ORGANIZATION AND OPERATION OF VETERANS' INFORMATION SERVICE CENTERS

As men and women are discharged from the armed services and as war production is cut back, many persons will experience serious difficulty in readjusting from war to peace activity. To give the most appropriate assistance to the individual in making this readjustment, it is necessary that information be easily accessible in every community as to services and benefits available.

To accomplish this, the President of the United States, on February 24, 1944, prescribed in Executive Order 9427:

"There is hereby established in the Office of War Mobilization a Retraining and Reemployment Administration (hereinafter referred to as the Administration), the functions of which, subject to the general supervision of the Director of War Mobilization, shall be exercised by a Retraining and Reemployment Administrator (hereinafter referred to as the Administrator) to be appointed by the Director of War Mobilization.

"With the assistance of a Retraining and Reemployment Policy Board, composed of a representative of the Department of Labor, the Federal Security Agency, the War Manpower Commission, the Selective Service System, the Veterans Administration, the Civil Service Commission, the War Department, the Navy Department, and the War Production Board, it shall be the function of the Administration:

"To have general supervision and direction of the activities of all Gov

ernment agencies relating to the retraining and reemployment of persons discharged or released from the armed services or other war work, including all work directly affected by the cessation of hostilities or the reduction of the war program; to issue necessary regulations and directions in connection therewith; and to advise with the appropriate committees of the Congress as to the steps taken or to be taken with respect thereto."

To facilitate these processes, the Army and Navy will, at the time of discharge, advise persons who are leaving the services and will provide them with printed information as to their rights and benefits.

The Administrator with the concurrence of the Policy Board, as constituted in the Executive order, directs that all field offices of the United States Employment Service of the War Manpower Commission, the Selective Service System, and the Veterans' Administration shall provide full information as to their own programs and as to other existing programs for veterans.

Under the authority of the Administrator of Retraining and Reemployment, there shall be established in each State a veterans' service committee representing the Selective Service System, the War Manpower Commission, and the Veterans' Administration. This committee will act as the representative of the Federal Government in the State in connection with information to veterans. Each committee will select its own chairman and will add to its membership, or will represent the Federal Government on State committees of the same nature, as the situation requires.

This committee will have the following responsibilities:

Each member of the committee shall designate a representative of his agency as a member of the veterans' service committee in each community of the State'in which the agency maintains facilities.

Render such assistance as may be required by the veterans' service committee in establishing veterans' information centers in the communities where the need for such centers has been determined.

Act as a central point for and mobilize the efforts of volunteer or other groups in the State in relation to veterans' information activities.

Be the contact point in the State for the Administrator of Retraining and Reemployment in connection with this program.

In order to promote an integrated and balanced program in the community the Administrator directs that there shall be a veterans' service committee with the following membership: A representative of the Selective Service System, the United States Employment Service, and the Veterans' Administration insofar as any one or all of these agencies have representatives available in the community. These representatives shall constitute the veterans' service committee. The committee will elect its own chairman.

A veterans' service committee may enlarge its membership to include representation from local organizations, or they may represent the Federal Government on community committees of the same nature. The Federal officials designated by the Administrator shall retain their function and responsibility as the point of contact for the Administration through the State committee with the Federal programs in the community.

The responsibilities of this committee shall be

To determine the need for a single information service center over and above those existing in the individual agencies of the community.

To act as a central point for and to mobilize the efforts of volunteer or other groups in the community in relation to veterans' information activities.

To be the contact point in that community for the State veterans' service committee in connection with the particular subject matter of this program.

The committee shall, in consultation with the cooperating agencies, determine: First, whether a single information center is necessary; second, whether there is available an appropriate location and necessary facilities in the community.

The function of an information center shall be primarily one of advice and reference. Actual determination of eligibility for benefits or special services must be the func tion of the appropriate agencies.

Local cooperation is important, since local organizations may render service outside of the scope of the Federal programs and may effectively provide volunteer service and facilities for the center.

If a center establishes services acceptable to veterans, with sound advice as to their problems, the variety and complexity of applications for assistance will be great. Federal programs will by no means meet all of these demands. Advice will be sought as to housing, family programs, special assistance, business or farm problems, and many other matters. Such varied services will demand the assistance of all pertinent community organizations and leaders. Thus the centers should have available the most skillful interviewers and should have access to the advice of the most influential citizens in the community.

There is no single pattern for the operation of a center which will fit communities of all types and sizes. The organization should be adapted to the volume and nature of applications anticipated and the facilities available in the community. Changes in structure should be effected by the committee as experience indicates.

The committee responsible for the operation of a center may elect an executive secretary who shall be generally responsible for the operation of the center and may, when sufficient staff is available, delegate functions to other appointees. General functions to be performed are procurement of space and supplies, organization of staff, instruction of

staff, arrangement of office hours, maintenance of records and the development of working relationships with cooperating organizations.

The space for handling any considerable volume of applicants should include, where possible, a general waiting room with a reference desk and interview facilities which will afford the maximum of privacy.

Efficient operation will require that two types of staff members be available:

1. Specialized

staff as designated by the operating agencies.

2. Generalized staff from community organizations or as volunteer workers.

Both types of staff members may need instruction as to methods, procedures and content of the services available to veterans. The objective of all persons on duty should be to acquire the ability to analyze the problems of the applicant in a tactful manner and refer him to the proper agency for securing service. Specialized personnel should be instructed by the supervisory staffs of the organization in which they are employed. Generalized and volunteer personnel should be instructed through means of discussion groups in which informed persons will explain the areas of responsibilities of each pertinent organization or

agency. Such personnel should study and employ for reference the literature concerning Federal and other programs.

In referring applicants to operating agencies for service, interviewers should, if possible, make definite appointments with the person to be seen and provide the applicants with notations of such appointments in writing and ascertain in advance what papers the applicant will need in determining his eligibility or status in order that these may be presented to the service agency.

Basic records of numbers and types of requests, places of reference, and other dispositions, shall be maintained under the supervision of the executive secretary and shall make such reports as may be prescribed by the Administrator and the State committee.

No Federal funds have been appropriated or requested for the establishment or operation of information centers. No person is authorized to make any financial commitment or incur any financial obligation on behalf of the United States in connection with any of the activities provided for in this directive.

(S.) FRANK T. HINES,
Administrator.

MAY 17, 1944