Regional & State

Protect and Defend Regional and State Memberships

In order to provide members with the best service possible, the Board of Directors wishes to allow the formation of Regional and State organization under the umbrella of the board. While these organizations have some ability to set up its own rules and regulations, they are still considered part of the larger organization not separate organizations.

1) Regional Organization

a) The Nation will be divided into 4 regions. The Board of Directors may add, subtract, or change regions as needed to provide quality service to the members within that region. Those regions and member states are as follows:

i) South

  1. Virginia, Kentucky, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Florida

ii) Northeast

  1. Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, District of Columbia (including NOVA), New York, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Ohio

iii) Central

  1. Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota

iv) West

  1. Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Idaho, Utah, Arizona, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, California, Alaska, and Hawaii

b) Each region will elect a Regional Director that will serve a 1 year term. The regional director will be a voting member of the Board of Directors. Term limits will not apply to Regional Directors and they may serve as many terms as they are elected to. Regions do not have the ability to change the length of the terms of the director.

i) The election of the Regional Director shall be conducted among the state representatives of states that have been recognized at the time of the election.

ii) Elections will be conducted at the yearly regional meeting. If the region does not conduct a yearly regional meeting or event, elections will be conducted on the first full week in September. Elections can be conducted in person, via an approved elections website, or conference call.

iii) In the event of a tie vote, the state representatives will be required to vote in a second election 24 hours after the original vote. If that second election is tied, then the Board of Directors will break the tie.

iv) Regional directors may be removed by more than a 70% vote of the state representatives for that region or a majority vote of the Board of Directors.

v) Each Regional Director may appoint an Assistant Regional Director and an Events Coordinator as they wish, however these positions are not required. The Assistant Regional Director may vote on behalf of the Regional Director in his/her absence at a Board of Directors meeting.

c) Regions will have the ability to sponsor events within their regions as long as those regional events do not conflict with national events. Regions should make every effort to not conflict with other region’s events, however it is not required.

i) While events may have a regional focus, they will be open to the entire PAD membership. At no time will an event be restricted to members only within that region.

2) State Memberships

a) Each state has the ability to be recognized by the Board of Directors. In order to be recognized, states must do the following:

i) Have members within the state that wish to formally organize.

ii) Elect/appoint a State Representative.

  1. The Board of Directors will not enforce any rules on the length of terms or selection process of State Representatives. States may choose to appoint/elect other officers to assist in the business of their state. (I.e. Assistant State Representatives, Events Coordinator, etc.) However, these other officers will not have a vote at the regional or national level. Each State only gets one vote at the regional level.

iii) A written request to the Board of Directors stating the desire to be formally recognized, agreement to abide by the goals and objectives of Protect and Defend, and the rules listed within this document.

b) State Representatives can be removed by more than a 70% vote of its membership. The Board of Directors will not have the ability to remove a State Representative unless for legal cause.

c) States will be able to conduct monthly meetings or other events as long as those events do not conflict with national or their region’s events.

i) While events/meetings may have a state focus, all events/meetings will be open to any paid member of Protect and Defend.

d) Once recognized, states will remain recognized by the Board of Directors unless one of the following applies:

i) The state membership votes to organizationally dissolve and no longer be recognized.

  1. States that dissolve will no longer have a State Representative and will no longer be able to vote. States may re-organize at a later date if they so wish.

ii) The state membership falls below 2 paid members.

  1. When the state retains more paid members, their recognition will be restored automatically. However, during this period the state shall no longer have a State Representative or regional vote.

e) Any state that has 20 paid members or more must have legal counsel within 1 year of being recognized.

3) Regional or State Funding

a) No region or state may have a bank account or collect membership fees from members outside that of the yearly dues collected by Protect and Defend. All funds will be held by the Board of Directors.

4) Regional and State Naming

a) Each region will be known by PAD then the location (PAD South, PAD Northeast, etc) each state will be known by state name followed by PAD (Georgia PAD, California PAD, etc). However, states may choose to honor a fallen hero by adopting the fallen hero’s name for the state organization or other type of naming. In order to do so, the state must make that request to the Board of Directors who can approve or deny the request. Only states will be given this ability.

5) Use of logos, name, and trademarks of Protect and Defend

a) Regions and recognized states have the ability to use the logos, name, and trademarks of Protect and Defend as long as such use does not distract from the organizations goals and objectives or put the organization in a negative light. The logo, name, or trademark should never be used in a sale of products or services unless prior approval has been granted by the Board of Directors.

b) Regions and recognized states may not change or alter any logo, name, or trademark of Protect and Defend unless approved by the Board of Directors.

c) Televised or media use of any logo, name, or trademark of Protect and Defend must be approved by the Board of Directors prior to use. In cases that require immediate attention and a vote of the board is not within the timeframe required for use the President may make a decision on behalf of the board.

6) Use or Creation of By-laws, Rules, Codes of Conduct, Procedures, etc.

a) Each Region or state may develop their own by-laws, rules, codes of conduct, procedures, etc. (hereafter referred to as “rules”), however this is not required and will not affect a state from being recognized as long as the following conditions are met:

i) Rules cannot conflict with the By-laws Protect and Defend. In such cases, the By-laws of Protect and Defend shall supersede the rule in question.

ii) A copy of the rules must be presented to the Board of Directors. The board will need to be provided new copies if changes are made.

  1. States are required to present a copy to the Regional Director as well.

iii) The Board of Directors may, with a vote of more than 70%, strike down any rule at the region or state level.

7) Financial information will be provided upon request

a) A request to Protect and Defend treasurer@protectanddefend.org and/or president@protectanddefend.org. A respond to all request with be within 5 working days.