Additional Training Required

Posted on Thu Mar 19th, 2020 @ 10:30pm by Lieutenant Shri'Rao Sh'veqan & Lieutenant Commander James Trallos MD

Mission: Discovery
Location: Security office/Armory
Timeline: 940319.6

[ON]

After the events of the initial SAR training, James was none to thrilled about being the first one killed. It had reminded him of his own previous experience and others that he knew about. He needed to get more comfortable in the field and he needed some help. He made his way to the Chief of Security office and pressed the door chime.

"Come in" Shri'Rao said.

"Ah... Doctor how can I be of service? She added.

"Good afternoon Lieutenant. Well, I need some help. A lot of it as it seems. You were with me on the SAR training. While we technically had success, we also technically had a major failure." James said with a sigh. "I need more training. I should have either heard him or at least be able to make tracking a little more difficult."

"Well you know what they say; Practice makes perfect. Fortunately you dont have to be a tactical genius to be on a SAR team but there are skills which you can develop. Which skill-sets do you feel deficient in"? Shri'Rao asked.

"All of them." James replied. "I've been in this kind of situation before and where medical was a Target of opportunity by a terrorist cell." He said, unconsciously rolling his right shoulder. "I've tried to practice on my own to not be a hindrance to the response teams. Apparently I have not learned much in actual practice."

"Well then you tell me what is your priority on the SAR team, now that you know whats at stake?" Shri'Rao asked.

James paused for a moment to think. "I believe I need to be more like the security team and know how they move, know what they are looking for and how to react with their thinking. Just thinking medical does not cut it."

"Okay what you need is a crash course in military tactics. Military tactics encompasses the art of organising and employing fighting forces on or near the battlefield. They involve the application of four battlefield functions which are closely related – kinetic or firepower, mobility, protection or security, and shock action. Tactics are a separate function from command and control and logistics." The Andorian said.

Shri'Rao's antennae were pointing straight at him.

"In contemporary military science, tactics are the lowest of three levels of warfighting, the higher levels being the strategic and operational levels. Throughout history, there has been a shifting balance between the four tactical functions, generally based on the application of military technology, which has led to one or more of the tactical functions being dominant for a period of time, usually accompanied by the dominance of an associated fighting arm deployed on the battlefield, such as infantry, artillery, cavalry or tanks, and air/space superiority." She continued.

Of the four basic functions of tactics which do you think is the most important for a member of the SAR team"? Shri'Rao asked.

He thought for a moment. "For a SAR team, I think it would be protection and security followed by mobility." James answered firming his wishy-washy choice into a more solid pick in his mind with reason.

"Actually Protection and security is the most important part for me Doctor yours is indeed mobility. Mobility in military terms refers to the ability of a weapon system, combat unit or armed force to move toward a military objective. Combat forces with a higher mobility are able to move more quickly, and/or across more hostile terrain, than forces with lower mobility. Speed is implied in Search And Rescue.

Mobility is regarded as a vital component of the modern battlefield, as the ability to deliver weapon systems or combat units to their objective quickly can often mean the difference between victory and defeat. Armies around the galaxy have massively increased their mobility over the last four hundred years. In Earth history World War I, for example, most combat units could only move on the battlefield as fast as a soldier could walk; in the face of overwhelming firepower presented by machine guns and artillery, this resulted in stalemate and an inability to outmaneuver the enemy. By World War II, battlefield mobility had greatly improved with the development of the tank, and with tracked and other mechanized vehicles, to move forces to, from, along and across the battlefront even under fire.

Since the end of World War II, armies have continued to develop their mobility. By the 1980s, for example, intercontinental travel shifted from sea to air transport, enabling military forces to move from one part of the world to another within hours or days instead of weeks.

by the 24th century we have starships, transporters and massive fleets that can get an army hundreds of light years and deploy them very quickly.

Mobility has also been referred to as a combat multiplier. A highly mobile unit can use its mobility to engage multiples of its own combat strength of less mobile units, i.e., Jam'Hadar divisions during the Dominion War were considered the equivalent of two or three Starfleet infantry divisions, partly due to their superior mobility and partly due to inherently superior technology and firepower.

As intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance capabilities are rapidly developing, mobility becomes even more important. In 2375, Chief of Staff of the United Federation of Planets Fleet Admiral Halftal stated that "On the future battlefield, if you stay in one place longer than two or three hours, you will be dead... With enemy drones and sensors constantly on the hunt for targets, there won't even be time for four hours' unbroken sleep".

Mobility has also been defined in terms of three generally recognized levels of warfare: tactical, operational, and strategic. Tactical mobility is the ability to move under fire. Operational mobility is the ability to move men and materiel within the area of operations to the decisive point of battle. Strategic mobility is the ability to move an army to the area of operations.

Today our SAR team needs to deploy to the objective with ease and rapidity, and needs to get to the objective even if bogged down by being under fire. Your specialty is getting and then tending to the wounded. Each part of the team in integral to the others. I will always do my best to protect you so that you can rescue those needing help." Shri'Rao stated.

James smiled. He absorbed as much as he could. He had a lot to learn. While he went through Starfleet academy, the academy is much more abridged for doctors and nurses. They taught basics, but specialized units was completely glossed over. "Thanks Lieutenant, I know you will. It's a new way of thinking for me. I guess I did not fully realize how my wheel works in the machine. Mobility is key then. The last thing I or my medical volunteers want to do is become a hindrance." Dr Trallos said.

"Hardly a hinderance, Doctor. You and your team are the most vital part of it. What good does it do to reach our objective if there are no medical personal to stablize the wounded and actually rescue them." Shri'Rao said.

"Fair. I appreciate your encouragement Lieutenant." James said with a smile.

"I appreciate you enthusiasm. Is there anything else I can do for you?" Shri'Rao asked.

"No, I think that was everything Lieutenant. Gives me a direction to start training on. Always appreciate the help." He said with a smile and offered his hand.

[End]

A post by:

Lieutenent Shri'Rao Sh'veqan
Chief Security Officer
USS Pennsylvania

Lieutenant JG James Trallos
Chief Medical Officer
USS Pennsylvania