Blackstone Commission

Preamble:
We, the Members of the Blackstone Commission, establish this Charter to guide our Organization, to ensure its Success and Glory, and to secure all Actions, both necessary and proper, that will enable us to pursue a greater Good for ourselves and our Allies.

Article I: Government
The senior administrative officials will be composed of the Executive Director, Director, and Associate Director. The Department of Administration will not interfere with a department's operations unless administrative action is absolutely necessary in order to preserve the integrity of the Blackstone Commission. In this respect, the senior administrative officials not only provide administrative services to the Blackstone Commission and its departments, but also supervises its operations.

The Executive Director is the most senior of the Blackstone Commission's government officials. The Executive Director has full authority over all operations within the Blackstone Commission. The Executive Director is the alpha and the omega of all concerns dealing with the organization and its members.

Each department will have its own unique ranking system, based on 3 ranks. Department heads are solely responsible for their assigned department’s operations, and have full authority to enforce Blackstone’s Charter and its regulations. Delegated authority will be at the department head’s discretion, unless otherwise dictated by the Department of Administration.

Article II: Organization
Departments within the Blackstone Commission are considered to be sovereign entities. Individual member ranks are applicable only to the department in which the rank is awarded, with the exception of the Department of Administration.

The Blackstone Commission will commission and maintain the following departments, adding additional departments or removing current ones at the discretion of the Department of Administration.

Department of Administration

The Department of Administration is charged with carrying out all administrative responsibilities within the Blackstone Commission. It will oversee coordination between departments, and it will resolve interdepartmental conflicts. The Office of Administration will assume command over any operation should it feel that intervention is necessary to preserve the goals and integrity of the Blackstone Commission.

Department of Security

The Department of Security will be operated and maintained by the Provost Marshal as he or she deems fit, and any members that the Provost Marshal is directly responsible for. This department will ensure the security of the Blackstone Commission by screening applicants, policing the board, and participating in all judicial processes set forth by the Charter.

Department of Academics

The Department of Academics will be operated and maintained by the Dean of the Academy as he or she deems fit, and any members that the Dean is directly responsible for. This department will implement a training program and testing requirements for the acquisition of academic tags for the board, creating a social credibility structure within the Blackstone Commission.

Department of Propaganda

The Department of Graphics Art will be operated and maintained by its Secretary of Propaganda as he or she deems fit, and any members that the Secretary is directly responsible for. This department will represent the visual style of the Blackstone Commission, develop graphics for the Commission and its membership. It will also provide literature and streaming broadcasts whenever possible.

Department of Foreign Intelligence

The Department of Foreign Intelligence will be operated and maintained by the Secretary of Foreign Intelligence as the Department of Administration and the Department of Foreign Affairs deems fit, and by any members that the Secretary is directly responsible for. This department will collect and process public information for peace-time and war-time applications.

Department of Foreign Affairs

The Department of Foreign Affairs will be operated and maintained by the Secretary of Foreign Affairs as he or she deems fit, and by any members that the Secretary is directly responsible for. This department will establish and maintain diplomatic ties with foreign organizations, and will assist in the drafting and cancellation of treaties with approval from the Department of Administration.

Department of Finance

The Department of Finance will be operated and maintained by the Secretary of Finance as he or she deems fit, and by any members that the Secretary is directly responsible for. This department will establish an efficient banking system, and will coordinate trades to maximize Blackstone’s economic potential.

Department of Defense

The Department of Defense will be operated and maintained by its Field Marshal as he or she deems fit, and by any members that the Field Marshal is directly responsible for. This department will establish Blackstone’s military might and will coordinate and execute strategic and tactical plans during war time.

Article III: Foreign Policy
The only political bonds worth having are strong bonds. It is henceforth the Blackstone Commission’s policy to refuse diplomatic ties with any alliances that oppose one another. Should two or more alliances that have treaties with the Blackstone Commission become military opponents, the Blackstone Commission will honor the oldest applicable treaty, unless the circumstances conflict with this Charter. This policy is designed to combat political stalemates, reduce confusion, and enable it to honor its treaties to the fullest possible extent without bias, and is subject to change at the discretion of the Department of Administration.

Article IV: War
The Blackstone Commission will utilize military action only as a last resort to failed diplomacy, in defense against foreign aggression, or in response to honoring its diplomatic commitments. At no time will the Blackstone Commission participate in pre-emptive strikes or tech-raids. Any other scenarios involving the declaration of war must be agreed upon by the Departments of Defense, Foreign Affairs, and Administration. Only the Executive Director of the Blackstone Commission has the authority to declare war.

The Field Marshal of the Blackstone Commission will determine the organization’s fitness to engage in an array of military scenarios on a regular basis. Upon declaration of war, the Field Marshal will be given the authority to utilize the Commission’s military assets within specified parameters set forth by the Department of Administration.

The Secretary of Foreign Affairs and the Secretary of Foreign Intelligence will work closely with the Field Marshal to secure a political strategy that will be the most effective in securing victory at minimal cost to all parties.

In the event of a political incident, the Blackstone Commission will respond diplomatically. It is at the discretion of the Secretary of Foreign Affairs to turn the case over to the Department of Administration for review and subsequent assignment to the Field Marshal of the Department of Defense.

Article V: Admission
Admission into the Blackstone Commission will require the approval of both the Department of Security and the Department of Administration. Applicants must have their nations on the black trading sphere, be in good standing with their prior alliance (if applicable), demonstrate the ability to follow instructions, and be of sound character. All members of the Blackstone Commission are obligated to honor this Charter.

Article VI: Expulsion
Only the Executive Director, Director, and department heads may bring forth charges against a member of the Blackstone Commission. After charges against an individual have been posted, an investigation of the individual’s alleged actions warranting expulsion will be conducted by the Provost Marshal of the Department of Security, as he or she deems fit, and the individual will be placed on suspension of all duties pending the outcome of the trial.

Upon notification to the individual of the official charges that have been brought against him or her, the accused will have a period of 96 hours to seek the assistance of a volunteer defense attorney. Should the individual fail to acquire a representative within that period of time, the verdict will default to “guilty”, and sentencing will be at the discretion of the Office of Administration.

Should the accused acquire representation, a trial will be conducted privately. The trial will be conducted by one member of the Department of administration, the department head most applicable to the accused, and the Provost Marshal of the Department of Security. A majority vote of “guilty” will immediately result in sentencing. A majority vote of “not guilty” will result in final judgment by the body of the Blackstone Commission. The outcomes of the investigation and trial will be made available to all of Blackstone’s members, and the results of a 96 hour-long poll will determine that individual’s fate.

The individual on trial has the right to a fair and unbiased trial. The outcome of the trial may be appealed only once. Should the case involve a foreign government, that government will be granted the right to prosecute the accused according to its own procedures at the discretion of the Secretary of Foreign Affairs. It is the Blackstone Commission’s policy to administer punishment in proportion to a given offense.

Due to security reasons, should the offender be a member of the Department of Administration or the head of a department, a tribunal will be conducted internally amongst the accused’s peers, and the accused will be immune to foreign prosecution pending the results of the trial. The tribunal will be organized by the Department of Administration, and its conclusions and sentences will be the final stage of the trial process.

Article VII: Black Team Senate
The Departments of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Intelligence, and Administration will vote for 2 candidates to compete for Black Team Senate in-game. Upon nomination, the candidates will report to the Department of Foreign Affairs in addition to their assigned duties. This department will be responsible for coordinating alliance-wide voting of that candidate as it sees fit, unless specific direction is given from the Department of Administration.

Upon election, the Senator will be granted the option to abandon all assigned duties in order to execute his or her responsibilities as the Black Team Senator. The Senator will be under the direction of the Department of Foreign Affairs throughout his or her term. After the responsibility of serving as the Black Team Senator has been professionally executed, that individual may return to his or her assigned duties present prior to election, without forfeiture of rank or position.

Article VIII: Charter Suspension/ Amelioration
The Department of Administration has the right to suspend the Charter of the Blackstone Commission without warning should it deem it necessary to, provided that the reason for doing so is not applicable to any part of the Charter, and is necessary to secure the integrity of the Blackstone Commission. A unanimous decision within the Department of Administration must be attained to put Article VIII into effect.

Amendments to the Charter may be proposed by any senior official (blue rank and above), and will require the approval of a simple majority of all senior officials. The Executive Director and Director has the right to arbitrarily veto any amendment proposal.

Seals of BCOM
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