SECTION 1 - GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR MEMBERSHIP

a. No person may participate in or at an NWHA event without applying for and receiving Membership as a General Member, an Independent Living Historian Member, or a Guest Member.

b. All applicants for Membership shall complete an NWHA Membership Application as prescribed in Section 7 below and shall consent to abide by the Bylaws, Policies, and Procedures of the Northwest Historical Association.

c. Each applicant for Membership must be 18 years of age at the time of application. An applicant for Membership who is less than 18 years of age may be admitted to Membership if accompanied at events by a parent or guardian. A minor Member may attend an event unaccompanied if a Waiver of Liability signed by such parent or guardian is submitted prior to such event.

d. No person who has been convicted of, or is under indictment for, any felony or misdemeanor involving firearms may be admitted to Membership.

e. A person convicted of a felony not involving firearms may be considered for Membership, however admission to Membership will be contingent upon approval by the Board of Directors.

f. In no event will any person prohibited from the ownership, possession, receipt, or transfer of firearms be admitted to Membership.

g. In certain other circumstances, the Board reserves to itself the authority to approve or disapprove the membership of an applicant.

SECTION 2 - ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP DUES

a. Annual Membership Dues shall be at such rate or rates, schedule, or formula as may be from time to time prescribed by the Board of Directors, payable in U.S. funds annually, in advance, by check, money order, or cash.

b. The Annual Membership Dues payable to this organization by Members shall be $20.00 for an Individual Membership, or $30.00 for a Family Membership.

SECTION 3 - GENERAL MEMBERSHIP

a. Each applicant for General Membership must receive the approval of the Unit Commander of the Unit in which he or she desires to serve.

b. Each applicant for General Membership may be subject to an interview and approval by the Board of Directors or an appointee thereof.

c. Upon approval for General Membership of an applicant by the Unit Commander, and by the Board of Directors, if required, and payment of one (1) year Annual Membership Dues as specified by the Board of Directors to the Treasurer, each General Member shall be issued a Certificate of Membership and be subject to the Dues, Fees, Bylaws, Policies, and Procedures of the NWHA. The Certificate shall take the form of a Membership Card issued by the Secretary.

SECTION 4 - INDEPENDENT LIVING HISTORIAN MEMBERSHIP

a. Each applicant for Independent Living Historian Membership must receive the approval of the Unit Commander of an Active Unit.

b. Each applicant for Independent Living Historian Membership may be subject to an interview and approval by the Board of Directors or an appointee thereof.

c. Upon approval for Independent Living Historian Membership of an applicant by the Unit Commander of an Active Unit, and by the Board of Directors, if required, and payment of one (1) year Annual Membership Dues as specified by the Board of Directors to the Treasurer, each Independent Living Historian Member shall be issued a Certificate of Membership and be subject to the Dues, Fees, Bylaws, Policies, and Procedures of the NWHA. The Certificate shall take the form of an Independent Living Historian Membership Card issued by the Secretary.

SECTION 5 - GUEST MEMBERSHIP

a. Each applicant for temporary Guest Membership for a specific event must receive the approval of the Unit Commander of the Unit in which he or she desires to serve.

b. Each applicant for Guest Membership may be subject to an interview and approval by the Board of Directors or an appointee thereof.

c. Upon approval for Guest Membership of an applicant by the Unit Commander, and by the Board of Directors, if required, and payment of any designated Event Fees as prescribed by the Event Coordinator to the Treasurer, each Guest Member shall be issued a Certificate of Membership and be subject to the Bylaws, Policies, and Procedures of the NWHA. The Certificate shall take the form of a temporary Guest Membership Card issued by the Secretary.

SECTION 6 - TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP

The membership of any Member of the NWHA may be terminated for any of the following reasons:

a. Upon written or oral request by the member to the Board of Directors of the NWHA delivered either in person, by telephone, by mail, or by email. Termination shall take effect upon the date of the delivery of the request.

b. On the failure of such Member to pay the required NWHA Annual Membership Dues when they become due. Termination shall take effect thirty (30) days after the due date for such payment.

c. If any Member places the NWHA in an embarrassing light, their membership may be terminated upon a majority vote of the Board of Directors.

d. Possession of live ammunition on the field by any Member or Guest Member at any NWHA function other than an NWHA Live Fire Event shall be cause for such Member to be immediately expelled without appeal.

e. If any Member willfully disobeys NWHA Bylaws, Policies, Procedures, or event rules. The penalty for any such act or acts shall be determined by the Member’s Unit Commander and the Board of Directors. If the offender is a Unit Commander, then the penalty shall be determined by the Board of Directors.

f. Upon such Member's death.

SECTION 7 - MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION PROCEDURES

a. Each applicant for Membership shall complete an NWHA Membership Application as prescribed by the Board of Directors.

b. The required NWHA Annual Membership Dues shall accompany the NWHA Membership Application.

c. Each applicant for Membership must be approved by the Unit Commander of the Unit in which he or she desires to serve, or in the case of an applicant for Independent Living Historian membership, by a sponsoring Unit Commander.

d. Each Unit Commander shall endeavor to assure that each applicant is eligible and desirable for membership before approving his or her membership. The Unit Commander shall signify his or her approval of the applicant by signing the applicant’s NWHA Membership Application.

e. If the approval of the Board is required for the membership of the applicant, the Unit Commander will present the NWHA Membership Application and the NWHA Annual Membership Dues payment to the Board.

f. The approved and signed NWHA Membership Application and NWHA Annual Membership Dues shall be timely forwarded to the NWHA Secretary, who shall record their receipt and enter the Member’s contact information into the records of the NWHA. The NWHA Secretary shall issue an NWHA Membership Card to the Member at the earliest practicable time.

g. Upon receipt by the NWHA Secretary of a properly-completed NWHA Membership Application, all necessary approvals, and the required NWHA Annual Membership Dues, the applicant shall be recognized as a Member in good standing of the NWHA. The legible date of postmark of any such materials which were mailed to the NWHA Secretary at his or her latest address of record via US First Class Mail, postage prepaid, delivered to the US Postal Service shall constitute the date of receipt.
(Section 7g Amended: NWHA Board 19 Jan 2010)

h. The NWHA Secretary shall timely forward the NWHA Annual Membership Dues to the NWHA Treasurer or designee accompanied by a written accounting for each amount received. The NWHA Treasurer or designee shall deposit the funds into the NWHA corporate checking account.

i. In the event that the payment of the NWHA Annual Membership Dues of any Member is returned as uncollectible by the bank, the NWHA Treasurer shall immediately notify the Board of the circumstances. The NWHA Treasurer shall maintain a current listing identifying any such persons. The membership of the applicant shall be suspended for a period of thirty (30) days and he or she shall be immediately notified of the circumstances. If the payment is not resolved within that time, the membership of the applicant shall be terminated. The NWHA shall not accept any future payments by personal check from any persons who have written uncollectible checks to the NWHA.
(Section 7i Amended: NWHA Board 19 Jul 2008)

j. The NWHA Secretary shall report the membership status of each Member as directed by the Board.

SECTION 8 - MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL PROCEDURES

a. The membership status of each Member is subject to renewal on a calendar year basis.

b. No later than October 20th of each year, the NWHA Secretary shall forward to the Unit Commander of each Unit an adequate supply of NWHA Membership Applications and a listing of the last-known contact information for each member of his or her Unit.

c. Each Unit Commander shall solicit the renewal of the membership of each Member in his or her Unit.

d. The renewal of the membership of each Member shall follow the procedures described in Section 7 above.