TERMS OF REFERENCE

Military Survey (Geographic) Branch

Royal Engineers Association

TERMS OF REFERENCE

TITLE

1. The Branch will be known as the Military Survey (Geographic) Branch of the Royal Engineers Association, or Mil Svy (Geo) of the REA, referred to as the Branch in these Terms of Reference (TORs).

AIMS OF THE BRANCH

2. The Branch key objectives, which are in accordance with the overall aims of the REA and are expanded on in the Branch Strategy document, are:

a. To serve the membership by ensuring we run successful, fun events provide a timely flow of information through the Branch Newsletter and web site and coordinate support to those in need. All these activities should aim to cater to all in the Branch – members and partners, serving and retired, young and old.

b. Ensuring the continuing success of the Branch by sustaining and increasing our Branch membership, retaining strong links to those still serving, ensuring the Branch remains on a sound financial footing and maintaining a strong Committee.

3. The Branch will be run as an entirely voluntary enterprise. It will be controlled by a committee of member volunteers who will manage the Branch in accordance with the current rules of the REA and these TORs, which reflect the specific needs of the Branch.

4. Wherever possible, the Joint Aeronautical & Geospatial Organisation (JAGO), based at Hermitage, will provide active support of the Branch. This support will come in the form of:

5. For administrative purposes the Branch will come under the Central Southern Group of the REA.

6. Membership is open to regular and TA personnel who are serving or have served with Military Survey and / or Royal Engineers (Geographic) units (referred to as just Mil Svy in this document) as an officer, soldier, civilian or in exchange posts, in either a technical or support role. It is also open to widows and widowers of former members of these units. These units include civilian units, which were part of Military Survey or its newer variants.

7. The categories of membership are laid down in the REA rules. Applying these rules, membership of the Branch therefore comes, in general terms, in one of the following categories:

a. Full & Life Membership. Full and Life Membership of the REA is open to all serving and retired regular and TA members of the Royal Engineers.

b. Associate Membership. Associate Membership is open to all current and former Mil Svy civilian staff and all members of other Arms and Services who have served in Military Survey/Geographic units. The Group Director must approve applications for Associate Membership of the REA. They do not pay REA subscriptions.

c. Branch Membership. Branch Membership may be granted by the committee to other personnel with a strong connection with the Mil Svy e.g., widows and widowers of former Mil Svy members, friends of Mil Svy. As these members are not members of the REA and they have no voting rights.

d. Honorary Membership. Under exceptional circumstances the Branch may offer Honorary Membership to people who are not eligible for Full, Life or Associate Membership. The committee will recommend Honorary Membership candidates at an AGM where a vote will be taken to approve candidates. Honorary Members pay no annual subscriptions and may not vote.

8. All Royal Engineer (Geographic) personnel leaving the Army automatically receive an invitation to join the Branch through normal HQ REA channels. Every attempt is to be made through the “old boy network” to notify non-Royal Engineers who are leaving of the existence of the Branch and to recruit ex-Mil Svy’s who do not join on leaving the Army.

9. The Branch will be managed by a committee who will manage the Branch in accordance with these TORs. The role of each committee member is captured in the Branch strategy document. The committee will consist of:

a. The President. The President, who will normally be a former senior military officer of Mil Svy, is a volunteer who is identified and appointed by the Committee.

b. Officers. The following are Officers of the committee who volunteer and who must be proposed and elected at an AGM:

c. Members. The following are Members of the committee who are volunteers identified and appointed by the committee:

10. Only one Associate Member, other than the Ex-Officio GEG representative and the DGC Representative, may serve on the committee at any one time.

11. In addition to the committee, a number of members will be encouraged to act as regional points of contact for welfare and social purposes.

12. A quorum for a committee meeting will be four, of which at least two must be officers.

13. It is the responsibility of the committee to ensure that the Branch funds are properly managed.

14. The Branch will bank through an account, which offers the best rates and conditions for an organisation of this nature. This situation should be reviewed annually. Three committee members are to be authorised signatories on this Branch account and all withdrawals are to be signed by two of these three signatories.

15. Funds will be split between a current account and a higher rate interest account. The Treasure will maintain between £100 and £200 in the current account at times when no major expenditure is expected.

16. Accounts are to be audited in accordance with the REA rules and presented to the Annual General Meeting (AGM) each year. The financial year will run from 1 January to 31 December.

17. The main source of income for the Branch will be a small annual Branch subscription to cover administration costs e.g. stationery, postage, etc. The amount is to be reviewed annually and agreed at the AGM. Members are to be strongly encouraged to pay their annual subscription by Standing Order. Subscriptions are to run from 1^st January to 31^st December each year. To ease administrative burdens there will be no pro-rata reduction in annual subscriptions.

18. All members of whatever age shall be liable for the annual fee, (currently £8), with the following exceptions:

a. Those currently exempt, i.e. those members who were born on, or before 31^st December 1935, and those who are both overseas and e-mail members, who are invited but not required to pay.

b. Exemption shall be granted to any member regardless of age who lacks the ability to pay.

19. If a member fails to pay his annual subscription by 1^st April the Secretary is to write reminding him to pay and stating that his membership will cease on 1^st June. After 1^st June the member is to be removed from the active membership list and is not to receive any further correspondence from the Branch (including Newsletters).

20. Grants may be made at the discretion of the committee for Branch social events.

21. The production of Branch items for sale will be decided on a case-by-case basis.

22. The Branch will not provide direct financial welfare assistance to members from Branch funds but will channel such needs to the appropriate charitable fund.

23. Committee members may be reimbursed administrative expenses, such as telephone bills, incurred through Branch business and travelling expenses for attending meetings. Travel expenses will be paid from Branch funds at the current MOD PTR rate unless otherwise agreed by the committee.

24. The Branch will maintain a separate account called the “RE GEO Support Fund” which will be funded by donations, special events and other activities. These funds will be used to support serving Geographic soldiers when military funds are not readily available. The committee will allocate these funds based on requests from Royal Engineer (Geographic) units and will report back to members at the AGM.

25. The Secretary will maintain a database of member’s particulars. Each member registering indicates agreement, or otherwise, to their particulars being released to other members.

27. This database will be used for invites to events, newsletter distribution and the collection of annual subscriptions. Members failing to pay their annual subscriptions will be placed in a non-active database.

28. For a small charge, members will be able to obtain printouts of particular fields.

29. The Branch will act a focus for all former Military Surveyors and their modern equivalents, the Royal Engineers (Geographic). The Branch is not intended to replace existing organisations such as the Defence Surveyors Association, the 512 Field Survey Company Association, the annual civilian staff reunion, etc but will work with and augment them.

30. The Branch will augment these organisations by providing an umbrella organisation under which self-standing social events and special interest groups can be organised.

31. Each year the Branch will organise at least one social event and the AGM. Other social or technical visits may be organised on an ad-hoc basis as decided by committee.

PUBLICATIONS

32. Approximately four editions of a Branch newsletter will be published annually.

33. The Secretary and/or the Newsletter Editor are responsible for arranging for an article to be published in the Sapper magazine as and when appropriate.

34. Other standing Branch information and events will also be published on the Branch web site.

BEREAVEMENT PROCEDURE

35. The point of contact for co-ordinating the response to bereavement will be the Welfare Officer. He will inform committee members of the relevant details, ascertain whether someone can attend the funeral and make the appropriate arrangements.

36. The Branch will send a letter of condolence to the next of kin of all former Military Surveyors / Royal Engineers (Geographic), whether or not they were members of the Branch. This will be sent by either the President or Chairman as appropriate.

37. If the deceased has been active in the branch a member of the committee should try to attend the funeral.

38. The Secretary is to inform HQ REA of the death and arrange for a notice to be published in Sapper magazine, Corps Supplement and the Branch newsletter.

39. If any member of the Branch becomes aware of a member in need of welfare support they are to notify the Branch Welfare Representative who will ensure the appropriate welfare agencies are notified.

BRANCH STANDARD AND STANDARD BEARER

40. Whenever possible the Branch Standard is to be paraded at National REA events, GEG major events and, when requested, members funerals.

41. The Branch is to maintain, when possible, a Standard Bearer and a deputy Standard Bearer. The Branch Standard and Bearers are subject to Rule 20 of the Rules of the REA 2005. The Branch Standard Bearers, when on parade, will be subject to the dress code as laid down at Annex A of the Rules of the REA 2005.

42. The Branch Standard, when not in use, will be held on display in the Warrant Officers’ and Sergeants’ Mess, JAGO.

43. The committee will consider requests for travel and subsistence refunds from Standard Bearers who attend events at the request of the committee.

44. Each year the Branch will award a prize to the junior rank in 42 Engineer Regiment (Geographic) who has, in the opinion of the Commanding Officer, best carried out his duties in ‘a spirit of good fellowship’ beyond normal expectations. The Committee will decide the value and nature of the prize.

REVIEW

45. These TORs will be reviewed annually by the committee with any proposals for change presented for approval to the AGM.