The Defense Orientation

Conference Association(DOCA)

What is DOCA?

Thefollowing explains the origin, organization and aims of the DefenseOrientation Conference Association. DOCA has been so closely linkedwith the Joint Civilian Orientation Conference that it helps toreview that program in order to fully understand the objectives ofDOCA.

The Joint Civilian Orientation Conference (JCOC)

TheJoint Civilian Orientation Conference was initiated in 1948 by theDefense Department under the first Secretary of Defense, JamesForrestal. The JCOC is an official program of the Department ofDefense to acquaint leading citizens from all parts of the countryrepresenting industry, the professions, and other primary categoriesof civilian endeavor with the programs and policies of the DefenseDepartment as they relate to our national defense. The Conferenceconsists of high-level briefings held in the Pentagon, and fieldtrips to Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps militaryinstallations--to present the important aspects of each branch of theservice. The Conference lasts approximately one week.

Participantsin a JCOC review firsthand the military organizations and defenseconcepts of our country, and are given a frank appraisal of theawesome tasks and attendant problems faced by the military services.It is the general idea that, through these people, a large importantsegment of tile American public will be given a better understandingof our military posture.

The Defense Orientation Conference Association

TheDefense Orientation Conference Association was founded on March 30,1952, by participants in the Joint Civilian Orientation Conferencesafter eleven such conferences were held. DOCA is a non-political,non-partisan, non-profit association directed toward the interest ofnational defense without special advocacy of any particular militaryservice or defense concept. While it is completely independent and isnot sponsored by the , Department of Defense, DOCA objectives are asfollows: to provide a means of continuing the education of itsmembers in matters pertaining to national security under the directjurisdiction and supervision of the Department of Defense; to enablemembers to pass on such information to others; and to provide apermanent medium for cooperation between its members and theDepartment of Defense.

DOCAmembership is obtained by one of two methods. The first method is tobe selected by the Secretary of Defense for participation in a JCOC.Following such participation, admittance into DOCA is by invitation.The second method is for those persons who have not participated in aJCOC. In this case, a present DOCA member in good standing nominatescandidates, Such nominees must be approved for membership by the DOCASelection Board, and subsequently attend a DOCA field trip or othertrip arranged by the Department of Defense. It should be understoodthat DOCA has no direct or indirect affiliation with business,political or religious groups or organizations. Members seek nospecial favors, political advantages, or material gains throughDOCA.

DOCAis managed by a Board of Directors elected to office at the annualbusiness meeting. An Executive Committee, composed of the President,the Chairman of the Board, two immediate Past Chairman of the Board,Executive Vice President, six Regional Vice Presidents, and theSecretary-Treasurer, has the authority to act for the Board ofDirectors on all matters between meetings of the Board. None of theelected officers or directors receives any salary, expense, or isreimbursed in any manner for the time given or money expended onbehalf of the Association.

Inall planning the foremost thought has been to keep DOCA distinct fromconventional associations with multi-committees and top-heavystaffs.

Associationactivities are administered by a two person staff front theHeadquarters Office in Burke, Virginia. The staff consists of anExecutive Vice President and an Assistant to the Executive VicePresident. These are the only paid employees of the Association.

TheAssociation is supported by annual dues. Each field orientation tripis self-supporting, financed on a pro-rata basis by individualmembers participating.

Toaccomplish the objectives of DOCA it is necessary to provide membersthe opportunity to continue the education engendered by the JCOC orotherwise gained under the auspices of the Department of Defense. Theresponsibility for this rests with the Board of Directors forplanning and with the Headquarters staff for implementation. This isaccomplished by publication of written material, visual @, scheduledbriefings on various phases of national defense during DOCA field orother trips arranged under the auspices of the Departments of Defenseand State, and full briefings at the annual meeting. When these havebeen provided, it becomes the responsibility of the individualmembers to carry out DOCA's other objectives.

Another shorter description of DOCA:

What is DOCA?

"DOCAis an independent, private sector, non-political, nonpartisan,non-profit executive association. Its primary interest is U.S.national defense/national security affairs without special advocacyof any particular military service or defense concept.

Memberswant to learn firsthand what is happening on nationaldefense/national security affairs rather than rely on the media forimportant information. To do so, members pay their own way to visitthe Departments of Defense and State, military, our embassies andhost governments around the world, and then go back and tell otherswhat they learned."

Brief background:

ManyDOCA members have participated in the Secretary of Defense sponsoredJoint Civilian Orientation Conference (JCOC). DOCA was formed in 1952by JCOC alumni to further continuing educational experiences relativeto U.S. national security and defense issues. The 650 DOCA membersrepresent nearly all 50 states and typically fill leadership roles intheir corporation, firm, educational institution, etc., andcommunity. Each is a highly influential opinion leader. DOCA isrecognized by both the Defense and State Departments.

DOCAconducts trips worldwide which are designed to update members on thecurrent status of DoD and DoS associated programs. At their ownexpense, groups of 30-80 members (without spouses) travel to andwithin selected locations in the continental U.S. and overseas.Benefits from these visits are measured in intangible but importantterms. DOCA members return to their communities and businessesthroughout the U.S. with a better understanding of the communication,rapport, and goodwill between a host country and the U.S. Thesefirst-hand impressions are shared with their high level professionaland social contacts.

The following three letters were each received before a trip,welcoming and introducing us to the place we were to visit.:

ARTICLE I Objectives

The Defense Orientation Conference Association, incorporated,(DOCA) is a non-political, non-partisan and non-profit associationdedicated to the cause of the defense and security of the UnitedStates of America without special advocacy of any particular militaryservice or defense concept. Members are patriotic Americans who haveevidenced a special interest in and concern for national defense, andhave acquired a special knowledge thereof through participation in aSecretary of Defense Joint Civilian Orientation Conference (JCOC)program or on DOCA field trips or other meetings arranged under theauspices of the Department of Defense. Members educate themselvesthrough field trips sponsored by the Association and are thenencouraged to disseminate the information they obtain to others so asto reach as wide an audience as is practical.

ARTICLE II Membership

Only members in good standing are eligible to vote, hold officeand otherwise participate in the affairs of the Association. Currentmembership dues must be paid to remain a member in good standing.Memberships shall be limited to United States citizens who (a) weremembers in good standing of DOCA as of September 16,1979, or (b)become members pursuant to Article VIII of these By-Laws. "Membershipprivileges and participation in the affairs and activities of theAssociation shall be confined solely to each individual member. Theremay be only one member living within each family household. "

ARTICLE III Meetings

An Annual Meeting of members shall be held at such time and placeas may be determined by the Executive Committee. Special Meetings maybe called at the direction of the President, a majority of theExecutive Committee or when at least sixteen members of the Board ofDirectors so request.

Article IV Board of Directors

Section I. The affairs of the Association shall be managed by aBoard of Directors consisting of thirty-six members, elected in themanner described herein. The term of office shall be three years oruntil successors are elected.

Section 2. The directors shall be appointed among six Regions. Theportion of the thirty six directors to be elected from each Regionshall be in the proportion of members in the Region to the overallmembership.

Section 3. Nominations for office as a director shall be made inwriting by a Nominating Committee appointed by the President, to becomposed of not less than five members. Other nominations may be madefrom the floor by any member who shall specify the Region or Regionsin which he makes such other nominations. Each director shall bedeclared elected who has received a majority of votes from memberspresent at the Annual Meeting.

Section 4. The Nominating Committee provided for in Section 3 ofthis Article shall determine whether the membership has undergone anychange between preceding year and that in which the particularNominating Committee is acting, to require any reappointment in thenumber of directors as among Regions, within the total of thirty-sixdirectors. In the event that any such change is required, theNominating Committee shall so state in its report, and itsdetermination in that respect shall be final and conclusive.

Section 5. Any vacancy occurring in the board of directors may befilled by a majority of the remaining members of the board ofdirectors, although such majority is less than a quorum. A directorelected by the board of directors to fill a vacancy shall be electedto hold office for a three year term.

Section 6. All Past Presidents of the Association shall beex-officio members of the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE V Officers

Section 1. The officers of the Association shall be a President, aChairman of the Board of Directors, an Executive Vice President, sixRegional Vice Presidents, and a Secretary-Treasurer. The Presidentshall be the Chief Executive Officer.

Section 2. The officers will be elected by a majority vote of theboard of directors at the Annual Meeting held immediately after theconclusion of the Annual Meeting of members. The officers are to holdtheir position until the meeting of the board following the nextAnnual Meeting of members and until their successors have beenelected and qualified.

Section 3. The President shall preside at all meetings of theAssociation, except that in his absence the Chairman of the Boardshall preside. The President shall call Special Meetings of theAssociation, generally supervise its activities, fill vacanciesoccurring in office with the approval of a majority of the Board ofDirectors, appoint Special and Standing Committees, and present atthe Annual Meeting a condensed report of the work and activities ofthe Association for the past year. The President shall be anex-officio member of all Committees.

Section 4. The Chairman of the Board shall preside at all Meetingsof the Board of Directors. In the absence of the President or in theevent of his physical or other disability or resignation, theChairman of the Board shall perform the duties for the Presidentexcept such as the President shall have theretofore specificallydelegated to be performed by another officer.

Section 5. The Executive Vice President shall assist the Presidentin the work of the Association and shall perform such other duties asshall be requested of him by the President or the Chairman of theBoard.

Section 6. The Secretary-Treasurer shall keep in permanent formthe minutes of the meetings of the Association and the Board ofDirectors, conduct its correspondence and send out notices ofmeetings He shall receive all monies of the Association, pay billsand make disbursements as directed by the Board of Directors, andmake any annual report of finances.

Section 7. The financial records of the Secretary-Treasurer shallbe audited annually

ARTICLE VI Executive Committee

There shall be an Executive Committee composed of the President,the Chairman of the Board, the Executive Vice President, and twoImmediate Past Chairmen of the Board, the six Regional VicePresidents, and the Secretary-1 treasurer. The Executive Committeeshall have the authority to act on all matters between meetings ofthe Board of Directors, and balloting may be by mail.

ARTICLE VII New Members

Section 1. An Association member in good standing may recommendfor membership any individual or individuals who, in such member'sopinion, would contribute to the objectives of the Association.

Section 2. There shall accompany each recommendation formembership pursuant to Section I detailed biographical material andinformation which in the judgment of the sponsor indicates that thenominee represents and supports the objectives of' this Associationand would, in his opinion, be acceptable to the Department of Defenseas a candidate for JCOC.

Section 3 The President shall appoint five members to serve on aSelection Board for the purpose of screening all applicants formembership recommended by DOCA members in good standing. An applicantwill be admitted to temporary membership upon the approval of amajority of the members of the Selection Board.

Section 4 Candidates for membership, who have been temporarilyadmitted by the Selection Board, must participate in one DOCA trip/meeting within the contiguous United States arranged under theauspices of the Department of Defense within twelve months ofapproval, described in Section 3 herein. Upon participation in suchfield trip or other meeting within the aforesaid twelve month period.the applicant shall he qualified for and become entitled to fullmembership in the Association Failure to attend any such meetingwithin the twelve month period will invalidate the recommendation ofthe Selection Board, unless such requirement is waived by theunanimous vote of the Board. Any individual who has been accepted formembership in the Defense Orientation Conference Association mustsubmit his initial dues payment within 60 days of selectionnotification or be dropped from the selection list.

ARTICLE VIII Censure, Suspension and Expulsion

Section 1. Any member of the Association who shall have beenconvicted of a crime, shall have disseminated information of a natureinimical to the best interests of the Department of Defense or theAssociation or shall have acted in a manner such as to castopprobrium upon the Association shall be liable to censure andsuspension for a period of not more than six months, or expulsionfrom the Association.

Section 2. Charges against any member of the Association shall beinitiated by action of any officer of the Association uponappropriate notification to the President or Chairman of the BoardThat officer shall promptly convene a meeting of the ExecutiveCommittee for the purpose of hearing and considering the charges Themember against whom charges shall have been preferred shall have theopportunity of appearing in person or presenting written statementsto controvert the charges. The Executive Committee shall take actionwithout delay either to dismiss the charges, censure and suspend themember, or direct his expulsion. If the alleged offending member sodesires, he or she may, within ten days after receipt of notice ofthe action of the Executive Committee, request a hearing before theBoard of Directors at its next meeting for a review of any sanctionimposed. If such request is made, the sanction imposed will remain infull force and effect unless and until a contrary decision of theBoard is reached.

ARTICLE IX Finances

Section 1. The Association shall be supported by annual dues,contributions and other sources of revenue as approved by the Boardof Directors. Members shall pay annual dues as determined by amajority vote of the Board of Directors The annual membership yearshall be November I through October 31.

Section 2. No officers, committee or member of this Associationshall undertake any financial commitments except as authorized by theBoard of Directors.

ARTICLE X Quorums

Section I. Twelve Directors shall constitute a quorum f or ameeting of the Board of Directors. The President, or at hisdesignation the Chairman of the Board, may poll the Hoard by writtencommunication

Sect ion 2. Twenty-five members shall constitute a quorum formeetings of the Association.

Section 3. Three committee members shall constitute a quorum forExecutive Committee meetings.

ARTICLE XI Amendments

The By-Laws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the memberspresent at any Annual Meeting or at a Special Meeting which is calledby the President upon a notice of not less than sixty days. Saidnotice shall contain a copy of the amendments to he proposed at suchspecial meeting.