How to Address a VFW Official

How to Address an Official at a Veterans of Foreign Wars Post?

When writing a letter to a Senior Vice Commander of a Veterans of Foreign Wars Post, how do I address the envelope? Is it Commander (Name), Senior Vice Commander (Name), or Mr./Ms. (Name)?
—————-– MKH How to Address a VFW Official

Dear MKH,

Senior Vice Commander of a Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post is not a exactly rank. It is an (office) or a (role) at a VFW Post (a nonprofit veterans service organization). Other ranks include:
—-Post Commander
—-Senior Vice Commander
—-Junior Vice Commander
—-Quartermaster
—-Chaplain
—-Judge Advocate
—-Post Surgeon
—-Trustee How to Address a VFW Official

At the Post it’s likely people will address the holder of one of the offices as (VFW Role)+(Surname) / Commander (Surname) –– or refer to him as Senior Vice Commander (Name)  – Those are internal uses.  But to outsiders (like me) formally he is:

—-Official envelope or address block on letter or email:
—-—-Dr./Mr./Ms./etc. (Full Name)
—-—-(Office Held)
—-—-(Location)
—-—-(Address)

—-Salutation:
—-—-Dr./Mr./Ms./etc. (Surname)

If you are a part of the VFW and are writing to a commander in the context of his or her responsibilities at the Post – it would be correct to use his office before his name in a salutation:

—-Salutation:
—-—-Dear Senior Vice Commander (Surname),

– Robert Hickey How to Address a VFW Official

See These Related Posts:
—––—How to Address Active Duty Personnel
———How to Address Retired Personnel
—––—How to Address Reservists
—––—Use of Rank by Retired Personnel
—––—Use of Rank by a Reservist
—––—Use of Rank by a Veteran
—––—How to Address a Military Doctor
—––—How to Address a Military Chaplain
—––—How to Address a Military Couple
—––—How to Abbreviate Ranks

Robert Hickey author of “Honor & Respect”

When Should You Use the Forms on this Page?

You can use these forms of address for any mode of communication: addressing a letter, invitation, card or Email. (If there are differences between the official and social forms of address, I will have mentioned the different forms.)  The form noted in the salutation is the same form you say when you say their name in conversation or when you greet them.
___What I don’t cover on this site are many things I do cover in my book: all the rules of forms of address, about names, international titles, precedence, complimentary closes, details on invitations, place cards, all sorts of introductions, etc. I hope you’ll get a copy of the book if you’d like the further detail.

Not Finding Your Answer?

—-#1)  At right on desktops, at the bottom of every page on tablets and phones, is a list of all the offices, officials & topics covered on the site.

—-#2)  If you don’t see the official you seek included or your question answered send me an e-mail. I am pretty fast at sending a reply: usually the next day or so (unless I am traveling.)  Note: I don’t have mailing or Email addresses for any of the officials and I don’t keep track of offices that exist only in history books.

—-#3)  If I think your question is of interest to others, Sometimes I post the question  – but always change all the specifics.

— Robert Hickey 

Robert Hickey author of “Honor & Respect”

Recommended Resources:  The Protocol School of Washington (PSOW) and Protocol and Diplomacy International – Protocol Officers Association (PDI-POA)    For more information see the Protocol Resources page.