Prattville Dragoons Commander's Column for October 2018

Commander's Column – Opportunities to Grow and Strengthen Our Camp and the Brigade

Camp 1524 has been fortunate, blessed to grow and maintain our membership and most importantly these new members have been among our most active, attending camp meetings as well as participating in our camp initiatives and volunteer opportunities.  This activism makes the Dragoons a formidable agent to advance the Cause in our community and the state of Alabama.  New Dragoon Josh Stover, in addition to creating a monument business to supply Confederate statues and busts across the South, was recently elected as Commander for the Southwest Central Brigade of the Alabama Division.  As we all should be, Josh is determined to honor his ancestors, defend their good name, guard the history of the South and the Cause and, grow the Sons of Confederate Veterans in order to withstand the attacks on our heritage by the militant, progressive, politically correct organizations arrayed against us.  Josh is taking a very active approach with his new position going above and beyond the directives of the new Division commander.  He recently held his first Brigade meeting for camp commanders and adjutants and presented many good ideas to strengthen and grow our camps and the Brigade. 

Commander Stover illustrates our challenge with data and statistics.  The Brigade currently has 165 members.  The population of the counties in which the SWC camps operate has over 217,000 residents - SCV members comprise just .08% of the population.  It has been estimated that perhaps 40% of legacy caucasian Southerners have Confederate ancestors so, we have over 60,000 potential members in the SWC Brigade region. Josh provided examples of initiatives to reach school aged children including living histories and the Hunley JROTC awards but even volunteer work days at the schools and sports or summer camps. To reach adult potential members, recommendations include inviting members from other civic organizations and participating in community events like parades and festivals. But, more and new ideas might include sponsoring golf or fishing tournaments or hosting a movie night.  The Dragoons ongoing initiatives include some of these activities but we need to expand our distribution of the Division education posters to area schools. We have approached the Autauga Heritage Association about showing a movie on the grounds of Buena Vista to which we could potentially invite the public as well as neighboring camps.

To create a more vibrant, responsive and strong Brigade, Commander Stover is encouraging expanded networking between the camps. Josh wants each camp to host at least one event each year to which the rest of the camps and their members in the Brigade are invited such as the Dragoons’ fall muster clay shoot. Extracurricular clubs like fishing groups or car shows can be held to foster participation by more members and build relationships across the Brigade outside of structured meetings.  Social events like our Christmas Social are opportunities to invite compatriots from other camps.  Josh is espousing establishing Brigade reenactor units, a Brigade Guardian group, a Brigade parade unit and others. If you enjoy a hobby like fishing or golf or cars or riding your motorcycle or horses, take the lead and develop a group to hold events or simple get togethers to enjoy these pursuits with compatriots from other camps.  Communication methods and calendars are being developed to coordinate these varied activities.  All of this to provide additional opportunities and outlets for participation to grow our camps and hopefully to even plant additional camps in candidate communities in the SWC Brigade footprint like Clanton.  Attend other camp’s meetings and events as an individual or bring your family.  There is Brigade and Division money for workshops and Flag Day festivities and other ideas.  Be engaged.  Lead or get involved in an extracurricular group.  There should be an urgency to transform your camp, your Brigade, the Division and the SCV to a more active dynamic organization, a more close-knit invested group of compatriots able to withstand and weather the attacks on our heritage through the strength of the relationships and interests we share.  Share your passions to grow the SCV, to carry forth the Charge.