Upon formation of the CVMA in Louisiana in 2005, a single chapter, 6-1, was established that administered five detachments, designated Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, and Echo. CVMA Chapter 6-1 allocated each detachment a certain geographic area of responsibility as depicted in the map. In the early years of the CVMA in Louisiana, the detachments outside of the Leesville area were largely unorganized, consisting of only a few scattered members. It wasn’t until early 2011, that CVMA Chapter 6-1 Charlie Detachment was formally organized in Northwest Louisiana. Charlie Detachment, which was based at American Legion Lowe-McFarlane Post 14 in Shreveport, began with a core group of about 13 like-minded veterans with a passion for motorcycles. The inaugural officers of Charlie Detachment were Detachment Commander Thomas “Zip” Van Zile, Detachment XO George Peyton “Jorge” Wilson, Detachment Treasurer Bill “Kinky” Durr, and Detachment Sergeant at Arms Clyde “Sky Pilot” French. A photo of some first members of Charlie Detachment at American Legion Post 14 in 2011 is depicted below.
Over the next four years, Charlie Detachment grew to over 50 members, including Auxiliary and Supporters. With the passing of Detachment XO George Peyton “Jorge” Wilson on June 18, 2012 (kneeling, second from left in the photo), Charlie Detachment named its second annual poker run, held in 2013, in his honor. The five detachments of 6-1 would typically meet for biannual chapter meetings, styled as “state meetings,” in rotating locations around the state. Charlie Detachment donated time and funds to several local charities, including the Veterans Lighthouse.
While the system of five detachments reporting to a single chapter proved well enough in the early days of the CVMA, as membership in the organization continued to grow in Louisiana, so did the desire for chapter status among some of the detachments. That desire was not shared by everyone in the CVMA in Louisiana, many of whom wished to maintain the status quo. On October 7, 2014, the CVMA National Board of Directors (NBOD) duly approved the first such request, and Chapter 6-2, formerly Bravo Detachment, was established as the second CVMA chapter in Louisiana, based in Lake Charles.
Charlie Detachment watched the formation of CVMA Chapter 6-2 with keen interest. On August 22, 2015, at the regular monthly meeting of Charlie Detachment at American Legion Post 14, two interested Full Members presented the case for establishing CVMA Chapter 6-3. The meeting was attended by the National President of the CVMA, CVMA Chapter 6-1 XO, and the Louisiana State CVMA Representative. Charlie Detachment held a vote on the matter with over two-thirds of the Full Members present voting to form a chapter. Draft bylaws of the prospective CVMA Chapter 6-3 were distributed to be voted on at the next monthly meeting. At the final meeting of Charlie Detachment, September 19, 2015, the Full Members present voted on a slate of inaugural officers of the prospective CVMA Chapter 6-3 and approved the draft bylaws. The paperwork required for chapter approval by the NBOD included a permanent record sheet signed at this meeting by 38 charter members, including 5 Auxiliary and 4 Supporter members, who requested to be transferred from CVMA Chapter 6-1 to CVMA Chapter 6-3. Per Robert’s Rules governing charter membership in an organization, the record sheet served as the roster of those members of CVMA Chapter 6-3 entitled to wear the “Chapter Original” patch.
On October 18, 2015, having received the required paperwork, including bylaws and permanent record sheet, the NBOD approved the establishment of CVMA Chapter 6-3. At this time, CVMA Chapter 6-3 still held the geographic area of responsibility it had as Charlie Detachment: Caddo, Bossier, DeSoto, Webster, Claiborne, Bienville, Red River, Lincoln, Jackson, Union, Morehouse, Ouachita, West Carroll, East Carroll, Richland, and Madison Parishes. Only a few CVMA Chapter 6-3 members, however, resided outside of Caddo and Bossier Parishes. But that would soon change.
After the NBOD approved the establishment of CVMA Chapter 6-4, formerly Alpha Detachment, based in Houma, on November 20, 2016, geographic distances coupled with an ever-growing membership of CVMA Chapter 6-3 would result in the next CVMA chapter in Louisiana.
Much like the original core group of Charlie Detachment, a small number of motorcycle-loving veterans who resided in Northeast Louisiana, mainly in West Monroe and Bastrop, joined the CVMA and Chapter 6-3. Due to the distances to and from Shreveport to attend monthly meetings, poker runs, and other events, the growing number of CVMA members in Northeast Louisiana desired to form their own prospective CVMA Chapter 6-5. With the assistance and full support of CVMA Chapter 6-3, 17 Full Members and 7 Auxiliary members requested to be transferred from CVMA Chapter 6-3 to CVMA Chapter 6-5. On December 11, 2016, the NBOD approved establishment of CVMA Chapter 6-5, splitting the geographic area of responsibility of CVMA Chapter 6-3. Based in Bastrop, the new CVMA Chapter 6-5 had the following area of responsibility: Union, Morehouse, Ouachita, West Carroll, East Carroll, Richland, and Madison Parishes.
Other CVMA reorganizations in Louisiana followed soon thereafter removing the last vestiges of the old detachment system. Eazy Detachment was ordered dissolved by the NBOD on January 8, 2017; its members in Natchitoches, Sabine, and Vernon Parishes were absorbed into CVMA Chapter 6-1, based in Leesville. CVMA Chapter 6-6 was established from Delta Detachment, the last chapter so formed in Louisiana from the original detachments. Finally, CVMA Chapters 6-7 and 6-8 grew out of geographic areas split from CVMA Chapters 6-2 and 6-4, respectively.
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