Uncle Jim: Blog

The new chapters have been sent to the Moderators for posting.

This week's chapters open with the Team and the unit receiving one additional personnel. Kanisha has been assigned as the Executive Officer (XO). There are some problems on the trip, but they eventually arrive at Parthas.

There are a number of problems encountered moving the unit and its equipment down to the planet and into the arranged accommodations. Eventually, a reconnaissance of enemy territory is authorized, and the results of that have a telling effect on their operations. There are threats from the head of the Parthas Army, but they are countered by the arrival of additional Unity forces.

The initial lack of support by the Parthas Military slowed down the unit's ability to begin operations. The lack of maps, weather and other data prevented them from starting their mission. It would have been suicide to attempt to run missions on a planet that they knew next to nothing about. This occurred despite the General's initial desire to have them start immediately. Something was definitely not right. What became clear later.

The Very Happiest and Safest of New Years to all of the
readers of Stories on Line.

Enjoy these two chapters. More next week.

Keep Well,
uncle jim

The new chapters have been sent to the Moderators for posting.

This week's chapters open with both Teams doing what they consider fun: attacking different parts of the headquarters camp and causing confusion and loss of sleep.

A short time after returning from the field, they learn that their unit will be deployed to the planet Parthas in two weeks or so. This causes them to reevaluate what they will require to operate 24/7. The briefing on Parthas and their deployment there is very unsatisfactory leaving many unanswered questions. Three days later, a new Team arrives to join them to add a few surprises. They are quickly integrated into the unit.

Changes and new missions are not unusual in the Military. However the unanswered questions and what was left out of the briefing will become a major factor later in the story. I remember as a First Sergeant at Ft. Benning, that we were assigned to support another unit on a mission. The mission and the support requirements changes substantially four times during the course of an hour and a half or so before the mission was scrubbed. It left everyone worn out.

Enjoy these chapters. More next week.

I wish all of my readers and everyone at Stories On Line the Very Merriest and Safest of Christmases.

Keep Well,
uncle jim

The new chapters have been sent to the Moderators for posting.

This week's chapters start out with problems getting the new unit organized and operational. There is a problem with the Team Leader of the assigned Team (A-23). Shortly, more personnel begin to arrive to fill out the unit.

More problems surface when the unit is directed to participate in a field exercise that begins in 10 days. There are supply and equipment problems, but the new unit is ready to leave for the exercise on time. In the field, they finally learn what their mission is on the exercise.

These chapters illustrate many of the problems in setting up a new unit. There is everything from insufficient personnel to supply problems. This is further exasperated by a headquarters that doesn't understand how they operate when deployed to the field. These are age old problems, as were pointed out to me by other military personnel. I have also seen them when setting up a new unit in Thailand.

Enjoy these chapters. More next week.

Keep Well,
uncle jim

The new chapters have been sent to the MOderators for posting.

This weeks chapters cover the next few days. All of the Team members arrive at the new building. There is a problem with returning the Partners from Continent 2. The Colonel and Cleve need to travel to the Partners Training School to retrieve them. On returning to their headquarters, they discover that an Operational Team has been assigned to them.

Yes, the story has a slow start. Still it covers the many problems encountered by those starting up a new organization, especially a new concept one. There must be much time devoted to training and building a working organization. The few minutes spent in the terror, bloodshed, and death of combat, are only a minute part of life in the military, though the most intense. It requires a strong, functional organization to support those in combat situations.

Enjoy these two chapters. More next week, with more action.

Keep Well,
uncle jim

The new chapters have been sent to the Moderators for posting.

In this weeks chapters, the Team and their Partners finally get temporally settled before going for reviews of their records and finances as well as receiving assignments for the continuing education for their new ranks. The Partners also receive temporary assignments.

Cleve reports to his initial assignment in a couple of days, and the others to theirs a few days later. It requires nearly three months before they finish their educational requirement and temporary assignments.

The last part of chapter 2 and first part of chapter 3, illustrate the necessity of close coordination during moves in the Military. Because of one person's failure to pass on instructions, the Team has problems getting off the ship and down to the planet.

These chapters also bring to light the continued education needed for those in Command and leadership positions.

Enjoy these chapters. More next week.

Keep Well,
uncle jim