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Chapter Constitution |
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Constitution Of the Aviation Chapter American Society of Military Comptrollers
Article I – Name Section 1. The name of this organization shall be the Aviation Chapter of the American Society of Military Comptrollers, hereinafter referred to as the Chapter. Section 2. In keeping with the ASMC National Constitution, military-comptrollership shall be defined as the profession of comptrollership in the Department of Defense and Coast Guard, to include the fields of financial and general management, accounting, finance, budgeting, programming, reporting, statistics, auditing, cost analysis, management analysis, and supporting activities in management, industrial engineering, automated data processing, operations research, systems analysis, and other such fields as the ASMC National Council may designate.
Article II – Purpose Section 1. The purpose of the Chapter is to promote and perpetuate the highest standards of performance in military comptrollership. To meet this goal, emphasis will be placed on: a. Promoting the education and training of the Chapter membership; b. Supporting the development and advancement of the profession of military comptrollership; c. Encouraging a free exchange of techniques, approaches and problem solving information; and, d. Providing a forum to keep the members and other interested individuals abreast of current events in military comptrollership, which can be beneficial to them, their employing organization, and the public.
Section 2. To this purpose, the Chapter will: a. Coordinate with the ASMC National Council, as appropriate, the sponsorship of conventions, seminars, and other educational meetings; b. Sponsor monthly meetings, featuring speakers addressing subjects of interest to the membership; c. Encourage the submission of articles, papers, and other research work for publication in the Armed Forces Comptroller; d. Publish a Chapter Newsletter, when appropriate, for the dissemination of information of general interest to the membership; e. Sponsor for formal recognition by ASMC National Council those individuals deemed by the Chapter membership to have made outstanding contributions to the advancement of military comptrollership; and, f. Cooperate with other educational and professional organizations in matters of mutual interest. g. Ensure that no part of the net earnings of the Chapter shall provide for the benefit of, or be distributable to its members, trustees, officers, or other private persons, except that the Chapter shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes set forth in Section 1 of this Article. No substantial part of the activities of the Chapter shall be the carrying on of propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation, and the Chapter shall not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office. Notwithstanding any other provision of these articles, the Chapter shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on (a) by an organization exempt from Federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal revenue law), or (b) by an organization, contributions to which are deductible under section 170 (c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal revenue law).
Section 3. This Chapter does not contemplate pecuniary gain or profit to this Chapter, its officers, or its members.
Article III – General Provisions Section 1. This organization operates and exists at a Department of Defense activity or on a Department of Defense installation only with the consent of the activity or installation’s senior Director, Commander, Administrator, or Comptroller. Withstanding approval to operate and the limitations placed therein, within the confines of a Department of Defense installation, the Chapter is a private organization and operates within the provisions of this Constitution and the Chapter By-Laws. All legal and financial liabilities are the responsibility of the Chapter.
Section 2. No individual member has authority to commit or obligate Chapter funds without specific approval of the Executive Board or by specified approval within the By-Laws. The Treasurer shall submit a “balanced budget” for the approval of the Executive Board not later than 60 days after the start of the Chapter financial year. A simple majority vote of the Executive Board approves the budget. A “balanced budget” is one, which expected obligations for a given financial year do not exceed the expected revenue for that financial year. The Executive Board will ensure that Chapter expenditures do not exceed the approved budget. The Chapter President, with a simple majority vote of the Executive Board, is authorized to commit or expend money in excess of anticipated (budgeted) revenue for a given financial year if sufficient, unencumbered funds are on-hand in the Chapter’s bank account(s). At no time is the Chapter President, Executive Board, or Committee Chairpersons authorized to incur obligations that would result in a deficit to the Chapter’s account(s). The Executive Board, by a simple majority vote, authorizes expenditures from the scholarship fund.
Section 3. The Constitution and By-Laws of this Chapter are available for all members on the Chapter website (http://www.asmcaviation.org).
Section 4. No local Department of Defense activity or installation will be obligated, financially or otherwise, by any action of the organization. Additionally, the organization will not represent itself as an instrument of the Department of Defense, its local activities, or installations.
Section 5. No facilities, equipment, or utilities at the local Department of Defense activities or installations will be used by the organization without the approval of the Director, Commander, Administrator, or Comptroller of that installation.
Section 6. The organization’s programs and activities will not prejudice or discredit the local Department of Defense activities or installations, the Military Services, or other agencies of the U.S. Government.
Section 7. The following are basic policies of this organization: a. The article of organization for the Aviation Chapter includes the Constitution, its By-Laws, and any amendments to either document. In the event of a conflict between this Constitution and the By-Laws, the Constitution shall govern. b. The organization will be non-commercial, non-sectarian, and non-partisan. c. Neither the name of the organization nor the names of any members in their official capacities shall be used in connection with any commercial concern, or with any partisan interest, or for any purpose not appropriately related to the promotion of the purposes of the organization.
Article IV – Membership Section 1. Membership in the Chapter is voluntary and is open to all current and prior Officers, Warrant Officers, Enlisted and Civil Service employees of the Department of Defense and the Coast guard, who are, or have been, engaged in comptrollership duties as defined above. Membership shall not be denied anyone on the basis of age, race, religion, color, national origin, disability, ethnic group or gender.
Section 2. Chapter membership will be divided into five classes: a. Active members shall be persons who are, or have been, employed as professionals, executives, or technicians in the military comptrollership field and who, to remain in good standing have paid the appropriate dues and fees. “Active” members include those members who are currently employed by DoD contractors and who have prior DoD employment (either as Officer, Warrant Officer, Enlisted, or Civil Service). b. Life members shall be those Active members who have been in good standing for twenty consecutive years, or who are past national Presidents. c. Associate members shall be persons who, though not qualified for Active membership, demonstrate an interest in the military comptrollership field and who, to remain in good-standing have paid the appropriate dues and fees. DoD contractor employees with no prior DoD service time (as Officer, Warrant Officer, Enlisted, and/or Civil Service) are “Associate” members. d. Honorary memberships may be conferred upon persons making significant contributions to military comptrollership who would not otherwise be eligible for Active or Associate membership. e. Corporate memberships may be conferred upon businesses or firms, which are interested in Military Comptrollership and resource management through recognition, scholarship, and exchange of professional ideas and knowledge.
Section 3. Application for Active, Life, Associate, and Corporate membership shall be tendered to the Chairperson, Membership Committee for forwarding to the National Headquarters. Honorary members shall be nominated by the Chapter President, and must be approved by the National President.
Section 4. Chapter members shall be accorded all rights and privileges as provided by the National Constitution and By-Laws. a. Active and Life members shall legislate and guide the activities of the Chapter, fix any dues or fees in excess of the National dues, elect Chapter officers, and decide upon all matters which will affect the welfare of the Chapter or any of its members. b. Associate, Honorary, and Corporate members shall have the rights and privileges of Active members, except that they may neither vote nor serve as Chapter officers or delegates. c. The right to resign membership is reserved to all members. d. Chapter membership shall terminate for nonpayment of dues.
Article V – Chapter Officers Section 1. Chapter officers shall consist of a President and President-Elect; Vice Presidents from separate Comptroller activities represented in the Chapter membership; a Secretary; and, a Treasurer.
Section 2. The Chapter President, President-Elect, and Secretary shall serve without compensation for a period of one Chapter year. The Treasurer shall serve without compensation for a period of at least two Chapter years, but not to exceed five years. When the incumbent’s term expires, the President-Elect will be seated as President and serve a normal Chapter year term. Should the offices of the President and/or President-Elect become vacant during the year, the Vice President from the incumbent’s unit of assignment shall fill the office for the remainder of the year. In the event the Vice President from the incumbent’s Comptroller Activity elects not to assume the vacancy, the Chapter President shall appoint, with a simple majority approval from the Executive Board, an Active member from the incumbent’s organization to assume the position for the remainder of the Chapter year. The offices of President and President-Elect shall be rotated among the agencies of the Chapter membership in the order of rotation prescribed within the By-Laws. The Vice Presidents shall serve two-year terms without compensation. Should any office, with exception of President and/or President-Elect, become vacant, the Chapter President, with the concurrence of the Executive Board, may appoint an Active member from the incumbent’s organization to fill the office for the remainder of the term.
Section 3. The incumbent Chapter President shall appoint a Nominations Committee to nominate an Active member for each of the following elective offices: President-Elect, a nominee from the Comptroller agency designated in the By-Laws as being charged with responsibility to fulfill the succeeding Presidential rotation, elected by the general membership; and, the Vice Presidents for each Comptroller activity specified within the By-Laws. The Nominations Committee shall prepare a ballot for submission to the general membership for the respective Comptroller activity. Only Active and Life members assigned to the specified Comptroller activity will participate in the election of Vice President for that Comptroller activity. The ballot shall provide space for additional nominations from the general membership of the specified Comptroller activity. Nominees receiving a majority of votes of the Chapter membership shall be elected. The incoming and outgoing officers shall determine and coordinate the orderly transfer of powers and records, including an audit of the Chapter’s financial records. Ballots shall be distributed to the membership during the second to last month of the Chapter year, with the election results announced at the final general membership meeting of the Chapter year.
Section 4. The President, as chief executive, shall appoint Active members for the offices of Chapter Secretary and Treasurer, preside at all Chapter and Executive board meetings, appoint such standing and special or ad-hoc committees as may be required, and act as “ex officio” member of all committees with the exception of the Nominations Committee. In the execution of the powers of his/her office, the President shall enforce the Constitution, By-Laws, contracts, policies, and directives of the Society and the Chapter. In the performance of his/her duties, the President may, as deemed appropriate, assign duties and responsibilities to the various chapter officers and committees.
Section 5. The President-Elect shall serve as assistant to the President, serve in the absence of the President, chair the Chapter Audit Committee, and chair the Constitution and By-Laws Committee when necessary.
Section 6. Vice Presidents shall serve a two-year term. The number of Vice Presidents shall be determined by the Executive Board and listed in the Chapter’s By-Laws. The election of Vice Presidents shall be staggered so that 50 percent are elected one year and 50 percent the following year. Positions of Vice President shall be established or dissolved by the President with the approval, by majority vote, of the Executive Board. The Vice Presidents shall serve as liaison points for the Chapter and Society matters with their respective organizations. If a vacancy occurs in the office of President and President-Elect, then the Vice President from the incumbent’s organization will assume the Presidency.
Section 7. The Secretary shall record the proceedings of the meetings of the Chapter and the Executive Board. The Secretary shall also electronically retain copies of Chapter membership rosters and shall be custodian of all documents and permanent papers of the Chapter including prior year financial records.
Section 8. The Treasurer shall receive and deposit all monies of the Chapter, pay its just bills, maintain its books of account, and make appropriate reports on the financial condition and operations of the Chapter on at least an annual basis. The Treasurer’s powers to manage the Chapter’s financial records and transactions shall be limited to those transactions approved by the Executive board, or in an emergency by the Chapter President who must then inform the Executive Board of any such actions taken. The Treasurer’s records will be open to all interested members.
Section 9. Any officer may be removed from office with or without cause by a two-thirds majority vote of the Chapter Executive board. Any officer may resign at any time, giving written notice to the Executive Board. Such resignation shall take effect on the date of the receipt of such notice or at any later time specified therein, and unless otherwise specified therein, the acceptance of such resignations shall not be necessary to make it effective.
Article VI – Committees
Section 1. With the exception of the Audit Committee, which shall be appointed by the President-Elect, the President shall establish committees with the simple majority vote of the Executive Board. The standing committees shall be listed in the Chapter’s By-laws. Ad-hoc committees are established by the President as necessary. Committees may be disbanded in the same manner that they are established.
Section 2. Each committee provided for in the Chapter By-laws, shall have a chairperson appointed by the President with the approval of the Executive Board. The chairperson shall be directly responsible to the President for the function of that committee. Each committee chairperson shall submit a committee budget to the Treasurer not later than 30 days after the start of the Chapter year. In the event a committee chairperson cannot attend an Executive Board meeting, the chairperson will ensure a member or their committee attend with voting privileges.
Section 3. The Executive Board shall be a committee of the whole, consisting of all Chapter Officers: President, President-Elect, organization Vice Presidents and standing committee chairs. The Executive Board shall carry out the executive functions of the Chapter as provided in this and the National Constitution. The Chapter President shall be the chairperson, and the Executive Board will meet at his/her pleasure or whenever required.
Section 4. Ad-hoc committees shall be appointed at the discretion of the President with a defined life and purpose. Expenditures of an Ad-Hoc committee, not included in the approved budget, must be approved by a simple majority vote of the Executive Board.
Article VII – Dissolution Section 1. A two-thirds majority vote of all Chapter members eligible to vote is required to effect dissolution of the Chapter. The net assets of the Chapter, upon dissolution, shall be distributed under the direction of the Executive Board who shall coordinate with the National Executive Committee the dissolution of the Chapter. Any distribution of the Chapter’s assets shall be only made to nonprofit or charitable organizations. Chapter records shall be forwarded to the National Executive Committee.
Article VIII – Ratification, Amendments, and By-Laws Section 1. The ratification of the Constitution and By-Laws shall be a two-step process. First, they must receive the concurrence of two-thirds of the members of the Chapter Executive Board before they can be presented to the general membership for approval. Approval by two-thirds of the general membership voting shall be sufficient for the establishment of this Constitution and By-laws for the Aviation Chapter of the American Society of Military Comptrollers and its members.
Section 2. Amendments to this Constitution may be proposed by any Active member of the Chapter, or by a special ad-hoc committee appointed by the President. The President shall appoint such an ad-hoc committee, chaired by the President-Elect, at least once every five years. Proposed amendments to this Constitution shall be a two-step process. First, amendments must receive the concurrence of two-thirds of the members of the Chapter Executive Board before it can be presented to the general membership for approval. Second, the amendment shall require the concurrence of two-thirds of the membership present at a regularly scheduled meeting. The specifics of proposed amendments and the intent to vote on them must be announced, either at a regularly scheduled meeting or through a special mailing, to the Chapter membership at least 21 days prior to any vote taken.
Section 3. Changes to the By-laws of this Constitution shall require the concurrence of two-thirds of the members of the Chapter Executive Board.
Section 4. The above Constitution was approved by vote of the general membership, Aviation Chapter of the American Society of Military Comptrollers, on 10 Oct 2007.
// Signed // Bob Novak, President - 10 Oct 07 // Signed // Mike Eberle, Secretary - 10 Oct 07 |
