Message no. 1

From:	GRANITE <granite@**.NET>
Subject:	Re: Officer Mages....(was RE: MARINES ][ plus)
Date:	Wed, 16 Sep 1998 23:43:50 -0700

>...... I see them as being sort of like warrant
> officers who are assigned to companies or battalions,

The Warrant Officer is the direction I would go for the Magically
inclined..IIRC there are 3 or 4 WO grades..so there is somewhere to
go in rank and then of course it is possible to go up to 2LT..but
figure the odds of doing that..No..I don't mean it should be
difficult..I mean a WO probably would not be very inclined to spend
years climbing up to the top of his/her particular heap..only to jump
over to a completely different heap and start over at the bottom
again..2LTs are not given a whole lot of respect in general..I as a
SGT let a 2LT know he didn't know what he was talking
about on more than one occasion [I was polite about it of
course]..The smart Butter bars learn to listen more than talk..The
dumb ones get an increased hat size by a factor of 10 and go around
showing their ignorance to the world..Officers as well as enlisted
usually don't look too closely at what a lot of butter bars have to
say..There is of course a line that must be closely observed and
heeded..but as long as protocal is observed everyone usually stays
happy..

You also might apply an elistment/re-enlistment bonus system as
well..As an ELINTer I received a 3 pillots get a 4..
The way it works is this:
[ Pay X Bonus ]X # or years enllisted for = Bonus received
Half up front [minus 24% taxes] The other half divided by the number
of years of enlilstment minus 1 [minus 24% taxes] and given as a
yearly bonus in the enlistment month..

> >*Knife and bayonett or just one ?
> Us Army grunts use a little toy called an M-9 bayonet. It's
> basically a survival knife with a fixture to attach to an M-16.

This is also the route I would take..Makes less to carry..and every
ounce counts when the hump gets long..I was USAF [OK quit
sniggering]..During survival school we humber 75 pound packs up and
down the mountains of Washington state..Believe me..every ounce
counts..And there was a lot of crap I wanted to dump..But we had to
be ready for anything..And using a converted parachute on top of it
all only made a bad situation worse..

> >5) do they have to carry this equip the hole time they are fighting

If they want it when they really need it they will hump it with
them..Of course the size of the pack should be governed by the
mission..if it -supposed- to be short duration..a small ALICE or
possibly a 3 day pack should be carried..For longer duration go for
the large ALICE...But in general others have given some very good
advice in this area..

> >6) Does anybody of u know any punishments for any misbehavior
>
> Typical administrative action is an Article 15, which consists of a
> formal disciplinary smear on your record with a loss of pay....

In the USAF This smear also prevents re-enlilstment...Thus ending
your career..

Poor evaluations..
Verbal repremands..Arse chewing by supervisor..All the way up to the
Commander..
One time I was getting royally reamed by the First Shirt..He chewed
my Arse for about 45 minutes..then suddenly looked at his
watch..finished his sentance and said "That's about long enough. Get
out." And I left..seems he decided just how long whatever you did
deserves to get you chewed out..and then stopped when you were
properly punished..

Written repremands..Arse chewing and paperwork that goes in your
file..

There is also CC [Correctional Custody] usual sentance 30-60
days..This is a big attitude adjustment..basically like being sent
back to Basic and then turning up the volume 5 or 6 notches..

This is right about where Artical 15 fits in..

Then of course prison..

Execution..This depends on the crime..the time some crimes are
commited elevates them to punishable in this manner..ie, lilke in the
middle of wartime..Lots of infractions can get you shot..
Of course more than a few Officers have gotten scragged for being
@$$h#les..friendly fire isn't...

Of course you are not dealing with the real or modern miiltary..I
would throw in that same disciplinary action they used in StarShip
Troopers..the Lash..Ouch..Perhaps the stocks as well..

> >7) what misbehavior can some one do ?
> Anything that would get you fired or in trouble in real life. use
> your imagination.

Down to the most minor of things..Not saluting..Foolin' around on
your wife will get you locked up..Mouthing off to a
superior..Dissobeying orders..Again they have to be -legal- orders..
An illegal order would fall into the realm of "Here PVT put a bullet
in this baby if this man does not reveal his headquarters." Basic
stuff that would not be right or correct under any circumstances..
However..If an order is interpreted as illegal..the interpreter
better by God be right..If the -legal- order was given during
wartime..and dissobeyed..the interpreter could end up on the
receiving end of a firing squad..

> Q: What does MARINE stand for?
> A: Muscles Are Required, Intelligence Not Essential.

I have a X-Marine buddy I am going to send that one too :)
He always gets defensive when this sort of thing floats around..

> 4) how is the Ooo-raaah pronounciated ?

To this one you will get a dozen different answers..All of them
right..Whatever the concensus of your group is what I would go
for..Personally I have heard WHOYAH! more often than the others..


> 5) do they have to carry this equip the hole time they are fighting
> ? O do they pack somewhere fight regroup pick up stuff go somewhere
> else, drop stuff fight , ... ?

Check out Saving PVT Ryan...this should gove you some good ideas on
how at least some things are handled..it is all quite realistic..

Well there ya go..my 2 nuyen worth..
--------------------------------GRANITE
"Rock Steady"
===============================================
Lord, Grant Me The Serenity To Accept The Things I Cannot Change,
The Courage To Change The Things I Can,
And The Wisdom To Hide The Bodies Of Those People I Had To Kill
Because They Pissed Me Off.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ShadowRunner's Serenity Prayer
===============================================
Understanding is a three edged sword. - Kosh
What is best in life?
To Crush Your Enemies,
See Them Driven Before You,
And To Hear The Lamentation Of Their Women. -Conan
I Am The LAW! -JD
Jamais Arriere