I know I've been spending a lot of time working on Imperial Center and letting the army work through its stories.  I am prepared to do some more behind the scenes stuff for the Army, but need some direction. Through posting here or via email, I would like to know what information you need or needed as a new member to make you feel knowledgeable about Star Wars, particularly about being a stormtrooper?  I don't want to bury people in data, but there are ways of giving you a better all-around experience than we have been doing. If you have a lot of insightful suggestions on this, I am definitely willing to part with a portion of the DarNamell estate to reward you for your participation.
 
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PRF/BG Fury/VEA/TADATH/VE [SCP][PoC][SotE:HC][SotE:VEA][IOC]
Stormtrooper Corps Prefect
Shopkeeper - Imperial Center

I agree with you on the specialties.. thats a biggie.. more detail and what the training is going to entail.  Also maybe a better example of what your goals should be when you join.. ok, your out of drill, now your in a squad, where do you go from here?  More detailed road map I guess I am saying.  more to come...
 
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TRP/LCPL MaraJade/SQD3/PLT3/COMP1/BAT1

How about you run an AWOL check more frequently and get rid of the people who don't do anything? I never see half the people on the Army roster doing jack crap. Also, I wish you would have a word with some of the squad leaders, Fury. Rizzit seems to be doing a nice job with the Raiders, but from what I can tell, the other squads just basically sit around and do nothing. Or if their members are active, it's purely by their own choice and not part of any organized effort.
 
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TRP/SSGT Shadow/2SQD (Dark Dragoons)/1PLT (Wildcard)/1COMP (Phoenix)/1BAT (Dragon)/1REG (Osiris)/VEA/VE [LM]

Leave us . . . the dog eats strangers.

That's funny...I see your SL every day. As for the responses I've been getting.  All good ideas.  I especially like the "road map" concept and the idea of increased medals that SLs can give out...though I gotta say if someone gets recommended for one of the higher level ones, it would likely be approved.  You don't think that people get Silver Stars or Purple Hearts in the US Army because some higher up saw a need do you? No, it is because a sergeant or lieutenant submitted the request. As for the condescending remarks about other SLs, I just want to remind you all of the "praise in public, punish in private" philosophy that has been beaten into all our skulls at one time or another (and if this is your first time hearing it, welcome) and that constructive criticism is going to go a lot further with me than anything to the contrary.
 
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PRF/BG Fury/VEA/TADATH/VE [SCP][PoC][SotE:HC][SotE:VEA][IOC]
Stormtrooper Corps Prefect
Shopkeeper - Imperial Center

I agree with Shadow on the AWOL checks. There needs to be more of them. I don't think that it should be done every week (like the Navy ), but I do think that mabye we should start one every two weeks. Keep the troops on their toes. Speaking of which, I'll have to make an AWOL check for the Trainees soon.
 
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Dawk "Cosmic" Rhonaey
CoT/LTC Cosmic/HCA-3/VEA/VE [OPE][OTH][OPA][IH][CDS][EW1][GS][SoS][MSM][PoC][IOC]
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Dawk "Cosmic" Rhonaey
SL/DJK Cosmic/Lion 1-1/mSSD Atrus/VEDJ/VE [VP][KC1][OAK]
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Then again, there is obviously stuff going on behind the scenes that we don't know about.  I could've sworn that Yun was gone and long since AWOL as I never see any sign of his presence, and then all of a sudden there's this new website. So, like I've always maintained, the SLs know best what their troops are doing. Though in case some of you SLs missed it, there is a request for a fresh AWOL check.
 
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PRF/BG Fury/VEA/TADATH/VE [SCP][PoC][SotE:HC][SotE:VEA][IOC]
Stormtrooper Corps Prefect
Shopkeeper - Imperial Center

Swomz, I am glad that you think I am doing things well as your SL, but I think there are a few things you should be aware of: 1. Some squads don't do as much witing as we do. We do a lot of writing, so that is my form on an AWOL check. 2. It takes hard work to put a competiton together. They are not mandatory no matter what you may think. You need to closely track the games played, and decide what each win counts for. Not to mention how prizes are issued. Speaking of which, I don't remember EVER giving out a medal or a promotion just for winning a competition. Now in bigger competitions like an ESC, that is something else. 3. Respect the way the other SLs operate. Not everyone runs like we do. They could be doing a lot of behind-the-scenes work, and we don't know about it. Also, no one it criticizing you new troopers. Where you got that idea I will never know. 4. If you're going by that praise in public speech, why aren't you praising the SLs and other troopers. Just cause I am your SL does not mean I want you to praise only me. "Give credit where it is due." There is another speach for you to memorize. If any of you other SLs have anything to add, please feel free.
 
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Platoon Sergeant Rizzit BlackHeart
Wildcard Platoon
Raider's Squad Leader
Army of the Vast Empire
SL/PSGT Rizzit/3SQD/1PLT/COMP/1BAT/1RGT//VE[OPE][OTH][EW1]
"Should I let him die slowly, or put him out of his misery?"--Rizzit

Nah, I'm more into the group effort because: "None of us is as dumb as all of us" http://www.despair.com/meetings.html
 
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Argon Viper
IW COL Argon Viper{ret}
"History is on the move, those who cannot keep up will watch from a distance, and those who get in our way will not watch at all" - Grand Admiral Thrawn
"In combat, second place is only the last to die."- Anonymous
"Condemnation does not liberate, it oppresses" - Carl G Jung
"The only thing that will never change is that everything will change" - Argon Viper

Well, I don't know about that; but I do know that in the missions I have been trying to make posts that seperate a portion of the group from us. Let them make a few posts and then re-group. It's been working out good except that we now have an injured trooper. heh.
 
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Platoon Sergeant Rizzit BlackHeart
Wildcard Platoon
Raider's Squad Leader
Army of the Vast Empire
SL/PSGT Rizzit/3SQD/1PLT/COMP/1BAT/1RGT//VE[OPE][OTH][EW1]
"Should I let him die slowly, or put him out of his misery?"--Rizzit

Ok well I think we need less RPG information for a trooper's training and more information on how the Vast Empire works. Some people get gittery, especially gamers if you focus highly on RP matters for training. Its a good thing to have, yes, just that I think new soldiers would enjoy some information on how the army works, how the vast empire works, and how they can do well besides "stay active". Ill think of a better post, but thats just my idea
 
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TRP/LC Kjerri/2SQD/1PLT/1COM/1BAT/1RGT/VEA/VE [LoR]
"I can please only one person per day. Today is not your day...tomorrow isn't looking good either."

If anyone ever figures out how the Vast Empire really works, I'm gonna clear out the shelves of medals. Basically, and I've been back and forth on this with Argon until we both kinda saw each other's points, it is like this: We get new members.  We don't know where most of them came from.  They could be RL military members or 13 year olds who are fanatical about Star Wars with no clue what that means.  They could have read all the books or played all the games or only know the movies and maybe a comic book or two. My job, as I see it, is to provide a framework in which everyone can work. As the ATC concept starts (finally!) coming together, we are going to literally deluge you guys with information.  In fact, I'd rather hit the ground running with too much info and scale it back than otherwise. Does that mean that I plan on testing you over each and every piece of it?  No. The plan is to create some backstory to what a trooper can do, what tools they have to do it with, and how to "realistically" work within those, well, constraints.  Hopefully this will either provide a framework you can use or at least give the new folks something to grasp onto and work with. Now for those of you who have been through three or four previous groups, SW or not, and have a firm grasp on gaming, writing, etc. a lot of this is gonna be repeat info.  If you feel a need to go over it, do so.  If you think people are too stuck in a role, mention it.  If you find yourself slightly out of your element for once, figure out if there is something you are missing out on.  If you can function well without a lot if it, great. It's like this. Being Prefect, there are things I can and can NOT do in a regular story.  I know if I go charging off into single combat with some opposing general, it's gonna sound incredibly stupid to the rest of you.  And if you are a PFC in Drill squad, you are not going to be the tactical genius that saves the day.  Why?  Because even if you have the genius and cunning of Thrawn, who the hell is gonna listen to a green PFC? And that's really all there is to it.  It gives a framework to everyone and an assist to those who need it.   ----------------------- PRF/BG Fury/VEA/TADATH/VE [SCP][PoC][SotE:HC][SotE:VEA][IOC] Stormtrooper Corps Prefect Shopkeeper - Imperial Center

THis is off topic  a bit, but I think Squad XO should be made an official position.  Almost every squad has an XO and so I think it would be a good thing to make it a regular position
 
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Lance Corporal Swomz
Raiders Squad
Wildcard Platoon
Army of the Vast Empire
TRP/LCPL Swomz/3SQD/1PLT/COMP/1BAT/1RGT/VEA/VE [ES1]
"Wow, that was a damn big explosion." -Swomz

Meh, wouldn't have helped me.  Everyone who used to be in the DK remembers that I had two semi-squad leaders.  Putting one of them in an official spot wouldn't have worked too well 
 
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Argon Viper
IW COL Argon Viper{ret}
"History is on the move, those who cannot keep up will watch from a distance, and those who get in our way will not watch at all" - Grand Admiral Thrawn
"In combat, second place is only the last to die."- Anonymous
"Condemnation does not liberate, it oppresses" - Carl G Jung
"The only thing that will never change is that everything will change" - Argon Viper

Hey, if you still need it, I can help out with the specialties. BTW, what kind of a position is "assistant squad leader" anyways? 
 
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Argon Viper
IW COL Argon Viper{ret}
"History is on the move, those who cannot keep up will watch from a distance, and those who get in our way will not watch at all" - Grand Admiral Thrawn
"In combat, second place is only the last to die."- Anonymous
"Condemnation does not liberate, it oppresses" - Carl G Jung
"The only thing that will never change is that everything will change" - Argon Viper

Nonono, not the spot, I figured that out pretty quick.  I was wondering who the heck decided not to call them just XO... 
 
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Argon Viper
IW COL Argon Viper{ret}
"History is on the move, those who cannot keep up will watch from a distance, and those who get in our way will not watch at all" - Grand Admiral Thrawn
"In combat, second place is only the last to die."- Anonymous
"Condemnation does not liberate, it oppresses" - Carl G Jung
"The only thing that will never change is that everything will change" - Argon Viper