Below outlines information regarding the various Ranks within The Ashguard.

Ranks		Level
	Freelancer	0
	Initiate	1
	Member	2
	Vanguard	3
	Warden	4
	Paragon	5
	Ascendant	6

Rank Eligibility

Rank Eligibility shall be determined based on tenure, time in rank, and accrued Points.

Promotion Requirements

As we don't have a lot of statistical data to work with regarding how quickly people will be (for example) accruing Points toward advancement, the eligibility requirements for each rank presented below will be subject to revision if they are determined to be improperly calibrated.

Rank Rewards, Privileges and Duties

Each rank should come with some tangible reward and/or privilege so that progression gives a meaningful sense of accomplishment and progress. However, lack of rank should not lock anyone out of participation in community / org Activities.

Other rewards beyond those currently listed are to be determined.

Promotion Council

The Promotion Council shall consist of a group of persons upon whom is bestowed the privilege and responsibility of processing promotions within the Rank Structure of the Ashguard Initiative.

It shall consist of the subset of Officers who have been selected for the self-styled "HR Committee"

They shall process requests for promotion by members who have met the Requirements for a new rank, as well as be responsible for designating Discord moderation roles, and processing (for want of better terminology) "Personnel Tickets".

Points and the Activity Log
Rank Eligibility shall be determined by "points", which are accrued through activity in the Org and the greater Community. Activities are to be a superset of both what we previously considered to be Events and Services. Anyone of any rank can begin hosting an Activity, and they may but are not required to be, scheduled in advance.

Points

Points are the primary mechanism through which members attain Eligibility to be promoted to a higher Rank. They can be earned in several ways, but the most common will likely be through Activities, which will be recorder for posterity on the Activity Log (formerly the "Service Log"). Other means to accrue points include:

Yet to be determined

Activities

To assist with helping understand the new Activity paradigm, below is a breakdown of how what were called Events and Services would be considered, as well as some examples that would be newly eligible for earning Points.

Former "Services"

A "Service" is any operation involving a member or group of members going out of their way to assist another player in need, be it medical, fuel, transport, combat, or a lost kitten
- 1 Point per participant making a good-faith effort to lend assistance

Former "Events"

An "Event" is an activity, usually planned in advance, designed to bring a group of people together in common cause and purpose, usually in-game

1 Point per participant

New Eligible Activities

Similar to Events, but no longer tied specifically to Star Citizen, but more to the community as a whole. Anyone can start an Activity at any time. Two or more persons in the community who start any activity to which other people are welcome is eligible. Examples include but are not limited to:

Running bunkers
Open D&D Campaigns
Impromptu game sessions in the Wormhole
Group expeditions to the IAE Showroom
Extended mining or salvage groups
Cargo runs

The general idea is that anything that brings activity to the community should be tangibly rewarded

1 Point per participant per hour.

Particularly special, arduous, or involved activities can, on a case-by-case bases upon determination by the Promotion Council, award more points per hour (no more than 3).

Attendees of any Activity must coordinate in the Ashen Initiative Discord for it to qualify for Points. An Activity must be open to any attendees (within reason) for it to qualify for Points.

Promotion via Acclaim

Starting one month after the Ranking system is adopted and promotions begin to take effect, this option will be made available:

Irrespective of any Rank Eligibility requirements, any person of a higher rank can nominate any person of a lower rank to be promoted up one step.

At least one other person must second the nomination, and that other person must also be at least one rank higher than the nominee

If there is a second, the Promotion Council will put forth that the nominee is being considered. If an objection is raised within 48 hours and not found to be frivolous, capricious, or retaliatory, then the promotion not take effect.

If no objections are raised, or any objections are themselves found to be meritless as previously enumerated, then the promotion takes effect upon expiry of the objection window.

If an objection is raised and needs to be investigated with regard to its merit at or near the end of the objection window, the promotion or lack thereof will take effect upon the determination of the merit of the objection.

No person can put forth the same nominee more than once.

No person can rise through acclaim if they have attained their current rank through acclaim.

Seeding New Ranks

Within one week of adoption of this ranking system, any person with the "Ashen" Discord Role may petition the Promotion Council for a promotion to a higher rank representative of their tenure in RS1 and their contributions to The Ashguard Initiative.

This will be a one-time option and only briefly offered and will not be used as a normal promotion regimen.

Ranks

Below outlines the Ranks within The Ashguard Initiative, starting with the lowest rank.