Yeoman

Yeoman (abbrev YN) is an enlisted technical specialty or rating utilized by the Royal Manticoran Navy.

Description

Yeomen perform secretarial and clerical work. They deal with visitors, video/voice calls, and incoming mail. They organize files, operate copy machines, and order and distribute supplies. They write and type business and social letters, notices, directives, forms, and reports.

Historical Overview

In the late 14th to 18th centuries, yeomen were farmers who owned land (freehold, leasehold or copyhold). Their wealth and the size of their landholding varied. Sir Anthony Richard Wagner, Garter Principal King of Arms, wrote that "a Yeoman would not normally have less than 100 acres" (40 hectares) "and in social status is one step down from the Landed Gentry, but above, say, a husbandman."[1] Often it was hard to distinguish minor landed gentry from the wealthier yeomen, and wealthier husbandmen from the poorer yeomen.

The Concise Oxford Dictionary (edited by H.W. & F.G. Fowler, Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1972 reprint, p. 1516) states that a yeoman was "a person qualified by possessing free land of 40/- (shillings) annual [feudal] value, and who can serve on juries and vote for a Knight of the Shire. He is sometimes described as a small landowner, a farmer of the middle classes."

The term had a military sense as in the Yeomanry Cavalry of the late 18th century and Imperial Yeomanry of the late 1890s. The 'yeoman archer' was unique to England and Wales (in particular, the south Wales areas of Monmouthshire with the famed archers of Gwent; and Glamorgan, Crickhowell, and Abergavenny; and South West England with the Royal Forest of Dean, Kingswood Royal Forest near Bristol, and the New Forest). Though Kentish Weald and Cheshire archers were noted for their skills, it appears that the bulk of the 'yeomanry' was from the English and Welsh Marches (border regions).

The original Yeomen of the Guard (originally archers) chartered in 1485 were most likely of Brittonic descent, including Welshmen and Bretons. They were established by King Henry VII, himself a Briton who was exiled in Brittany during the Wars of the Roses. He recruited his forces mostly from Wales and the West Midlands of England on his journey to victory at Bosworth Field.

Yeomen were often constables of their parish, and sometimes chief constables of the district, shire or hundred. Many yeomen held the positions of bailiffs for the High Sheriff or for the shire or hundred. Other civic duties would include churchwarden, bridge warden, and other warden duties. It was also common for a yeoman to be an overseer for his parish. Yeomen, whether working for a lord, king, shire, knight, district or parish served in localised or municipal police forces raised by or led by the landed gentry.

Some of these roles, in particular those of constable and bailiff were carried down through families. Yeomen often filled ranging, roaming, surveying, and policing roles. In Chaucer's Friar's Tale, a yeoman who is a bailiff of the forest who tricks the Summoner turns out to be the devil ready to grant wishes already made.

The earlier class of franklins (freemen or French or Norman freeholders) were similar to yeomen: wealthy peasant landowners, freeholders or village officials. They were typically village leaders (aldermen), constables or mayors. Franklin militias were similar to later yeomanries. Yeomen took over those roles in the 14th century as many of them became leaders, constables, sheriffs, justices of the peace, mayors and significant leaders of their country districts. It was too much[clarification needed], for even ‘valets’ known as ‘yeoman archers’ were forbidden to be returned to parliament, indicating[clarification needed] they even held power at a level never before held by the upper class of commoners. In districts remoter from landed gentry and burgesses, yeomen held more official power: this is attested in statutes of the reign of Henry VIII indicating yeomen along with knights and squires as leaders for certain purposes.

The yeoman also comprised a military class or status (usually known as in the third order of the fighting class, between squire and page). By contrast, in contemporary feudal continental Europe, the divide between commoners and gentry was far wider: though a middle class existed, it was less esteemed than the yeoman of England of that time.

Naval Use

In the U.S. Navy, a yeoman performs administrative and clerical work. They deal with protocol, naval instructions, enlisted evaluations, commissioned officer fitness reports, naval messages, visitors, telephone calls and mail (both conventional and electronic). They organize files and operate office equipment and order and distribute office supplies. They write and type business and social letters, notices, directives, forms and reports.

TRMN Training Information

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

Bureau of Training Information for Yeoman
Course Name	Course Code	Prerequisite(s)
Basic Yeoman "A" School	SIA-SRN-04A	SIA-RMN-0001	(Basic Enlisted)
Advanced Yeoman "C" School	SIA-SRN-04C	SIA-RMN-0002	(Basic Non-Commissioned Officer)
		SIA-SRN-04A	(Basic Yeoman)
Yeoman Warrant Project "W" School	SIA-SRN-04W	SIA-RMN-0011	(Warrant Officer)
		SIA-SRN-04C	(Advanced Yeoman)
Yeoman Division Officer "D" School	SIA-SRN-04D	SIA-RMN-0101	(Ensign)
		SIA-SRN-04C	(Advanced Yeoman)

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