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The Ammo Chiefs Association
Constitution and By-Laws
Posted July 26, 2001
Article I. Name:
Section 1. The name of this organization shall be The Ammo Chiefs Association, hereinafter referred to as ACA or The Association. The Ammo Chiefs Association, with members worldwide, is headquartered at Fort Walton Beach, Florida. The ACA mailing address is Ammo Chiefs Association, P.O. Box 266, Mary Esther, Fl 32569.
Article II. Purpose:
Section 1. The purpose of the Association shall be to encourage and facilitate camaraderie among all Ammo Chiefs.
Section 2. Organize and conduct an annual reunion of the membership.
Section 3. Provide useful services to the membership and promote the welfare of their dependents, survivors and the Ammo Community.
Article III. Status:
Section 1. The Association shall be a not-for-profit organization operated exclusively for the purposes specified in Article II.
Section 2. Elected officers shall not receive any stated compensation for their services; however, the President of the Association may, as required, authorize reimbursement of expenses incurred by elected officers, and any other member so designated by the President, in the conduct of the Association business.
Section 3. The Association shall use its funds only to accomplish the purposes specified in Article II.
Section 4. Nothing herein shall constitute members of the Association as partners for any purpose. No officer, member, or agent of the Association shall be liable for the acts or failure to act on the part of any other officer, member, or agent. Nor shall any officer, member or agent be liable for his acts or failure to act under these by-laws, excepting acts or omissions to act of willful malfeasance.
Section 5. In the event of the dissolution of the Association, and after discharge of all its liabilities, the remaining assets shall be given to a non-profit organization whose purposes and objectives are similar to those of the Association.
Article IV. Membership and Voting Rights:
Section 1. The regular membership of the Association shall be comprised of and limited to USAF Ammo Chiefs to include both retired and active duty personnel, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserves, and those Senior Master Sergeants with a line number for Chief whose association dues are current and not delinquent. Only regular members have voting rights in the organization. Ammo Chiefs are Chief Master Sergeants in the 2WO, 461, and 465 AFSCs.
Section 2. Associate membership may be granted to retired Air Force, Guard and Reserve Ammo troops below the rank of Chief Master Sergeant. Associate membership may also be accorded to officers who previously held enlisted rank in the 2WO, 461, or 465 AFSCs. To be accepted for associate membership, a candidate must receive sponsorship by a minimum of 3 regular members and approved by a majority of the Association Officers. Associate members may attend organizational meetings and reunions but do not have voting rights. Associate members, to be in good standing, must also pay dues.
Section 3. Honorary Membership may be accorded anyone sponsored by three members and approved by a majority of the Association Officers. This category of membership should be reserved for those who are not eligible for either of the other membership categories but have made great contributions to the ammo community or the Ammo Chiefs Association. Honorary members may attend meetings of the Association but are not eligible to vote.
Widows of members may, upon their request, continue to participate in Association activities.
Article V. Dues and Donations:
Section 1. Initially annual dues are $25.00 for each member. The Association Officers will establish an operating budget and subsequently assess the amount of dues required to sustain the Association. The membership will ratify this assessment of dues.
Section 2. A member may elect to become a life member by paying $250.00 any time to the Association Treasurer. (Anyone who has already paid dues anytime prior to the October 2001 Annual Meeting and Gala may have these dues applied to a lifetime membership. This offer remains valid until the 2001 Annual Meeting.)
Section 3. Dues shall become due on January 1st of the each year and shall be paid no later than January 31st to maintain membership status. Dues may be paid annually or once for a lifetime membership.
Section 4. Members dropped from the rolls for non-payment of dues may be reinstated upon payment of lapsed dues plus a nominal record processing charge.
Section 5. In addition to dues, the Association will accept any/all donations from its regular, associate and honorary members. The donations will be used for the purposes outlined in Article II.
Article VI. Meetings and Elections:
Section 1. Meetings will be scheduled and conducted to allow maximum participation of all Association members. Meetings will fall into several categories:
a. Annual Reunion: This is an annual meeting of the general membership at a site to be selected and voted upon by the general membership. The purpose of this meeting is to achieve one of the prime purposes for the existence of this Association, the camaraderie and fellowship of association members.
b. General Membership Meetings. These are meetings of the general membership to review the conduct of association business and activities and to determine member support for specific changes, proposals, and activities. General membership meetings will be held as necessary as determined by the Association President. General membership meetings will be announced sufficiently in advance to allow maximum participation. A general membership meeting will be held in conjunction with the Annual Reunion. Prior to a General Membership meeting the convening authority will present the membership with a proposed agenda of items to be discussed and voted upon. This agenda may be mailed to each Association Member or posted on the Internet at a site to be named by the Association Officers.
c. Officers Meetings are meetings of Association Officers and are held as deemed necessary by the President of the Association. The President will assure all officers are notified sufficiently in advance of meetings and meetings are scheduled to accommodate officers schedules to the greatest extent possible. A quorum of four officers is needed to have the results of a meeting be binding on Association members. The Secretary will record minutes of these meetings and members present.
d. Working Group meetings may be called as deemed necessary by the Association President or the person designated to carry out a specific Association function. As with other meetings, consideration should be given to allow sufficient notice to allow maximum member participation.
Section 2. Elections: Elections of Association Officers will be held annually in conjunction with a general membership meeting. Regular members in good standing who are not able to attend general membership meetings may cast proxy votes or absentee ballots. The Association President certifies all candidates for election are members in good standing, are qualified, and are nominated and seconded. The Association Secretary will announce all candidates for election sufficiently in advance of the general membership meeting to allow members to make a selection in advance of the meeting. The Association Officers will announce when nominations for positions to be vacated will be accepted and when nominations close. All voting for officers will be completed during the designated general membership meeting to include the counting of absentee ballots and proxy votes. The Association Officers will determine how absentee and proxy voting will be conducted. The winner(s) of election are those individuals who have received the largest number of votes for each open board position. For example, if there are three open seats, the three individuals receiving the largest number of votes are elected to those seats. Board members will vote among themselves to determine which officer positions they will fill. Election winners assume the post for which they were elected on the 1st day of January of the year following the year in which they won election.
Section 3. Voting: The Board of Directors will, to the extent this can be done without going to undue contortions and unnecessary frequency, develop ways to obtain the approval of the general membership for the course of the Association and major changes in the constitution and by-laws. At least once each year the President will advise the members of the state of the Association, major projects undertaken and courses of action being pursued.
Article VII. Officers:
Section 1. Association Officers: The Board of Directors will comprise the Association Officers. The Association Officers will be the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Chief-at-Arms, Orator, and three Directors-At-Large. Association officers serve a two-year term and may serve a maximum of two consecutive terms. The terms Association Officers and Board of Directors are used interchangeably.
a. The Association President executes the day to day activities of the Association pursuant to Article II of these by-laws. He or she is empowered to commit Association Funds consistent with the budget established by the Association Officers, contract on behalf of the Association, and otherwise obligate Association resources. The Association President has the authority to delegate specific purchasing, contracting and the ability to obligate Association resources to other Association officers, members or agents. The Association President also calls meetings of the association as needed to assure the timely conduct of Association endeavors and forms committees to formulate plans and carry out assignments. The Association President identifies regular members, subject to confirmation of Association Officers, as replacements for Association officers who terminate their office before the end of their terms. Prematurely vacated offices will be filled by normal election procedures during the next election by the general membership .The Association President also serves as the Chairman of the Annual Reunion Committee. At least once each year the president will advise members of the state of The Association, major projects undertaken, and courses being pursued.
b. The Association Vice President assists the Association President in carrying out the duties specified in paragraph a. above. The Vice President assumes the office of President in the event the President terminates his/her office before the expiration of his/her term, is incapacitated or is not available to carry out his/her function for any normally scheduled event.
c. The Association Secretary records the minutes of all Association meetings and makes these minutes available to the membership either through hard copy mailings or by posting to an internet site as determined by the board of directors. The Secretary also maintains The Association membership rolls.
d. The Association Treasurer maintains records of all Association funds and financial transactions. At least once each year the Treasurer will report major expenditures and the beginning and ending balances of Association accounts to Association members either in a hard copy mailing or by posting on an internet site as designated by the board of directors. The Treasurer will ensure Association accounts are maintained in a current status and reconciled within 14 working days of receipt of monthly bank statements. The Treasurer will make the Association books available for review as determined by the board of directors.
e. The Chief-at-Arms is responsible for maintaining proper conduct at meetings. The incumbent is also responsible for securing, accounting for and maintaining association property. The Chief-at-Arms may recruit such assistance as necessary to carry out these functions.
f. The Orator assists the President in maintaining order at meetings and other functions by steering discussions consistent with what is germane to the issue being discussed. The incumbent must be well grounded in Roberts Rules of Order and assists the President maintain the flow of business at Association meetings.
g. Three Directors-At-Large. These individuals perform such functions as directed by the President.
Article VIII Accounting for Association Funds:
The Association Officers, except as otherwise provided in these Bylaws, may by resolution authorize any officer or agent of the Association to enter into any contract or execute and deliver any instrument in the name of and on behalf of the Association, and such authority may be general or confined to specific instances. Unless so authorized, no officer, agent, or employee shall have any power or authority to bind the Association by any contract or engagement or to pledge its credit or to render it liable monetarily for any purpose or in any amount.
SECTION 1. CHECKS AND NOTES
Except as otherwise specifically determined by resolution of the Association Officers, or as otherwise required by law, checks, drafts, promissory notes, orders for the payment of money, and other evidence of indebtedness of the Association shall be signed by any two elected officers.
SECTION 2. DEPOSITS
All funds of the Association shall be deposited from time to time to the credit of the Association in such banks, trust companies, or other depositories as the Association Officers may select.
SECTION 3. GIFTS
The Association Officers may accept on behalf of the Association any contribution, gift, bequest, or devise for the charitable or public purposes of this Association.
Article VIII Amending the Constitution and By-Laws
Members may have the Association Constitution and By-Laws amended by submitting proposed changes, additions, or deletions in writing to the Association president. At the next normally scheduled board meeting, the president will present these proposed changes to the Association officers for consideration. Those proposals receiving approval of the majority of the officers present will then be submitted to the Association Members for consideration and approval or rejection at the next general membership meeting. Those proposals receiving majority support of members in attendance at the general membership meeting will be added to the Constitution and By-Laws.
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