Battalion Policies and Procedures

# Bravo 3 Policies and Procedures

## 3 Strike Policy

Strikes stay with members for up to 14 days. No unit member is exempt from these General Orders and the 3 Strikes.

1. 1st Strike: Verbal and written warning will be issued.
2. 2nd Strike: Unit members will be notified, will receive a demotion and removal of special permissions, and can be banned for a period of up to 24 hours.
3. Strike #3: You will be court martialed and discharged from the unit.

## Disciplinary Action

       Unit members being found guilty of breaking any general orders or unit policies throughout their time in the unit will be held to the 3 strike Policy. Each strike against a unit member will remain with that member while the member continues to break unit rules or policy. Strikes will be removed or taken away if the unit member improves his behavior and is seen by his section leadership.

## General Orders

Any breach of General Orders will result in the enactment of the 3 strike Policy.

\*All orders are subject to change\*

1. No recruiting for any other unit nor conducting in Dual Uniting.
2. No poaching members from other units.
3. No racial remarks, slurs, or other intentional prejudice towards any individual or group.
4. No harassment / venting towards or about any individuals within the TeamSpeak, game servers, or website.
5. No barging into offices and interrupting people's conversations. (Wait for your turn to talk.)
6. Screamers or jump scares are not allowed.
7. Pornography provided via external link, video, or photograph is not allowed, this includes TeamSpeak avatars or the nitro shitposting if individuals are over the legal age.
8. Treat others the way you wish to be treated.
9. Do not abuse rank, powers, or permissions within TeamSpeak, Discord, game servers, or website.
10. While conducting any official unit business every member must act professional and with respect
11. No intentional destruction of green zone structures, vehicles, or personnel while in the game server(s).
12. When playing another game with someone else, especially in the Public Lounge channel, members are expected to move to another game channel or a private channel.
13. Toxic Behavior - Negative Self Talk, Participating in Drama, Playing the Victim, Selfishness, A Sense of Entitlement, Being Overly Competitive, Attention Seeking, Manipulation of Others, Holding a Grudge, Blaming Others for Your Actions.

## Game Server Conduct

1. It is expected of every member that you will conduct yourself in a disciplined and professional manner, becoming part of the unit.
2. Team killing (that is, intentionally killing friendlies) for any reason is expressly forbidden at all times on all servers (including those not officially belonging to 8th Shock Troops Battalion).
3. Offer aid in any way possible to new players.
4. Keep global and side chat to an absolute minimum.
5. If someone is violating unit policy or otherwise being disrespectful, do not get into a fight. Notify your chain of command or an admin.
6. If there is no admin on, submit a report in writing to your chain of command.
7. Failure to abide by these rules may result in removal from the server and/or further action.

## 2200 Rule

       The hours between 2200-0500 EST are considered to be off duty hours in TeamSpeak, this means that the moderation of the unit will loosen to a certain extent. If anyone present feels conduct has become overly offensive, standard enforcement will re-apply. This rule does not apply to General Orders 1, 2, 3, 11, or 12, any break in these listed orders will follow a zero-tolerance policy.

## Mandatory Events

Saturday FTX (Unit Training Cycle):

a.) Ensure that you are on-time during FTX/STX and have reported to your First Line Supervisor prior to formation. Accountability is a big part of any operation. Reporting on a timely manner allows Unit Coordination and effective training.

b.) Conduct training to standard. Ensure that you are listening to your Leadership during any class/block of instruction. That is the point behind training, to ensure that Combat Effectiveness is no less than 100%.

Saturday Operations (Unit Deployment Cycle):

a.) Ensure that you are on-time during Saturday Operations and have reported to your First Line Supervisor prior to formation. Accountability is a big part of any operation. Reporting in a timely manner allows Unit Coordination and effective operational capability.

b.) We do understand that real-life issues come first, however, if a member cannot make events consistently there will be a hold placed on the member’s advancement within the unit

## Zeus Policy

       Any individual interested in becoming a Zeus Operator must complete a mandatory Zeus Operations Course (ZOC) and show competency of use. Any individual past the rank of Lance Corporal/LCpl is allowed to apply for this role for weekday operations. All mandatory events will be led by a member of upper leadership unless called upon for additional support. If the unit feels that a Zeus Operator has fallen outside the guidelines, that individual will be subject to being removed from Zeus Operator status. Examples of causes of removal of position include creating missions that are too difficult for the number of troops, near impossible missions, repeatedly causing mass casualties, or focusing on mission failure. All Zeus operators are expected to sign up for time slots for missions. If an operator has created a mission with an editor, that individual must contact a member of the leader with server access to have the mission tested at least 2 days before the mission is to be started. Any issues with the mission must be fixed and tested no later than 12 hours before the mission is to begin. Failure to provide the mission may result in the mission not being played or another operator to have the time slot.

## Discharge

       Discharge from this unit can happen in one of five ways: inactivity, administrative (punitive), self, honorable, and retirement. Exceptions to policy will be handled on a case-by-case basis.

1. Inactive / 14 Day Policy- Inactivity is defined by: members that are not fulfilling their active roles within the unit (i.e. consistent absence from Mandatory Events). Inactive members will be transferred to reserves after seven days of marked inactivity; if after seven days following the transfer to reserves the member is still inactive the member will be issued an inactivity discharge. Members issued an inactivity discharge will be barred from reenlisting for 30 days.
	1. “What discharge policy, you ask?” well the discharge policy for this is simple; if there is no activity for seven (14) days the recruit is put into the inactive reserves and then after another seven (7) days of no activity the said recruit is discharged from 8th Shock Troops Battalion and must wait thirty (30) days until they can re-apply. Discharged recruits will be added to a centralized Discharge List with a notation of the reason as well as date of discharge.
2. Administrative- This is a punitive action, should a member do any of the following they will be punitively discharged. Following an administrative discharge there will be at least a sixty day “blacklist” period or period of extended length defined by a senior leadership member (Senior Sergeant or above):
	1. Dual-Clanning with another Mil-Sim unit of the same Operation time.
	2. Consistently showing blatant disregard for the General Orders
	3. Exploitation as defined in the Exploitative Clause
3. Self- Self discharge applies only when a member formally requests/files for discharge of themselves. Once the request has been processed there will be no retraction of the discharge. Members that have self discharged are welcome to come back at any point that they desire, so long as they realize that they will not retain any rank or other earned qualifications during their time in this unit.
4. Honorable- Honorable discharges are for members that have earned the respect of the unit as well as put in time and service of six months or less. This type of discharge follows self-discharge policies, however, if the member desires to come back to the unit at any point, retirement would be a better option. Honorable discharges must be approved by a senior leadership member (E-8+) or the S-1 Personnel Chief/Officer.
5. Retirement- Retirement is for members that have served six months or more in service on good terms. Unlike an honorable discharge, retirees may keep their rank (depending on billet) and any earned qualifications at the point of retirement. Retirees can come back to the unit at any time and can choose any open billet, this of course implies that the returning member will have to accept the possibility of demotion and billet dependent. There will be a right for refusal given to the S-1 Personnel Chief/Officer for the selected retiree and billet. There is a limit of two retirements per member.

## Reserves

Reserves are essentially the overflow preventer for the unit, when all current sections are closed or full, reserves serve the role to give members the freedom of being able to attend official events, without having an officially assigned role within the unit.

Reserves also serve the role of “filtering” out the inactive and/or the unmotivated members of the unit that are currently placed in active roles within the unit. This basically means that should a member fulfill the outlined definition of inactivity within the Discharge Policy, they will be placed in the reserves.

Reserves can also apply to active members of the unit that cannot necessarily afford the time out of their real life schedule to take a fully active role in the unit, but can still attend events on an occasion.

Policy:

* Inactive reservists will follow the Inactive Discharge Policy.
* Members on sanctioned leave will always risk the possibility of being transferred to reserves during their leave if an active role has to be filled, this decision is completely up to the supervisor of that member.

## Court Martial

       Court martials are extremely rare and should never be the “go to” punishment for a member under investigation. Unlike a discharge, a court martial removes a member entirely from the game servers, TeamSpeak, and rosters (essentially a complete ban).

Policy:

* Any court martial proceeding must have an extensive, exacting, and unwavering military police investigation report.
* Upon surfacing, a court martial request must be approved by the company commander, company senior enlisted, and the highest ranking member of the defendant’s most direct chain of command (platoon leader or section leader).
* All evidence is subjugated to review and the investigation may be reopened prior to final decision.
* The defendant will have the right to defend his/herself during the proceeding, however, the proceeding will not be halted on the basis that the defendant has waived this right. Waiving this right is defined by lack of attendance to mandatory sessions of the proceeding or a verbal expression of waiving the right.
* A jury of the defendant’s peers, five non-leadership members, will review the case and must reach a unanimous decision on the case, whether to acquit or to proceed with court martial.
* The squadron commander or senior enlisted member will be the judge of the case, and hold the right to overturn a jury decision, but only with a ⅔ vote of the company majority.

Procedure:

1. Military Police Investigation Report, with recommended action of court martial.
2. Court Martial request approved by aforementioned leadership.
3. Review of evidence and investigation before a jury is collected.
4. A jury of peers will review and decide on the case.
5. Presiding judge will make the final decision, or call for a company majority vote.

## Promotion Policy

All troops are expected to follow a set training program, Time in Grade (TIG) and Time in Service (TIS) to be eligible for promotion. This must be matched with a proficiency and activity levels appropriate with the rank or specialization.

## Recruitment and Indoctrination

In order to become a member of this unit one must first fill out an application. The applicant must then come onto TeamSpeak to speak with a recruiter to conduct an interview of the applicant. If after the interview the application is approved, the new recruit will be given tags and permissions on the Discord or TeamSpeak and will be placed in Indoctrination (Indoc) as a Recruit or Cadet. The recruit will remain there until he/she completes Basic Combat Training (BCT) and Weapons Familiarization (WF). After completion of BT/WF the recruit will be promoted to Trooper and transferred to an active squad, further assignment will be handled internally by that troop. The recruiter SOP can be found here.

Policy:

* New applicants have one week to conduct an interview, failure to complete an interview will result in a denial of the application and thirty days before he/she can reapply.
* Restrictions on new applicants are as follows:
* Age: 16+
* Not currently part of or currently a part of any A3 Life (of any type) or other StarSim group.
* Own the APEX expansion.
* All new recruits are required to complete AnS (BCT) and Weapons Familiarization, no matter the section they are recruited into.
* Military veterans are not exempt from the AnS or Unit Leadership Courses.
* All new recruits will have two weeks to complete AnS or show intent to advance in the unit, that is to say, the recruit has made attempts to attend training or schedule a special session with an instructor. Failure to do so will result in dismissal due to negligent inactivity as defined in the Inactive Discharge Policy.
* Dual Clanning. Members of the 8th are not discouraged to play in other units but we simply ask that if a member is looking at playing in another unit that said unit does not have functions that disrupt or interfere with the 8th STB unit functions. If said member can not make 8th STB unit functions and is constantly absent to play in other units then said member will be removed from active role and possibly kicked from the unit.

## Leave of Absence

       A leave of absence excuses a member’s inactivity over the requested time off. Filing for leave is the best way for a member to handle the balance between activity in this unit and real life. Real life is always a priority over this unit, but out of respect for the unit, filing for leave allows the unit to respect your real life schedule.

Policy:

* Three or fewer days of absence, a leave request is not required, but it is recommended to inform the most direct chain in your command.
* All leave requests will be approved as long as the request is within reason (i.e. not past three months).
* Extended leave requests are defined as longer than fourteen days.
* Unknown return from leave is understandable, as long as the member has explained the reasoning to someone in their chain of command or includes it in their request. This is also known as a “special circumstance” leave of absence.
* Any special circumstance leave of absence will be voided after three or more months of no contact, after which the member is subjugated to the Inactivity Discharge Policy.
* All members on sanctioned leave are subjugated to the Reserves Policy.
* Members under investigation by the Military Police that have filed for leave will be approved, however, the investigation and/or prosecution will continue upon the member’s return.
* Time extending beyond the return of leave will follow the same pattern of events as an inactive member.
* Abusing the LOA system members who use the LOA system to just have an excuse to not attend operations. (see Discharges under inactivity and Administrative)

## Transfer

       Transfers are the simple act of going from one section to another. Most transfers are quickly approved and rosters updated. However, transfers will be denied if the transfer causes an undesired change in the larger scheme of the unit. The fallout of said transfers is always deliberated on before making a final decision, filing for a transfer will never have a guaranteed favorable action in light of the transferee. All transfers:

       Policy:

* New recruits will not have the option to transfer out of the section they chose in their application until the Recruitment and Indoctrination Policy has been met.
* For approval, both the member’s current section leader and new section leader must sign off on the transfer.
* After transfer approval, the transferee will have a seven day grace period to maintain or recall their own transfer order, after the grace period the member will have to wait at least thirty days until they are allowed to transfer again.

## Enforcement of Policy Clause

       Policy enforcement is completely discretionary and exceptions to any policy can be made on a case-by-case basis. This means that at any point a policy can decidedly not factor into a particular instance or string of events when making a decision for the unit or when dealing with personnel matters. It is expected that all policies be enforced to the fullest extent, as detailed in this document, however, should an exception be made the executors of the action must prepare for any possible Appeal to Policy.

Appeal to Policy Clause

       After any enforcement of policy a member, or set of members, have the right to appeal to a decision made during the enforcement of the policy. The system of appeals will follow the member's chain of command as detailed in Appendix A, starting with the most direct chain, and moving up. Depending on the situation, jumps in the chain are allowed within reason. If at any point that an appeal is granted, and a decision reversed prior to reaching the top of the chain, the appeal can be finally reviewed by the company commander or company senior enlisted to either endorse the appeal or overturn that decision. To overturn an appeal at final review there must be a supermajority vote of the senior leadership (Troop NCOs, Troop Leads, E-6+) to overturn the decision.

Exploitative Clause

Any exploitation with malice intent of any policy, procedure, or other similar aforementioned documentation will be met with varying punitive actions depending on the scale of the exploit. In layman's terms, any loopholes found and used to better one’s standing, halt this unit’s progression, or go against the general intent of this unit will be met with an Administrative Discharge or Court Martial. Any incidence of exploitation will be reviewed by a senior leadership member(s) (E-6+) and a course of action will be decided by those member(s), if any action is taken.

## Teamspeak/Discord Policy

       All members of the 8th will be held accountable to their actions both in the unit server as well as allied/public servers. This includes jumping into other servers  and chatting with any members from those units and/or public. If it is found that any individual who joined one of these servers and attempted to poach/head-hunt, or act in any form that will disgrace the banner of the 8th, will be reprimanded following the unit SOP for disciplinary actions. This will include receiving two automatic strikes and may go up to a dishonorable discharge from the unit following a written public apology that will be presented to both the Command Staff and offended unit’s server.

# Appendix

## Appendix A: Definition of Toxic Behaviors

* Negative Self Talk: If you are forever using self-limiting language and believing the worst will happen, you’ll be unable to enjoy and appreciate the good things that enter your life.Participating in Drama: Involving yourself into matters that do not concern you.
* Playing the Victim: If you are guilty of something then be a man and accept the consequences for your actions, don't allow a mindset of victimhood.
* Selfishness: Focusing on one’s own interest destroys trust and respect and leads to superficial relationships with other people.
* A Sense of Entitlement: When you go through life believing that you are owed something.
* Being Overly Competitive: While not inherently bad or unhealthy, having a competitive side to you can sometimes cause fractious interactions with other people.
* Attention Seeking: If you allow the praise and amusement of onlookers to form the basis of your self-worth.
* Manipulation of Others: Getting more of what you want by exploiting people for your own gains.
* Holding a Grudge: When someone wrongs you, your instinct might be to hold it against them for a prolonged period.
* Blaming Others for your Actions: Laying the blame at someone else's feet instead of accepting the responsibility.

## Appendix B: Chain of Command

Your direct chain of command is responsible for your training, discipline, and overall welfare. It includes your team leader, squad/section leader, platoon sergeant, and platoon leader. As a member of this unit, knowing the leaders appointed over you is important in maintaining order and discipline and the succession of command. When you have a problem, issue, suggestion, or anything else you go to the first person in your chain of command, normally a team leader, the order of the “chain” will be shown below. If you have an issue with the most direct chain in your command, you bypass that and go to the next echelon of your command structure.

Succession of command:

1. Team Leader
2. Team NCO
3. Element Leader

## Appendix C: Duty of an NCO

What is an NCO?

A noncommissioned officer (NCO) is a junior leadership member in your support channel. Your NCO chain consists of your assistant element leader, element leader, and troop NCO, and all play a vital role in your development as a member in this unit. The NCO level starts at E-4 (Corporal) and goes all the way to E-9 (Sergeant Major).What is the duty of an NCO?

       It is the duty of an NCO to maintain, train, and assist all members below them in their chain of command. As an NCO, you are expected to uphold the integrity of this unit at all times, enforce the General Orders, and keep and maintain your men and/or section. The personnel under an NCOs command are his/her lifeline and blood. NCOs are the heart of this unit.

## Appendix D: Duty of an Officer

What is an Officer?

     An officer is generally a senior leadership member that handles administrative tasks for the unit as a whole. Your officer chain of command usually starts with your troop or flight leader, then executive officer, ending with the squadron commander. Officers start at Warrant Officer 1 (WO1) and run through to (at least in the scope of this unit) Captain (O-6).What is the duty of an Officer?

       There are three main types of officers within this unit: administrative, infantry, and aviation. Administrative officer duties are to keep and maintain unit structure, organization, and direction through means of policy creation as well as appointment of other senior leadership members. Aviation and infantry officer’s duties fall to keeping and maintaining the men under him/her, that is their training doctrine, well being, and motivation within the unit; they are to keep the unit rosters and documentation up-to-date to reflect the activity and development of their men.

## Appendix E: Custom Armors and Helmets

       Custom armors and helmets are allowed and must be approved by command prior being sent to the mod team for development. Any armor that has been denied will be sent back to the individual for changes until approved by command. Any script on the armor will not have any  racial slurs, remarks or anything that could be perceived as degrading or racial. If any individual who attempts to submit any armor or helmets will be subject to prior stated rules and regulations regarding the submission. All troopers who wish to have a custom helmet must have served three months in the unit.

It is not allowed to offer to pay or request payment of money for work done on any of the armors or helmets. If it is found that someone is requiring money from another for work, that individual will be subject to paying back the prior party and subject to Court Martial and potential banning from the unit.