CONSTITUTION OF THE RAF EDUCATION AND TRAINING OFFICERS' ASSOCIATION

1. Name. The association shall be called the Royal Air Force Education and Training Officers' Association (RAFEdTOA) hereafter called the Association.

2. Aim. The aim of the Association is to maintain, or strengthen when necessary, the links between past and present education and training officers and to promote friendly links with colleagues in the Royal Navy and Army.

3. Objectives.

a. To promote social activities and to encourage regional Association functions.

b. To encourage friendly contacts on an informal basis with colleagues in the Royal Navy and Army.

c. To maintain a medium of communication between members in the form of a biannual newsletter.

d. To maintain, by mean of annual/life subscriptions, a fund to meet expenditure (which could not be met out of existing public or non-public funds) in support of the Association's activities and running costs.

4. Membership. Applications for membership shall be made to the Membership Secretary of the association. There are 2 forms of membership:

a. Full Membership. All who are serving or have served in RAF educational or training appointments either as Service officers or civilians (including Burnham Lecturers and Higher Instructional Officers) are eligible for full membership.

b. Honorary Membership. Honorary membership may be recommended to a General Meeting at the discretion of the Management Committee. The acceptance of honorary members by the Management Committee and at General Meetings shall be by a majority vote. The list of honorary members shall be reviewed annually by the Management Committee. Honorary Membership will be offered to whosoever fills the post of OC DCTS, for the period of their tenure, unless they are an existing member of the Association.

5. Management.

a. The affairs of the Association shall be managed by a committee, known as the Management Committee, comprising:

(1) Gp Capt TD, or the equivalent post responsible for Pers (Trg) Officer policy.

(2) A senior retired member to be Vice-Chairman.

(3) A representative from RAF Cosford.

(4) A representative from RAF Cranwell.

(5) A representative from RAF Halton (including DCTS).

(6) A representative from the Defence Academy, Shrivenham.

(7) A representative of the retired members.

(8) A secretary.

(9) A treasurer.

(10) A membership secretary.

(11) A sports representative.

(12) A social secretary.

b. The Committee shall have the right to co-opt up to 2 additional members for specific purposes.

c. Four full members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum.

d. The Chairman shall have the casting vote.

e. Co-opted members shall not have votes.

f. The Committee shall have the power to:

(1) Transact the normal business of the Association.

(2) Veto any membership or request the resignation of any members from the Association.

(3) Invest the funds of the Association.

(4) Spend the funds of the Association to further the objectives without prior reference to a General Meeting, but within the guidelines set by previous Annual General Meetings (AGMs).

(5) Co-opt new members to the Committee to fill positions vacated by elected members.

g. Members of the Committee shall be appointed as follows (where those designated below as nominators are not members of the Association the most senior deputy is to act as nominator):

(1) The Vice-Chairman - to be nominated by the Chairman.

(2) Retired members' representative - in the event of a vacancy, the Chairman shall attempt to fill the post temporarily. The name of the temporary nominee shall be published in the subsequent Newsletter, along with a call for other nominations to be forwarded to the Chairman. At the next AGM, either the temporary nomination shall be ratified, or a majority hand vote shall be made to elect a retired member from the other nominations.

(3) The Secretary, Treasurer, Membership Secretary and Sports Representative - to be nominated by the Chairman.

h. All appointments to the Committee (except to the Chair) shall be ratified annually at the following AGM.

i. The Committee shall meet at least twice a year.

6. General Meetings.

a. The AGM shall be held on a date fixed by the Chairman.

b. Fifteen members will constitute a quorum.

c. The AGM agenda, shall include the following items:

(1) Minutes of the last meeting.

(2) Matters arising from the last meeting.

(3) Statement of accounts for the previous year.

(4) Ratification of appointments of Committee members.

(5) Statement of membership.

(6) Review of honorary members.

(7) Any other business.

d. An extraordinary General Meeting may be called on receipt of the Secretary of a written request signed by at least 20 full members of the Association. It shall be held on a date fixed by the Chairman not less than 14 days after a notice convening the meeting and stating its object has been sent to all members.

e. The Chair at a General Meeting shall be taken by the Chairman who shall have a casting vote.

f. Items for the agenda of an AGM shall be forwarded to the Secretary at least 14 days before the date of the meeting.

g. Voting shall be by a show of hands of full members attending the meeting and decisions shall be taken by majority vote.

7. Subscriptions.

a. Serving members are to pay their subscriptions annually by 31 January, preferably by banker's order. Retired members have the option of continuing to pay by subscription, or paying a once-only life membership fee. Membership will commence from the date on which subscription is paid. Honorary members do not pay subscriptions. Subscription rates shall be determined by a General Meeting.

b. Any member failing to pay the correct subscription for 2 consecutive years shall cease to be members of the Association and his or her name shall be removed from the Register of the Association unless the Chairman rules otherwise. On promotion, a member shall pay the rate appropriate to his or her new rank from the following 31 January. No member who is in arrears with his or her subscription shall be entitled to receive a copy of the Newsletter or to attend any Association function.

8. Duties of Committee Members.

a. Chairman. The Chairman is responsible for the correct running of the Association. In particular, he or she is responsible for taking the Chair at General and Committee Meetings and for authorising expenditure up to £100 on any single account, subject to approval at the next Committee meeting.

b. Vice-Chairman. The Vice-Chairman is to act for the Chairman in his or her absence.

c. Secretary. The Secretary is to act in accordance with the minutes of General and Committee meetings and such instructions as he or she may receive from the Chairman. He or she is to issue notices and agendas for all meetings, produce and distribute minutes, support the arrangement of all central (as opposed to regional) functions and draft the Association Newsletter. Also, he or she is to ensure that all members have adequate notice of Association functions.

d. Treasurer. The Treasurer is to be responsible for maintaining the Association's cash book and receiving monies due to the Association. He or she is to retain in his or her custody enough money only for postage and petty transactions. He or she is to keep the Chairman fully informed of the state of the fund, and produce the cash book and cash balance for examination as required. He is to prepare an annual statement of account for submission to the AGM. The Treasurer is to maintain a stock of Association ties and is responsible for selling them only to entitled purchasers.

e. Membership Secretary. The Membership Secretary is to promote membership of the Association. He or she is to keep membership records up to date and conduct annual checks to ensure that all members have paid subscriptions at the correct rate.

f. Unit Committee Representatives. The representative committee members are responsible for disseminating Committee views and decisions among the members of their respective formations. They are to ascertain and present their members' views in discussions at General and Committee meetings and they should take the initiative in organising regional functions.

g. Sports Representative. The Sports Representative is to co-ordinate the efforts of individual sports' representatives. He or she is to represent their views in discussions at General and Committee meetings and disseminate Committee views and decisions to them. He or she is to produce a sports report for inclusion in the Newsletter.

h. Retired Members' Representative. The Retired Members Representative is to represent the needs and view of the retired members. He or she should remain in contact with as many of them as possible and notify the Secretary of any serious illness or the death of a retired member.

i. Honorary Auditor. The AGM, on the recommendation of the Committee, shall elect a member to act as an inspector of the Association's books of account.

9. Ties. All past and present members of the Association may wear the Association tie.

10. General.

a. All cheques to the Association should be made payable to the "RAF Education and Training Officers' Association" and forwarded to the Treasurer.

b. Members are to notify the Membership Secretary of any change of address.

c. Any article of the constitution may be changed by a majority of members attending a General Meeting.

d. In the event of the Association closing down, its funds will go to the RAF Benevolent Fund.