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#United States Naval Reserve
teachersource · 1 year
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Malcolm Ross was born on October 15, 1919. A captain in the United States Naval Reserve (USNR), he was an atmospheric scientist, and a balloonist who set several records for altitude and scientific inquiry, with more than 100 hours flight time in gas balloons by 1961. Along with Lieutenant Commander Victor A. Prather (USN), he set the altitude record for a manned balloon flight. As a physicist in the Air Branch of the ONR, Ross specialized in the physics of the upper atmosphere and participated in Strato-Lab flights both as a civilian and as a naval officer. As the key participant in Project Strato-Lab, he spent more than 100 hours with scientists and other balloonists making observations in the stratosphere.
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lonestarbattleship · 2 years
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USS Salem (CA-139), USS Des Moines (CA-134) and other ships of the Atlantic Reserve Fleet near South Broad Street in the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on May 2, 1974.
Temple University Library: P340184
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teacupsandtopgun · 8 months
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Strawberry Dreams
Jake ‘Hangman’ Seresin x Felicity ‘Flick’ March (OC)
Summary: Flick serves up a treat and gets a front row seat to one of Jake’s sweetest dreams coming true. They’ll never look at a strawberry the same way again.
Author’s Note: If you would like to read the origins of Flick and Jake’s relationship, check out my masterlist, starting from California Problems!
Warnings: 18+ no minors please. SMUT: Explicit unprotected PiV, food play. Plus sexual references, swearing and mentions of past mentally abusive relationships. Mostly fluff though 🥰
Disclaimers: Please excuse any inaccuracies regarding Naval aviation, the White House, military honours and the US in general (I am British).
Word Count: 5.7k
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No one could accuse Felicity of not making the most of her time off work. It was Reading Week, meaning a glorious seven day stretch without lectures, tutorials, seminars and faculty meetings. A whole week to spend lazing around her flat, catching up on tv, answering an email here and there and only bothering to get dressed if she actually went outside.
Today had been no different. She enjoyed a lazy morning, waking up in time to give Jake a goodbye kiss when he left for work, then made herself pancakes for breakfast, which she ate in bed while she caught up on a few episodes of Selling Sunset. Her grocery delivery arrived just after noon, and then she sat curled up on the sofa to start reading her latest smutty romance novel. At about 3pm, she decided she would leave the flat after all, and attended a relaxing late afternoon Pilates class at the gym down the street. Upon her return, she changed into a new pj set of pink silk shorts and a matching camisole top, then pottered about barefoot, lightly tidying the flat whilst listening to the radio.
At 6:30pm on the dot, Jake burst through the front door. He dropped his bag and strutted boldly across the room, sweeping Flick into his arms, and spinning her around. Then he dipped her and kissed her, big and full. The smile that greeted Flick when she opened her eyes was as bright as the Blackpool illuminations.
“Woah! What’s all that about?” she gasped, fighting to get her breath back.
He flung his arms out wide. “Drink me in babe, because you’re looking at one of the latest recipients of the Navy Cross, awarded for ‘extraordinary heroism in combat while engaged against an enemy of the United States’.”
Flick squealed. “Oh my God Jake! That’s incredible!” Her barrelling hug almost knocked him to the floor. She might be small, but she was mighty.
“Is there a ceremony or something? Like a presentation?”
“Yes ma’am. I’m going to the White House.”
“Will the President be there?”
“He sure will be.”
Flick kissed him.
“Holy. Fucking. Shit. Jake, you’re going to go the White House and meet the President and receive one of America’s highest military honours and -”
Jake kissed Flick back.
“And you’re coming with me.”
Flick was wide eyed then furrow browed. She didn’t understand.
Jake pulled out a letter from his pocket, explaining that each service member receiving an accolade could bring a guest.
“Oh Jake - I would love too, but I couldn’t. You should take someone from your family.”
“I’m asking you,” he said firmly.
“I don’t want to take someone else’s spot. What about your parents, or your sister, Georgia? They’d be so proud.”
“Please?”
“Jake.”
“I wouldn’t even have this medal if it wasn’t for you.”
Now Flick really was confused.
“What do you mean?”
“I never told you this, but I almost had a panic attack when I found out I wasn’t going on the mission - wrong way around, I know, but I’m fucking weird like that. Anyway, I managed to calm myself down - because I thought about you. Because I knew that even though you said you wished I got picked, you wished it because it’s what I wanted, and you wouldn’t have thought less of me that I wasn’t. And if I hadn’t of thought of you then I would have gone over the edge and not been a reserve or maybe I wouldn’t have got there in time. So really you should be getting this medal - or at least a quarter of it. And Rooster and Maverick owe you a blood debt or something and I guess by that extension so does America and the free world. So, please please with a fucking cherry on top will you come to the White House and meet the President with me?”
“Well, when you put it like that… I guess it’s the least America could do to repay me…”
Jake crashed his lips to Flick’s and they automatically started undressing each other, evidently both figuring a “one-of-us-has-been-nominated-for-a-medal-fuck” has got to be pretty damn special.
Flick quickly found herself backed up against the kitchen counter in only her silk shorts, her bare chest heaving. They broke apart momentarily so Jake could unlace his trainers. Then reality hit Flick.
“Do I need to buy a hat?”
Jake snorted. “It’s the White House, Teacup, not a royal wedding.”
“I know, but will there be a dress code? - Oh!”
Jake threw his shoes aside and pulled Flick in for yet another kiss that was so bruising and beautiful that she completely forgot her train of thought.
She yielded to the feeling of Jake encompassing her, every nerve ending in her body coming alive in response to his touch. She never failed to go absolutely feral for Jake when she got to witness him excel at something, and right now, the desire that coursed through her veins glimmered like gold.
“Fuck Jake - We can do anything you want. You can have me, any way you want,” Flick gasped between kisses. “You want to bend me over the counter? - Oh - You want to pick out something from my toy box?”
She sighed and extended her neck so Jake could suckle the delicate spot beneath her ear, and something caught her eye. There was a jar on the countertop, left out from breakfast.
“Want to cover me in maple syrup and lick it off?”
Jake detached himself from her neck and stared into her soul. Then he pinched his arm and winced.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“Trying to wake myself up,” he said. “I’m dreaming. I must be dreaming, because there’s no way you just said what I thought you - Ow!”
Flick pinched him playfully in the same place.
“You’re not dreaming. I meant it. There are some strawberries in the fridge too, and I was going to melt some chocolate for a mini fondue later but now I think I’d rather let you eat it all off my tits.”
God the look on his face was fucking heavenly. She loved surprising him, and it tickled her to know that she was the kinkier and more sexually adventurous out of the two of them, and she adored being able to expand his horizons in her own little ways.
“You still with me sunshine?” she asked, waving her hand in front of his eyes.
“Babe, you can’t say things like that and expect me to function properly.”
“So, is that a yes?” she teased.
Jake saluted and headed straight for the fridge, finding the bowl of strawberries she had already washed and sliced into halves. Flick retrieved the slab of milk chocolate from the cupboard and tossed it in his direction too. She jumped up to sit on the breakfast bar counter then carefully lay down flat against the faux marble, one leg half dangling off the end, the other bent at the knee, her red painted toes hugging the edge.
After breaking up a few squares of chocolate, Jake placed one on each of her collar bones, then one at her sternum where a pendant might lay, and another just above her navel. It didn’t take long for Flick to feel her flush skin begin to melt each cube.
She should probably have expected the strawberries to be cold. She gasped when Jake placed a piece of fruit atop each breast, then one on each side of her ribs, and lastly one at the base of her throat.
His face was a picture of concentration, and he stepped back to ponder his artwork before reaching out to push one of the strawberries to the left, so it was more in line with the others. Flick suppressed a giggle, not wanting to jolt anything out of place.
“You good?”
“Just figuring out what to do with this,” he said, holding up the jar of maple syrup. “There’s not enough room to write ‘Jake was here’.”
Flick couldn’t contain her chuckle in response to that.
“Ah ah ah, no laughing. You’ll throw off the symmetry,” Jake chastised.
“I’m not making any promises.”
He opened the jar of syrup and found the slotted spoon, dipping it into the liquid gold. He twirled it around and then used it to drizzle a wavy path over her stomach, before drawing big dripping heart shapes around each of her nipples.
A few droplets of syrup landed on his fingers as he set the spoon and jar aside, and he presented his thumb to Flick’s lips, slipping it into her mouth. She sucked on it gently, welcoming the first taste of the sweetness on her tongue and hoping for more. Jake withdrew and raked his eyes over her body, admiring his masterpiece.
“How do I look?” she asked glibly.
“Ridiculous. And sexy as fuck. Good enough to eat. I have no idea why this is turning me on so much but I’m not complaining.”
Flick risked a glance down at Jake’s crotch. He was turned on alright. The tent in his low-slung sweatpants made that very clear.
“I love it when we discover new kinks for you.”
“Nope, this is your kink. You suggested it.”
“I was ad-libbing. I never thought you’d go for it.”
“So, I’m taking your ‘having maple syrup sucked off your tits’ virginity?”
“I hope you feel special,” she quipped.
“Always do when I’m with you” Jake said.
Fuck. Flick felt a rush of love spread through her, from the tips of her fingers to the bottom of her toes. She adored how Jake could introduce such tenderness in amongst the frivolous and absurd.
And then his lips descended on her.
He went first for one of the pieces of chocolate, which was now half melted from her body heat. His teeth nipped at her collar bone, then came the hot swipe of his tongue to lap up the sugary remains, Flick’s skin tingling long after he had moved on.
He took his time with each breast, scooping up the strawberries and licking and suckling decadently, tracing the dripping paths of the syrup. He hummed with satisfaction and blew air over the damp patches of skin, bringing her nipples to attention, goosebumps rising to the surface. He bit each one semi gently, just like he knew she liked, making her squeal and arch her back.
The chocolate on her sternum slid up towards her neck and Jake chased it, erasing its path with his tongue. He moaned into the base of her throat, the vibrations causing her insides to flutter.
“Fuck babe - you taste so good. You wanna taste too?”
“God yes.”
He kissed her deeply so she could sample every flavour on his tongue as it massaged hers. The he kissed her cheeks, her nose, her eyelids, then her lips again, gently, softly.
“Nothing in the world is as sweet as you darlin’” he whispered into her ear. 
She was positively giddy.
He kissed his way back down her body, focusing now on her ribs and stomach, his warm hands on her waist, pinning her in place.
Flick sighed deeply and her eyes fell closed.
Jake had a wonderful uncanny ability to make her think about nothing but him. To make her feel so attuned to every sensation he coaxed from her body, causing her to surrender completely to his touch. When Jake was around, she felt wanted, worshipped and loved - no - adored.
He tucked his fingers under the band of her silk pyjama shorts and tugged the fabric down, revealing the small scar that sat just above her hip bone.
Flick remembered the first time he’d asked about it, a few weeks after she first told him about getting her tubes tied. They’d been sunbathing on the beach one late afternoon, and she’d caught Jake looking at her stomach intensely.
“Is that the scar? From your operation?”
Flick nodded, and Jake had gently brushed his fingers across the tiny patch of puckered skin. “And this one too?” he asked, finding a similar blotch on the opposite side. To the untrained eye they could easily be mistaken for birthmarks or moles. 
“I’m surprised you noticed them,” Flick replied.
“I looked up the procedure, just to see how it all worked,” he explained. “Kind of blew my mind.”
It touched her that he’d taken the time to do his research; deciding to have tubal litigation surgery had been one of the most profound and important choices she had ever made.
“Can I say I think they’re beautiful?” Jake asked. “And that I’m proud of you? I hope that’s ok. I just think it’s incredible that you were so certain about the direction you wanted your life to go in, and you had the guts to take action. It’s inspiring to me.”
Flick looked down at her scars and felt her eyes well up. She’d never once thought of them as beautiful. They’d never been ugly to her either, they were just there; neutral. But now she looked at them with pride. They represented a positive choice, not a negative one.
From then on, Jake made a point to worship Flick’s scars whenever her stomach was on display. He was doing a pretty good job of it now too, gently caressing the puckered marks with the pad of his thumb before bowing to press warm syrupy kisses to her sensitive skin.
“You’re so strong darlin’,” he whispered, husky and sweet. “My gorgeous girl.”
Flick’s core fluttered with renewed intensity at his heartfelt praise.
“Jake - please - I need to feel you.”
He kissed her hip slowly again before answering.
“Bedroom or here?”
“Here, now.”
“Does your first offer still stand?” he asked, his voice barely more than a seductive growl. “You gonna bend over the counter for me babe?”
“Yes - absolutely yes.”
Jake grinned, and Flick was thrilled by the charming excitement that lit up his face. He helped to slide her shorts and underwear down her legs then tossed them aside. Her skin sparked from just the lightest brush of his fingers; she was desperate to be manhandled.
She slid off the countertop and Jake immediately crowded into her space, having already shucked off his own sweatpants and boxers. He leant down to kiss her fiercely, and she let the intoxicating taste of him cloud her brain until he unlocked their lips and spun her around so that his throbbing dick pressed eagerly against her ass. He trailed a hand up and down her back then pushed her body forward, firmly but gently, angling her to bend over. Her chest was still sticky and slicked from the residue of fruit, chocolate, syrup and Jake’s tongue, and she could feel her skin tacking to the fake marble. She reached out and grabbed the edge of the kitchen bar, knowing she would need something to hold onto.
Her whole body pulsated with excitement as Jake palmed at her ass and slid his fingers through her dripping folds, using her desire to slick his length. Then he began to line himself up, and the eager anticipation coursing through Flick’s veins threatened to spill over.
But nothing happened.
She was ready and wanting. What was taking him so long?
“Babe? I think you’re gonna need to go on tiptoes - I can’t…”
A giggle bubbled from her lips. “Lt Commander Jake Seresin, are you telling me that I’m too short to reach your dick?”
“I am yeah.”
She laughed again and gladly bounced up on her toes.
“Better?”
“Perfect.” Immediately Jake’s hands were on her hips, holding her up while he slid into her, hot and heavy. She whined in pleasure, overwhelmed by just how deep he was able to press.
“Fuck darlin’,” Jake moaned. “You feel incredible.”
“So do you Jake, so do you.”
She started to rock backwards and forwards on her toes, desperate for friction, and Jake quickly matched her rhythm, gripping at her sides to keep her high enough so he could thrust into her slick warmth, powerful and steady.
It didn’t take long before Flick was delirious from bliss; core quivering, legs shaking, heart stuttering, gasping and moaning and letting her stream of consciousness go completely unfiltered.
“God - you always fuck me so good Jake - oh - you’re so fucking good at everything you do - fuck - I’m so lucky - yes - I get to call Lt Commander Jake Seresin mine.”
Every new word she spoke seemed to spur Jake to stroke through her with yet more purpose and intention.
“Oh - you’re the best pilot in the fucking navy - god - you deserve that medal - so fucking much - it’s going to look so good on you – oh – I’m going let you do this again - and again - maybe you could wear it when we - fuck!”
She barely realised what she was saying, but as soon as the thought of Jake, dolled up in his ceremonial uniform with a medal around his neck, taking her as he was now, caging her with his body, the cold metal of the medal dragging across her back as he seized his pleasure, she was a complete goner.
Jake had evidently had a similar thought, because barely a second after Flick’s orgasm bore down on his throbbing cock, he spilled into her with a heavy satiated moan.
“Bloody hell,” she sighed as they both came down from their high.
“Bloody heaven,” Jake replied, pressing a tender kiss to her shoulder blade. Flick laughed.
“Have I ever told you you’ve got a gorgeous back?” Jake mused, tracing soothing circles across her skin, keeping time with her slowing breaths. “Because you do. Bet it would look even better painted with syrup and covered in strawberries though.”
Flick grinned and shimmied her body, so that her ass rubbed against Jake’s tired cock. “Win yourself another medal and then we can talk.”
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In the weeks since their ‘sexy feast’, Jake hadn’t been able to look at a strawberry in the same way. They were always in the flat, staring at him, taunting him from the third shelf of the refrigerator. Flick insisted she was only buying them so much because they were in season, but Jake was fairly sure she was also fucking with him. His suspicion was confirmed whenever she deliberately and slowly ate one in front of him with a devilish glint in her eye, like she was daring him to kiss away the inevitable drip of pink that would trickle down her chin. He always did.
Even the word ‘strawberry’ lit a spark. Flick somehow managed to mention them in the most unexpected conversations, like she was playing a perpetual game of word sneak and he was the only one that knew about it.
“Strawberry daiquiris seem to be a new favourite for you Felicity,” Penny observed once, after weeks of Flick ordering nothing but.
It got so bad that Jake had to declare an amnesty on anything remotely strawberry related while they were within the White House grounds.
“I can’t risk getting a fruit induced hard on during the most important moment of my Naval career.”
Once Flick had stopped laughing, and wiped the tears from her eyes, she promised sincerely that she wouldn’t reference the forbidden berry the whole time they were in Washington. “I swear on my life Jake. This trip is so important to you, it’s important to me. I would never do anything to jeopardise that.”
And he really did like the calm, settled feeling that came over him because he believed her.
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As much as Jake enjoyed getting a front row seat to Flick trying on a shedload of beautiful dresses, her indecisiveness was starting to grate. He thought she looked phenomenal in every single outfit, and each time he genuinely believed she had found the one, until she pointed out something she wasn’t sure about and brought him round to the idea too.
The yellow dress led the pack so far; its buttermilk shade looked striking against her auburn hair, and it had a classic shape, with a smart lapel neckline and pockets (“pockets!”). But both of them agreed there was something missing, it just didn’t have enough personality to match Flick’s own.
The ivy blazer-style dress would have been perfect, except it’s skirt was 3 inches too short. “I can’t meet the President showing this much thigh,” Flick had protested. The soft and floaty blue dress had the opposite problem, it was far too prim and proper. The purple one had swamped her, with its huge puffy sleeves and overly fussy bow. The orange one… well the less said about the orange one the better. “It’s ok Jake, you can laugh, I know I look like someone cosplaying as a carrot.”
If Jake was honest with himself, he was only agreeing with Flick’s nit-picking because once she took each dress off, it meant that she would spend another few minutes bustling about the room in only her lingerie.
Flick shoved the orange dress back into its box with an exasperated huff.
“The President isn’t going to deport you if you wear the wrong kind of outfit, Teacup.”
“I know, I just want to make a good impression, that’s all. I mean, the President is technically your boss. He’s the whole country’s boss. I never in thought in a million years I’d ever get to go to the White House, let alone meet the President. I’m not even American - not really.”
Jake wished he could train Flick out of her ‘I’m not really American or properly British anymore’ mindset, because she only ever used it as stick to beat herself with.
“I’m just a guest here. I can’t even vote - so - not my President I guess,” she tittered.
“You’re nervous,” Jake said.
“No, I -”
Jake folded his arms and raised an eyebrow.
“Fine. I’m nervous. You happy?”
Jake stood up and took hold of Flick’s shoulders, rubbing his hands up and down her bare arms.
“Babe. You’re going to be fine. Anyway, everyone will be looking at me,” he teased, going full on cocky in the hope of a laugh, “all handsome in my dress blues.”
“Exactly!” Flick cried. “Everyone is going to look at you, and then they’ll wonder who could possibly be worthy of being your plus one and then they’ll look at me and, well, I don’t know what they’ll think.”
“They’ll look at you and realise that I’m the lucky one,” Jake said sincerely. “And if they don’t realise it when they look at you, they’ll realise it three seconds into talking to you, and if they don’t realise it then – well, heck, they’re not worth the time of day.”
Flick pursed her lips, probably considering another self-deprecating retort, but Jake was pleased when she decided to accept his flattery instead and leant up for a kiss. She mumbled a thank you onto his lips.
“You’re very welcome,” Jake replied before kissing her again and taking the opportunity to slide his hand over the lace that covered her ass.
Flick pressed one last kiss to the corner of his mouth then slid from his grip.
“I still need a dress though.”
Jake let her go and went to survey the pile of shopping.
“Are you sure you’ve tried them all on?” he said, rummaging through the packages. He picked up box that he didn’t recall seeing so far that afternoon. “Wait, this one’s not open.” He slid off the lid and unwrapped the paper to reveal a folded blush coloured dress.
He glanced at the label (his eyes deliberately skirting over the price) and took note of the item description. Sleeved Tea Dress, Colour: Strawberry Pink.
He smiled to himself.
“This is the one,” he said, holding it out to her.
“How do you know?”
“I just know.”
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“Will we be able to walk around the gardens? I’d love to get some photos of you front of the house on the South lawn if we’re allowed.”
On the day of the medal presentation, Flick and Jake woke up bright and early, so they could get ready in time for the taxi that would take them to the White House.
“How many other service members are going to be there? Is it for Air Force and Army too or just Navy?”
The windows of their Washington hotel room were open, filling the space with fresh and cool morning air, but Jake was feeling anything but.
“I bet they’ll have the poshest food. Do you think there’ll be canapés?”
“Flick, I love you, but if you ask me one more question, I’m going to throw you out the wind-oh.”
Jake closed his eyes and accepted Flick’s kiss. She held his face in her hands, and they breathed, Flick refusing to step back or sink down from her tiptoes until she was sure Jake’s heartbeat had slowed down again.
“You’re nervous,” she said.
He didn’t try to deny it.  
“Of course I am. This is the White House we’re talking about. I’m getting an award from the President. It’s probably the highest honour I’ll ever receive - I want it to be - shit!”
Jake had been fumbling with his Naval Aviator pin for a while, but now it slipped out of his hands and onto the floor. Flick quickly swooped down to pick it up and dusted it off.
“Can I?” she said, nodding at his chest.
He nodded and she pushed the golden winged anchor perfectly in place on the breast of his uniform. The moment felt heavy with gravitas, as if some sort of revelation was meant to follow. Jake couldn’t quite put his finger on it though.
Flick smoothed out the fabric of his lapel and took a step back, drinking him in. She reached out and used the pad of her thumb to wipe away the tiniest smudge of her lipstick from his mouth.
“You look good Jake.”
His usual retort of being too good to be true didn’t come.
“So do you.”
Flick was utterly radiant. The strawberry pink dress suited her so flawlessly; with its 50’s style cut, cinched waist and felt bow neckline. Her eyelids glittered with rose gold and her cheeks were dusted pink. He recently cut hair bounced in loose waves above her shoulders and was half pinned back by sparkly pearl tipped pins. Her earrings and necklace held identical droplets too. The outfit might have been considered demure, until you saw that she was wearing the most outrageous pair of hot pink heels; solid, chunky, and entirely adorned with gleaming pearls. They were the perfect outward display of her personality, and holy fuck did they make her legs look incredible.
Flick blushed, perhaps feeling that his eyes had lingered for overtly too long.
“Ok, now you’re just staring.”
“Because you’re too good to be true.”
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Jake was at the White House, the actual fucking White House.
Well, he was in the famous rose garden to be exact, but that was close enough, and it wouldn’t be long before those grand doors would open, and the presentation ceremony would begin inside. His nerves had settled somewhat too, after a glass of champagne and a few minutes of small talk with the rest of his squad and their families.
Penny accompanied Captain Mitchell and Rooster had been kind enough to let Penny’s daughter, Amelia, be his plus one (the girl was buzzing with joy), although it served as a sombre reminder that Bradley didn’t really have anybody else to ask. Then there was Payback and his husband, Bob and his wife (who was quite clearly pregnant, he’d kept that one quiet. Jake felt like he deserved a second medal for refraining from repeating his Baby on Board joke). Phoenix had invited her twin brother, and Mickey had brought his mom.
The gathering was fleshed out with representatives from the Air Force and Army who were also being honoured that day too.
A few minutes later, the crowd were ushered into the presentation gallery. Flick and the other family members went in ahead to take their seats, while Jake and the rest of those being awarded were led into the corridor and arranged in order of when they would be called on stage.
“Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome our Navy Servicemen and Women, led by Captain Mitchell. We present Lt Commander Jake Seresin, Lt Bradley Bradshaw, Lt Natasha Trace, Lt Robert Floyd, Lt Mickey Garcia and Lt Reuban Fitch.”
The audience were on their feet and applauded loudly as he and the team walked into the grand presentation room. Jake’s eyes immediately sought out Flick, and he was overjoyed to see that she’d managed to snag herself a seat in the front row.
Jake had expected to feel pride, when it was his turn to be awarded. He’d expected the moment to feel like a culmination of everything he had worked for. He’d expected it to feel deserved. He knew he was the best of the best; he proved it day in, day out. And, when the President draped the medal around his neck, he felt all those things as deeply as he’d hoped he would. But there was a new, unexpected feeling too.
When he looked out from the stage and saw Flick gazing back at him, beaming with joy and adoration, his heart filled with hope.
If he could keep doing things that made her look at him like that, he could die a happy man.
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Jake barely believed he wasn’t dreaming. He had a Navy Cross around his neck, he was in the legendary Oval Office, and he was about to be officially introduced to the President. He felt like a helium balloon pumped full of air, so swollen and light with excitement that he would float out the window and up into the sky if it wasn’t for Flick’s hand holding him grounded.
They were next in line. The President would finish speaking to Captain Mitchell any second now. He was about to meet the President.
“Lt Commander Seresin. Thank you for service.”
Jake’s body snapped to attention, and he dutifully shook the older man’s outstretched hand. “It’s an honour to serve my country sir.”
“Your country is grateful in return,” the President replied sincerely. “Captain Mitchell tells me he and Lt Bradshaw wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you.”
“Just doing my duty sir.”
“Above and beyond if you ask me, son. Now, I think it’s time you introduced me to your better half,” he said, gesturing towards Flick.
Jake was more than happy to oblige.
“This is my girlfriend, Professor Felicity March,” he said with upmost pride.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you sir,” Flick said, shaking the President’s hand.
“Likewise. Do I detect a British accent?”
“You do.”
“It’s good to see the special relationship between our two nations is being taken seriously,” the President replied in jest.
“Oh, very seriously,” Flick agreed, joining in with the joke.
Jake couldn’t help but smile.
“And you’re a Professor?” The President asked.
“Yes,” Flick nodded. “At the University of San Diego’s Mathematics department. I teach Statistics mostly.”
“Then I thank you for using your talents to benefit American students. My wife is a professor too, you know. There aren’t many greater callings than teaching. And I hope our good nation is treating you well.”
“It is.” Flick looked up at Jake. “And I’m lucky I’ve found myself an all-American hero to help me along too.”
The President was pensive for a moment before he spoke again.
“America asks a lot of its servicemen and women,” he reflected. “Though I sometimes wonder if we ask more of the people that love them.”
Flick squeezed Jake’s hand.
“I’m not sure,” she said.
Jake froze. What was Flick doing? Was she really about to disagree with his Commander in Chief, the President of the United States? Right here in the Oval Office?
“Loving Jake Seresin is the easiest thing in the world.”
The President nodded. “There’s something beautiful about that,” he said warmly, before shaking both their hands again and moving down the line.
Jake stared at Flick, utterly astounded. She’d just told the most powerful man on the planet that he was wrong; that loving him was easy. He knew exactly how the same conversation would have gone if it had been Sarah by his side instead. She would have fawned over the President’s words and waxed lyrical about how arduous it was for her when her precious Jakey was away at sea. Every second he’d spent with his ex-girlfriend had made Jake feel like loving him was a hardship, that it took so much effort and strain that it was barely worth it. Yet Flick thought the opposite.
Loving Jake Seresin is the easiest thing in the world.
He thought about how effortlessly he loved Flick. It was second nature to him, as pure and simple as breathing. He couldn’t comprehend not loving her. She was only person he would ever need or want again.
She must absolutely adore you if she feels the same way.
Jake was only broken out of his awestruck daze by the sound of the steward announcing the buffet was ready in the room next door.
It was a finger food version of breakfast. There were mini waffles, pancakes, croissants and pain au chocolates, as well as engraved glass bowls piled high with the plumpest, juiciest strawberries Jake had ever seen.
Flick looked at the table, then back up at Jake. She was trying incredibly hard not to giggle. “I swear to you baby, I don’t have contacts in the White House kitchen.”
Jake laughed. He wouldn’t have minded if she did. He pressed a sweet kiss to the apple of her cheek.
“They’re the perfect topping to a perfect day.”
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Thank you so much for reading! As always, I would love to know your thoughts 🥰
Masterlist
Taglist: @emma8895eb @shanimallina87 @potato-girl99981 @cherrycola27 @entertainmentgal8 @percyjacksonspeen @taytaylala12 @djs8891 @hecate-steps-on-me @love2write2626 @ereardon @purplevortexx @callsign-viper @katiedid-3 @jstarr86 @lynnestra44 @horseshoegirl @memeorydotcom @kmc1989
Also tagging people who interacted with previous fics/have expressed interest in this one!: @theharddeck @gigisimsonmars @vivianeelisabeth @eli2447 @blue-aconite @mayhemmanaged @beccaanne814 @sometimesanalice @snoopmary @seresinsaint @fav-fanficssss @nobodynocrime13 @wildxwidow @xpeony @palepeanutponyshoe @caidi-paris @the-philthepill13 @mizzzpink @starset21 @whatislovevavy @just-in-case-iloveyou @sordidfairytale @onceupona-happilyeverafter-love
Please let me know if you would like to be added/removed!
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REYES TIMELINE UPDATE (no it still doesn't make sense)
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Gabriel Reyes enters police force at min. age of 21 (to enter the LAPD you must be 20 yo at time of application and 21 by completion of training, high school education or equivalent or a 2/4 year degree)
So we’ve learned that Gabe graduated college early with a degree in criminology
Spends time as detective
Enlists in the US military 9 years before the Omnic crisis (.... Gabriel is 50 by time of Retribution, 8 years before Recall so he’s 50-51 during Zurich, Jack led OW for ~20 years meaning he got promoted when Gabriel was 30-31, the omnic crisis was roughly 2 years meaning Gabriel was 28-29 when it started, putting him at 20 when he enlisted)
Mustang - military slang term used in the United States Armed Forces to refer to a commissioned officer who began their career as an enlisted service member. A mustang officer is not a temporary or brevet promotion but is a commissioned officer that receives the same pay and command responsibilities as all other commissioned officers.
Mustang officers are generally older than their peers-in-grade who have been commissioned from one of the service academies (such as the United States Merchant Marine Academy, United States Military Academy, United States Air Force Academy, United States Naval Academy, or United States Coast Guard Academy), Officer Candidate School, or the Reserve Officer Training Corps.
This does not entirely make sense to me as enlisting with a college degree fast tracks you into commissioned officer rank, he should no be an “enlisted” soldier (if someone understands us military ranking and enlisting better than me feel free to tell me I’m wrong)
Join the SEP program sometime in his military career
Lose his parents during an assault on LA
get recruited as into Overwatch as Strike Commander
run a covert ops team for 20 years
Meets his wife after the omnic war, have a son
get blown up at ~50
then spend 7 years fucking with Talon
mind you Reaper’s been fucking around for A LOT longer (that’s right bitches his official bio says our Phantom of the Opera’s been kicking for decades and confirmed by Michael Chu to be intentional) [the ow bio previously stated that reaper had been around for decades, it has now been changed]
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cherokeefrank · 2 years
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Always check back to the actual original post, I'm always adding stuff.
Amendment I
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
Amendment II
A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.
Amendment III
No soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.
Amendment IV
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
Amendment V
No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a grand jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the militia, when in actual service in time of war or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.
Amendment VI
In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the state and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense.
Amendment VII
In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise reexamined in any court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.
Amendment VIII
Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.
Amendment IX
The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.
Amendment X
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.
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battlekilt · 11 months
Note
Your interpretation of Cody and Obi-wans relationship in parallel to Obi-wan and Anakins was something that never really crossed my mind. But now that you say it, it really is a fascinating view on them. I'd read a whole book about it.
In response to this post.
Funny you should say that, Anon. I am currently in the process of writing a rather sizable chunk of a fic, for the purposes of having a lot of it written before it starts going up, and the dynamic between these three are a key element. Though, I have a blorbo—Rex is the main character. These three? Though? They contain some of the most important relationships in his life, so that will be explored, a lot. Especially since the three of them play a large part in what drives the narrative.
I am glad you feel that way, specifically.
No matter what, Cody is, like all Clones, an incredibly young man. Even if we somehow set aside the fact that he was 'born' the year Obi-Wan became Anakin's master, which I don't think is entirely honest to wholly do, and focus on his physical development...
Cody is 'twenty-years' old when he meets Obi-Wan. Cody is functionally, in comparison, a 4-star General.
Let me elaborate further:
In the US Military, there are currently 17 active 4-Star Generals.
To quote Wiki:
There are currently 44 active-duty four-star officers in the uniformed services of the United States: 17 in the Army*, three in the Marine Corps, eight in the Navy, 11 in the Air Force*, two in the Space Force***, two in the Coast Guard, and one in the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. ARMY** and AF** are bold because it fits the scope of the 3rd System Army, with the 7th Sky Corps is nested within the System Army. Which, fits with the allegorical theme of the GAR being based on the US Military. The Air Force was a nested tactical corps within the US ARMY from its inception in 1933-35 (ask a military historian which date and start an argument), and became a separate and equal element in 1947.
One remarkable note is that the US Army has the most 4-star positions that it has had since WWII. But, I digress.
Much like the US Military is divided regionally, the GAR is divided into the major galactic sectors. Nearly all are under the command of a member of the Jedi High Council, and there were a 1–2 Admirals that were given command for brief periods. All were served by the highest rank achievable by a Clone—Marshal Commander.
That's our sunshine boy. One of the most powerful 12–15 Clones in the whole Grand Army of the Republic.
Under Cody's command, because let's be real, Obi-Wan is there to provide legitimacy, vibe-checks, and familiarity with the galaxy that Cody would not have—having grown up on an isolated world barely connected to the GFFA, there are 250,000 Clone Troopers, with a support personnel corps at about 4x–7x per Clone Trooper, and this is aside from Naval staff and any civilian personnel.
This puts the 3rd System at:
Low: 1,769,472 High: 2,359,296
Let's put this more in perspective.
The current US Military, combined:
Active Duty: 1.4M Total: 2.2M
Alone, the 3rd has more Clones than the Army Reserve, as of 2021. However, in total, would have more personal than the Active Duty on the low estimate, and the total (active+reserve) is still under the highest estimate for the 3rd System Army.
Cody's command is... massive. While I understand that this fits with the galactic scale, that is still... a lot for one person. Yes, I am going to stand by my assessment that Cody would have the most military responsibilities, even in comparison to Obi-Wan. General Kenobi does not have the training that Cody has been given.
Now, let's go into Training VS Experience. Training is the education received: NEARLY all US officers are required to have a higher education—a bachelors degree or above.
(Admittedly, this does get complicated).
To my knowledge, most have all been taught at one of the military schools—West Point, Naval Academy, Air Force Academy, etc. There are some senior military colleges that are also secondary higher academies that some O-10s may have come from. Sorry, I didn't get too far down this one. While there may be exceptions, for the most part... this is going to be typical.
Generals typically have over 20 years of military experience.
30 years.
Developmentally, Cody is a twenty-year-old. 20. 10 * 2. Half of 40.
The lowest commissioned rank in the Army is 2nd Lt. Statically, the average age for all commissioned officers is, on average, in their forties, though a good number of our 2LTs are in their thirties.
Generals are typically in their forties.
This means that Cody is younger than... any officer.
Experience? Life Experience? Outside of education, drills and simulations? None. According to Legends, the Kaminoans barely allowed the RepComm trainers to ever use LiveAmmo. Though, it would be reasonable that by the time Cody would have entered ARC training, he would have been exposed to life-fire practice.
No matter how hard his training was, it was not the same as life-experience in the field. This is where Obi-Wan, one of the few Jedi Masters who has worked with military operations with ANY comfort—which was still very little, really lends himself to his XO.
The Kaminoans are professionals at creating and building... well, professional militaries. They had the help of Jango Fett and other Mandalorian trainers to augment their training. However, for the most part, the Clones were trained using the methodology and educational paradigm the Kaminoans created—though, never on the same scale. This was pure professional military education on an industrial level.
Cody?
Cody may have more training and knowledge than most four-star generals will have in their lifetime, all with the benefit of a wikipedia style swath of information, modern technology to impart that knowledge, and some pretty extensive stimulation. But, what is under Cody's pretty-little-military-cut head? All of it is knowledge that surpasses what most Generals will EVER dream, even if they just stayed in military education.
However.
He is a ten-year-old in a twenty-year-old's body with the brain of AT LEAST two-life-times of military experience.
Impressive, huh?
But, Cody is still... not like you or I.
At the time of Cody's training, it is highly unlikely they left the Kaminoan starsystem. If they did, they did not engage with the galaxy at large. This is a bit like growing up Tatooine.
On the edge of the galaxy, with only the stars to stare up at.
Anakin grew up in a sea of sand. Cody grew up in a... world of seas.
Cody's life experience, the life experience you and I would take for granted, is nonexistent. He could lead an army better than our best Generals could hope for. But, what else has he known?
My parallels are that Obi-Wan purposefully encouraged Anakin to be a sassy menace. He wanted to break that slave-mentality. Luckily, Anakin already showed that he could become a spitfire, even when he was sweet little Ani.
Similarly, I characterize that Obi-Wan did the same for Cody.
Anakin's shackles were the explosive in his body, the ferocity of how slave culture was brutally enforced—fear. However, Anakin knew that he was a slave, and he knew enough of something more.
Cody's shackles are the indoctrination he received from the time of his birth. Unfortunately for fandom at large, Cody is... a much more obedient military man that I think many want to see him. Based on remnants of Legends and the retained canon, no Marshal Commander would be in their position were they not... very obedient—to militant POVs. In fact, in the Disney comics, Cody has... a rather brutal attitude towards deserters—
BTW, in a military, desertion is one of the worst offensive that could be committed against a soldier's oath, that which they swore themselves to... but more importantly... their fellow soldiers.
In contrast, Wolffe is much more forgiving, and advocates for their re-assimilation in the GAR; Cody... disagrees with the fact that the deserters are still alive, and believes they should still be executed by a firing squad.
In season 1, Slick—for whatever reason—becomes a rare voice to call out the circumstances of the Clones. Not only do Rex and Cody recoil at a brother betraying the GAR, the Jedi, and of course... the killing of brothers, but they also scoff at his assertion that they are slaves.
Cut becomes a critical introduction to the slow character development we see Rex go through; Cody unlikely goes through the same because that's just how stories like this work. Just the simple act of asking the questions he gave to Rex set the stage for what happened on Umbara, and even then, Rex struggled to show defiance.
BTW, Fives's actions are fulfilling the duties of an (active) ARC. They are supposed to be more independent, whereas a command-class Clone like Rex may be a trained ARC, but his duties as a CC**** would mean that his prime directive is the cohesion of the command, and to assist in the joint operation between the Clones and the Jedi.
Fast-forward to Order 66 and Cody doesn't hesitate. Yes, it is the chip. However, that was not how ROTS was scripted or filmed. I know this is getting Doylist, but it is relevant. At that time, the Clones knew what was going to happen. They knew that they would eventually turn on the Jedi. Through the story of TCW08, it changes to a Manchurian Candidate concept, and eventually evolves the story of the chips that we know today. As the Doylist context changed, it remains that Cody acted without any pause. This is in line because the highest priority Cody held was always loyalty to the Republic. Loyalty to the REPUBLIC—Not the Jedi, not his brothers, not General Kenobi. Just. The. Republic. A traitor to the Republic is worst than the Separatists.
When the order went out, Cody's brain heard:
Obi-Wan friend. Obi-Wan betrayed Republic. Kill General Kenobi. He is no friend to the Republic—thus—to Cody.
Makes sense to him, especially at the moment. This is conditioning. This is indoctrination. This is militantism in action. The chip wasn't really necessary... it was for the sake of the audience who didn't want to believe that the men we began to care about would ever do this 'willfully,' even though all that mental conditioning and indoctrination would mean that they didn't have a choice... even if they didn't have the chip.
Obviously, by the time you get to TBB, when some Clones begin to question that Manchurian voice in their head, Cody's rationale returns, and so does his critical thinking. We have Cody, a Clone depicted in recent comics with a militant intolerance towards desertion, going AWOL from the Empire—that is HUGE. Was this his fall from grace? His fall to what was his darkside? From one angle, yes. However, it was a fallback into grace, and I like to think that it goes back to two people: Obi-Wan and Rex. We'll continue to focus on Obi-Wan, though.
I like to think that it was the seeds of the Jedi finally germinated, and it was Obi-Wan that planted them within his dear Clone Commander.
Obi-Wan being a one former menace himself—you know, a young man who thought tying two lightsabers to the ends of a rope was a good idea—got himself stuffed into one of the dreaded Jedi Council armchairs. Great, now he HAS to be responsible.
Cody and Anakin are, in many ways, parallels, just not direct. They are often inversions of each other, and together they make a great foil for Obi-Wan in general.
The idea that Obi-Wan saw this INCREDIBLY accomplished, intelligent, "gifted-child" of a Clone Commander and thought... "How do I get him to be a menace?"
I love it. I feel like it is just the thing someone like Obi-Wan Kenobi would do. It makes sense that Obi-Wan would want to help Cody grow beyond the very narrow—but extensive—field of knowledge, all for the express purpose of watching the young man develop into a more rounded individual.
It is also very, very Jedi. It was always the Jedi that were the sole friends of the Clones. So, it makes sense to me that the Jedi would advocate for this sort of well-rounded development. And the Clones? They would sorely need that kind of encouragement.
The Clones were never supposed to have names. They Clones were not individuals. It was the Jedi who told them to paint their units colors. It was the Jedi who TOLD him to pick out names. In Legends, and I think it fits with the remaining printed canon, Cody was actually very apprehensive and skeptical about how much of a good idea it was for the Clones TO develop individuality.
Cody was not bred for the specific purpose of his role—not even for being a CC. (Sorry, fanon)
He was just another Clone. Maybe he got nurtured and natured into a better candidate for a command-class Clone, but in the end? He was randomly chosen. As clarified in recent apocrypha, Cody was just a Clone Captain in the 91st when Obi-Wan found him and was impressed by him.
What made "Just A Clone Captain Cody" stand-out to Obi-Wan? There's plenty of theories that can arise.
In my lore, Alpha-17 recommended Obi-Wan go check out "#2224 in Windu's battalion."
From Captain to Marshal Commander? AHHHH. Someone send help.
Imagine the fine-lined walked poor young Obi-Wan had with Anakin: a former rebellious ginger-child himself, he became a well-behaved rule minder under Qui-Gon. Now he has this older Padawan, who is also a former slave of one of the harshest slave planets we know of. He has to get Anakin to be self-expressive, learn how to act on his own self-agency—AND—he has to also... try and help Anakin assimilate into the Jedi Order.
Take Cody: ten years old, looks twenty, has the knowledge of several lifetimes lived by career military men, who has seen very little of the galaxy.
Keep in mind, Obi-Wan met Jango Fett. He knew just what kind of attitude could lurk under that stony face so like the others, even if he said, "Yes, sir," without hesitation, and followed his orders faithfully.
I don't think Obi-Wan would be able to help himself. It is part of the Jedi Culture to be a positive presence. Unlike Anakin did with the 501st, Obi-Wan purposefully kept himself removed from most Clones; his empathy made it too difficult to ensure their suffering and death, so distance kept him remotely functional. The only two Clones Obi-Wan accepted as friends had been Cody and Rex. Obviously, Rex is an Anakin problem. But, Cody? His young, cloned, new friend? Right there. Right there. That... Jedi compulsion, that ITCH they get, it would gnaw at him. He can't help many others.
The same could have been said for Anakin, who was just freed, but had nowhere else to go—little Ani had no one else. Obi-Wan didn't have the same responsibilities as a fresh Knight as he would as a Jedi Master. He could risk everything and leave the Order to train Anakin if the Jedi won't matriculate him. He risked everything to help this one little boy. Later? He wants to risk everything, again. But now, his everything doesn't belong to him anymore—not even enough to consider leaving the Order. Every Clone death is another slice across him, and even a thousand papercuts will get'cha.
But, he wants to help. He would want to help beyond vibe-checks, lightsaber wielding, crazy feats of Force-enchanted bravery.
He would want to help a person—Cody, the clone so often by his side—become a PERSON in his own right. A young man that everyone else has forgotten IS a young man. I doubt Obi-Wan would ever forget that, like he never forgot that Anakin was a young man.
So, there is that itch. That... Jedi need to just... reach out and help make the galaxy a better place for others. One Clone. Is that too much to ask? Can he be allowed to be a mentor for ONE Clone? If he helped this Clone become more than a faceless soldier, if he helped this Clone have more growth and life experience than just what he was given on Kamino, maybe... Maybe Obi-Wan can imagine that there will be a life after the war. To do that, he wants to help his new friend become a full person—in the hopes of the After the War.
Obi-Wan cannot save everyone. He cannot help everyone.
But maybe...
Maybe, JUST maybe, he can help this one Clone become more of a person, and far... far less of just another number.
Slavery is a hell of a thing, and it comes in many forms. But another face of slavery is indoctrination, which is ultimately the stripping away personhood, so they can be utilized as a tool—sound familiar? Yeah, me too.
I think, Obi-Wan would recognize this about the two young men he cares about. Yes, even Rex, but... this post is about Cody and Anakin.
I went on more about Cody than Anakin because... there's a lot of wonderful meta about Anakin, and I'm not confident enough to try and fill the same niche. I also have so much I could say about how I envision Anakin and Cody get along, and how it might be through Obi-Wan's eyes. I'll just say this: he thinks both his overgrown students are hilarious together, and his tickles him... Ginger. ;)
Anyway, I hope this post finds you, anon, and you get anything from it. At the time of this post, I only have one posted fic. While it doesn't go as deep into this meta, there are some elements in it to get a taste of this characterization/meta. When the bigger version of the AU goes up—who knows. It is currently at 270K+.
Thank you for the engagement!
EDIT: There are MORE points of comparison that I just... couldn't get to. Such as the earliest characterization notes we were given about Cody, right after ROTS came out. (Overly cautious, anxious, but highly competent—I love me some anxiety-riddled people with excess competency. My "Imposter Syndrome" Cody isn't going anywhere, and it helps him lineup with Anakin.)
Side-notes and additional commentary under the cut.
***We don't acknowledge "space force" in this house.
**** Yeah, no, Rex is a CC. I'll fite over this. He is labelled in far more apocrypha as a CC, and it just gets way too complicated to label him a CT when he is in a command-class position. This is one area of new canon I'm just... gonna ignore. I hc that Krell was being a jackass to Rex.
Note: Rex was always a CC until the Umbara episodes. When he was called CT-7567... it was a script terror. I'm ignoring that retcon. There's even books printed as late as 2021 that list him as CC.
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indynerdgirl · 1 year
Text
So you want to write a TopGun fanfic but know absolutely nothing about the US Navy and don't even know where to start looking. You're in luck!
Here are all of the links and notes I've acquired while researching for my own TopGun fanfics. I call this my TopGun Fanfic Writer's Reference Sheet/Info Dump. Hope this helps and happy writing! 😄
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Differences Between Navy/Coast Guard Officer Ranks and Army/Air Force/Marine Officer Ranks
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There are two other ranks between a Navy Lieutenant and a Navy Captain
A Navy Captain is NOT the same as an Army/Air Force/Marine Captain
A Navy Captain is equivalent to an Army/Air Force/Marine Colonel
Iceman is an Admiral and as such he would be addressed/referred to as 'Admiral Kazansky' or just 'Admiral' (like what Mav calls him when he goes to visit) and NOT 'Commander'.
Simpson (Cyclone) is a Vice Admiral
Bates (Warlock) is a Rear Admiral Upper Half
US Navy's Website - How To Become A Commissioned Naval Officer
Admissions Information/Steps for Applying for the USNA
Info about NROTC - Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps
Info about Naval Officer Candidate School
A Path To Professional Leadership - Becoming A Navy Officer
YouTube Playlist of 50+ Videos With Information Related To Both Top Gun Movies And The Navy In General
Cmdr. Elizabeth Malecha, a Naval Flight Officer, was the first female graduate of Topgun and that wasn’t until 2001.
Cmdr. Becky Calder was the first female pilot to graduate from Topgun and that wasn’t until 2004.
List of currently active United States naval aircraft
Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet Wikipedia Page
How Do You Earn The Coveted Wings of Gold?
Fights On! Podcast - Ep. 1: Wings of Gold (1:47:51) Episode one chronicles the path of naval aviators from college graduate through winging and beyond. Fight’s On! is an eight-episode podcast series about combat aviation training, focusing on how the US takes newly minted Officers and Warrant Officers and molds them into combat aviators able to fight and win in today’s high-tech battlespace.
Told through the stories and experiences of US military aviators in their own voices. Fight’s On! will take the listener on the journey of combat aviators from Initial Flight Training through Advanced Tactical Training and multi-unit exercises, ultimately describing the current and near future systems and programs that will ensure American air dominance into the future. +Listen on Spotify +Listen on Apple Podcasts +Listen on iHeart Podcasts +Listen on PlayerFM United States Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor program aka TOPGUN
DoD - TOPGUN: Edge of Aviation
US Navy Stories - Patch Wearers: The Real TOPGUN Inside The Real TOPGUN Fighter School
The TOPGUN Legacy: Making Maverick with Capt. Brian Ferguson
Aviation Warfare - Overview of Fixed Wing Aircraft from the USNA website
Wikipedia page for the United States Pacific Fleet
Part of the larger Indo-Pacific Command
Garrison/HQ: Naval Station Pearl Harbor
Commander is appointed by the President with Senate advice and consent.
Commander reports to the Secretary of the Navy (administrative), the Chief of Naval Operations (administrative), and the Commander of US Indo-Pacific Command (operational).
Commander term length is approx. 2-3 years.
As of 2011, the Pacific Fleet has authority over: + Numbered Third and Seventh Fleets + Naval Air Force, Pacific + Commander, Naval Surface Forces Pacific + Naval Submarine Force, Pacific Naval shore commands over which USPACFLT has authority: + Commander Naval Forces Korea + Commander Naval Forces Japan + Commander Naval Forces Marianas
List of US Navy Bases - Both Within The US And Abroad
US Navy Careers - Fighter Pilot
Navy Fighter Pilot Lingo
The Fighter Pilot Podcast - Glossary List
The 100+ Most Creative Pilot Callsigns With Explanations
‘Sidewalk,’ ‘Terminally Stupid,’ and ‘Meatloaf’ — How military pilots get their call signs
DoD - Aviator Call Signs: The History & Naming Rituals
Pilot Callsigns - The web's largest collection of callsign stories
USNA - Naval Aviation
In Naval Aviation, captains with sea commands are Naval Aviators or Naval Flight Officers who are commanding officers of aircraft carriers, commanding officers of large-deck air-capable amphibious assault ships, commanders of carrier air wings (CAG), or commodores of functional or "type" air wings or air groups. A smaller cohort outside of sea and shore commands may also serve as astronauts on loan to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). [X]
Navy captains who are line officers may also fill senior command and staff positions ashore as Chiefs of Staff/Executive Assistants or senior operations officers to flag officers, or they may hold shore command assignments such as commanding officers of naval bases, naval stations, naval air stations, naval air facilities, naval support activities, logistics groups, specialized centers or schools, or commanders of test wings or training air wings. They may also occupy senior leadership positions on fleet staffs, naval component commands staffs, the staffs of the joint Unified Combatant Commands, the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations (OPNAV), or the Joint Staff. [X]
Promotion to captain is governed by DoD policies derived from the Defense Officer Personnel Management Act (DOPMA) of 1980 or its companion Reserve Officer Personnel Management Act (ROPMA). DOPMA/ROPMA guidelines suggest that no more than 50% of eligible commanders should be promoted to captain after serving a minimum of three years at their present rank and after attaining 21–23 years of cumulative commissioned service, although this percentage may be appreciably less, contingent on force structure and the needs of the service. With very few exceptions, such as Naval Aviator Astronaut and Naval Flight Officer Astronaut, unrestricted line officer captains in the Navy will have successfully completed at least one commanding officer assignment at the commander (O-5) level (an aviation squadron for Naval Aviators and Naval Flight Officers) before being selected for promotion to captain. All those selected to the rank of captain by the U.S. Navy are confirmed by the United States Senate.  [X]
youtube
An Idiot’s Guide To What Service Members Are Called In Every Branch
...Or you can just keep calling all the Marines soldiers. They secretly love it. Have you ever accidentally called a Marine “Soldier?” The look they gave you probably had you fearing for your life.
We know that trying to remember what to call the members of each military branch can get kind of confusing. Never fear! We’re here to help. This video guide will assure that you’re never in danger of being beat up by a Marine again (at least not for this reason).
This is why Navy pilots prefer to be called ‘naval aviators’
At some time in our military careers, we come across pilots of all sorts, helicopter pilots, Air Force cargo pilots, Navy fighter pilots, etc. While the former two might allow you to refer to them as simply “pilots,” there’s a good chance the naval aviator will take the time to remind you that he or she is an “aviator,” not a pilot.
And there’s a very good, non-egotistical reason for that. We promise.
For hundreds of years before navies around the world were flying jet-powered aircraft off the decks of massive floating cities, “pilots” were operating in navies long before ships had engines that weren’t powered by wind or slaves. In those terms, a pilot is specially qualified to drive a ship in and out of a specific port or a specific area. For large ships, this pilot is someone from outside, who literally comes into your boat and drives it into the harbor because he or she knows the area better than anyone else.
The pilot will roll up next to your ship aboard a pilot boat, which carries the pilot in a boat, one marked “pilot boat.” And those poor guys have to climb up the side of your ship just to park it for you. Both naval aviators and maritime pilots have a hard job that allows for zero error – so call them whatever they want.
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usafphantom2 · 7 months
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"Top Gun" School will modernize its F-16
Fernando Valduga By Fernando Valduga 08/18/2023 - 19:46 in Military
The U.S. Navy awarded a contract worth US$818 million to the U.S. government defense engineering company, Amentum, which is expected to allow the support and modernization of the "Aggressor" unit equipped with F-16 fighter planes operating inside the famous "Top Gun" school.
The F-16 multimission fighter is not part of the U.S. Navy's endowment but is used in a certain number to simulate enemy fighters. Since 1998, the U.S. Navy has used 26 units of the F-16 (22 monoplaces and 4 biplaces). In 2002, 14 other F-16 fighters initially planned for the Pakistan Air Force joined the prestigious "Top Gun" school at Fallon Naval Station in Nevada.
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The F-16 aircraft thus complement the old Northrop F-5 E/F Tiger II, the F/A-18 Hornet and a first squadron of F-35s to simulate the latest generation of Chinese aircraft in particular. But also very useful for working on combat tactics against 5ª generation stealth aircraft.
As part of the modernization of the F-16 "Aggressor", the company Amentum will ensure the operational maintenance of the F-16 A/B/C/D aircraft and will ensure the full maintenance of the system and the support of the supply chair to ensure the continuity of flight operations. During the term of the contract, Amentum will help the U.S. Navy increase its F-16 "Aggressor" fleet at all locations.
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Under the Contractor Logistics Support (CLS) contract, Amentum will provide technical, support and logistics solutions for U.S. Navy F-16 aircraft based in Fallon, Nevada.
This contract begins on August 31, 2023, has a base period of five years and an option period of three years, and is contracted through the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) supporting the Naval Aviation Warfighting Development Center (NAWDC) and the Naval Air Force Reserve, Tactical Support Wing (TSW).
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One of Amentum's main objectives will be to track the cracks that appear in some of the cell partitions. This problem is not unique to F-16, it occurs in virtually all cells over time. The F-16 is designed to support a load of up to 9 Gs with a lifespan of 8,000 flight hours. In addition, the wing hardpoints have been reinforced to support the expected higher G rates. A consequence of extreme dogfights inside the "Top Gun". By strengthening this part of the aircraft, it is possible that a weaker link has been created elsewhere.
Amentum is a global leader in engineering, project management and solution integration, trusted to modernize the most critical missions in the world. Supported by a strong culture of ethics, safety and inclusion, Amentum is strongly committed to operational excellence and successful execution. Headquartered in Chantilly, Virginia, the company employs more than 44,000 employees.
Tags: AggressorMilitary AviationF-16 Fighting FalconTop GunUSN - United States Navy/U.S. Navy
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Fernando Valduga
Fernando Valduga
Aviation photographer and pilot since 1992, has participated in several events and air operations, such as Cruzex, AirVenture, Daytona Airshow and FIDAE. He has works published in specialized aviation magazines in Brazil and abroad. Uses Canon equipment during his photographic work around the world of aviation.
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2oosterr · 19 hours
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capt. ryan 'orca' murdoch
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-> Playlist
GENERAL
NAME: Ryan Murdoch
ALIASES: Orca, Oscar Actual
AFFILIATION: United States Navy, OSOD
RANK: Captain
DOB: March 6th, 1978
AGE: 45
GENDER: F
BLOOD TYPE: B NEG
SEXUALITY: Queer unlabeled
HOMETOWN: Rockland, Maine
CURRENT RESIDENCE: Redcorn Airfield, Odessa, Texas
NATIONALITY: USAmerican
EDUCATION HISTORY: K-12 [1983 - 1991]
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY: US Naval Aviator (Commander) [1994 - 2011], PMC Operator (Captain) [2011 - Present]
APPEARANCE
HEIGHT: 173cm (5’7”)
WEIGHT: 170 lbs
EC: Brown
HC: Black, White
BUILD: Athletic, prominent muscle definition
SKILLS
[23/30]
Strength:             ▮▮▮▯▯
Speed:                ▮▮▮▯▯
Intelligence:        ▮▮▮▮▯
Experience:        ▮▮▮▮▮
Perception:         ▮▮▮▮▮
Communication: ▮▮▮▯▯
SPOKEN LANGUAGES: English (Native), Spanish (C1), Russian (B2), ASL
SPECIALISATION: Can pilot almost any aircraft, including helicopters and the C-130.
WEAPONS: Proficient in close combat, hand-to-hand, air-to-air, and air-to-land combat. Long range is a weak point.
RELATIONSHIPS
Alison Murdoch [Mother] [AGE: 66]
Louis Murdoch [Father] [DECEASED]
Aaron Murdoch [Brother] [AGE: 34]
PSYCHOLOGY
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Anger management issues
Chronic alcoholism
MEDICAL
GSW on right side of face
3rd degree burns on right arm
Dog bite scar on left arm
ENHANCEMENT
[GRADE 4 - Extremely Low Risk]
Individual had demonstrated the ability to walk on liquid. Note that individual can submerge in the same liquid when contact point is not the feet.
PERSONALITY
MBTI type – ISTJ-A; Introverted, observant, thinking, judging, assertive.
Orca is a natural leader despite her introversion. She commands attention, even from those who aren't willing to follow her, unafraid to put such people in their place with harsh words and biting insults. Her introversion leans more to the ambivert side of things, she prefers the quiet of solitude over a loud social function, but socialising is not out of her comfort zone, and she would never be afraid to speak up and voice her opinions.
The ends always justify the means to Orca. She is willing to do risky, and sometimes deplorable, things to complete her objective, leaving some to question her morality, but those close to her trust that she knows where to draw the line. She's self-assured, confident to the point of cockiness at times, because she's good and she knows it. 
The opinions of others mean very little to her, with the exception of the few people she calls her friends – she cares deeply for those select few. It takes a lot for her to trust, and a lot more to consider someone a friend, but once you've proved yourself, her loyalty is fierce. It’s incredibly difficult, but not impossible, to lose her faith.
Even when she was in the Navy, Orca has never been a fan of authority. It takes effort to earn her respect, which many of her commanding officers never did. In a way, this makes her slightly hypocritical, seeing as she demands respect from those around her but doesn't give it so easily.
Although she appears to be a serious, no-nonsense Captain, under the stony facade Orca actually has a strong sense of humour. She's more than willing to indulge in the jokes her soldiers throw around, but she still reserves the ability to take things seriously when the need arises.
FUN FACTS
Orca learned to play the drums as a way to de-stress. She learned in bootcamp from one of the older kids, and kept it up when she could in the Navy.
Her biggest pet peeve is stupid questions. She’s been known to make people run laps until the sun goes down for not using common sense.
The streaks in her hair are due to a bout of Alopecia Areata that she suffered from for most of her childhood, likely stress induced, and when the patches of hair grew back, they were white. She also has a patch of white where her neck meets her skull, but she keeps that one hidden because she doesn’t think it's as cool as the other two.
Her hair is also the reason for her callsign, since it looks vaguely like the markings on a killer whale, especially when she wears it up.
Her favourite colour is red.
She owns an ungodly amount of orca plushies.
On a similar note, she also owns an ungodly amount of model figures of fighter jets.
She’s obsessed with Top Gun. Like, balls to the wall fucking insane about it.
Like, she references it daily.
Yes, it was the reason she joined the navy. She is not immune to propaganda
Orca actually attended the real TOPGUN in Nevada in 2000, and graduated top of her class.
In 2016, she bought a decommissioned F-22 Raptor thanks to an Admiral friend of hers, and has been slowly refurbishing it in her off time. She keeps it in hangar two, and nobody else is even allowed to go in there.
She does all the repairs to the OSODs aircrafts herself.
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BACKGROUND
Ryan's fate was decided before she was even born.
Her mother, Alison, was known to carry the gene for a genetic disorder and as a result, when she was pregnant with Ryan, she opted for a genetic screening to see if it would be passed down to her. It wasn't, but it's thanks to this genetic screening that they found out Ryan carried the NLH gene – the enhanced gene.
From the moment she was born, it seemed that her parents had already given up on her. Neglectful would be an understatement, there was no love in the way they cared for her. It was nothing but a chore to them, having to raise their mutant child when all they wanted was a normal baby.
Her father died when she was five. Shipped out to Iraq in ‘83 and never came back. Her mother shut down after that.
Growing up was difficult. Rockland was a small enough town that most, if not all, of the inhabitants knew about the fact that she was enhanced. She spent the majority of her childhood alone, being avoided by her peers and ignored by her mother, and becoming more and more bitter as the years went by.
She was eight when she finally discovered what her enhancement was; the ability to walk on water. It's a cruel joke, that she never even had a fleeting chance at a normal life because of something so insignificant.
When Ryan was eleven, her half-brother Aaron was born, and she got to witness firsthand what it looks like when someone loves you. Her mother was a completely different person once she brought him home, smiling and cooing adoringly at her infant brother. The resentment for both of them would never leave her.
Enhanced individuals, as the official paperwork refers to them, are required to serve in the military whether they like it or not. Mandatory service, starting at sixteen, and ending when you die. There is no choice, not for those who are deemed sub-human because of a genetic mutation completely out of anyone's control.
Despite the unfairness of it all, Ryan was shipped off to bootcamp a few months after her thirteenth birthday. It was easier there, surprisingly; there were other enhanced kids – people like her, for the first time in her life – and the structure and regiment of it all was something she actually found herself enjoying. The one aspect she struggled with was the demanding authority. She has never been with being told what to to, being a follower, especially by people she has no reason to respect apart from their rank. Her commanding officers were just like every other adult that had failed her thus far, and she earned more than a few disciplinaries for the insubordination of her outbursts of anger.
The three years she spent there helped Ryan for some sense of identity. It was strange, and bittersweet in a way, but she thrived in the military – had she not been conscripted, she may have even joined of her own accord.
The only sense of choice people like Ryan are given is the liberty of choosing which branch of the military they go to, so when she finally reached her sixteenth birthday in the March of ‘94, Ryan picked the Navy. She was on the plane to California the next day.
Once again, her entire life and any sense of structure she had was thrown to the wind. The Navy was harder, she was alone again and this time she had no idea if she was the only one of her kind; outing herself as enhanced didn’t seem like the best idea, especially since being a woman already put a target on her head. They looked down on her, endlessly questioned her abilities with an arrogance that made her blood boil, but Ryan was determined. She would be an aviator, and she’d be leagues better than all the people who thought they were above her – no amount of discouragement from them could change her mind.
It was in the academy that she met her first true friend, Michael ‘Berlin’ Addams. He was Ryan’s wingman, her partner in the skies, and the only person in her life to accept her unconditionally and without question. From the moment they met it was like two puzzle pieces clicking into place, his easygoing and humorous nature was the complete opposite of Orca’s quick temper, but they worked incredibly together like two sides of the same coin.
After Orca and Berlin graduated from the academy, placed first and fourth respectively, the two of them quickly rose through the ranks together, thanks to their raw talent for aviation as well as the synergy they had. They were best friends, practically inseparable, and though there were others they got along with, no one else came close to the bond that they had. For the longest time it was just the two of them, but the incident of March 1999 changed that.
While offshore on a deployment, someone found out Orca was enhanced, and word spread around the aircraft carrier faster than she could’ve imagined. She lashed out, broke another pilot's nose, and had to mop the floors for two months as punishment. While she was cleaning she was approached by one of the sailors, Eric Reyton she would come to learn. He extended an olive branch, and almost got his head bitten off before he revealed that he was enhanced too. It was a relief, learning that she wasn’t the only one, she finally had someone who really understood again. Berlin did his best, but he would never truly know what it was like.
From then on, it was the three of them. Orca, Berlin, and Eric – Static, as they took to calling him – and for the first time she actually started to feel like she belonged. The boys were like brothers to her, the family she never had, and life finally felt like it was looking up after all those long, lonely years.
And then Berlin died.
Shot down over land while they were on assignment. He didn't even have time to eject before he hit the ground.
Orca thought she knew pain. Unloved by her own mother, alone for the first sixteen years of her life, rejected by almost everyone she'd ever met, none of it had been easy; but as she watched Berlin's plane disappear into the treeline, nothing could've prepared her for the agony that ripped through her chest.
The rest felt like an out of body experience. She ejected, sparing not a single though for her own plane as it went down too. The landing fractured her ankle but she ran anyway, through the forest towards the blaze. She clambered up the wing of his aircraft, ripping the cockpit open and paying no mind to the way the searing metal burned through her flight suit and then her skin.
She pulled his body from the wreck, collapsing onto the ground with his lifeless body cradled in her arms. That's how the evac team found her, hours later, still sobbing into his cold skin.
His body went back to his family in New Jersey, but Orca kept his tags. She stayed standing over his coffin for hours after everyone else had left, everyone but Eric. Nobody was closer to Berlin than they were. Nobody understood the gaping hole his death left behind.
They were approached, after night had fallen and they were on their way out of the graveyard. The stranger handed Orca a card and introduced herself – Colonel Ellis – telling her to call when they needed a change of scenery. Eric had to restrain her from clawing the Colonel's eyes out for her audacity.
After the funeral, Orca finally understood how her mother felt when her dad didn't come home. There was nothing that could help the pain, the anguish of losing her best friend, so she drank herself into blackout numbness to escape it. Eric tried to help her, but it only ended in her lashing out. It went on like that for months, the only time she wasn't wasted was on the aircraft carrier where she had no choice. In a desperate attempt to help his friend, Eric ended up calling the Colonel to get them both out of California.
They found out on the flight to Texas that the Colonel was starting a PMC solely for the enhanced. The 'Occult Special Operations Division', she called it, a counter-terrorism taskforce. At first Orca was sceptical, the idea of it seemed almost too good to be true, but Colonel Ellis's achievements spoke for themselves. She was a decorated officer, and there was no doubt she had the power and resources to create something like this.
For a year, Orca and Eric served under Colonel Ellis in the OSOD, along with Lieutenant Klaus Green, Corporal Badger, both marines, and Lieutenant Nina ‘Vulture’ Smith, an Air Force pilot and all soldiers Ellis had worked with for a long time. It was better, being surrounded by people like them, and the freedom they had now was infinitely better than what they had in the Navy, but they were still out of their element. While Ellis, Green, Badger were marines and had decades of experience with active combat and its many intricacies, Orca and Eric were just a pilot and a sailor. Still though, Ellis didn't give up on them. They learned surprisingly fast under her mentorship, picking up what she taught them with ease, and though they were still miles behind the marines, their skills were impressive.
In 2011, Ellis was arrested.
The NLH gene is a random mutation, not something that can be isolated and cut out like a genetic disorder. However, if at least one parent carries the NLH gene, then the offspring are guaranteed to be enhanced as well. Starting in the 70s, sterilisation became mandatory for the enhanced, the same as conscription, as another way to control the enhanced population. Colonel Ellis was born in the late 50s, and conscripted in the 60s; in other words, she evaded sterilisation.
It came out that she had a daughter, around Orca's age, and action was taken almost immediately. Colonel Ezikiel Ellis died two months after her incarceration. The details of her death were never released.
Her death was different. It was obvious foul play was involved, but Ellis's death didn't affect her the same way Berlin's devastated her. This time, she got the feeling Ellis had reached her time, that she'd accomplished what she set out to do in her life, and now it was Orca’s duty to carry on her legacy.
She took over the OSOD as Captain as soon as Ellis's death was publicised. Now down to just the three of them, it seemed like a logical course of action to find some new recruits, and it didn't take long to find some. Ellis's daughter, Sergeant Major Arctic, came to Orca shortly after she took over the OSOD, but despite it being her mother's creation, she showed no interest in taking Orca's place. She agreed to work alongside the OSOD, but remained a free agent.
In the same year, they met Sergeants Eastwood and Vantage, marines like Ellis and Green, and most importantly, both enhanced. They were by far the best of their unit and then some, with expertise between them from insertions to engineering. She hired them on the spot.
Orca got the scar in 2012. A mission gone south, an attempt to save a group of hostages, and a crack shot from the enemy. She took a bullet to the face. If she wasn't enhanced, there was no way she would've made it. As luck would have it, if you could call it that, a doctor was among the hostages, and saved Orca's life that night – Honey Rosenheim, an enhanced combat medic who would work with the OSOD for years to come after their unfortunate first encounter.
██████ ██████ ██ █████████ ████ ██████ ███████ █████. █████████ ███████ ██████ █ █████ ████ ██████ ████████. ████ ███████ ███ ██████ █ ██ ██████ █ █████ Badger ███ ███████ █████ █████████ ████ ███████ ██ █████ ██ ██████ █ █████ ██ █████. Badger ███ ████████ M.I.A. ██ ████ 2014.
[CONTENT REDACTED: SEE MISSION REPORT JUNE 11 2014]
It's 2019 by the time Orca meets Captain Price, through Kate Laswell and, surprisingly, their mutual friend, Nikolai. To say he didn't make a good first impression would be an understatement. Perhaps it's because of Orca's natural hostility and standoffish nature, but the two Captains butted heads constantly. Eventually he realised – with gentle nudging from Eric and the lieutenants – that she wasn't just an asshole for the sake of it, and she was actually a proficient leader. She slowly warmed up to him once she didn't have to fight for his respect.
Since the mission in 2018, the OSOD has collaborated with Captain Price, and subsequently Task Force 141, on multiple occasions.
It took significant work, but Orca was an accomplished Captain, with loyal soldiers and the ability to actually make a difference in the world. Her fate may have been decided before she was born, but Ryan is the one who made something for herself. She still has Berlin's picture hanging up in her office.
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argyrocratie · 3 months
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"In the Philippines, President Quezon went into exile at the time of the Japanese invasion but instructed the cabinet and other government officials to remain. The American authorities told them to remain in their posts and obey all orders from the Japanese, but refuse to swear allegiance to Japan. The United States intended to resume ruling the island through traditional elites once the war was over, and did not want to leave a vacuum in the interim which might be filled by unknown and untested resistance forces.
For the islands’ traditional rulers to resist — and they were overwhelmingly unwilling to embark on that course — would only have led to the destruction of many of them and the likely domination of strongly anti-American nationalists over much of the nation or a dangerous power vacuum at the war’s end.[195]
Nevertheless, owing to economic hardships under Japanese rule and the corruption of local elites, resistance forces did arise. They ranged from spontaneous peasant actions — denounced as “extreme leftist actions” by the communists — against quasi-feudal landed classes, to more apolitical guerrillas who “resembled warlord armies far more than the patriotic resistance forces they usually purported to be.” In practice, these latter forces — most of them on the main island of Luzon — proved to be next to worthless for anti-Japanese resistance, but crucial for “containing the only political guerrilla movement that existed, the Hukbalahap.”[196]
Despite the Communist Party’s significant presence in the Huks, it by no means exerted complete control. Although the Huks were founded in March 1942 at the Communist Party’s behest, many of their founding leaders had a background in previous armed peasant resistance groups, and had engaged in the sort of activities denounced as left-wing extremism by the communists. They tended to pursue their own agendas locally, largely in disregard of the mostly urban and educated Communist Party leadership and their agenda (which, in keeping with Comintern policy, called for a united front of all patriotic forces and loyalty to the United States).[197] In particular, the Huks disregarded PKP instructions to confiscate only the crops of collaborationist landlords, and to share power locally with landlords rather than directly controlling villages in their own name.[198]
In late 1944, as MacArthur’s forces entered the Philippines, the Huks launched all-out attacks on the Japanese and established people’s councils in numerous towns. Three provinces elected or appointed governors from the PKP.[199] “By the beginning of 1945 all that stood between the Huks and a total transformation of the agrarian economy was the United States military, led by MacArthur.”[200]
MacArthur’s first order of business was to disarm the Huks, with the help of the previously mentioned apolitical warlord “resistance” which the Americans had “kept… in reserve mainly for this function.”[201] The American occupation forces restored native elites to power and, aside from a very few symbolic cases, refrained from any sanctions against Japanese collaborationists.[202]
MacArthur released Manuel Roxas, imprisoned for collaboration, and installed him as president of the newly independent Philippine nation. He and his successors conducted an ongoing war of counterinsurgency, on behalf of the rural landlords, against the Huks.[203]
America’s willingness to ignore local elites’ collaboration with the Japanese, and to install them as the governing class, was in considerable part dictated by their desire for military and naval bases in the Philippines.
What the American government wanted, therefore, only the conservative comprador elements, the very groups collaborating with the Japanese, were likely to grant. For this reason, despite the certainty that the Filipino people as a whole were bitterly anticollaborationist, the official American policy viewed the collaborationists with silent toleration, and many believed that prewar President Manuel Quezon, or even Sergio Osmena in Washington, were not themselves unfriendly toward them. Vindication of this suspicion came at the end of November 1944, when Osmena landed on Leyte with MacArthur and immediately issued a statement exonerating those public officials who “had to remain at their posts to maintain a semblance of government, to protect the population from the oppressor to the extent possible by human ingenuity and to comfort the people in their misery.” The counterrevolution that followed in the wake of the American occupation laid the basis for a civil war that soon followed….[204]
-Kevin Carson, "The Undeclared Condominium: The USSR As Partner in a Conservative World Order" (2023)
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naturalrights-retard · 8 months
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NATO behind new terror attack on Crimea's Kerch Bridge
Ukraine and NATO attacked a bridge between Russia and Crimea today. This is the same bridge that was attacked last October by Ukraine. According to Russia, a married couple were killed in the terror attack and a young girl was injured. The attack on Monday came from underwater drone strikes run by the SBU, a unit of Ukraine's military. These NATO-provided sea based drones were launched around 3 AM. Ukraine immediately took credit for the terror attack. Why would Ukraine be attacking Crimea when the counteroffensive is nowhere near there? Crimea voted to join Russia in 2014 because of threats by the SBU.
Kerch Bridge Attack Part of US-Ukraine PsyOps Against Russian Civilians in Crimea
The bombing attack on the Kerch Strait bridge on Monday, allegedly carried out by Ukrainian naval drones, did not accidentally kill two civilians, a Russian military expert said. Rather, it was calculated to instill fear in the besieged Russian population of the region.
Vasily Dandykin, a Captain 1st Rank of the Russian Navy reserve, told Sputnik that the bridge represents a kind of “sacred” bond between Russia and Crimea, and the time when Crimea left Ukraine and rejoined Russia.
“For us, the Crimean Bridge is not just the most important economic facility, state, defense, but it is also a sacred place, it is a symbol of the Crimean Spring of 2014. This is such a thread that united us when we did not yet have a special military operation. And of course, they understand this perfectly,” he said.
Putin vows retaliation for new Crimean Bridge strike
The blast was yet another “pointless and brutal” terrorist attack by the Kiev regime, the Russian president said
Russian President Vladimir Putin has vowed retaliation for a new overnight strike on the Crimean Bridge, targeted by two Ukrainian naval drones. Precise measures are currently being weighed up by the country’s Defense Ministry, he said, during an extraordinary meeting with senior officials on Monday.
“The incident is a yet another terrorist attack by the Kiev regime. This crime is pointless from the military point of view, since the Crimean Bridge has long not been used for military transport, and brutal, since only innocent civilians were killed and injured,” the president stressed.
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todaysdocument · 2 years
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The U.S.S. Finback rescued two downed naval aviators on 9/2/1944. One was a young Lt. (j.g.) named George H.W. Bush. 
Series: Logbooks of U.S. Navy Ships and Stations, 1941 - 1988
Record Group 24: Records of the Bureau of Naval Personnel, 1798 - 2007
[transcription]
N. Nav 43
(Mar. 1929)
Page 494
UNITED STATES SHIP FINBACK Saturday 2 September, 1944
ZONE DESCRIPTION Minus 10
REMARKS
0 to 2
Underway on course 000° (T) making standard speed on two main engines.
[signature] G. L. Redmond
G. L. REDMOND,
Lieutenant, U.S. Naval Reserve.
2 to 4
Underway as before.
[signature] J. R. Peat
J. R. PEAT,
Ensign, U.S. Navy.
4 to 6
Underway as before.
[signature] J.L. Lawrence
J. L. LAWRENCE,
Lieutenant, U.S. Naval Resserve.
6 to 9
Underway as before. 0800 changed course to 070° (T).
[signature] H. D. Spratlin
H.D. SPRATLIN,
Lieutenant Commander, U.S. Naval Reserve.
9 to 12
Underway as before. Steering various courses and speeds on life guard station. 1156 rescued Lt.(jg) George H. W. BUSH, File No. 173464, U.S. Naval Reserve, from rubber life boat.
[signature] W.H. Parkman
W. H. PARKMAN,
Ensign, U.S. Naval Reserve.
12 to 15
Underway as before.
[signature] G. L. Redmond
G. L. REDMOND,
Lieutenant, U.S. Naval Reserve.
15 to 18
Underway as before. 1504 changed course to 110° (T). 1505 changed course to 0950 (T) and submerged. 1530 sighted downed aviator in life boat. Made approach on boat and took boat in two with periscope. 1651 changed course to 270° (T). 1717 surfaced with four main engines on the line. Took aboard Ensign James W. BECKMAN, File No. 301442, U.S. Naval Reserve. 1723 changed course to 250° (T), commencing constant helm. 1740 changed course to 270° (T).
[signed] J.R. Peat
J. R. PEAT
Ensign, U.S. Navy.
18 to 20
Underway as before. 1855 changed course to 335° (T) and changed to two engine speed.
[signed] J.L. Lawrence
J. L. LAWRENCE
Lieutenant, U.S. Naval Reserve.
20 to 22
Underway as before. 2015 investigating possible radar contact, various courses and speeds. 2031 resumed two engine speed on base course 335° (T). 2126 slowed to two-thirds speed.
[signature] LL. Heworth, Jr.
L. HEWORTH, Jr.,
Lieutenant, U.S. Navy.
22 to 24
Underway as before.
[signature] W.H. Parkman
W.H. PARKMAN,
Ensign, U.S. Naval Reserve.
Approved:
[signature] R.R. Williams
R.R. WILLIAMS, Lt. Comdr., USN, Commanding
Examined:
[signature] H.D. Spratlin
H.D. SPRATLIN, Lt. Comdr., U.S.N.R. Navigator.
(Original (ribbon) copy of this page to be sent to Bureau of Navigation monthly)
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brookstonalmanac · 3 months
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Events 12.29
1170 – Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, is assassinated inside Canterbury Cathedral by followers of King Henry II; he subsequently becomes a saint and martyr in the Anglican Communion and the Catholic Church. 1503 – The Battle of Garigliano was fought between a Spanish army under Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba and a French army commanded by Ludovico II, Marquess of Saluzzo. 1607 – According to John Smith, Pocahontas, daughter of Powhatan leader Wahunsenacawh, successfully pleads for his life after tribal leaders attempt to execute him. 1778 – American Revolutionary War: Three thousand British soldiers under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Archibald Campbell capture Savannah, Georgia. 1812 – USS Constitution, under the command of Captain William Bainbridge, captures HMS Java off the coast of Brazil after a three-hour battle. 1835 – The Treaty of New Echota is signed, ceding all the lands of the Cherokee east of the Mississippi River to the United States. 1845 – The United States annexes the Republic of Texas and admits it as the 28th state. 1860 – The launch of HMS Warrior, with her combination of screw propeller, iron hull and iron armour, renders all previous warships obsolete. 1874 – The military coup of Gen. Martinez Campos in Sagunto ends the failed First Spanish Republic and the monarchy is restored as Prince Alfonso is proclaimed King of Spain. 1876 – The Ashtabula River railroad disaster occurs, leaving 64 injured and 92 dead at Ashtabula, Ohio. 1890 – On Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, 300 Lakota are killed by the United States 7th Cavalry Regiment. 1911 – Mongolia gains independence from the Qing dynasty, enthroning 8th Jebtsundamba Khutughtu as Khagan of Mongolia. 1913 – Cecil B. DeMille starts filming Hollywood's first feature film, The Squaw Man. 1930 – Sir Muhammad Iqbal's presidential address in Allahabad introduces the two-nation theory and outlines a vision for the creation of Pakistan. 1934 – Japan renounces the Washington Naval Treaty of 1922 and the London Naval Treaty of 1930. 1937 – The Irish Free State is replaced by a new state called Ireland with the adoption of a new constitution. 1940 – In the Second Great Fire of London, the Luftwaffe fire-bombs London, England, killing almost 200 civilians during World War II. 1972 – Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 (a Lockheed L-1011 TriStar) crashes in the Florida Everglades on approach to Miami International Airport, Florida, killing 101 of the 176 people on board. 1975 – A bomb explodes at LaGuardia Airport in New York City, killing 11 people and injuring more than 75. 1989 – Czech writer, philosopher and dissident Václav Havel is elected the first post-communist President of Czechoslovakia. 1989 – The Nikkei 225 for the Tokyo Stock Exchange hits its all-time intra-day high of 38,957.44 and closing high at 38,915.87, serving as the apex of the Japanese asset price bubble. 1992 – Fernando Collor de Mello, president of Brazil, tries to resign amidst corruption charges, but is then impeached. 1994 – Turkish Airlines Flight 278 (a Boeing 737-400) crashes on approach to Van Ferit Melen Airport in Van, Turkey, killing 57 of the 76 people on board. 1996 – Guatemala and leaders of Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity sign a peace accord ending a 36-year civil war. 1998 – Leaders of the Khmer Rouge apologize for the Cambodian genocide that claimed over one million lives. 2003 – The last known speaker of Akkala Sami dies, rendering the language extinct. 2006 – The UK settles its Anglo-American loan, post-WWII loan debt. 2013 – A suicide bomb attack at the Volgograd-1 railway station in the southern Russian city of Volgograd kills at least 18 people and wounds 40 others. 2013 – Seven-time Formula One champion Michael Schumacher suffers a massive head injury while skiing in the French Alps. 2020 – A large explosion at the airport in the southern Yemeni city of Aden kills at least 22 people and wounds 50.
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dirjoh-blog · 4 months
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JFK at War
While the world is remembering the 60th anniversary of the assassination of John Fitzgerald Kennedy, I want to focus on another aspect of JFK. His time during World War 2 and specifically his time on PT 109. “The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the NAVY and MARINE CORPS MEDAL to/ LIEUTENANT JOHN FITZGERALD KENNEDY UNITED STATES NAVAL RESERVE/ for service as set forth…
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awakenedwarrior2 · 8 months
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🇺🇲 WWII uncovered: Tyrone Power USMC Aviator and Veteran of the Battle of Iwo Jima and the Battle of Okinawa
Already an established actor, Tyrone Power starred in such productions as: "Lloyd's of London," "The Mark of Zorro," "The Black Swan," "Jesse James" and "Marie Antoinette." Tyrone was the second largest box office star in 1939. His career was in full swing when he walked away to serve his country.
Tyrone Power enlisted in the US Marine Corps at the age of 28 in August of 1942. He refused his studio's offer to obtain an Officer's commission and enlisted as a Private.
According to the Flying Leatherneck Historical Foundation: "Tyrone Power attended boot camp at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego. Then, Officer’s Candidate School at Marine Corps Base Quantico, where he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant on June 2, 1943. Due to Tyrone's being an accomplished pilot prior to enlistment He went through an accelerated training program at Naval Air Station in Corpus Christi, Texas."
"In July 1944, First Lieutenant Power was assigned to Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 352 as an R5C transport co-pilot at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina. The squadron moved to Marine Corps Air Station El Toro in California in October 1944. Power was later reassigned to VMR-353, joining them on Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands in February 1945. From there, he flew missions carrying cargo in and wounded Marines out during the Battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. Power was decorated with the American Campaign Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with two bronze stars, and the World War II Victory Medal." (Flying Leatherneck Historical Foundation and USMC)
Tyrone Power returned to the United States in November 1945 and was released from active duty in January 1946. He was promoted to the rank of Captain in the Reserves on May 8, 1951. Tyrone would go on to star in over 20 movies after the war.
Major Tyrone Power remained in the Marine Corps Reserve until his death on November 15, 1958 at the age of 44. Major Power was buried with full military honors at Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles California. Lest We Forget.
WWII uncovered©️ original description and photos sourced by: Flying Leatherneck Historical Foundation, Turner Classic Movies Database, United States Marine Corps, Cincinnati Public Library and IMdb. (Fair Use Photos)
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judgemark45 · 2 years
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March 31, 1992 – USS Missouri (BB-63), the last active American battleship is decommissioned. The USS Missouri (BB-63) (“Mighty Mo” or “Big Mo”), an Iowa-class battleship and was the third ship of the U.S. Navy to be named in honor of the US state of Missouri. Missouri was the last battleship commissioned by the United States and was the site of the surrender of the Empire of Japan which ended World War II. Missouri was ordered in 1940 and commissioned in June 1944. In the Pacific Theater of World War II she fought in the battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa and shelled the Japanese home islands, and she fought in the Korean War from 1950 to 1953. She was decommissioned in 1955 into the United States Navy reserve fleets (the “Mothball Fleet”), but reactivated and modernized in 1984 as part of the 600-ship Navy plan, and provided fire support during Operation Desert Storm in January/February 1991. Missouri received a total of 11 battle stars for service in World War II, Korea, and the Persian Gulf, and was finally decommissioned on 31 March 1992, but remained on the Naval Vessel Register until her name was struck in January 1995. In 1998, she was donated to the USS Missouri Memorial Association and became a museum ship at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
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