XI Jon. I 2013 (Armed Forces)

The Purpose of this Act is to codify the laws which organise the Austenasian Armed Forces in a single Act of Parliament.

In accordance with the Second Imperial Decree of HIM Emperor Declan I, the Austenasian Army has since the implementation of the Austenasian Constitution of 2011 been structured as in Act 140 (Military Reform) of Parliament as passed under the Austenasian Constitution of 2008. From henceforth, the Austenasian Army – together with the rest of the Austenasian Armed Forces – will instead be structured in accordance with this same Act.

The Ministry of Defence, led by the Minister of Defence, is responsible for the implementation of government defence policy, and the recruiting of soldiers to and the funding of the Austenasian Armed Forces.

The Monarch is commander-in-chief of the Austenasian Armed Forces and has the power to appoint, promote and demote officers as well as to form, merge and dissolve military units with the consent of the Minister of Defence.

The Austenasian Armed Forces are comprised of the Austenasian Army and the Imperial Air Force. The Zephyrian Air Force will merge with the Imperial Air Force, the exact way in which this is done to be decided by the commanders of each. [This paragraph was added to by XLIII Jon. I 2015, Paragraph 2 and then repealed by LI Jon. I 2015, Paragraph 2]

The Magister Militum is the professional head of the Austenasian Army, with a Dux as their deputy for each geographical area. The hierarchy of ranks in the Austenasian Army is as follows, senior to junior: [This paragraph has been repealed – see LI Jon. I 2015, Paragraph 2]

1. Monarch

2. Magister Militum

3. Dux

4. Legate

5. Tribune

6. Centurion

7. Sergeant Major

8. Sergeant

9. Corporal

10. Private

A centurion is commanding officer of a century; a tribune is commanding officer of a cohort; and a legate is commanding officer of a legion. [This paragraph has been repealed – see LI Jon. I 2015, Paragraph 2]

At present, there are two legions – Legio I Britannica and Legio II Augusta – both under the jurisdiction of the Dux Brittaniarum. Legio I Britannica contains Cohors I Esmonda (comprised of Centuria I Wrythiae, Centuria II Zephyriae and Centuria III Monoviae) and Cohors I Jonathana (comprised of Centuria I Gloucestria). Legio II Augusta contains Cohors I Declana and is comprised of Centuria I Scotia and Centuria II Midgetae.

Privates may be promoted to the rank of Corporal, Corporals to the rank of Sergeant, and Sergeants may be promoted to the rank of Sergeant Major. Corporals, Sergeants, and Sergeant Majors are known as junior officers – Privates in a century cannot be promoted to a junior officer rank if the number of junior officers in the century in question is equal to or greater than the number of Privates. [This paragraph has been repealed – see LI Jon. I 2015, Paragraph 2]

Soldiers and officers must obey orders issued by a member of the Austenasian Armed Forces who outranks them in the hierarchy delineated in Paragraph 6 of this same Act, unless they conflict with orders issued by a higher ranking officer. [This paragraph has been amended – see LI Jon. I 2015, Paragraph 3]

Although military units were formerly aligned to administrative divisions of the Empire – centuries to Provinces, cohorts to Duchies, and legions to Regions – such shall no longer be the case. All units of the Austenasian Army are equally responsible for the defence of the Empire, and shall be commanded as to how to do so by their commanding officers and (when convened) the War Council. Centuria III Monoviae and Centuria I Gloucestria will remain under their standing orders to defend Monovia and Corinium Terentium respectively unless and until these orders are changed.

During times of war, the War Council will be convened. The War Council is comprised of the Monarch, Minister of Defence, Magister Militum, Air Chief Marshal, and all with the rank of Dux. [This paragraph was added to by XLIII Jon. I 2015, Paragraph 8 and then repealed by LI Jon. I 2015, Paragraph 2]

The War Council is responsible for the direction of overall command during wartime. Its decisions are made by means of vote, with the Monarch having the deciding vote in cases of a tie, and the power to veto with the consent of the Prime Minister any decision made.

Units of the Austenasian Armed Forces are responsible for obtaining their own equipment and uniform. The Ministry of Defence is responsible for funding the equipment and uniform of members of the Austenasian Armed Forces if their unit is not able to acquire their own.

In regards to the fourth bullet point of the Fourth Imperial Edict of HIM Emperor Jonathan I, the Monarch shall no longer hold the title “Grand Admiral of the Imperial Navy”, and the title “Protector of Monovia” shall upon the list of nations with the status of a protected state of Austenasia changing be changed accordingly – at present, therefore, it is “Protector of Monovia and Orly”.

The battle honour Wrythe 2010 of Centuria II Midgetae is hereby rescinded, now known to have been awarded for a fictitious conflict.