PROSPECTING
GFMC Prospecting
The indoctrination of new members into any motorcycle club by way of prospecting is customary and a typical part of MC culture. For The Gunfighters Motorcycle Club (GFMC), it is a critical selection process that ensures the high-standards of the club is upheld by every brother bearing the LEO center patch. As we are a 100% law-enforcement motorcycle club, simply being a good MC member is not enough. As law-enforcement officers, every Gunfighter is professionally competent, well-regarded by his peers, and has a work ethic beyond reproach. At work, Gunfighters represent the club to their law-enforcement brothers and sisters. Within the club, Gunfighters represent their department or agency and demonstrate our core values of service, brotherhood, and trustworthiness toward other brothers. To the general public and all other MCs throughout the world, we represent all of the above in the Gunfighter name. Therefore, the GFMC prospects its new members to ensure they live up to the finest traditions of both law-enforcement service and MC brotherhood.
GFMC prospecting is mainly managed at the local chapter level between the president and the prospect’s sponsor. However, all chapter members scrutinize, assess, and then vote on the prospect’s attitude, interpersonal skills, riding ability, and overall potential to be a fully-patched GFMC member. Chapter runs, meetings, or informal get-togethers provide opportunities for prospects assessment. GFMC prospects may find themselves pulling security on parked motorcycles during certain meetings, driving a “support car” while the chapter members are riding and “flying the colors,” physically setting up for club events, or other seemingly menial, but necessary, tasks that are typical to any MC. Prospect hazing and self-deprecating rituals are not formally encouraged by club leadership.
For the individual prospect, it is an opportunity for you to find out if you are willing to put the club’s interests above those of your own. The following questions, among others, will be answered:
1. Is being a part of this club what I really want for myself?
2. Am I willing to wear the LEO center patch, comply to the MC by-laws, and represent the core values of the GFMC?
3. If I were to become a fully-patched member, am I willing to contribute whatever it takes to the improvement of this club and the welfare of my brothers?
4. Am I able to appropriately balance the needs of the club with the other needs in my life such as work or family?
5. In the event of a personality conflict, disagreement, or any other negative experience, how will I respond? Will I quit? Will my bruised ego cause me to weaken the club with toxic behavior such as speaking ill of other brothers or building divisive alliances within the brotherhood? Or, is my loyalty to the overall club and Gunfighter name greater than these petty grievances?
6. When given the opportunity to contribute to chapter discussions, will I speak my opinion and respect the opinions of my brothers? And, if the club leadership at the chapter or club level decides differently from what I proposed, will I comply?
7. Can I maintain the confidentiality of club discussions amongst my brothers? Or will I share such discussions with my wife, girlfriend, or members of other clubs?
Clearly, if you cannot answer such questions to the best interests of the club, you are not cut out for the GFMC, or possibly MC membership overall.
- The GFMC USA-International Board...
~ Author - Dirty - International Vice President - USA (West Coast)
The indoctrination of new members into any motorcycle club by way of prospecting is customary and a typical part of MC culture. For The Gunfighters Motorcycle Club (GFMC), it is a critical selection process that ensures the high-standards of the club is upheld by every brother bearing the LEO center patch. As we are a 100% law-enforcement motorcycle club, simply being a good MC member is not enough. As law-enforcement officers, every Gunfighter is professionally competent, well-regarded by his peers, and has a work ethic beyond reproach. At work, Gunfighters represent the club to their law-enforcement brothers and sisters. Within the club, Gunfighters represent their department or agency and demonstrate our core values of service, brotherhood, and trustworthiness toward other brothers. To the general public and all other MCs throughout the world, we represent all of the above in the Gunfighter name. Therefore, the GFMC prospects its new members to ensure they live up to the finest traditions of both law-enforcement service and MC brotherhood.
GFMC prospecting is mainly managed at the local chapter level between the president and the prospect’s sponsor. However, all chapter members scrutinize, assess, and then vote on the prospect’s attitude, interpersonal skills, riding ability, and overall potential to be a fully-patched GFMC member. Chapter runs, meetings, or informal get-togethers provide opportunities for prospects assessment. GFMC prospects may find themselves pulling security on parked motorcycles during certain meetings, driving a “support car” while the chapter members are riding and “flying the colors,” physically setting up for club events, or other seemingly menial, but necessary, tasks that are typical to any MC. Prospect hazing and self-deprecating rituals are not formally encouraged by club leadership.
For the individual prospect, it is an opportunity for you to find out if you are willing to put the club’s interests above those of your own. The following questions, among others, will be answered:
1. Is being a part of this club what I really want for myself?
2. Am I willing to wear the LEO center patch, comply to the MC by-laws, and represent the core values of the GFMC?
3. If I were to become a fully-patched member, am I willing to contribute whatever it takes to the improvement of this club and the welfare of my brothers?
4. Am I able to appropriately balance the needs of the club with the other needs in my life such as work or family?
5. In the event of a personality conflict, disagreement, or any other negative experience, how will I respond? Will I quit? Will my bruised ego cause me to weaken the club with toxic behavior such as speaking ill of other brothers or building divisive alliances within the brotherhood? Or, is my loyalty to the overall club and Gunfighter name greater than these petty grievances?
6. When given the opportunity to contribute to chapter discussions, will I speak my opinion and respect the opinions of my brothers? And, if the club leadership at the chapter or club level decides differently from what I proposed, will I comply?
7. Can I maintain the confidentiality of club discussions amongst my brothers? Or will I share such discussions with my wife, girlfriend, or members of other clubs?
Clearly, if you cannot answer such questions to the best interests of the club, you are not cut out for the GFMC, or possibly MC membership overall.
- The GFMC USA-International Board...
~ Author - Dirty - International Vice President - USA (West Coast)