CtSF-12

[night driver]

Warning:
Cyber personalities have been pretty freely borrowed from members of this board. Feel free to join in, or to let me know that you don't appreciate the borrowing.















CtSF-12

Counterterror Strike Force 12.


PROLOGUE:

It is late afternoon in the High Desert and the elderly Dog snaps to attention at his master's ankle and utters a quiet “voof!' and pads to the trailer door at High Alert. There is a knock at the door and Synap, wearing a look of consternation, goes to the door and peers through the window, to see 2 uniforms, both of which he has intimate familiarity with. On the left, blue dress utilities, with the unmistakable Budweiser of the SEAL Teams over the left breast pocket. On the right, green dress utilities, with a Combat Infantry Badge, Jump Wings, and several campaign ribbons over the left breast pocket. Stooping a bit to see their faces, he sees that they are not folks he knows and he opens the door and asks if he can help them.

After some very intriguing preliminaries, he invites them in, clears 3 projects off the couch and 2 off a chair, they sit, and over the next hour and a half tell him the most unbelievable story he has been asked to believe in years.

At the same time, across the country, an Air Force PJ and an Air Force Special Forces officer knock on Baywater Ross's door, get invited in, and spend the same time, telling the same story.

In Cleveland, an FBI Intelligence Analyst, and a former Force Recon Marine knock on Night-Driver and RELIC's door. Since these are both known to them they are invited in, and they tell the same story.


Chapter 1.
After an intense but not destructive six week physical reconditioning course the new experimental CounterTerror Team is getting settled into their Executive Suites apartments, all complaining of several aches and pains as a result of the reconditioning they went through. The reconditioning course was carefully tailored to their individual needs and disabilities. Not for the first time one of the team members comments that this is the strangest combat team he has EVER seen.

To start with, it is co-ed, with members who are MARRIED to EACH OTHER. Some (or rather all) of them have at least one physical disability, and several have several. Of the thirteen members of the “A” team, only 2 are in what might be considered combat trim, and even THEY aren't happy with their condition. The collection of specialties is somewhat mind boggling. There are medical, electronic, computer, avionics, chemical, explosive, transportation, logistics, and linguistics specialties represented in the main living room of the suite. Synap (Med, Chem, Com) is having a spirited discussion with RELIC (Logistics, Medical), Night-Driver (Transportation, Medical, Strategy and Tactics, Logistics), Bill (Medical, transport, Logistics), and Baywater (Air Assets, Transport, Systems) about the best theoretical way to insert a team into North Korea in order to degrade the C3 assets in country. OddOne (electronics, comp systems), eXe (software, Com), DocOutlands (combat, weapons), Brock (combat), Kip (Combat), Troke (Strategy and Tactics, travel), INVAR (Weapons, combat) are having an indepth discussion od what SOUNDS like the application of Star Wars Weaponry to Desert Storm II.

All of which gives ME a headache. When they took me out of deep insurgency ops in SoAm and offered me the chance (they claimed “OPPORTUNITY”) to lead this motley crew they told me it was going to be an unconventional team, but they didn't tell me HOW unconventional. Actually they didn't pull me out, they more accurately didn't send me BACK after I recovered from the claymore I collected. Don't get me wrong. I actually like ALL of them, one on one. But there has never been a greater collection of ego's in one room since the writing of the Declaration of Independence.

My name is Michael, and my job is to weld these folks, and their “B” team into a cohesive and coherent unit. I don't think that cohesive is going to be a problem as they have bonded pretty well already, what with their common avocation (some Computer BBS or other), and their having gone through the rehab reconditioning program together. COHERENT is probably only going to be a faint hope for them though.

They are here at the Executive Suites just off MacDill AFB to be integrated with the 26 members of their “B Team”, which is the combat support team. The “B” team consists of two sub-teams of 13 each. The sub-teams are literal duplicates of each other, with the ability to operate independently, as support to their “A” team, or as a combined support team to the “A” team.

The concept of the complete team, written by a group of 5 folks whose names I was NOT given with the express reason that I not seek them out and strangle them in their sleep (something I didn't understand at the time but now do quite well) is of a sharp point for the War on Terrorism Spear. A light, fast, multi-capability, highly agile force, much reminiscent of the original SEAL Team 6. The operative breakdown in the “B” teams is based on the Templar ORBAT of a knight, 3 sergeants, and 3 arms-men per sergeant. I am convinced that the “A” team is never going to be anything other than an amorphous glob, forming and reforming based on the needs and realities of the situation.

Over the past six weeks I have seen already that the married couple have one of the strangest arrangements I have EVER seen. Put them on a task, and one of them takes charge. For about 2 minutes, then the other one is in charge, and back and forth, with NO friction. Put them on a TEAM and they lead it equally, pretty much. I watched the rest of this team adapt to that dynamic over about a week. It was fun toi watch as one guy finally stood up in the middle of an exercise and said “Which one of you came to THAT decision!?!” when they gave a set of marching orders. Both said “I did.” And the protesting team member said “That is my point. NEITHER of you is in charge because you BOTH are. HOW are we supposed to know what to do when you tell us something?” To which ND asked, “Have we ever said for you to do something DIFFERENT between us??” I had already concluded that they thought with one brain, but it was interesting to see the team trying to get their arms around the possibility that they thought so much alike that it might as well BE they are thinking with one brain. They then made it QUITE clear that RELIC said no let's ask ND wasn't going to fly at ALL.....

At any rate, the concept was invented by the five people I referred to above (and I have it on good authority that at least ONE of the team members sat on the committee that gave birth to this). This team of nominally 39 but more likely 42-45 people when we get our briefers for the situations embedded, will be the ACTION arm of a part of the War on Terror. We will be the sharp point of the spear, going into specific countries and doing what the military does best, breaking things. We may also go into countries like Iraq and build things, which is why we have a political science person on board. Often times the War on terror means winning the hearts and minds of a group so that they don't donate their bodies or their skills to the other side. From what I understand, we aren't going to get a lot of time ot integrate the A and B teams. I have seen copies of orders cut sending us to Syria...

[theoutlands]

oh HELL YEAH!

Consider this a BUMP back into the limelight and ENCOURAGEMENT to go on with it.

Syria, eh?

I'll jump in when things get to a point where I *can* jump in.

[Libertarian]

I thought that this was a spin-off of the decrepit spec-ops team who showed up in "blink of an eye". This looks like a fun story line.

[night driver]

OK OK OK ....

You resurected it....

I'll set half adozen synapses and a dozen or so neurons I'm not using to work on it as I get stuff done around ChaosManorMidWest. If nothing appears here in the next 48 or so hours someont beat me about the head and body in Chat...

OK?

Chuck

[night driver]

"OK. LIsten up people. We have NOT got a lot of time for this. In less than 3 weeks we are supposed to be "Force Ready," which translates to ready to climb onto a plane and be put somewhere in the world within 36 hours of getting the "GO" command. That means that we have three short weeks to set out who does what, with whom, and where things actually go in our TO. To DO that I am going to break the "A" team up into 3 teams, and the "B" teams should feel free to mingle with the 3 "A" team teams. Share your specialties, primary and secondary training, and interests with he "A" team folks. Remember, you ALL are going to be covering each other's backs so it would behoove you to be brutally frank and honest with each other. We are no longer playing games. some of you are going to get very dead. the GOAL is to minimize the number of you who graduate to the Celestial Teams at any one time. You are ALL too damn expensive to replace. Your government has spent a LOT of money on each of you and we REALLY don't want to spend it again replacing you.

"A" team, I expect a solid first cut as to a functional TO for the complete team including functional assignments by 1600 today. ON MY DESK.

Split up and get to work.... OH NO.... RELIC and Night Driver opposite ends of the room. Kip in the middle, everyone else divide...."

| they didn't REALLY think I was gona let them sit on the same team, DID tthey?? I know better than that. I want them thinking in TWO teams not one.... I'll get a MUCH beter product that way..| Michael thought to himself as he walked out of the room.....rmemebering the day that he got to see the resume`s of the "A" team as well as those of the 500 candidates for the "B" team slots.

"SIR! Begging the Major's pardon, but just exactly are you trying to DO to me with this list of losers for "B" team??" he had said, trying mighily to remember a Point Brace and recreate it for the Major.

"At ease Michael. And you may speak freely. Just because we don't have a case of beer between us right now doesn't change anything. I trust you and HAVE trusted you since you were a grass green Plebe. What seems to be your problem with the candidates?"

"Thomas, these "troops" and I use the term loosely are ALL losers. Half of them are disaffected Force Recon and Rangers, and the OTHER half of them were washouts at either Force Recon School, Army Frogman School, BUD/S, or SF. WHAT am I supposed to do with either malcontents or losers?"

"Michael, why don't you go back and reread those personnel files again, pareticularly on the "washouts"? I think that you wil note that in almost all of the cases the individuals were washed out based on an instructor's or evaluator's preremptory option. I SUSPECT that you will note that they almost all washed out in the last week or two of their respective training cycles. PLUS you might be surprised to see how many of them have notes to the effect that they WILL be INVITED TO RETURN during the next training cycle, as opposed to waiting the required year or two, depending on school.
How long do you suppose it took to give birth to the unit you are getting ready to run? Would it surprise you to find out that I have a LOT of friends in each of those schools? Would it FURTHER surprise you to find out that some of those friends have been on the look-out for candidates for your little merry band for 3 training cycles?
Take a good look at those School Evals again. If there is ANYONE in there who wasn't in the top 5 in his or her class I want to know about it. Because SOMEONE is going to get very quietly reamed if that happened. they ALL had fairly explicit instructions as to what to look for and how to handle the details. within the washouts you have some of the best THINKING people to go through the various schools in the last 3 training cycles. Yes, one or two of them may need to have their egos repaired but not too damn many of them. Now go talk to all 500 of these troopers and pick 26."

| And so that is how I get HERE. It will beinteresting to see how things break out. I suspect that the "B" team will end up being legs and sharp end and the "A" team will end up being brains, analysis and guidance, but we'll have to see |

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

"Enter"

"Come on in Doc. What can I do for you already? It's only 1000 and you folks have only been working two hours and a half."

"Sir, I have an interim report from the team. You understand that you aren't giving us enough time to do a rock solid, no-shit job on this, correct?
"Tough"
"Ok I won the bet. Heh.... We had to do that just to be honest, but I told 'em that would be your answer. Were you ever a Marine, sir?"
"No. I stayed in the REAL service Doc..." (~~chortle ~snarfle ~ laughs ensue)
"I could take offense at that but i don't think I will today but I WILL remember that....SOMEDAY sir you WILL get yours...

ANYway we have some prelims done and we would like it if you could come down to the room and see them. They are on the board there."

+++++


The first thing I noticed when I walked into the room was that it was almost dead silent, except for a susurus of whispers and murmurs. Next, instead of being split into 3 or 5 groups they were ALL centered around 3 flip charts, and 3 white boards, with no fewer than 10 people writing on them, and the black board was COVERED in chalk notes in about 15 different handwritings.

One of the more observant warriors called "'Ten HUT! Officer On Deck!" and everyone snapped to, even the civilians(!!!).

"At Ease ladies and gentlemen. You said that you had some prelims Doc?"

(At which point I notiuced that the call for attention had come, not from the amorphous working group but from one of the SEAL washouts sitting quietly by the door where I came in.)

"But before you start Doc, Gunny Robinson, were you assigned to security or...'
"Sir, as we started breaking things down it became apparent that my best contribution this morning, after talking to the separate teams was site security. I decided to handle that. You will note that you can NOT call into the phone here nor can you access this room via intercom. And thanks in large part to OddOne, Synap and eXe the computer here will NOT do anything we don't want it to do.... (though the webcam from YOUR office is an interesting sight...)"

"Lunch time we'll have to talk, gunny"

"Now, who wants to make either the blackboard or those flip charts make sense...?"

+++++++++++++


{Functional TO to follow in a couple days ... C }

[eXe]

haha cool, I get to play with comms and puters.. when do I get to shoot stuff? lol

Great job.. keep it coming!

[john70]

And it was going so very well