Master-at-Arms

Master-at-Arms (abbrev MA) is an enlisted technical specialty or rating utilized by the Royal Manticoran Navy.

Description

Master-at-Arms (MA) is the RMN’s rating concerned with law enforcement, antipiracy/fleet protection (AP/FP) and naval expeditionary warfare. They serve Fleet duty as a military police force onboard RMN ships under the control of the First Space Lord, on orbital forts under Fortress Command, as well as on space stations under Perimeter Security Command, on deep space fortifications, and in planet-side naval installations. Since MAs traditionally report directly to the CO of the command, they fall outside of the normal Chain of Command structure. In general, they are responsible for maintaining good order and discipline, enforcing rules and regulations, and protecting life and property.

Historical Overview

In the Royal Navy, the Master-at-arms (MAA) is a ship’s senior rating, normally carrying the rank of chief petty officer or warrant officer. He or she is in charge of discipline aboard ship, assisted by regulators of the Royal Navy Police, of which he is himself a member. The non-substantive (trade) badge of an MAA is a crown within a wreath.

The post of master-at-arms was introduced to the Royal Navy during the reign of King Charles I; their original duties were to be responsible for the ship’s small arms and edged weapons, and to drill the ship’s company in their use. This was not an onerous task, and masters-at-arms came to be made responsible for "regulating duties;" their role as weapons instructors was eventually taken over by the chief gunner.

The MAA is addressed as "Master" if holding the rank of chief petty officer, regardless of gender, and is often nicknamed the "jaunty", a corruption of the French gendarme, or the "joss/jossman."

The Master-at-Arms rating officially started out in the post-American Revolutionary War on board the ships of the United States’ early Navy. Taking on many customs and traditions of the Royal Navy, the existence of the rating did not take effect until the Naval Act of July 1, 1797 (a previous Act of March 27, 1794 authorized the same, but was allowed to expire) or known as The Congressional Act to Provide for a Naval Armament, which authorized the President of the United States to provide four ships of 44 guns and two ships of 36 guns each, to be employed on each ship various officers, marines and petty officers under the command of a commissioned officer as the captain. The congressional act stated “And be it further enacted, that there shall be employed, in each of the said ships, the following warrant officers, who shall be appointed by the President of the United States, to wit: One sailing-master, one purser, one boatswain, one gunner, one sail-maker, one carpenter, and eight midshipmen; and the following petty officers, who shall be appointed by the captains of the ships, respectively, in which they are to be employed, viz: two master’s mates, one captain’s clerk, two boatswain’s mates, one cockswain, one sail-maker’s mate, two gunner’s mates, one yeoman of the gun room, nine quarter-gunners, (and for the four larger ships two additional quarter-gunners,) two carpenter’s mates, one armourer, one steward, one cooper, one master-at-arms, and one cook.” The call for a naval armament, and the change of the United States’ isolationism was in direct response to the hostile acts of the Barbary States’ pirates. Because of this Congressional Act, the MA rating is recognized as one of the “oldest” rating still existing in today’s modern U.S. Navy, which includes Boatswain’s Mate (United States Navy), Gunner’s Mate, Quartermaster, and Yeoman (United States Navy).

TRMN Training Information

Members desiring to qualify to serve at the different skill levels within the Boatswain's department must pass the following exams and prerequisites:

Bureau of Training Information for Master-at-Arms
Course Name	Course Code	Prerequisite(s)
Master-at-Arms "A" School	SIA-SRN-31A	SIA-RMN-0002	(Basic Non-Commissioned Officer)
"C" School	SIA-SRN-31C	SIA-RMN-0004	(Senior Chief Petty Officer)
		SIA-SRN-31A	(Master-at-Arms "A" School)
Master-at-Arms Warrant Officer "W" School	SIA-SRN-30W	SIA-RMN-0012	(Chief Warrant Officer)
		SIA-SRN-31C	(Master-at-Arms "C" School)
"D" School	SIA-SRN-30D	SIA-RMN-0103	(Lieutenant (SG))
		SIA-SRN-31C	(Master-at-Arms "C" School)

Notes

RMN Technical Specialties
Command:	Boatswain - Master-at-Arms - Operations Specialist - Intelligence Specialist
Admin:	Personnelman - Navy Counselor - Yeoman
Logistics:	Steward - Storekeeper - Disbursing Clerk - Ship's Serviceman
Tactical:	Fire Control - Electronic Warfare - Tracking Specialist - Missiles - Beam Weapons - Gunner
Engineering:	Impeller - Power - Gravitics - Environment - Hydroponics - Damage Control
Communications:	Data Systems - Electronics - Communications - Sensors
Astrogation:	Helmsman - Plotting Specialist
Flight Operations:	Coxswain
Medical:	Corpsman - Sick Berth Attendant