User:Imperial Misanthrope/Military Reform Act

The Military Reform Act was an amendment to Sangheili military law made by the first Imperial Admiral of the Imperium of the Sangheili Empire, V’thi ‘Gin Raman, and accepted by the Sanghelios High Council. The Reform Act specified several differences from the former Covenant military, the most important of which was the section specifying that females may now enter the military.

The Act
The First Military Reform Act of the First Age of Realization, as dictated by his honourable the Imperial Admiral of the Armed forces of the Imperium of the Sangheili Empire and her territories, and adhered to by his Imperial Majesty the Arbitrator, and by this right honourable High Council of the Empire, hereby insists upon the following amendments to current military law as decided upon at the dawning of the Age:

1/ That all warriors within the Imperial Military shall be issued a just and fair salary based upon merit and rank as opposed to the simplicity of being


 * - Warriors of superior Swordsmanship are entitled to their rights as was previously stated as according to traditions of the Sanghelios.


 * - Aristocrats are formally entitled to their income as was previously held. Taxes issued by the right honourable High Council follow upon income.


 * - All immobile or otherwise irredeemable warriors of any classification may be not be subject to salary decrease until being formally discharged from the military.


 * - All fainéant or idle warriors will be subject to salary decrease upon inspection of cause.

2/ All officers of The Imperial Army or Navy may carry a subject: Type-1 Energy Weapon into battle upon completing training in the art of superior Swordsmanship.


 * - No officer or warrior may carry a subject: Type-1 Energy Weapon unless trained, or without proven ability in Sword Mastery


 * - All officers of any type may carry a subject: Type-1 Energy Weapon at any given time unless designated not to within the military complex. Carrying one within the confines of civilian living is subject to the interpretation of local law.


 * - All warriors of official superior Swordsmanship genes are entitled to carry a subject: Type-1 Energy Weapon with them at any given time unless designated not to within the military complex. Carrying one within the confines of civilian living is subject to the interpretation of local law.

3/ Females of military capable species are permitted to join the Imperial Military under the condition of the rank of warrior be closed to them.


 * - Sangheili of Female gender may become officers upon completing appropriate schooling, and may start as low as Major. Females may not intentionally enter battle.


 * - Kig-yar Mercenaries from any recognized Guild of conduct is not subject to this particular law of the Empire.


 * - Humans of any gender may not enter the Imperial military unless conscripted under Imperial Decree.


 * - Unggoy Females are not permitted to join the Imperial Military under reasoning for the continuation of the Unggoy species.


 * - Yanme’e of any Gender may join the Imperial Military, no Yanme’e accepting the title of Queen or To-Be-Queen is permitted to enlist.

4/ The regulation time-frame for a warrior’s service to the Imperial Military is dictated as 50-60 years upon willing entry.


 * - Discharge may occur upon irreparable injury


 * - Conscripted warriors are relieved of duty upon the completion of the active war as decided by the Bodies of the Imperium.


 * - Warriors of previous engagement (Marriage, Funerals, ect) are relived of duty until said engagement is finalized. Terms of relief are dictated by the closest superior ranking officer. Relief may not be given in times of National Emergency.


 * - Service may be suspended by the office of Imperial Admiral during times of peace.

5/ Conscription may only occur during times of national emergency, or in times of war during which point there is a lack of volunteers.


 * - Shortage of warriors is considered to be on average 5000 or lower per medium sized planetoid.


 * - Conscription may only be organized by direct authority of a Fleet Master or individual of equal or higher authority


 * - Conscription without the necessary causes is illegal and punishable by civil trial by this right honourable High Council.

Acceptance
The Reform was oddly accepted by the High Council, though only after increased change and amendment to the Act that resulted in its current state. The general acceptance by the Sangheili people however was heavily divided. Many individuals among the Aristocracy found the amendment to be a threat to tradition, as did many former Covenant military officials; however, many moderates such as the Arbiter, Rtas ‘Vadum, Dtar ‘Zealonf, younger swordsmen and warriors, and not surprisingly a large number of women were in favour of the Act, supporting it as viciously as the traditionalists opposed it.

The Reform stayed, mostly because of the Imperial Admiral’s near total authority over the military complex, and over several decades the Traditionalists eventually relented; many claimed on both sides that the Act did not break tradition because women were officers, and the tradition was that females were not permitted to be warriors.

Hard liners of the Traditionalists would still attempt to attack the Act over many years, saying that merely being on the battlefield necessitated females to participate in fighting. The other problem, although not actually a clarified tradition, was that as officers, the new Act specified that women were allowed, and actually forced to learn swordsmanship, which many Aristocrats found to be quite improper. Strangely enough, a majority of swordsmen did not oppose this.