1st New Mexico Volunteer Infantry

"Kit Carson's Own"

1st NMVI By-Laws

Note:  The By-Laws were revised at the February 2002 meeting.  The COMPLETE update will be posted soon

CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS

1^st NM VOLUNTEER INFANTRY

I.  NAME

The Unit shall be officially known as the 1^st NM VOLUNTEER INFANTRY, consisting of, but not limited to, Company A, the US Sanitary Commission and The First New Mexico Field Music. It will be a non-profit organization with its main purposes of educating the public in regards to Civil War history, enjoin in preservation efforts of all historical matters and to interpret Civil War history as it is presently written. Our existence is not to promote nor glorify war, but to interpret American history in regards to the Civil War era through demonstrations and exhibits pertaining to this era. This organization shall not be involved in any illegal activity. The duration of this organization shall be perpetual and shall be operated as a nonprofit corporation.

II.  STRUCTURE

 A.  The Unit Field Officer structure shall consist of, in order, a Commanding Officer with the rank of Captain, a 1st Lieutenant, a 1st Sergeant, and a 2nd Sergeant. The Unit command positions will be elected positions by the Individual or Family membership as set forth in Section X of these guidelines. Corporals, Ordnance/Safety Officer and Quartermaster will be appointed by the Commanding Officer. These field commands may be expanded as deemed necessary.

B.   The Unit Business Officer structure shall consist of, in order, a President, Vice-President, Treasurer and Secretary. The Unit Business Command structure will be elected positions by the Individual or Family membership as set forth in Section X of these guidelines.

C.   Individual or Family members may hold Field Command and Business Command positions simultaneously. Elections of these positions will be by majority vote of the Individual or Family members.

III.  EXPLANATION OF POSITIONS

A.   The position of Commanding Officer and 1^st Lieutenant will be held by an Individual or Family member of good standing, no younger than twenty-one (21) years of age. They both must have a minimum of 2 years active membership.

B.   The position of 1^st and 2^nd Sergeant will be held by an Individual or Family member of good standing and no younger than eighteen (18) years of age. They must have a minimum of two years active membership. In the absence of the Commanding Officer and the 1^st Lieutenant, they will command respectively in succession.

C.   The position of the Ordnance/Safety Officer will be held by an Individual or Family member of good standing and no younger than eighteen (18) years of age. He/she will be responsible for the maintenance and distribution of arms and ammunition and all safety related matters.

D.   The position of Quartermaster will be held by an Individual or Family member of good standing and no younger than eighteen (18) years of age. He/she will be responsible for maintaining a current log of company equipment, including its location at all times.

E.    The positions of Unit Business Officer; President, Vice-President, Treasurer and Secretary will be held by an Individual or Family members of good standing, but no younger than twenty-one (21) years of age. The Unit Business Officers will have no authority in commanding troops on or off the field. The President shall preside at Unit meetings, shall appoint all committees and their chairs, shall serve as Chair of the Board of Directors and shall perform such other duties as may be assigned by the Bylaws. The Vice-President shall preside in the absence of the President at Unit meetings and meetings of the Board of Directors. The Vice-President shall become President in the event of a vacancy in that office. The Treasurer will account for the Unit ledgers, provide an account report, and receive Unit dues and any donations/contributions in money and/or property. The Treasurer will maintain all Unit ledgers, including the Unit checking account. The Secretary will record all proceedings at regularly held Unit meetings and will be responsible for maintaining and updating the Unit roster of all members. The Secretary may also perform other duties as needed or assigned by the President.

  In keeping with an accurate and authentic representation of the original Company A, 1^st Regiment, NM Volunteer Infantry, ALL Field officers and Non-Commissioned Officers will be knowledgeable in their duties as prescribed in the United States Army Regulations. That is in particular, the School of the Soldier and the School of the Company. The Commanding Officer and 1^st Lieutenant shall know and be able to perform the duties of all Non-Commissioned Officers and all Non-Commissioned Officers shall know the duties of the next position above his own.

IV.  MEMBERSHIP (Definition)

A member will pay annual dues as an Individual or Family as described in Section VI, on or before March 1^st of each year. Members must be eighteen (18) years of age or provide a signed permission slip from a parent or guardian. An Individual or Family member will receive the Unit newsletter, will have voting privileges, may hold any Field or Business Office if elected to do so as set forth in Section X and may receive reduced fees for company meals.

ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP - A member who has paid the reduced annual dues as described in Section VI on or before March 1st of each year. An associate member will receive the Unit newsletter, may not have voting privileges, may not hold any Field or Business Offices and will not receive reduced fees for the company meals.

V.  MEETINGS

Meetings will be held at least once per year. During said meetings, a quorum will be fifty percent (50%) of Field and Business Officers combined and twenty-five percent (25%) of the Individual and Family membership.

VI.  DUES

Dues will be collected at the January meeting and will be delinquent on March 1^st of each year. They may be prorated at fifty percent (50%) for a partial year. Dues amount may be amended by a majority vote of the Individual and Family membership present at any meeting. Dues shall not be refundable.

A.  INDIVIDUAL: Fifteen Dollars ($15.00) annually. The monetary amounts can only be amended by a majority vote of the Individual and Family members.

B.  FAMILY: Twenty dollars ($20.00) annually. The monetary amounts can only be amended by a majority vote of the Individual and Family members.

C.  ASSOCIATE:  Fifty percent (50%) of Individual or Family dues. The monetary amounts can only be amended by a majority vote of the Individual and Family members.

VII.  UNIFORM

The uniform will be for all combatant male/female members that was of the United States issue of 1861/1865 for volunteers in the service of the same United States of America. All members who are combatants are required to attain the basic uniform in one (1) year’s time as shown in Appendix A, uniform requirement. If in this set time of one (1) year, a new member has not made a reasonable effort as determined by the Unit Officers, to collect the basic uniform as prescribed, he/she can be dropped from the Unit roster by a three-fourths (3/4) majority vote of the Unit Field and Business Officers combined.

VIII.  PROBATION PERIOD FOR NEW MEMBERS

New members shall be subject to a six (6) month and/or six (6) events, whichever comes first, probation period from their first event. A new member can be removed from the Unit roster for reasons of activities of misconduct that are judged to be detrimental to the integrity and reputation of the Unit. This applies to members, regardless of membership. Removal can only be performed by a three-fourths (3/4) majority vote from the Unit Business and Field Officers combined.

IX.  REMOVAL OF MEMBERS (Individual, Family or Associate)

Any member can be removed from the Unit roster for reasons of activities of misconduct only after they are judged to be detrimental to the integrity and reputation of the Unit. The subject member(s) will be placed on a probation period of four (4) events with a warning that the member(s) will be removed if there is no desire to improve. Removal can only be performed by three-fourths (3/4)-majority vote from the Unit Business and Field Officers combined.

X.  UNIT ELECTIONS

A.  Nominations for all elected positions will be made at the annual January meeting. At that time, any acceptances and/or declinations of nominations will be made. In the absence of any nominees, their intention can be made known to the commanding officer and announced by him at the appropriate time of the election meeting.

B.   Elections for all Unit Officers will be held annually at the January meeting. All vote tallies are to be witnessed by at least two (2) impartial parties. Elections will be by majority vote. Proxy votes will be accepted by mail only to Business Secretary.

C.   All nominees are required to meet the criteria as set forth in Section III, paragraphs A, B, C, and Section IV.

D.   Voter eligibility - an individual or family member in good standing.

E.    All newly elected Unit Officers will take office effective immediately after the election.

F.    Results of the election will be announced in the February Newsletter.

XI.  FUNDING ACCOUNT

The Unit will have a checking account to pay for all Unit debts incurred as shall be determined by the Unit Business Officers. These debts are other than normal operating expenses for the Unit; i.e. newsletter postage, phone bills, event registration, etc. It will be a two (2) signature account for amounts equal to or exceeding $200.00 as determined by the Unit Business Officers.

XII.  EQUIPMENT

The Unit will maintain an inventory of equipment as defined under the Quartermaster position.

XIII. BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The Board of Directors shall consist of the President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer. The Board of Directors shall have the power to manage the affairs of the Unit within the limits established by the Bylaws. Any action taken by the Board of Directors may be overruled by three-fourth (3/4) of the voting members present at a Unit meeting.

XIV.  DISSOLUTION OF ORGANIZATION

Upon dissolution of the Unit, all property will be sold and the proceeds will be evenly distributed between all Individual and Family members of the Unit.

XV.  SAFETY

A.  The unit will follow the rules and regulations set forth by event sponsors. It is the duty of all members to watch for safety violations and they should be brought to the attention of the commanding officer immediately. Any person observing what he/she perceives as a life threatening danger has the authority to call a halt to ongoing activities until that danger has been removed.

B.  No person will be allowed to handle a firearm in a battle scenario unless he/she has been instructed in the proper and safe handling of said weapon by a Field Officer or their appointed representative.

XVI.  AMENDING BYLAWS

The Bylaws may be amended at any Unit meeting by a three-fourths (3/4) affirmative vote of those eligible voters present. A quorum of fifty percent (50%) of the Unit's membership must be present at the meeting for any amendment to be approved.

 Accepted on this ________ day of _______________, 2000.