1. Brothers are reminded that the 2012 Department Encampment will be held at the Great Lakes Christian College in the City of Lansing, Michigan on March 31, 2012. Several important questions will come before the Encampment. We would like your input in passing on those questions. Please arrange to attend if you can. Pre registration materials are contained in the current edition of the Michigan’s Messenger at pages 22 & 23. There is a direct link on the home page of the Department web site that will take you to the Messenger so you can retrieve the pre registration materials should you wish to do that.
2. All Camps are encouraged to bring their Camp Flags to the Department Encampment to be displayed with the Department Colors.
3. Effective on and for the day of Saturday, March 31, 2012, the headquarters of the Department of Michigan shall be at the Great Lakes Christian College, 6211 W. Willow Hwy., Lansing, Michigan, to allow for the transaction of business by the 123rd Department Encampment. Thereafter, it shall revert to the address it had prior to this transfer or to such other place as the Department Commander shall designate in his Department Orders.
4. Any brother interested in holding a Department elective office should submit his letter of interest, credentials, and any letters of endorsement to the Department Nominating Committee no later than March 1, 2012. The chair of the Committee is Brother Rick Danes. Please direct your information to him and he will share the same with the Committee. He may be reached through email at redanes@aol.com, or through regular mail at 2612 Burns Street, Dearborn, Michigan 48124.
5. The Nominating Committee as previously announced is expanded by two members. They are:
   

   Brother Richard Scott, Camp Commander, Camp 3

   Brother Jim Jackson, Camp Commander, Camp 22

   Thank you brothers for agreeing to serve.

6. Persons wishing to make nominations for presentation of the Department’s Abraham Lincoln Award may continue to present their candidates to the Committee through theDepartment Commander. The address to which nominations should be sent is 3914 Larchmont Street, Flint, Michigan. Nominations must be received by March 1, 2012.
7. The Department’s new James T. Lyons Award, as authorized by the 122nd Department Encampment, will begin its first year long points accumulation period beginning on March 1, 2012 and running until February 28, 2013. Camp Commanders should watch for a full explanation of the Award and the point system as developed by the Lyons Award Committee within the next week.
8. On behalf of myself and the other brothers who acted as installing officers for the Department for camp officer installations these past few months, I would like to thank all those brothers from the various camps who displayed such hospitality and friendliness to us as we visited with your camps. Your kindness, which was displayed in dozens of different ways, was very much appreciated.
9. On behalf of the Department Secretary and myself, I wish to thank our camps for the diligence they have shown in getting their form 22’s, form 22MI’s and rosters in to us. By in large they are all accounted for now. That makes the work we must do with them at the department level so much easier having them all in, in a timely fashion.

Hoping to see as many of you at the Department Encampment as possible next month, I remain, until that time, yours . . . . . .

In Fraternity, Charity and Loyalty,

Donald W. Shaw

Department Commander

Department of Michigan

Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War

Attest:

Paul Davis

Department Secretary

Department of Michigan

Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War

1. The person authorized to speak on behalf of a Camp is its Commander or his designated representative. No brother, other than the Camp Commander, shall take it upon himself to speak for, or attempt to obligate his Camp in any way, unless this activity is at the express direction of the Camp Commander, in connection with the duties of a camp office he holds, or as otherwise permitted by the Constitution and Regulations or applicable by-laws of the Order.

In Fraternity, Charity and Loyalty,

Donald W. Shaw

Department Commander

Department of Michigan

Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War

Attest:

Paul Davis

Department Secretary

Department of Michigan

Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War

1. On behalf of the Department, I offer thanks to all of the brothers of this Department who made the effort to honor our veterans on Veterans Day by participating in the several Veterans Day parades and activities around the state. I particularly want to thank those who answered the Department’s call, and made the effort to participate in the Detroit Veterans Day Parade. Again this year, we had brothers who drove from all over the state to march together honoring Michigan’s men and women who have served this country so faithfully in the armed forces. Such dedication to the Order and to the ideals we support led to another impressive display this year. This only happens because you brothers make it happen. Thanks you for taking the time to show your respect and support for our veterans in this way.
2. We are starting Camp Officer Installations around the state as of this writing. Most of you have already reserved time with me or another Department Officer to act as installing officer for your camp. If you are one of the few who has yet to do this, please contact me at once so we can be sure to have someone available to act as installing officer for your camp. I will personally take care of as many of these requests as I can. I do get double booked on occasion however, and in that instance, DSVC Dave Arnold has graciously offered to assist. Of course, as in past years, any camp requesting a special individual within the Order to do their installation will be accommodated if possible. Such requests still must be made through the Department Commander however so we can give your installing officer the authority he needs.
3. Our Department will be making a push to revitalize our Monuments and Memorials work. In recent years, the work done of checking on and cataloguing our Civil War Monuments around the state has come to a near halt. One of the charges of the Order in keeping green the memory would call on us to care for and inspect the monuments which in many cases the soldiers who fought the war erected. To that end, we have good people in place at the Department level to take in the information needed to start our Monuments program up again. We need committed people at the Camp level to serve in the role of Monuments and Memorials Officer. Presently, some of our camps don’t fill this position. I ask each incoming Camp Commander to not only fill the position, but to fill it with a brother who will actively pursue the work of inspecting and reporting on monuments in your part of the state. A few hours a month is all we ask. If we can have that commitment from these brothers, eventually the work will be completed. To that end, if any brother has the hankering to act as his camps, “man in the field,” please DO volunteer for this worthy work to your Camp Commander. If the project is to work, we need, “boots on the ground,” going out to get this information. Your assistance in this regard is heartily encouraged.
4. All camps are reminded that the nationally mandated form 22, Certification of Election and Installation of Camp Officers should be ready at the time of your camps officer installation meeting so the installing officer may sign the same. Two copies must be mailed to the Department Secretary, Paul Davis. They are due to him no later than February 15, 2012. Copies of the form were contained in the Secretary’s Kit that was distributed at the last Department Encampment. They may also be found on the internet at the National Web Site at http://suvcw.org/ftp/form22fi/pdf. For your convenience, the mailing address for Brother Davis, to whom the completed forms must be sent is as follows:
   

   Paul Davis, Secretary
   Department of Michigan – SUVCW
   535 Mayflower Dr.
   Saginaw, Michigan 48638

5. A new form is being required by the Department this year. Named form 22MI the purpose of the form is to keep our camp web pages up to date, make sure we have the correct person within the camp to whom the Michigan’s Messenger is to be sent so as to ensure its delivery, and bring us into compliance with certain national policies regarding the internet. The form is due at the same time as the regular form 22 that you must have in by February 15th and is to be sent to the same person as the other, namely the Department Secretary, Brother Davis. Copies of the form have been distributed to all of our camps but should you need another copy, please contact Brother Davis who will be able to send another out.
6. As long as we are discussing reports, Camp Patriotic Instructors are reminded that it is time to start thinking about filing out the reports that will go to the Department Patriotic Instructor, which he will then use in preparing a report for the National Patriotic Instructor. If you start working them up now, you will be able to get them in to Gary Granger, our Department Patriotic Instructor in plenty of time for him to compile his report. Copies of the form you should use are available on the National Web Site.
7. Brothers are encouraged to submit nominations for the Department’s Abraham Lincoln Award. Each year the Department may award up to three of these awards to individuals, whether in the Sons or not, who have contributed to the publics awareness of the sacrifices of the soldiers and sailors of 61 to 65. The person you nominate should have their name and address, listed together with a description of why you believe they should be given this award. Nominations should be sent to Department Headquarters for transmittal to the Abraham Lincoln Awards Committee. That address is:
   

   Abraham Lincoln Awards Committee
   c/o Donald Shaw
   3914 Larchmont Street
   Flint, Michigan 48532

8. The following brothers are appointed to the Abraham Lincoln Awards Committee:
   

   Ray Lake – Camp Commander – Camp 58 – Chair
   David Brant – Camp Commander – Camp 250
   Gary White – Camp Commander – Camp 266

9. At the Department Encampment, set for March 31, 2012, we will hold the annual election of officers for the coming term. Any brother interested in presenting himself for election to a department elective post, and who seeks the recommendation of the Department’s Nominating Committee, should submit his letter of interest, credentials, and any letters of endorsement, to the Department Nominating Committee no later than March 1, 2012. The Chair of the committee is Brother Rick Danes. Please direct your submissions to Brother Danes at his email address, REDanes@aol.com. Should you need to send him information through regular mail, his address is 2612 Burns Street, Dearborn, Michigan 48124.
10. The following brothers are appointed to the Department Nominating Committee:
    

    Rick Danes – Camp Commander – Camp 427 – Chair
    David Wallace – Past Department Commander – Camp 145
    Gary Gibson – Past Department Commander – Camp 20

11. To all my brothers travelling to Gettysburg for Remembrance Day, have a safe trip and I’ll see you out there.
12. I wish all my brothers in the Department and their families a Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas, and a Prosperous and Happy New Year. Thank you all for your efforts over this past year in keeping green the memory of the boys who wore the blue.

In Fraternity, Charity and Loyalty,

/s/

Donald W. Shaw

Department Commander

Department of Michigan

Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War

Attest:

/s/

Paul Davis

Department Secretary

Department of Michigan

Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War

1. On behalf of the Department I offer the thanks of all of the brothers of this Department to the eighteen Michigan men who took the time and went to the expense of representing us at the National Encampment in Reston, Virginia this month.
2. I am proud to announce that the Department of Michigan has been awarded the Marshall Hope Award and the Benjamin Stevenson Award. Both were given by the National Organization to the Department at the Encampment last week. The Hope Award is given for the best departmental newsletter and the Stevenson Award, a new award given for the first time this year, is given for the best departmental web site. All of the brothers who contribute to the newsletter and especially Rick Danes, our newsletter editor, are to be commended for the fine work done in earning this award. Likewise, those involved in creating and maintaining the web site, including all those Camp web masters who link their own Camp sites to our departmental site, are commended for the great work they have done.
3. Camps need to start thinking about when they will do officer installations for next year. The Department is already getting requests from Camps to reserve time on my schedule to do installations. As many requests as can be honored, will be honored, but there are 23 of you, only one of me, and a limited period in which to get this done. Times will be given away on a first come first served basis, so get your request in as soon as you are able. If a conflict exists such that I am unable to perform this service for your Camp, I will consult with you and may send another Department Officer. As in past years, any Camp requesting a special officer from the Department, other than the Commander, to do the installation for them, will be accommodated if possible. Such requests still need to be made through the Department Commander however.
4. Camp secretaries are reminded that the form 22 that must be signed by the Departments installing officer should be ready for signature at the time you have your Camp Officer Installation.
5. A new form issued by the Department will be required starting this year. That form, Form 22-MI, is designed to help us keep your departmental web page up to date. Camp Commanders and Secretaries will be supplied the form in October. The form is due at the same time as form 22.
6. The Department will be participating in the Detroit Veterans Day Parade. Please save the date of Saturday November 5, 2011 for this event. This is a Department level event in which we expect to not only honor the Michigan men who have served this country in the armed forces, but to provide the opportunity for brothers from around the state to get together and visit with one another. We will also have the use of the barracks at Historic Fort Wayne to allow any brother who chooses to do so, to overnight at the Fort, and practice drill before going out to do the parade. More information will follow by special communication with each Camp.
7. Brother Robert May is named Departmental Chief of Staff. Appointed officers and Committee chairs should expect to hear from him periodically to assess progress on your various projects.
8. Brother Dale Aurand is named Chair of the Ceremonies and Rituals Committee. Other Committee members include Dean Lamphere, William Morris, Tom Jenkins, Dave Hilliker, Brian Shumway.
9. Remembrance Weekend in Gettysburg is coming up. It will be November 18-20, 2011. The Department always mounts a presence for this event. The event includes the opportunity to honor the fallen at the Gettysburg National Cemetery, the soldiers from this state at one of the several regimental monuments on the battlefield, the chance to march in the largest Civil War parade in the world, to enjoy camaraderie with several of your Michigan brothers, and the opportunity to tour this field upon which a pivotal battle of the war was fought. If you wish to go but are concerned about transportation, the Department will assist in setting up carpools and providing such other advice or coordinating assistance as we may be able to give in allowing you to make this trip. Contact me should you want any such assistance. My e-mail is p31713@aol.com. Please use the words, “Gettysburg – 2011,” on the subject line to help me identify what you are writing about.
10. In expectation of a requirement change to the Sesquicentennial Signature Event Program by the national organization, requiring that Camps submit their event applications at least ninety days prior to the proposed signature event, Departments Orders No. 1 of this series is hereby rescinded.

In Fraternity, Charity and Loyalty,

/s/

Donald W. Shaw

Department Commander

Department of Michigan

Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War

Attest:

/s/

Paul Davis

Department Secretary

Department of Michigan

Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War

1. In order to allow for the smooth implementation of Commander in Chief Schall’s General Order No. 20, concerning filing requirements for Sesquicentennial Signature Events, the Department of Michigan will require all Camps within the Department applying for this designation, to submit applications for this status at least 40 days before the event. Note: I am requiring an extra 10 days because we need to be sure that the processing on our end is done, and thus our Camps will not run afoul of the General Order. The mode of transmittal of this paperwork is largely by use of the U S Postal Service. If your paperwork goes into the U S mail, it takes time to get the application to Department Headquarters. Once I get it, I can have it reviewed and into the mail on the next business day, but it will take the Post Office a little more time to deliver it. This extra ten days is meant to make sure that your submission will not be rejected because of the time it takes to get things through the mail. You are putting a lot of effort into these events. I don’t want anyone to loose their chance for this designation because the mail made them run afoul of the General Order.

In Fraternity, Charity and Loyalty,

/s/

Donald W. Shaw

Department Commander

Department of Michigan

Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War

Attest:

/s/

Paul Davis

Department Secretary

Department of Michigan

Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War