The Imperial Free-Range Corps, often referred too simply as the Free-Rangers, was a branch of the Imperial Military made up of recruits who did not go through the Imperial Academy. It was made mostly for the purpose of providing aliens and low-income humans a place in the Imperial armed forces. Humans could also use it as a "back-door" way into the mainstream Imperial Military if they performed well in combat. Entering the Free-Range Corps required virtually no qualifications and very little training and discipline was enforced. Because of this, Imperial command veiwed them as a cheap expendable force that could be sacrificed if needed. The Free-Range Corps also included a slightly better armed and trained sub-branch known as the Stormrangers which were provided Stormtrooper armor.