[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/p6PPXJq.jpg[/img]
[h2][color=red][b]The Imperium of Hiron[/b][/color][/h2][/center]

[b][u]Restructuring and Expansion of the Imperial Army[/u][/b]

The Imperium of Hiron had been lacking in the size of the Army for decades, having focused almost solely on the Navy in order to safeguard the island nation that had primarily kept to itself. However, looking out across the Sea towards the Armies of the Meung, Radena, Violette, and Tara, it was clear that that needed to change immediately. The lack of a Marine component in particular was particularly concerning to high level staff within the Imperium, whilst nations such as Violette fielded their own Marines. It was with this in mind that the [b]1900 Military Restructuring and Expansion Act[/b] was passed. Its contents were thusly;

[u][b][center]1900 Military Restructuring and Expansion Act[/center][/b][/u]
All able-bodied male citizens of the Imperium at the age of eighteen, regardless of class, prestige, or family income, must register for the Imperial Draft and maintain an updated address to be contacted at. The Draft does not require that all male citizens serve a term, however, their name shall be entered into a lottery from which their name may be randomly drawn as necessary to replace a soldier or sailor who is retiring, killed, or otherwise leaving the service of either the Navy, Army or Reserves of either service. Their name may also be randomly drawn in the event that the Emperor orders, at his own discretion, the expansion of either service. Their name shall be withdrawn from the lottery upon the citizen's twenty-seventh birthday or proven death.

If a citizen is selected for service, they shall be contacted to report to the nearest recruitment office to receive their first set of orders telling them where to report for training. If a citizen does not report to a recruitment office after two weeks, they shall be found, given one last chance to accept service or prove they are not able-bodied, and if they simply refuse to accept service while still being able-bodied, shall be summarily shot as a traitor to the Imperium. Any citizen selected for service this way shall be known as a conscript and have a two-year term of service, will start with the rank and pay grade of E-1 (Enlisted-1) after training, and will [u]not[/u] be capable of receiving promotions. Their position in either the Army or Navy shall be determined based on the citizen's mental and physical aptitudes which are determined during training and with an aptitude test.

In contrast to the Imperial Draft, any able-bodied male citizen of the Imperium from sixteen to thirty can request enlistment in the Army, Navy, or Reserves of either service. It is entirely at the discretion of the Army or Navy to accept or decline the applicant based on the needs of either service. Enlistment acceptance shall have nothing to do with class, prestige, or family income. Acceptance is based purely on the needs of the military and the demonstrated aptitudes of the applicant. The applicant can accept a four-, eight-, or ten-year enlistment. Enlisted service members shall have the appropriate rank and pay grade of E-2 after training. Promotions shall be weighted towards those with longer enlistment terms. Placement within either service will also be determined based on mental and physical aptitudes.

Any able-bodied male citizen aged eighteen to thirty of the Imperium may also apply for commission as an Officer in the Imperial Army or Navy. Officer selection is a highly rigorous process that takes into account education, mental and physical aptitude, social capability, and prior military service. Selected applicants shall be given orders to report to the Imperium's Officer Training School to begin training. If the applicant passes training, they shall be commissioned as an Officer in either the Imperial Army or Navy, and start with the rank and pay grade of O-1 (Officer-1). Officers are not allowed to voluntarily leave the service of the military nor do they have a defined end to their term of service. They must submit a formal request for separation or retirement. The possibility of separation begins after a term of ten years, and retirement after twenty. Promotion and placement for positions is entirely dependent on the officer's merits.

All Active Duty Enlisted and Officer personnel shall receive thirty days of Leave per year. Active Duty Conscripts receive fourteen days of Leave. Reservists receive no Leave. Leave is a period of time wherein the Enlisted, Officer, or Conscript member is not required to be on station, but can be revoked during times of crisis or emergency. Revocation of Leave due to crisis or emergency allows the service member to make use any Leave lost by revocation after the crisis or emergency has passed.

Pay grades are subject to change, but even service members with a grade of E-1 shall receive enough of a salary to place them firmly within the lower third of the Middle Class. Rank names are specific to each service.

Active Duty service members, when not on Leave, must be on station. Reservists, if not called to duty during a time of crisis or emergency, must report for annual training and spend a minimum of two months on station, primarily to relieve Active Duty service members on leave. The Reserves may be called to duty at any time and for any reason, and shall be released from it once their strength is no longer needed.

The Marine Corps shall be established under the Navy, but is primarily autonomous. Its job is to project power via the naval vessels of the Imperium and to be trained primarily in amphibious infantry warfare. They will be ready to ship out and hit the beaches and coasts of any Imperial enemy at a moment's notice.

Finally, the military is hereby commanded to recruit or draft enough members to reach the following strengths within two years:

Army: 	200,000 Active Duty Soldiers
		6,600 Army Officers 
		300,000 Reservist Soldiers

Navy:	All Sailors necessary to fully man all Imperial Vessels, as well as all Sailors needed off-vessel in logistics.
		50,000 Active Duty Marines
		1,700 Marine Officers
		75,000 Reservist Marines

[u][center]End of 1900 Military Restructuring and Expansion Act[/center][/u]

The Act was a sweeping reform of the dilapidated old system of the Imperium which scarcely mentioned officers, and merely required that 2 in 100 citizens serve a mandatory 2-year term of service. The Emperor even came forth during its announcement to categorize the Act as, "Perhaps the single greatest change to the Imperial Military, one in which the military has now become a Gateway to the Middle Class for any impoverished Hironese man prepared to fight valiantly for his country!"

[b][u]Colonial Ambitions of the Imperium[/u][/b]

With the Radenan land grab of Wenshou island as well as what were once the Malik Islands, it was clear to the Imperium that the Radenans could not be trusted to keep their goddamned nose out of Settumu. With that in mind, the following proclamation was given by the Emperor,

[center][b][u]Proclamation of the Emperor: Kyio, Setu, Mado, and Calipher Islands Are Now Imperial Soil[/u][/b][/center]
"The Imperium of Hiron hereby lays claim to the Kyio, Setu, Mado, and Calipher Islands as the territory of the Imperium. Any other nation attempting to colonize or otherwise take any of these islands shall be seen as committing an act of war against the Imperium by setting foot upon Imperial soil. Any Hironese company or citizen seeking to settle these islands is welcome to do so by purchasing a land claim from the government. Investigation of natural resources is also welcome and encouraged. Any settlers moving to the islands shall have an Imperial Naval Escort of at least one destroyer on the journey and if any natives become restless, the might of the Imperial Army shall be used to subdue them. The government shall shortly be appointing Governors for the islands once a population begins to establish itself."

[center][u]End Proclamation[/u][/center]

[u][b]Radenan Greed, Meung Carelessness[/b][/u]

With the Radenan purchase of Wenshou Island out from under the Hironese, the Imperium found itself caught off-guard. What was once believed to be a reasonable nation that could be worked with for trade had now displayed itself to have further ambitions beyond what were just the Malik Islands. It was a move that angered the Dragon Emperor, particularly since the Imperium had recently attempted to secure Wenshou from the Meung themselves. The Radenans were clearly greedy sons of bitches who could not be trusted, as the Emperor came forth to deliver this speech to the Hironese people,

"Today, I come before you to admit that the Imperium failed to take possession of Wenshou Island. The Grand Kingdom of Meung, with its complete lack of a navy, could not begin to adequately defend it or its people, either from the Imperium or from the Continentals. Because of this, the Imperium sought to bring it under the more wise control and protection of ourselves, where it could be properly nurtured and raised up to its full potential beyond just an agrarian island. We left negotiations with the Meung, deciding that the Imperium would never simply pay for the lands of Meung with money, and assumed the Radenans would simply return to their country.

Yet we were wrong. The Radenans decided to display a side the Imperium had not seen before; one of intense ambition and greed. They took control of Wenshou by throwing money at the Meung, and the Meung practically sold their people away for some petty cash. Both of these nations are to be condemned. Radena, for taking what should rightfully be Imperial soil right now, and Meung, for selling their land and people, knowing full well few Settumese can or want to pick up their roots and move. The Imperium will never sell its land or people for money. Every citizen and acre of land is invaluable to the common wealth of us all. Because of this, neither nation can be trusted, and believe me, both shall receive the proper punishment in due time. Thank you, and for the Imperium!"

[hider=Summary]The Imperium of Hiron restructures their military through the 1900 Military Restructuring and Expansion Act by forming the Marines under the Navy, introduces the Imperial Draft, clarifies Enlistment and Officer Commission, and orders the military to expand to 200k Active Duty Soldiers, 300k Reservist Soldiers, 6,600 Army Officers, 50k Active Duty Marines, 75k Reservist Marines, 1,700 Marine Officers, and all Sailors necessary to man the Imperial Navy's vessels and operate its logistic apparatus. The Emperor categorizes the new Act as, "Perhaps the single greatest change to the Imperial Military, one in which the military has now become a Gateway to the Middle Class for any impoverished Hironese man prepared to fight valiantly for his country!"

It also lays claim to the Setu, Mado, Calipher, and Kyio Islands as its own soil. Any other nations attempting to take control of these islands will be seen as declaring war upon the Imperium.

The Emperor denounces the Radenans and Meung for the greed of the former and the careless way the latter treats it people with.[/hider]