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Current By-Laws
(Revised Feb 2016)

A PDF version of the By-laws can be downloaded here.

TABLE OF CONTENTS  (Click a selection and a bookmark will take you there)

Article I: Name and Office
Article II: Credo
Article III: Membership
Article IV: Unit Recognition
Article V: Membership Meetings
Article VI: Board of Directors
Article VII: Finance and Contracts
Article VIII: Books and Records
Article IX: Regional Events
Article X: Administrative Rules
Article XI: Membership Rights
Article XII: Official Publications and Media
Article XIII: Operations Guidebook

WWII HRS Operations Guidebook

ARTICLE I: NAME & OFFICE

Section 1. NAME

The name of the corporation shall be “The World War Two Historical Reenactment Society, Inc.” Hereinafter referred to as the SOCIETY.

Section 2. MOTTO

The motto of the SOCIETY shall be "More Majorim", a Latin phrase meaning "in the tradition of those before us."

Section 3. PRINCIPLE OFFICE & REGISTERED AGENT

The principle office of the corporation shall be concurrent of that of the registered agent.

Section 4. FISCAL YEAR

The fiscal year of the corporation shall be from January 1 through December 31 in each calendar year.

Section 5. LEGAL ENTITY RECOGNITION

The SOCIETY shall be a legally recognized, non-profit corporation and shall abide by all state, local and federal laws that govern non-profit organizations.

ARTICLE II: CREDO

Section 1. CREDO

ARTICLE III: MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. GENERAL MEMBERSHIP

Membership in the Society is open to all individuals who qualify in any of the categories stated below, regardless of their race, sex, religion, physically challenged and who does not belong to any controversial political or illegal para-military organization.

Section 2. TYPES OF MEMBERSHIPS

REGULAR MEMBER shall be any legally competent person 16 years of age or older who applies for membership, belongs to a recognized unit or a unit forming, signs the required documents, pays the required membership fees, and agrees to follow all SOCIETY by-laws and Safety and Authenticity Rules. Regular Members who have attained the age of 16, but are not yet 18 years of age agree to submit a notarized letter of consent/hold harmless agreement signed by their parent(s) or legal guardian(s). Unit Commanders shall take full responsibility for the conduct and safety of any Regular Member who has attained the age of 16, but is not yet 18 years of age, who attends a SOCIETY sponsored event without their parent(s) or legal guardian(s) being in attendance.

A FAMILY MEMBERSHIP shall be available to any legally competent person, 16 years of age or older who is part of a Regular Member's family, living at the same place of residence, has family membership fees paid, and agrees to follow all SOCIETY by-laws . Family memberships shall be limited to four (4) members per family.

Minor aged family members, below the age of 18, will be the sole responsibility of said parent(s) or guardian(s) who will sign a separate membership application naming the minor and sign all appropriate waivers and/or other documents required for the minor attending each event.

Minors, under the age of 16, will have no voting rights nor may they participate in tactical or public battles in any capacity. They may, however, participate at Living History and Static Displays providing the portrayal is age-correct and non-political in nature. Minors, under the age of 16 shall not be allowed to handle any weapons, including edged weapons, ammunition, non-functioning reproduction armaments or ordinance of any kind or nature. (Participation of under-18 members is covered in Safety rule #3.)

1. AN ASSOCIATE MEMBER is any person or business that wishes to receive the SOCIETY official publications and be eligible to advertise in its publication(s), but cannot take part in any event private or public. An associate member can vote and must have all dues/fees paid as prescribed in Society by-laws. (Dec 2015)

Section 3. ANNUAL DUES

The membership shall determine by vote all dues and fees to be assessed. All renewals must be paid by April 1 of each year to ensure unit standing. Elected officers must have their dues paid in order to hold office. (Dec 2015)

Section 4. DISCHARGING OF MEMBERS

Any member may be discharged from the Society by a majority vote of the Board of Directors for convictions of federal and state laws, federal and state unlawful acts against the Society or its officers, or for violation of Society by-laws and/or Safety and Authenticity Rules. Any member discharged for any of these reasons shall not be eligible for any refund, in part or whole of any dues paid. The member may also be subject to criminal prosecution.

The member may appeal the finding through a hearing, organized as a teleconference not less than 45 days after recommended removal by the board. A meeting will then be convened for disposal of the charges, with the jury being unit commanders. After the meeting, unit commanders will be given 14 days to mail in their vote to remove or retain the board member in office. The date shall be determined on the postmark on the letter, and two weeks shall be waited before a public counting of the ballots can occur. The ballots must be kept and made available for public viewing for not less than one year after the vote is complete. (Amended Dec 2009)

Section 5. TERMS OF MEMBERSHIP

The membership period shall run from January 1 through December 31 of each year of membership, regardless of the actual initial date of membership. At this time there shall be no life-time or honorary memberships available.

ARTICLE IV: UNIT RECOGNITION

Section 1. UNIT FORMATION

Any new unit applying for a SOCIETY unit charter, must submit a unit application; then be considered by the Safety and Authenticity Committee; and if approved will be granted a probationary charter. A unit may have at least one (1) year and no more than two (2) years from its date of approved probationary charter to apply for a full charter and gain status as a recognized chartered unit. A probationary unit that is not able to gain status as a fully chartered unit shall disband. (Dec 2015)

Section 2. RECOGNIZED CHARTERED UNITS

1. Qualifications for a charter:
   1. Five (5) or more individuals of REGULAR or FAMILY membership.
   2. Apply to the Board of Directors for a charter.
2. Charter application must include:
   1. Full unit designation title (division, regiment, etc.).
   2. Purpose and goals for re-enacting.
   3. Complete history of unit.
   4. List of authorized uniforms, weapons, equipment, and vehicles.
   5. List of all awards, medals and ribbons worn by members of the unit and the unit's criteria for the wearing of the above mentioned.
   6. List of names, addresses, and phone numbers of unit commander, safety, authenticity, and relations officers.
   7. A statement of intention for following the Society's by-laws, safety, and authenticity.
3. This information must be submitted in writing with any required documentation.
4. The unit charter must be approved by the Authenticity Committee and ratified by the Board of Directors. Upon full review and approval Charter certification shall be awarded.
5. Members may form a unit comprising of less than five (5) members for the purpose of an impression that is supportive in nature, to wit: non-combative. The variance is for units that shall be non-tactical in nature or support related who wish to honor the non-combative services of all nations of WWII. This variance shall also allow for a support related impression to not be bound by authenticity requirements in regards to rank-structure as historical accuracy so requires.
6. The Unit Commander, Unit Co-Commander and/or Acting Unit Commander MUST be a member in good standing of the World War II Historical Re-Enactment Society, Inc. at all times. (10-2005)
7. Other Nations: For nationalities with two or less chartered units in the WWII HRS, proposed unit charters, or in unit forming with probationary charter status, may have two years to reach the minimum threshold of five (5) members for an approved unit charter. Those nationalities qualified for the Other Nations category shall be listed in the S&A regulations. If requested a particular nation that was a WWII combatant, from the years 1939 to 1945, could be added to the list of "Other Nations" with recommendation from the S&A Committee and approval of Board of Directors. If more than two chartered units exist of a particular nationality in the "Other Nations" category, then the board may vote to remove that particular nationality from the "Other Nations" list.
   

The proposed unit shall submit to the board a short and concise statement of the unit to be represented to include, but not limited to:

1. Unit designation, nationality, occupation or specialty, size, rank structure, uniforms and equipment needed.
2. Names and addresses of originating members, other units that members may belong to.
3. Whether other units in the society are currently a like kind impression, if so, how or why this unit should be separate.
4. Unit Commanders shall have the responsibility to substantiate, upon request, any questionable portrayals within the support unit.
5. The board must approve or deny the variance within thirty (30) days of submission to the vice-president. If a denial of the grant is so passed, the reason must be stated specifically along with a recommendation for amendments to the submission.

Section 3. OTHER GROUPS

Other recognized re-enactment groups, approved by the Board of Directors, must abide by all SOCIETY By-Laws and Safety and Authenticity Rules to participate in Society events. Recognized re-enactment groups shall be defined as those groups that can provide evidence of current insurance coverage, whose safety and authenticity guidelines, by-laws and unit rosters have been reviewed by the SOCIETY's Board of Directors. A list of all recognized units will be published in the Society's publication(s) by the end of the first quarter annually.

Section 4. UNIT DISBANDMENT

Chartered units that have no members that belong to the Society and/or have had no active participation in any reenacting/living history event for a period of two (2) years will be deemed to have disbanded and the unit charter shall be revoked. Chartered units, with the exception of non-combat, with more than one (1) member but less than five (5) members in the current calendar year, may revert to probationary status and must be notified of the change. At the end of the second probationary year, if the 5 member threshold is not reached by the unit, with the exception of a non-combat unit, it may be disbanded by vote of the Safety and Authenticity Committee and board of directors.

ARTICLE V: MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS

Section 1. MEETINGS

All general Board of Director's meetings shall be open to the membership. However, in accordance with the Illinois Open Meetings Act, the SOCIETY Board of Directors reserves the right to hold closed meetings for the purpose of discussing specific topics. These topics may include:

•  Legal proceedings

•  Pending or proposed litigation

•  Specific member issues

•  Issues that may be potentially damaging to the reputation or substance of the Society

•  Contract negotiations

Any decisions, votes, mandates or other decisions voted on and passed by a quorum vote during these closed sessions must be disclosed to the general membership and shall be detailed in the Society's next scheduled publication.

Section 2. ANNUAL MEETING

Once per calendar year the annual general membership meeting shall be held at a designated place and time by the Board of Directors for the purpose of the transaction of such business as may need to come before the general membership. Notice of the annual meeting shall be published by written notice in the SOCIETY' newsletter no less than thirty (30) days prior to the meeting. It is understood that this newsletter is sent to each member in good standing upon each scheduled publication date.

Section 3. NOTICE OF MEETINGS

Notification of all meetings shall be given in the Society's newsletter whenever time permits except in the case of an emergency Board of Directors meeting.

Section 4. QUORUM

A simple majority of all board members must be present to conduct a general membership meeting. In the event a quorum is not attained, a meeting may be called to order by any current Board member for informational purposes only with no possibility of any binding resolutions or expenditures of funds.

ARTICLE VI: BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Section 1. GENERAL POWERS

The business and affairs of the corporation shall be managed and directed by a consensus of its officers and directors.

Section 2. NUMBER AND TENURE

The number of Directors shall be seven (7). Board members shall be elected to serve for a period of two (2) calendar years and may run for re-election. The terms shall be staggered beginning in 2015 with terms for the President, Secretary, Axis Representative, and Commonwealth Representative to be one year for 2015 only. The President, Secretary, Axis Representative, and Commonwealth Representative shall be elected in odd years. The Vice President, Treasurer, Allied Representative shall be elected in even years. All Directors must be members of the Society. All candidates running for a position on the Board of Directors must have been a member in good standing of the Society for at least the previous two years prior to the candidate's proclamation of candidacy. Any candidate, or member or the board may not be a relative of any other board members, to include father, son, daughter, mother, and any other relationship including first cousin. This also includes relationships by marriage like son-in-law, daughter-in-law, mother-in-law, and stepsons and daughters. Additionally, no two board members may reside in the same residence if not related. A relative of a board member may run for an office in the HRS, as long as the terms of the sitting board member and candidate do not overlap in any way.

Section 3. POSITIONS AND DUTIES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The Board of Directors shall consist of the following members:

1. President:
   The office of the President will be responsible to the membership to enforce and protect the by-laws and Safety and Authenticity Rules . He or she will chair all meetings of the general membership and/or authorized closed meetings, held by the Board of Directors. In the event of a tie vote of the Board of Directors the President's vote shall not be counted. The President is answerable to the membership for the conduct of SOCIETY business. The President shall be the principle executive officer of the corporation. He or she will sign any and all deeds, mortgages, bonds, contracts, or other instruments the Board has authorized to be executed.

Job Description:

Must be available for all board meetings. Serve as presiding officer of the organization and to oversee and conduct the business of the organization with the approval of the Board of Directors. To be responsible for all aspects of the Society's business, legal proceedings, corporate business; insure the safekeeping of all corporate records, oversee the filing of all pertinent and required tax returns, statements, affidavits, and any and all other documents that are, or may become, required by the Federal Government or state in which the WWII HRS is incorporated.

1. Vice-President
   The Vice president shall be the chairman of all committees connected with safety, authenticity, and public relations, and shall be authorized to constitute committees as needed. The Vice president shall report the findings of all committees to the President. It shall be his or her duty to see that any information necessary for the proper , and smooth functioning of the Society or its subdivisions is promptly distributed to all parties concerned.
   In the absence of the President, the Vice president shall perform the duties of the President, and when so acting, shall have the powers of, and be subject to, all the restrictions of the President.

Job Description:

Must be available for all Board meetings. The Vice President shall preside over all meetings in the absence of the President. Assist in conducting the business of the organization and oversee and monitor all aspects of safety and authenticity. The Vice President shall have final say in all matters of Safety and Authenticity and shall work with new and existing units in order to keep updated unit files and to build public relations with event and unit organizers.

1. Secretary
   The Secretary shall keep the minutes of the annual, as well as all Board of Directors' meetings. The Secretary shall keep a roster of all members and their mailing addresses and a list of all the Society's units. The Secretary shall be responsible for unit recognition and issuing annual membership cards to all new and renewing members of the Society.

Job Description:

Must be available for all Board meetings. The Secretary shall keep accurate membership records and send out membership cards in a prompt manner. All membership applications shall be examined to ensure the presence of the Unit Commander's signature and verification of age. If under age 18, verify that a parental/guardian release form has accompanied the application. The Secretary shall contact the applicant and/or Unit Commander if any pertinent information is missing. Membership records shall include, but not be limited to, a roster of paid members by unit, alphabetically by last name and by card number. These rosters shall include member's name, address, phone number, unit and electronic mail address (if any), and if permission has been granted by the member to have his or her information included in an annual WWII HRS Membership Directory. Unit rosters shall be distributed to each unit commander bi-annually (mid-year and December). Additionally, the Secretary shall be responsible for the annually published Membership Directory.

1. Treasurer
   The Treasurer shall have charge and custody of and be responsible for all funds and securities of the corporation; receive and give receipts for monies due and payable to the corporation from any source whatsoever; deposit all such monies in the name of the corporation in such banks, trust companies, or other depositories as meet geographical requirements. The Treasurer shall report to the Board of Directors the state of the finances quarterly. The Treasurer shall receive all new and renewal membership applications, and upon acceptance of the dues, forward the applications to the Secretary.

Job Description:

Must be available for all Board meetings. The Treasurer shall have a fiduciary duty to the Corporation to safeguard its financial integrity. Quarterly Financial Statements shall be published in the Society's publication as soon after the end of each quarter as is possible. An annual budget shall be prepared and presented to the Board of Directors for approval prior to November 30th of each year for their review and approval. Bank records, including monthly statements and cancelled checks shall be kept in an orderly fashion. Expenses of the Society shall be paid promptly, within 30 days after receipt and verification of invoice or other such notice of debt. All paid invoices shall be kept in an orderly manner. The Treasurer shall ensure that all bank accounts shall have a minimum of two Board members as signatories and that the full Board is notified as to the name and location of the banking institution(s), all account numbers and signatories on the accounts. Copies of bank statements shall be delivered to the other Officers of the corporation monthly. It shall be the responsibility of the Treasurer to report to the Board a need for a special assessment against the general membership. Such need must documented and substantiated in writing. The Treasurer shall be responsible for maintaining the insurance records performance bonds of the Corporation and insuring the best possible premium for such coverage. Additionally, it shall be the responsibility of the Treasurer to communicate with the Registered Agent of the Corporation annually, prior to the anniversary of the incorporation date, to verify the receipt of the state of incorporation's annual report documents. The Treasurer shall certify that the corporate dues are paid in advance annually.

1. Member Representatives

There shall be three (3) representatives of the general membership, one (1) each from the American impressions, Axis impressions, and British Commonwealth impressions. Member Representatives must be available for all Board meetings. A member may run for a representative position based on their primary impression. These officers shall represent their respective sides to the Board of Directors and shall be the initial contact between the membership and the Board of Directors pertaining to all Society matters. It shall be their duty to present the position of the individual member before the Board.

All members of the Board of Directors shall automatically become a member of the Safety and Authenticity Committee.

Section 4. VACANCIES

Any vacancy on the Board of Directors shall be filled by the Board members appointing an interim member. The interim member is to remain in office for the duration of the term. If the term of office is more than one (1) year, a general election will be held.

Section 5. REMOVAL FROM OFFICE (Amended December 2009)

1. Any Board member may be removed from office for: Failing to attend meetings/inactivity of board actions for 4 months, violation of federal and state laws as reported through a conviction or pleading of guilty in court, misappropriation of goods or property belonging to the Society, or for flagrant disregard for the current by-laws of the Society.
   
2. The process for removal is:
   1. Anyone in the General Membership may submit a written statement of charges accompanied with documentation that substantiates such charges, to the Board of Directors.
   2. Within forty-five (45) days of receiving the written statement, the Board of Directors then will convene a hearing to review the charges, interview all concerned and/or involved parties. A teleconference meeting will then be convened for disposal of the charges, with the jury being unit commanders. After the meeting, unit commanders will be given 14 days to mail in their vote to remove or retain the board member in office. The date shall be determined on the postmark on the letter, and two weeks shall be waited before a public counting of the ballots can occur. The ballots must be kept and made available for public viewing for not less than one year after the vote is complete.
   3. If the action taken by the Board of Directors is not satisfactory to the charging member, or the individual charged he or she may present the charges of impeachment to the general membership through the Society's newsletter.
   
3. If appealed, the final solution will be determined by a majority of the votes received from the membership via a mail-in ballot.
   

Section 6. RULES OF SUCCESSION

In the event the President cannot perform his or her duties, the Vice-president must take over the office of the President, vacating the office of Vice-president. The Vice-president's office will then be filled in accordance with Article VI, Section 4.

Section 7. QUORUM FOR A BOARD MEETING

A simple majority of all Board members must be present to conduct any Board meeting including at least one officer of the corporation, either President, Vice President, Secretary or Treasurer. In the event a quorum is not attained, or an officer of the corporation not present, a meeting may be called to order by any current Board member for informational purposes only with no possibility of any binding resolutions or expenditures of funds.

Section 8. BOARD APPOINTED POSITIONS

The Board of Directors has the authority to appoint persons to the following positions: Registered Agent, Officer's Assistants, media staff, and committees.

ARTICLE VII: FINANCES AND CONTRACTS

Section 1. LOANS

No loans shall be contracted on behalf of the corporation, and no evidence of indebtedness shall be issued in its name, unless authorized by vote of the General Membership.

Section 2. CHECKS, DRAFTS, ETC.

Except for legitimate expenses of the Society or the Society's publications and legitimate expenses of authorized persons, no money in any form shall be issued without the approval of the Board of Directors. No donations of any kind shall be made with corporation funds without the approval, by vote, of the General Membership.

Section 3. GIFTS

The Board of Directors may accept, on behalf of the corporation, any contributions, donations, bequest, or device(s).

Section 4. COMPENSATION & REIMBURSEMENT

Members of the Board of Directors shall not receive any salaries for performing their duties. Members of the Board of Directors, The Registered Agent, and media staff of the Society's publication(s) may, if the funds exist, apply for reimbursement, but must present to the Treasurer proof through receipts, of legitimate expenses. Refer to the duties of the President, Article VI, Section 3.

Section 6. LATE FEES & SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS

The Board of Directors, upon presentation of proof of need from the Treasurer or other knowledgeable party, shall have the right to enact Special Assessments against the General Membership. However, details evidencing such need for a Special Assessment must first be fully disclosed to the General Membership promptly upon discovery via whatever means are available including, but not limited to printing in the Society's publication(s), via electronic mail and/or via U.S. postal service.

The Board of Directors has the right, however not the duty, to assess late fees on members whose renewal membership dues are not paid in accordance with these By-Laws (refer to Article 3, Section 3).

ARTICLE VIII: BOOKS & RECORDS

Section 1. CURRENT FILES

1. The Secretary shall keep minutes of all meetings, the working copy of the Society By-laws, and the membership roster.
2. The Treasurer shall keep complete books and records of accounts. The financial records of the Society may be inspected by any member, for any proper purpose, by making an appointment with the Treasurer .
3. The Treasurer shall submit a detailed quarterly financial statement to the Board that shall be printed in the Society's publication.

Section 2. PRIOR RECORDS

All other records and files shall be kept by the Registered Agent. Files that are more than ten (10) years old shall be destroyed.

Section 3. MINUTES

The Board must keep accurate minutes of all meetings and are t be completed and submitted by the Secretary. If the secretary is not available, then another board member shall take the minutes. The minutes shall include all matters discussed by the board, financial transactions approved by the board, and include the dollar amounts for any financial transactions as approved at the meetings. All minutes must be published in the next newsletter and posted on the HRS website in a timely manner.. The actual expenditure, when spent, must be reflected in a quarterly financial statement published in the next newsletter. The board may conduct closed door sessions only for matters outlined in the laws relating to closed door matters for 501(c)(3) corporations, but records of these closed door meetings must be kept and maintained in the secretary's files. (2006)

ARTICLE IX: REGIONAL EVENTS (Amended September 2009)

Section 1. ADMINISTRATION OF EVENT

A map with all the Unit Commander's home locations included of every unit chartered by the Society should be made. For planning purposes, the unit Commander's home will be considered the location of that unit's “HQ”. This will give us a rough idea of how the membership of the Society is dispersed. Using this map, the Board will draw borders of various Regions that make geographical sense when considering distance and travel times. All Unit Commanders from every chartered unit will be invited to serve on a committee whose sole purpose will be to plan, once yearly, their Regional Battle. Unit Commanders may decline this invitation without penalty, understanding that their unit can therefore not host the event. The various Regions, as defined by the Board, are encouraged to plan and execute their event to encourage maximum participation within their Region. Individual units may petition the Board to be assigned to a different Region after their initial assignment if logistical reasons would so benefit them. This should give more Society members the opportunity to attend their Regional Battle than could attend any National Event. The Regions may be redrawn as the Board sees appropriate. The Regional Events shall be organized and administrated by one or more sponsoring units. Such units must be chartered by the Society and be in good standing. The Society's Board of Directors shall not be responsible for organizing or sponsoring these Regional Events nor a National Event.

Section 2. LOCATION & FUNDING

The sponsoring unit(s) shall acquire the location for the Regional Event and fund any and all expenses associated with the Regional Event. Accordingly, the sponsoring unit(s) shall collect and retain any and all income generated by the Regional Event. The Society shall not be responsible for funding the Regional Event, however the sponsoring unit(s) may request financial aid from the Society. Such request must be in writing and must detail the total amount of funds requested and the purpose for such funds. Such request must be submitted to any of the officers of the Board of Directors at least 45 days prior to the event. If such financial aid is approved by a majority vote of the Board of Directors, then the sponsoring unit(s) must repay the total amount of the financial aid within 45 days after the Regional Event.

Any Society member in good standing will have the right to request in writing a financial statement regarding the income and expenses involved with the Regional Event from the sponsoring unit(s) within 30 days of the Regional Event.

Section 3. EVENT SCENARIO

The sponsoring unit(s) must submit a written outline of the Regional Event no later than August 1 st of each year. This outline must include the following:

• Location
• Ownership of Location
• Request for Certificate of Insurance
• BATF Information
• Points of Contact

Section 4. EVENT DESIGNATION

In the event no unit(s) volunteer to sponsor the Regional Event, the Board of Directors shall have the right to designate a bordering area's Regional Event as the Regional Event in which that area should participate, or any reenacting event remaining on the season's calendar in that area as the Regional Event. Accordingly, although it is preferable to hold a tactical Regional Event, the Regional Event may be deemed a non-tactical/public display event.

ARTICLE X: ADMINISTRATIVE RULES

Section 1. IMPRESSIONS

Any REGULAR or FAMILY member may have multiple impressions; the primary impression is of the chartered unit to which the member belongs. A member can have a secondary impression that is defined as an impression that is the primary impression of a different chartered unit. Any member wishing to wear a secondary impression must gain permission from, and be attached to, the unit chartered for that impression while at any SOCIETY event. Secondary impressions do not count for the chartered unit membership minimum levels. Any impression that is not a primary impression for a chartered unit is not considered a secondary impression. These impressions can be freely worn by members as appropriate at any HRS event, the hosting unit deciding on whether it is appropriate.

Section 2. FIREARMS

All sales and transportation of firearms must be done in strict compliance with all local and federal laws.

Section 3. Board of Directors Elections

Any individual wishing to run for a Board position, who is at least 21 years of age and has been a member in good standing of the Society for at least two years, may announce his or her candidacy for office by September 1 of an election year. A written statement of intent and goals shall be delivered to at least two (2) Board members and the editor of the Society's publication(s).

Section 4. Elections

1. Every member in good standing shall be informed of the list of candidates and office sought through the SOCIETY newsletter and via email.
2. Elections shall be held each year in November.
3. Elections shall be conducted through valid electronic means which will be announced to the membership two weeks in advance of the election.
4. Voting shall last for 14 days.
5. Results shall be announced no later than December 31 of the election year via email notification to every member in good standing and in the SOCIETY newsletter.
6. A result with less than a 3% difference in votes for the office President between the top two candidates will require a run-off election following the same vote procedure in December of the election year.

Section 5. BYLAW AMENDMENT PROCESS
Any member in good standing may propose a bylaw change or addition.

1. Any proposed by-law change must be endorsed by a minimum of five (5) chartered unit commanders OR five (5) percent of chartered unit commanders (whichever is greater) and sent to the President of the SOCIETY.
2. The proposal should be read at the next board meeting with discussion on the merits of the proposal and included in the SOCIETY newsletter. The proposal shall be voted on by the board with a majority vote needed to approve the proposed change. The proposed change will then be voted on by the members in good standing.
3. If the proposal is rejected by the board a petition of twenty (20) percent of the unit commanders or 10% of the membership in good standing can be submitted within 60 days to over-rule the board of directors and send the proposal to a membership vote.
4. The proposed change shall be submitted to the membership and voted on by the regular membership via electronic means. A majority vote shall enact the bylaw.
5. All bylaw votes shall be conducted by approved and independent electronic means lasting 14 days. The results shall be posted in the next SOCIETY newsletter, sent via email to the members in good standing, and inserted by the Secretary into the official by-law document with note on when ratified.
6. Any member in good standing may propose a change or addition to the S&A rules following the bylaw amendment procedure.

Section 6. BOARD OF DIRECTOR'S TERM OF SERVICE

All Board of Directors' term of service will begin on January 1 of the post-election year and will end on 31 December in the second year of service unless reelected.

ARTICLE XI: MEMBERSHIP RIGHTS

Section 1. INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS

Upon acceptance into the WWII HRS, each member is entitled to:

1. An ID card.
2. A copy of the Safety and Authenticity rules.
3. A subscription to the WWII HRS newsletters beginning with the date of acceptance.
4. The right to attend all WWII HRS events, but must be in accordance with any and all sponsor announced stipulations.
5. To vote, by mail, on WWII HRS matters covered by Board of Directors Housekeeping Rules.
6. The right to appeal any decision by the Board of Directors that will forfeit their membership.

Section 2. UNIT RIGHTS

Units/Unit C.O.'s have the right to:

1. Accept or deny membership in keeping with unit policy.
2. Protect their unit's name & charter.
3. To authorize individuals wishing to form a subsection that is part of the parent unit.

ARTICLE XII:
OFFICIAL PUBLICATIONS AND MEDIA
(Dec 2015)

Section 1. SOCIETY MEDIA

A. There shall be at least one (1) official SOCIETY periodical, one (1) website, and the SOCIETY may have (1) social media outlet per type.
B. The SOCIETY periodical shall be published no less than once per quarter annually. All electronic media may be updated as needed for the good purposes of the SOCIETY.
C. All SOCIETY Media (sites/publications) must use the approved SOCIETY Logo or Banner, must have the express permission of the SOCIETY media committee. Unauthorized use is prohibited.

Section 2. PURPOSE

A. The purpose of the Society's media shall be to inform the membership on all SOCIETY activities, official business, and to promote the general welfare of the SOCIETY. Official business shall include, but NOT be limited to SOCIETY board members and staff contact information; financial reports; board meeting minutes; any elections or votes; unit listings; sanctioned SOCIETY events; living history related advertisements; and other SOCIETY activities.

Section 3. MEDIA STAFF

A. The media staff must be current members who are not officers of the Society and may include but not be limited to Media Coordinator, periodical editor, webmaster, and social media coordinator.
B. The media staff shall endeavor to include the President's directives regarding public relations.
C. The media staff shall submit in writing to the Board of Directors an annual budget for the forthcoming fiscal year by November 1 of the current year and shall not proceed to publish in the following year unless this budget has been approved by the Board. This budget shall include estimates for any printed material, postage, or electronic media expenses.
D. The media staff shall be impartial to SOCIETY issues and will not allow the publication of profanity, vulgarity, pornography, personal attacks, slander, and to the best of their knowledge any falsehood. The Board of Directors may not interfere with the media staff duties as long as these guidelines are followed.
E. Any and all funds collected by the media staff for advertising shall be turned over to the Treasurer monthly.
F. Any media staff may be removed from their position by a majority board of director's vote at any regular Board of Director's meeting.

ARTICLE XIII: OPERATIONS GUIDEBOOK

Section 1: Description

The administration and management of the SOCIETY will conform to the guidelines, rules, and regulations set forth in the "Operations Guidebook" that do not violate or conflict with the SOCIETY bylaws or any other governmental law. An up to date document will be kept by the SOCIETY Secretary and posted on the SOCIETY website.

Section 2: Amendments

To enact a change to the Operations Guidebook the by-law amendment process must be followed with a simple majority of the membership vote necessary to enact amendments.

Questions

Members who have questions regarding the safety regulations should contact a member of the Board of Directors.

Changes

Members who wish to propose changes to the by-laws, safety, or authenticity regulations, should follow the protocol as directed in the by-laws .