By-Laws of the Veterans of the First Engineer Combat Battalion

 As Revised and adopted at the 2011 Reunion in Junction City, Kansas

Article I - Name and Purpose

Section 1: Name of the Organization

The organization shall be known as the Veterans of the First Engineer Combat Battalion (hereinafter called the Organization).

Section 2: Purpose

The purpose of the Organization shall be to perpetuate the heritage, camaraderie, and ideals of all officers and enlisted soldiers who have served honorably in the First Engineer Combat Battalion, U.S. Army. It shall be a fraternal, non-profit association, recognized by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service as a 501c (19) tax exempt veterans organization.

Article II - Membership and Dues

Section 1: Membership

1. Regular membership:  Any officer or enlisted person who served honorably for any period in any unit of The First Engineer Battalion shall be eligible for regular (dues paying) membership.
2. Associate Members: Spouses and children of deceased members shall be eligible for associate, dues paying membership, and have the same rights and privileges as regular members.
3. Honorary membership:  The Board of Directors may recommend honorary membership, which must be confirmed by a majority vote at a reunion general membership meeting.  Honorary members shall not pay dues or have the right to vote on business at a general membership meeting except for selection of reunion sites as stated in Article III, Section 2 of these by-laws.

Section 2: Dues

1. Annual dues shall be paid by regular and associate members. The dues period shall coincide with the Organization's fiscal year, Sept 1st to August 31st. Dues are payable at the annual reunion, or by U.S. Mail to the treasurer. Dues may be paid ahead for future years.
2. Annual dues may be adjusted from time to time, based on recommendations from the board, and confirmed by a majority vote at a subsequent general membership meeting.
3. The board shall have the discretion to exempt members from paying dues because of financial hardship.
4. Regular, associate and honorary members shall be issued a membership card by the treasurer. Cards of regular and associate members will show "Dues paid through 31 August (year)"; honorary members' cards shall be valid for life.

Article III - Meetings and Voting

Article IV - Governance

Section 1: Officers and Directors:

The Organization shall be governed by a board of officers and directors (hereinafter called The Board). The overall duties of The Board shall be to propose policy, establish procedures, and direct organization activities such as the annual reunion to fulfill the purpose of the Organization as stated in Article I, Section 2 of these by laws. 

 A. Officers and their duties:

1.  The President shall:

1. Preside at all meetings of the Organization and The Board;
2. Make all appointments and decisions required or authorized by these by-laws;
3. Serve as liaison with similar organizations, such as The Society of the 1^st Infantry Division, as appropriate; and
4. Appoint committees and be allowed to serve as a voting member of them. 

2. The Immediate Past President shall be an ex-officio voting member of the board.

3. The Secretary shall:

1. Conduct all official correspondence; preserve all documents and keep written minutes of all board and general membership meetings;
2. Maintain the official membership roster for the Organization;
3. Update and print letterhead stationery showing officers and directors;
4. Keep the President and other Board members informed of membership updates, important correspondence, and any requests from members that require Board action;
5. Maintain close liaison with all board members between annual reunions;
6. File Form 990-N (e – post card) with the Internal Revenue Service to maintain the Organization's status as a 501c (19) tax exempt organization; and
7. Assume all duties and responsibilities of the President until the next annual general membership meeting in the event the President resigns or becomes incapacitated.

4. The Treasurer shall:

1. Maintain a bank account in the name of The Organization, into or from which all organization funds shall be deposited or disbursed. This account and other Treasurer's records shall receive an annual internal audit by a committee appointed by the President;
2. Collect dues and issue membership cards, working with the Newsletter Editor/Publisher to let members know when/where dues can be paid;
3. Inform the Secretary when dues are paid, and to which future year they are paid; and
4. Provide a written financial statement of income and expenses each year for both the Board and General Membership meetings, and give an oral explanation of its contents.

5. The Newsletter Editor/Publisher shall:

1. Produce and distribute a newsletter, at least twice a year, to all members and to former members whose dues have lapsed within the preceding six months;
2. Work with Board members and other sources to gather news about individual members, annual reunions, and other Organization activities;
3. Prepare an estimate for the Board of newsletter printing and mailing costs for the coming year;
4. Work with the Reunion Coordinator to provide inserts for the newsletter containing reunion registration and lodging information;
5. Promptly advise the Secretary and Treasurer of newsletters returned due to death or change of address; and
6. Provide the Website Coordinator an electronic copy of the newsletter, at the time of its distribution, for uploading to the Organization's website.

6. The Website Coordinator shall:  

1. Manage the website: http://www.diehardengineer.com for members and others to keep up with the Organization's history and current activities;
2. Maintain an online guest book to encourage communication between former and current members of The First Engineer Battalion;
3. Encourage members to provide photos and other historical information about their service in the Battalion;
4. Maintain hyperlinks to other veterans' organizations such as The Society of the First Division;
5. Work with the Reunion Coordinator to provide timely information about reunions and other events, and with the Newsletter Editor to insure that newsletters are promptly posted to the website; and
6. Establish standards for submitting photos and other information to the Organization website.

7. The Reunion Coordinator shall:

1. Gather information and make proposals about reunions;
2. Assist the board by recommending reunion sites two years in advance
3. Be empowered to sign contracts with hotels once reunion sites are approved  

B.  Directors and Their Duties:

In addition to the officers named above, the Board shall have five elected directors who served in the First Engineer Combat Battalion. Their duties shall be to provide advice to the Board regarding concerns of all members. It shall be the policy of the Board to include representatives from all war eras and all regions of the USA, in so far as possible.

C.  Nonvoting Board Members: 

In addition to the voting members described above, the following shall be nonvoting Board members, appointed by the President with concurrence of the Board:

1. The Honorary Colonel;
2. The Honorary Sergeant Major.

Section 2:   Elections and Meetings of the Board

1. The President, officers and directors, all of whom are eligible for reelection, shall be elected at the annual general membership meeting;
   
2. The Board shall provide nominees for officer and director positions, including President. Nominations can be made from the floor at the annual meeting;
3. The Board shall meet at least once annually at a place and time to be determined by them, preferably in conjunction with annual reunions.  A quorum shall consist of 6 voting board members. The board shall have the power to fill vacancies created by death or resignation, subject to ratification at the next annual general membership meeting.

Article V - Rules of Order for Meetings

Roberts Rules of Order (revised edition) shall be the parliamentary procedure guide that governs the business of both board and general membership meetings. 

Article VI - Changes to these by-laws

These by-laws may be changed or new ones adopted by majority vote of the Organization at its annual general membership meeting.  By-law changes shall be effective immediately. The board shall have power to approve and implement emergency changes to the by-laws when such changes are deemed expedient to best serve the Organization between annual reunion meetings.  Such emergency changes must be ratified by majority vote at the next general membership meeting.

By-Laws of the Veterans of the First Engineer Combat Battalion

 As revised and adopted at the 2011 Reunion in Junction City, Kansas

Approved by: _____________________________________ (President)

                        Neal Teschendorf

Attested   by: ______________________________________ (Secretary)

                        F. C. "Chuck" Humphrey