant up to date on instructions. 

The Post Adjutant’s Manual has detailed instructions on the handling of membership cards, per capita payments and other duties. 

VIEW THE POST ADJUTANT'S MANUAL HERE