Republican Shinobi

The shinobi corps of the Republic of the Water Country is a part of the Republican Military, with its members serving in several different units within the country. The Republican shinobi corps has adapted over time, in order to ensure only properly aged and disciplined members of the country are able and accepted into their ranks.

## Recruitment

The process in which one gets recruited into the Shinobi Corps requires that they first get accepted into the Republic's Military academy. This is done in order to ensure anyone who may have the potential to become a member of the military, in general, to receive the basic training and discipline the Republic expects from any of its military personal. Once they have studied for a period of a year, only then members of the Shinobi Corps began to look over the details of the potential candidates. If they deem the candidates to acceptable, then they are invited to an entry exam, in order to ensure they possess the proper capability to mould chakra.

Any candidates that wish to volunteer for the Shinobi Corps must first go through the same process as anyone else. The difference between the volunteers and the regular candidates is that the volunteers also get an additional test, to determine their reasoning for volunteering, and if they potentially pose any hidden agendas or not.

### Standards

The Republican Shinobi Corps first follows the standards required to enroll into the Republican Military Academy overall. This is to ensure only fitting members of the country are accepted into their ranks.

* All recruits cannot have any kind of equipment that hinder their capabilities (Blocks sight, prevents hearing, etc)
* All recruits must not be underweight/overweight (Determined by medical check-up, normally nothing above or below 10kg from the recommended weight)
* All recruits must pass a medical check up. (Most disabilities will be immediately rejected. Special cases will be referred to the Jounin Commander.)
* All recruits will be at least at the age of 12 in order to enter the military academy.

Once these standards were met, they then have their own set of standards that must be met in order to be considered to enter the Shinobi Academy.

* Be capable of moulding chakra.
* Be a member of the military academy for at least a year.

## Training

After a trainee was accepted into the Shinobi Academy, they continue their military training, along with beginning their new shinobi training. Since anyone that was accepted into Shinobi Academy must've been in the Military Academy for at least a year, there is a high expectancy from the trainees to be well disciplined and behaved.

The training in the Shinobi Academy is first split into two. The trainees are still required to study the mandatory topics that are expected from any members of the military to know, and since they have not completed their military training in the Military Academy, they use some of the time in the Shinobi Academy to finish going over those topics. This includes physical training alongside the Military academy.

The second half of the training in the Shinobi Academy is split into a few courses of its own, all focusing on different aspects of serving as a member of the Shinobi Corps. Trainees are expected to choose one of the two optional 1st year courses to pursue in the first year, in order to not overdo things in the second year.

* **Basics**

This course is one that is taught from the beginning. If a trainee is incapable of passing the basics exam at the end of the first year in the academy, then they will be forced to take the entire year over. The topics covered in the Basics course are the study of chakra control, basic taijutsu (Hand to hand combat), usage of shinobi tools, and the basic structure of the Shinobi Corps.

* **Weaponry**

This course is one of the two optionals in the first year, but mandatory in the second. Within this course, the trainees are taught about the different types of weaponry and get to experience fighting with the different types, in order to give them the opportunities to see which weapons they can utilize to their best, and to ensure every trainee of the Shinobi Corps has one type of weapon they can turn to if they are unable to use chakra.

* **Chakra and Ninjutsu**

This course is one of the two optional in the first year, but mandatory in the second. This course covers the more advance topics that the Basics section teach about chakra control, and delve deeper into the topic of chakra and the different variations of techniques that are accessible for shinobi to learn. This course is helpful for anyone who wishes to pursue a specialization in any specific topic, in order to better under and know just how fitting they are to the role they wish to pursue.

* **Advanced**

This course is taught in the second year as a mandatory course. This course covers more advanced techniques related to what the Basics course taught, along with also teaching the basics about survival and wildlife. They are also informed further about the specialization courses, and help is given to determine if they are suitable for any kind of those.

### **Specialization**

Those who show promise in a certain field, or wish to try and pursue a specialized role, can take a specialization course in the field. Those are only performed in the year after they finish their mandatory courses in the Shinobi Academy, and only after they successfully passed the Genin exam. This is to ensure that only those who are effectively a part of the Shinobi Corps receive the additional training, thus time being put into the corp's own operatives.

It is also possible for a Shinobi Corps Operative to request admittance into a course years into his service. This option is available in order to allow people who became operatives before the reformation to explore different options. Acceptance into the courses will require passing a simple entry exam. Studying a course while being already operative is done under the term that the operative also knows they need to continue studying the theoretical studies on their own, should they be called into action.

## Active Duty

Once the students have passed their time in the Military and Shinobi academy, they will be required to undergo a final medical check up before being approved to undertake the Genin Exam. This is done in order to ensure any recruits will be physically fitting for the military and not fall behind due to any potential hindrance.

The medical check up makes sure everything like the entry exam is still accurate, but also adds the following standards:

* Males must be a minimum of 1.65m high, and females 1.6m.
* Any potential entree must pass a psych evaluation.

While the first condition is straight forward, the latter is done due to the potential that during their time in the academies, people will suffer mentally but won't show it. This helps root out those that suffered and give them time to prepare themselves further, by giving them more time with guidance in the academies. Should it be determined that they pose a threat (to themselves, their peers or the country), then they will be immediately removed and be forced to forfeit any potential future in the military.

Once both standards have been fulfilled, the entrees are allowed to undergo the Genin Exam. Upon successfully passing this, they gain their first shinobi rank, a headband, and then are required to serve in barracks until they are assigned to a team.

## Equipment

The Shinobi of the Republic have slightly different gear, depending on what rank or role they hold within the military. One thing all shinobi are expected to have is a pouch with the standard tools, being kunai, shuriken, wire, tags and so forth, just as it is in other countries.

#### Republican Standardized Flak Jackets

Every member of the Shinobi Corps is expected to possess the appropriate Flak Jacket, being quality made by the Hayashi Clan. There is a difference in the appearance and slightly in the coverage they provide, depending on the rank. All shinobi up to Chuunin receive the same Flak Jacket, while those from Jounin and above receive a different one. These are meant to serve those who do not go into one of the specific roles that receive alternate gear.

In order to distinguish between the ranks, as all the Republican Shinobi recieve Flak Jackets, a simple system was put in place.

- Genins recieve a flak jacket.

- Chuunins get a stripe sewn onto their flak jacket's left shoulder upon promotion.

- Specilized Jounins recieve an additional stripe, for a total of 2 sewn stripes.

- Jounins have 3 stripes total, being the highest number of stripes a member of the Shinobi Corps can have on their jacket.

The Jounin Commander has the same three stripes, with the addition of a circle in the middle of all three stripes. Only the acting Jounin Commander may wield this, with former Jounin Commanders having either 3 stripes (If they are active Jounins) or 2 stripes and a circle in the middle (If they are not in active duty anymore, thus serving as an honourary mark).

#### Republican ANBU Gear

The Republican ANBU gear, while appearing partially similar to the Jounin Standardized gear, does hold some differences, particuallry ones that help conceal the identity of the operatives. While anything that hinders any operative's capabilities is forbidden throughout activities, the ANBU may recieve a special permission to utilize a mask for certain parts of their operation, such as questioning an enemy on the field.

#### Shiranui Gear

The gear of the Republican Intelligence Division appears dull, when compared to the gear of many other organizations or clans in the Republic. They lack anything that suggest where any of the operatives originally came from. However, the Shiranui itself has sub-divisions, with each having their own, unique type of gear.