Protector's Policy Directive 1002

Protector's Policy Directive 1002 was issued 21 December 2023 by the High Admiral of the Grayson Space Navy. This directive establishes the creation of a chapter honor society for the Grayson Space Navy component of The Royal Manticoran Navy: The Official Honor Harrington Fan Association, Inc. (TRMN).

PPD-1002, Grayson Space Navy Chapter Honor Society

Introduction

1. The Grayson Space Navy shall establish and maintain a chapter honor society hereafter referred to as the Protector’s Own Squadron.

2. The intent and purpose of the Protector’s Own Squadron is to properly recognize the exceptional actions of Grayson Space Navy chapters.

• a. A parallel can be found in the Star Empire of Manticore’s List of Honor award.

Eligibility and Nomination

3. Nomination and selection is limited to chapters of the Grayson Space Navy.

• a. A chapter shall be of the Grayson Space Navy if their prefix is reflected as “GNS” in MEDUSA.

4. Nominated chapters must have been in commission for a minimum of one (1) year.

• a. The minimum one (1) year requirement may be waived at the discretion of the Selection Committee if a nomination is received that thoroughly demonstrates exemplary contributions despite not meeting the minimum time in service requirement.

5. Any person in The Royal Manticoran Navy, The Official Honor Harrington Fan Association, who holds a billet of Chapter Commanding Officer or higher may recommend their own Grayson Space Navy chapter, or a worthy nominee, to the Selection Committee.

• a. If a person is nominating a chapter other than their own, they may elect to not inform the nominated Commanding Officer and inform the Selection Committee of that election in their nomination email.

6. Nominated chapters will be considered based on the following criteria:

• a. Contributions towards the betterment of the Grayson Space Navy and The Royal Manticoran Navy, The Official Honor Harrington Fan Association as a whole.
• b. Timeliness of chapter reporting.
• c. Activities during the nomination period.
  • i. Raising a large sum of money for charity, administering a Toys-for-Tots drive, fielding a team of walkers for a cancer walk, or completion of a large and important project that directly benefits the Grayson Space Navy are a few examples of the type of activities that the Selection Committee would find acceptable.
• d. Other criteria, or service, at the discretion of the Selection Committee.
• e. Service is the paramount consideration and may be a decisive factor in determining a chapter’s selection for induction to the Protector’s Own Squadron.
• f. The Selection Committee considers a “Whole Chapter Concept” when making their determinations, and merely checking the boxes above will not necessarily qualify a chapter as the examples provided are not exhaustive.

Nomination Period and Process

7. The nomination period opens on the second week of September and closes on the second week of November in each calendar year.

8. The nomination process is as follows:

• a. All nominations shall be sent via email to graysonhonorsociety@gmail.com.
• b. Nominations must include the following:
  • i. Rank, Full Name, Service Number, and the name of their command or billet
    • 1. Example: RADM John Doe, GSN | RMN-1234-10 | 11th Fleet CC
      • a. If a nomination is made by an officer higher than a Chapter Commanding Officer, for example a Fleet Commander or Space Lord, that officer shall also indicate if they have elected to inform that chapter’s Commanding Officer of the nomination.
  • ii. The Nominated Chapter, Full Name of the Commanding Officer, and their Service Number.
    • 1. Example: GNS Nonesuch (DD-00) | CAPT Jane Doe | RMN-2345-11
  • iii. A detailed description of the chapter’s contributions to the Grayson Space Navy, and more generally to The Royal Manticoran Navy, The Official Honor Harrington Fan Association as a whole.
    • 1. This description must include specific information about the contributions, to include dates and events as applicable.
  • iv. Any available supporting documentation to support the nomination.
    • 1. Supporting documentation should be attached to the nomination email as attachments.
    • 2. This may include letters of support collected by the nominating officer, After-Action Reports, newsletter articles, etc.
    • 3. Nominations received without supporting documentation will still be considered, however it will make the deliberation process more difficult and may result in a chapter not being selected for induction.

Selection for Induction to the Protector’s Own Squadron

9. Selection to the Protector’s Own Squadron shall be conducted by the Selection Committee as follows:

• a. The Selection Committee shall consist of the following or their designee:
  • i. High Admiral of the Grayson Space Navy (Chair)
  • ii. Deputy High Admiral of the Grayson Space Navy
  • iii. Chief of Staff of the Grayson Space Navy
  • iv. Senior Master Chief Petty Officer of the Grayson Space Navy

10. The Selection Committee shall begin deliberations after the close of the nomination period.

• a. Selection of a chapter for induction shall be by majority vote of the members of the Selection Committee.
• b. The Selection Committee may elect to not accept any new chapters for induction.
  • i. Chapters identified as non-selects by the Selection Committee may be referred for consideration of another award deemed suitable based upon the nomination package.
  • ii. Any such award is at the discretion of the High Admiral of the Grayson Space Navy.
• c. If a chapter is selected for induction to the Protector’s Own Squadron the appointment is for the life of the chapter.
  • i. In the case of a chapter upgrade, the appointment will pass to the new hull.
  • ii. In the case of a chapter decommissioning, that chapter will forfeit their appointment.

Announcement of new Inductees

11. Those selected for induction to the Protector’s Own Squadron shall be announced by the High Admiral during the Protector’s Birthday Celebrations, which takes place between 21 and 24 December of each calendar year.

Membership Insignia and Honors

12. Chapters selected for induction shall be entitled to the following:

• a. Chapters selected for induction to the Protector’s Own Squadron shall be authorized to display a gold rope-effect border on their crest badge in lieu of the standard white rope-effect border.
• b. Chapters selected for induction to the Protector’s Own Squadron shall be authorized to display the squadron’s distinctive hull markings on digital or physical representations of the chapter’s hull.
  • i. A graphical description of the squadron’s distinctive hull markings may be found in House of Steel, or by inquiry to the Art Department.
• c. If a chapter upgrades, in accordance with 10.c.i, the new crest badge shall receive the gold rope-effect border, and the previous crest badge shall revert to the standard white rope-effect border. Additionally, should a chapter subsequently decommission, in accordance with 10.c.ii, its crest badge shall revert to the standard white rope-effect border.
  • i. The same shall apply to the distinctive squadron hull markings on any digital or physical representations of the chapter’s hull.

13. All Chapter members of an inducted chapter shall be entitled to the following:

• a. All chapter members, regardless of when they joined the chapter, shall be entitled to display the modified crest badge, as well as the distinctive Protector’s Own Squadron insignia with gold rope-effect border.
  • i. This shall apply to chapter members that are assigned to other component branches.
    • 1. For example: A member of the Royal Manticoran Navy assigned to an inducted Grayson Space Navy chapter may display the distinctive Protector’s Own Squadron insignia in lieu of their standard component insignia.
• b. Display of the legacy Protector’s Own Squadron insignia on uniform items is no longer authorized.
  • i. The legacy Protector’s Own Squadron insignia shall be defined as that Protector’s Own Squadron insignia patch bearing the solid gold, non-rope effect, border.
• c. The insignia shall be worn in accordance with Grayson Space Navy regulations.

14. Chapter members of an inducted chapter during the Award Period are entitled to the following:

• a. All chapter members that were members during the period covered during the award are authorized to display the List of Honor Citation with Gold Crossed Swords device in accordance with the regulations governing unit awards.
• b. The awarding authority will generate a list of those eligible to display the award and attach it to the award announcement.
• c. Once earned, a member is authorized to display the List of Honor Citation award in perpetuity, regardless of duty station or assignment.
• d. Only one List of Honor Citation may be displayed at any given time.
  • i. There is no way to indicate multiple awards of the List of Honor Citation.
  • ii. If a member has previously earned the Royal Manticoran Navy List of Honor Citation with Gold Scroll device the member may elect to replace it with the Grayson Space Navy List of Honor Citation with Gold Crossed Swords device or continue to display the previously earned variation.

15. Chapter members of an inducted chapter that decommissions, or member personnel transfer:

• a. The following members are no longer authorized to display the distinctive Protector’s Own Squadron insignia:
  • i. Those members whose inducted chapter subsequently decommissions.
  • ii. Those members that effect a personnel transfer to a chapter not inducted into the Protector’s Own Squadron.

Flagship Honors

16. To foster a spirit of continued service and esprit-de-corps, chapters already inducted to the Protector’s Own Squadron may compete for the honor of being named the Squadron Flagship.

• a. The nomination and selection criteria shall be the same as the initial process.
  • i. Chapters are encouraged to re-apply each calendar year.
• b. The Section Committee may select one nominated chapter each calendar year to be named as the Squadron Flagship.
  • i. Appointment as the Squadron Flagship is for one (1) year.
  • ii. If nominations are not received, or no chapter is selected, the Flagship Honors shall default to Command Central as the default Higher Headquarters.
  • iii. Flagship Honors may be renewed as deemed appropriate at the discretion of the Selection Committee.
• c. As Fleet Admiral Lady Honor Harrington is the Permanent Commanding Officer of the Protector’s Own Squadron in canon, the Squadron Flagship is authorized to add the rank insignia of a Fleet Admiral below the squadron crest in the squadron’s distinctive hull markings which adorn the hull of every ship attached to the Protectors Own Squadron.
• d. The Commanding Officer of a chapter selected as the Squadron Flagship shall be authorized to display a distinctive maroon aiguilette to indicate their status as Lady Harrington’s Flag Captain.
  • i. The aiguillette shall be provided by the Office of the High Admiral and shall be displayed according to Grayson Space Navy regulations for the duration of the appointment.
  • ii. The aiguillette may be retained by the Commanding Officer as a memento following their appointment, though it may no longer be displayed.

Refusal of Honors

17. A chapter may, upon notification of their selection, voluntarily exercise their right to Refusal of Honors.

18. Because of a need to understand the reasoning behind the request, perhaps an internal problem within the chapter honor society that needs correcting, as well as a need to ensure that refusal does not inadvertently incur punitive consequences, the following process is required:

• a. Any chapter wishing to exercise Refusal of Honors must send a formal request to the High Admiral of the Grayson Space Navy.
• b. Such request must state that a Refusal of Honors is being requested and the reason(s) for making that request in sufficient detail that those concerned have a full understanding of the situation. Additionally, the request must contain irrefutable proof of the majority consent of that chapter’s members.
• c. At their discretion, the High Admiral may approach the chapter commanding officer, or the chapter members, to discuss the matter further to ensure a full understanding.
• d. Any chapter exercising their right to Refusal of Honors shall not be barred from future consideration, however the action will be noted and may influence consideration.
• e. All Refusal of Honors requests, and the reasons, shall be considered privileged information in accordance with the Official Secrets Act.

Legacy Protector's Own

19. The following shall apply only to the legacy members of the Protector’s Own, formerly the Grayson Space Navy individual honor society, and shall take effect only once upon the initial activation of the Protector’s Own as a chapter honor society in December of 2023.

• a. All legacy members, and billets, of the former Protector’s Own are hereby transferred to GNS Covington (C-02), except as noted in PPD-1001, 24.d.

External Links

• [Protector's Policy Directive 1002 as published on the TRMN Forums.]