Compatriots, below is a synopsis of the business from the Post Convention General Executive Council meeting held Saturday July 19, 2008 and important information from the Concord Reunion.
Post Convention GEC Meeting Business:
1. Commander In Chief McMichael appointed Chuck Rand to be Chief of Staff. Mark Simpson was nominated by the CIC and elected by the GEC to be Adjutant in Chief. Rev. Cecil Fayard was likewise nominated and elected by the GEC as Chaplain in Chief as were Chip Buckner as Judge Advocate in Chief and Frank Earnst as Chief of Heritage Defense.
2. General Order No. 1 was issued by the Commander In Chief.
General Order No. 1
Document: GO 72-1
RE: Sesquicentennial
Date: 19 July 2008
Compatriots,
Soon the 150th anniversary of the South's struggle for Independence shall be upon us.
It is our duty to see that it is commemorate in an accurate and visible fashion.
We should have in place plans to, among other efforts, publicly demonstrate our commitment to this.
General Headquarters will be planning a "National" event for each year of this period.
Likewise, each Division should plan some event to be carried out and attended on a Division
scale for each year during this period. These events will be placed on the Commission's Calendar of events and promoted there.
Be it so ordered:
Each Division of the Sons of Confederate Veterans shall plan a Division-wide event for each year during the period of the Sesquicentennial of the Cause for Southern Independence. Each Division shall transmit details of these plans, as they come available, to the Commander in Chief and the Chairman of the Sesquicentennial Commission.
Deo Vindice
Charles E. McMichael
Commander in Chief
Sons of Confederate Veterans
3. CIC McMichael announced the formation of a Heritage Promotion Committee, whose purpose is be to secure property in high profile areas to erect large flag poles - similar to the efforts that have taken place in Florida.
4. Several new awards were initiated. These being the Jo Shelby Award for persons who reinstate a minimum of five members who have been not in good standing for at least one fiscal year and the David O. Dodd Award for members who recruit a minimum of five new members below the age of 18 years of age. There are two categories of this award. The gold medal is for a member who is 21 years of age or younger and recruits 5 members below the age of 18. The green ribbon award is for those over 21 years of age who recruit five new members 18 years old or younger. More information on these awards will be forthcoming.
5. A special pin for the Sesquicentennial has been designed and ordered. These will be for sale by General Headquarters to individual members for 15 dollars each. Camps, Brigades or Divisions can order the pins for 10 dollars each if a minimum order of 20 pings is placed. An announcement will be made once the pins have been received by Headquarters. The pins arrived at GHQ on July 21, 2008.
6. The council passed a motion. presented by Past CIC Denne Sweeney, to establish hard deadlines for officer columns to be submitted to the Confederate Veteran Editor. This will allow for a timely deliver of the Veteran to the members and to secure greater advertising revenue as the submission deadline will permit he editor go guarantee the delivery time to potential advertisers. In the past the editor has not been able to pin down the delivery dates due to there being no fixed deadline for submissions. The required submission dates for each issue of the Confederate Veterans will be published on the masthead of the Veteran. These deadlines will be in effect beginning with the March /April 2009 issue of the Veteran.
7. Officer Training : Commander In Chief McMichael presented an idea to develop online officer training for camp commanders and adjutants. The Council agreed to the concept and will hear a more detailed plan on implementation at the fall GEC meeting. This meeting is set for October 4, 2008 at Elm Springs.
8. Infomercials: The CIC has begun research into the possibility of having the SCV run 30 minute infomercials on cable / satellite channels. He asked that members of the GEC also look into this possibility and bring any recommendations they have to the Fall GEC meeting.
9. The CIC stated that the agenda for GEC meetings would be developed in advance of the meeting and items not on the agenda would run the risk of not be considered until they are properly entered on the agenda for a future meeting.
Other Developments at the Convention:
Election Results:
Commander In Chief - Chuck McMichael ( LA )
Lt. Commander In Chief - Michael Givens ( SC )
ANV Commander - Brag Bowling ( VA )
ANV Councilman -Gene Hogan ( SC )
AOT Commander - Kelly Barrow ( GA )
AOT Councilman - Tom Strain ( AL )
ATM Commander - Todd Owens ( LA )
ATM Councilman - Paul Gramling ( LA )
Amendments:
Amendment 1 - Failed by Ballot Vote
Amendment 2 - ( IRS Language ) - Passed
Amendments 3-8 - Failed by unanimous consent
Amendment 9 - Referred to the GEC for consideration.
Awards at the Banquet:
The Jefferson Davis Chalice was won by outgoing Lt. Commander In Chief Ron Casteel (MO).
The R.E. Lee Award was won by Les Tucker (OK), R. Burl McCoy (KY), and Richard V. Forte Jr. (MS).
Time and Place:
The Henry Semple Camp No. 2002 was awarded the 2011 National Reunion to be held in Montgomery, AL
The James M. Keller Camp No. 648 of Hot Spring, AR had a booth at Concord offering pre-registrations for the 2009 Convention ( July 22-25, 2009 at Hot Spring, AR ) at a cost of 60 dollars. This price is good until November 1, 2008. See www.scv2009reunion.com or email info@scv2009reunion.com for more information.
Prepared by:
Chuck Rand
Chief of Staff
