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I. PREAMBLE
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We, the original signatories hereto, seeking to enhance the online gaming experience of our members as well as of all persons with whom we may interact, do hereby constitute and create the organisation known as FEDERATION COMMAND (also referred to as the "Fleet") for this purpose. FEDERATION COMMAND, as an organisation and entity shall be deemed to exist from this point forward independent of any of its original signatories and until disbanded by a unanimous vote of the Council of Admirals, as created herein.
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II. FORMATION
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FEDERATION COMMAND is formed for the purpose of bringing together various individuals who enjoy role-playing and/or simulation gaming on the Internet. FEDERATION COMMAND is constituted as a military organization; whereby its members adhere to an altered Chain of Command hierarchy as featured in Star Trek, and partake in duties and responsibilities provided by the Fleet's institutions. The following institutions are created by this article:
1. Executive Committee (or Fleet Admiral) [Article III]
2. Council of Admirals and Privy Council [Article IV]
3. Starfleet [Article V]
4. Departments [Article VI]
5. Office of the Judge Advocate General [Article VII]
The purpose, duty and responsibilities of these institutions are outlined hereunder.
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III. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE (OR FLEET ADMIRAL)
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The Executive Committee commands the Fleet and consists of one or both of the founding Fleet Admirals of FEDERATION COMMAND, Picard and Jesse, who are responsible for providing leadership and vision to the Council of Admirals which they chair/co-chair, as well as leadership to the Fleet as a whole. They are considered semper primus within the Chain of Command and are hereby granted the following powers/privileges:
The ability to Create Policy; Veto Any Council Vote (regardless of support); To possess
"Founder" Level Administrator Access or equivalent; Full FTP Access to the FEDERATION COMMAND website; The right to appoint/dismiss Officers from the Council of Admirals and Privy Council, Starfleet Command and Departments; To change Fleet Condition Status, To declare War/Peace; To Approve/Cancel Diplomatic Pacts; To Approve Retirement and Resignations; To promote or demote to any rank, To make an Announcement in the name of FEDERATION COMMAND; To order the Arrest of any Officer; To dismiss any Officer from the Fleet.
For all other matters not outlined in this Constitution or any Policy of the Fleet, the Executive Committee must have the consent of the Council of Admirals whom by default has jurisdiction. Additionally, any decision and/or ruling and/or Policy by the Executive Committee is hereby subordinate to any majority ruling of the Council of Admirals on a case-by-case basis, except where otherwise stated in this Constitution. In exception to overruling decisions, no other punishment or restriction may be imposed upon the Executive Committee.
Command of the Fleet shall be delegated to a single Fleet Admiral upon retirement, resignation or death of both Founding Fleet Admirals. Where no succession order is given by the last departing Founder, the highest-seated Council of Admirals member is automatically appointed as the Council chair and promoted to the rank of Fleet Admiral. The Fleet Admiral has the exact powers and privileges assigned to the Executive Committee in this article, with the following exclusions/restrictions:
Cannot make policy; Must have the endorsement of at least one member of the Council of Admirals to remove another member of the Council of Admirals; Can be appointed/dismissed by a majority vote of the Council of Admirals.
Upon official reapplication by one or both of the Founding Fleet Admirals, the Executive Committee is automatically reactivated and command of the Fleet reverted to the returning Founder(s) Picard and/or Jesse; whereby the interim Fleet Admiral's position within the Fleet is at the discretion of the Executive Committee.
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IV. COUNCIL OF ADMIRALS AND PRIVY COUNCIL
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IV.I The Council of Admirals of
FEDERATION COMMAND (hereinafter: Council)
The Council of Admirals shall be the highest
decision making authority of FEDERATION COMMAND. Its
membership is separate from that of the Privy Council
and is selected either by the Executive Committee (or
Fleet Admiral) or though a majority vote of its own
membership. The following positions are assigned by this
article:
1.
Executive Committee (or Fleet Admiral) [Chairs the
Council of Admirals]
2. Between four or six (4-6) non-executive Council seats
The Council of FEDERATION COMMAND commands the Fleet
in a democratic fashion. Chaired by the Executive
Committee (or Fleet Admiral), each member is entitled to
one (1) vote on all motions placed before the Council of
Admirals. The minimum number of members in the Council
of Admirals at any one time excluding the Executive
Committee (or Fleet Admiral) is four (4), while the
maximum is six (6). This is solely at the Executive
Committee's (or Fleet Admiral's) discretion. Orders or
directives issued by the Council of Admirals cannot be
overruled except by another Council of Admirals vote,
even if the Executive Committee (or Fleet Admiral)
disagrees.
A Council vote is in effect while the
following criteria are met:
1. Less than seven (7) days have passed since the matter
was brought to vote;
2. Less than three (3) Councillors, or no greater than
fifty percent (50%) of active Council of Admirals body,
have
all voted in favour or against the
motion.
When seven (7) days have passed and less
than fifty percent (50%) of the Council of Admirals has
failed to vote or abstains, the vote automatically fails
and the Executive Committee (or Fleet Admiral) should
investigate and take action if and when they deem it
necessary or required. The result of a vote can be
announced as "recognised" if the following holds true:
1. At least four (4) Councillors have voted, and
2. Greater than fifty percent (50%) of the active
Council of Admirals over the seven (7) day voting period
votes in
favour of the motion.
If a vote
concludes in a tie, the Executive Committee (or Fleet
Admiral) holds the tie-breaking vote. If the Executive
Committee does not vote in agreement and the vote is
tied, the vote fails. In any other situation, the vote
fails.
If the Executive Committee (or Fleet
Admiral) strongly disagrees with any vote passed by the
Council of Admirals and chooses to veto it as outlined
in Article III, The Council of Admirals is permitted to
make a second vote to overturn this veto. This second
vote must secure unanimous support in the Council of
Admirals besides the Executive Committee (or Fleet
Admiral).
The members of the Council of Admirals
form a seating arrangement which define an order of
succession for future Fleet Admirals of FEDERATION
COMMAND. The Executive Committee (or Fleet Admiral) is
permitted to modify the seating arrangement at their
discretion. A lower seat Councillor is automatically
moved up one seat if a higher-seated Councillor departs.
Where blank seats exist in the Council of Admirals, the
Council of Admirals may, in a majority vote, add another
member to the Council of Admirals to fill the lowest
available seat. Any appointment made by the Council of
Admirals can be vetoed without appeal by the Executive
Committee (or Fleet Admiral) who has ultimate
responsibility for the Council of Admirals duty roster,
and is the highest authority in its administration.
IV.II The Executive Committee's (or Fleet
Admiral's) Most Eminent Privy Council (hereinafter:
Privy Council)
The Privy Council advises the
Executive Committee (or Fleet Admiral) on a range of
topics, such as legislation, administration and justice.
Its membership consists of any number of Officers, such
as veterans or retired Officers but not members of the
Council of Admirals. The appointment of members of the
Privy Council is solely the discretion of the Executive
Committee (or Fleet Admiral).
Members of the
Privy Council are entitled to read-only access of the
'Council Chambers', and are expected to raise any topics
of concern with the Executive Committee (or Fleet
Admiral) privately, rather than with the Council of
Admirals. These concerns will be handled in confidence,
as the Council of Admirals is not entitled to reciprocal
access to any forum of the Privy Council.
The
Executive Committee (or Fleet Admiral) may delegate any
powers granted to them in this Constitution to the Privy
Council as a whole. Powers require a defined level
support in the Privy Council who may then act on behalf
of the Executive Committee (or Fleet Admiral) when and
if instructed.
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V. STARFLEET
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Starfleet is the simulation gaming branch of FEDERATION
COMMAND and shall consist of all Officers of the Fleet for
the purpose of providing a sustainable gaming community. A
list of currently supported games is as follows:
All Official Star Trek Games, especially: Star Trek Online,
Star Trek Legacy, Starfleet Command III, Bridge Commander,
Star Trek Armada II, Elite Force II, Elite Force 1.
While all members of FEDERATION COMMAND are expected
to play one or more of these simulation games on a regular
basis, it is not a requirement for continued membership of
the Fleet. This article establishes Starfleet Command to be
the leadership of the members of Starfleet, which
constitutes a Commanding Officer (CO) and Executive Officer
(XO). Starfleet Command is primarily responsible for
maintaining the Starfleet duty roster, and issuing
promotions and awards for the Officers under their command.
Additional information on Starfleet procedures and policies
may be subject to change and found within the Starfleet
Charter Policy and the Code of Conduct of FEDERATION COMMAND
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VI. DEPARTMENTS
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FEDERATION
COMMAND comprises of a number of Departments which
provide the stable running of the Fleet. The following four
departments are considered the 'core set' of FEDERATION
COMMAND departments and must be maintained:
1. Department of Security (handles admissions, enforces the
Code of Conduct)
2.
Department of Diplomacy (builds and maintains relationships
with similarly-aligned entities)
3. Department of Propaganda (maintains the Fleet's image
internally and externally)
4. Department of Engineering (Graphics Design, content
creation)
Other departments may be created, but the
aforementioned departments are unalterable. The special case
of appointing Forum and Website Administrators falls
directly under the Executive Committee (or Fleet Admiral)
and due to the potential of abuse it is not bound by Policy,
but by individual rulings from the Executive Committee and
Council of Admirals on a case-by-case basis. Additional
information on departmental procedures and policies may be
subject to change and are found within the respective department
charter as well as the Code of Conduct of FEDERATION COMMAND.
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VII. JUDGE ADVOCATE GENERAL
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The Office of the Judge Advocate General is the
judiciary branch of FEDERATION COMMAND. This article
establishes the Office of the Judge Advocate General. This
Office performs duties pursuant to a Court of Appeal, and as
part of executing those duties may interpret this
Constitution as allowed by Article XI. The Office of the
Judge Advocate General shall be accountable only to the
Executive Committee (or Fleet Admiral). The Charter of the
Office of the Judge Advocate General further outlines the
authority or rights of said Office.
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VIII. MEMBERSHIP
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Membership to FEDERATION COMMAND may only be granted by
a member of the Council of Admirals or other official
delegated by Fleet Policy. Members must agree to have read
and understood this Constitution and be bound by the 'Code
of Conduct'Policy. All Officers of FEDERATION COMMAND, a
subset of members, are entitled to "Officers" level access
on the forums, unless temporarily suspended by the Executive
Committee (or Fleet Admiral) or Council of Admirals
otherwise where Fleet Policy allows, for a maximum of two
weeks. The term "Officer" applies to a member of FEDERATION
COMMAND who holds a "commission" as outlined in the Chain of
Command Policy.
All those whom wish to become a
member of FEDERATION COMMAND shall swear an oath of
allegiance; this oath is hereto defined as:
I,
(name of applicant), solemnly and sincerely affirm that, on
becoming a member of FEDERATION COMMAND, I will with the
utmost honour, integrity, and respect, be faithful and bear
true allegiance to the Constitution and associated policies,
customs and glorious traditions of FEDERATION COMMAND and
all lawful orders of the Officers appointed above me, for as
long as I remain an Officer.
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IX. HALL OF FAME
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A Hall of Fame position may be awarded to a former
member of the Fleet by a unanimous Council of Admirals vote
proposed by any Councillor. This member must be
unconditionally retired or resigned. A six (6) month delay
exists between the day the unanimous Council of Admirals
vote is considered passed and the final (automatic) granting
of the Hall of Fame membership. If during that six (6) month
period the nominated Officer returns to active duty within
FEDERATION COMMAND, the vote is deemed annulled and
consequently the Hall of Fame nomination is terminated. A
Hall of Fame member, once appointed, can never be removed
from the list. The list shall always be displayed on the
website when there are names on it.
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X. POLICY
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1. The Executive Committee (or Fleet Admiral) or Council
of Admirals may make Policy on any matter relating to the
conduct of the affairs of the Fleet, provided that Policy is
not inconsistent with or repugnant to this Constitution;
2. Any vote created by a member of the Council of Admirals
that is proposing to create, alter or rescind Policy shall
require a written notice of motion in the 'Council Chambers'forum, and such a vote shall only be ratified by the means
allowed by the Council of Admirals;
3. The "Code of
Conduct", "Chain of Command", "Starfleet Charter",
"Foreign Policy" and "Charter of the
Office of the Judge Advocate General" shall form the core
Policy set of this Fleet and must be regularly maintained by
the Executive Committee (or Fleet Admiral) or Council of
Admirals;
4. The Policy of the Fleet shall form an
Appendix to this Constitution and must be made available
with it.
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XI. INTERPRETATION OF THE CONSTITUTION
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The Executive Committee (or Fleet Admiral) shall be the
highest authority for interpreting the meaning of any of the
provisions contained in this Constitution or in any
regulation of the Fleet Policy made thereunder. The Judge
Advocate General is also permitted these rights, subordinate
to the above right, for matters directly related to his/her
duty as outlined in the Charter of the Office of the Judge
Advocate General.
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XII. AMENDMENTS OF THE CONSTITUTION
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Only the Council of Admirals has the authority to amend
this Constitution by a unanimous vote. Any such vote shall
require a written notice in the 'Council Chambers', and that
vote shall only be resolute if it also meets all the
relevant voting criteria specified in Article VI. Any
amendment made to this Constitution can be vetoed by either
of the Founding Fleet Admirals, Picard and Jesse, including
an amendment to this Article, regardless of their membership
status in this Fleet.
Upon approval of an amendment,
the Constitution shall only be edited by the "Council
Legislator" who is responsible for ensuring the spelling and
grammar of the amendment is correct and fits with the flow
of the rest of this document. By default, the Council
Legislator is a member of the Executive Committee (or is the
Fleet Admiral) unless delegated to another by the Executive
Committee (or Fleet Admiral) or Council of Admirals.
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XIII. RETIREMENT AND RESIGNATIONS
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Any member may voluntarily terminate their membership by
providing a written 'resignation'on an appropriate forum of
FEDERATION COMMAND. If an Officer resigns he or she can
request to return but may not return above the rank of
Commander once his or her resignation was accepted. Any rank
above this is at the discretion of the Executive Committee
(or Fleet Admiral) or Council of Admirals
Officers
may request to 'retire'instead of resign when they no
longer wish to continue as an active Officer of FEDERATION
COMMAND, but wish to continue on as a member. Retirement
allows an Officer to retain their rank, and use tags in
games supported by the Fleet, except during war time unless
approved by a member of the Council of Admirals. Retired
Officers wishing to return to active duty are encouraged to
do so by renewing their oath to FEDERATION COMMAND in the
appropriate forum. Upon acceptance of the renewed oath, the
retirement rank may be restored at the discretion of the
Executive Committee (or Fleet Admiral) or the Council of
Admirals.
An Officer who requests retirement is
permitted to also request special privileges as a condition
of their retirement, such as special forum access, higher
returning rank and in rare cases, administrator and FTP
access. There must be a valid reason for making any such
request, which will be handled on a case-by-case basis by
the Executive Committee (or Fleet Admiral), or the Council
of Admirals.
Retirement shall remain in effect
indefinitely unless that Officer subsequently resigns, joins
another entity which supports the games of FEDERATION
COMMAND, or is removed by the Executive Committee (or Fleet
Admiral) or the Council of Admirals due to misconduct.
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XIV. TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP
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The Fleet may cancel the membership of any member of the
Fleet, should that member have acted in a manner contrary to
the best interests of the Fleet. Any such cancellation shall
be made by the Executive Committee (or Fleet Admiral), or
the Council of Admirals. The cancellation of membership
shall be delivered in writing forthwith by a member of the
Executive Committee (or Fleet Admiral), or a delegated
representative of the Council of Admirals assigned by the
Executive Committee (or Fleet Admiral) in the event of a
vote.
Any person who has their membership cancelled
shall have the right to appeal once to the Executive
Committee (or Fleet Admiral) for the reinstatement of their
membership. The above rights do not pertain to any member in
the Fleet who does not hold a commission and can be removed
where Policy permits.
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XV. APPENDIX
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Code of Conduct
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