The ASRC maintains a series of documents to aid in managing and monitoring ASRC activities, both administrative and operational. These documents include:
ASRC Articles of Incorporation
ASRC Bylaws
ASRC Operational Guidance Manual
ASRC Training Standards
ASRC Administrative Manual (“Admin Manual”)
ASRC Branding Guide
Taken together, these documents provide a framework outlining resource interaction and functional expectations both within the ASRC and with external entities.
The 
Authority – Article I, Section 2.1.2.7 of the Bylaws of the Appalachian Search and Rescue Conference, Inc. (ASRC), grants the Board of Directors (Board) the power to establish and publish procedures and policies for the ASRC, including these Administrative procedures.

In cases of conflict, the ASRC Articles of Incorporation and ASRC Bylaws have precedence over this document. In the event that there are conflicts between this document and either the ASRC Training Standards, or the ASRC Operations Manual, the ASRC Board of Directors shall arbitrate the conflict. 
The Board of Directors may temporarily overrule a provision of the Admin Manual, which must be reflected in the minutes of the meeting. The Board of Directors may also change the Admin Manual by a simple majority vote at a meeting. The Membership may temporarily overrule a provision of the Admin Manual, which must be reflected in the minutes of the meeting. The Membership may also change the Admin Manual by a simple majority vote at a meeting.
This document shall have authority over all other ASRC administration documents and procedures, excluding internal Group administrative rules, procedures and policies (unless explicitly stated herein). This document supersedes all previous ASRC administrative rules, procedures, and policies.

The ASRC’s institutional memory is a continuum from carved-in-stone rules, such as those in the Articles of Incorporation, to best-practice principles for how to be a good officer or committee chair, or how to plan the annual Retreat.
The Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws are difficult to change. Changing either requires a vote of the entire ASRC membership, and changes to the Articles of Incorporation also have to be approved by the Virginia State Corporation. The Admin Manual, however, can be changed by a simple vote of the Board of Directors.
The Articles and Bylaws have rules that are important enough and enduring enough that they should be hard to change, or are required by various regulatory bodies, including the IRS who authenticates our tax-exempt status. The Admin Manual contains rules that are more likely to be changed, and can and should be changed on a regular basis as the ASRC’s needs change, and as we figure out better ways to do things, or outside pressures force us to change policies, for examples, sexual harassment or social media use. 
The Admin Manual also serves an educational purpose. In the ASRC, all administrative positions are held by unpaid volunteers, who have limited time and sometimes life events that impair their ability to carry out their duties, or cause them to resign their positions. Knowledge about what an officer or committee chair should do tends to reside in the brains of those officers and chairs, and if that brain has to be replaced by another, that knowledge may be lost. The Admin Manual helps manage this problem by documenting some of that knowledge, for the benefit of subsequent officers and committee chairs. It should be clear from the wording which parts of the Admin Manual are rules to be followed, and which parts are traditions, general advice and best practices. 
Details that are likely to change on a regular basis should remain in planning documents on the Dropbox account. Details that are likely to persist, especially those that are critical to our operation, should be added to the Admin Manual. Examples include renewing the FCC radio license, maintaining our tax-exempt status with the IRS, and maintaining our incorporation status with the Virginia State Corporation Commission. Less obvious examples include how to run an electronic vote of the Board of Directors, or how and when to give ASRC Years of Service Awards.
If you are a new ASRC officer or committee chair, the Admin Manual is where you go to find out about your essential duties. You can then look through documents on the Dropbox and archived emails from the various ASRC email lists (available by signing in to http://groups.yahoo.com, searching for and joining the appropriate ASRC group; additional information on the Yahoo Groups available in the members-only section of asrc.net), as well as old documents in the ASRC Archive (http://archive.asrc.net).
To summarize: the Admin Manual contains both policies (rules for doing things) and doctrine (guiding principles, traditions and best practices). The wording should make it clear which is which. 
Purpose – This Administrative Manual is intended to disseminate the administrative policy of the ASRC to all Groups, Conference Members and other interested parties.
Types of Policies – These policies can be grouped into the following categories: (a) ASRC Administrative Policies, (b) Group Administrative Policies, and (c) Membership Administrative Policies.
ASRC Administrative Policies – The ASRC Administrative Policies provide the framework needed at the Conference Level to perform the necessary administrative functions that are needed to conduct day-to-day business. ASRC Administrative Policies explicitly exclude: Local Group business, personnel, and administration policies; ASRC operational policies; and ASRC training requirements. These ASRC Administrative Policies include several of the duties and responsibilities of the ASRC Chair, ASRC Vice Chair, ASRC Secretary, and ASRC Treasurer.
Group Administrative Policies Group administrative policies provide the framework needed to perform administrative functions that are related to ASRC administrative needs, including the conference duties and responsibilities of the Group’s Chair and the minimal group operational record-keeping requirements. These administrative policies explicitly exclude all other internal, local Group operational processes and local Group business, personnel, and administrative policies.
Membership Administrative Policies –membership administrative policies outline the administrative expectations of the membership of the ASRC, at the individual level.
Application of Policies and Procedures – These policies and procedures will be in effect whenever (1) members of the ASRC represent themselves as such, or act or respond as an agent of the ASRC; or (2) as appropriate with respect to internal ASRC administrative protocols.

General Maintenance of the Administrative Manual – The ASRC Secretary is responsible for the accuracy, maintenance, configuration control, publication and dissemination of the ASRC Administrative Manual.
New Versions – The ASRC Secretary is responsible for periodically publishing a new version of the Administrative Manual that has all prior changes incorporated into the manual. The new manual shall be published under a new version number. Major changes are noted by an integer change (e.g., 4.4 to 5.0) and minor changes are noted by a change in the first decimal place (e.g., 4.3 to 4.4). 
Authority for Changes and Updates – The majority of the changes to this document are expected to be made in a routine fashion via the Board of Directors. The information in this Administrative Manual may be changed under the direction of the ASRC Board of Directors, or ASRC General Membership; as in all matters, the ASRC General Membership may overrule the Board of Directors. Changes shall take effect following the Board of Directors (or General Membership) approval, or on a predetermined date as specified at the time of approval. 
Submitting Change Requests – ASRC members or Groups may submit change requests to secretary@asrc.net. Members submitting change requests should also discuss their change requests with their Group Chair and Board Representatives.
Emergency Changes and Updates – Emergency changes to this manual may be made under the authority of the ASRC Chair. Such changes take effect immediately. All emergency changes and updates must be approved by the ASRC Board of Directors or General Membership at the next meeting in order to remain in effect, at which time the Board of Directors shall review any administrative actions in the intervening period which may have been effected by such changes.

General Maintenance of Administrative Documents – The responsibility for the configuration, maintenance, control, publication, and dissemination of ASRC administrative documents, including the Branding Guide and Strategic Plan, shall rest primarily with the ASRC Secretary, unless determined otherwise by the ASRC Board of Directors. 
General Maintenance of Operational Documents – Officers supporting the board (e.g., Conference Training Officer, Conference Operations Officer) shall have primary responsibility to manage the other ASRC governing documents, such as the ASRC Operational Guidance Manual, ASRC Training Standards, and ASRC Credentialing Policy Manual. The ASRC Secretary may assist, as needed or requested, with document maintenance, control, publication and dissemination.
Training Standards – The Conference Training Officer shall be responsible for periodically reviewing and updating the ASRC Training Standards for review and approval by the ASRC Board of Directors. The Conference Training Officer may make minor changes to the Training Standards and must present all changes made at the next regularly scheduled Board of Directors Meeting. Any changes to the ASRC Training Standards must be approved by the ASRC Board of Directors before they take effect. Changes to the Training Standards take effect 30 days after approval by the Board of Directors unless otherwise specified. Approved changes to the ASRC Training Standards must be transmitted in writing (either via email or postal mail) to the Group Training Officers of each Group of the ASRC no later than 15 days following the ASRC Board of Directors meeting in which those changes were approved.
Operational Guidance Manual –The Conference Operations Officer shall be responsible for periodically reviewing and updating the ASRC Operational Guidance Manual for review and approval by the ASRC Board of Directors. The Conference Operations Officer may make minor changes to the Operational Guidance Manual and must present all changes made at the next regularly scheduled Board of Directors Meeting. Any changes to the ASRC Operational Guidance Manual l must be approved by the ASRC Board of Directors before they take effect. Changes to the Operational Guidance Manual take effect 30 days after approval by the Board of directors unless otherwise specified. Approved changes to the ASRC Operations Manual must be transmitted in writing (either via email or postal mail) to the Operations Officers, or equivalent, of each ASRC Group of the ASRC no later than 15 days following the ASRC Board of Directors meeting in which those changes were approved.
Credentialing Policy Manual – The Chair of the ASRC Credentialing Board shall be responsible for periodically reviewing and updating the ASRC Credentialing Policy Manual for review and approval by the ASRC Board of Directors. The Chair of the Credentialing Board may make minor changes to the ASRC Credentialing Policy Manual and must present all changes made at the next regularly scheduled Board of Directors Meeting. Any changes to the ASRC Operational Guidance Manual l must be approved by the ASRC Credentialing Board and the ASRC Board of Directors before they take effect. Changes to the Credentialing Policy Manual take effect 30 days after approval by the Board of directors unless otherwise specified. Approved changes to the ASRC Credentialing Policy Manual must be transmitted in writing (either via email or postal mail) to the Group Training Officer, of each ASRC Group of the ASRC no later than 15 days following the ASRC Board of Directors meeting in which those changes were approved

These policies shall be administered by the following:
 Chair of the ASRC Board of Directors – The Chair of the ASRC Board of Directors shall serve as the ASRC President and Chief Executive Officer of the corporation when the Board of Directors is not in session. The Chair of the ASRC Board of Directors is responsible for ensuring ASRC-wide compliance with ASRC policies and procedures, including those in this manual. (ASRC Bylaws, Article I, Section 2.3)
Vice Chair of the ASRC Board of Directors – The Vice Chair of the ASRC Board of Directors shall serve as the internal and external liaison for ASRC member groups and other SAR units which interact with the ASRC. In addition, the Vice Chair shall serve as Chair in the absence or incapacitation of the Chair. (ASRC Bylaws, Article I, Section 2.4)
Group Chair – The ASRC is comprised of organizations called Groups. The Group Chair or equivalent (Chief Executive Officer, President, Director) is responsible for ensuring Group compliance with ASRC Administrative policies and procedures.
, Sponsored Activities, Notices and Proxies 
 and Sponsored Activities
In accordance with the ASRC Bylaws, Article III, Section 1 and Section 2, the Board of Directors shall meet from time to time and will also call for a General Meeting of the membership at least once each year. The Board and the membership may also call for extraordinary meetings as outlined in the Bylaws. 
Board of Directors meetings are generally held quarterly. In-person Board of Directors meetings typically occur during the ASRC General Membership Meeting and during the Winter Retreat. Other meetings may be in person or by phone conference. When possible, phone  is set up for in-person Board of Directors meetings. However, by general agreement, in-person Board of Directors are important, as more useful networking and work gets done at them.
Board of Directors meetings have always, by 45+ years of tradition, been open to any interested party, except when the Board has to move to a closed (executive) session to discuss sensitive material; this is very rare. Attendance is not limited to members. At some BOD meetings, usually at the AGM or the Retreat, we have had non-members attend. These have included members of West Coast SAR teams, or members of non-ASRC teams in our area, who were interested in how we conduct business.
Board of Directors meetings have been held in many locations, sometimes rotated around the region, but more recently usually near the geographic center of the ASRC, currently (2018) near Frostburg, Maryland and nearby New Germany State Park; as of 2018, we meet at Frostburg State University. The ASRC General Membership Meeting (AGM), for many years was rotated around the Conference’s geographic area. But starting in 2017, is held at New Germany State Park. The annual Retreat has been held at the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club Blackburn Trail Center (very cold in winter) but more recently at the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club Bears Den center in Northern Virginia. Documents with planning information are found on the Dropbox. 
For both the Board of Directors meetings and ASRC General Membership Meeting, model Agendas and Minutes are illustrated in the Branding Guide, and documents consistent with the Branding Guide that officers may use to create a new agenda or minutes are available on the Dropbox and at archive.asrc.net.
In addition to the ASRC General Membership Meeting and the Winter Retreat, the ASRC from time to time sponsors other meetings and activities, which may have as their purpose training more than administration. These may be conference-wide or regional. A current (2018) example is Wilderness Emergency Medical Services Day, a regional joint training between the ASRC and the EMS Fellowship of the University of Pittsburgh’s Department of Emergency Medicine.
To be officially sponsored by the ASRC, an activity must be proposed by the Conference Training Officer, the Conference Operations Officer, the Credentialing Board Chair, or the ASRC Chair, and approved by the ASRC Board of Directors, and this approval must be documented in the minutes of a Board of Directors meeting prior to the event.
Officers’ Conference Calls started in the early 2000s to monitor progress on specific projects, but have continued (2018) on an ongoing basis. Officers’ Conference Calls are held on a biweekly basis to monitor progress on specific projects and/or committee status.  By tradition, they are every other Thursday night at 9 PM, and usually last for about an hour. Any ASRC officer, BOD delegate, Committee Chair, Credentialing Chair, or past ASRC Chair may participate. 

Board Meetings – The ASRC Secretary shall initiate electronic notification to all ASRC Board of Directors at least 30 days prior to the meeting date. The notification will include a request for agenda items and include at a minimum the date and time of the meeting. Prior to the meeting, the ASRC Secretary will issue a formal meeting agenda and will confirm the date, time, location and any connectivity information associated with teleconference participation. (ASRC Bylaws, Article III, Section 1.)
Membership Meetings – The Secretary shall provide notice of all membership meetings to each Group Chair or equivalent, and members of the ASRC Board of Directors (who are Group representatives), not less than 25 days nor more than 60 days in advance of such meeting. It shall be the responsibility of each Group to disseminate all notices to the Group’s membership. (ASRC Bylaws, Article III, Section 2.3.) 

Proxies may be executed for Membership Meetings  by relaying details to the ASRC Secretary in advance of the meeting in writing (email is considered writing). 
The proxy must specify the effective date and duration of the proxy. The proxy need not state specific issues to be discussed at the meeting. Proxy forms can either be in written form and presented to the Secretary before the meeting commences or may be in email form, in which case the Secretary must have received such form at least 24 hours in advance of the meeting or such other reasonable period that the Secretary will promulgate. 
The following proxy format is recommended. The Secretary shall send this in the text of an email to Group Chairs and BOD Representatives, with the recommendation that they distribute this to their membership. The member may manually sign the proxy and mail it or hand it to another member to assign his or her proxy to that member. A member may also compose an email with this text, with the blanks filled in, and then send to both secretary@asrc.net and to the member to whom the proxy is assigned. For purposes of an email proxy, typing /S/[member’s name] will be accepted by the ASRC as an electronic signature, for example: /S/John Doe.
Proxy
Appalachian Search & Rescue Conference
The undersigned hereby appoints
Name and Group					
as my proxy, with full powers of substitution, for all matters to come before the meeting of the Appalachian Search & Rescue Conference on
Date of Meeting 					
and any adjournment thereof.
Member Signature 				
Member Printed Name 				
Group Name 					
Date of Signature  				
Proxies are not lawful for Board of Directors meetings. However, Groups may appoint a substitute representative to a Board of Directors meeting. Groups may appoint a substitute representative using whatever procedure they consider appropriate. The Group shall notify the Secretary in writing (email is considered writing) of the substitution. Substitute representatives shall have full voting rights at the Board of Directors meeting at which they are substituting. 

Fiscal Year – The ASRC fiscal year shall be from January 1 to December 31.
Annual ASRC Dues – Each year, each ASRC Group is responsible for submitting dues to the ASRC. Group dues are assessed based upon membership, as defined on the Group’s roster, as of the final quarter of the calendar year. Dues rates are as follows:
ASRC Group Dues are $100.00 per Group and $17.00 per active member who claims that Group as his or her primary Group affiliation. A Group with members with primary membership in another Group shall note the name of the member’s primary Group on the rosters the Group submits to the Secretary and Treasurer.
Dues are payable to the ASRC as of January 31st each year, or immediately upon receipt of the annual dues invoice issued by the ASRC Treasurer. The Secretary, in consultation with the Treasurer, shall, each December, notify Group Chairs and ASRC representatives how to submit rosters, and request the email(s) to which the dues invoices should be sent. The Treasurer, on the dues invoices, shall indicate acceptable means of payment. 
ASRC Groups that do not remit annual dues in a timely manner may be subject to punitive action at the discretion of the ASRC Board of Directors.
ASRC Treasurer Job Description – The following items are the duties of the ASRC Treasurer. These items are in addition to or provide further clarification to those outlined in the ASRC Bylaws, Article I, Section 2.6.
Annual ASRC Budget –The ASRC Treasurer shall coordinate an annual budget for the ASRC. This effort should be completed, where possible, with input from the ASRC Officers and Committees.
Periodic ASRC Financial Reports – The ASRC Treasurer shall submit a financial status report at each regularly scheduled Board of Directors meeting, or as otherwise requested by the Board of Directors or the Chair. This report should include any changes to the accounts, the status of the budget, authorized spending, and moneys received. In addition, the ASRC books shall be made available to any ASRC member at least twice per year, at a regularly scheduled Board of Directors meeting. There is no obligation for the Treasurer to make the books available to the membership of the ASRC at other intervals, although the ASRC Treasurer may honor such requests at his or her discretion.
Maintenance of the Financial Accounts – The ASRC Treasurer shall create and maintain the necessary checking, savings, and other associated financial accounts. The Treasurer has the authority to move money between accounts as necessary. The Treasurer shall propose two other officers of the ASRC, or members of the Board of Directors, who shall have backup signatory authority for the ASRC accounts, and must be confirmed by a vote of the Board of Directors. The Treasurer will assure continuity by keeping account login and authentication information in the secured Treasurer section of the ASRC Archive. This Archive section will be accessible only to the Treasurer, Information Technology Officer and Deputy Information Technology Officer. If the holder of any of these offices change, then the Treasurer will change the login information for the accounts and document them in the Treasurer section of the Archive.
Authority to Pay Bills – The ASRC Treasurer shall be responsible for the payment and reimbursement of expenses as budgeted by the General Membership or the ASRC Board of Directors. The Treasurer shall ensure that appropriate authority to spend ASRC financial resources has been allocated by the General Membership or the ASRC Board of Directors prior to paying any bills or charges. This authority may be delegated by the Board of Directors to another member or office, as in the use of an annual budget with specific line items. In the event that a conflict arises, the Treasurer is responsible for bringing the issue to the attention of the Board of Directors.
Financial Emergency If a financial emergency arises, the ASRC Treasurer, upon consultation with the ASRC Chair or ASRC Vice Chair, is authorized to pay the bill. However, at the next regularly scheduled Board of Directors meeting, the issue should be brought to the attention of the Board of Directors for any appropriate action.
State Corporation Commission – [reserved]
Internal Revenue Service – Each year, the ASRC Treasurer shall submit to the IRS a 990-N electronic filing to keep the ASRC’s tax-exempt status current. The IRS says “Small tax-exempt organizations, whose gross receipts are normally $50,000 or less, are not required to file Form 990, Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax, or Form 990-EZ, Short Form Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. These small tax-exempt organizations are required to file electronically the e-Postcard, Form 990-N, with the IRS annually.” (Accessed https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/exempt-organizations-e-file-e-postcard 12/17)

Job Description
The following items are the duties of the ASRC Secretary. These items are in addition to or provide further clarification to those outlined in the ASRC Bylaws, Article I, Section 2.5.
ASRC Minutes Dissemination – The ASRC Secretary shall ensure that the minutes for each ASRC Board of Directors and General Membership meeting are published and sent to each Board of Directors delegate, ASRC Officer, and Group Chair. The minutes shall also be filed in the ASRC Archive in electronic form.
ASRC Record Keeping – The ASRC Secretary is responsible for maintaining the administrative records and historical documents of the ASRC. The ASRC Secretary shall ensure records are maintained in a fashion which will preserve the records and allow for ease of access.

Every effort shall be made to either physically preserve ASRC administrative records in hard-copy form at the ASRC physical records storage location (Blue Ridge Mountain Rescue Group Equipment Locker in Charlottesville, Virginia) or in electronic form in the ASRC Archive (see below).

A copy of official electronic communications, letters, facsimiles, newsletters, memos for record, minutes of meetings, and similar documents shall be maintained in the an electronic document store called the ASRC Archive. The ASRC Chair shall appoint an Archivist who shall be responsible for selecting and placing documents of historical or continuing relevance in the electronic ASRC Archive (archive.asrc.net), and indexing them. The Archivist shall report to the Secretary.
Protection of Documents – The Archive shall be open access except for those documents that are considered sensitive. The Archivist will scan entries into the Archive and determine if they should by classified as sensitive. The Archivist, the ASRC Chair, the ASRC Board of Directors, or a vote of the ASRC Membership at a membership meeting may classify documents as sensitive as per the classification below. The Archivist’s decisions may be overridden by the ASRC Chair, the Chair’s decisions may be overridden by ASRC Board of Directors, and the Board’s decision may be overridden by a vote of the ASRC Membership.  Sensitive documents shall be stored in an electronic location that is protected by a method approved by the Board of Directors, and with login credentials updated as the composition of those allowed access changes. The Information Technology Officer shall ensure that all confidential material is secure, and only the ITO and the Deputy ITO, as backups, shall have system administrator (“sysadmin”) access to all of these areas of the Archive. The following classes of documents shall be so protected:
Confidential: ASRC members access only. 
Confidential: ASRC Board of Directors access only. 
Confidential: HIPAA ASRC members only. (HIPAA stands for the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act which contains specific provisions about how personal medical information must be protected). Only those with a need to access such information, as granted by the Board of Directors, may access this information.
Confidential-ASRC-Treasurer: information such as logins and passwords for ASRC accounts and website logins. The authentication information to access this section of the Archive (password or other authentication method) will be updated whenever the Treasurer, Information Technology Officer or Deputy Information Technology Officer changes.
Indexing – an automated indexing utility such as the free, open-source dirhtml will be used to index the files, with an index placed in the root of the archive for easy access via html browsing. 
Format – Archived documents shall be in PDF (Portable Document Format). When a particular document may also be usefully stored in another source format (for example, Microsoft Word for certain tThe ext documents, or Adobe Illustrator or other graphics format for the logo) these source-format files will also be available in the Archive.
Naming Convention – The best rule for naming of new documents to go into the Archive is to inspect the Archive and look at the existing names and to create something similar. In general, for ease of sorting chronologically, the format for document names is
YYYY-MO-DA-ASRC-XXXX
where YYYY is the year, MO is the number of the month, with a leading zero if needed, and DA is the day of the month, again with a leading zero of needed. XXXX is the name of the document, and again inspecting the Archive should provide a pattern for naming similar documents. For examples, the minutes from the 2014 ASRC General Membership Meeting and subsequent Board of Directors meeting are named as:
2014-06-01-ASRC-AGM-Minutes.pdf
2014-06-01-ASRC-BOD-Minutes.pdf 
Electronic Document Storage
The ASRC uses an electronic document storage system (as of 2018, Dropbox) for temporary working document storage. Documents here are generally those of used for active online work and collaboration, such as drafts of governing documents or other documents. Any document that is completed and may be of ongoing interested should be renamed in according with the Archive format above, and moved to the Archive. For ease of use, frequently-used Archive documents may be linked to from the Dropbox folders.
 
Any hard-copy documents of ongoing value will be scanned into PDF format and stored in the ASRC Archive. 

Mission-Related Documents - The ASRC Operational Guidance Manual shall provide further clarification regarding recommended protocols and best practices associated with the creation and retention of mission-related documentation.

Each Group is required to maintain an accurate and timely record of each member of that group, regardless of that individual’s call out availability. Membership, as of the final quarter of each year, shall be used  for determining dues owed to the ASRC by the Group. 
Purpose - Rosters are used for reasons including: member contact, tracking member certification/skill levels, insurance coverage for members, ASRC annual dues assessment, identification of Group Officer appointments and identification of ASRC BOD Representative appointments.
Submission Requirements – All ASRC Groups (certified and probationary) shall submit annual Group rosters during the fourth quarter of each year, emailed prior to December 31. Group rosters should be submitted to the ASRC Secretary. The ASRC Secretary is authorized to request updated rosters from Group leadership throughout the year in order to effectively carry out the administrative activities of the Conference.
Fourth Quarter Rosters
Group rosters submitted during the fourth quarter each year will be used by the ASRC Treasurer to calculate the Group’s annual dues invoice. 
Based on these rosters, the Secretary will assess each Group’s compliance with basic group requirements as outlined in the ASRC Bylaws Article III, Section 3.2, and make a recommendation to the ASRC Chair as to whether each Group meets the requirement. If the ASRC Chair determines that a Group does not meet the requirements for continuing as a Certified Group, the Chair shall notify the Group’s ASRC Representatives and Group Chair, immediately suspend the voting privileges of the Group’s ASRC Representatives, and place the matter on the agenda for the next Board of Directors meeting.
If a Group fails to provide fourth quarter rosters requested formally by the ASRC Secretary, the Treasurer will invoice that Group for ASRC annual dues based upon the last Group roster in the custody of the ASRC Secretary at the time the ASRC Treasurer issues annual, conference-wide dues invoices.
Changes – Groups are asked to submit updated rosters more than once each year, if membership changes have occurred that impact the number of Search Managers, within the Group and/or if new Group Officers or new ASRC Board of Director Representatives are appointed. Changes shall be reported to the ASRC Secretary within 40 days of the time the changes are effective (ASRC Bylaws, Article II, Section 1.3).
Roster Content – Group rosters as submitted to the ASRC Secretary should contain the following information for each Group member:
Last Name
First Name
ASRC certification level/Membership Type (inactive/probationary, )
Group Officer Position (i.e., President, Group Training Officer, Operations Officer, ASRC Board of Directors Representative; these shall also include contact information including email and phone numbers)
Year joined ASRC, for ASRC Years-of-Service Awards
Primary Group, if not the Group submitting the roster
ASRC 
As outlined in the ASRC Bylaws, Article I, Section 2.9, there are several Officer and Committee positions which are not elected at the Annual General Membership Meeting, but are considered critical in supporting the Board of Directors. Individuals considered for appointment to these positions should possess the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively carry out these specialized functions in support of the Conference and the Board of Directors. 

Appointment of ASRC Officers supporting the Board The ASRC Chair shall nominate from the pool of Certified ASRC members, or with the advice and consent of the ASRC Board of Directors non-members, to the various ASRC Officer positions supporting the Board. The Board of Directors shall, by a simple majority, vote to approve or reject each proposed nominee.
Removal of ASRC Officers supporting the Board The Chair shall be authorized to remove any ASRC Officer supporting the Board, as the Chair deems necessary.

The Information Technology Officer and the Deputy Information Technology Officer shall be nominated by the Chair and elected by the Board of Directors.
Candidates for these offices must be current ASRC members or ASRC Board of Directors members in good standing, and enjoy the trust of members of the Board of Directors who will speak to this.
Candidates for these offices should demonstrate knowledge of information technology issues relevant to the ASRC, including website design and management, and information security issues.

In the event that a Group or individual member is convicted of a felony, the ASRC Board of Directors shall immediately place the Group or individual in a probationary status, until such time as the matter has been investigated by the Board of Directors. At such time, the Board of Directors shall make a recommendation on any further action which may be taken relative to the Group or member status with the ASRC.
Groups shall establish a process for screening and adjudicating member background investigation results.
The ASRC recommends a standard background investigation level of Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS) or Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
If an applicant with a felony conviction is accepted into a Group, the Group Chair must notify the Board of Directors by remitting the applicant’s name, conviction details and the date of the conviction to the ASRC Chair at chair@asrc.net. The Group Chair must notify the Board immediately on application acceptance.
If an existing member is convicted of a felony and is authorized to remain a member of the Group, the Group Chair must notify the Board of Directors by remitting the member’s name, conviction details and the date of the conviction to the ASRC Chair at chair@asrc.net. The Group Chair must notify the Board immediately on becoming aware of the conviction.

The Board of Directors can initiate disciplinary action against members or Groups who have violated ASRC policies, procedures, or Board Directives. As prescribed in the ASRC Bylaws, Article II, Section 6 and Section 7, ASRC investigative and disciplinary measures are outlined in.
Legal Actions In the case of disciplinary action, such action shall not prevent the Board of Directors from seeking the filing of criminal charges for the violation of law(s) of a Commonwealth/State where such activity took place. Nor will the disciplinary action limit or prevent the filing of Civil Suits, should such action be deemed necessary at the advice of the Conference’s legal advisor.
ASRC 

To become an ASRC Probationary Group, an organization must comply with the procedures as outlined in the ASRC Bylaws, Article III, Section 3.1.
A Certified Group may only sponsor one Probationary Group at a time.
Once the Sponsoring Group is assured that all prerequisites have been met, they will request in writing, a vote at the next Board of Directors meeting for certification of the sponsored group as a formal ASRC Probationary Group.

Certification requires compliance with procedures as outlined in the ASRC Bylaws, Article III, Section 3.3.
Upon a successful vote for acceptance by the ASRC Board and ASRC Certified Members, the Conference Secretary will record the date of the vote in the minutes of the meeting. The Secretary will prepare and send, within thirty days, a letter advising the Group of its Certified Group status.
If a negative vote is obtained, the Conference Secretary will prepare, and send, within thirty days, a letter advising the Group of the reasons for failure and what actions must be taken prior to reconsideration.

To become and remain an ASRC Certified Group (Class A or Class B), an organization must comply with the procedures as outlined in the ASRC Bylaws, Article III, Section 3.2.
Training level of Group members: To maintain span of control for each group’s training and operational activities, at the time that the Group’s status is reviewed for becoming or remaining an ASRC Certified Group, the Group’s official roster must reflect the following numbers of members  to ASRC standards or higher:
As reflected in the language above, members certified to a higher level count for each of these requirements.
The determination is made at the time of certified Group status review only.

The ASRC Board of Directors reserves the right to intervene in the case of major transgressions of ASRC policies, procedures, or Board Directives as outlined in the ASRC Bylaws, Article III, Section 3.4.

Upon becoming a member of the ASRC, an individual commits to the following expectations:
Abide by Article II of the ASRC Bylaws, ASRC Operational Guidance Manual, ASRC Training Standards and this ASRC Administrative Manual;
Abide by local administrative constraints and regulations as defined by the individual’s Group procedures and policies;
Submit to a background check, as requested. [The ASRC recommends a standard background investigation level of Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS) or Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)];
Membership in the ASRC does not provide any special immunity from any local, state, or federal laws. 
ASRC personnel are also members of Groups or a Corps. In order for members to participate in ASRC sponsored activities as an ASRC member, they must, at the time of an activity, hold membership in a Group or Corps.

A member of an ASRC Corps (e.g., ASRC Remote Support Corps) who is not a member of an ASRC Member Group is a Corps-Only Member.  This is a non-voting membership type pursuant to Section 5.1 of the bylaws.  Such members will apply and pay individual ASRC dues to the Corps Officer or designee, or other officer as specified in the Corps Charter.  This officer will maintain roster information and submit dues to the Treasurer as outlined in the ASRC Financial Policy.
The individual ASRC dues are defined as the “per Member” fee charged to Member Groups. A Corps member who is also a member of a Group shall not be assessed any additional ASRC dues.
There will not be a “per Group” fee for a Corps.

The ASRC as a whole, and its constituent Groups, have the authority to offer sustaining membership to individuals who desire such membership (ASRC Bylaws, Article II, Section 5).
Groups shall not consider Group Sustaining Members when counting members for the purpose of paying ASRC dues. Groups may set Group dues for Sustaining Members. 

ASRC 

The Conference strongly recommends that all member Groups appoint a Group Medical Director.
If a Group appoints a Medical Director, said Medical Director should be:
licensed by at least one US state or territory as a physician or osteopathic physician, but this need not be the state in which the majority of the Group’s members live, or the state in which the Group’s official address lies;
an Active Member of the ASRC, and a member of the Group for which the physician provides medical direction; CQ certification or higher is strongly recommended, but is not required;
A Group Medical Director may serve as the Medical Director of more than one Group.
Medical Directors shall become non-voting ex-officio members of the ASRC Medical Advisory Committee, and may be appointed to a voting membership in the Committee by the Board of Directors, and serve in this capacity at the pleasure of the Board of Directors.
Group Medical Directors should:
represent the first aid and medical interests of the Group to the ASRC Medical Advisory Committee;
monitor (and, if the Group Medical Director role as established by the Group or by state law and regulation includes this, oversee) any first aid or medical care provided by members of the Group, and work to ensure that such care is of the highest quality possible, and whenever possible, in accordance with the ASRC Medical Committee’s first aid and BLS protocols and other written recommendations; and
provide other services as required by the Group or state licensing bodies.

Best practices for first aid, EMS and medical care during search and rescue operations differs significantly from that on the street. Although the underlying principles are the same, the search and rescue context requires different decision-making and sometimes different treatment.
For both Groups and individual members, having formal expert advice on best practices for modification of “street” protocols protects against malpractice claims, criminal charges, and revocation of a state license or certification. Although the likelihood of such legal complications is low, it is prudent to protect against the as best we can. An example would be a recommended best practice of attempting to reduce shoulder dislocations in the field at the wilderness first aid level and above.
For example, assume a member “violates” street protocols by attempting to reduce a shoulder dislocation in the field, but is unsuccessful.
The patient might file a malpractice action against both member and Group for the member causing additional pain and suffering while violating standard “street” first aid and EMS protocols.
The state might press criminal charges for the member practicing medicine without a license while violating standard “street” first aid and EMS protocols.
If the member holds a First Responder or EMT certification, the state EMS agency might threaten to revoke the member’s certification for violating standard “street” first aid and EMS protocols.
Expert advice on such best practices will carry the most weight in court if it comes from a committee of search and rescue physicians, as opposed to a group that is mostly non-physician. Thus, the ASRC has established a Medical Advisory Committee as well as a Medical Committee.
 
Members of the Medical Advisory Committee shall be appointed by the Board of Directors, using the following criteria, and shall serve at the pleasure of the Board of Directors without terms or term limits:
Candidates for the Medical Advisory Committee must be have been licensed by at least one US state or territory as a physician or osteopathic physician, including those who were licensed but are now retired;
Candidates for the Medical Advisory Committee must have achieved, but are not required to maintain, CQ; or an equivalent level of credentialing in a subsequent version of the Training Standards of the Appalachian Search and Rescue Conference; 
The Board of Directors shall give preference for for appointment to the Committee candidates who have achieved  or higher ASRC certification;
The Board of Directors shall give preference for appointment to the Committee to physicians or osteopathic physicians who serve as Medical Director of an ASRC Group .

The Board of Directors shall select a member of the Medical Advisory Committee to serve as chair, who shall serve at the pleasure of the Board of Directors, without terms or term limits. For any external relations requiring the signature or assent of a single ASRC “Medical Director,” the Chair of the Medical Advisory Committee shall serve this function. The Chair of the Medical Advisory Committee shall report to the ASRC Chair.

Meetings of the Medical Advisory Committee shall be at the discretion of the Committee. Committee business may be conducted by email or other electronic means at the discretion of the Committee. Records of all votes, with relevant prior discussion, and all formal meetings, shall be filed with the conference Secretary and placed in the ASRC Archive. 

With the advice of the Medical Committee, develop and maintain a set of wilderness protocols, at both first aid and BLS levels, that are available to Groups to adopt if they so desire. When possible, these protocols should be evidence-based, and if that is not possible, protocols should in line with accepted standards of care, such as those promulgated by the Wilderness Medical Society.
In concert with the Medical Committee, work with state EMS offices, and in particular with state EMS Medical Directors, for the states in which the ASRC operates, to harmonize state wilderness EMS protocols across the states in which the ASRC operates. 
Work with Group Medical Directors and the ASRC Medical Committee to harmonize advanced medical care provided by those Groups that provide such care.
Work with Group Medical Directors and the ASRC Medical Committee to develop and harmonize credentialing across the ASRC for Groups that provide advanced care. 
Work with the ASRC Medical Committee to develop, maintain and improve a system of medical and first aid reporting that is suitable for the field yet provides adequate information for quality improvement efforts.
Review all first aid and medical care provided by the ASRC, with an eye to improvement in the quality of care. 
As appropriate, make formal written recommendations for improving first aid or medical care to the Medical Directors of ASRC Groups, or to the entire ASRC membership, via the Group Medical Directors.
Complete other tasks assigned by the ASRC Board of Directors.

Members of the ASRC Medical Advisory Committee shall be ex-officio voting members of the Medical Committee.
For Groups who identify a Group Medical Officer or similar position, such Group officers shall be ex-officio voting members of the Medical Committee.
The Chair may appoint additional interested ASRC members to the Medical Committee with the advice and consent of the current Medical Committee membership.
The Chair may remove members from Medical Committee with the advice and consent of the current Medical Committee membership.

The Chair shall be appointed by the Chair of the ASRC Board of Directors.
The Chair shall be supervised by, and report to, the Chair of the ASRC Board of Directors.
The Chair serves at the pleasure of the Chair of ASRC Board of Directors.
Vice-Chair
The Vice-Chair shall be appointed by the Chair of the ASRC Board of Directors.
The Vice-Chair serves at the pleasure of the Chair of the ASRC Board of Directors.
The Vice-Chair shall carry out duties as assigned by the Chair.
The Chair shall mentor the Vice-Chair with the expectation that, at some point, the Vice-Chair shall become Chair.

Meetings of the Medical Committee shall be at the discretion of the Committee. Committee business may be conducted by email or other electronic means at the discretion of the Committee. Records of all votes, with relevant prior discussion, and all formal meetings, shall be filed with the conference Secretary and placed in the ASRC Archive. 

Assist the Medical Advisory Committee to develop and maintain a set of wilderness protocols, at both first aid and BLS levels, 
In concert with the Medical Advisory Committee, work with state EMS offices, and in particular with state EMS Medical Directors, for the states in which the ASRC operates, to harmonize state wilderness EMS protocols across the states in which the ASRC operates. 
Work with Group Medical Directors and the ASRC Medical Advisory Committee to harmonize advanced medical care provided by those Groups that provide such care.
Work with Group Medical Directors and the ASRC Medical Advisory Committee to develop and harmonize credentialing across the ASRC for Groups that provide advanced care. 
Develop, monitor and maintain a system for obtaining, compiling and securely archiving Group medical reports, analyzing them for patterns, and forwarding them to the Medical Advisory Committee for expert review. 
Develop, maintain and disseminate to the Groups a comprehensive reference to laws, regulations and other considerations relevant to the practice of wilderness first aid, wilderness EMS and wilderness medicine in the states in which ASRC Groups operation.
Assist the Conference Operations Officer by making recommendations as to recommended team medical equipment, and lists of medical equipment required of ASRC Groups for certification.
Monitor developments in wilderness first aid, EMS and wilderness medicine, provide relevant information on such developments to the Groups as appropriate, and make recommendations to the Medical Advisory Committee for new formal recommendations as appropriate. 
Perform other duties as assigned by the Chair of the ASRC Board of Directors.

Volunteer organizations pay their members, not with money, but with job satisfaction and recognition of service. For those who have provided exceptional service, we have ASRC Fellowship. But service that doesn’t rise to this level still deserves to be recognized. Thus, sometime around 1990, the ASRC established the Years-of-Service Award. The practice was first documented in the Admin Manual in 2017. 

The ASRC shall award a Years-of-Service Award to any member of the ASRC who has served for five years, and for increments of five additional years: 5-year-awards, 10-year awards, 15-year awards, and so on in increments of 5 years. This shall be calculated by year rather than day or month: for example, a member who joined at the ASRC’s inception in 1974 would have been eligible for a 5-year award at the ASRC General Membership Meeting (AGM) in 1979, and a 10-year award at the AGM in 1984. The years are counted from the year that member’s Group was granted probationary ASRC membership.
These years need not be served continuously; a member who leaves and then rejoins may total the years. These shall be counted by year. A member who leaves the ASRC in 2016 and rejoins in 2017 shall be treated as having not left the ASRC A member who leaves in 2016 and rejoins in 2018 shall be considered to have lost one year.
Members whose Groups leave the ASRC, or cease functioning, shall be considered to have left the ASRC.
ASRC Fellows who are not members of a Group shall be considered for Years-of-Service Awards as if the Fellow were an ASRC member. The year of election as a Fellow shall be considered as the start of the Fellow’s years of service.
ASRC Board of Directors members who are not members of a Group shall be considered for Years-of-Service Awards as if the board member were an ASRC member. The year of election as a board member shall be considered as the start of the board member’s years of service.
Those who have terms as a member or as a non-member Fellow or non-member Board of Directors member shall have their terms of years as member and as non-member Fellow and as a non-member member of the Board of Directors totaled separately and added by simple integral addition.

A month or two prior to each ASRC General Membership Meeting, the Secretary shall notify the ASRC representatives of the Groups, and the Group Chair of record, to solicit the names of those eligible for Years-of-Service Awards and their years of service.
Groups shall be responsible for forwarding member eligibility information to the Secretary. 
For ASRC Fellows or members of the ASRC Board of Directors who are not members of a Group, the Secretary shall assess eligibility.

Each member or Fellow or Board of Directors member receiving a Years-of-Service Award shall be provided with a certificate from the Secretary of the ASRC including: the full name of the ASRC, the ASRC logo, the name of the member or Fellow, the date of the award, and the signature of the Chair of the ASRC. The format of the award certificate is specified in the Branding Manual. 

For the minutes of each ASRC General Membership Meeting, the Secretary shall attach an addendum listing the names of those receiving a Years-of-Service Award and the number of years of service for which the award is given.
ASRC 

For those who have provided exceptional service over a long period, we have ASRC Fellowship. For persistence in the face of the challenges of staying active in search and rescue, we have the Years-of-Service award. But some intensive service, irrespective of the years of the member’s service, deserves to be specifically rewarded. 

Any ASRC member, Fellow or Board of Directors member may recommend that the Board of Directors award an Outstanding Achievement Award to a particular member, Fellow or Board of Directors member. 

The Board of Directors may issue an Outstanding Achievement Award to any member, Fellow or non-member Board of Directors member. 
It is up to the Board of Directors to determine who should receive such an award, and such an award shall be conferred by a majority vote of the Board of Directors.
There is no schedule for the Board of Directors to issue Outstanding Achievement Awards; for example, it is not a yearly award. The Board of Directors may issue as many or as few as it desires. 

The Board of Directors shall consider Outstanding Achievement Awards for those who have performed exceptional service to the Appalachian Search and Rescue Conference or the greater search and rescue community, or advanced the art and science of search and rescue. Simply having served as an officer or committee chair or member of the Board of Directors is not sufficient for an Outstanding Achievement Award. Examples include but are not limited to:
providing major logistical support for ASRC activities on a regular basis,
advancing the art and science of search management, rescue or wilderness medicine,
providing exceptional search and rescue related education to ASRC members and others, 
exceptional service as an ASRC officer, committee chair or member of the Board of Directors, both in terms of activity and in terms of length of service, or
sustained attendance at trainings and missions, both in the field and in Base, with demonstrated excellence that serves as an example to others. 

Each member, Fellow or non-member Board of Directors member receiving a Outstanding Achievement Award shall be provided with a certificate from the Secretary of the ASRC including: the full name of the ASRC, the ASRC logo, the name of the member or Fellow, the date of the award, the achievements for which the award was granted and the signature of the Chair of the ASRC. The format of the award is specified in the Branding Manual. 

The Secretary shall list, in the minutes of the Board of Directors meeting, the names of those receiving a Outstanding Achievement Award and the achievement(s) for which the award is given.

The Appalachian Search and Rescue Conference Strategic Plan clearly states the organization’s mission and its core values. 
Mission: The mission of the ASRC is to locate the lost person efficiently by enabling its member teams to provide the best search and rescue services possible to responsible agencies.
Core Values: We expect honesty, integrity and true professionalism in everything we do.
We value member teams who show commitment, through their training, actions, and leadership, to the health and safety of all persons engaged in a mission or training exercise.
We value the fundamental principles and skills of search and rescue as the cornerstone for our member teams to be high quality resources for responsible authorities.
We value technology leadership and practice innovation as the foundations to advancing the state-of-the-art of search and rescue in our region.
We value search management excellence, with search managers embracing the critically important practices of safe incident operations, quality service to the responsible authority, best practice implementation, and an awareness of risk management.
We expect teamwork and goodwill among all member teams, regardless of location or practice specialty.

The honorific title of Fellow of the Appalachian Search and Rescue Conference may be given to individuals who, through their actions, demonstrate, to the highest levels, these core values. 
To be considered for this honor, the individual must:
Have been an active member of the ASRC for at least 10 years.
Have been certified at a level of  or above.
Have exhibited extensive active involvement in lost person search and rescue beyond that of their home search and rescue organization.
Have extensive involvement in the teaching of the art of search and rescue.
Have advanced the art of search and rescue in one or more of: 
Search or rescue technology, 
Search management, 
Search or rescue theory, 
Search or rescue practice, or 
Wilderness medicine.

Nominations for Fellow of the ASRC may be made by any member of an ASRC Group in good standing. Nominations shall be provided, in writing, to the Secretary of the ASRC. Documentation associated with such nominations should include a narrative detailing the ways in which the nominee meets each of the stated requirements.
The Secretary of the ASRC shall provide to all Group representatives the documentation submitted in support of the nominee. The ASRC Board of Directors shall have 60 days for clarification of the supplied documentation and for consultation with their Group. The ASRC Board of Directors shall vote on bestowing the title on the nominee with a super majority of three fifths or sixty percent. 
Confirmed Fellows of the ASRC shall be provided with a certificate from the Secretary of the ASRC including: the full name of the ASRC, the ASRC logo, the name of the Fellow, the date of the fellowship vote, and the signature of the Chair of the ASRC. The format of the award certificate is specified in the Branding Manual. Fellowship shall be for life.

Due process of law long has been an important feature of Anglo-American law. The fifth and fourteenth amendments to the US Constitution enshrined this principle, saying that no person may be deprived of life, liberty or property without due process of law. 
In the US, the Supreme Court has outlined four aspects of due process:
Procedural due process means that the government has to follow fair procedures before depriving a person of life, liberty or property. One example is getting notice of the charges being levied against you. Another is having an opportunity to rebut those charges. A third is having some sort of neutral decision maker to hear the charges and make whatever ruling is appropriate.
Substantive due process allows courts to protect certain fundamental rights from government interference, even if procedural protections are present or the rights are not specifically mentioned elsewhere in the US Constitution.
Vague laws are prohibited.
Incorporation, which in this context. means that courts have applied portions of the U.S. Bill of Rights, not only to the Federal government, but also to the states, but not to organizations such as the ASRC. However, it is reasonable for us to look to these principles and to incorporate those we think appropriate into our policy. If an internal ASRC dispute reaches a court, the court will look most closely at whether we followed our own policies in that particular case. 
Other US legal principles, such as the presumption of innocence and a trial by a jury of peers, also figure into some organizations’ disciplinary policies.
In standard legal usage and in this document, “written”
While representing themselves as members of the ASRC, individual members and Groups are expected to follow the policies and procedures set forth in the ASRC’s governing documents. Individual members or Groups who violate these policies and procedures may face disciplinary action. In all cases, where complaints are made against a member or a Group, the following process shall be used.

ASRC members or Groups who become aware of a potential violation of Conference policies and procedures by an individual ASRC member or ASRC Group may file a complaint. Disputes and complaints should be resolved at the lowest level possible. If a dispute is between members of the same Group, the complaint should be filed using the Group’s disciplinary process. If the complainant or the accused believes the complaint has been inadequately addressed by the Group’s disciplinary process, either Group member may then file the complaint with the ASRC. However, intra-Group complaints should be addressed within the Group first. 
Non-ASRC members and teams may also file a complaint against an individual ASRC member or ASRC Group. An individual, Group or outside team making a complaint is expected to document the details of the alleged violation, for example, statements of witnesses specifically identifying time, place, and substance of material false statements by the alleged violator.
Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the informal counseling of an individual ASRC member or ASRC Group by an authoritative representative of the Conference in reference to minor infractions of policy or procedure, and this counseling shall not result in disciplinary action.
Complaints must be brought to the Group Chair or ASRC Chair. Complaints must be in writing, and must be filed within 60 days of the discovery of the alleged offense or the complaint shall not be accepted.
Complainants do not need to have witnesses or other external evidence; an individual’s testimony is adequate if documented in reasonable detail in writing. 

Nothing in this Administrative Manual shall be interpreted as to prevent the Board of Directors from, on its own initiative, requesting information about a potential violation of ASRC policies, discussing the issues or opening a formal investigation, as determined to be appropriate by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may also accept a complaint filed more than 60 days after the reported action. This is true even if the information comes from a complaint that has been dismissed with prejudice. It is particularly true for certain protected classes of complaint, such as sexual, racial, or other illegal harassment, financial misconduct, or situations where the safety of ASRC members or the public may be endangered, and when the Board of Directors should begin gathering information without a formal complaint having been filed.
Upon receipt of an adequately supported written complaint from a Group Chair or officer of a non-ASRC organization, an individual ASRC member or other individual, the ASRC Chair shall, within 30 days of receipt, appoint an investigator who was not involved in the incident. The investigator, when questioning the subject individual(s), shall provide written notice in sufficient detail as to the nature of the investigation, conduct the inquiry at a reasonable time of day, interview for a reasonable duration, give the individual(s) periods for rest and personal necessities, and shall not use offensive language or offer any incentive as an inducement to answer any questions. 
At the time the investigator is appointed, the Chair shall ensure that the investigator is provided with written guidance regarding required investigative steps and time lines. Such guidance shall include without limitation a requirement to provide a written  update to the Chair at appropriate intervals, which shall be not less than monthly. Updates will be considered timely if provided within two business days of a due date; failure to provide more than one update timely may result in removal of the investigator and censure or other disciplinary measures. Parties involved in the investigation may request updates from the Chair in writing including by email; the Chair shall respond to such a request within one week from the date the request is received. 
No formal investigation may be opened unless the relevant parties are provided with a written  (with receipt confirmed) explanation of the basis for investigations inquiring into those parties’ actions. If an investigation arises from a filed complaint, or a portion thereof, the parties shall be provided with a copy of such complaint or portion thereof. The appointed investigator shall not conduct interviews before such documents are provided to the parties.
If a recording of any interview is made, and if a transcript of such inquiry is made, the subject individual(s) or Group and interviewee shall be entitled to a copy without charge.
The investigator shall interview the subject individual(s) and the complainant, and collect pertinent information from others. The investigator shall make a preliminary assessment whether the available evidence supports proceeding with a formal investigation or whether the complaint should be dismissed, and shall forward this recommendation to the ASRC Chair.
In evaluating the investigator’s report, the Chair may make additional investigations; a summary of these investigations shall become part of the Chair’s final report.

The ASRC Chair shall consider the findings and recommendations of the investigator. Based on the investigator’s report, and additional investigations by the Chair as appropriate, the Chair shall create a report with findings of fact. Any investigations by the Chair shall be summarized in the Chair’s report. The Chair’s report shall include a recommendation for one of the four following courses of action (Corrective Actions, Dismissal, Dismissal with Prejudice, or BOD Hearing). The Chair shall communicate this this report in writing to the Board of Directors, which shall consider and vote on the determination. 
If the Board of Directors does not vote affirmatively on the Chair’s recommendation for a course of action, either as presented or as modified by the Board of Directors, or if the Chair recommends other than concluding the investigation, then the Board of Directors shall determine an alternative disposition for the matter at that time.

If, after review of the Chair’s report, the Board of Directors determines that further action, including without limitation a hearing in front of the Board of Directors, is not useful or appropriate, and that the more severe penalties listed below (probation, letter of censure, suspension, or expulsion from the ASRC) are not warranted, this shall conclude the investigation and shall be final and dispositive for this particular matter. 

A formal complaint filed with the ASRC Chair, or portions of such a complaint, that the Board of Directors determines are insufficiently substantiated by the evidence presented, may be dismissed without prejudice. The complaint may be re-filed at a later date if the complainant discovers or is able to provide additional evidence; the 60-day period starts anew with the new filing.
e
A formal complaint filed with the ASRC Chair, or portions of such a complaint, that the Board of Directors determines is insufficiently substantiated by the evidence presented and it is unlikely that any additional evidence will be forthcoming, may be dismissed (see section G above); only a second complaint from the same complainant about the same individual or Group, about the same or a similar matter, may be dismissed with prejudice. Dismissal with prejudice means the complaint may not be refiled, regardless of any additional supporting evidence. 
This dismissal shall not pertain to allegations of harassment based on a legally protected category, physical violence or threats of physical violence, and more generally, any allegations or actions that might trigger the Board’s fiduciary duty to investigate.
Dismissal with prejudice is designed to prevent repeated unsubstantiated complaints of serious misconduct against others. Therefore, it requires not a simple majority vote of the Board of Directors but a 2/3 majority vote. 
Any individual or Group that files a second complaint that is dismissed with prejudice, whether relating to the first complaint or not, may be subject to censure or other disciplinary action.
Dismissal with prejudice does not prevent the Chair from accepting a complaint from an individual ASRC member or Group about a different issue.
Dismissal with prejudice does not prevent the Board of Directors from soliciting or hearing additional information about an issue related to a complaint that was dismissed with prejudice, as described in section D on page 27.

If the ASRC Board of Directors determines it is necessary and appropriate to hold a formal hearing, the following procedures will occur:
The ASRC Chair shall notify the subject individual(s) or Group(s) (in this section, “individual” shall include Group) in writing of the time and place of the Hearing. The notice will include:
details of the allegations filed against the accused person,
who presented the allegations, and 
the evidence against the subject individual(s) in the form of documents and identification of witnesses
The Hearing may be held no sooner than 7 days and no later than 62 days from the date of receipt by the subject individual(s) of written notification. The ASRC Chair or Board of Directors may make an exception to these time limits.
The ASRC Chair shall call the Hearing to order and preside over the hearing. If the Chair is the subject individual, the complainant, or a witness the ASRC Vice Chair will preside. If both Officers are involved, the Board of Directors will appoint a member of the ASRC Board of Directors to preside.
Disciplinary Hearings will be closed meetings. The accused individual(s) may elect to hold an open Hearing. The presiding officer, on his own motion or at the direction of the Board of Directors, may close a portion of an open Hearing in order to protect confidential or sensitive information, the safety or privacy of an individual, or as otherwise necessary. The subject individual may appeal an order of closure to the Board of Directors for a written determination and the Hearing will be stayed pending the Board’s determination.
The subject individual(s) may choose an advisor to be present, and may consult with the advisor during the Hearing. The advisor may participate in the Hearing. The subject individual(s) shall be given the opportunity to hear all evidence presented and cross-examine all witnesses who testify. The accused individual(s) may present witnesses and evidence. The subject may may remain silent when questioned, but the Board of Directors may take a negative inference from such silence.
Hearings shall be flexible enough not to restrict the gathering of all facts related to the Hearing and may use the following format.
Opening Statement by the Hearing Chair – which may include general welcome, introduction of the principles in the case, brief summary of the allegations, a review of the format for the hearing, and how the final decision will be reached.
Presentation by the Investigator of the Allegations and Evidence – Presentation and questioning of witnesses by the investigator. Members of the Board of Directors may raise questions at any time during presentations by the investigator, subject individual(s), or witnesses. The subject individual(s) or advisor may ask any witness questions at the conclusion of their testimony with the investigator.
Presentation of Evidence and Testimony – by the accused individual(s) (or advisor), including witnesses. The Board of Directors may ask questions at any time during presentations by the subject individual(s) or their witnesses.
Closing statement – by the investigator.
Closing statement – by the subject individual(s) or advisor. The presiding officer may permit closing statements to be provided after the Hearing in writing.

After the Hearing concludes, the Board of Directors will then go into a closed session. During the closed session, only Board members may be present. 
If the Board of Directors believes that additional testimony or additional questions of the subject individual(s), complainant, investigator, or a witness is required, the Board of Directors may reopen the Hearing. 
While in closed session, the Board of Directors may deliberate freely. For each allegation presented, the Board will determine whether it is supported by substantial evidence. The Board will determine whether the subject individual(s) committed the alleged violation based on the preponderance of the evidence (more probable than not). Determination will by a 2/3 majority. 
Each Board member will have one vote. The Hearing Chair will be allowed to vote, if a member of the Board of Directors. 
If the subject individual(s), complainant, or the investigator is a member of the Board of Directors they will not be included in deliberations and will not be authorized to vote. Instead, they may choose an individual to serve on the Board for the purposes of the disciplinary hearing. This selected person will be allowed to vote.
Minutes of closed sessions of the Board of Directors shall be separate from the general Board of Directors meeting minutes and shall not be stored in the general ASRC Archive, but shall be stored in a secure location only available to Board of Directors members.

If the subject individual is found to have committed the alleged violation(s), the Board of Directors must determine the appropriate penalty. Selection of the penalty will occur by a simple majority vote. The Hearing Chair will not cast a vote except in the need to break a tie vote. The Board of Directors may select from the following penalties.
Probation – A written warning indicating that the subject individual has been judged to have committed violation of ASRC policies or procedures. Probation shall be for a specified period, not to exceed two years. An individual who has been placed on probation and is found to have committed an additional violation will be required to appear before the Board of Directors for consideration of further action including without limitation expulsion. Upon completion of the probationary period with no other infraction, the record of violation shall be permanently removed from the individual’s file.
Letter of Censure – A letter of censure is a written confirmation that the individual has been judged to have committed a violation of ASRC policies or procedures. A letter of censure becomes a permanent part of the individual’s file.
Suspension – Suspension from Search Activities and/or suspension from the ASRC. Suspension will be imposed for a specified period, not to exceed one year. The period will be set by the Board of Directors. Suspension from the ASRC will preclude the individual from participating in any ASRC missions, events, meetings, or representing themselves as a member of the ASRC during the suspension period.
Expulsion from the ASRC – This penalty will be imposed when the individual has been judged yo have committed a very serious infraction, including a very serious infraction of ASRC policies or procedures, as outlined in the ASRC Bylaws, Article II, Section 7
Other Relevant Sanctions – In addition to the penalties described above, other sanctions may be imposed, such as, but not limited to; restitution, designated service or special projects, etc.

The subject individual(s) (and the subject member’s Group Chair) will be informed of the Board of Directors determination and penalty decision following deliberations. In all cases, the presiding officer shall prepare a summary document detailing the determination but not details of the deliberations. If the subject has left the Hearing before a decision is reached, the Board of Directors will provide the written determination to the subject within 10 days of having reached a decision.

As outlined in the ASRC Articles of Incorporation, Article XI (B), action may be taken without a meeting. Electronic voting is intended primarily for non-controversial issues, but will be used in order to continue to conduct important conference business between formally scheduled Board of Director meetings. The overarching purpose to take action without a meeting will be to timely and effectively conduct the business of the conference.

Electronic Voting Timeline	
–	Motion proposed by board of directors member by email.	
Day 0	Motion seconded by BOD member by email and is automatically put to the question.	
Day 7	Discussion period ends (unless extended). Chair or Secretary notifies BOD that voting has started (voting closes once 75% have voted)	
Day 14	Secretary reminds those who have not voted to vote, if needed.	
Day 21	if 75% have not voted, Chair may declare lack of quorum and close vote, or extend voting period	

A formal proposal may be initiated by one of the Board of Directors via electronic mail to the current list of the Board of Directors. Another Board Member may second the motion by formally indicating such in a reply to the original, electronic correspondence. Unless otherwise formally specified by the ASRC Chair, the ASRC Chair automatically states the question on the motion.
 
Unless otherwise specified or extended by the ASRC Chair, a debate period of 7 calendar days will be allotted to ensure ample time for Board Members to formally debate all facets of the motion. A significant amendment to the main motion, if seconded, is an example of when the Chair might extend the discussion period. If deemed necessary by the ASRC Chair to further facilitate effective debate, or if specifically requested by a Board member, a special teleconference may be scheduled, or the issue may be postponed until the next scheduled Board of Directors meeting.

After the 7 calendar day debate period, unless otherwise formally specified by the ASRC Chair, the ASRC Chair shall proceed to put the question in the form of a formal electronic notification to the current list of Board of Directors that voting will commence. The ASRC Chair may direct the ASRC Secretary to issue this notification.
The electronic notification will include the motion, a summary of debate topics, a current list of ASRC Board of Director Representatives eligible to vote on the matter and any other relevant instruction specific to the vote.

The ASRC Secretary, or other designee as directed by the ASRC Chair, shall issue to each of the current ASRC Board of Directors a personalized, electronic ballot link in order to respond to the question and cast their vote.
The personalized ballot will contain the Board member name, Group affiliation, date, time and exact wording of the motion. The ballot will also contain the Board member, Group affiliation, date and time of the second.
The electronic ballot will allow the ASRC Board Member to respond (a) In Favor of Motion, (b) Opposed to Motion, (c) Abstained from Motion. In order to properly manage and confirm registered responses, the electronic record will also require that the Board Member enter First Name, Last Name, Team Name, Phone Number, Email Address and Home Zip Code.
If an electronic form is used, and a Board member is unable to complete the form due to technical difficulties, then an email from the Board member’s registered email address, containing all of the above information, is emailed to the Secretary, this shall be an acceptable alternate to the electronic form. 
The format of the tracking number assigned to each electronic vote will adhere to the following parameters:
##-MMYYYY (eg: 01-022010 – First motion of February 2010) 
## - This is the motion number, sequential starting at 01 
MM – This is the month the motion was made in numerical digits 
YYYY – This is the year the motion was made in numerical digits

The response period will be open until such time as at least 75% of those entitled to vote with respect to subject matter respond to the electronic invitation by formally registering In Favor, Opposed or Abstained or for at least 14 calendar days.
The ASRC Secretary will monitor the status of responses and will issue at least one formal reminder at the 7 calendar day mark, addressed personally to those Board Members that have not yet responded to the question. The reminder will contain basic information about the motion and will contain a personalized link for the Board Member to electronically register their response.
If 75% of the Board Members do not respond to the electronic invitation within the 14 calendar day response period, the ASRC Chair shall consider it the absence of a quorum. At that time, the ASRC Chair may request that additional electronic or telephonic reminders are issued in order to obtain a quorum or the ASRC Chair may render the question null and void.

A majority vote in the affirmative adopts any motion brought before the Board of Directors in an electronic vote format, unless otherwise specifically identified under parliamentary rules (per Preamble of the ASRC Bylaws 1.3, the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised), or specific rules, such as requiring a 2/3 majority, found elsewhere in the Administrative Manual, in the Bylaws, or the Articles of Incorporation. 

At the conclusion of the 14 calendar day electronic voting period, the ASRC Secretary will provide to the ASRC Chair a summary of all responses to the question and at the direction of the ASRC Chair, the ASRC Secretary will prepare and disseminate a formal electronic notification to the Board of Directors regarding the voting result. The notification may include:
Declaration that the motion was adopted or lost
Details of the motion and the second
Details of the response cast by each of the ASRC Board of Director Representatives
A summary of the response statistics and any pertinent details regarding the effect of the vote.

 and Allowable Use of the ASRC Emblem/Logo

The ASRC logo is used to meet several objectives. First and foremost, it serves as the organization’s primary means of formally identifying the ASRC and its members. 
Use of the ASRC Name, Patch, and Emblem/Logo – The ASRC name, emblem or logo, whether incorporated in the ASRC patch or in some other form, is the most readily recognized symbol of the organization. Its use on missions or for official business purposes is encouraged. However, general personal use of the name/emblem/logo provides unacceptable opportunity for misrepresentation of the organization. The use of the ASRC name, patch and/or emblem/logo shall be limited to official, ASRC sponsored business (including, but not limited to, training and missions at Group or conference levels), except that the logo on personal items such as member’s personal vehicles. Once an individual is no longer an ASRC member, or a Group is no longer a member Group of the ASRC, that individual or Group may no longer display the ASRC logo. 
Display of ASRC patches by Non-ASRC Organizations – Non-ASRC organizations/individuals may receive patches for display in patch collections (or other appropriate displays) through request to the ASRC Board of Directors.

Group members may optionally wear their own standard group uniform. Use of the ASRC uniform is not mandatory.
General
The ASRC Uniform consists primarily of a standard light blue work shirt with certain specified patches on it: the ASRC patch on the left shoulder, medical patch on the right shoulder, Group patch on the left breast, name on the right breast, and above the name, an optional Mountain Rescue Association or state SAR council patch. (Left and right refer to the left and right of the person wearing the uniform shirt.) No other patches or symbolic devices may be worn on the ASRC uniform shirt. 
T-shirt – A yellow T-shirt with a black ASRC logo on the left breast, and optionally a large black ASRC logo on the back, may be used. However, the standard blue uniform shirt is preferred wear at the Incident Command Post or Base. 
Enforcement of uniform standards shall be the responsibility of the Group Training Officer. 
The Vice-Chair of the ASRC Board of Directors shall be responsible for identifying and publishing sources of uniform shirts and patches as well as recommending preferred providers.
Shirt specification
The ASRC uniform shirt is a light blue shirt1, either long-sleeve or short-sleeve. Button-up shirt with collar (blue chambray, technical, or synthetic fabrics are acceptable).
Left Shoulder – On the left sleeve, just below the shoulder, shall be a standard 4” diameter ASRC patch. Below the ASRC patch, rockers designating ASRC certification level may be worn, but are not required. Although patches with the new logo are preferred, patches using the old logo are acceptable indefinitely. 
Right Shoulder – On the right sleeve, just below the shoulder, shall be a patch or patches indicating the member’s medical qualifications, if any. As a general rule, if the member has multiple medical qualifications, the highest qualification shall be represented here. Rocker bars or other qualifying patches (e.g., instructor rocker, EMT or first aid level rocker, or Wilderness EMT patch) may be added.
Left Breast – On the left breast may be a Group patch. The Group patch shall be less than 4” in maximum dimension.
Right Breast – On the right breast, just above the pocket, shall be one of two name devices, and above this, an optional patch as described below. Groups may specify one of the two name options as required for Group members, and Groups may make policy as far as patches to be worn above the name.
Name Option 1 – Plastic Name Plate: A 3/4” by 3” plastic engraved nameplate, white on blue, with the member’s first and last name on top and “Appalachian Search & Rescue” below, may be used.
Name Option 2 – Sewn Name Tape: An Air Force standard white-on-blue sewn name tape, with the member’s name, may be used.
Optional Patch – Above the name plate or name tape, members may wear, by Group policy, or if no Group policy has been established, by individual option, either a state search and rescue council patch, or for qualified members, a small (“cap”) Mountain Rescue Association patch.
Outer Garments – There is no requirement for an ASRC uniform outer garment. However, members may place patches as specified for the ASRC uniform, and only such patches, on an outer garment to wear as an ASRC uniform outer garment. For a vest, members should place on the vest only those patches that would be worn on the left and right breast of the member’s uniform shirt. There is no specification for color or material for outer uniform garments.
Pants – Jeans are not to be worn with the ASRC uniform shirt. Otherwise, there is no specification for pants. For formal occasions, navy blue pants may be worn.
The Made Simple

All members of ASRC Groups and Corps listed on rosters sent to the ASRC Secretary are required to: 
Read, complete and sign a printed copy of the current ASRC Application and Release; 
Securely save the printed ASRC Application and Release in the member’s personal records; and
Electronically sign a form on the ASRC website attesting to the reading, completion, signing and saving of the ASRC Application and Release.
Upon approval of this provision of the Administrative Manual, all ASRC Groups and Corps shall ensure that all their members have, within 90 days, complied with the provisions of section 1., above. ASRC members who do not meet this requirement shall have all ASRC, Group and Corps membership terminated.  Those who have signed a prior version of the ASRC Application and Release are exempt from this provision.
Groups and Corps shall ensure that all applicants for membership, including without exception all members of all classes, follow the requirements of section 1., above.

It is strongly recommended that non-member participants in all ASRC regional training, Group training or Corps training: 
Read, complete and sign a printed copy of the ASRC Training Release; and
Present the completed and signed copy of the ASRC Training Release to the leader of the training session.
The leader for a Group or Corps training session should collect signed copies of the ASRC Training Release from all nonmember participants, and submit to the officer designated by their primary Group or Corps to accept releases. The officer receiving these signed forms should ensure that they are scanned and placed in a file by the Group or Corps. For an ASRC Regional Training, the Conference Training Officer shall charge a particular individual to accept, scan and file such releases.
Team  [reserved]

Any potential claim under the ASRC’s insurance shall be reported to the ASRC Risk Management Officer with a copy to the ASRC Chair. 
Those filing reports of a potential claim shall do so as soon as practical after the incident occasioning the potential insurance claim.
For education and risk mitigation, the Risk Management Officer shall ensure that a potential insurance claim have an anonymized report filed using the ASRC’s incident and near-miss reporting system

The Risk Management Officer shall maintain secure and redundant records of all such reports. The Risk Management Officer shall send an anonymized version of the report with no personal information to ASRC Board of Directors members. The Risk Management Officer shall maintain secure and redundant records of those other than ASRC Board of Directors members and Officers who have accessed these records.
The Risk Management Officer, with the advice and consent of the Chair, shall determine whether to handle the situation as self-insurance (pay for losses directly from ASRC funds to avoid increasing insurance costs), to file a claim with the ASRC’s insurance carrier, or request additional information. This assessment shall include a review of the report to insure that all requirements for insurance coverage have been met and addressed in the report. The Risk Management Officer or Chair may request a review of the entire Board of Directors to guide them in this decision.

With the advice and consent by majority vote of the ASRC Board of Directors, the Chair of the Board of Directors shall appoint, and may remove, the Publications Committee Chair with the advice and consent, by an affirmative vote, of the Board of Directors. The Publications Committee Chair need not be a member of the Board of Directors. The Publications Committee Chair shall report to, and be accountable to the ASRC Board of Directors.
With the advice and consent by majority vote of the ASRC Board of Directors, the Chair of the Board of Directors shall appoint two additional voting members of the Publications Committee, with the advice and consent, by an affirmative vote, of the Board of Directors. The voting members must be members of the Board of Directors and must not be from the same Group.
The following ASRC officers shall be non-voting ex-officio members of the Publications Committee:
Conference Training Officer
Risk Management Officer
Credentialing Board Chair
Information Technology Officer
The Chair of the Publications Committee may appoint, and may remove, additional non-voting members of the Publications Committee. These members need not be ASRC members.
The Chair of the Publications Committee shall notify the Secretary and Information Technology Officer of any changes to the membership, including name and contact information, of the Publications Committee so this names may be a matter of public record, though contact information shall be restricted to ASRC members.

The Publications Committee shall be responsible for the content of any publication that has an educational or similar content and a Creative Commons license except for our governing documents; examples include Essentials for Search and Rescue and the One-Pagers as well as training slide-shows or videos.
The decisions of the Publications Committee to publish or revise do not need to be reviewed or approved by the Board of Directors, but the Board of Directors  may review or override a decision of the Publications Committee. 
The Publications Committee Chair shall apprise the Secretary and the Information Technology Officer of any new, revised or retracted publications so that this information may be of public record. The Publications Committee Chair shall submit any new or revised publications to the Archivist to be placed in the ASRC Archive and linked on the public pages of the ASRC website.

A Corps is functional grouping of individuals within the ASRC formed at the discretion of the ASRC Board of Directors.   
The mission of a Corps is to provide resources trained to support the operational mission of all of the ASRC Groups where those resources are trained in a specific functional area of SAR operations, but are not associated with a geography.

To be created, a Corps shall have a Corps Charter that is approved by the ASRC Board of Directors. The Corps Charter shall serve as the Corps governance document. 
As needed, amendments to the Corps Charter shall be proposed by the membership of the Corps, in accordance with the provisions of the Corps Charter. Changes to Corps Charter must be approved by the ASRC Board of Directors. 

Each Corps shall have a Corps Officer named after the Corps (for example, Remote Support Officer). The duties and authority of the Corps Officer shall be detailed in the Corps Charter. For a new Corps, the first Corps Officer shall be appointed by the Board of Directors. 
Each Corps shall have a Deputy Corps Officer named after the Corps (for example, Deputy Remote Support Officer). The duties and authority of the Deputy Corps Officer shall be detailed in the Corps Charter. For a new Corps, the first Deputy Corps Officer shall be appointed by the Board of Directors.  
Every year or as needed, the membership of the Corps, in accordance with procedures in its Corps Charter, shall nominate Corps members for the posts of Corps Officer and Deputy Corps Officer. The Corps shall forward these nominations to the ASRC Board of Directors, who shall consider this nomination either at the next scheduled ASRC Board of Directors meeting or by electronic vote. A simple majority of ASRC Board of Directors votes cast is required to confirm a Corps Officer and Deputy Corps Officer.
The Corps Officer shall be an ex-officio member of the ASRC Board of Directors, non-voting unless otherwise qualified for a vote on the ASRC Board of Directors. The Deputy Corps Officer shall serve as an alternate ex-officio member of the ASRC Board of Directors, non-voting unless otherwise qualified for a vote on the ASRC Board of Directors.

In the event a situation is not addressed in this document, the ASRC Chair may contact appropriate members of the Conference. The ASRC Chair may then confer with other members of the Conference and take action as required by the situation, but within the intent and scope of the Administrative Manual policies and procedures. Such actions shall be brought before the Board of Directors for review at the next Board of Directors meeting. 

Available old versions are posted in the ASRC Archive at http://archive.asrc.net.

October 2019 (Version 5.4)
Allow retired physicians and surgeons to join the Medical Advisory Committee.
Minor change to electronic voting.
Updated the Application and Release based on legal and insurance and BOD review, including removing requirement for spouse signature.
Based on the Application and Release, added a Release for those training with ASRC or its Groups or Corps but not applying for membership.
Added a section on management of the signed Releases.
March 2019 (Version 5.3)
Added placeholders for a training release and management of the Application and Release; plan is to add these in the next version, as well as modifying the existing Application and Release.
Updated to reflect that some members are members of different Groups, to have members and their secondary Groups not pay ASRC dues as these are paid through the primary Group, and requiring that members who are members of multiple Groups designate their primary Group. 
Added to the required roster information the year joined ASRC, to provide for providing Years-of-Service awards.
January 2019 (Version 5.2)
Added new section on insurance claims.
Added expanded section on the new Publications Committee.
Changes in the Membership section and a new section on Corps.
September 2018 (Version 5.2)
Added short section on the Publications Committee and another on the Information Technology Officer.
Added a graphic timeline sidebar for electronic voting.
April 2018 (Version 5.0)
Added section on guiding principles.
Got rid of change pages.
Greatly expanded section on ASRC meetings and included Activities.
Added a section on the Dropbox account.
Significant changes about Group rosters.
Got rid of the 36-month review.
Modified the uniform policy to allow use of the old patch design indefinitely, while encouraging patches with the new logo. 
Added sidebar on timeline for electronic voting.
Numerous other housekeeping changes throughout. 
January 2018 (Version 4.4)
Added yearly IRS filing to the duties of the Treasurer.
Belatedly added the section approved 11 January 2015 as regards the Medical Advisory Committee and Medical Committee with minor editorial changes.
Added a section on the ASRC Archive. 
Major revisions to the disciplinary policy.
Added Release approved by BOD in 1994.
Added video/photo release.
Minor editorial changes here and there (typographical errors and formatting), including significant reformatting of the sample proxy. 
October 2017 (Version 4.3)
Added a section on Years-of-Service Awards (multiples of 5 years).
Added a section on Outstanding Service Awards.
Minor editorial changes.
May 2017 (Version 4.2)
Major revision of Appendix A, Discipline with Due Process
Added email alternate to forms for electronic BOD voting
Added number of FTMs and FTLs for certified Groups.
Minor editorial changes. 
February 2017 (Version 4.1)
Reformatted using the new ASRC Branding Guide as approved January 2017. Also added the Branding Guide to our list of governance documents.
Minor editorial changes, fixed misspellings and typographical errors.
As per the ASRC BOD vote May 2016, eliminated all references to At-Large Membership.
As per the ASRC BOD vote February 2017, added the Fellowship program and the new Branding Guide. 
July 2013 (Version 4.0)
Renamed from General Administrative Manual to Administration Manual
Many housekeeping changes to conform with current bylaws, fix minor errors, and clarify wording. 
Added section General Maintenance of Operational Documents.
Added information about Board of Directors and ASRC General Membership Meetings, including more detail on proxies.
Increased the dues.
Significant changes to section on the ASRC budget.
Added sections on ASRC Officers Supporting the Board, Criminal Activities, Disciplinary Action, and Legal Actions.
Modified the sections on ASRC Group Administration Policies and Situations Not Covered; and, Appendix B: Group Rosters and Appendix C: Electronic Voting.
Added to Appendix D a section on Electronic Administrative Records Retention, and in Appendix E modified the section with text about the ASRC Uniform.
February 2002 (Version 3.2)
1999 (Version 3.1)
February 1998 (Version 3.0)