add Joining Process section with detailed application and onboarding steps

1 files changed, 183 insertions, 0 deletions

diff --git a/communities/174bg/handbook/public/index.html b/communities/174bg/handbook/public/index.html
index ada804c..fe2cdcd 100644
--- a/communities/174bg/handbook/public/index.html
+++ b/communities/174bg/handbook/public/index.html
@@ -410,6 +410,189 @@
         </section>
       </article>
 
+      <article id="joining-process">
+        <h2>Joining Process</h2>
+        <p>
+          The following describes the full path from initial contact to
+          confirmed membership. Every step applies to all applicants without
+          exception; officers do not have the authority to bypass the process
+          for any individual.
+        </p>
+
+        <section id="prerequisites">
+          <h3>Prerequisites</h3>
+          <p>
+            Before applying, a prospective member must meet all of the following
+            requirements. Applications that do not meet these criteria will not
+            proceed.
+          </p>
+          <ul>
+            <li>
+              <strong>Age:</strong> Applicants must be at least 18 years old.
+              The 174th Battle Group operates as an adult community; this
+              requirement is non-negotiable.
+            </li>
+            <li>
+              <strong>Star Citizen account:</strong> Applicants must own a copy
+              of Star Citizen and hold a verified RSI account in good standing.
+              The group does not accept applicants who have not purchased the
+              game.
+            </li>
+            <li>
+              <strong>No prior bans:</strong> Applicants must not have been
+              previously banned from the 174th Battle Group or from any other
+              group known to leadership. Known ban histories must be disclosed
+              during the interview; undisclosed prior bans discovered later are
+              grounds for immediate removal.
+            </li>
+          </ul>
+        </section>
+
+        <section id="application">
+          <h3>Application</h3>
+          <p>
+            The joining process begins when a prospective member joins the
+            group's Discord server. On joining, they are automatically presented
+            with a short questionnaire covering basic information: their RSI
+            handle, their age, their prior Star Citizen experience, and their
+            areas of interest within the group.
+          </p>
+          <p>
+            Once the questionnaire is submitted, an available officer will
+            arrange a voice interview. This is conducted on the group's Discord
+            server and is the primary vetting step. The interview serves three
+            purposes: to verify the information provided in the questionnaire,
+            to assess whether the applicant is a good fit for the group's
+            culture and expectations, and to give the applicant the opportunity
+            to ask questions before committing.
+          </p>
+          <p>
+            Following the interview, the officer makes an accept or decline
+            decision. If the applicant is declined, the officer must provide a
+            brief reason. Declined applicants may reapply after 30 days unless
+            the decline was on the grounds of a prior ban or conduct, in which
+            case the matter is referred to the Rank 5 council.
+          </p>
+        </section>
+
+        <section id="onboarding">
+          <h3>Onboarding</h3>
+          <p>
+            Accepted applicants are onboarded immediately following the
+            interview. The following steps are completed before the new recruit
+            participates in any group activity:
+          </p>
+          <ul>
+            <li>
+              <strong>Discord role:</strong> The Rank 0 role is assigned,
+              granting access to member-only channels.
+            </li>
+            <li>
+              <strong>RSI org invite:</strong> An invitation to join the group's
+              RSI organisation is sent. The recruit is expected to accept within
+              48 hours.
+            </li>
+            <li>
+              <strong>Introduction post:</strong> The recruit posts a brief
+              introduction in the designated welcome channel. This is not
+              optional; it is the first step in becoming known to the group.
+            </li>
+            <li>
+              <strong>Mentor assignment:</strong> The recruit is assigned a
+              mentor: an experienced member, Rank 2 or above, from their area of
+              interest. The mentor is the recruit's primary point of contact
+              throughout the probation period.
+            </li>
+          </ul>
+          <p>
+            Division assignment is not made at this stage. Recruits enter the
+            group as undeclared and spend the probation period determining where
+            they fit before the formal assignment is made.
+          </p>
+        </section>
+
+        <section id="probation-period">
+          <h3>Probation Period</h3>
+          <p>
+            All new members begin at Rank 0 and remain on probation until they
+            advance to Rank 1. The probation period has no fixed end date; it
+            concludes when the recruit meets the advancement requirements.
+            During this period, the recruit has full access to group activities
+            but does not hold a formal role and may not exercise any authority
+            over other members.
+          </p>
+          <p>Training during probation is structured around two activities:</p>
+          <ul>
+            <li>
+              <strong>Shadowing:</strong> Recruits attend operations and
+              activities alongside experienced members. This is the primary way
+              recruits learn the group's procedures, communication standards,
+              and expectations in practice. Recruits are expected to observe
+              before acting and to ask their mentor when uncertain.
+            </li>
+            <li>
+              <strong>Department drills:</strong> Departments organise periodic
+              drills covering their specific discipline: ship combat and
+              formation flying for Naval, FPS exercises and boarding drills for
+              Marine, and field repair and resource operations for Auxiliary.
+              Recruits are expected to attend drills relevant to their intended
+              area and to treat them as a required part of their training, not
+              an optional extra.
+            </li>
+          </ul>
+          <p>
+            Mentors are expected to provide regular feedback to the recruit
+            throughout the probation period and to raise any concerns with their
+            division leader or department head promptly. Recruits who are
+            struggling should be given guidance before any formal escalation.
+          </p>
+        </section>
+
+        <section id="advancing-to-rank-1">
+          <h3>Advancing to Rank 1</h3>
+          <p>
+            Advancement from Rank 0 to Rank 1 marks the end of probation and
+            formal entry into the group as a full member. To advance, a recruit
+            must satisfy all of the following:
+          </p>
+          <ul>
+            <li>
+              <strong>Minimum participation:</strong> The recruit must have
+              attended at least three group sessions. Sessions count only if the
+              recruit was an active participant, not merely present.
+            </li>
+            <li>
+              <strong>Drill attendance:</strong> The recruit must have attended
+              at least one drill run by the department of their intended
+              division. This is the single most concrete indicator of whether
+              they are prepared for the role.
+            </li>
+            <li>
+              <strong>Minimum time:</strong> At least two weeks must have
+              elapsed since the recruit joined. This ensures that advancement
+              reflects consistent participation over time, not a concentrated
+              burst of activity.
+            </li>
+            <li>
+              <strong>Rank 3 sign-off:</strong> A Rank 3 or above officer,
+              typically the recruit's mentor or their division leader, must
+              confirm that the recruit is ready to advance. This sign-off
+              reflects a judgment that the recruit understands and upholds the
+              group's standards and is a good fit for full membership.
+            </li>
+          </ul>
+          <p>
+            On advancing to Rank 1, the recruit's division is formally assigned
+            based on the area they trained in. If the recruit has not settled on
+            a division, the assigning officer and mentor will make the
+            recommendation based on what was observed during probation. The
+            recruit is granted the Rank 1 Discord role for their division and is
+            eligible to begin working toward a defined role within their
+            department.
+          </p>
+        </section>
+      </article>
+
       <article id="rules-of-engagement">
         <h2>Rules of Engagement</h2>
         <p>