ARTICLE I:
Name, Purpose, Prayer, Pledge, Motto And Seal

SECTION 1: Name

The official name of this organization shall be "The American GI Forum of the United States".

SECTION 2: Purpose

The basic purpose of This Organization shall be to secure the blessings of American democracy at every level of life, local, state, and national, for all inhabitants of our country, as well as to further the rights of all Veterans, of all our members, their families and friends, This Organization, its Officers and Members, therefore, pledge to:

Uphold and defend the constitution of the Untied States of America and the American flag;

Foster and perpetuate the principles of American democracy based on religious and political freedom for the individual and equal opportunity for all;

Foster and enlarge equal educational opportunities, equal economic opportunities, equal justice under the law, and equal political opportunities for all citizens, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, age or national origin;

Secure adequate representation and participation of the ethnic minorities represented by this Organization at policy making and administrative levels of local, state, and national government in all departments, agencies, bureaus or other governmental units;

Combat all practices of a prejudicial or discriminatory nature in local, state or national life which curtail, hinder or deny to any inhabitant an equal opportunity to develop his or her full potential as an individual;

Foster and promote the broader knowledge and appreciation by all inhabitants of their cultural heritage and language;

Use only non-violent, lawful, civil and peaceful methods of pursuing the objectives of This Organization as set forth above.

SECTION 3: Official Prayer

The official Prayer of the AGIF-US shall be the Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi. This prayer shall be recited at the beginning of every meeting of This Organization, whether local, district, regional, state or national.

SECTION 4: General Definitions

AGIF shall refer to the American G.I. Forum in a general sense.

AGIF - US - shall refer more specifically to the national organization, American G.I. Forum of the United States.

GI FORUM - shall have the same meaning as in "A":

This Organization - shall refer to the American GI Forum of the United States.

AGIF - (name of State) Organization, (as in AGIF- California) shall refer to the particular statewide AGIF Organization named therein.

AGIF Organization - shall refer to any AGIF group, whether National, State, At-Large, Regional, District, or GI Forum, GI Forum Women or GI Forum Youth, Board of Directors, Executive Boards, etc., depending on its contextual use.

AGIF Charter(s)- shall have reference to all AGIF local Chapters, including At-Large Chapters, and also shall have specific reference to a particular Chapter, whether, GI Forum, At-Large, Women, or Youth, when so named.

AGIF National Conference or National Conference - shall have reference to what has heretofore been known as the National Convention. Because the gathering offers an opportunity to members of the AGIF from all Organization levels for an exchange of ideas on Veterans, social, educational and economic issues, for workshops which include youth leadership, for dialogue oral or written, for floor debate, and for the practical use of parliamentary law and procedure, the gathering can rightfully be referred to as The AGIF Annual National Training and Educational Conference, which corporate America can appreciate, but the gathering may be referred to as simply, the National Conference.

National Board - shall have reference to the National Board of Directors of the AGIF.

AGIF National Organization - shall have reference to the American GI. Forum of the United States.

State AGIF Organization(s) - shall have reference to all, or any particular state AGIF Organization, when so named.

Local AGIF Organizations or Local - shall have reference to all of the various or particular AGIF Chapters, or At-Large Chapters, in the various cities or communities, as well as to any district or regional, if any, or to particular AGIF groups, depending on contextual use.

At-Large AGIF Organizations - shall refer to individual Chapters within a state which does not have the required number of GI Forum Chapters, as set out in Article III, Section 1 of this Constitution.

National Executive Director - shall refer to the AGIF National Executive Director.

Present And Voting - shall refer to votes actually cast by whatever number of delegates or members are physically present on the floor and qualified to vote under the rules set out in this Constitution and under whatever rules are in effect at any AGIF Conference, meeting or gathering, provided such rules are not in conflict herewith. Other definitions may be found in several of the particular Articles which follow.

SECTION 5: Pledge Of Allegiance

The Pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America shall be recited by all members of This Organization. It shall be given at every meeting of This Organization at all levels immediately after the official Prayer.

SECTION 6: Motto

The official motto of This Organization shall be "Education is our Freedom and Freedom Should Be Everybody's Business". This motto shall be used in all literature, letterheads, bulletins and other written material distributed by the AGIF at all organizational levels.

SECTION 7: Seal

The official seal of the American GI Forum shall consist of a shield with seven red and six white stripes running vertically for two thirds of the depth of the shield and a blue field at the top third with thirteen stars set six on each side and one at top center. Across the blue field will be inscribed the word "American" and rays in a white background will run from the center star to the word "American". Across the face of the shield wherein lie the vertical stripes will be inscribed the words "GI Forum".