User:MJ/sandbox/Earth Global Defence Force

This article is written for the Earth Global Defence Force set in the 22nd Century

Earth Global Defence Force
Founded	2130
Affiliation(s)	United Earth Commonwealth
Headquarters	GDF Headquarters, Galle, Sri Lanka, Earth
Primary Mission	Global/Commonwealth defence and security
Location	Earth, Sol System
Leadership	Commander-in-Chief: President Lydia Littlejohn (Government/Civilian) Defence Secretary: Thomas Vanderbilt (Government/Civilian) General of the Defence Force General Victor Petroski
Motto	Victoria Concordia Crescit ("Victory through harmony")
Status	Active (2155)
Template:Organisation

The Earth Global Defence Force (also referred to as the Global Defence Force, GDF and Earth Defence Force) is the primary military arm of the United Earth Commonwealth. It is mandated to protect the interest of all nations on Earth by combining all of the military branches of each nation together. The GDF also oversee the militias set up to protect and defend each colony from the Commonwealth. It is one of the four branches of the Commonwealth's military.

Creation and Purpose

As part of the Traité d’Unification, the GDF was established as the lead military branch for the United Earth Government (and later when it became the Commonwealth). At the time, it was agreed that a singular organisation that encouraged cooperation between all of the militaries on Earth was needed. Similar to how the United Nations and New United Nations developed their multi-nation peacekeeping operations, the GDF would take those efforts one step further. Nation states were still responsible for their own country's defence, but when the Earth itself was threatened the GDF would use its influences and ability to assume full operational status to protect the people of Earth from extraterrestrial threats. Eventually, this approach was expanded to include the colonies that Humanity would found off-world. A chain of command was established to ensure the purpose of harmonious work took place. For the first time, Earth's armies, navies and air forces were combined for the greater good of humanity.

Structure

The President of the United Earth Commonwealth is the de jure Commander-in-Chief of the GDF as per the United Earth Accords, but the primary responsibility is delegated to the Defence Secretary. Like so many Earth democracies, it was important that civilians controlled the military as a result the GDF is also held accountable not just by the Ministry of Defence but by the military affairs oversight sub-committee from the United Earth Parliament.

The military side of the GDF is overseen by the General of the Defence Force, this is normally a five-star general who has served in the GDF chain of command. General Victor Petroski was the first position holder as General of the Defence Force. Under the general a number of other military leaders that deal with the number of divisions and departments that deal with what is referred to as home-world security. The General of the Defence Force also holds a position on the Joint Chiefs of Staff as one of the senior military advisors to the President and Defence Secretary. Through the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the General of the Defence Force is required to ensure that the efforts of the GDF do not conflict with other military branches or cause harm (the same is said for the other branches as well). The spirit of unity is vital for the success of Earth's military branches.

Collaboration with other branches and agencies

The GDF has worked with all of the other military institutes and government bodies to ensure Earth and its colonies prosper. One of the major projects it worked on with Starfleet was the building and establishment of a system-wide defence program that they believed would protect the Sol system. This collaboration took place after the Xindi attack in 2153 when the United Earth Parliament commissioned greater expenditure on defence measures. When war was declared with the Romulan Star Empire in 2155, the GDF increased its efforts in protecting the worlds of the Commonwealth while the United Earth Space Probe Agency and Starfleet dealt with the war on the galactic stage.

The Earth Global Defence Force In Play

• The GDF is more militaristic than Starfleet is portrayed in the mid-22nd century. A bulk of the leaders in the GDF are veterans from a range of nation-states, but many of them have not seen actual military action since the GDF was formed.
• When Starfleet became a branch of the military in 2155, prior to the Battle of Sol, a lot of resentment was created from the perspective of the leaders in the GDF that Starfleet took lead and the fact that President Littlejohn made Fleet Admiral Hathaway the Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.