Duties



Flight Member
Flight Leader
Squadron Commander
Wing Commander
Commodore
Battlegroup Commander
TIE Corps Commander / Flight Officer

NOTE

All descriptions of the duties and privileges of TIE Corps Officers are in addition to the requirements listed in the Training Manual. These additional requirements are to be considered effective only for as long as this web site remains the authority on Flight Office matters, whereas the Training Manual is a permanent record of duties and descriptions.

Fleet Standing Orders detail the bare minimum duties expected of officers in all positions. Individual commanding officers are allowed to add extra requirements for certain positions to their own Local versions of these Orders (see Local Orders), but must seek approval via the Chain of Command before making significant additions to their own Battlegroup, Ship or Squadron Orders.

In the following position summaries, any new ranks or medals that may be awarded are shown under the minimum position that may award them. All positions shown further down this document are able to award/promote those medals and ranks listed under each position which preceedes them.

Flight Member

Minimum Rank: Sub-Lieutenant (SL)
Maximum Rank: Commander (CM)
Able to promote to: None
Able to award: None

A TIE Corps Flight Member's only official duty is to report in to his or her Squadron Commander at least once a month. This is the bare minimum requirement to prevent removal from the Fleet Rosters under the AWOL (Absent Without Leave) regulations.

However, you didn't join the TIE Corps just to write an email every month, and nothing frustrates a Squadron Commander more than a roster full of pilots who would be AWOL if not for the regular monthly email. The entire TIE Corps is set up to provide opportunities for the Flight Members to take part in contests and communications with their fellow pilots. If you're not taking advantage of these opportunities, then you're missing the point of what the TIE Corps is about.

It may not be possible for a Flight Member to be active all of the time. This is understandable, but there are procedures in place to account for this. If you are aware that you are going to be inactive for an extended period of time, then you may request Leave of Absence from your Commander. You are allowed to apply for up to one month's leave at any given time. If you expect to be on leave for longer than this, and if your Commander is not happy to keep you on the Squadron Roster while you are to all intents and purposes, inactive, then you may apply to transfer to the Fleet Reserves. Your Personnel Record will be kept intact until such time as you are ready to transfer back to an active squadron.

Alternatively, if you have decided that you no longer have time to devote to the TIE Corps, then you may email the Flight Officer with a request to retire, and your Personnel record will be struck from the Rosters.

Other than that, every officer in the TIE Corps in a position of Commander or higher is here to make the TIE Corps experience fun for you.

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Flight Leader

Minimum Rank: Lieutenant
Maximum Rank: Captain
Able to promote to: None
Able to award: None

A TIE Corps Flight Leader's duties are broadly similar to those of a Flight Member's. However, the promotion prospects for a Flight Leader are significantly better, and therefore the level of commitment that is expected from a Flight Leader is also proportionately higher. Individual Squadron Commanders are free to decide their own requirements for officers interested in holding Flight Leader positions, and are encouraged to produce their own Squadron Standing Orders to clearly define exactly what they expect of their Leaders. However, they are reminded to seek approval for these additional requirements via the Chain of Command before making them official.

An example might be that a Commander would expect 100% participation from all Flight Leaders in contests, or that a Flight Leader might be expected to create and host a Flight Webpage. Whatever the requirements are, Squadron Commanders are authorized to remove Flight Leader positions from any officer whom they do not consider to be fulfilling the necessary requirements to keep the position.

Also note that before any such additional requirements may be considered official, they must be publicized in your own Squadron Standing Orders (SqSO's) and be approved via the Chain of Command.

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Squadron Commander

Minimum Rank: Commander
Maximum Rank: Colonel
Able to promote to: Lieutenant / Flight Leader
Able to award: Imperial Security Medal

Squadron Commanders are on the first step of the Command Ladder, and have what is probably the toughest job in the TIE Corps. As well as being expected to be a highly active pilot, they are also required to look after and administrate up to eleven other pilots. Commanders are expected to be highly knowledgeable about TIE Corps regulations and procedures, as they are the first person that a pilot will approach with a question. The rewards are good, however, and good Commanders can be promoted far, with the very best earning the rank of Colonel.

Anyone wishing to apply for a Squadron Commander position MUST have passed IWATS Squadron Management Version 2 or 3!!

All Squadron Commanders are expected to serve in their position for a minimum of FOUR months. This is the commitment you must make towards the job. Anyone who quits before this time without extenuating circumstances will be reduced to the rank they held prior to their appointment.

This is to emphasize the point that being a CMDR requires a great deal of time and commitment. It is not something to be entered into lightly and without forethought.

      Duties of a Squadron Commander include:

• Registering Battle Submission Forms for their pilots.

• Writing a weekly report on Squadron activities and news for their pilots and Superiors.

• Answering ALL questions from pilots in their Squadron.

• Recommending medal awards and / or promotions for pilots in their Squadron.

• Writing Monthly Squadron Evaluations.

• Ensuring that Sub-Lieutenants are encouraged to and gain promotion to Lieutenant as soon as possible.

• Setting a good example to the pilots in their Squadron.

Commanders also have the privilege of deciding on Flight and Squadron Nicknames, Mottoes, Banners and Webpage URLs.

Commanders are expected to be highly active and keep in regular contact with their Wing Commanders. ANY Squadron Commander who drops out of contact unannounced for more than a week without a VERY good reason should be prepared to find someone else leading their Squadron upon their return. Commanders are entrusted with the highly sensitive job of looking after new pilots, and nothing causes pilots to go AWOL faster than an inactive CMDR. Wing Commanders are not only authorized to remove inactive Commanders, but I demand that inactive CMDRs be removed from their positions without delay.

However, this works both ways.  If a Commander is unsatisfied with a pilot's activity levels and is, for one reason or another, no longer prepared to accept the usual monthly "I'm not AWOL" email, he or she may request that the Flight Officer move that pilot to the Reserves, as being unsuitable material for their Squadron.

Individual Wing Commanders may have additional mandatory requirements for personnel wishing to fill Squadron Command positions within their Wing. These requirements should be made public in Ship Standing Orders so that anyone interested in applying can clearly see what is expected of them.  However, they are reminded to seek approval for these additional requirements via the Chain of Command before making them official.

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Wing Commander



Minimum Rank: Major
Maximum Rank: General
Able to promote to: Captain / Squadron Commander
Able to award: Palpatine Crescent, Commendation of Bravery

Wing Commanders are generally selected from the best Squadron Commanders, but not always. This is primarily an administrative position, with a lot of paperwork involved. Wing Commanders are first expected to function in the same way for their CMDRs as the CMDRs do for their own pilots, by taking care of the CMDRs' BSFs etc... They are also expected to ensure that all of their CMDRs are doing their jobs properly, and must be extremely knowledgeable about procedures and regulations, as they will often be asked questions by CMDRs who do not have sufficient experience to cover all of the questions sent them by their pilots.

In addition to this, Wing Commanders are expected to create opportunities for the pilots in their Wing to take part in contests with other members of the TIE Corps, and these are generally larger and more complex contests than those organized by Squadron Commanders. They are also expected to fill in as backup CMDRs for Squadrons with absent CMDRs where no suitable Acting CMDR is present. Wing Commanders are expected to take on whatever additional duties their Commodore expects of them. Again, this should me made explicit in Ship's Standing Orders, so that anyone applying for a WC position on that particular ship can see exactly what would be required of them should they get the job. Commodores should remember to gain approval via the Chain of Command before making extra duties for the standard WC duty description. As with Squadron Commanders, Wing Commanders are expected to turn in weekly Wing reports to those under their authority, and those above them in the Chain of Command.

Wing Commanders are expected to serve in their position for a minimum of FOUR months. This is the commitment you must make towards the job. Anyone who quits before this time without extenuating circumstances will be reduced to the rank they held prior to their appointment.

The Wing Commander position is highly responsible and email intensive. Any Wing Commander who drops out of contact for more than one week without an exceptionally good reason can expect to find someone in Wing Operations upon their return, but individual Commodores may be flexible about this regulation. Any Wing Commander who wishes to apply for more than one month's leave should consider taking retirement to the Fleet Reserves as an alternative. The basic rule is that as long as the Commodore is content, everything is fine.

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Commodore



Minimum Rank: Rear Admiral
Maximum Rank: Vice Admiral
Able to promote to: Lieutenant Colonel / Wing Commander
Able to award: Bronze Star

Imperial Star Destroyer Commodore positions are the dream of the majority of TIE Corps pilots, yet the position has come under considerable criticism in the past for being nothing more than a glorified Wing Commander. This is FAR from the truth. Commodores are expected to be extremely mature and responsible. Most disciplinary problems should be sorted out by Commodores before they get any further up the chain of command. If the Flight Officer ever gets to hear about a problem pilot on a ship, it should only be because the Commodore or Battlegroup Commander were unable to work out the problem themselves.

Commodores are officers with long service to the Fleet who are exceptionally proficient in all TIE Corps regulations and procedures. They are expected to set the finest example for the personnel under their command, and should ideally be able to field all questions that their crew might pose, in order to relieve the email strain from their Battlegroup Commander and the Flight Officer. The Wing Commander busies himself with the day to day grind of administrating the Ship, while the Commodore provides support, and focuses on the Big Picture, as well as ensuring that staff reports on the Wing Commander are completed and that the Wing Commander is doing his or her job correctly.

Commodores are not in quite such an email intensive position as Wing Commanders. While they should be included in all email that is routinely sent to the Wing Commander, as well as additional email that is COM-only, they are only required to actually reply to Wing Commander-related email that the Wing Commander has referred up to them for action. Nevertheless, more than one ship has suffered in the past because the Commodore went absent and left the ship in the hands of an inexperienced Wing Commander, therefore, the same absentee regulations apply to COMs as do to WCs.

Commodores may also be expected to perform as Acting Wing Commanders where a vacancy exists and no suitable Commander is available to deputize until a replacement can be promoted.

As with any Flag Position, Ship reports from Commodores are expected weekly. Such reports should contain recent Ship events, upcoming competitions and deal with the more long term aspects of Ship activities.

Commodores are expected to serve in their position for a minimum of FOUR months. This is the commitment you must make towards the job. Anyone who quits before this time without extenuating circumstances will be reduced to the rank they held prior to their appointment.

Battlegroup Commanders may have additional requirements that they expect of their Commodores, and where applicable, these requirements should be made public in Battlegroup Standing Orders.  Again, approval must be gained via the Chain of Command before BGCOMs make these changes official.

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Battlegroup Commander



Minimum Rank: Vice Admiral
Maximum Rank: Admiral
Able to promote to: General - Rear Admiral / Commodore
Able to award: Silver Star

Note:  In all cases, the term "Battlegroup Commander" includes the Commodore of the SSSD Sovereign.

The Battlegroup Commander is roughly equivalent in function (but not in rank or seniority) to a Subgroup Commander in the EH Subgroups, and in many cases commands a larger number of personnel. A BGCOM has the complete trust of the TIE Corps Commander and is given great flexibility to run their areas of responsibility as they see fit. The Flight Officer regards Battlegroup Commanders to be his "deputies", and as such they have almost total control of their command areas. If a problem gets to the Flight Officer past a BGCOM, it should ONLY be because the BGCOM was completely unable to provide a solution him or herself.

Battlegroup Commanders are not expected to involve themselves directly in shipboard operations unless invited to do so by the Ship's Commodore. It is a Battlegroup Commander's job to oversee and supervise, not to get involved in the minutiae of running Ships, Wings or Squadrons. This is what Commodores, Wing Commanders and Commanders are for. If ever the situation arises where a BGCOM is forced to get directly involved in the day-to-day running of a unit, it is an indication that the relevant Commodore is incapable of performing their duties to the standard expected, and the BGCOM should give serious consideration to replacing them with someone who can. Battlegroup Commanders are allowed and indeed expected to dictate policy to Commodores, and should supervise Commodores to ensure that Battlegroup policy is being carried out. They may also perform the duties of Acting Commodore if a vacancy arises and the relevant Wing Commander does not have the experience to assume the duties him or herself.

Reports from the BGCOM are expected on a weekly basis. These should detail recent events across the Battlegroup, as well as news from around the Fleet.

BGCOM's are expected to serve in their position for a minimum of SIX months. This is the commitment you must make towards the job. Anyone who quits before this time without extenuating circumstances will be reduced to the rank they held prior to their appointment.

The Flight Officer get extremely twitchy when BGCOMs drop out of contact for more than a few days without warning. 

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TIE Corps Commander / Flight Officer



Minimum Rank: Admiral
Maximum Rank: High Admiral
Able to promote to: Vice Admiral / Battlegroup Commander
Able to award: Gold Star, Medal of Instruction, Legion of Combat

Duties of the TIE Corps Commander / Flight Officer Include:

• In overall command of the TIE Fighter and Naval Corps.

• Maintain Roster database of all Active, Reserve and Training personnel.

• Approve ALL Fleet promotions up to and including the rank of Vice Admiral.

• Approve ALL Fleet position transfers.

• Advise Fleet Commander on all issues relating to ranks and promotions.

• Assist the Training Officer with Cadet Training on the PLT Daedalus

• Issue initial Squadron assignments to Daedalus Cadets / Sub-Lieutenants

• Moderate the TIE Corps and Training Companies Message Boards.

• Supervise and submit BSFs for all Battlegroup Commanders, the Combat Operations Officer and the SSSD Sovereign Commodore.

• Maintain Roster totals and backup Rosters of all EH Subgroups, and make weekly reports to FC and XO about such roster totals.

• Write weekly report to FC, XO and all Fleet personnel concerning state of the TIE Corps.

• Conduct Weekly TIE Corps IRC Meetings.

Generally speaking, the position of Flight Officer has been considered the single most intensive in the EH. While it is certainly true that the introduction of the Fleet Roster Database has significantly eased the amount of work which the Flight Officer is expected to do, the daily email load of approximately 50 - 70 emails that require immediate action, combined with returning reports to the Fleet Commander, supervising the Battlegroup Commanders and running Fleet-wide contests such as Exercise Imperial Storm, means that the Flight Officer has very little time spare to reply to random emails from individual pilots.

Personnel should make full use of their Chain of Command to ensure that problems and questions are dealt with at the appropriate level. When a problem is brought to the personal attention of the Flight Officer, it should only be because severe and permanent damage is about to be inflicted on someone's Flight and Personnel Record. The Flight Office is one short step away from the High Court of Inquisitors, let's do all we can to ensure that problems in the TIE Corps stay in the TIE Corps.

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