Colonial Military Authority
From Halopedia, the Halo wiki
Template:Ratings The Colonial Military Administration was created by the Unified Earth Government in the early 2300s. Its original mission was to serve as the controlling body for UNSC ships and ground forces reassigned to colonial protective opertations. However, over the year it gradually became usurped by UNSC.
Origins
Original Charter
Colonial duty was essentially a ceremonial function, primarily intended to placate the colonists' fears of pirates and marauders, so the UNSC felt a separate command-the CMA-would suffice to administer to these less important activities. At the time, NavCom and UniCom believed that their own resources were better spent on acitivties withing the Sol System. As the colonies spread and became more vital, NavCom and UniCom tried to disband the CMA and usurp its role on a number of occasions, but the colonial command was adamant in protecting their turf. Their charter (approved by the UNSC) left little room for external maneuvering. Even so, by 2400 CE, NavCom and UniCom were operating the Inner Colonies alongside CMA.
CMA and the Outer Colonies
In response to encroaching NavCom and UniCom, the CMA made the Outer Colonies their province, and tended to assign most of their forces to the periphery of the border worlds. They drew most of their recruits from the colonies and their soldiers often thought of themselves as frontiersmen, more bold and adventurous than their UNSC counterparts. As Humanity spread, the CMA was at the forefront, helping colonists to tame worlds and protecting citizens from lawlessness in sparsely populated areas.
Split Allegiances
In the late 2400s, as brushfire wars began to crop up across the various colonies, tensions began to develop in the military hierarchy. The soldiers of the CMA tended to sympathize with the plight of the colonists, while the soldiers of NavCom and UniCom held more allegiance to Earth. It caused no small degree of concern when the CMA launched Project: ORION in 2491 CE, intent on developing a tougher and more capable breed of soldier, better able to handle the hardships of colonial duty.
