PROCEEDINGS ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-FOURTH ANNUAL NATIONAL ENCAMPMENT SONS OF UNION VETERANS OF THE CIVIL WAR OMNI DOWNTOWN HOTEL RICHMOND, VIRGINIA AUGUST 19 THROUGH 23, 2015 ONE HUNDRED THIRTYFIFTH ANNUAL ENCAMPMENT SONS OF UNION VETERANS OF THE CIVIL WAR PRESIDENT ABRAHAM LINCOLN HOTEL SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS AUGUST 11 THROUGH 14, 2016 TABLE OF CONTENTS 134th Annual National Encampment First Session 1 Opening Ceremony 1 Roll Call of National Officers 1 Welcome of New Department of the Columbia 3 Rules of the Encampment 4 Recognition of Military Service 5 First Encampment Credentials Committee Report 6 Appointment of Encampment Committees 6 State of the Order by Commander-in-Chief Tad D. Campbell 7 National Officer Reports 9 National Constitution & Regulations Committee Report 17 134th Annual National Encampment Second Session 36 National Recruitment Award Presentations 37 Coninuation of National Constitution & Regulations Committee Report 17 Other National Standing Committees Reports 46 Second Encampment Credentials Committee Report 50 National Special Committees Reports 50 ROTC Medal and Certificate issue 73 134th Annual National Encampment Third Session 77 Visit of Auxiliary to the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War 77 Visitation from the Ladies of the Grand Army of the Republic 79 Visitation from the Woman's Relief Corps, Auxilliary to the GAR 80 Visit of Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War (1861-1865) 80 Report of the National Rituals & Ceremonies Committee 81 National Awards to Camps and Departments (See General Order #29) 87 Nominations of National Officers 90 New Business 105 134th Annual National Encampment Fourth Session 118 National Awards to Individuals (See General Order #29) 119 More New Business 123 Requests for funding 131 Charitable Foundation Report 148 Pre ellection Department Vote count Determination 149 Election of Junuior Vice Commander-in-Chief 155 Installation of National Elected and Appointed Officers 170 Closing Ceremony 175 Appendix 1 - Consolidated Reports of Officers and Committees 177 Appendix 2 - General Orders of the Commander-in-Chief 282 Appendix 3 - Attendees of the 134th National Encampment 321 Appendix 4 - Past Commanders-in-Chief 325 Appendix 5 - National Encampments of the S.U.V.C.W. 330 Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War 134th National Encampment, August 21, 2015 Tad D. Campbell, Commander-in-Chief The Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War will now come to order. We don’t need to post the Colors,. They’ve already been posted this morning. I’m going to appoint the following Brothers as Encampment Officers. Brother Wes Mumper will be our Guard; Brother Bob Heath will be our Color Bearer; and Past Commander-in Chief James B. Pahl up here will be our Parliamentarian. Guide, determine if all present are entitled to remain. Color Bearer, assist on the right. This means have your membership cards or voting cards up. Adam Gaines, National Guide I have found everybody to be entitled to sit except for one who I don’t think is a member and that is Senior Vice Commander-in-Chief of MOLLUS Gene Simmons. I have been informed though that we won’t kick him out of here. Tad D. Campbell, Commander-in-Chief He is certainly entitled to remain. Adam Gaines, National Guide I also found a few where they have voting credentials but not their card. I believe should be acceptable. Tad D. Campbell, Commander-in-Chief And we will accept the fact that if they have a card that obviously they are a registered delegate. A reminder that if you are going to speak before the Encampment, please use one of the microphones announce your name and your position. Also, if you have any cell phones, please turn those off or have them on vibrate. We don’t want anybody to be whistling Dixie in here. Secretary, will you please call the roll of officers of the Encampment? Alan L. Russ, National Secretary Commander-in-Chief, Tad D. Campbell Present Senior Vice Commander-in-Chief, Eugene G. Mortorff Present Junior Vice Commander-in-Chief, Donald L. Martin Present National Secretary, Allen L. Russ Present National Treasurer, Richard D. Orr Present National Quartermaster, Danny L. Wheeler Present Council of Administration member, Steve S. Hammond Present Council of Administration member, Donald W. Shaw Present Council of Administration member, Edward J. Norris Present Council of Administration member, Walter E. Busch Present Council of Administration member, Brian C. Pierson Present Immediate Past Commander-in-Chief, Ken L. Freshley Present Banner Editor, Steven A. Michaels Present National Executive Director, David W. Demmy, Sr. Present National Aide-de-Camp, Frank C. Avila Present National Camp-at-Large and Department Organizer, Loran T. Bures Present National Chief of Staff, Kevin L. Martin Present 1 National Civil War Memorials Officer, Walter E. Busch Present National Counselor, James B. Pahl Present National Signals Officer and National Webmaster, Joshua A. Claybourn Absent National Eagle Scout Certificate Coordinator, Robert M. Petrovic Present National GAR Highway Officer, Peter J. Hritsko, Jr Present National GAR Records Officer, Dean E. Enderlin Present National Graves Registration Officer, Bruce D. Frail Present National Guide, Adam W. Gaines Present National Historian, Robert J. Wolz Present National Liaison to Cathedral of the Pines, Perley E. Mellor Present National Liaison to MOLLUS, Jeffry C. Burden Present National Membership-at-Large Coordinator, Alan L. Russ Present National Patriotic Instructor Gregory M. Carter Present Assistant National Secretary for Proceedings, Edward J. Krieser Present Assistant National Treasurer, Max Newman Absent Washington D.C. Representative, Lee D. Stone Present Assistant National Webmaster backup, Ken L. Freshley. Present Past Commanders-in-Chief, Gordon R. Bury, 1986-1987 Present Past Commander-Chief Richard O. Partington, 1987-1988 Absent Past Commander-Chief Lowell V. Hammer, 1990-1992 Absent Past Commander-Chief Elmer F. Atkinson, 1992-1993 Absent Past Commander-Chief Allen W. Moore, 1993-1994 Absent Past Commander-Chief Keith G. Harrison, 1994-1995 Absent Past Commander-Chief Richard D. Orr, 1997-1998 Present Past Commander-Chief Andrew M. Johnson, 1998-1999 Present Past Commander-Chief Danny L. Wheeler, 1999-2000 Present Past Commander-Chief Edward J. Krieser, 2000-2001 Present Past Commander-Chief George L. Powell, 2001-2002 Present Past Commander-Chief Robert E. Grimm, 2002-2003 Present Past Commander-Chief Kent L. Armstrong, 2003-2004 Absent Past Commander-Chief Stephen A. Michaels, 2004-2005 Present Past Commander-Chief Donald E. Darby, 2005-2006 Present Past Commander-Chief James B. Pahl, 2006-2007 Present Past Commander-Chief Charles E. Kuhn, Jr., 2007-2008 Present Past Commander-Chief David V. Medert, 2008-2009 Absent Past Commander-Chief Leo F. Kennedy, 2009-2010 Present Past Commander-Chief D. Brad Schall, 2010-2011 Present Past Commander-Chief Donald D. Palmer, Jr., 2011-2012 Present Past Commander-Chief Perley E. Mellor, 2012-2013 Present Past Commander-Chief Ken L. Freshley, 2013-2014 Present That concludes the roll call of Officers, Commander-in-Chief Tad D. Campbell, Commander-in-Chief Thank you, Secretary. Brothers, upon what principles is our Order founded and what duties do we inculcate? Encampment (in unison) FRATERNITY, CHARITY, AND LOYALTY. 2 Tad D. Campbell, Commander-in-Chief We meet again as Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War in annual session to review the work of the past and to plan for our future. May our conduct and our deliberations be marked by mutual tolerance, and fraternal courtesy, ever keeping in mind our duty to our county, our Order, and to ourselves. The Chaplain will invoke the Divine blessing. [three raps, ***] Daniel M. Bunnell, National Chaplain Let us pray. Heavenly Father, high and mighty ruler of the universe who looks down upon the government of men, we earnestly ask Your favor to bless our native land and preserve in purity and integrity its free institutions for all coming time. Bless our Order. Grant that it may long exist and continue to be an instrument of great good to all. Give us willing hands and ready hearts to properly carry out its principles and objects. Keep green in our minds the memory of those who sacrificed so much that the life of the nation might be preserved, and deal with them in all things with Your special mercy. Grant us your aid in conducting the business for which we have assembled and so bless us that charity and justice, peace and harmony shall remain and flow from us. Amen. Encampment AMEN. Tad D. Campbell, Commander-in-Chief Brothers, our National Patriotic Instructor will now lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance. Color Bearer, please present the colors. Encampment (in unison) I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. Tad D. Campbell, Commander-in-Chief By virtue of the authority vested in me, I hereby declare the 134th Annual Encampment of the National Organization Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, duly opened for the transaction of such business as may legally and properly come before it. The Guard will admit all Brothers who are qualified to enter. [one rap, *] Tad D. Campbell, Commander-in-Chief First things first. We have with us delegates from a brand-new department. And I would like to formally welcome them and present them with their department charter. Will the delegates from the Department of the Columbia please come forward? Tad D. Campbell, Commander-in-Chief Brother Loran Bures is a big part of establishing this, but he is otherwise occupied right now. It’s a great honor to welcome this new Department. It’s the first new department that we’ve had since 2008, I think? Something like that.