The American Society Of Military Insignia Collectors

ASMIC HAS FURTHERED KNOWLEDGE OF AMERICAN MILITARY INSIGNIA AND HISTORY THROUGH THE PRINTING AND DISTRIBUTION OF 1000 COPIES (QUARTERLY) OF OUR FULL COLOR MAGAZINE "THE TRADING POST" WHICH IS 64 PAGES PER ISSUE. THIS PUBLICATION CONTAINS NUMEROUS ARTICLES AND COLUMNS THAT EDUCATE AND DOCUMENT INSIGNIA AND OTHER MEMORABILIA (SUCH AS PHOTOS, DOCUMENTS, UNIFORMS, ETC.) OF US AND FOREIGN MILITARY FORCES. FREE COPIES OF THE TRADING POST ARE PROVIDED TO THE INSTITUTE OF HERALDRY, FORT BELVOIR, VA., AND TO OTHER NON-PROFIT FACILITIES SUCH AS MUSEUMS AND LIBRARIES ON REQUEST. ASMIC ALSO PRODUCES A QUARTERLY "NEWSLETTER" WHICH PROVIDES OPEN COMMUNICATIONS TO ALL MEMBERS. THE NEWSLETTER IS AVAILABLE ONLINE AT THE ASMIC WEBSITE. ASMIC ALSO DEVELOPS AND PUBLISHES NUMEROUS ASMIC INSIGNIA CATALOGS (50 DIFFERENT) AND BOOKS ON MILITARY INSIGNIA, WHICH ARE AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS AND THE PUBLIC AT VERY REASONABLE PRICES. AGAIN, COPIES OF THESE PUBLICATIONS ARE DONATED TO THE INSTITUTE OF HERALDRY AND PROVIDED TO OTHER MUSEUMS AND LIBRARIES ON REQUEST. ASMIC ALSO ASSISTS COLLECTORS AND RESEARCHERS IN THE PUBLICATION OF PRIVATELY DEVELOPED INSIGNIA AND MILITARY HISTORY BOOKS. ASMIC MAINTAINS OUR SOCIETY LIBRARY RUN BY OUR LIBRARIAN LOCATED AT GETTYSBURG, PA. WE RESPOND TO INQUIRIES FOR INFORMATION ON INSIGNIA AND OTHER MILITARY HISTORY ITEMS EACH WEEK AND WILL PROVIDE PHYSICAL COPIES OF EXCERPTS FROM OUR REFERENCE MATERIALS AS NEEDED. WE ESTIMATE WE RECEIVE OVER 200 INQUIRIES EACH YEAR. OUR LIBRARIAN HAS TOTALLY REORGANIZED AND IMPROVED THE PHYSICAL SETUP OF ALL REFERENCE MATERIALS. ASMIC MAINTAINS A DYNAMIC AND CONSTANTLY IMPROVING INTERNET WEBSITE AT "ASMIC.ORG" WITH MUCH INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC. THIS INFORMATION INCLUDES WAYS TO CONTACT SOCIETY OFFICERS FOR INFORMATION OR ASSISTANCE. ASMIC VOLUNTEERS RECENTLY COMPLETED DIGITAL CONVERSION OF OVER 85 YEARS OF THE TRADING POST, WHICH ARE AVAILABLE ON THE WEBSITE. ADDITIONALLY, VOLUNTEERS HAVE INDEXED EVERY ARTICLE, PHOTO AND ITEM OF INSIGNIA PICTURED IN THE TRADING POST FOR THE PAST 85 YEARS. THE INDEX IS FULLY SEARCHABLE. AN INQUIRY THROUGH THE WEBSITE WILL BRING UP EVERY INSTANCE OF THE PARTICULAR ITEM EVER PUBLISHED IN THE TRADING POST. THESE DIGITAL ISSUES ARE AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS AND TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC ON A LIMITED BASIS. WE HAVE IMPROVED OUR INTERNET WEBSITE TO INCLUDE A CHAT FORUM AND CONTINUE TO IMPROVE THE WEBSITE WITH NEW FEATURES PLANNED FOR THE FUTURE. WE HAVE CONTINUED OUR VOLUNTEER PROGRAM OF PROVIDING INSTRUCTIONAL AND INSIGNIA PACKETS TO BY SCOUT TROOPS ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO ASSIST INDIVIDUAL SCOUTS WITH EARNING THE "COLLECTIONS" MERIT BADGE, WHICH IS A PRAT OF THE OFFICIAL BSA AWARDS PROGRAM. IN 2020-2021, WE HAD 850+ ACTIVE MEMBERS IN ASMIC AND HAVE IDENTIFIED 1300 VOLUNTEER MANHOURS DONATED TO ASMIC DURING THE PAST FISCAL YEAR TO PREFORM NECESSARY LEADERSHIP, ADMINISTRATIVE, LOGISTICAL, EDUCATIONAL AND LEGAL FUNCTIONS. THIS IS A CONSERVATIVE FIGURE AS MANY VOLUNTEERS DO NOT KEEP LOGS OF HOURS DONATED, THEY SIMPLY STEP UP WHEN NEEDED. WE CONDUCT OUR ANNUAL SOCIETY CONVENTION AT DIFFERENT LOCATIONS, USUALLY IN EARLY SEPTEMBER. A HIGHLIGHT OF EACH CONVENTION ARE THE DISPLAYS OF MILITARY INSIGNIA DEVELOPED BY OUR MEMBERS. PART OF EACH CONVENTION IS TO CONDUCT EDUCATIONAL SEMINARS, WHICH ARE OPEN THE PUBLIC. OUR 2021 CONVENTION WAS HELD IN FAYETTEVILLE AND WAS ATTENDED BY OVER 400 MEMBERS AND PUBLIC WHO WERE BUYING, SELLING OR TRADING AND VIEWING THE DISPLAY TABLES. OUR 2022 NATIONAL CONVENTION WILL BE HELD IN PORTLAND, OREGON IN SEPTEMBER. OUR 2023 NATIONAL CONVENTION WILL BE HELD IN INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA IN SEPTEMBER. OUR TREASURER COMPLETES A MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT WHICH IS PROVIDED TO ALL ELECTED OFFICIALS AND VOLUNTEERS IN APPOINTED POSITIONS AND IS AVAILABLE TO ANY MEMBER ON REQUEST. IN ADDITION, A BRIEF FINANCIAL SUMMARY IS AVAILABLE IN OUR QUARTERLY "NEWSLETTER" THAT GOES TO ALL MEMBERS. ASMIC IS ADMINISTRATED BY A BOARD OF GOVERNORS (VOTING MEMBERS). THE BOG REVIEWS AND APPROVES EACH YEAR'S BUDGET. ELECTED OFFICERS SERVE FOUR YEAR TERMS. (NOTE: THE CURRENT FOUR-YEAR TERM ENDS IN SEPTEMBER 2022). THE FOLLOWING ARE THE CURRENT ELECTED OFFICERS: PRESIDENT - BOB CHATT, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT - DAVE KAUFMAN, AREA 1 VP - DAN GRIFFIN, AREA 2 VP - DAVE JOHNSON, AREA 3 VP - MIKE KELSO, AREA 4 VP - JOE DESANTOS, AREA 5 VP - MARK HUNT, AREA 6 VP - RON BURKEY, AREA 7 VP - MICHAEL STEVENS. NOTE: ASMIC ALSO HAS SEVERAL APPOINTED POSITIONS TO INCLUDE: SECRETARY, TREASURER, TRADING POST AND NEWSLETTER EDITORS, LIBRARIAN, PUBLICATIONS AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM DIRECTORS. MEMBERS FILLING ALL APPOINTED (NON-ELECTED) POSITIONS ARE NOMINATED BY THE PRESIDENT AND APPROVED BY THE ASMIC BOG PER SOCIETY BY-LAWS.