WCGW Chpt 99

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==Chapter 99 - What Could Go Wrong==
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25 April 3042
New Avalon (Federated Commonwealth, FedSun State Capital)
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Marshal Walter Vickers, Department of Mercenary Relations, had the request from Marshal of the Armies Ran Felsner to appoint a combat tested officer, with no possible security risk to Liaison with Search and Recovery Inc mercenary command. He had to do some research because the unit did not ring a bell. A single pirate hunting contract successfully completed, a new pirate hunting contract along with a retainer contract for two years issued by First Prince Hanse Davion himself. Whoever they were, they had caught the eye of the First Prince himself.
He pulled up his roster of unassigned officers ready for an assignment. He examined several different officers before settling on one that fit the bill to a tee. He cut the orders assigning the newly promoted Lieutenant Colonel to be the new Liaison Officer for Search and Recovery Inc. It would be the perfect first assignment for him as a Liaison Officer, two years with this command, the duration of the contracts, and maybe he could be assigned to a larger better-known command. The perfect place to get his feet wet. Besides, with a last name like that, no way could there be a security risk, he thought.
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28 April 3042
Inner End (Federated Commonwealth)
Colonel David Mitchell was disgusted with himself. They had just returned from a weeklong exercise against the Kilbourne DMM, using equipment slated to be sold to the Federated Commonwealth until their own equipment arrived. His battle plan had gone okay until the unit was decisively engaged and then everything came at him so fast and in such volume that he had been unable to coordinate the unit effectively. The Kilbourne DMM had rolled his right flank and was in his face literally before his brain could react to the rapidly changing battlefield.
It was one thing to command a Battalion of Infantry over roughly a kilometer of ground, but commanding a multi-Battalion force, of different types was a totally different beast. Once inside his small office that was attached to his apartment, he put his head between both hands and stared at the top of his desk. He stayed like this for several minutes until a knock brought his head up. "Come in."
Lieutenant Colonel Alfred Dortman opened the door and walked inside, he paused to close the door behind him. Colonel Mitchell gestured to a seat and Lieutenant Colonel Dortman sat down. "A rough go out there ja?"
"A rough go? We got slaughtered out there." Colonel Mitchell replied
"That's because your still thinking like a Battalion Commander, not a Regiment Commander. It is too much for a single person to handle. I served my entire career with the FedCom Corps. Major Rolando is an excellent tactician and officer. Might I suggest she take over the Infantry Battalion, I will take over as your S3. I have worked in both the Brigade and Regimental Combat Team staff level. Both as assistant S3 positions." Lieutenant Colonel Alfred Dortman said
"Hell, why didn't you say all this way back when?" Colonel Mitchell asked
"You didn't ask and your the commanding officer. If you could not handle it, better you find out in a training exercise than when it is for real. Somethings have to be experienced before proper suggestions can be made and acted upon. We have a week of downtime before we go back out for a second go at it. That will give me time to form a small staff and maybe run a few command level exercises before we go back out. Agreeable ja?" Lieutenant Colonel Dortman said
"Agreeable. I absolutely hate losing at anything. We will give it a try Colonel Dortman." Colonel Mitchell replied
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