WHO MAY APPLY:   Persons requesting membership in the Fourth Kentucky Volunteer Infantry, Inc. (hereafter referred to as the unit) must be sponsored by an active member.  The minimum age for a recruit is 16 years.  Anyone age 16 to 17 must have written consent of their parent or legal guardian to participate.

VOTING:  A recruit will be presented to the membership for approval as an active member once he has attended four full weekend events (two of which must be maximum effort events) as verified by the First Sergeant, acquired the required equipment, and passed the recruit drill test.  Approval for membership will be carried by a simple majority vote of active members present at any unit maximum effort event, or any other official published unit event where 50% or more of the active members are present.

ACTIVE/INACTIVE MEMBERSHIP:    Active members will enjoy all privileges and benefits of membership, to include (but not limited to) holding unit rank or office, voting in unit meetings, and holding an “alter ego” from the original Company F roster.  To maintain active membership, soldiers must attend at least one-half of the unit maximum effort events each year.  Exceptions will be made on a case-by-case basis.  Any member who does not attend the requisite events will be considered an inactive member.  Inactive members will enjoy all benefits or membership except the privileges of holding rank or office, and voting in unit meetings,  Inactive members may be required to give up their chosen “alter ego” names to active members, in the event that original Company F “alter ego” names run out.

ROLES:   Males will portray common male roles of the Civil War; females will portray common female roles of the Civil War.  The unit portrayal will concentrate on Co. F. of the 4 th Ky Infantry, and all members are encouraged to select an original member of Co. F. to portray as their first person impression (“alter ego”)

DUES:  Unit dues are set at $20. per year, per member and $10. for recruits, payable annually on January 1 st .  Dues will be used to pay the cost of printing and postage for the unit newsletter, for the printing of the unit promotional materials, for the purchase of unit properties, and for any other purpose approved by the unit membership.  Newsletter subscriptions for non-members, honorary members, and recruits will be $l0. per year.

UNIT VOTING:  Motions in unit meeting will be carried by a simple majority vote of active members present at any unit maximum effort event, or at any other official published unit event where 50% or more of the active members are present.  This same rule will be observed for unit elections.

REMOVAL FROM MEMBERSHIP /OFFICE:   After notification by the unit commander (or, if the action applies to the commander, by the second highest ranking unit member), and after having been given sufficient notice and invitation to appear before the unit in his own defense, a member holding unit rank/office may be removed from that position, or a member may be expelled from the unit, given sufficient cause, by a two-thirds majority vote of active members present at any unit maximum effort event.  Notification must be served at least thirty days prior to the event where the vote is to be held.  It is anticipated that this action will be enforced only after careful deliberation by the command group and the individual (s) involved.

Section II:  RANK STRUCTURE

RANK:  All recruits will enter the unit as Privates.  Higher rank may be gained by service, experience, and unit vote.  The current rank structure is one Captain, one First Lieutenant, one First Sergeant, one Second Sergeant, one Third Sergeant, and four Corporals.  Any member elected or appointed to a position outside the unit (ie, battalion or brigade staff) will hold the rank for that position only at events where that position is active.  Any member elected or appointed to a temporary position or rank will hold that rank only while that position is in effect.  Members who have been elected or appointed to outside or temporary position will not be required to remove the rank denoting that position (unless it is an officer rank) at 4 th Kentucky only events, but they are encouraged to have an extra jacket showing their 4 th Ky rank.

ELECTIONS:  Elections will be hold once a year, at the units annual meeting at the last unit maximum effort event of the year.  The date for unit elections and members running for office will be announced in the unit newsletter prior to the event where the elections are to be held.  In addition to those members who have announced their intentions to run, any active member may be nominated at the event where elections are held.

Section III:  FIELD OPERATION

ARRIVAL INTO CAMP:   Upon arrival into camp at any hour, soldiers will report to the senior NCO present for acknowledgement and to be directed to the proper camping area.

ROLL CALL AND MUSTER:  The unit will fall in for muster each morning.  Roll call will be held and the orders of the day will be read.  The time for morning roll call will be set by the senior member present.  Unless excused by the commander or First Sergeant, all members must be present at each roll call and formation, whether or not they camp in the military camp

DRILLS: Each member is expected to participate in drill unless on detail, sick call, or otherwise excused by the chain of command.

WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT:   Weapons will be cleaned daily when they have been fired.  No member will fall in for any formation with a dirty musket.  Uniforms and accoutrements need not be clean, unless a “parade” detail is called for.  Do not press any creases in uniforms.

AUTHENTICITY INSPECTIONS:  Each member is subject to authenticity inspections of uniforms, equipment, and camp gear at musters or other formations.  Deviations from the Authenticity Regulation will be corrected immediately.

MODERN MATERIALS:   Anything not of documented authentic period materials and construction will be kept out of sight at all times.  This rule recognizes the need for modern medical materials and other health, safety, and operational requirements.  However, these items should never be visible to the public or other soldiers.