Every Auxiliary unit (flotilla, division and district), is required to have standardized standing rules as approved by the Auxiliary National Board. Because of the numerous changes effectuated by the new Auxiliary Manual (COMDTINST M16790.1G), the National Board has approved new standardized standing rules for all Auxiliary units. These can be found on the Auxiliary Chief Counsel national web page. Every Auxiliary unit should immediately update their standing rules to these standardized rules. Until each unit updates their standing rules, any provision of their old rules that is not in conformity with the new rules may be impermissible resulting in voidable elections and other matters. The following are a few important facts found in Chapter 4, Section H of the new Auxiliary Manual that all Auxiliary leaders should know:

Follow up:

• No Auxiliary unit amendments to the standardized standing rules are permitted; however, optional items (such as the unit quorum) contained in the rules (usually denoted by a space to be filled-in) may be changed in accord with the Auxiliary Manual.
• All standardized rules, with the options selected, must be affirmed by a two-thirds majority vote of the Auxiliary unit governing body (all eligible voting members of a flotilla, the division and district boards).
• Appendices to Auxiliary unit standing rules may be adopted by two-thirds vote of the unit governing body and contain matters local in nature that do not contradict or change any provision of the unit standardized standing rules and are in conformity with the Auxiliary Manual.

Even though each Auxiliary unit (flotilla, division, and district) has different roles and functions and, thus, different requirements addressed in the Auxiliary Manual, the new standardized unit standing rules provide greater consistency between all unit rules. Some of the most obvious changes to the standardized unit standing rules include:

• Providing for election nominations from the floor without a second,
• Requiring a written secret ballot for all unit elections, even when there is only one candidate for a given office,
• Refining the duties of unit screening and teller committees for elections,
• Delineating in greater detail the duties of the unit Financial Officer and unit financial responsibility, and
• Referencing unit business that may be conducted by mail or electronic means as addressed in the new Auxiliary Manual (the Manual states when this may be done and from whom approval must first be obtained, but does not specify how it is to be done - more on this subject will be forth-coming).

If any Auxiliary member has a question about the standardized unit standing rules, they should ask the DSO-LP using their chain of leadership and administration.

Source [Sig Murphy, Chief Counsel]