THE BYLAWS OF THE U.S. FRONTIER BRIGADE
Updated Bylaws as approved at the last Brigade meeting will be posted shortly
Name: This organization shall be known as the U.S. FRONTIER BRIGADE.
SECTION 1: PURPOSE
Purpose: The purpose of this organization shall be to form and recreate Union Civil War Infantry, Artillery, Cavalry, and service units to participate in historical reenactments. The organization shall participate, through proper selection and member approval, in various events in the Department of the Frontier, Trans-Mississippi Theater, or designated National Level reenactments.
SECTION 2: ORGANIZATION
Organization: The organization, hereafter known as the Brigade, shall be composed of independent reenactment units. The elected commander or chairperson of each reenactment unit shall serve as that units representative to the Board of Directors of the Brigade. The Board of Directors shall act as the governing body of the Brigade. The Board can, upon a majority vote, accept, deny, or terminate a units membership in the Brigade, if so desired.
At events, the individual units present shall be organized into respective branches i.e. Infantry battalions, Artillery batteries and Cavalry platoons. Service units shall be attached to Brigade headquarters for the event. Infantry units fielding 16 rifles or more (officers and musicians not included) will be guaranteed separate company status within formed Infantry battalions. All units of lesser size shall be attached or combined to form a 16 rifle or more company. Each battalion commander shall be appointed or determined the commander of combined companies under his command. Artillery units shall consist of 1 field piece and a crew of 6. All units of lesser size shall be attached or combined to form a crew of 6. The Artillery commander shall be appointed or determine the commander of combined Artillery units. The Cavalry commander shall form appropriate units as needed.
SECTION 3: MEMBERSHIP
Membership: There shall be no individual memberships in the Brigade. All individuals who are members in good standing in a member unit of the Brigade shall also be considered members of the Brigade. Units shall, within the authenticity and safety regulations of the Brigade, establish their own membership requirements.
To be an active member of the U.S. Frontier Brigade with all privileges, it is required that each Company send 16 troops to 2 U.S. Frontier Brigade Maximum Events which are voted on by the membership.
(Units can send 10 troops to 1 event and 6 to the 2nd , as long as a total of 16 troops attend 2 events in the calendar year).
Section 4: BUSINESS
Business: All business of the Brigade shall be conducted by a majority vote of the Board of Directors. The election of the Brigade Commander, event selection, authenticity, safety regulations, and amendments to these bylaws shall be done in writing and by mail so all member units can participate. Any unit or individual may, in writing, propose to the Brigade Assistant Adjutant General, events for consideration as Brigade events. These events should be proposed at least 6 months in advance of the event to allow for the information, mailing, and voting processes to take place. In the event that a special meeting needs to be called to conduct business of an urgent matter, which by using normal mailing process would be impractical, the Brigade Commander may call such a meeting. The Brigade commander may also designate an event to be the site of said special meetings as a majority of unit representatives will be present. A quorum must be met before any business can take place, otherwise it shall be considered a meeting for discussion. Unit commanders or representatives may designate in writing a proxy for events or special meetings they are unable to attend. The AAG shall receive all proxies, to be delivered to the membership for any vote. In any vote, each unit in good standing is entitled to a single vote based on participation as stated in section 3 above.
Infantry battalion, Cavalry and Artillery Adjutants are expected to keep records of events attended to include the number of personnel and equipment. A copy will be forwarded to the Brigade Assistant Adjutant General for Brigade files.
Section 5: OFFICERS
Officers: The Brigade shall be commanded by a Colonel, who shall be elected for a two-year term in November by a majority vote of the Board of Directors. Any individual who has served in a member unit in at least one Brigade event is eligible to file for this position. The filing deadline shall be the 30th of September of the same year. In the event that the duly elected Colonel, for whatever reason, cannot fulfill his term, he may appoint an interim Brigade commander to serve the remainder of the term. The interim Brigade commander may serve out the balance of the term, or request that a special election be held in accordance with the procedures outlined in section 4 (Business). Appropriate notifications must be provided to the members of the Brigade to allow interested parties to file for the position.
The Colonel shall act as the chief executive officer for the Brigade and shall be its spokesman in dealing with events sponsors, the 1st Federal Division and its associated units, and with the public and media organizations. In the field, he shall command the Brigade. In the event the Colonel is unable to attend an event, he shall appoint an acting Brigade commander for the duration of the event in question. He shall, through his staff. Inform all unit commanders of proposed Brigade events and supervise elections to select Brigade events. He shall correspond with event sponsors and see to the registration of the Brigade for events. He shall preside at meetings of the Board of Directors, but shall cast no vote in case of a tie.
The colonel shall appoint his staff consisting of the Assistant Adjutant General, inspectors and/or as many Aide-de-Camps as he deems necessary for the conduct of Brigade business and field operations.
The Colonel shall select and supervise the officers of the staff. These include the Provost, Engineer, Quartermaster, Medical, and Signal officers but may be expanded as the situation demands.
The Assistant Adjutant General, hereafter referred to as the AAG, shall keep and publish the Brigade schedule and communicate the orders of the commander to the Battalion, Company, and Battery officers. The AAG, with the concurrence of the commander will speak for the Brigade. He may, in the absence of the commander sign and issue necessary orders needed for Brigade functions. Orders issued by the AAG in the name of the Colonel shall be received as if issued by the Colonel himself. He shall attend all officer calls with the commander, keep notes of all Board meetings, organize and supervise Brigade formations. The AAG shall hold the rank of Captain but may be brevetted to whatever rank the Brigade commander feels necessary for the completion of his duties.
The Colonel shall appoint the Artillery, Cavalry, and Infantry battalion commanders. Each branch will nominate officers for the Colonels approval. These officers shall serve discretion for an indefinite term. The senior infantry battalion commander shall hold the rank of Lt. Colonel, with the Artillery and Cavalry commanders, as well as the junior Infantry battalion commander holding the rank of Major. Commanders may be brevetted at the discretion of the Brigade commander. Each infantry battalion commander as well as the Artillery and Cavalry commanders will appoint as least an Adjutant and Quartermaster to his staff.
SECTION 6: Authenticity
Authenticity: Each unit/branch shall set its own standards regarding authenticity in the ranks. However, the Board of Directors may, by a majority vote, establish authenticity regulations for the entire Brigade. Proposals for such regulations may be made by any individual of a member unit or branch and may be proposed at any Brigade event or by mail to the Brigade Adjutant. Voting on any proposal shall be done by mail, giving all eligible units the opportunity to vote.
SECTION 7: SAFETY
Safety: Each unit/branch shall follow a common sense approach as regarding safety in the ranks; however, a unit/branch may impose specific guidelines it wishes to follow. In addition, the Board of Directors may, by a majority vote, establish safety regulations for the entire Brigade. Proposals for such regulations may be made by any individual of a member unit and may be proposed at any Brigade event or by mail to the Brigade Adjutant. Voting on any proposal shall be done by mail giving all eligible units the opportunity to vote.
The Brigade commander shall cause his subordinate commanders to hold authenticity and safety inspections at the beginning of each Brigade event. Based on their recommendations, the Board representatives present may vote to bar individuals and/or units from participation with the Brigade if they are found not to conform to minimum standards. Individuals/units so barred shall not be counted in determining unit participation status. The Artillery, cavalry, and Infantry battalion commanders may issue standing orders outlining safety or authenticity concerns not covered in the bylaws or its amendments, with the concurrence of the Brigade commander.
SECTION 8 AMEMNDEMNTS AND RATIFICATION
Amendments and Ratification: Amendments to these bylaws may be proposed by any member unit of the Brigade in writing to the Adjutant and shall be ratified by a simple majority of all member units via mail ballot. In the event that an amendment is proposed at a special meeting, the amendment will be considered approved if it receives a simple majority of the unit representatives present at said special meeting. See Section 3.
These bylaws shall be ratified by a simple majority of member units via mail ballot.
Proposed: September 1997
Proposed Modified: October 1997
Proposed Modified 2nd Time: November 1997
Ratified: February 1998
Proposed Modified 3rd Time: January 2000
2nd Ratification: March 2000
Proposed Modified 4th Time: December 2001
3rd Ratification: January 2002
