Our Programs

By virtue of being veterans who have  served their country in its time of greatest need, the fun-loving,  hard-working Voyageurs Militaire maintain a strong commitment to the  American way of life.  Americanism projects, respect for the flag,  Constitution, Law and Order and the proven willingness to defend these  principles is evident in the day-to-day activities of members of our  society.  

 The National Box Car Association (NBCA) is an independent association within the Forty & Eight which raises funds by selling Crew or Associate Membership Cards. All funds raised by the Association are used within the year they are obtained. The National Box Car Association supports several special projects at Promenade Nationale (National Convention). Each year, a party for special children is planned at the host city. These special children and their escorts are treated to lunch, train rides and entertainment provided by HOBO Clowns and bands. The entire cost of this party is paid by the NBCA from the funds collected in their annual membership drive. Another project at Promenade Nationale, is a monetary donation made to the local VAVS Hospital or Clinic. This contribution usually goes to the Patient Services area. The NBCA also contributes large amounts to the various programs of Voiture Nationale (National Headquarters), such as the Boland Nurses Training Trust Fund and the Charles Ardery Child Welfare Trust Fund. Monies are also given to the other programs which may require assistance, such as the Membership Committee, Forty & Eighter Magazine, Law Officer of the Year Program and many others. 

As one of their ongoing programs, the Voyageurs Militaire offer continuing support of the publication, "The Carville Star," which disseminates the information regarding the research into Hansen's Disease (Leprosy) taking place in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  There they have been successful in isolating, controlling and soon, through their research, the development of a vaccine to prevent Hansen's Disease.  "The Star" is published at the former United States Public Health Service Hospital located in Carville, Louisiana.  This patient-published publication carries the research works of not only this center, but those of the rest of the world, and is translated into and forwarded to 128 countries in addition to a circulation of more than 60,000 in the United States.  

 The Voyageurs Militaire (Military  Travelers) founded a Child Welfare Program in 1923 to ease the pain and  suffering of those children whose fathers never returned or who were  unable to care for their needs after the "Big War."  Today, this program  has grown to include all children with emergent needs, and our efforts  amount to over eight millions of dollars annually.   

Our primary goal is to make the forty and eight Nurses Training program a household brand name in our communities and eliminate Nursing shortages in America. We want to continue developing a stronger relationship with our community by attending community affairs, encouraging business, promote individual sponsors, and promote nursing scholarships to get the job done. We need your help. Come and join us, march with us.   

The purpose of the National POW/MIA  Program is to raise funds in Honor of the Servicemen & Women who  were Prisoners of War, or are considered Missing in Action while serving  in the defense of the United States of America, or its allies during  times of armed conflict.  The funds are raised to facilitate the  formation and continuance of a Scholarship Trust Fund for the direct  descendants of verifiable POW/MIA Servicemen and Women.  Scholarships  are limited to the Veteran, the Spouse of the veterans, children,  grandchildren and great grandchildren of the veteran.   

The Forty & Eight, as are most  Veterans Organizations, is an active member and participant in the VAVS  program.  As part of this program, Voyageurs (called Representatives or  Deputy Representatives) represent the Forty and Eight by regularly  attending the VAVS Committee meetings at their Local Veteran  Administration Medical Centers (VAMC’s). They as well as other Voyageur  Volunteers visit the VAMC’s on a regular basis, where they give comfort  and assistance to, or just visit with, the hospitalized veterans. VAVS  Volunteers are a priceless asset to the Nation’s Veterans and to the  Department of Veterans Affairs.   

The Forty & Eight has adopted an  additional program for these veterans, called "Keep Those Wheelchairs  Rolling."  Under this program, the VAVS Representative (or Deputy  Representative) writes a brief letter outlining a "need" of the  patients.  These "needs" may cover a project, equipment or comfort and  convenience items needed by the hospitalized veterans.  The entries are  then judged on the need and benefit to the patients, and those selected  receive the item(s) requested, courtesy of the National Box Car  Association.

This is a program that is intended to be a measure of a Voiture Locale's activities and member involvement. It is a measure of the Voiture as a unit.It is intended to measure the percentage of participation on the part of individual Voitures. In the simplest of terms, the higher the percentage the better the program.

Some of the activities that can be measured by the program, include the following, but not limited to these.

* A Brunch, Dinner, Bar-B-Q.

* Dance, Kids Party, Flag Respect Demonstration

* VA Activity, Party for Patients

* Veterans Day/Memorial Day Activity

* Any Veterans Organization meeting the Voiture was in attendance.

* All Locale Promenades/Cheminots

* Grande Events

 The Youth Sports Program was established  in 1994.  Through this program, the 40/8 provides financial assistance  in the form of grants to individual athletes or teams who lack the funds  required to attend and participate in amateur sports programs.  This  program encompasses all amateur sports programs for all youths from 7 to  20 years of age.   

Charles W. Ardery Memorial Child Welfare Trust Fund

The primary function of the Charles W. Ardery Trust Fund is to provide reimbursements of funds expended by a Voiture Locale or a Grande Voiture in meeting the emergent needs of children 17 years of age or younger.  Emergent is defined as: A situation which has developed of a serious nature demanding prompt attention."  This situation may arise out of natural disasters, i.e., floods, tornadoes, hurricane, fire, etc.  Emergent cases are given prime consideration and are undertaken by the Local Voiture where established agencies, (Red Cross, churches, welfare, etc.), are unable to move rapidly or cannot act at all.  However, this aid is not intended to replace or supplement that assistance which may be available through established agencies.

George B. Boland Nurses Training Scholarship Trust Fund

The Boland Nurses Scholarship Trust was founded to provide additional scholarship support to those Voitures Locale who have exhausted their scholarship funds but who still have qualified individuals applying for scholarships.  The trust is administered by Voiture Nationale, and all determinations regarding the awarding of scholarships grants are made by the Boland Trust Committee consisting of three (3) members of La Societe.  Only those Voitures Locale who have an official Nurses Training Program in place may apply to the Boland Trust for further assistance, as the Trust Fund is intended as a a supplement to, and not a replacement for, a local nurses training program.

General's Club

The Forty and Eight General's Club was formed in 1973.  Its original purpose was to honor and dignify the profession of law enforcement.  Funds generated by the annual dues in this elite club, underwrite  the expenses of the Outstanding Law Officer of the Year program.  In so doing, the General's Club affords each annual Outstanding Law Officer of the Year award recipient, the opportunity  to attend Promenade Nationale, as a guest of the Forty and Eight.

In recent years, the Club has taken on additional fiscal responsibilities associated with the Americanism Award program.  For nearly 40 years, the General's Club has been a very important and select element within the Forty and Eight.

 National Past Chef De Gare Club exists to:

   ---honor, through membership, those Voyageurs who have served their Voiture Locale and/or Grande Voiture as Chef de Gare.

   ---directly support the Forty & Eighter Magazine with a $10,000.00 per year donation derived from membership dues, memorial donations, gifts and other special fund raising projects that the club may undertake.

   ---increase comradery between club members who share common bonds, and who are "Etiam Servans". (Still Serving).

   *Eligibility - Any Voyageur who has, or is currently served honorably as Chef de Gare.

The Press Association of La Societe is dedicated to the advancement of Public Relations within the Forty and Eight. The Press Association of La Societe des Forty Hommes et Huit Chevaux is established to foster a closer relationship between and among editors, their staffs, and publicity persons of the Forty and Eight and La Femmes and to promote and disseminate news of locales, Grand and National. Membership is limited to paid-up members of La Societe. 

At the 2021 Promenade National held in Springfield Missouri the Public Relations Committee approved the “Blue Chevaliers Project”. The project purpose as proposed and approved is as follows; Support the goals of the Generals Club with additional funds when required to support the ‘Law Officer of the Year’ expense. The Forty and Eight General's Club was formed in 1973. Its original purpose was to honor and dignify the profession of law enforcement. Funds generated by the annual dues in this elite club, underwrite the expenses of the Outstanding Law Officer of the Year program. In so doing, the General's Club affords each annual Outstanding Law Officer of the Year award recipient, the opportunity to attend Promenade Nationale, as a guest of the Forty and Eight. In recent years, the Club has taken on additional fiscal responsibilities associated with the Americanism Award program. For nearly 40 years, the General's Club has been a very important and select element within the Forty and Eight. • Honor Locale, State & Federal Law Enforcement [including Military Police] Organizations and individuals for exceptional Community Relations activities and/or Projects • Raise La Société’s profile in Local Communities to promote interest in our organization.