Regulations (Guide)

The „Austrian-German Academy of Traditional Officers and Non-Commissioned Officers (OEDA)” was founded in Mannheim, Germany on 27 January 2010 and is an Association of long-standing traditional and respected supporters of military tradition.
Die Akademie führt den Namen Österreichisch-Deutsche Akademie für Traditionsoffiziere und Unteroffiziere (OEDA), Institut zur Prüfung des Ausbildungsstandes von Traditionsoffizieren und Unteroffizieren.

The governing seat, since its foundation in 2017, is located in Mannheim/Germany. The Academy mainly covers activities in Austria and Germany, which were extended to cover Eastern and Southern Europe in 2017. It is a private Academy and is not governed by Association law. The seat of the Academy’s Office is located in the place of residence of the reigning Academy President and is currently in Vienna/Austria.

The Academy is non-political, non-profit making and aims to promote the voluntary inspection and testing of the training level of Traditional Officers and Non-Commissioned Officers, who actively wear and demonstrate historical uniforms, independently or within larger Groups, in public.

The Academy only carries out examinations after application and/or the personal request of individual Traditional Officers and Non-Commissioned Officers as well as Associations and Groups, and awards a Traditional Diploma of the OEDA after successful testing. This certifies that the graduates of the OEDA have had a reasonable and proper level of training, as well as being correctly dressed in their historical uniforms.

Amongst other things the following will be tested: Assessment in the context of the correct wearing of the uniform in all correct specifications of types of uniform, positioning of awards as well as how they are attached, no wearing of historical orders and decorations, completeness, behavior and appearance in uniform, commands and sabre-/sword-handles, commands and greetings, marching in a group or individually, carrying of weapons and wielding of these (salute), knowledge of the portrayal of the historical uniform at commemorations, monuments, Regimental- and Unit- /Association’s history in the historical context from the time period from 1806 to 1918, etc.

Die Mitglieder der Akademie unterteilen sich in:

• the members of the Academy Senate and the Board of Examiners (active members)
• the former members of the Board of Examiners (passive members)
• the graduates of the Academy (corresponding, passive members)
• the honorary members of the Academy (passive members)
• the affiliated members of the Academy (passive members)
• the Specialist Academy Advisory Board (vexillology, heraldry, uniform historians, phaleristics, weapon experts etc.)
  

Each type of membership in the Academy is free of charge and not liable to fees. The Academy is funded exclusively on a voluntary basis by the Senate of the Academy. The Academy does not accept donations and therefore does not have a cash register or relevant bank account.
 
Every Member is accepted personally by the reigning Academy President. An Application for Membership is not possible.
 
Graduates and students of the Academy do not automatically become members. Membership is decided by the Academy Senate, who can also decide to terminate membership at any time and exclude a person from the Academy due to misconduct, etc.

The members are entitled to take part in events of the OEDA in inland and abroad. It is desirable that the members and graduates of the OEDA personally present themselves as such.
 
The members are obliged to make every effort to promote the interests of the OEDA and to refrain from damaging the reputation and purpose of the OEDA. They should comply with the Regulations (the Guide) of the OEDA and the respective decisions of the Board.
 
The members of the OEDA are required to participate in events in historical uniform in accordance with the respective national regulations on the wearing of the uniform.

Membership is terminated following death, for legal persons and persons having legal capacity due to the loss of their legal status, by written voluntary resignation as well as by exclusion by the Academy Senate. Exclusions should be accompanied by a written notification from the Academy Senate to the Academy member.

The Academy consists of:

• the President
• the Academy Senate
• the Board of Examiners
  consisting of the Academy President, the members of the Academy Senate and tradition officers and non-commissioned officers appointed by the Academy Senate who perform the tests of the graduates and the examinees.
  

The Academy President is the sole official representative of the Academy in external relationships.
 
The members of the Academy Senate support this and will only represent the Academy at events after consultation with the Academy President. In this connection the Academy President can also send and instruct Honorary Members or former active members.

The Specialist Academy Advisory Board is comprised of many international vexillologists, heraldists, historians of uniforms, phaleristic experts, weapon experts, etc. The members of the Advisory Board have specialist skills in these subjects.
These test, on request, the accuracy of a uniform according to insignia and equipment, medals and decorations, weapons, special marks of distinction, banners etc. and support the Academy Senate technically in assessing individual points/specifications which are included in the examinations.

German and English are set as the working languages.

The OEDA is no longer purely an Austrian-German Academy, but is now extended Europe-wide. Following the inclusion of affiliated members (tradition officers and non-commissioned officers from foreign, friendly forces) the activities were expanded to include Eastern and South European countries in 2017.