Section 1. Name. The name of the Council shall be "REGIONAL COAST GUARD RETIREE COUNCIL CAPE MAY", hereafter known as "RCGRCCM".

Section 2. Motto. The motto of the Council shall be "WE SERVED WELL, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO. SEMPER PARATUS"

Section 1. The purpose of this Council is to maintain a positive line of communications between the Coast Guard and the Coast Guard military retiree community in an effort to ensure the resources and capabilities of each are used to help resolve the needs of the other. These By-Laws shall conform in their entirety with reference (a): Commandant Instruction 1800.5 (Series).

ARTICLE III - Objectives.

Section 1. Objectives. The objective of this non-profit council, under the guidelines of reference (a): Will be to strive to achieve the specific goals and benefits that can accrue from an active outreach between Coast Guard units and retirees, under the auspices of the Coast Guard National Retiree Council program as outlined in reference (a). Some of the goals, which may be achieved, include, but should not be limited to, the following:

(a) Assisting the Coast Guard Auxiliary in every way the council can.

(b) Council will explore avenues to reach out to local Coast Guard units to obtain information as to their specific needs and how the council may assist them.

(c) Maintain a list of services that could be made available to retirees and local Coast Guard units.

(d) If requested of new arrivals themselves or their units, assist new arrivals with local information on a personal level.

(e) Inform Coast Guard personnel of proposed legislative action by the U. S. Congress, and by the State of New Jersey Legislature that could impact on them, on an informal basis.

(f) Keep council members up to speed on Coast Guard's current mission goals.

(g) Develop comprehensive, easy to access, and understandable survivor benefits counseling tools and packages for retirees and annuitants.

(h) Promote enhanced understanding of ongoing military health care issues throughout the entire retiree, and annuitant community.

Section 2. Methods. Develop and establish methods for retirees and annuitants to physically assist the area Coast Guard units in the performance of their duties and at the same time improve their lives and the living conditions. To accomplish these goals the RCGRCCM Chairperson shall establish committees as necessary, and appoint a Chairperson as outlined in Article V. These committees may use some of the following guidelines to accomplish their goals.

(a) Participate in the Service’s recruiting and retention initiatives: Local CG Units may use a member of the Council to explain the advantages of staying in the Coast Guard.

(b) Making contact with local Recruiters and assisting them in contacting potential recruits from the community.

(c) Act as mentors for new recruits at the Training Center, as determined by the needs of the command.

(d) Contact area Coast Guard Auxiliary units to determine how we may be of service.

(e) Raise the visibility of the Coast Guard in the area through coordinated efforts between Unit Commanders and local retirees to provide stories and items that can be spread through the local media.

(f) Train interested Council members to provide information concerning retirement plans, and survivor benefits. Advise Council members at all area retirement seminars so that they may attend.

(h) Train interested members in understanding military health care issues, and explain TRICARE and supplemental health insurance for dependents, and retirees. Be able to explain how TRICARE for life interact with Medicare after reaching 65 years of age.

Section 3. Liaison. Forging a strong communication link between The Coast Guard Training Center (the sponsoring command) and the retiree and annuitant community where RCGRCCM is chartered.

(a) Only the Chairperson or in his absence the Co-Chairperson or their representative, designated in writing, shall bring council concerns to the attention of the Commanding Officer or his designated representative.

(b) The Chairperson and Co-Chairperson or their representative shall provide easy access to the pertinent council member so their concerns may be forwarded with all expediency.

Section 4. Other service organizations. Establish liaison with other Service-affiliated organizations who may have chapters in our area, to further the above listed goal and objectives.

(a) Routinely survey the council membership to obtain a list of members who are a member such an organization. Then ask a specific member to act as liaison for the council to his organization.

(b) The liaison members to these organizations should attend as many RCGRCCM meetings as possible to keep their affiliated organization appraised of our goals.

(a) Regular Members. Any retired Coast Guard can be a member, including officers, enlisted, reservists in receipt of retired pay, gray-area reservists, widows/widowers.

(b) Associate Members. Any retiree from other military services can be an associate member including officers, enlisted, reservists in receipt of retired pay, gray-area reservists, and widows/widowers.

Section 1. The RCGRCCM Chairperson and Co-Chairperson shall be nominated from among the members and approved and appointed by CO, USCG TRAINING CENTER (as per referents (a), for a term not to exceed three years.

Section 2. The RCGRCCM Chairperson will appoint Committee Heads who have been nominated by the RCGRC membership. Should the need arise to establish a non standing committee between meetings the Chairperson may appoint a Committee Head who report to members at the next general meeting.

Section 3. Secretary will be nominated by the RCGRC membership.

Section 4. Chairperson or Co-Chairperson may be removed by a main motion from the floor of a regular meeting and seconded by a member of the council it must be a MAIN motion. The motion is debatable, amendable, and requires a majority vote. If passed, the chair will appoint a committee (approved by the floor) to investigate the reason for the removal. The committee will elect a chairperson to head the committee. The chairperson will name a place(s) and time(s) to meet, he will report to the council’s next meeting the findings and recommendations to the chair, and members. If recommendation is to remove the officer, this will be published with a ballot send to all Council members, the recommendation and voting results must be send to the CO, USCG Training Center and the CCGNRC Co-Chairperson for action.

Section 5. Any officer who wishes to resign from his/her position must make a request in writing to the Chairperson or Co-Chairperson at least one month prior to the effective date.

Section 6. When an officer’s vacancy occurs the Chairperson will advise the council, and seek nominations for a replacement.

ARTICLE VI - Meetings

Section 1. Regular meetings of the Council shall be held monthly on the second Thursday of the month at 1900hrs, at CPOA Club Coast Guard Training Center. If the space is not available then at a place determined by the Chairperson and all members shall be advised accordingly.

Section 2. Meetings shall be conducted in accordance with "Robert's Rules of order" or "Demeter's Manual of Parliamentary Law and Procedure" and administered under the direction of the Chairperson. A quorum is 1/3 of active members.

(a) Definitions - The following definitions are taken from Robert’s Rules of Order.

Motion - is a formal proposal by a member, in a meeting, that the assembly take certain action.

Main Motion - The basic form of motion is the only one that brings business before the assembly. When a main motion is made action must be completed before another main motion is made.

Secondary motions- these motions include subsidiary motions, privileged motions and incidental motions as explained in Robert’s Rules of Order.

Section 3. Email or letter will advertise meetings. The Chairperson may recognize associate members input at any point during a Council meeting.

Section 4. Council meetings minutes will be prepared and submitted to the Chair. The sponsoring command will review the minutes, provide written comments for applicable items and return minutes and comments to the RCGRCCM Chairperson. The RCGRCCM Chairperson will forward the minutes/comments to the CCGNRC Co-Chair(s).

Section 1. Sponsoring command (USCG Training Center Cape May) will support (as per COMDTINST 1800.5d paragraph 6 c. (1)) the RCGRCCM, consistent with available resources and the needs of the local council. Support may include, but is not limited to, provision of office and meeting space and use of office equipment and supplies necessary to prepare council correspondence (i.e. letters and newsletters) and to conduct council business.

Section 2. The Council can have more than one sponsor if we cover the area of that command.

Section 1. Commandant of the Coast Guard National Retiree Council (CCGNRC). Funds for annual meeting of the CCGNRC and RCGRC Chair (s) normally held in the spring in Washington, DC, and Commandant (G-W) will fund other travel and administrative expenses incurred by the meeting.

Section 1. Normally communication with members will be by e-mail. Those who do not have e-mail will receive information by regular mail.

Section 2. Member rosters with address, telephone numbers, and e-mail address may only be used for bona fide Council purposes and must be appropriately safeguarded.

Section 3. Disseminating e-mail and/or other correspondence that includes any of the above information, is strictly prohibited, and a violation of federal laws.

Section 1. The bylaws may be altered, amended, or changed, or new bylaws may be adopted by a two-thirds majority of all voting members.

Section 2. To accomplish this, a main motion must be made from the floor of a regular meeting, and seconded by a member of the council. The motion is now debatable, amendable, and requires a majority vote. If the motion receives a majority vote, the chair will appoint a committee

(approved by the floor) to examine the effect of the change.

Section 3. Duties of the committee; the committee will elect a chairperson from amongst its members. The chairperson will name a place(s) and time(s) to meet and so advise the Chairperson. They will investigate the need for making this change and report at the council’s next meeting their findings and recommendations. If recommendation is to approve the change, the amendment will be published with a ballot, and send to all Council members for their vote. Result will then be sent to the sponsor and CCGNRC Co-Chairperson.