Town Hall & Bylaws
MOPH Bylaws Town Hall Review
The National Bylaws Committee has accepted the National Commander’s directive to
undertake a complete revision of the MOPH National Bylaws. The Committee will preserve the Order’s history and traditions, retain what works, and address conflicts, inconsistencies, outdated provisions, and other areas needing improvement. The review will also determine what belongs in the Bylaws and what is better placed in the Procedures Manual, Job Duties Manual, or other governing documents, with a record showing what changed, where it went, and why.
All members are encouraged to participate in the town halls and offer questions, concerns, and recommendations as the Committee works through each Article. The draft the Committee is working from is located in the Forms section of the MOPH website, with DRAFT at the beginning of the document title. The goal is to prepare the proposed revision for consideration at the next National Convention under Article XVIII of the current National Bylaws, while allowing additional time if needed to produce a quality document.
Town Hall Schedule
Schedule and Articles are subject to change.Meeting Information Bylaws Revision Town Hall.
Monthly Second Tuesday: 6:00–7:30 p.m.
Time zone: Eastern
Google Meet joining information
Video call link: https://meet.google.com/xoa-rrgx-gau
Or dial: (US) +1 803-567-2413
PIN: 927 825 088#
Date Articles for review
September 15, 2026 Historical Context
October 13, 2026 Articles I–III
November 10, 2026 Articles IV–VI
December 8, 2026 Articles VII–IX
January 12, 2027 Articles X–XII
February 9, 2027 Articles XIII–XV
March 9, 2027 Articles XVI–XVIII
April 13, 2027 Articles XIX–XX
May 11, 2027 Full-document review
Patriots,
Over the past several years, it has become clear that our National Bylaws need more than another series of individual amendments. We have provisions that conflict with one another, operational matters that may be better suited for our Procedures or Job Duties Manuals, inconsistent terminology, and areas that no longer reflect the needs of the Order.
We began looking at a complete revision last year, building upon the work done in 2017 and reviewing the document with the tools available to us today to identify conflicts, unnecessary crossreferences, inconsistencies, and other areas that can be improved. That work has given us a starting point, but the revision itself needs to be completed through an organized and transparent process with input from our membership. We clearly understand the mandate to change is the will of our membership articulated by the National Executive Committee loudly at our National Convention in New Bern, North Carolina last year. We will act!
Therefore, I am directing the National Bylaws Committee to undertake and complete this
revision. The existing National Bylaws Committee will conduct this work; a separate rewrite committee will not be established. The goal is not to change the Bylaws simply for the sake of change. We need to preserve or history and traditions; what works and what requires further examination. We will create a governing document that is clear, consistent, and capable of serving the Order well into the future.
As the Committee works through each Article, it should also determine what truly belongs in the Bylaws and what is better placed in the Procedures Manual, Job Duties Manual, or other appropriate governing documents. When something is moved, we will maintain a record showing what changed, where it went, and why, so members can follow the work and nothing simply disappears in the process.
Member participation is an important part of this effort. Our town halls are intended to give Patriots, Chapters, and Departments an opportunity to identify problems, offer ideas, and provide their experience and knowledge while the Committee is working through the document. I encourage everyone who has something to contribute to participate.
Our goal is to complete the revision in time for consideration at the next National Convention, but I do not want quality sacrificed simply to meet a date. If more time is needed to get it right, we will communicate that to the membership. We will update the NEC at every opportunity we have.
When the Committee's work is complete, the proposed revision will be distributed and submitted in accordance with Article XVIII of our current National Bylaws, and the National Convention will ultimately determine whether it is adopted.
My goal is for us to come out of this process with Bylaws that are easier to understand, more stable from year to year, and supported by governing documents that clearly explain how we carry them out.
I appreciate everyone who has already contributed, and I look forward to the continued participation of our members as we move forward.
2026 Homelessness Coordinator Position
MILITARY ORDER OF THE PURPLE HEART
VOLUNTEER POSITION OPENING
NATIONAL HOMELESS VETERANS’ COORDINATOR
The Military Order of the Purple Heart (MOPH) is seeking a dedicated and compassionate volunteer National Homeless Veterans Coordinator to help lead and expand the Order’s efforts to support homeless and housing-insecure Purple Heart recipients, veterans, and their families.
Homelessness among veterans remains an important issue, and our Chapters and Departments are uniquely positioned to make a difference at the local level. The National Homeless Veterans Coordinator will serve as a resource, coordinator, and advocate for our Departments and Chapters, helping them identify opportunities, develop local programs, locate funding and resources, and build partnerships with organizations already working to assist homeless veterans.
The goal of this position is not simply to identify the problem, but to help our organization develop practical, sustainable, and meaningful ways to assist veterans in need.
POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES
The National Homeless Veterans Coordinator will:
· Serve as the primary national resource for MOPH Departments and Chapters concerning homeless veteran issues and available assistance.
· Establish and maintain relationships with national-level agencies, Veteran Service Organizations (VSOs), nonprofits, government agencies, corporations, foundations, and other organizations working to address veteran homelessness.
· Identify organizations and programs that MOPH can partner with to provide direct assistance to homeless veterans and those at risk of becoming homeless.
· Develop and maintain a resource guide for Departments and Chapters that identifies available VA programs, community resources, housing assistance, food assistance, transportation, employment resources, benefits assistance, and other services.
· Help Chapters and Departments identify potential grants, donations, corporate sponsorships, community funding, and other resources that may support local homeless veteran initiatives.
· Provide Chapters with ideas, templates, program models, and best practices that can be adapted to their local communities.
· Encourage Chapters to establish relationships with their local or regional VA Medical Center and its homeless veteran programs, as well as local VSOs, municipalities, counties, nonprofits, churches, shelters, food banks, and civic organizations.
· Help coordinate communication between Departments, Chapters, and organizations providing services to homeless veterans.
· Promote awareness of veteran homelessness through MOPH social media, publications, emails, educational materials, and other communications.
· Respond promptly to questions and requests for assistance from Departments and Chapters concerning homeless veteran needs.
EXPLORING AN MOPH VETERANS’ PANTRY PROGRAM
One of the potential initiatives the Coordinator will explore is the development of an MOPH Veterans’ Pantry Program that could be implemented by Chapters and Departments based on local needs and available resources.
The Coordinator would work with Chapters to develop a practical model for establishing local pantry programs that could provide items such as nonperishable food, personal hygiene products, household necessities, emergency supplies, and other appropriate items to homeless veterans, veterans experiencing hardship, and veterans transitioning into stable housing.
The Coordinator would research successful pantry models, identify potential food and supply partners, explore grant and donation opportunities, develop suggested guidelines and procedures, and provide Chapters with resources to determine whether a pantry program is feasible within their communities.
The intent would be to create a flexible program that Chapters can tailor to their community, rather than establishing a one-size-fits-all requirement.
PARTNERSHIPS AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH
A major component of this position will be building partnerships. The Coordinator will seek opportunities for MOPH to work alongside organizations already serving homeless veterans, including VA facilities, other VSOs, nonprofit organizations, shelters, food banks, local governments, faith-based organizations, businesses, foundations, and community groups.
The Coordinator will identify opportunities where MOPH can fill gaps, provide volunteers, contribute resources, or connect veterans with organizations capable of providing specialized assistance.
DEPARTMENT AND CHAPTER SUPPORT
The MOPH Homeless Veterans’ Support Plan recognizes the Chapter as the grassroots component of the program because Chapters are closest to the veterans and communities they serve. Chapter coordinators are expected to establish relationships with local VA facilities, VSOs, municipalities, counties, and civic organizations and to document their activities.
The National Coordinator will therefore work closely with Department and Chapter Homeless Veteran Coordinators by:
· Providing guidance and program ideas.
· Sharing available resources and funding opportunities.
· Helping connect Chapters with appropriate organizations.
· Encouraging collaboration between neighboring Chapters.
· Sharing successful programs and best practices.
· Assisting Chapters in developing local initiatives.
· Helping identify opportunities for volunteer involvement.
· Collecting information about successful MOPH efforts so they can be shared nationally.
REPORTING
The National Homeless Veterans Coordinator will maintain an overview of MOPH’s national efforts and compile information received from Departments and Chapters.
An Annual Homeless Veterans Report will be submitted to the National Adjutant no later than June 30 each year, summarizing MOPH efforts to assist homeless veterans as well as Quarterly reports the NEC meetings. The report will be based on information provided by Departments and Chapters and may include the number of veterans assisted, programs conducted, partnerships established, resources provided, fundraising efforts, pantry activities, photographs, success stories, and other accomplishments.
Department Coordinators will work with Chapter Coordinators to collect quarterly information and submit an annual report to the National Coordinator by June 15, consistent with the existing MOPH support plan.
IDEAL CANDIDATE
The ideal volunteer will be someone who:
· Has a strong desire to help veterans and their families.
· Is organized, dependable, and able to communicate effectively.
· Can work with MOPH leadership, Departments, Chapters, and outside organizations.
· Is comfortable developing partnerships and making professional contacts.
· Has an interest in veteran homelessness, community outreach, fundraising, grants, or social services.
· Can devote the necessary time to the position and respond to requests from Chapters and Departments.
· Is willing to research new ideas and identify practical solutions.
· Understands that the position is focused on connecting veterans with resources and helping MOPH Chapters become more effective community partners.
WHY THIS POSITION MATTERS
Every veteran deserves a safe place to call home. As the Military Order of the Purple Heart, we have a responsibility to continue serving those who have served our nation.
This position provides an opportunity to take the MOPH commitment to veterans beyond our traditional programs and develop a coordinated national effort to help ensure that no Purple Heart recipient or veteran has to face homelessness alone.
If you are passionate about helping veterans, building partnerships, developing innovative programs, and giving our Chapters the tools they need to make a difference, we encourage you to consider volunteering for this important national position.
Interested members and associate members are encouraged to submit their interest and qualifications for consideration.
Remembering September 11, 2001 - 25 Years Later
Patriots, Associate members and our Auxiliary,
Twenty-five years ago, on September 11, 2001, our nation experienced one of the darkest and most defining days in American history.
For many of us, September 11 is a day we will never forget. We remember where we were, what we were doing, and the moment we first realized that something terrible was happening in our country. We remember the shock, the uncertainty, the sadness, and, perhaps most importantly, the way our nation came together.
On that day, 2,977 innocent people lost their lives. They were mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, husbands and wives, friends, coworkers, and fellow Americans. Some were simply going to work in the World Trade Center or the Pentagon. Others were passengers and crew members aboard aircraft who never had the opportunity to return home.
We also remember the brave first responders who did what they were trained to do and much more. While others were running away from danger, firefighters, police officers, emergency medical personnel, and countless civilians ran toward it. They climbed the stairs, entered the buildings, helped strangers, and risked everything in an effort to save as many lives as possible. Many never came home.
We honor their courage. We honor their sacrifice. And we will never forget their names or the families and loved ones they left behind.
For the Military Order of the Purple Heart, September 11 carries another important connection.
Our members did not receive their Purple Hearts directly because of the attacks of September 11. However, that tragic day became the beginning of a new chapter in the lives of many of our nation's service members. It shaped the decisions of a generation of young Americans who answered the call to serve following the attacks and ultimately deployed to Iraq and
Afghanistan.
For many of our Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, September 11 was the event that changed their perspective on military service and, for some, was the reason they chose to put on the uniform in the first place. In the years that followed, approximately 48,000 service members would receive the Purple Heart for wounds sustained during those conflicts.
That connection reminds us that the impact of September 11 reached far beyond that single morning. Its consequences shaped families, communities, our military, and our nation for decades to come.
As members of the Military Order of the Purple Heart, we understand sacrifice. We understand that behind every Purple Heart is a story: a service member who answered the call, a family who waited and worried, and a life forever changed by service to our country.
Twenty-five years later, we remember the nearly 3,000 innocent lives lost on September 11. We remember the first responders who made the ultimate sacrifice. We remember the military personnel who answered the call in the years that followed. We remember the families who sacrificed alongside them. And we remember all those whose lives were forever changed by that day.
September 11 was a day that brought Americans together in a way that few events ever have. Differences were put aside, neighbors helped neighbors, and our nation stood together.
Let us never lose sight of that unity.
Let us continue to honor those who were lost, recognize those who served, support those who continue to serve, and care for the veterans and families who carry the lasting effects of that generation of war.
Twenty-five years later, we remember.
We honor!
We reflect!
And we will Never Forget!