I read the character sheets for Marlena Abdelkadaar, 26, Algerian; Alexander Fox, 24, USA and Esteban Pereyra-Mateo, 28, Cuban FAR. I like Esteban Mateo and what you have stated earlier. It is nice trying on a smaller nation once in awhile. There is no definitive comparison between a Cuban SFC and an American SFC. The trick is in discerning which ranks perform what tasks at various levels/echelons within their army.
Some armies may use Corporals or Sergeants as squad leaders while the American "Army" uses Staff Sergeants. The USMC employ Sergeants as squad leaders. Some armies use the rank Sergeant to describe the platoon sergeant and another higher rank as the Company Senior Sergeant. The British Army may use a Warrant Officer 2 as the Company Senior Sergeant. In an infantry unit, this person would be addressed as Company Sergeant Major even though he wears the rank of a WO2 or WOII. The Warrant Officer 1 is more closely associated with the American rank of Command Sergeant Major or Sergeant Major. There are various infantry and cavalry units in the British Army, that have a different insignia for those soldiers who attained the rank of "Regimental Sergeant Major", but are paid the equivalent of a WO1 or WOI.
But for our Role Play, we aren't really overly concerned with rank. It is meaningless to what we are doing. If you are a rifleman in this new army, that is your title, Rifleman. If you are an Auto Rifleman, Grenadier or Machine Gunner, that is your title. The employers are not assigning ranks to the employees of their Private Military Corporation. You could have been a 28 year old Captain and still get slotted as a Rifleman. It depends more on your character's experience than what rank he/she attained. In fact, your character doesn't have to have been a soldier. A law enforcement background works too, assuming the character has comparable work experiences as an infantryman. Some paramilitary forces around the globe do have combat experiences; namely the Brazilian Police Forces in Sao Paolo.
Welcome Marlena Abdelkadaar to the unit. I see nothing wrong with her.
The recruiter eyeballs Alexander Fox's 201 File and distorts his face in that skeptical sort of way, only a real veteran could. Yea, something's not right in the state of Denmark. This guy could be a case of Stolen Valor; faking it. At 24 years of age, he might be a young Staff Sergeant, but most likely Sergeant with the way promotions are for young NCOs in the 11B (Infantryman) and 18B (Special Forces Weapons Sergeant) MOSes.
The Recruiter's eye is immediately drawn the Asberger's anotation and marks him as unfit for duty. In fact, he would never have been permitted into the US Army with this condition. He would have failed his physical and gone on to flip burgers at McDonald's.
As writers we all know that creating a weakness in our character is important for writing a good story. I say go for it. Weaknesses make a great story. But the men and women being recruited here are professionals. That does not mean you have to possess a wealth of knowledge about the experiences of your character. The true test of the author within you is knowing how to fake it. ;)
Professional Soldiers all KNOW without any doubt that teamwork is the only way in any military operation. Not getting along with others means, you get kicked out. You are not part of the unit. Anyone who cannot be a team player cannot play. It is plain and simple.
The weakness for your character in an RP of this nature, should exist within their character; a lack of confidence, alcohol addiction, emotional issues, laziness (or doing what needs to be done to get by) or a whole host of other character maladies we as authors may sometimes take for granted. But they do exist and we deal with them on a daily basis. What about a person who is constantly negative? No matter what happens, he is always focused on the negative. Wouldn't that also be a huge character flaw in a military organization? "Oh fuck it! We're all just going to get our asses shot off! Fuck this shit!" I know I've heard that line a few times. It is tough to be positive when the shit is going to hell PDQ.
Some armies may use Corporals or Sergeants as squad leaders while the American "Army" uses Staff Sergeants. The USMC employ Sergeants as squad leaders. Some armies use the rank Sergeant to describe the platoon sergeant and another higher rank as the Company Senior Sergeant. The British Army may use a Warrant Officer 2 as the Company Senior Sergeant. In an infantry unit, this person would be addressed as Company Sergeant Major even though he wears the rank of a WO2 or WOII. The Warrant Officer 1 is more closely associated with the American rank of Command Sergeant Major or Sergeant Major. There are various infantry and cavalry units in the British Army, that have a different insignia for those soldiers who attained the rank of "Regimental Sergeant Major", but are paid the equivalent of a WO1 or WOI.
But for our Role Play, we aren't really overly concerned with rank. It is meaningless to what we are doing. If you are a rifleman in this new army, that is your title, Rifleman. If you are an Auto Rifleman, Grenadier or Machine Gunner, that is your title. The employers are not assigning ranks to the employees of their Private Military Corporation. You could have been a 28 year old Captain and still get slotted as a Rifleman. It depends more on your character's experience than what rank he/she attained. In fact, your character doesn't have to have been a soldier. A law enforcement background works too, assuming the character has comparable work experiences as an infantryman. Some paramilitary forces around the globe do have combat experiences; namely the Brazilian Police Forces in Sao Paolo.
Welcome Marlena Abdelkadaar to the unit. I see nothing wrong with her.
The recruiter eyeballs Alexander Fox's 201 File and distorts his face in that skeptical sort of way, only a real veteran could. Yea, something's not right in the state of Denmark. This guy could be a case of Stolen Valor; faking it. At 24 years of age, he might be a young Staff Sergeant, but most likely Sergeant with the way promotions are for young NCOs in the 11B (Infantryman) and 18B (Special Forces Weapons Sergeant) MOSes.
The Recruiter's eye is immediately drawn the Asberger's anotation and marks him as unfit for duty. In fact, he would never have been permitted into the US Army with this condition. He would have failed his physical and gone on to flip burgers at McDonald's.
As writers we all know that creating a weakness in our character is important for writing a good story. I say go for it. Weaknesses make a great story. But the men and women being recruited here are professionals. That does not mean you have to possess a wealth of knowledge about the experiences of your character. The true test of the author within you is knowing how to fake it. ;)
Professional Soldiers all KNOW without any doubt that teamwork is the only way in any military operation. Not getting along with others means, you get kicked out. You are not part of the unit. Anyone who cannot be a team player cannot play. It is plain and simple.
The weakness for your character in an RP of this nature, should exist within their character; a lack of confidence, alcohol addiction, emotional issues, laziness (or doing what needs to be done to get by) or a whole host of other character maladies we as authors may sometimes take for granted. But they do exist and we deal with them on a daily basis. What about a person who is constantly negative? No matter what happens, he is always focused on the negative. Wouldn't that also be a huge character flaw in a military organization? "Oh fuck it! We're all just going to get our asses shot off! Fuck this shit!" I know I've heard that line a few times. It is tough to be positive when the shit is going to hell PDQ.
