The Defense Orientation

Conference Association (DOCA)

What is DOCA?

The following explains the origin, organization and aims of the Defense Orientation Conference Association. DOCA has been so closely linked with the Joint Civilian Orientation Conference that it helps to review that program in order to fully understand the objectives of DOCA.

The Joint Civilian Orientation Conference (JCOC)

The Joint Civilian Orientation Conference was initiated in 1948 by the Defense Department under the first Secretary of Defense, James Forrestal. The JCOC is an official program of the Department of Defense to acquaint leading citizens from all parts of the country representing industry, the professions, and other primary categories of civilian endeavor with the programs and policies of the Defense Department as they relate to our national defense. The Conference consists of high-level briefings held in the Pentagon, and field trips to Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps military installations--to present the important aspects of each branch of the service. The Conference lasts approximately one week.

Participants in a JCOC review firsthand the military organizations and defense concepts of our country, and are given a frank appraisal of the awesome tasks and attendant problems faced by the military services. It is the general idea that, through these people, a large important segment of tile American public will be given a better understanding of our military posture.

The Defense Orientation Conference Association

The Defense Orientation Conference Association was founded on March 30, 1952, by participants in the Joint Civilian Orientation Conferences after eleven such conferences were held. DOCA is a non-political, non-partisan, non-profit association directed toward the interest of national defense without special advocacy of any particular military service or defense concept. While it is completely independent and is not sponsored by the , Department of Defense, DOCA objectives are as follows: to provide a means of continuing the education of its members in matters pertaining to national security under the direct jurisdiction and supervision of the Department of Defense; to enable members to pass on such information to others; and to provide a permanent medium for cooperation between its members and the Department of Defense.

DOCA membership is obtained by one of two methods. The first method is to be 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 a JCOC. In this case, a present DOCA member in good standing nominates candidates, Such nominees must be approved for membership by the DOCA Selection Board, and subsequently attend a DOCA field trip or other trip arranged by the Department of Defense. It should be understood that DOCA has no direct or indirect affiliation with business, political or religious groups or organizations. Members seek no special favors, political advantages, or material gains through DOCA.

DOCA is managed by a Board of Directors elected to office at the annual business 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 the Secretary-Treasurer, has the authority to act for the Board of Directors on all matters between meetings of the Board. None of the elected officers or directors receives any salary, expense, or is reimbursed in any manner for the time given or money expended on behalf of the Association.

In all planning the foremost thought has been to keep DOCA distinct from conventional associations with multi-committees and top-heavy staffs.

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

The Association is supported by annual dues. Each field orientation trip is self-supporting, financed on a pro-rata basis by individual members participating.

To accomplish the objectives of DOCA it is necessary to provide members the opportunity to continue the education engendered by the JCOC or otherwise gained under the auspices of the Department of Defense. The responsibility for this rests with the Board of Directors for planning and with the Headquarters staff for implementation. This is accomplished by publication of written material, visual @, scheduled briefings on various phases of national defense during DOCA field or other trips arranged under the auspices of the Departments of Defense and State, and full briefings at the annual meeting. When these have been provided, it becomes the responsibility of the individual members to carry out DOCA's other objectives.

Another shorter description of DOCA:

What is DOCA?

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

Members want to learn firsthand what is happening on national defense/national security affairs rather than rely on the media for important information. To do so, members pay their own way to visit the Departments of Defense and State, military, our embassies and host governments around the world, and then go back and tell others what they learned."

Brief background:

Many DOCA members have participated in the Secretary of Defense sponsored Joint Civilian Orientation Conference (JCOC). DOCA was formed in 1952 by JCOC alumni to further continuing educational experiences relative to U.S. national security and defense issues. The 650 DOCA members represent nearly all 50 states and typically fill leadership roles in their corporation, firm, educational institution, etc., and community. Each is a highly influential opinion leader. DOCA is recognized by both the Defense and State Departments.

DOCA conducts trips worldwide which are designed to update members on the current status of DoD and DoS associated programs. At their own expense, groups of 30-80 members (without spouses) travel to and within selected locations in the continental U.S. and overseas. Benefits from these visits are measured in intangible but important terms. DOCA members return to their communities and businesses throughout the U.S. with a better understanding of the communication, rapport, and goodwill between a host country and the U.S. These first-hand impressions are shared with their high level professional and 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 association dedicated to the cause of the defense and security of the United States of America without special advocacy of any particular military service or defense concept. Members are patriotic Americans who have evidenced a special interest in and concern for national defense, and have acquired a special knowledge thereof through participation in a Secretary of Defense Joint Civilian Orientation Conference (JCOC) program or on DOCA field trips or other meetings arranged under the auspices of the Department of Defense. Members educate themselves through field trips sponsored by the Association and are then encouraged to disseminate the information they obtain to others so as to reach as wide an audience as is practical.

ARTICLE II Membership

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

ARTICLE III Meetings

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

Article IV Board of Directors

Section I. The affairs of the Association shall be managed by a Board of Directors consisting of thirty-six members, elected in the manner described herein. The term of office shall be three years or until successors are elected.

Section 2. The directors shall be appointed among six Regions. The portion of the thirty six directors to be elected from each Region shall be in the proportion of members in the Region to the overall membership.

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

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

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

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

ARTICLE V Officers

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

Section 2. The officers will be elected by a majority vote of the board of directors at the Annual Meeting held immediately after the conclusion of the Annual Meeting of members. The officers are to hold their position until the meeting of the board following the next Annual Meeting of members and until their successors have been elected and qualified.

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

Section 4. The Chairman of the Board shall preside at all Meetings of the Board of Directors. In the absence of the President or in the event of his physical or other disability or resignation, the Chairman of the Board shall perform the duties for the President except such as the President shall have theretofore specifically delegated to be performed by another officer.

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

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

Section 7. The financial records of the Secretary-Treasurer shall be 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 two Immediate Past Chairmen of the Board, the six Regional Vice Presidents, and the Secretary-1 treasurer. The Executive Committee shall have the authority to act on all matters between meetings of the Board of Directors, and balloting may be by mail.

ARTICLE VII New Members

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

Section 2. There shall accompany each recommendation for membership pursuant to Section I detailed biographical material and information which in the judgment of the sponsor indicates that the nominee represents and supports the objectives of' this Association and would, in his opinion, be acceptable to the Department of Defense as a candidate for JCOC.

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

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

ARTICLE VIII Censure, Suspension and Expulsion

Section 1. Any member of the Association who shall have been convicted of a crime, shall have disseminated information of a nature inimical to the best interests of the Department of Defense or the Association or shall have acted in a manner such as to cast opprobrium upon the Association shall be liable to censure and suspension for a period of not more than six months, or expulsion from the Association.

Section 2. Charges against any member of the Association shall be initiated by action of any officer of the Association upon appropriate notification to the President or Chairman of the Board That officer shall promptly convene a meeting of the Executive Committee for the purpose of hearing and considering the charges The member against whom charges shall have been preferred shall have the opportunity of appearing in person or presenting written statements to controvert the charges. The Executive Committee shall take action without delay either to dismiss the charges, censure and suspend the member, or direct his expulsion. If the alleged offending member so desires, he or she may, within ten days after receipt of notice of the action of the Executive Committee, request a hearing before the Board of Directors at its next meeting for a review of any sanction imposed. If such request is made, the sanction imposed will remain in full force and effect unless and until a contrary decision of the Board 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 Board of Directors. Members shall pay annual dues as determined by a majority vote of the Board of Directors The annual membership year shall be November I through October 31.

Section 2. No officers, committee or member of this Association shall undertake any financial commitments except as authorized by the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE X Quorums

Section I. Twelve Directors shall constitute a quorum f or a meeting of the Board of Directors. The President, or at his designation the Chairman of the Board, may poll the Hoard by written communication

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

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

ARTICLE XI Amendments

The By-Laws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the members present at any Annual Meeting or at a Special Meeting which is called by the President upon a notice of not less than sixty days. Said notice shall contain a copy of the amendments to he proposed at such special meeting.