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During World War II, Fred Kibbe, Archbastard I, was in the Army in Brisbane, Australia. Along with other officers there
on active duty, the evening hours were often spent in hospitable hours of inhaling spirits and good fellowship. Along
the way, the guys started using the endearing salutation, "Hi, you old bastard," and soon started the "Bastards We
Have Met Club." It was here that Fred recognized that Australians often used the term "bastard" as a term of
endearment, a fact that has resulted in the I.O.O.B. having OVER 1 MILLION OLD BASTARDS and OLD BASTARETTES!
Fred returned to civilian life and being an avid correspondent, kept in touch with the Old Bastards and when he send
off a few cards to them to show their official designation, they not only liked the cards but wanted some for their
friends. Fred obliged and the I.O.O.B. was off and running. From a few dozen allied officers in Brisbane in 1945, there
are now over 1 million Old Bastards throughout the world. Predominately in the English speaking countries, (we
haven't got our translations done yet), new members tend to be 80% from the U.S., 10% from Canada, and 10% from
around the world.
Priding itself on its "nothingness" without any requirements for membership and no requirements for meetings or
dues, the Old Bastards in certain areas often band together in fellowship groups not unlike the original gang in
Brisbane. By popular demand, headquarters in Ft. Lauderdale, FL issues an I.O.O.B. Charter to form a Chapter when
25 or more names are sent in. Amazingly, over 4600 Chapters have been chartered as we plow into the 90's.
One wonders whether such an organization is itself legitimate. It's quite common to express disbelief when the Order
is initially explained. Well, we have a corporate charter from the Florida Secretary of State. The Internal Revenue
Service has looked at us and asked "What the hell does an Archbastard do"? In 1969 the Civil Aeronautics Board and
Pan American World Airways didn't question our right to exist but claimed we were not a genuine "affinity group" to
be eligible for low-cost group charter flights. We don't intend to change our fun-loving group to the regimented groups
in fancy evening dress, head dress or rigid confusion. We continue as a group letting itself, its members and its
chapters pick their own way. All we need is an Old Bastard to sponsor you and you're in. What you do to stay in is up
to you.
You may note some literature requires members to be at, over or approaching 60 years old. This is regularly
interpreted during the first week of life of some members to be close enough and we boast of getting a card out once
before the baby pictures arrived. We note such parents to be loyal Old Bastards. We take great delight in having
certain Chapters with having over a thousand members each.
We regret that the biggest fun lover of them all, Fred Kibbe, left us in 1980. However, Fred would not want any of you
to pause a moment from enjoying yourself as an Old Bastard. He said it many times "Don't let the Bastards Wear You
Down"!
on active duty, the evening hours were often spent in hospitable hours of inhaling spirits and good fellowship. Along
the way, the guys started using the endearing salutation, "Hi, you old bastard," and soon started the "Bastards We
Have Met Club." It was here that Fred recognized that Australians often used the term "bastard" as a term of
endearment, a fact that has resulted in the I.O.O.B. having OVER 1 MILLION OLD BASTARDS and OLD BASTARETTES!
Fred returned to civilian life and being an avid correspondent, kept in touch with the Old Bastards and when he send
off a few cards to them to show their official designation, they not only liked the cards but wanted some for their
friends. Fred obliged and the I.O.O.B. was off and running. From a few dozen allied officers in Brisbane in 1945, there
are now over 1 million Old Bastards throughout the world. Predominately in the English speaking countries, (we
haven't got our translations done yet), new members tend to be 80% from the U.S., 10% from Canada, and 10% from
around the world.
Priding itself on its "nothingness" without any requirements for membership and no requirements for meetings or
dues, the Old Bastards in certain areas often band together in fellowship groups not unlike the original gang in
Brisbane. By popular demand, headquarters in Ft. Lauderdale, FL issues an I.O.O.B. Charter to form a Chapter when
25 or more names are sent in. Amazingly, over 4600 Chapters have been chartered as we plow into the 90's.
One wonders whether such an organization is itself legitimate. It's quite common to express disbelief when the Order
is initially explained. Well, we have a corporate charter from the Florida Secretary of State. The Internal Revenue
Service has looked at us and asked "What the hell does an Archbastard do"? In 1969 the Civil Aeronautics Board and
Pan American World Airways didn't question our right to exist but claimed we were not a genuine "affinity group" to
be eligible for low-cost group charter flights. We don't intend to change our fun-loving group to the regimented groups
in fancy evening dress, head dress or rigid confusion. We continue as a group letting itself, its members and its
chapters pick their own way. All we need is an Old Bastard to sponsor you and you're in. What you do to stay in is up
to you.
You may note some literature requires members to be at, over or approaching 60 years old. This is regularly
interpreted during the first week of life of some members to be close enough and we boast of getting a card out once
before the baby pictures arrived. We note such parents to be loyal Old Bastards. We take great delight in having
certain Chapters with having over a thousand members each.
We regret that the biggest fun lover of them all, Fred Kibbe, left us in 1980. However, Fred would not want any of you
to pause a moment from enjoying yourself as an Old Bastard. He said it many times "Don't let the Bastards Wear You
Down"!
| International Order of Old Bastards ELKO Nevada |
