Mod: Serve As Soldier question

The mod is finally running without crashing for me (so far). But when the party I’m serving in loses a battle, I have to start over from being a soldier level 1 when joining another lord from the same faction. Is it designed like that? If so that’s dumb. Do I have to what for my party leader to be released from captivity and rejoin him? If so do I keep my rank?