The Department of Ohio has received a letter of
resignation from Brother Keith Ashley, PDC dated for July 18, 2007. The
Department as accepted his resignation, effective as of the date on the
resignation. In pursuant with Commander in Chief's General Order #3, the
Department of Ohio is following the order and also granting Brother Keith
Ashley a General Discharge from this Order of the Sons of Union Veterans of
the Civil War.
With his resignation, his Past Department
Commander, Past Camp Commander and Life Member Status has been also removed.
If he chooses to re-apply for membership to the order, he must seek
restoration of rank through the process provided in the Constitution and
Regulations of the National Order, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War.
I have attached C-in-C Order #3 to this
Order for Reference.
| Yours in Fraternity, Charity,
and Loyalty, |
Attested, |
|
Donald
L. Grant |
Donald
E. Darby |
|
Donald L. Grant
Commander
|
Donald E. Darby
Secretary
|
________________________________________________________________________
SONS OF UNION VETERANS OF THE CIVIL WAR
OFFICE OF THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF
CHARLES E. KUHN JR., PDC
464 LAKE MEADE DR.
EAST BERLIN, PA 17316
Charlie_kuhn@comcast.net
GENERAL ORDER #3
SERIES 2007 – 2008
18 August, 2007
- After a lawfully chosen Hearing Council was selected and
proper notice conformant to the Constitution and Regulations of the National
Order, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War was given to both parties,
the Hearing Council assigned to take testimony in the matter of Commander in
Chief James B. Pahl vs. Keith D. Ashley, PDC, convened and held a hearing in
abstentia on August 9, 2007 at the Hilton Frontenac Hotel at 1:00 PM local
time in St. Louis, Missouri.
- The Hearing Council was unable to reach a consensus as to
guilt or innocence of Brother Keith D. Ashley, PDC.
- The Constitution and Regulations as well as the Digest of
the National Order Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War are mute in this
circumstance.
- It is my ruling that if a Brother who is brought before a
Hearing Council and a consensus of guilt or innocence is not reached by the
Hearing Council, he must be treated as if he were found not guilty.
- In as much as Keith D. Ashley, PDC had resigned from the
Order in a letter dated July 18, 2007 to Brooks Grant Camp #7, Department of
Ohio and this letter was not received prior to the date of the hearing, he
resigned while under suspension. Therefore, as stated in the Constitution
and Regulations of the National Order, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil
War (Chapter V, Article 1, Section 3(e) General Discharge for the Good of
the Order - a certificate of a less than honorable discharge, but not a
punitive discharge issued to a Brother who has been dropped for nonpayment
of dues or is not in good standing at the time he requested a discharge.)
Keith D. Ashley, PDC is only entitled to a General Discharge for the Good of
the Order as he was not found guilty by the Hearing Council and he resigned
while under suspension leaving any proof of guilt or innocence unanswered.
- In resigning from the Order, Keith D. Ashley, PDC also
resigned his Life Membership. Should he ever seek and be granted admission
to the Order in the future, his Life Membership will be reinstated under the
terms of his original life membership.
- In as much as Keith D. Ashley, PDC was a Past Department
Commander the matter of past honors must be addressed. Since the
Constitution and Regulations as well as the Digest of the National Order
Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War are mute regarding past honors when
a Brother resigns from the Order, it is my ruling that under such
circumstance the Brother also resigns all claims to past honors. Should the
former Brother seek readmission to the order, he must seek restoration of
rank through the process provided in the Constitution and Regulations of the
National Order, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War. Such a former
Brother will still be listed on the rolls of the Order, Department or Camp
as a Commander for the terms during which he served but without rights to
the respective past honors associated with his past service.
- All parties to this case have the right to appeal this
ruling to the National Encampment. Written notice to the National Secretary
of the intent to appeal must be received by the National Secretary at least
30 days prior to the National Encampment.
- In the absence of any language in the Constitution and
Regulations of the National Order Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War
regarding the time to appeal to the National Encampment, it is my ruling
that such appeal must be made to the next following National Encampment if
the ruling is issued prior to 30 days before the National Encampment or the
right to appeal is foregone. In the case of the ruling being issued within
30 days of the National Encampment, the appellant must appeal to the next
following National Encampment or the right to appeal is foregone.
- Any appeal of this Order and Ruling must be made to the
127th National Encampment of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War to
be held in Peabody Massachusetts from August 7th through 10th, 2008.
So ordered this 18th day of August, 2007;
Charles E. Kuhn, Jr.
Commander in Chief
National Order, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War
Attest:
Donald Palmer
Secretary
National Order, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War
