Articles of Conduct of the Royal Pendronian Army

1.     A Commanding Officer in the Pendronian Royal Army (PRA) are to stand as an example to his or her subordinates and as a sign of the pillars of justice, virtue, honor and duty. A Commander in the PRA is to lead by example demonstrating the best qualities that exemplify the lifestyles, expectations and duties of an officer, whether commissioned or enlisted, in the PRA.

2.     Punishments inflicted by a Commanding Officer or a officer placed in charge of any size of a unit in the PRA shall be fair and equitable, after a proper review of the facts. The following  failings are for those that’s punishments do not warrant a court martial at the discretion of a commanding officer and who’s punishment is at the discretion of a commanding officer, not exceeding the parameters laid out in Article 3:

a.     Disobeying of an direct order from a superior officer in a time of peace during a training exercise or a routine military drill or exercise.

b.     Arguing or debating with a superior officer in the presence of other soldier’s.

c.     The failure to perform basic duties of a soldier as dictated by a commanding officer.

3.     The punishment that can be granted for the failing list above are as such listed below:

a.     Suspension of duty for a period not exceeding a two week period, at the commanding officers discretion this can be with or without compensation for that period

b.     A suspension of all or any authority granted by rank, serving as a temporary demotion, for a period not exceeding two weeks.

c.     A writing demerit to the soldiers record to be reviewed upon every consideration of promotion or extension of duty.

d.     Recommendation of transfer from that unit or command to be reviewed and ruled on by the Field General of the PRA

e.     A recommendation for a dishonorable discharge from the PRA to be reviewed by a general court-martial and ruled on by a jury of the soldiers peers.

4.     Any punishment exceeding a two-week span or that has been specified above as warranting a general court-martial shall be reviewed by a military tribunal for the soldier who’s actions are in question within a reasonable time when the case can be prepared for the said court-martial.

5.     The rules and guidelines of a general court-martial shall be:

a.     An officer commissioned in the duties as a military judge within the authority granted to the PRA shall oversee the trial as a civilian judge would oversee a civilian trial.

i.                 In the case of no officers being commissioned as a military judge the trial shall be overseen by the Field General of the Pendronian Royal Army.

ii.                A military judge shall be a representative of a separate branch of the military belonging to the sole authority of upholding and maintaining military law.

b.     The soldier being tried shall have the right to be judged by a jury of his or her peers made up of serving officers in the PRA called upon to rule in this case. This right may not be waved or suspended.

c.     The accused shall have the right to representation provided by the military for the purpose of his or her defense. The duties of this advocate will be to present the best possible representation of his or her client and shall serve from a separate branch of the military dedicated to trying and defending cases. The accused shall have the right to wave or change representation at any point in the case without prejudice.

d.     The prosecution shall be made of an officer of the PRA who represents a separate branch of the Army dedicated to upholding and defending and maintaining military law.

e.     The rulings of the jury of the accused peers shall be the final say in this matter and an appeal can only be filed with regards to errors in rulings or in defense or prosecution that would case a mistrial.

f.      In cases of worse crimes, as further laid out in these Articles of Conduct the judge upon the recommendation of the jury can recommend charges to be laid against the accused to be handled in civilian court to punish the accused in a suitable way as to repair damages to the Kingdom that could have been made and ensure justice is seen.

6.     Crimes warranting a court martial not at the discretion of punishment of a commanding officer shall be:

a.     Treason, mutiny, sedition or espionage, which if found guilty shall result in a dishonorable discharge from the PRA and charges to be laid in the high court with the recommendation of banishment from the Kingdom

b.     Disregard or direction disobeying of an commanding officer that results in the placing of troops and missions in jeopardy, this can result in a dishonorable discharge and civilian charges to be laid if the necessity for such arises.

c.     Discharging of a weapon in times of peace on foreign lands that could be seen as an act of war or a disregarding of any treaty with the said nation without direct orders from your commander with orders from the Field General of the PRA. This can result in dishonorable discharge and civilian charges to be laid if the necessity for such arises.

d.     Deserting Military Service or being Absent Without Leave, which can result in a dishonorable discharge from the military.

7.     The above mentioned punishments are the final and most severe punishments that can be handed down by a military court. Other punishments at the discretion of the court shall be:

a.     Demotion, permanent or temporary with a reduction of salary.

b.     Relief from duty for a period of no longer then two month with a writing demerit on the record.

c.     Relief from all command, permanent or temporary, with prejudice in the case of any future or pending promotion

d.     A written demerit on the record with recommendation towards prejudice for certain services or duty in the future as the case may arise.

8.     If any person shall apprehend they have just cause of complaint, they shall quietly and decently make the same known to his superior officer, or to the commanding officer, as the case may require, who will take care that justice be done them.

9.     The Commanding Officer, officers and others shall use their utmost endeavors to detect, apprehend and bring to punishment, all offenders, and shall at all times readily assist the officers appointed for that purpose in the discharge of their duty on pain of their being proceeded against, and punished by a court-martial at discretion.

10. The Field General of the PRA upon review by the Commander and Chief of the PRA shall have the right to remit punishment, short of that for the crime of treason, sedition, mutiny or espionage after a proper review has been made and after a length of time has been given. In the case of a dishonorable discharge he or she may not be allowed to return to active service to the PRA but may have the term dishonorable taken from the title so it only reads discharge when penance has been paid for their crimes.

11. Commanding officers of all sorts and forms of units, brigades, platoons and squadrons shall take detailed records or logs of events and missions in his charge to ensure that review can be placed as needed into duty to ensure that orders and commands in sacred trust shall be maintained and the integrity of the PRA shall be upheld. The same will be expected of executive officers.

12.  All Officers shall be commissioned out of the Enlisted Ranks until such a time as a Pendronian Royal Military College can be established to train and create active officers for service.

13.  In times of war the duties of the Field General will be to order and lead the troops to battle and encourage moral. He or she shall ensure that troops are overseen, battle plans are drafted with the best use of Royal Pendronian resources and ensure that the best outcome is obtained for King and Country.

14.  These Articles of Conduct can and shall be maintained and amended as the case may arise and upon such time as The Kingdom of Pendronia becomes a Macro Nation with the resources and rights afforded to a said nation. This review and amendment of the rules requires the approval of the Field General and the Commander in Chief of the Pendronian Royal Army.