MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION
Benefits of Membership
1. SAR can help you research your genealogy and find your connection to those who fought to create our country.
2. SAR has a task force to preserve U.S. history. By joining SAR, you help preserve our American heritage and history.
3. As a member of SAR, you can help impact our young people through scholarship programs, Senior and Junior ROTC Awards programs, and the SAR Essay & Oration Contest. All of these programs help focus the attention of youth on the achievements of our forefathers in creating our nation.
Requirements for Membership
You are eligible for membership in this Society if you are:
1. A citizen with a good reputation in the community.
2. Do not advocate the overthrow of the Government of the United States by use
of force or violence.
3. The lineal descendant of an ancestor who was loyal to and rendered active service in the cause of American Independence, either as an officer, soldier, seaman, marine, militiaman, or Minuteman, who served in the armed forces of the Continental Congress or any of the several Colonies or States; or as a Signer of the Declaration of Independence; or as a member of a Committee of Safety or Correspondence; or as a member of any Continental, Provincial, or Colonial Congress or Legislature; or as a recognized Patriot who performed actual service by overt acts of resistance to the authority of Great Britain.
Don't give up the search even if you aren't sure whether any of your ancestors lived in the United States during the Revolution. Many people who never set foot in the United States supported the American colonists' struggle against British domination -- for example, the King of Spain. Many Patriots (or their descendants) moved to foreign lands and subsequent descendants returned to America unaware of their ancestors having lived here earlier. Many French, German, and Spanish soldiers and sailors fought in support of American Independence and returned home without making their descendants aware of their participation in gaining American Independence. Remember to consider all possibilities. Your search is a fun way to learn more about your family tree.
Steps to Becoming a Member
1. Exhibit sincerity of intent in affiliating with Sons of Liberty Chapter, California Society, Sons of the American Revolution by mailing a $15.00 check (search fee & pre-paid Associate Membership Dues). Don't forget to include the name(s) of your Revolutionary War ancestor(s). Make check payable to Sons of Liberty Chapter, SAR. Mail to our Registrar: Berni K. Campbell, 31333 East Nine Drive, Laguna Niguel, CA 92677.
2. Upon receipt of the above check, we will conduct a search to determine your eligibility based upon the Revolutionary War antecedents you have named.
Multiple searches may be conducted.
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Note: The SAR does not restrict membership based on race, color,
religion, national origin, or nation of citizenship or residency.
Marriage (and its documentation) for the several generations going
back to the Patriot Ancestor may be required. Legitimacy in any
generation is not a requirement. Descendants of plural marriages
are not excluded from SAR membership. Bloodline descent --
legitimate or illegitimate -- from a Patriot Ancestor is what is
required and must be documented. You must also have two
members recommend you for membership.
4. Results of the search, along with a standard National SAR Application, will be returned to you. Complete the preliminary application and return it along with a copy of your birth certificate. Also forward copies of all primary and secondary source information supporting your lineage back to your Revolutionary War Patriot. Copies will not be returned, and all materials received become the property of Sons of Liberty Chapter, SAR. Sorry, but referenced materials obtained online are not currently accepted. When submitting copies of published historical text, please include a copy of the title page.
5. Acceptable secondary lineage documentation in lieu of the above expressed need for individual copies of primary and secondary supporting documentation: You may be able to save a great deal of effort if you can identify a parent or relative of an earlier member or members of the SAR, DAR, or CAR. "Record Copies" of original applications of relatives can be obtained from the National Offices of the above organizations. Same may be accepted for the purpose of establishing your own lineage (does not preclude the need for a copy of your own birth certificate). Please advise us of your need for Request Forms, as the above organizations will nor forward Record Copies unless the proper form & fees are received.
6. Application Fees & Dues:
The fee for submission of application plus the first year dues for Chapter, State and National Societies is $150.00
- Subsequent annual membership dues for National, State & Chapter are:
Sons of Liberty Chapter Annual Dues: $15.00
California State Society Annual Dues: $18.00
National Society of SAR Annual Dues: $25.00
Total Annual Dues: $58.00
Lesser application dues and fees structures exist for Children of the American Revolution (CAR) members under 22 years of age, and also if they are a SAR or DAR relative under 25 years of age. Life memberships are also available for younger individuals affiliating. Please contact our Registrar Berni K. Campbell by email at BKC211@juno.com if you have questions.
7. The approval process normally takes 8 to 10 weeks. You will be notified by your
sponsoring Chapter if additional documentation is needed at either the State or national
level.
8. Share the pleasure of your induction ceremony with your family and friends, then honor your ancestry and serve your community through SAR activities.
Medals and Awards Protocol
The Society's Regulations concerning the wearing of SAR medals and awards can be found in the official handbook, along with the requirements for each of these awards. The handbook is updated periodically and republished. A current edition can be downloaded from the NSSAR web site - - www.sar.org and may be purchased from the Merchandise Department. With the exception of a few medals that were struck for specific events, medals are available from the NSSAR Merchandise Department.
Things that should be observed concerning the wearing of SAR medals include when to wear them and how to wear them. The wearing of SAR medals is encouraged and they should be worn at all appropriate occasions such as SAR and other lineage society events. It is meaningless for Compatriots to present medals as recognition for good works, if they don't wear their own SAR medals. Medals should be worn on formal and semiformal occasions. (Click_here_for_examples_of_Civilian_Dress, Military_Dress,_and_Formal_Wear). The full size medals should be worn on informal attire, but for appearance sake, should be only worn on a suit or sports coat. Once a member has been awarded three or more medals, he should have them mounted on a ribbon bar. Each medal is sewn on the bar to present uniform appearance. Click on these two links below to see the order in which they must be mounted.
(Medals and Their Order of Precedence Page 1).
(Medals and Their Order of Precedence Page 2).
The NSSAR Merchandise Department provides mounting service for a minimal charge.
Miniature medals should be worn on formal attire. They should be mounted on ribbon bars, with the lowest bar worn slightly above the breast pocket. Full size medals should be worn in the same manner. Additionally, when wearing your medals, you should limit the number of "pins" to just one.
Those that have served in our Armed Forces are entitled to wear their military decorations / medals. These always take precedence over all SAR medals.
Every member of the Society is entitled to wear the membership badge, which is shown below. Chapter Presidents, State and National officers wear their membership badge suspended from a neck ribbon also shown. All others use a traditional ribbon drape on which stars representing each supplemental ancestor recorded at NSSAR headquarters may be worn.
Items that may be worn on the neck ribbon in addition to the Supplemental stars include the past Vice Presidents emblem, past Chapter and State Presidents emblem, and Trustees emblem. No more than three of the emblems may be worn at one time. Also shown below are two of these items.
Many of us also belong to other Societies that present medals. Protocol dictates that when combining medals from various Societies, the official founding date of each society establishes the order in which the medals should be worn.
When you become a Compatriot of the SAR you were probably given a "Rosette" which is worn on the left lapel of the jacket. It is a very effective recruiting tool as you will be asked what it represents. You are encouraged to wear it as often as possible. The NSSAR Merchandise Department also offers a very attractive embroidered breast crest that adds a "touch of class" to any blazer. It may be worn when you wear your medals. The National Color Guard Committee recommends that when guardsman are wearing their Revolutionary War uniforms that they forego wearing any medals. When in your Revolutionary War uniform you are representing and honoring the memory of your patriot ancestor, who predates medals. You are not displaying your own achievements.
Medals and Awards Protocol Article By Donald N. Moran. Used by Permission of the California Society Sons of the American Revolution.
