JROTC at SJS

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Storm Scream
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JROTC at SJS

Post by Storm Scream »

OOC: Already contacted Mimi about this, so now I'm posting the idea here.

Arkady originally started pushing for this in the "Ask Mimi about I10" post, but I liked the idea, and Mimi likes it too! So...here goes...

Arkady posted in the above post about the possibility of starting a Junior Vanguard of sorts at the school, to justify us "joining" vanguard. Not much else was said about it, other than me agreeing and suggesting it even just be generalized to a JROTC. Granted, with I10 and Vanguard coming in full force, Junior Vanguard does sound like a good idea.

Now...many high schools around the nation DO have JROTC programs. For many kids, it serves as a way to get out of gym class...for others, it's a stepping stone to eventually joining the military. I believe very few people would disagree to the benefits in discipline and personal success that JROTC brings to a student. And, I know from a personal standpoint on MY character, Jessica's dad is in the Air Force, and she has every intention of wanting to follow her dad's example by joining the military, Vanguard or otherwise. I know that Arkady's character is also hellbent on joining Vanguard the moment he "graduates."

I would like to get a feel from the rest of the school about starting a JROTC (either traditional or Junior Vanguard) program for SJS. It wouldn't mean much in game...it would be one of those strictly RPing things, like the clubs and sports teams, aside from maybe having uniforms in game to walk around in occasionally. I believe it would open up new avenues for storylines, add new NPCs to the teacher roster (which might be a bad thing, who knows) but also give those of us with characters very interested in the military a chance to further THOSE goals as well.

I dunno if ANY of this made ANY sense, I might have repeated myself a bit. That's a good thing though, repeating myself...it means I'm very adamant about something, lol. Any way, I think it would be a very good avenue to pursue, and I know myself and very likely Arkady would be very interested in helping get it started.

So...I guess my question is...what are y'alls thoughts on this, and who would seriously be interested in enrolling their character?


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Post by Stasis Kiss »

i like the idea in concept, and support it if there's enough interest.
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Post by Vesper Fiend »

I think a general JROTC program is a great idea, and I imagine Vanguard would be a part of it. That being said, my character would not be interested.
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Post by Barjnal »

I think it's a great idea! There's already a lot of tension between pro-military students and students who prefer a more individualistic or pacifistic response. A JROTC or Junior Vanguard would be a great way to bring that tension out into a very public conflict. Let's do it! :D

Barji and Marshall would not join, but Alex would be all over JROTC like flies on a Vahzilok.
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Post by Timothy Bastian »

I'm sorry to say that none of my toons would probably get involved with it.

However, I think it's a good idea, and I don't see any reason whatsoever why you shouldn't start one, especially since Mimi has no concerns over it. Even if only a few people are interested in doing it at this point, I'd encourage you to move forward with it. We have plenty of RP setting type things that only one or two people really "use", like the wrestling team. Doesn't hurt anything, and then it's established which makes it easier for future people to come on board if they want to. And in this case, I think the JROTC would add a lot to RP possibilities.
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Post by Renn Haven »

Renn would probably join this.

ETA: Especially if Vanguard wasn't a part of it. But she'd join regardless.
Last edited by Renn Haven on Mon Jul 23, 2007 7:34 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by Alice »

I dont think Alice would activly join but she would join to help Jessy or any of her other friends. Aside from that None of my other alts would be in it.
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Post by Misericorde »

As Vangaurd is an UN-controlled group, it may or may not be part of a JROTC program. Considering that technically the US military does not consider JROTC a recruiting tool so much as an opportunity to help assist students be better citizens, I don't know how well Vanguard would fit into this program, as it is not a US-sponsored organization.

You might have better luck with an "Explorers" program, like the Boy Scouts have running currently. Yes, females are allowed.

I do like the JROTC idea whether Vangaurd is a part of it or not, of course.
Origin: 1200–50; ME misericorde lit., pity, mercy, an act of clemency
misericordia pity, equiv. to misericord- (s. of misericors) compassionate
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Post by Gravwarp »

While I "The player" love this idea...

Bryan hates what the Vanguard has become. Omega Team and Hero-1 are a big reason why Bryan Baxter came to thi school and didn't follow his parents advice to "just stop using" his powers.

They were heroes that took the fight to the enemies door step. This invasion, unbeknowst to Bryan, is going to give him the oppurtunity to be a real hero as well. Not the created mass marketed action figure that he might have been.

The Vanguard specifically uses the slogan "Earth is for Humans" in their popaganda. This message flies in the face of everything Bryan thinks is right. It boils down to a racist cry in his mind. He resents that these heroes memories has been used to potentially spread hatred. He'll fight along side Vanguard if need be but he'll not be a cog in their warmachine.

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Post by Storm Scream »

Gravwarp wrote: The Vanguard specifically uses the slogan "Earth is for Humans" in their popaganda. This message flies in the face of everything Bryan thinks is right. It boils down to a racist cry in his mind. He resents that these heroes memories has been used to potentially spread hatred. He'll fight along side Vanguard if need be but he'll not be a cog in their warmachine.
Misericorde wrote:As Vangaurd is an UN-controlled group, it may or may not be part of a JROTC program. Considering that technically the US military does not consider JROTC a recruiting tool so much as an opportunity to help assist students be better citizens, I don't know how well Vanguard would fit into this program, as it is not a US-sponsored organization.
These 2 arguements are great, especially Misericorde's, about why it wouldn't be a JROTC, Vanguard style. If anything, shoot, we could be Navy JROTC for all I cared (we ARE in a city along the coast, it wouldn't be TOO much of a stretch...make more sense than Navy JROTC in the middle of Texas, but hey, I'm not bitter...lol...)

The reason for introducing the Junior Vanguard idea is because of the upcoming invasion to give us an excuse to be able to "join" vanguard (for those of us who want to). The idea is that, after the invasion, a couple of us are thinking that there is gonna be a "9/11 effect," with patriotism on the rise and people WANTING to take a stand.

There seems like there is a LOT of interest in this being put into effect, regardless of whether we'll have a lot of interested characters or not. I think I'll start getting the finer details nailed out, and we'll see this get up and running (HOPEFULLY) before I10...if not, eh...we'll figure something out. lol

Thanks for all the feedback y'all!! This is exciting!


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Post by Gravwarp »

I understand the national (though in this case maybe world wide) "call to arms" that seems to follow such disasters. I merely wanted to point out that the Vanguard has not merely been this silent vigilant sentinel keeping watch over the good of mankid, even though they seem to be trying to spin Lady Grey that way.

I just want to put out there, that some people do not like the Vanguard and how the have presented themselves. That may color people's view of those willing to join them.

Now... nothing is to say that during the course of our fight that the public opionion of Vanguard won't change. :)
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Post by Misericorde »

On Vanguard:
Although the Rikti Invasion began (and apparently ended) in Paragon City, it was a worldwide crisis. The menacing extra-dimensional armies struck across the globe. At first, heroes, soldiers, and citizens in each nation fought the aliens individually as best they could. NATO had no contingency plan for dimensional portals opening up in the hearts of its capital cities. Those first few weeks were utter chaos as the world fought to hold on against the technologically superior Rikti. Only through the efforts of super powered individuals and hero organizations like the Freedom Phalanx, did humanity manage to bring to a halt the invaders' early advances.

As the Rikti War settled into a temporary stalemate, the world community had a chance to catch its breath and arrange a coordinated response. The Statesman immediately went before the United Nations Security Council and offered the Freedom Phalanx as an organizing body for the world's super-powered response. Surprisingly, the nations of the world were less than thrilled with this prospect. The Freedom Phalanx had a decidedly American aura about it and The Statesman in particular was closely identified with the United States. The Security Council decided that the dire situation called for a more multi-national, less Ameri-centric organization. That was the public reasoning, in any event. In private, more than a few world leaders had reason to believe that the Freedom Phalanx had somehow provoked the Rikti attack, and thus did not fully trust the usually much-admired hero organization.

The Security Council decided that they needed a force that stood above and beyond individual nations, a force whose entire raison d'etre focused on fighting pressing and potential Rikti threats - and any other alien or super-powered force that might bear humanity ill will. Thus, the Vanguard was born. Each permanent member of the Security Council nominated one hero to the core Vanguard group and contributed to the cost of building the team's base in Paragon City. This core team, known as The Vanguard Elite, not only led the group but served as its most powerful strike force against any alien menace.

Headed by Great Britain's Hero 1, the five hero team quickly set about organizing the world's best and brightest crime fighters into a cohesive military unit. Although many in the U.S. resented the UN's shunning the Freedom Phalanx, The Statesman supported the Vanguard's formation and took his place as one of the Elite Five. The Vanguard Elite divided their forces into two dozen different Rapid Response Teams, each stationed in a different major metropolitan area that was under heavy Rikti assault. The key innovation that made these teams so successful during the war was that the Vanguard organized them based on complimentary skills and powers rather than the nationality of the individuals. Heroes who served with the Vanguard (and there were many), had to learn to trust others to protect their homelands while they went and fought on foreign shores.

After the war, the Rikti portals were closed, but another invasion seemed a looming possibility. The UN decided to expand The Vanguard into a peacetime security organization and actually increased its funding. Today, The Vanguard has branches all over the world, with its headquarters in London. The organization not only employs super powered heroes, but a veritable army of security personnel, intelligence analysts, aid workers, researchers, and investigators. They gather, sort and analyze any and all information about continued Rikti activity (which is still significant), as well as stand sentinel against other potential threats.

The Paragon City Rapid Response Team is still the largest single Vanguard unit in the world. Paragon City is one of the few places in the world where the Rikti threat remains strong and constant. With the extra-dimensional aliens in hiding, Vanguard members in the city spend much of their time trying to root out their hidden bases or stop their incursions into settled and nominally secure neighborhoods. Heroes who work with the Vanguard also work against other villainous organizations that have worldwide threat potential, such as the Fifth Column or the mysterious Crey Industries. Although some die-hard citizens complain about having a UN military style force active on U.S. soil, most realize that the Vanguard has done the nation and the world a great service, and that it continues to be a critical component when it comes to securing the city's safety.
and more recently:
We have compiled a preliminary report on the Vanguard base located in the Paragon City neighborhood designated as the Rikti War Zone.

Vanguard is an all-volunteer force funded by the United Nations Security Council. They have been in operation since the first Rikti invasion, and have maintained a philosophy of watchfulness and preparedness, always proclaiming that the next “alien threat” is lurking a day away.

Although they have not been much in the news of late, we have observed considerable movements of troops and weaponry, and a higher-degree of battle-readiness in recent weeks than in past months. Their current command and operations center is located in the Rikti War Zone, and their primary North American agents are all stationed there.

Vanguard is overseen by its director, Lady Grey. The organization underwent a significant re-imaging once Statesman handed control over to Lady Grey. Many questioned the decision, but Statesman would not hear it, saying in a memo to the UNSC that, “the Vanguard is a necessary force in the ongoing battle against the Rikti and I cannot see a better choice for their leadership than Lady Grey.”

However, while Statesman supported her, not everyone agreed with the new structure. Vanguard was no longer a transparent organization. Today it is operated much more like a private army, despite its status as a UN organization. Vanguard has a considerable budget and very little oversight.

Furthermore, the volunteer force has some unusual faces under their helmets, to say the least. Lady Grey has some peculiar notions about standards, and seems not to believe so much in second chances as “the enemy of my enemy is my friend.” In any event, Vanguard has welcomed former villains and wanted criminals into its ranks, and given them a measure of protection from US laws, as long as they battle Rikti forces and do not cause internal strife.

The current make-up of Vanguard is split into four major branches: The Helm, The Gauntlet, The Shield, and The Herald. The last is their public relations office, run by a heroine named Incandescent, their Head of Communications. They walk a fine line between keeping the civilian populace aware of potential threats, and fear-mongering with their propaganda. From my observations Vanguard’s message is somewhat muddied, as their “aliens among us” and “Earth for humans” messages simply do not account for friendly alien races. I do not believe Vanguard has an issue with allied forces, such as the Kheldian race, but this bear further investigation. Incandescent spends much of her time at the UN offices in New York and Geneva, but is the point person for official responses and sound bites.

The Shield is Vanguard’s security and defensive division. It is coordinated by the joint command of Levantera and Borea, two super-powered sisters. They are also the faces of Vanguard’s recruitment drive, and the first point of contact for new volunteers.

The Gauntlet is the assault squad of Vanguard, led by Serpent Drummer. Gauntlet soldiers actively patrol and seek out Rikti forces, attempting to eradicate them wherever they are found.

Finally, The Helm is Vanguard’s intelligence division, run by an unknown operative. All we’ve been able to ascertain is that he or she is powerful and seems to have a long history in Paragon City. I suggest we cross-reference Agents Crimson and Indigo and see if they might have any involvement here.

In conclusion, while some members of our organization have conflicted with members of the Vanguard, I urge a measure of cooperation and communication. However I must highlight a rising concern. We should be aware of extremist sentiments within Vanguard, especially in areas with a high-concentration of “villain”-members. We have observed them aggressively targeting Rikti, with little regard for civilians caught in the crossfire. These types of activities must be guarded against so that we do not lose sight of our common goal. Ultimately, we are all fighting to protect our one, precious world.
Origin: 1200–50; ME misericorde lit., pity, mercy, an act of clemency
misericordia pity, equiv. to misericord- (s. of misericors) compassionate
(miseri-, s. of miserēre to pity + cord- s. of cor heart) + -ia -y 3
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Post by Persiflage »

Gravwarp wrote:To Bryan Baxter, "Earth is for everyone!"
Earth Is For Lovers! <3
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Post by Omega Charge »

Miguel would definitely join any type of JROTC program. He would enjoy the experience and would think it would definitely help his chances at getting into West Point.

As for it being related to Vanguard, I can see Vanguard supporting a Jr. Program for young super powered beings. The best time to recruit and heart and mind is when it's young an idealistic. I think sometimes we as adult players can be more cynical and guarded then true teenagers tend to be. You could call it whatever you wanted lets not get locked into JROTC. In support of it being linked to Vanguard I think it does allow for players to do the Vanguard recruitment story arc and play it off as a Jr. Class rank for our RP purposes.

At any rate I am posting to say I’d be interested in this type thing.
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Post by Gabriel Templar »

I would personally assume vanguard is NOT involved in US schools pre-invasion, the simple reason being the one-world-government conspiracy theorists would have a field day with UN forces recruiting out of public and private US schools.

It's already a part of Gabe's backstory that he was turned down for a JROTC program at PPS, due to the uncontrolled nature of his powers, and that his dad is/was pushing HARD for him to join up.

Also: food for thought, some of our students already may have the Longbow Reservist, Freedom Phalanx Reserve or Vanguard badges, this might justify them having those connections. I admit I would prefer if we allowed students to join vanguard, because the mission arc says 'join vanguard' not 'work closely with the vanguard' and the vanguard badge says similar, but if cannon has to be bent there I won't be terribly upset over it. Heck, as soon as I manage to track down enough fake Nemesis bosses Gabe will be introducing himself to military types as "Phalanx reservist Templar."
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