NationStates

What unique traditions does your military practice?

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A rite that every Sidh who serves in the military must pass through is the Armoring Night, when recruits who have completed their basic training in the first year of service receive their first suit of powered armor. The recruits are sent out in the woods and stripped naked, and then must pass through several stations, each symbolizing an aspect of Sidh military history, where senior recruits have prepared various ordeals themed on each aspect for them. After enduring the ordeals which often involve physical abuse, such as running a gauntlet, the recruits receive their powered armor suits individually custom-built for them. As the tradition holds, a senior recruit hands the suit to the new recruit with words "Wear with honour, walk with pride!"

A second rite that a serving Sidh passes through is the Baptism of Fire, usually taking place at an unspecified time of their third year of service, when the soldiers are deployed to actual combat for the first time. No Sidh can complete his minimum service term necessary for earning full citizenship without seeing actual combat, be it a small skirmish with pirates or a full-scale offensive against Imperium's main enemies. Sidhae who have been baptised by fire may add personal decorations to their armor suits, symbolizing battles they have fought in or personal aspects pertaining to their service.

Those who survive their Baptism of Fire must shortly thereafter pass through the Third Birth. Tradition holds that true Sidhae are born thrice - the first time is when they are conceived, be it artificially or naturally, the second time being when they awaken as Sidhae, whether born as such or converted, and the third time being when they are accepted as full citizens with political rights after completing their 3-year service term. Every new citizen is adopted into the Clan of his choice (usually the one in control of his homeworld) and formally adopts the Clan name as part of his own as a sign of his citizenship.

The Cigar Circle is a rite that those who go for career must pass through upon promotion as they rise through NCO and officer ranks. In the night of their promotion, they must share a cigar with their legion's fellow officers/NCOs of their new rank. By taking a smoke from the cigar, an officer/NCO informally recognizes the newbie as his equal. Refusal to take a smoke is a sign of disrespect, implying that one refuses to acknowledge the promotion as undeserved for some reason. While not a formal tradition, it has often played a considerable role within military circles, sometimes going as far as troops flatly refusing to march under the leadership of someone who has been refused a smoke by his peers.

The Kiss of Death is a rite reserved for the top brass of the Imperium, those who have attained the rank of Strategos. Everyone promoted to Strategos must be personally invested to the position by the Empress, who kisses the new Strategos after handing him the attributes of his status, implying that he must now serve the Empress personally until death.

It is common for units to sing an old military song before a large battle. Sometimes they even go into battle singing it. It seems to unnerve the enemy when the enemy begins marching to battle in song. This song is called 'Do you Hear the People Sing'. It was song before the First Revolution and again before the New Asterdanian Revolution. Afterward, units just started singing it.

It is the tradition of the Paparian military that on passing the gruelling one-year training phase,newly-minted privates (male and female) are to run naked around the capital city carrying only an unloaded rifle and ask members of the public for alms.
This tradition dates back to the 1890s when the British colonialist ordered captured suspected anti-British natives to strip naked and run around town while being chased by hounds.
"The Day The Naked Natives Ran" as it is known today is a rememberance to the evils of imperialism and a reminder to these young privates to never allow Paparian to be colonize by a foreign nation ever again.

Daily confession, followed immediately by mass, in war time.

It is traditional among the Guardia Marine to tie a rosary around the spars at the ship's home port, for each sailor. In the modern age, this has produced some highly-ornamented ports.

Dueling is a big deal - as both the national sport and the CQC of choice for our soldiers.

Our unique traditions are putting any muties, rebel scum, or degenerate barbarian six feet under when they threaten our Empire. Hoorah!

OOC: Not gonna describe much so yeah

1) Royal Cortezian Military Tattoo

2) Marching of the Colours(Honouring the King/Queen Birthday)

3) National Day Parade

Uniforms worn during the event of 1 & 2 would be their "ceremonial dress" while 3 would be their "parade dress"

Uniform Guide:http://www.nationstates.net/nation=european_prussia/detail=factbook/id=103600

The most noticeable tradition of Mallaska's armed forces compared to other nations is its close reverence to the firearm, much closer than many nations. As a conscription nation, every male is required to take the PETP course (Our ROTC and somewhat BCT) in high school, in which they are familiarized with military firearms with 9x19mm NATO conversions of the M1 Carbine, produced in Mallaska as the "Cadet Carbine". Until the future serviceman is issued the service weapon of the branch and unit they sign up to, they are required to keep their Cadet Carbine in full working order. The issuing of the Cadet Carbine is much like a graduation, as it is only received when the overseeing officer affirms that cadets have passed the second of three phases of military training, much like the US Military's White Phase of BCT.

Once all three phases of PETP are met, and a cadet signs up for a specific branch and task, they are given specialized training, and once that training is completed, and they are initiated to a unit of their specialization, they are given the service rifle of that unit as official initiation to service. Typically this weapon is the Beretta BM59, and soldiers are required to keep this weapon, with the same requirements as the Cadet Carbine, but as a soldier receives their new service weapon, they trade their Carbine in for the new weapon, the trading of rifles being like the handing of a diploma, and unlike the Cadet Carbine, which is circulated after being handed in, a service rifle is to be kept for life unless you transfer to a unit with a different weapon or you become a criminal.

Officers, upon becoming an officer through either passing the Officer Training Program at one of several military academies (Places like Sandhurst), or being promoted through combat experience, receive one extra item as part of their "Diploma". Mallaskan culture being heavily tied with firearms, the Officer's Revolver is given to every new officer, as part of their initiation. Given to officers since 1927, the Smith & Wesson M1917 revolver has been the standard issue revolver given to officers. Known as the M1917 Mallaskan Officer's Model, they are now manufactured in Mallaska by license. Each Officer's Model has a wood grip with a small pin, which is etched with the insignia of the branch in which the officer is attached to. This insignia on the grips serve as an identifying feature to distinguish these officer's revolvers from usual M1917s issued to Mallaskan NCOs and enlisted between 1926-1973. Officer's Revolvers are to be kept, much like a service rifle, and often officer's substitute the standard-issue WP-32B1 handgun with the M1917, and the wearing of a revolver in Mallaskan culture is considered formal.

Other than these, the Mallaskan military follows a mix of traditions, mainly those relating to American and British military dress, march, parade, and ceremony.

We have a mix of traditions, but the one that baffles foreigners the most is one in the elite members of the imperial guard. The prospective guardsman is taken from training, tied up, and beaten until he screams out for it to stop. At that point, he is handed a knife while the beating continues, and continues until he manages to free himself. The tradition dates back over 2,000 years, and it is considered shameful to beg for mercy to soon.

The military, despite its current small size, has a long tradition of honour and loyalty in Themiclesia. Many of these traditions stem right from the middle ages, as the modern form of the military began to take shape.

Individual servicemen.
The first rite for individual servicemen is called summons to conscription during war, and warrant to service in peace. The difference between the two is largely ceremonial, but it is still significant. After applying to the military, the servicemen will receive letters patent issued by the Earl Marshal in the King's name. This letter, before being sent, is cut in half, and one half is sent to the recipient, and the other half kept by the Earl Marshal. That recipient must, within 40 days, carry this official document to the Earl Marshal, or an appointed officer, and recite so:

I, A.B., having been summoned by the King's Warrant under the Signet [or the Great Seal in war] Seal, and so summoned by these presents, hereby declare my voluntary return to the King's Service.

After reciting this, the Earl Marshal will produce the other half of the document, and sew them together, whereupon two copies will be made, one to the Paymaster-General, and the other to the Exchequer, for financial reasons. If the person summoned is a knight, or indeed a noblemen, the letter will be issued by the Lord Chancellor, not the Earl Marshal, and the recital runs this way:

I, A.B., Knight [or the King's vassal and magnate of X, if noblemen] having been summoned by my sovereign lord the King, for the protection of his Realm, under letters patent under the Great Seal, and by those patents so summoned, hereby declare my service as of right and duty to His Majesty the King.

If the servicemen summoned is female and commoner, the recital runs thus:

I, A.B., having witnessed the King's dire need for forces to protect his Realm, and all Commons of this Realm, and witness that my husband [or brother if unmarried] is unable due to divers causes to serve His Majesty in his duty, hereby declare my loyalty and willingness, voluntarily, to serve in the said husband's [or brother's, as the case may be] place, and prays that I may be admitted to repay his debt.

In case of a female noblemen, the form is as a male noblemen.

The second rite is the admission to each individual branch of the military. For the armies, each will be presented a locket with earth from his origin. For the navies, a blue shard of glass. For the air force none such have been designated, but the accepted gift is a yard of silk.

After discharge from service, there is a third rite. Common servicemen, and knights as well, will be presented to the House of Commons at the bar of the house. In their presence, their local MP will recite:

A.B., gentleman, of X, has under the King's warrant served the protection of the Commons of this land, and all of the Commons, and I pray that this House will remember his service, and give him the state and needs that he should require.

For generals and amirals, this happens in the House of Lords, and the Earl Marshal recites:

My lords, A.B., has served under the King, sovereign lord of all peers herein seated, and I pray that his services should be remembered amongst the peers of this house, and that he should be honoured and remembered for his services.

Another rite exists in the elevation from officer to the rank of general, or admiral, as the case may be. Traditionally generals and admirals are held to be noblemen, so their elevation requires the consent of the Lord Chancellor and the Lord High Steward. Upon decision of elevation, they will be presented to the House of Lords, and they will bow three times to the house, firstly upon enter the house and arriving at bar, secondly when their names are mentioned, and thirdly when they leave.

In Asalm a military tradition is before recruits get out of training they must go into our forest and hunt for w/e food they can find. This last 10 days, within this they are not allowed to eat anything they catch within these days. Once the 10 days are complete the recruits come out for a huge feast in the capital city Shagoth were they eat last. This shows that they are willing to serve their country and do what it takes to survive. The eating order of recruits goes from who caught the most to who caught the least.

Decimation.

It's not a good thing.

In our military, it's a tradition for soldiers to go into the virtual reality training centers in their off hours to test themselves on how many hostiles they can kil using only melee.

Our nation still places a heavy emphasis on melee combat, seeing it as an effective way to dispatch opponents at point-blank range since not every soldier is equipped with a shotgun, submachine gun or carbine. Instead of bayonets, soldiers of the Imperial Armed Forces of Romberg are issued a steel war axe each, and are trained in use of that. This is based on Nordic and Viking tradition present in Rombergian culture.

Every soldier of Cesatar recieves extensive cybernetic augmentation, often fully replacing one or more limbs. This tradition dates back to the Great Insurrection, when augmentations were used to gain an edge over Jenari loyalists.

Each soldier is also trained in the use of riot shields and in close quarters combat, again dating back to the Great Insurrection when such tactics were used against the rebel forces.

At the end of the service of one group of conscripts, a mini-battle is organized which lasts for three days.

Military parades are very traditional. Bosniak regiments wear fezzes. Swords are part of the full dress uniform, sometimes even in battle. Bayonets are used but heavily relied upon. Most soldiers decorate helmets and hats with feathers, segments of olive branches or flowers. Usually the Alpine soldiers have hats with a tall feather in them. Sometimes soldiers sing military or patriotic songs in to or after the battle.

Our Men practice our Nordic Traditions before battle, leading them to victory, if they are Pure Prussians.

The military traditions in the Ontorisan Armed Forces are simple and old traditions from the 17th Century when the Dutch and Estonians landed in Ontorisa. The first one is to nail (nowadays it is tape) your new platoon commander to a door and leave him there for 24 hours before deployment. The second one is used by the navy, which is taking the new guys on the ship and throwing them into the water, of course this tradition is watched heavily to make sure no one is killed during the fall. The third one is used by the marines, which is to leave the new guys in the middle of nowhere and scare the crap out of them all night. The fourth tradition is for all of the wings, to sing 'Song of Worry' and 'Song of Laughter' before deployment. Many units continue to follow these traditions deeply. All of these traditions were meant to keep people in a state of alert for any deployment, however, nowadays troops just use them to fool around.

The Pultridusian military is taught Karate and fencing.During the spring they go hang gliding and sky diving.They must always ware a tri-point hat.

Do to an almost complete lack of firearms regulation, the citizenry of La Sieste are well armed. The full time military is very small, and serve mainly as an elite shock force. The real bulk of the nations fire power comes from the Citizens Front, a reservist force that is activated during a military crisis. The employ urban/guerrilla fighting tactics, and the most noble and honored tradition is that of the barricade. It is considered the people's weapon, and is synonymous with the defense of liberty. The national anthem is usually sung, a song taken from the musical adaptaion of Les Miserables. Unlike most countries, La Sieste encourages her citizens to serve in foreign wars. This way, she can show her support for the cause of Liberty while remaining offically neutral

Albaie is a very traditional military and keeps many of the traditions from ages gone by these are some examples.
Parades-All branches of the military hold parades in very high esteem with regiments in the army normally having one every sunday morning after church.
Uniform-The soldiers in our army except for when actually marching onto a battlefield wear complete dress uniform.
Swords-Every military personnel carries a sword as part of his military uniform.
Bands-Bands play the Albaie military onto a battlefield with the soldiers expected to sing along.
Cavalry-The Imperial Army still uses mounted cavalry regiments on the battle with members of the regiments being mostly noble born men and also captains and above ranks in the army ride horses when entering pitched battles and while marching.
Charges-A key part of the Albaie battle plan is the charge where the regiments just line up attach bayonets or draw melee weapons and charge at the enemy and is still used to devastating effect due to the amount of soldiers in Albaie.
Officers-Almost always an Albaie officer is from the upper classes except for in the 1st Imperial Legion in which the officers are drawn upon by skill.

A tradition that used to be a rite of passage into manhood has become a standard part of the Army's basic training. After Basic, which lasts about six to eight weeks depending on the regiment, each recruit is expected to make a week-long trek through the bush with no supplies or equipment, living only off the land. It is optional whether it is done alone or in groups because both indiviual and group accomplishments are valued by the Army. The requirement for graduation is that the recruit loses no weight. (The failure rate is very low.)

A more recent tradition is the music played for Naval vessels leaving and returning to port, especially submarines which are most likely to be going "in harm's way". When leaving on a patrol, the friends and family of the crew who come to see them off sing For Those in Peril on the Sea; sometimes an elementary school kazoo band is invited to play along. When a boat returns from a successful patrol, the triumphant Anvil of Crom is played, usually by a high school marching band, often the brothers and sisters of crew members.

In a similar vein, the newly-formed Air Cavalry Brigade is begnning a tradtion of playing loud music from the loudpeakers of their helicopters as they ride into battle. Ostensibly to frighten the enemy, it also serves to bolster the troopers' morale. Selections are somewhat eclectic, from the traditional Rde of the Valkyries to the popular Ring of Fire and Fat-Bottomed Girls.

Another long-standing tradition is tattooing which today usually consists of unit badges and/or qualification badges.

General Marie-Louise Castro-Stalina, who is well known through her public appearances and porn site, has tattoos of the 69th Lesbian Light Infantry, the 365th Parachute Division, the Fatatatutti Foreign Legion, the 7th Air Cavalry and the 99th Air Cavalry - in all of which units she has served - as well as qualification badges for Master Parachutist, Air Assault and pilot's wings with multi-engine and rotary-wing certifications. (There is a running joke that she'd have a Sharpshooter badge if there was room on her body - the joke being that she's a notoriously mediocre marksman.)

Captain Anni-Frid Ulvaeus is rumoured to have a tattoo of a goldfish on her chest but there is no current confirmation becuse she usually wears a turtleneck and her porn site is experiencing technical difficulties.

(Another tradition of recent origin is members of the military - especially female - appearing on porn sites).

We traditionally kick tradition in the teeth and toss it aside in the Federated States Armed Forces. No modern and ever evolving force of war has a place for outdated customs, after all.

On the first night of his command any officer who commands other Malfyr usually shares tahl* with his subordinates this signifies trust between the men and their commander.

The only other ritual is somewhat defunct now as the office of Tsaighal has been vacant, it concerns the appointment of fleetlords by the Tsaighal. Rumor has it that every fleetlord must
journey, with the Tsaighal on board to watch, to an uncharted world....and destroy its civilization completely.



*A coffee-like drink that produces a feeling of happiness and strong hallucinations.