The Slimming Down Title I Act

[Ian Plätschisch]

WHEREAS Title I has many, many provisions that have never been used, and

WHEREAS While it's OK and kind of funny that they exist, the people who are actually active in the Talossan Military should not need the Ziu's permission every time they want to change a minor aspect of it.


THEREFORE Title I is repealed and replaced with the following:

1. The Royal Talossan Navy shall be administered by the Admiral of the Fleet (RTN O-9 / NATO OF-10), appointed by the Monarch upon recommendation by the Minister of the Interior or designated subordinate and approval by a majority vote in the Ziu.

1.1. Each of the three Branches of the Navy (the Naval Corps, Marine Corps, and Air Corps) will be under the immediate direction of a Branch Chief; those being the Chief of Talossan Naval Operations (Admiral – RTN O-8 / NATO OF-9), Commandant of the Royal Talossan Marine Corps (General – RTMC O-8 / NATO OF-9), and Chief of the Royal Talossan Air Corps (Chief Marshal – RTAC O-8/NATO OF-9). Each are appointed by the Monarch upon recommendation by the by the Minister of the Interior or designated subordinate and approval by the Admiral of the Fleet.

1.2 The Admiral and the three Branch Chiefs compose the Navy Board and are charged with the day-to-day operations of the Bureau.

1.3 The Minister of the Interior, in consultation with the Navy Board, shall promulgate a code of military regulations to be known as the Uniform Code of Military Organization or UCMO for the purpose of the organization, training and discipline of the Talossan Armed Forces. The UCMO shall reflect the professionalism of the Armed Forces of the Kingdom of Talossa as well as recognize the relations of our great nation’s place in retrospect to the other great nations and allied militaries of the world.

1.4 Private Adventurers in possession of royal letters of marque and reprisal shall be granted commissions as officers in the reserve of the Royal Talossan Navy in inactive status. Private Adventurers shall be governed by the Office of Private Adventurers within the Naval Corps and by the UCMO.

2. The Els Zuávs da l'Altahál Rexhitál (the Zouaves of the Royal Bodyguard) shall be led by El Capitán da l'Altahál (The Captain of the Guard).

2.1. Establishment of Official Improvised Weaponry. Bedposts are declared to be the "official preferred improvised weapon" of the Zouaves of the Royal Bodyguard. (38RZ18)

2.2. Military Use of Bedposts. The Zouaves of the Royal Bodyguard shall make use of bedposts for ceremonial and drill purposes. (49RZ20)

2.3. Cupped Bedposts. Bedposts used by the Zouaves of the Royal Bodyguard may have an indentation in the end of the bedpost up to one inch in depth and between one and two inches in diameter. The indentation must be curved with no foreign substances added. The bedpost, for not more than 18 inches from its end, may be covered or treated with any material or substance (such as pine tar) to improve the grip. No bedpost may be used for military purposes which is not a single piece of wood or which has been hollowed out and filled with cork or rubber.

1.2.4. Military Bedpost Regulation. Appropriate officers of the Guard shall be held responsible by the Ministry of Interior for establishing further regulations for the provisioning and use of said bedposts, such as specifying the size of the bedframe from which a bedpost issued to and maintained by service members at each military rank shall be taken, and specifying military exercises for the practice and display of proficiency and fluency in the use of the bedpost, for the purposes of both close-combat and the ceremonial fancy throwing the thing up and flipping it in circles and stuff before catching it with flair and shouldering it sharply, maybe even spinning around a time or two while it's in the air; you know, stuff like that. (47RZ8)

3. The Grupâ Primár del Säpençéu (Primary Intelligence Group) shall be administered by the Zirectéir del Säpençéu (Intelligence Director). This group is chartered to collect, analyze and disseminate vital information to our Seneschál and others as directed. Operates separately from, but in concert with all other domestic and allied information collection agencies, military organizations, law enforcement agencies and other groups as directed. Provides briefings to the Ziu as directed by the Seneschál. Will be divided into three branches, which, respectively, may be headed by a Deputy Director, and are known as: General Operations Directorate - which conducts clandestine operations, information collection and other duties as directed. Analysis Sub-Section - which conducts information analysis and other duties as directed. Internal Information Security Sub-Section, which conducts intra-agency security operations and other duties as directed.

4. Talossa has no practical need of a military and our armed forces would be completely worthless if we had one. Nevertheless, the military will be available to all citizens while being allowed to fantasize to its heart's content. Anyone who commits actual acts of violence in the name of Talossa will lose their citizenship (according to the will of the Cort pu Inalt). We shall represent and encourage peace between nations.

Noi urent q'estadra så;
Ian Plätschisch (Sen-MM)
Txoteu Davinescu (MC-AMP)

[Ian Plätschisch]

[Miestrâ Schivâ, UrN]

The Interior Ministry is already considering amendments to this law, at the request of the Foreign Minister. Dr. Txec dal Nordselvă, @Þon Txoteu É. Davinescu, would you like to comment here?

I would like to make it clear - as I did to the RUMP members - that this Government doesn't look on great favour on non-government parties attempting to set policy legislatively, especially when we have existing plans.

[Ian Plätschisch]

May 4, 2019 16:08:35 GMT -6 Miestrâ Schivâ, UrN said:

The Interior Ministry is already considering amendments to this law, at the request of the Foreign Minister. Dr. Txec dal Nordselvă , @Þon Txoteu É. Davinescu , would you like to comment here? 

I would like to make it clear - as I did to the RUMP members - that this Government doesn't look on great favour on non-government parties attempting to set policy legislatively, especially when we have existing plans.

This bill is in fact almost a carbon copy of the bill I proposed during debate over the NOCA, where I was essentially the only person to comment or show any interest in improving the bill whatsoever. I do hope to have Minister Davinescu's support on this.

I would like to make clear that this Senator doesn't look with great favour on the Government attempting to monopolize legislation. Executive policy is one thing, and I'll try to stay out of it besides simply offering my ideas, but this bill amends something that is already in el Lexhatx, so it is clearly subject to the authority of the Ziu.

[Sir Alexandreu Davinescu]

This new policy, where the Government opposes all bills that define or direct any executive functions, even though such matters are one of the basic purposes of the Ziu, is a really bad idea. If the people in power lock out everyone else from legislating, that's one less reason to be interested in Talossa (unless you're a pal of someone in power, of course).

In all my years in Talossa, it never would have even occurred to me to reject a bill simply because a party in the minority offered it.

If the Government opposes the ideas in a bill, they should say why.

If they support them with reservations, they should state those reservations.

If they have an alternative bill, they should propose it.

it is a bad idea on virtually every level to reject a bill just because it wasn't your party's idea. This body exists to make laws, including ones that make policy. The extent to which the Government may make policy is limited by those laws, not the other way around.

[Eðo Grischun]

May 4, 2019 16:08:35 GMT -6 Miestrâ Schivâ, UrN said:

The Interior Ministry is already considering amendments to this law, at the request of the Foreign Minister. Dr. Txec dal Nordselvă, @Þon Txoteu É. Davinescu, would you like to comment here?

I would like to make it clear - as I did to the RUMP members - that this Government doesn't look on great favour on non-government parties attempting to set policy legislatively, especially when we have existing plans.

I don't think you understand the role of parliament. We recently seen this exact argument in the UK. Teresa May reckoned the government didn't need parliamentary approval to run with certain policies. Parliament told her to get stuffed. Though, a government holding a majority in parliament is usually safe to act in whichever way it sees fit, insofar as it can keep it's backbenchers in line.

[Þon Txoteu É. Davinescu]

Looks good except for the following in bold and italics:

1. The Royal Talossan Navy shall be administered by the Admiral of the Fleet (RTN O-9 / NATO OF-10), appointed by the Monarch upon recommendation by the Minister of the Interior or designated subordinate and approval by a majority vote in the Ziu.

1.1. Each of the three Branches of the Navy (the Naval Corps, Marine Corps, and Air Corps) will be under the immediate direction of a Branch Chief of Operations; those being the Chief of Talossan Naval Operations (Admiral – RTN O-9 / NATO OF-9), Commandant of the Royal Talossan Marine Corps (General – RTMC O-9 / NATO OF-9), and Chief of the Royal Talossan Air Corps (Chief Marshal – RTAC O-9/NATO OF-9). Each are appointed by the Monarch upon recommendation by the by the Minister of the Interior or designated subordinate and approval by the Admiral of the Fleet.

Aside from the edits above and as some of the wording in this Bill is taken directly from the Naval Organization & Command Act, which I authored, I feel a co-author credit on the final Bill is in order... I have no issues fully supporting these changes to Title I.

Kindest Regards,

Gen. Davinescu

[Ian Plätschisch]

May 6, 2019 14:06:49 GMT -6 Þon Txoteu É. Davinescu said:

Looks good except for the following in bold and italics:

1. The Royal Talossan Navy shall be administered by the Admiral of the Fleet (RTN O-9 / NATO OF-10), appointed by the Monarch upon recommendation by the Minister of the Interior or designated subordinate and approval by a majority vote in the Ziu.

1.1. Each of the three Branches of the Navy (the Naval Corps, Marine Corps, and Air Corps) will be under the immediate direction of a Branch Chief of Operations; those being the Chief of Talossan Naval Operations (Admiral – RTN O-9 / NATO OF-9), Commandant of the Royal Talossan Marine Corps (General – RTMC O-9 / NATO OF-9), and Chief of the Royal Talossan Air Corps (Chief Marshal – RTAC O-9/NATO OF-9). Each are appointed by the Monarch upon recommendation by the by the Minister of the Interior or designated subordinate and approval by the Admiral of the Fleet.

Aside from the edits above and as some of the wording in this Bill is taken directly from the Naval Organization & Command Act, which I authored, I feel a co-author credit on the final Bill is in order... I have no issues fully supporting these changes to Title I.

Kindest Regards,

Gen. Davinescu

The reason I changed the NATO ranks was because of the following comment on the previous bill:

Dec 29, 2018 0:42:49 GMT -6 Sir C. M. Siervicül said:

Proposed I.1 and I.1.1 mention ranks with rank codes, but the full list of ranks is not provided anywhere. I don't think it's a good idea to partially write the rank structure, with codes and all, into law. NATO rank codes are provided, but they don't appear to be in the NATO format. NATO officer rank codes are OF-1 through OF-10.

Most importantly, though, I think the ranks specified in these sections are far too high. Assuming O-11 is intended to refer to NATO OF-10, Talossa would have a higher ranking active officer than any other military in the world as far as I know, including the largest militaries like those of the US, China, and Russia. Scores of countries have rank structures that top out between OF-6 and OF-8, but ours would be grander than any of those. Our model, in my opinion, should be other very small countries that nonetheless have long and proud military traditions, like the Vatican City (Swiss Guard) and San Marino. Each of these have something like 4-6 officer ranks, which is consistent with our current law. I would, however, support assigning NATO codes to our current ranks.

Otherwise I don't have a problem with the changes, and I will put you on as a cosponsor

[Þon Txoteu É. Davinescu]

As both a member of the US Coast Guard's History Team and a uniform wearing member of the CG Auxiliary, I can tell you that the senior most military officers of any respected nation in the world is NATO OF-10 (At least in a Fleet leadership position). An Admiral, is an Admiral, is an Admiral. In the majority of NATO countries, militaries are led by groups of NATO OF-9 Officers.

Example:
US Military is led by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who among themselves elect a Chairman. ALL of these officers: Army Chief of Staff, Air Force Chief of Staff, Chief of Naval Operations, and the Commandants of the Marine Corps & Coast Guard are ALL Admirals/Generals of the four star level (NATO OF-9). And yet there are around 24 other officers of the same rank serving at the same time.

It's called Positional Authority... and if we aren't going with a Admiral of the Fleet (NATO OF-10) as the senior military rank of the Navy Board with three NATO OF-9 Chiefs making up the rest, then the position of Admiral of the Fleet needs to be struck from Title I. Instead, I would recommend a three-officer Navy Board consisting of the Chief of Naval Operations, Commandant of the Marine Corps and Chief Air Marshall. At the start of each term, the three officers elect a Chair for the Navy Board and for that term... that officer has positional authority over the other two in a leadership capacity.

Thoughts?

[Þon Txoteu É. Davinescu]

May 4, 2019 15:22:34 GMT -6 Ian Plätschisch said:

WHEREAS Title I has many, many provisions that have never been used, and

WHEREAS While it's OK and kind of funny that they exist, the people who are actually active in the Talossan Military should not need the Ziu's permission every time they want to change a minor aspect of it.


THEREFORE Title I is repealed and replaced with the following:

1. The Royal Talossan Navy shall be administered by the Admiral of the Fleet (RTN O-9 / NATO OF-10), appointed by the Monarch upon recommendation by the Minister of the Interior or designated subordinate and approval by a majority vote in the Ziu.

1.1. Each of the three Branches of the Navy (the Naval Corps, Marine Corps, and Air Corps) will be under the immediate direction of a Branch Chief; those being the Chief of Talossan Naval Operations (Admiral – RTN O-8 / NATO OF-9), Commandant of the Royal Talossan Marine Corps (General – RTMC O-8 / NATO OF-9), and Chief of the Royal Talossan Air Corps (Chief Marshal – RTAC O-8/NATO OF-9). Each are appointed by the Monarch upon recommendation by the by the Minister of the Interior or designated subordinate and approval by the Admiral of the Fleet.

1.2 The Admiral and the three Branch Chiefs compose the Navy Board and are charged with the day-to-day operations of the Bureau.

1.3 The Minister of the Interior, in consultation with the Navy Board, shall promulgate a code of military regulations to be known as the Uniform Code of Military Organization or UCMO for the purpose of the organization, training and discipline of the Talossan Armed Forces. The UCMO shall reflect the professionalism of the Armed Forces of the Kingdom of Talossa as well as recognize the relations of our great nation’s place in retrospect to the other great nations and allied militaries of the world.

1.4 Private Adventurers in possession of royal letters of marque and reprisal shall be granted commissions as officers in the reserve of the Royal Talossan Navy in inactive status. Private Adventurers shall be governed by the Office of Private Adventurers within the Naval Corps and by the UCMO.

2. The Els Zuávs da l'Altahál Rexhitál (the Zouaves of the Royal Bodyguard) shall be led by El Capitán da l'Altahál (The Captain of the Guard).

2.1. Establishment of Official Improvised Weaponry. Bedposts are declared to be the "official preferred improvised weapon" of the Zouaves of the Royal Bodyguard. (38RZ18)

2.2. Military Use of Bedposts. The Zouaves of the Royal Bodyguard shall make use of bedposts for ceremonial and drill purposes. (49RZ20)

2.3. Cupped Bedposts. Bedposts used by the Zouaves of the Royal Bodyguard may have an indentation in the end of the bedpost up to one inch in depth and between one and two inches in diameter. The indentation must be curved with no foreign substances added. The bedpost, for not more than 18 inches from its end, may be covered or treated with any material or substance (such as pine tar) to improve the grip. No bedpost may be used for military purposes which is not a single piece of wood or which has been hollowed out and filled with cork or rubber.

1.2.4. Military Bedpost Regulation. Appropriate officers of the Guard shall be held responsible by the Ministry of Interior for establishing further regulations for the provisioning and use of said bedposts, such as specifying the size of the bedframe from which a bedpost issued to and maintained by service members at each military rank shall be taken, and specifying military exercises for the practice and display of proficiency and fluency in the use of the bedpost, for the purposes of both close-combat and the ceremonial fancy throwing the thing up and flipping it in circles and stuff before catching it with flair and shouldering it sharply, maybe even spinning around a time or two while it's in the air; you know, stuff like that. (47RZ8)

3. The Grupâ Primár del Säpençéu (Primary Intelligence Group) shall be administered by the Zirectéir del Säpençéu (Intelligence Director). This group is chartered to collect, analyze and disseminate vital information to our Seneschál and others as directed. Operates separately from, but in concert with all other domestic and allied information collection agencies, military organizations, law enforcement agencies and other groups as directed. Provides briefings to the Ziu as directed by the Seneschál. Will be divided into three branches, which, respectively, may be headed by a Deputy Director, and are known as: General Operations Directorate - which conducts clandestine operations, information collection and other duties as directed. Analysis Sub-Section - which conducts information analysis and other duties as directed. Internal Information Security Sub-Section, which conducts intra-agency security operations and other duties as directed.

4. Talossa has no practical need of a military and our armed forces would be completely worthless if we had one. Nevertheless, the military will be available to all citizens while being allowed to fantasize to its heart's content. Anyone who commits actual acts of violence in the name of Talossa will lose their citizenship (according to the will of the Cort pu Inalt). We shall represent and encourage peace between nations.

Noi urent q'estadra så;
Ian Plätschisch (Sen-MM)
Txoteu Davinescu (MC-AMP)

I would like to advance this bill to a vote.

Respectfully,
Gen. Davinescu, MC

[Lüc da Schir]

We are already voting on it (RZ13). You have already cast your votes too.

[Þon Txoteu É. Davinescu]

Apologizes for that. It’s been a long week and I thought I had but my brain has been a bit fried as of late