ARTICLE II:
Membership - Definition Of Veteran

SECTION 1: Gi Forum Chapters

The term Veteran shall be defined as all persons, male or female, who are American citizens or permanent resident aliens and who have served honorably, or are serving honorably, for at least six months, in the Armed Forces of the United States of America, including the Coast Guard, the National Guard, or other official component for military service or training set up by the Armed Forces of the United States, shall be eligible for active membership in the AGIF Chapters of This Organization.

Any person so eligible who pays his/her dues and takes the Oath of Members shall be considered a member of his/her particular Chapter, as well as of the AGIF-US and of any pertinent AGIF Organization thereunder.

Membership to non-veterans may also be available, as provided for in Section 4 hereunder.

SECTION 2: Gi Forum Women Chapters

All female persons, who are Americans citizens or permanent resident aliens, or who are related to a member of an AGIF Organization, and who are 18 years of age or older, or are married and between the ages of 14 to 18, shall be eligible for active membership in the Women's Chapters. Said person's membership must be recommended by a member and must be approved by a simple majority vote of the GI Forum Women's Chapter wherein membership is solicited.

A lady member who qualifies as a Veteran may join either a GI Forum Chapter or a G.I. Forum Women Chapter.

SECTION 3: GI Forum Youth Chapters

All young persons, who are American citizens, or permanent resident aliens, single, never married, and between the ages of 13 and 18, shall be eligible for active membership in AGIF Youth Chapters.

SECTION 4: Non-Veterans And Non-Members Of Armed Forces

Any adult person, 18 years of age or older, who does not fulfill the requirements of Section 1 of this Article, who is of good morals, and whose general reputation as to character in the community in which he/she resides is good, may be voted into membership in any particular GI Forum Chapter. Said person's membership must be recommended by a member and must be approved by a simple majority vote of the GI Forum Chapter wherein membership is solicited. Provided, however, that the total non-veteran membership in any GI Forum Chapter must not exceed one third (1/3) of the total membership except, however, that such percentage, once attained, shall not decrease if the percentage of Veterans members decreases. Provided further, that all GI Forum Chapters must have at all times at least five (5) Veteran members. Understandably, the Veteran requirement shall not apply to GI Forum Women and Youth Chapters.

Any Person so eligible, who is of good moral character, who is disposed to uphold the principles of AGIF, who pays his/her dues and takes the Oath of Members, shall be considered a member of his/her particular chapters as well as of the AGIF-US and of any pertinent AGIF Organization thereunder.

SECTION 5: Active Members - Definition

In order to be considered an active member and eligible to vote in any AGIF Organization, all members must pay their dues as provided in this Constitution and other dues and/or assessments that may be levied through appropriate action of the National Conference, as well as pay such local and state dues and/or assessments as may be imposed by their respective local and state AGIF Organizations, and thereafter take the Oath of Members.

All members must report any change of their address to their respective Local, State, At-Large and National AGIF Organizations.

QUORUM - The quorum required for all AGIF Chapters to legally transact business shall be eight (8) members. All other AGIF Organizations shall themselves set their own quorum requirements.

SECTION 6: Honorary Members

Any person who as rendered outstanding service to the community wherein he or she resides or who has attained a ranking place in the field of letters, human or civil rights, science or the arts, may be elected to honorary membership in any GI Forum, At-Large, GI Forum Women or GI Forum Youth Chapter by a majority vote of the members thereof. An honorary member shall not hold office or vote but may attend AGIF gatherings, be permitted to give counsel and guidance, and to participate as ex-officio member of any committee to which he or she may be appointed.

Honorary members shall not be required to pay dues or other financial assessments, but may do so voluntarily.

SECTION 7: Membership Denied To Subversives

No person who is, or has been, a member of any Communist, Fascist, or other organization or conspiracy that advocates the overthrow or the serious undermining of the Government of the United States shall not be eligible for membership in This Organization. To help enforce this requirement, an appropriate oath may be required by the Officers of This Organization of any person who solicits membership of whatever nature in This Organization.

SECTION 8: Oath Of Members
All members of this Organization, active and/or honorary, shall take the following oath when they join the American GI Forum.

SECTION 9: No Restriction On Membership By Local Chapters Or On The Number Of Chapters

No AGIF Organization shall restrict the number of active members, except as provided in Sections 4 and 5 of this Article, nor shall the number of A GIF Chapters be restricted in any given community by means of any rule limiting membership or limiting the number of AGIF Chapters or Local AGIF Organizations to a given number in any city or community.

Local Chapters, in accordance with attendance or other reasonable rules, may accord privileges and benefits accruing from extraordinarily fine activity to those members complying with such rules in an exemplary manner.

SECTION 10: Transfer Of Membership

Any member in good standing of any AGIF Chapter may request transfer of his/her membership to any other Chapter in any other state by notifying the local Chapter Secretary, whose duty it shall be to notify the proper chief local, state and national officer(s) of such transfer, except that such transfers shall not be authorized to a member residing in a state where a State AGIF Organization exists, unless the member involved shall be domiciled in the state he/she wants the membership transferred to. It is permissible, however, to transfer membership from one AGIF Chapter to another within the same state.

SECTION 11: Dues

The members of all American GI Forum Chapters shall pay no less in the way of dues than the National Conference may decide, but they may pay more, in accordance with whatever amount of the total dues the State and/or Local American GI Forum Organizations shall decide to keep to help finance their own operations.

Lifetime Memberships - All those members wishing to become lifetime members shall pay any amount which the National Board may hereafter alone determine, but no less than $100.00 dollars, to so qualify. On such payment the member involved shall have no further obligation to pay dues to the AGIF-US. Lifetime Membership does not exempt the member, however, from paying his/her state and/or local dues and/or assessments to maintain full, active membership in the local, district, regional, At-Large, and state AGIF Organizations of his/her domicile in any of which they shall still have a voice but no vote, unless he/she shall pay whatever local dues and/or assessments may be ordinarily imposed on its members. At all national AGIF gatherings Lifetime Members shall have both a voice and vote. They shall also have a voice in any and all AGIF Organizations, but a vote only insofar as is provided for herein.

Other Dues - All active members shall also pay such local and state dues or assessments as may be imposed by their respective local and state AGIF Organization, as well as other dues or assessments that may be levied through appropriate action of the National Conference. The National Conference shall decide by 2/3 vote of the delegates present and voting the amount of dues to be paid to the AGIF - US by members of all AGIF Organizations.

All such members who fail to pay lawful dues and assessments to their Local, At-Large or State AGIF Organizations or to the American GI Forum of the United States, shall lose their membership, hence their voice and vote in any and all AGIF gatherings, but can be automatically reinstated on payment thereof without any formality. A Lifetime Member shall not ever lose his/her voice (and/or vote) in AGIF gatherings, as provided for hereinabove.