Post by Kandosii on Jun 30, 2016 17:33:24 GMT -8
This following is the official Charter of the Outer Rim Brigade. |
Article I: Mission Statement
The Outer Rim Brigade (ORB) is an international and multi-generational STAR WARS™ costuming club dedicated to celebrating and promoting interest in the STAR WARS universe through the creation, display, and wearing of quality costumes that represent the bounty hunters, smugglers and scum of the STAR WARS universe and by contributing to local communities through costumed charity and volunteer work.
Article II: Representation
The Outer Rim Brigade recognizes that neither it nor any of its Official Members (OM's) have any claim to the copyright or intellectual property of Lucasfilm Ltd. (LFL) except by the privileges authorized to the club by LFL. All OM's acknowledge and accept that they, by authorization, portray the characters of STAR WARS when in costume and are acting on behalf of the Brigade. While representing the Brigade, OM's agree to do so courteously, professionally, and responsibly at all times and in accordance with the Brigade's Values and Code of Conduct.
This Charter serves to define the role and operations of the Outer Rim Brigade, as well as the rights and responsibilities of its OM's. The Charter is subject to amendment as needed upon ratification by its OM's as defined by procedures defined herein.
Article III: Membership
A) Membership Details
The Outer Rim Brigade is an inclusive and equal-opportunity club that does not discriminate against existing or prospective members on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation, physical disability, religious affiliation or philosophy. Membership is open to persons 18 years of age or older who own a costume that meets with the standards of accuracy, completeness, and quality of construction as required by the Brigade.
1. Official Membership requires a minimum age of 18.
a) Applicants must be legal adults. Official Membership is defined as an ORB member with an approved costume. Forum Members (persons who have joined ORB on the forums only) must be at least 18 years of age. Persons under the age of 18 attending events are required to have a parent or guardian present.
b) Only Official Members can represent the Brigade at official events in full costume. While Forum Members cannot represent the Brigade in an official capacity, they may assist Official Members at events with prior authorization. When assisting at events out of costume, Forum or Official Members are encouraged (but are not required) to wear t-shirts or other items bearing the Brigade logo.
2. Photo submissions are required to become an Official Member.
a) Photos must be unaltered and of adequate quality to assess accuracy of the applicant’s costume.
b) Pictures must show the costume in its entirety with full front, rear, and side views and must be void of non-canon accessories that are not part of the costume, such as baseball caps and sunglasses. If the costume includes head gear that conceals the wearer’s face, an additional unmasked/un-helmeted face-photo is also required.
3. Upon admission, each new Official Member will be assigned a unique identification number prefixed by a three-letter code that indicates the class of costume that was approved. Each identification number is unique to the individual member and is non-transferable. Rights and privileges are granted to Official Members according to their status as either active or otherwise.
4. Any newly approved Official Member who lives within the geographical boundaries of an existing Outpost or Squad automatically becomes a member of that Outpost or Squad. Otherwise, the newly approved Official Member will be classified as a non-aligned OM.
5. Official Members agree to use and wear their costumes in accordance with the participation requirements as set forth by the Brigade.
6. All Official and Forum Members are expected to comply with their respective applicable local, regional, and national laws; as well as to uphold and comply with the Brigade's Values and Code of Conduct.
7. Any Official Member who relocates to a different geographical area is required to notify the BPO so that any Outpost or Squad affiliation can be updated. An OM who moves into the geographical area of an existing Outpost or Squad will be transferred into that Outpost or Squad. An OM who moves into an area not currently part of an existing Outpost or Squad will become a non-aligned OM.
8. The right to grant, deny, revoke, or suspend membership is reserved by and under the sole authority of the Command Council as set forth by the guidelines defined within the Charter.
9. The Brigade reserves the right to suspend, deny or revoke membership at any time, based upon disciplinary action or any past violent criminal history or documented Major Offenses as outlined in Article X: Values and Code of Conduct and in accordance with the laws of the applicable country or region within. Membership may also be denied to individuals that have been banned by another LFL-recognized costuming club and/or continue to have negative interactions with that club or its members. Notice of such suspension, denial or revocation will be filed with the Command Council and Outer Rim Senate.
B) Meetings
There are no regularly required meetings and no membership dues collected by the Outer Rim Brigade. The Brigade is strictly a social costuming club devoted to charitable causes and assisting similar clubs and organizations at events upon request.
C) Membership Status
1. Active Status
Upon admission into the Outer Rim Brigade, each Official Member will be regarded as having active status. To maintain active status, each OM is required to participate in an event wearing his/her approved Brigade costume representing the Brigade at a minimum of once per calendar year.
Active members may do the following:
a. Represent the Outer Rim Brigade at events
b. Organize events as an Event Coordinator.
c. Participate in OCO selection and be eligible to be nominated and selected as an OCO.
d. Be eligible to be nominated for an administrative position within the Brigade, Outpost or Squad.
e. Purchase Outer Rim Brigade merchandise.
f. Have access to the Official Member areas of the Outer Rim Brigade forum.
2. Retired Status
If any Official Member has not participated at an event to represent the Outer Rim Brigade, or if a member requests to have their costume retired, the status of the Official Member will be set to retired.
Retired members may do the following:
a. Have access to the Official Member areas of the Outer Rim Brigade.
Retired members may not do the following:
a. Represent the Outer Rim Brigade at events
b. Organize events as an Event Coordinator.
c. Participate in OCO selection and be eligible to be nominated and selected as an OCO.
d. Be eligible to be nominated for an administrative position within the Brigade, Outpost or Squad.
e. Purchase Outer Rim Brigade merchandise.
An OM in retired status may have their status changed to active status upon approval of the Command Council.
3. Suspended Status
Any Official Member who has been suspended as a result of a disciplinary action will be placed in suspended status for the duration of the suspension.
Suspended members may not do the following:
a. Represent the Outer Rim Brigade at events
b. Organize events as an Event Coordinator.
c. Participate in OCO selection and be eligible to be nominated and selected as an OCO.
d. Be eligible to be nominated for an administrative position within the Brigade, Outpost or Squad.
e. Purchase Outer Rim Brigade merchandise.
f. Have access to the Official Member areas of the Outer Rim Brigade forum.
A suspended OM will have his/her status restored to active status at the conclusion of the suspension if the suspension was less than 1 year and the member participated at an event representing the Brigade at least once within the previous year. If the suspension lasts more than 1 year or the OM has not participated at an event for more than year at the conclusion of the suspension, the OM's status at the end of the suspension will be changed to retired.
4. Banned Status
Any Official Member who has been banned from the Brigade as a result of a disciplinary action will be placed in permanent banned status.
Banned members may not do the following:
a. Represent the Outer Rim Brigade at events
b. Organize events as an Event Coordinator.
c. Participate in OCO selection and be eligible to be nominated and selected as an OCO.
d. Be eligible to be nominated for an administrative position within the Brigade, Outpost or Squad.
e. Purchase Outer Rim Brigade merchandise.
f. Have access to the public or Official Member areas of the Outer Rim Bridage forum.
Banned status is not revokable.
5. Honorary Member Status
Honorary Members are special members who have contributed their time, skills and talents to the Star Wars saga in some special way and have been recognized by the Brigade for their efforts and contributions while working on the Star Wars universe.
Honorary members must be nominated by an active OM to the Brigade through the Command Council. An Honorary Member is eligible to:
a. Participate at events organized by the Outer Rim Brigade
b. Purchase Outer Rim Brigade merchandise.
c. Have access to the Official Member areas of the Outer Rim Brigade forum.
An Honorary Member is NOT eligible to:
a. Organize events as an Event Coordinator.
b. Participate in OCO selection and be eligible to be nominated and selected as an OCO.
c. Be eligible to be nominated for an administrative position within the Brigade, Outpost or Squad.
6. In Memoriam
An In Memoriam Member is defined as a OM in active or retired status that passed away. An In Memoriam OM will have:
a. Their identification number preserved and not reissued.
b. Their profiles, minus contact information, preserved by the Brigade.
Article IV: Organization
1. The Outer Rim Brigade is a worldwide club organized into a Command Council, Outer Rim Senate, Outposts and Squads.
2. The Command Council coordinates the club, is responsible for membership approvals, is responsible for all outside contacts with the Brigade and oversees all Brigade merchandising operations. The Command Council is responsible for reviewing and processing applications for membership and maintaining member information in the Brigade database. The Command Council drives costume policies, including acceptable costume types for membership and quality control of costume submissions. The Command Council also maintains the Brigade's map of units and moderates Brigade elections.
3. Since the Brigade recognizes that most activities will occur at the local level, the Brigade is subdivided into Outposts and Squads based on geographical boundaries. Each Outpost or Squad is responsible for coordinating club events within its boundaries. An Outpost or Squad may coordinate events that are outside of its geographical boundaries only in areas where no Outpost or Squad currently exists.
4. The Outer Rim Senate (consisting of the Command Council members and one representative from each Outpost and Squad, and one Representative of Non-Aligned OM's) coordinates possible changes in Brigade policy and the Charter, as well as discuss topics and issues related to the entire Brigade. The Outer Rim Senate is moderated by the Brigade Personnel Officer.
5. Committees may be created by the Command Council to carry out specific duties as delegated by the Command Council. Each committee reports directly to the Command Council and each committee may only perform the duties that were delegated to it. Committee membership is by Command Council appointment only. The Command Council may disband a committee when it is no longer required.
Article V: Officers
A) Command Council Officers
The Command Council consists of the following officers and voting advisors.
1. Brigade Personnel Officer (BPO): The BPO is the top administrator and president of the club. The BPO enforces the Charter and general operating rules. The BPO appoints administrative staff to assist with club operations, which may include (but are not limited to) formulating policies, moderating the Command Council & Outer Rim Senate, and organizing partnerships with outside parties.
2. Brigade Judicial Officer (BJO): The BJO assists the BPO in club operations as vice-president. The BJO interprets the Charter and general operating rules. The BJO serves as an impartial mediator for disputes among members or officers and oversees disciplinary hearings. Additionally, the BJO maintains all club records (including the Charter) and acts as the executive editor of the Charter. The BJO may perform other duties as assigned by the BPO, and will act as club president in the absence of the BPO.
4. Brigade Relations Officer (BRO): The office of the BRO serves as the Brigade's advocate and primary point of contact with the public and outside parties, which includes celebrities, VIPs and outside charitable organizations. The BRO serves as the executive editor of Brigade publications and multimedia productions. The BRO also oversees all Brigade merchandising operations to ensures that all merchandise projects adhere to the rules and guidelines that govern use of images, pricing and distribution.
4. Brigade Web Officer (BWO): The office of the BWO serves to create, maintain and update the Brigade's website and forum.
5. Voting Advisors to the Command Council. The Brigade Personnel Officer may appoint individuals to serve the Command Council in an advisory capacity to include voting on Command Council items. A vote casted by a Voting Advisor to the Command Council is equivalent to a vote casted by a Command Council officer.
B) Outpost Officers
1. Outpost Commanding Officer (OCO): The OCO is the chief administrator of the Outpost and is responsible for the operations of the Outpost, including the coordination of events that occur within the Outpost's boundaries. The OCO is responsible for maintaining communications with the Command Council and represents the Outpost in the Outer Rim Senate. The OCO also appoints the Outpost officers and administers local forum rules.
2. Outpost Executive Officer (OXO): Appointed by the OCO, the OXO may perform duties as assigned by the OCO and acts on behalf of the OCO in the absence of the OCO.
C) Squad Officers
1. Squad Commanding Officer (SCO): The SCO is the chief administrator of the Squad and is responsible for the operations of the Squad, including the coordination of events that occur within the Squad's boundaries. The SCO is responsible for maintaining communications with the Command Council, administers local forum rules and represents the Squad on the House Commons.
D) Non-aligned Official Members
1. Representative of the Non-aligned Official Members (RNA): The RNA represents the non-aligned OM's on the Outer Rim Senate and is responsible for maintaining communications with the Command Council and administers local forum rules.
Article VI: Outposts and Squads
A) Definition
An Outpost or Squad is a local chapter (or Unit) of the Outer Rim Brigade that is granted exclusive right to organize events on behalf of the Brigade within its own geographical boundaries. A Unit's geographical boundaries cannot cross international boundaries, but may extend to the boundaries of a single administrative division that is one step below the country's national government (such as a province, state, prefecture or other similar division) in which the Unit exists. The Command Council may grant a Unit geographical boundaries that cross borders between two or more administrative divisions or include more than one administrative division if the Official Members within those areas are better served.
B) Requirements for Application for a New Unit
Formation of an Outpost or Squad must be approved by the Command Council and meet the following requirements before an application can be submitted.
1. Minimum Number of Members Required:
a. For a proposed Outpost, a minimum of five Official Members must reside within the same geographical boundaries of the proposed Outpost. All of the names of the OM's applying for the formation of the Outpost must be included in the application.
b. For a proposed Squad, a minimum of three Official Members must reside within the same geographical boundaries of the proposed Squad. All of the names of the OM's applying for the formation of the Squad must be included in the application.
2. A description of the proposed geographical boundaries of the proposed Unit must be included in the application. The proposed geographical boundaries must conform to the geographical boundaries defined in Article VI, Part A.
3. A nomination for the position of the Unit's Commanding Officer for the proposed Outpost or Squad must be included in the application.
4. A logo representing the proposed Outpost or Squad must be included in the application.
5. The name for the proposed Outpost or Squad must refer to a person, place or object (or combination thereof) within the Star Wars universe.
C) Requirements for Transition of a Squad into an Outpost
1. When an existing Squad acquires five or more members and it has existed for at least 6 months, its SCO may apply to the Command Council to transition the Squad into an Outpost. The application must contain a complete list of all current Squad members and the nominee for who the proposed Outpost Commanding Officer (OCO) will be. The proposed OCO can be the current SCO.
2. The Command Council will review the transition application and perform a review of the Squad by sending a questionnaire to its members.
a) If the Command Council is satisfied with the Squad review, the Command Council will proceed with the selection of the OCO as defined in the sub-section D) Selection of the Unit's Commanding Officer. Upon selecting the OCO, the Command Council will officially transition the Squad into an Outpost.
b) If the Command Council is not satisfied with the review, the transition will not occur and the Squad will be required to wait a minimum of 90 days before reapplying.
D) Units with Insufficient Membership
1. Any Outpost whose membership falls below the minimum number of 5 members will be converted into a Squad after 1 year if its membership does not return to the minimum required number.
2. Any Squad whose membership falls below the minimum number of 3 members will be disbanded after 1 year if its membership does not return to the minimum number required.
E) Selection of the Unit's Commanding Officer
The selection of who will be an Outpost Commanding Officer (OCO) or Squad Commanding Officer (SCO) has the following procedure.
1. If an existing or proposed Unit has no Commanding Officer, the Unit's Official Members are responsible for coming to consensus on the nominee that they are submitting to the Command Council. All of the Unit's OM's are required to participate in the consensus.
2. The Command Council will send the nominee a standard set of questions. The nominee must remit his/her answers within 72 hours from the time the questions are sent to be considered as a valid candidate for OCO or SCO. A nominees who does not remit their answers within 72 hours will not be considered.
3. The Command Council will review and deliberate the answers from the nominee for a period not to exceed 48 hours. If the Command Council believes the answers do not fully address the questions, additional questions may be sent to the nominee to be answered within 24 hours. Failure to respond within the aforementioned 24 hours results in disqualification of the nomination. If answers are submitted, the Command Council will have an additional 24 hours to review and deliberate.
4. At the conclusion of the deliberation, each Command Council member will cast his/her vote to approve or disapprove the nomination. Upon approval, the nominee will be immediately assume the responsibilities of OCO or SCO. Otherwise, the Unit's OM's will submit a new nomination for consideration.
5. Failure to follow these procedures may result in the forfeiture of Outpost or Squad status.
6. The Command Council reserves the right to survey a Unit's OM's at any time regarding whether their OCO or SCO is acting in a way that is consistent with the Values and Code of Conduct of the Brigade. If the survey results are positive, the OCO or SCO will remain in office; otherwise, the OCO or SCO will be removed from office and the Unit's OM's will need to submit a new nomination for consideration as described above.
7. An existing OCO or SCO may resign from office at any time upon their own volition. After which, the Unit's OM's will need to submit a nominee for consideration as described above.
8. Any OM's found to be campaigning to be OCO or SCO may be subject to automatic disciplinary action consisting of suspension and possible expulsion.
F) Event Planning
1. All event planning is conducted within the Outer Rim Brigade forum. Any Official Member may coordinate an event.
2. As an Event Coordinator, the OM accepts full responsibility for the event including, but not limited to, communication with the event requester. Other OM’s may assist the Event Coordinator upon request of the Event Coordinator.
3. OM’s that have questions regarding event details are required to direct those questions to the Event Coordinator and should not contact the event requester directly without the previous authorization of the Event Coordinator.
H) Election of the RNA
1. The RNA will be elected by the non-aligned OM's on an annual basis.
2. The Command Council will announce the time when the RNA is to be elected by requesting nominations from the non-aligned OM's. Only non-aligned OM's can participate and each non-aligned OM has the right to make a single nomination. Only a non-aligned OM can be nominated.
3. Each nomination will be public and each nominee has the option of either accepting or declining the nomination publicly.
4. After nominations are closed, the Command Council will send each nominee a standard set of questions. Each nominee must remit his/her answers within 72 hours from the time the questions are sent to be considered as a valid candidate for the office of RNA.
5. The Command Council will review and deliberate the answers from each nominee for a period not to exceed 48 hours. Each nominee who is approved by the Command Council will become a candidate for the office of RNA. Nominees who are not approved will not become candidates. If multiple nominees are approved by the Command Council to become candidates, their answers to the questions will be made public for the non-aligned OM's to read and make their decisions from. Candidates are not permitted to campaign as defined in Article X: Values and Code of Conduct.
6. If only one candidate exists for the position of RNA, that candidate will become the RNA without a general vote of the non-aligned OM's. If no candidates are approved by the Command Council, the Command Council will request additional nominations from the non-aligned OM's. If more than one candidate is approved by the Command Council, a general vote will be conducted for the non-aligned OM's to vote for the candidate of his/her choice. The candidate winning the most votes will become the RNA. In the event of a tie vote, the BCO will cast the deciding vote.
7. If the elected RNA is to become a member of new Outpost or Squad, that individual will be required to vacate the position and a new RNA will be elected.
Article VII: Amendments
1. Amendments to the Charter may be proposed by a Unit's representative to the Outer Rim Senate directly for Command Council consideration and review.
2. The Command Council will review the proposal and if accepted, will craft the language of the proposal. The BPO or BJO may reject proposals deemed inappropriate or contradictory to the spirit of the Brigade at its discretion.
3. During review, the proposal may be further revised by the Command Council with suggestions from the Outer Rim Senate. Outer Rim Senate members are authorized to share works in progress with their respective Unit members for additional input. Completion of revisions is due no later than 7 days following submission of the draft.
4. Upon reaching a satisfactory state of completion of the proposal, signified by passing a two-thirds majority vote by the Command Council, the Command Council will present the completed proposal to the Outer Rim Senate members for a vote.
5. Proposals then require a two-thirds majority of the voting Outer Rim Senate members to pass, except proposals for the Article X: Values and Code of Conduct, which require a simple majority.
6. If passed, the proposal becomes an Amendment and is effective immediately upon completion of the vote.
7. The Command Council reserves the right to "emergency power". In the instance where a rule must be immediately changed due to request of LFL, legal reasons or other reasons that require an immediate response, the Command Council may amend the charter without consent or vote of the Outer Rim Senate.
8. The Charter will be reviewed annually by the Command Council.
Article VIII: Merchandising and Branding
1. The Outer Rim Brigade is a club based on a copyrighted property and is not authorized to profit from the sales of merchandise bearing images or ideas from the STAR WARS property.
2. Merchandise or materials created to promote or advertise the Brigade (referred to herein as "merchandise") will be sold only to OM's at cost. Merchandise is not to be sold to the general public unless authorized and be approved by the Command Council and Lucasfilm Ltd. All merchandise must meet Brigade guidelines and be approved by the Command Council prior to production. Merchandise not abiding by these guidelines will be considered unauthorized and its sale shall be forbidden to OM's. Producing or distributing unauthorized merchandise may be subject to disciplinary action.
3. Any items bearing the words “Outer Rim Brigade”, the ORB Logo, URLs, or those of any Brigade Outposts or Squads, or any other term or image that can be reasonably identified with the Brigade or its sub-units are considered representative of the Brigade. Proposals for such items are to be reviewed by the Command Council. Approval must be granted by the Command Council prior to production.
4. The Brigade does not endorse or manage the creation or sale of props, costumes, or costume parts or materials by anyone for sale to others. The Brigade will not intervene in private sales or transactions of non-Brigade merchandise or products. Brigade rules do not extend to any disputes related to these matters.
Article IX: Disciplinary Action
Since the Outer Rim Brigade is a volunteer-based organization created for the joy and celebration of Star Wars, this Charter has been created in order to ensure a safe, just, and enjoyable experience for all of its Official Members, and to preserve the best interests of the Star Wars franchise, its fandom, and the general public against complications, both internal and external. Should any violation of the Code of Conduct occur (by Official Members, Forum Members or individuals seeking membership), corrective courses of action will be taken, as outlined below.
A) Classification of Code of Conduct Violations
If a complaint is received by the Command Council about an Official Member, a Forum Member or an individual seeking membership; or if a Command Council member observes an Official Member, a Forum Member or an individual seeking membership in violation of the Code of Conduct, the complaint or violation will be classified as either a Major Offense or Minor Offense as defined in Article X: Values and Code of Conduct. Repeated Minor Offense complaints or violations may be escalated to being a Major Offense.
Any Official Member under investigation for a complaint or violation will be notified by the Brigade Judicial Officer. All violations will be treated confidentially while the disciplinary process is occurring. No details of any complaint or violation will be shared outside of the Command Council and each violation or complaint will be recorded by the Command Council. The outcome of the process will not be publicly announced, unless there is an absolute need to do so.
1. Minor Offense Complaint or Violation
a. Any Official Member that has been found to have committed a minor offense following a Command Council investigation will be placed on Suspended Status as defined in Article III Membership, Section C, for a minimum period of 7 days up to 1 year.
b. Any Forum Member that has been found to have committed a minor offense following a Command Council investigation will have their Forum access suspended for a minimum period of 7 days up to 1 year. A suspended Forum Member may not apply for official membership within the Outer Rim Brigade during the suspension.
2. Major Offense Complaint or Violation
a. Any Official Member that has been found to have committed a major offense following a Command Council investigation will either be placed on Suspended Status as defined in Article III Membership, Section C, for a minimum period of 180 days up to 1 year or may be permanently banned depending upon the severity of the offense.
b. Any Forum Member that has been found to have committed a major offense following a Command Council investigation will either have their Forum access suspended for a minimum period of 180 days up to 1 year or may be permanently banned from any association with the Outer Rim Brigade. If suspended, the suspended Forum Member may not apply for official membership within the Outer Rim Brigade during the suspension.
Article X: Values and Code of Conduct
A) Values
All Official Members of the Outer Rim Brigade agree to commit to the following shared values as a requirement for ongoing membership within the Brigade:
1. Integrity
a. All OM's will always take the high road by practicing the highest ethical standards and by honoring commitments.
b. All OM's will take personal responsibility for their actions and treat everyone (whether they are OM's or members of other costuming clubs) fairly and with honesty, trust and respect.
2. Cooperation
a. All OM's will cooperate with each other for the betterment of the Brigade, their Outposts and each other regardless of Outpost affiliation.
b. Outposts and Squads will cooperate with each other by inviting other Outposts and Squads to their events.
3. Diversity & Respect
a. Since each OM brings their own qualities, skills and perspectives into the Brigade, all OM's will foster an environment that encourages participation and equality.
b. Whether they agree or disagree, OM's they will always respect each other and not permit differences to adversely affect each other or their fellow OM's.
B) Code of Conduct
Since the Outer Rim Brigade recognizes that the canon and custom costumes that its Official Members wear represent characters from the STAR WARS™ universe, all costume-wearing OM's carry the responsibility of portraying these characters professionally and tastefully while in public. For these reasons, all OM's are prohibited from acting in a manner disrespectful towards the image they are portraying, towards fellow OM's, or towards the public at large while in costume at any event where the Brigade or its sub-units and members are official participants.
Official Membership or Forum Membership in the Brigade is a privilege that is granted by the Brigade; it is not a social or legal right.
Since the Brigade maintains that part of the fun of trooping is to be able to do so in reasonable safety, it is the Brigade's intention to provide an outline of behavior defined in this Code of conduct for the safety and security of all its OM's; however, it is not the intent of the Brigade to abridge the standard rights or practices of the individual OM or Forum Member. In any situation, common sense must prevail.
Violations of the Code of Conduct as determined by Tribunal or other incontrovertible evidence will result in suspension or termination of Official or Forum Membership.
Violations of the Code of Conduct are categorized as either Major Offenses or Lesser Offenses. Major Offenses encompass those behaviors thought by society to be violent, illegal, or anti-social in nature. Lesser Offenses encompass those behaviors that do not require extreme action and are generally regarded as Conduct Unbecoming an OM. It is the intent of the Brigade to reduce the number of cases requiring removal where other less extreme actions can and will suffice.
1. Major Offenses
a. Violent, threatening or unwanted sexual acts against an OM, a Forum Member, or a member of the general public while representing the Outer Rim Brigade. These acts are defined as:
1). Physically striking an OM, a Forum Member or a member of the general public with the intent to cause bodily harm with or without cause, unless defending one’s self from a violent attack.
2). Threatening harm against a person or property of an individual via phone, voice mail, forum, electronic social media or in writing. (Threats must be direct and unmistakable to the average person.)
3) Unwanted sexual advances or sexual acts engaged with an OM, a Forum Member or a member of the general public.
4) Cease and Desist orders or other legal action or documents issued by an OM's attorney due to justified and properly documented disciplinary action by the Brigade.
b. Trooping under the influence of an illegal substance. These acts are defined as:
1) Arriving at an event under the influence of an illegal substance.
2) Use, distribution, or administration of an illegal substance during a Brigade event.
c. Violent or sexual acts against children. These acts are defined as:
1) Physically striking a member of the public under the age of consent.
2) Sexual advances, or sexual acts engaged with a member of the public under the age of consent.
d. Embezzlement of funds intended for charitable donation. While the Brigade's official policy is that all funds intended for charity must be submitted by the donor directly to the charity of choice, it has been concluded that in some rare occasions, money will be given directly to a representative of the Brigade. Embezzlement is defined as:
1) Failing to ensure that funds are submitted to the receiving charity within a reasonable period of time following the event.
2) Failing to ensure that funds are submitted to the receiving charity.
3) Spending funds intended for charitable donations on personal or group expenses, including but not limited to patches, coins, cards, and personal expenses including and not limited to any expense which can be viewed as a "living expense".
e. Undisclosed criminal history, which involve the following types of criminal history:
1) Felony drug offenses.
2) Sex offender registry entry.
3) Felony embezzlement.
4) Felony violent crimes.
Undisclosed Criminal History will result in a default discharge upon presentation of incontrovertible proof of criminal history. Discharging the OM for an undisclosed criminal history falls exclusively to the Command Council. An e-mail must be sent to the OCO if this clause applies to a member of his or her Outpost. Discharge of said OM must occur within a reasonable time frame upon discovery and confirmation. OM's permission however, is required for any inquires into one's personal criminal history and will be handled on a case by case basis.
2. Lesser Offenses
OM's are expected to treat each other, our event sponsors, the public, and Lucasfilm, Ltd. with common sense and respect. Examples of inappropriate behavior that may result in disciplinary action include, but are not limited to, the following:
1. Harassment of fellow OM's.
2. Merchandise and branding infractions.
3. Abuse or violation of message board privileges.
4. Inappropriate behavior during events.
5. Inappropriate contact with an event host, sponsor, or LFL.
6. Misrepresentation of a unit or the Brigade.
7. Campaigning for office.
8. Inappropriate public actions towards other costuming organizations.