This seems neat. It's been about a century since I did a forum RP; god knows I have the time these days. A few questions:

- The post mentions magic a couple of times. How common and powerful is that magic? Would the average person be surprised to see a spell cast? Does an army have entire regiments of spellcasters, or are there only a few on any given battlefield? Is magic common enough to have an impact on everyday life?
- Should all characters be in the officers' branch?
- Should every character be new to the academy, or are students entering their second or third year fine?