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THE CONSTITUTION OF
THE REESE – HYMAN POST OF THE AMERICAN LEGION
POST 96, DEPARTMENT OF GEORGIA

Preamble

For God and Country, we associate ourselves together for the following purposes: To uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States of America; to maintain law and order; to foster and perpetuate a one hundred percent Americanism; to preserve the memories and incidents of our associations in the great wars; to inculcate a sense of individual obligation to the community, state, and nation; to combat the autocracy of both the classes and the messes; to make right the master of might; to promote peace and good will on earth; to safeguard and transmit to posterity the principles of justice, freedom, and democracy; to consecrate and sanctify our comradeship by our devotion to mutual helpfulness.

Article I – Name

Section 1. The name of this organization shall be THE REESE – HYMAN POST OF THE AMERICAN LEGION. Incorporated in the State of Georgia, County of Warren, under that name on 15 February 1924.

Section 2. The Reese – Hyman Post of the American Legion, under the American Legion, Department of Georgia was given and retains POST NUMBER 96, as per its original charter issued 25 June 1923.

Article II -- Objects

Section 1. The objects and purposes of this post shall be to promote the principle and policies as set forth in the foregoing preamble, and the national and departmental Constitutions of The American Legion.

Article III – Nature

Section 1. This post is a civilian organization and membership therein does not affect or increase liability for military or police service.

Section 2. This organization shall be nonpolitical and shall not be used for, or appear to be for, the dissemination of partisan principles or the promotion of the candidacy of any person seeking office or preferment.

Section 3. Rank and title does not exist in the American Legion, except for those titles given within the organization; no member shall be addressed by his military, naval, or civilian title in any meeting of this post.

Article IV – Membership

Section 1. Eligibility for membership in this post shall be as prescribed by the National Constitution of The American Legion.

Section 2. Application for membership shall be in accordance such regulations as may from time to time be prescribed by the Post Executive Committee.

Section 3. All applications for membership shall be acted upon at the next post meeting following the making of such application, and shall at such meeting, be accepted, rejected, or referred for further investigation and consideration. If a majority of the members cast their vote against the acceptance of said application, then such application shall be recorded as rejected. A rejected applicant shall not be reconsidered for six months.

Section 4. Any member of this post may be expelled for cause by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members present at the regular meeting of the Post, after charges are preferred under oath, and in writing, and a fair trail had upon the same in accordance with the procedures prescribed by National and adopted by the Department Executive Committee.

Section 5. A member who has been expelled or suspended from the post for any cause may be reinstated to membership by a two-thirds vote of the membership present any regular post meeting, and the payment of current dues for the year in which the reinstatement occurs.

Section 6. No person who has been expelled by a post shall be admitted to membership in this post, without the consent of the expelling post, except that where such consent has been asked for and denied by such post, may then appeal to the state Executive Committee of the department of the expelling post for permission to apply for membership in this post, and shall be ineligible for membership until such permission is granted.

Article V – Officers and Committees

Section 1. The administrative affairs of The Reese – Hyman Post of The American Legion shall, except as may be otherwise provided by the By-Laws, be under the supervision of the Executive Committee, which shall consist of two members in addition to the officers of the post.

Section 2. The officers of The Reese – Hyman Post shall be a commander, first vice-commander, second vice-commander, adjutant, finance officer, historian, chaplain, service officer, judge advocate, and sergeant-at-arms, and such other officers as may be deemed necessary by this organization. A nominating committee shall provide candidates for these officers at the meeting preceding the annual election; nominations shall also be taken from the floor at this same meeting.

Section 3. All officers and executive committee members shall be elected annually in and shall hold office until their successors are duly installed or as otherwise provided. The executive committee may remove any officer or executive committee member for inefficiency; a two-third vote of said committee being necessary to effect such removal.

Section 4. Every member of The Reese – Hyman Post in good standing is eligible to hold office and or committee membership.

Section 5. The duties of the officers and executive committee shall be those usually pertaining to such officers or committee and as further provided in the By-Laws.

Article VI – Finance

Section 1. The revenues of this post shall be derived from annual membership dues, and from other such fees and sources as may be approved by the executive committee.

Section 2. The amount of such annual membership dues and fees shall be fixed and determined by the post. Annual membership dues shall be discussed at the February meeting and voted upon at the March meeting for the coming year. Other post-wide membership financial fees and or obligations shall be discussed at any regular or special meeting, the membership shall than be given ten (10) days notice of the upcoming vote and the vote shall be taken at the next regular meeting following the notice period.

Section 3. New members to the American Legion, who join the Reese--Hyman Post of the American Legion, shall pay an initiation fee equal to that year’s membership dues, and that member shall be considered having paid membership dues for that year.

Section 4. The post shall pay to departmental headquarters the National and departmental annual membership dues for every post member.

Article VII – Charter Members

Section 1. It is only in recognition of the past, that a future can be built. Therefore, the following members of The Reese – Hyman Post of The American Legion are recognized as Charter Member:

Local attendees to the establishment meetings of The American Legion, at the end of World War I, in Paris, France, known as the “Paris Caucus”: Dr. A.W. Davis, of Warrenton, Georgia and B.C. Kitchens, of Mitchell, Georgia.

Original founders of The American Legion Post at Warrenton, Georgia, to be known as Reese - Hyman Post, Department of Georgia, Number 96: J. Cecil Davis, Alton W. Davis, Edward Doughty Ricketson, Edward J. Hood, Clinton J. Todd, Jud P. Wilhoit, Pierce H. DeBeaugrine, George H. Pilcher, William T. Pilcher, W. W. DeBeaugrine, Jr., Fred L. Mock, Ned Lee, C. E. Garbutt, William H. Kitchens and J. Cecil Whiteley. (Names attained from the “Application for Post of The American Legion” dated 5 May 1923 and approved 17 May 1923.)

Original incorporators of The Reese – Hyman Post of The American Legion, in Warrenton, Georgia: John A. Chapman, Jr., Floyd R. Calton, W. Warren DeBeaugrine, Jr., G. Bonnell Duckworth, Robert F. Fowler, A.W. Davis, Carlisle W. Garbutt, Robert H. Hall, James O. Hyman, Samuel T. Hyman, Charles R. Johnson, Tom T. Johnson, William E. Kitchens, George P. Langford, C. Edgar Langford, Ned Lee, P.H. DeBeaugrine, Ray T. Fuller, J. Cecil Davis, E.J. Hood, Jyles Lockett, Harry A Long, Fred L. Mock, Thomas D. Nolan, George H. Pilcher, E. Dougherty Ricketson, William T. Pilcher, Charles W. Phillips, Darwin S. Ricketson, Clinton J. Todd, Jud P. Wilhoit, J. Cecil Whiteley, and Robert Kelley, all of Warren County, Georgia, and B.C. Kitchens, Henry O. Mathis, George B. Sturgis, George A. Phillips, Vanus Usry, and Barnett A. Hooks, all of Glascock County, Georgia. (Names attained from incorporation papers filed 15 February 1924.)

Revival founders of The Reese – Hyman Post of The American Legion: John A. Chapman, A.W. Davis, J. Cecil Davis, P.H. DeBeaugrine, Carlyle E. Garbutt, Sr., Robert H. Hall, George P. Langford, Fred L. Mock, George H. Pilcher, E.D. Ricketson, William T. Pilcher, Darwin S. Ricketson, Jud P. Wilhoit, J. Cecil Whiteley, and Robert Kelley, all of Warren County, and B.C. Kitchens of Glascock County. (Names attained from incorporation papers “to revive the charter of The Reese – Hyman Post of The American Legion” filed 12 April 1945.)

Rescue founders of The Reese – Hyman Post of The America Legion: Roy L. Marsh, Jack H. Benson, O.J. Kaney, Jr., George P. Langford, Jr., Albert H. Wren, George M. Holliman, Emory S. Shurley, James A. Thrift, Jr., Julian W. Jackson, Cecil D. Smith, Edward B. Gheesling, Samuel D. Pearson, III, Edward D. Ricketson, Jr., John F. Ricketson, Jr., Thomas K. Williams, John T. Smith, Robert H. Warren, George E. Wiley, Wayne S. Anderson, Robert A. Langford, Joseph T. Peebles, Wirt F. Wilhoit, Richard Martin and Samuel D. Pearson, Jr.. (Names listed on the Temporary Charter issued by The American Legion National Headquarters, 19 December 1994.)

New founders of The Reese – Hyman Post of The American Legion, Post 96 of the Department of Georgia: Orlando D. Ackerman, Franklin R. Banks, Sr., Cynthia L. Bergman, Roy L. Brewer, Frances O. Brown, John E. Crawford, Daniel N. Crumpton, William W. DeBeaugrine, George Duckworth, Ronnie Easler, Manor Gilmer, Roscoe, Greene, Wayman H. Hall, Sr., Lynton L. Hansen, James A. Harden, Charles Hayes, Alva L. Haywood, Walter D. Henning, Julian H. Hinesley, George M. Holliman, Glenn Hyman, Julian W. Jackson, Denton L. Johnson, Sr., Roy N. Johnson, Wiley D. Johnson, Michael E. Lacefield, Robert A. Langford, Jett L. McCullough, David L. McKinney, James H. McMichael, Mervin J. Morgan, Carl W. Morris, Robert L. Norquist, John H. O’Stephenson, Pierce D. Pearson, Samuel D. Pearson, III, Samuel D. Pearson, Sr., Joseph T. Peebles, Roy T. Reese, Roger L. Reid, Walker E. Reynolds, Edward D. Ricketson, Jr., John F. Ricketson, Jr., Patrick Rogers, Eric S. Schneider, William S. Shields, Cecil D. Smith, John T. Smith, Douglas H. Wassmer, W.R. Webb, Lillian W. Wheeler, Frederick C. Wiggins, George E. Wiley, Wirt F. Wilhoit, Thomas K. Williams, and Albert H. Wren. (Members in good standing listed on the 2001 American Legion Post 96 Membership Register, on 20 March 2001.)

Article VIII – American Legion Auxiliary

Section 1. This post recognizes an auxiliary organization to be known as The Reese – Hyman Post Auxiliary, of The American Legion, Post 96.

Section 2. Membership in the Auxiliary shall be limited to mothers, wives, daughters, granddaughters, great granddaughters, and grandmothers of veterans eligible for the American Legion as prescribed by the National Constitution of the American Legion Auxiliary.

Article IX – Amendments

Section 1. This Constitution is adopted subject to the provisions of the national Constitution of The American Legion and of the department Constitution of the Department of Georgia, The American Legion. Any amendments to said National Constitution or department Constitution which is in conflict with any provisions hereof shall be regarded as automatically repealing and modifying the provisions of this Constitution to the exist of such conflict.

Section 2. This Constitution may be amended at any regular post meeting by a vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the members of said post attending such meeting, providing the proposed amendment shall have been submitted in writing and read at the next preceding regular meeting of said post, and providing, further, written notice shall have been given to all members at least ten (10) days in advance of the date when such amendment is to be voted upon, notifying said members that at such meeting a proposal to amend the Constitution is to be voted upon.

Approved as written by Department and National, 25 April 2001.