Post by Ward, J. on Feb 12, 2016 6:09:30 GMT -5
1600 Hours, June 27, 2541 (MILITARY CALENDAR) /
Marine Corps Recruiting Station Saint Rose, Saint Rose,
Eposz, Reach, Epsilon Eridani System
It was a sunny day over the small metropolis of Saint Rose. There was not a single cloud for as far as the eye could see. Heavy rush hour traffic filled the streets, making travel by vehicle an inconvenient means of reaching one's destination. That was why Jonathan Ward had decided to walk to his local Marine Corps Recruiting Office.
The recruiting office was only a few blocks away from his home and he didn't mind the time it took to get there on foot. Foot travel was by far a better means of arriving at his destination then by vehicle at this busy time of day. He'd learned since acquiring his license at eighteen that there was no shortage of idiots on the road, especially when everyone and their grandmother were rushing to get home.
Jon never understood the point in scrambling home after work. In principle he understood that people must have been tired after working all day, but did that give them an excuse to drive like idiots? Not in his opinion, it didn't. What was the point in driving recklessly in hopes of "beating traffic" when every other working citizen in the town had the same goal in mind? Somewhere, somehow, all those people would eventually converge upon one another and cause a jam like the one he witnessed before him.
No. He would happily march himself into the recruiting office, do what he had to do, and walk back. Considering how backed up traffic was, he was certain the people sitting in their vehicles would still be stuck where they were when he was finished in the office. Which again led him to question why they were in such a hurry.
Putting the thought from his mind as he approached the front doors to the office, Jonathan steeled himself for what lie ahead. He had journeyed here with a purpose; for as long as he could remember he had wanted to be a United Nations Space Command Marine, just like his father. There was a war going on and he needed to fight it. The very fate of humanity depended on people like him to do their part.
And do it he would.
With a deep breath, the young man closed the distance between him and the door, and stepped inside. The interior of the recruiting station was small, no bigger than the size of his living room and kitchen combined, with cubicles flanking him on both sides all the way to the far wall. He took a whiff of the air and smelt the pleasing aroma of air freshener.
Suddenly, in the blink of an eye, a recruiter appeared as if out of thin air. The recruiter wore the recognizable dress uniform of the Marines, three rows of ribbons pinned over his left breast, and the chevrons of a Sergeant emblazoned on his uniform sleeves. He smiled at Jonathan and extended his hand to shake.
Naturally, Jonathan gripped hold of it, and gave the recruiter's hand a firm shake. The recruiter continued to smile, never breaking eye contact. "Welcome to Marine Corps Recruiting Station Saint Rose. I'm Sergeant Herzog. How can I help you today, son?"
Ward could barely contain his zeal as he introduced himself. "I'm Jonathan Ward, and I want to be a Marine."
The recruiter nodded, still smiling. "Well, it definitely looks like you came to the right place," he said. "Why don't we sit down?"
Jon followed Sergeant Herzog over to cubicle nearest the front door and sat down in front of the recruiter's desk. The recruiter rounded the desk and plopped down in his seat, leaning back in it somewhat whilst snatching up a datapad from off the top of the desk. "Do you have anything particular in mind that you want to do in the Marines? If not, that's fine. The Marine Corps has plenty to offer you."
He nodded excitedly. "I want to be in the infantry," he replied.
"The infantry," Sergeant Herzog repeated, "okay. Anything specific in mind that you want to do in the infantry?"
"I want to be a Rifleman. Zero-three-eleven."
The recruiter nodded and typed something down on the datapad. "Alright," he replied. "I like a man that knows what he wants to do. You know, a lot of people walk through those same doors that you did that had no clue what they wanted to do. Heck, I'm not sure they even knew what jobs were out there for them in the Marine Corps. So I really can appreciate a kid who has their mind made up."
"Thank you, Sergeant," Jonathan said, smiling at the compliment. He shifted in his seat a little, trying hard to contain his excitement. Jon had dreamt of this day for a long time, and now that he was finally here, it felt almost surreal.
Silence prevailed over the two for a moment as the recruiter typed some more on his datapad. Jon found himself curious, wondering what the sergeant was typing, but did not ask. After a moment, the recruiter set the datapad back on the desk and locked eyes with him. "Before we can proceed, I need to ask you some questions. Are you ready?"
"Yes," Ward answered.
"Good," Herzog replied. "First question: have you ever taken any form of illegal narcotic or unprescribed medicine?"
Jon shook his head.
"Okay, do you have a criminal record?"
Again, he shook his head.
"What is the highest level of education that you have completed?"
"High school," he answered, and then added, "I just graduated last week."
The recruiter nodded and smiled. "Congratulations. Do you have any health defects or abnormalities that I should know about? Any medical conditions?"
Jonathan again shook his head. "No, I'm as healthy as a moa."
Sergeant Herzog chuckled and nodded. He picked up the datapad again and typed away again, likely entering in the answers he had just given to the recruiter's impromptu questionnaire. Jon sat there patiently, reciting lyrics to one of his favorite songs in his head as he waited. It wasn't long before the sergeant was finished.
"Alright, I think we're pretty well squared away," the recruiter finally said.
Jon grinned. Those words were music to his ears. "So does that mean I get to sign my contract?"
"Well, you'll have to take a general aptitude test before I can legally allow you to sign any contract, technically," the Sergeant explained, maintaining direct eye contact. "However, I'm willing to make an exception with you. The test is honestly for those who aren't sure of what they want to do in the military, and I can tell you have your mind pretty well made up. So, I think we can skip the red tape and get you all signed up."
Herzog shot him a charming smile and slid the datapad across the desk to lie in front of him. Jonathan reached forward and scooped the 'pad off the desk, bringing it up to his face to read what was open on it. It was his contract, and it read:
Ward removed the electronic pen from its sheath located on the back of the datapad and jotted down his name carefully. Once he was finished, he handed the datapad back to Sergeant Herzog, a grin split across his lips. He felt liberated, as if a terrible weight had been lifted off his shoulders. Jonathan had just signed his enlistment contract. "Finished, Sergeant," he said happily.
Sergeant Herzog nodded. "Outstanding."
"When do I ship out?" he asked, hoping that the answer would be sometime soon.
Herzog gestured for him to wait while he consulted his datapad. As asked, Jonathan waited, though he was anxious to hear the answer all the same. "November Twelfth is your approximate shipdate," the recruiter answered, setting the datapad back down. "You will be sent to UCMB Camp Daly for recruit training. You will be there for approximately twelve weeks. After that, you'll be a Marine."
Ward practically leapt out of his seat at the news. He extended his hand across the desk for the Sergeant, and the recruiter took it and shook it once rather hard. Sergeant Herzog chuckled and smiled back at him. "I would go home and tell your family the great news," be said.
Jonathan nodded, wished the recruiter farewell, and then walked out the door. The entire way home his mind was awash with thoughts of what the future might hold for him. After years and years of dreaming about this day, he found that none of it compared to actually living. It was an adrenaline rush he wouldn't soon forget.
Jonathan Ward was to become a UNSC Marine.
Marine Corps Recruiting Station Saint Rose, Saint Rose,
Eposz, Reach, Epsilon Eridani System
It was a sunny day over the small metropolis of Saint Rose. There was not a single cloud for as far as the eye could see. Heavy rush hour traffic filled the streets, making travel by vehicle an inconvenient means of reaching one's destination. That was why Jonathan Ward had decided to walk to his local Marine Corps Recruiting Office.
The recruiting office was only a few blocks away from his home and he didn't mind the time it took to get there on foot. Foot travel was by far a better means of arriving at his destination then by vehicle at this busy time of day. He'd learned since acquiring his license at eighteen that there was no shortage of idiots on the road, especially when everyone and their grandmother were rushing to get home.
Jon never understood the point in scrambling home after work. In principle he understood that people must have been tired after working all day, but did that give them an excuse to drive like idiots? Not in his opinion, it didn't. What was the point in driving recklessly in hopes of "beating traffic" when every other working citizen in the town had the same goal in mind? Somewhere, somehow, all those people would eventually converge upon one another and cause a jam like the one he witnessed before him.
No. He would happily march himself into the recruiting office, do what he had to do, and walk back. Considering how backed up traffic was, he was certain the people sitting in their vehicles would still be stuck where they were when he was finished in the office. Which again led him to question why they were in such a hurry.
Putting the thought from his mind as he approached the front doors to the office, Jonathan steeled himself for what lie ahead. He had journeyed here with a purpose; for as long as he could remember he had wanted to be a United Nations Space Command Marine, just like his father. There was a war going on and he needed to fight it. The very fate of humanity depended on people like him to do their part.
And do it he would.
With a deep breath, the young man closed the distance between him and the door, and stepped inside. The interior of the recruiting station was small, no bigger than the size of his living room and kitchen combined, with cubicles flanking him on both sides all the way to the far wall. He took a whiff of the air and smelt the pleasing aroma of air freshener.
Suddenly, in the blink of an eye, a recruiter appeared as if out of thin air. The recruiter wore the recognizable dress uniform of the Marines, three rows of ribbons pinned over his left breast, and the chevrons of a Sergeant emblazoned on his uniform sleeves. He smiled at Jonathan and extended his hand to shake.
Naturally, Jonathan gripped hold of it, and gave the recruiter's hand a firm shake. The recruiter continued to smile, never breaking eye contact. "Welcome to Marine Corps Recruiting Station Saint Rose. I'm Sergeant Herzog. How can I help you today, son?"
Ward could barely contain his zeal as he introduced himself. "I'm Jonathan Ward, and I want to be a Marine."
The recruiter nodded, still smiling. "Well, it definitely looks like you came to the right place," he said. "Why don't we sit down?"
Jon followed Sergeant Herzog over to cubicle nearest the front door and sat down in front of the recruiter's desk. The recruiter rounded the desk and plopped down in his seat, leaning back in it somewhat whilst snatching up a datapad from off the top of the desk. "Do you have anything particular in mind that you want to do in the Marines? If not, that's fine. The Marine Corps has plenty to offer you."
He nodded excitedly. "I want to be in the infantry," he replied.
"The infantry," Sergeant Herzog repeated, "okay. Anything specific in mind that you want to do in the infantry?"
"I want to be a Rifleman. Zero-three-eleven."
The recruiter nodded and typed something down on the datapad. "Alright," he replied. "I like a man that knows what he wants to do. You know, a lot of people walk through those same doors that you did that had no clue what they wanted to do. Heck, I'm not sure they even knew what jobs were out there for them in the Marine Corps. So I really can appreciate a kid who has their mind made up."
"Thank you, Sergeant," Jonathan said, smiling at the compliment. He shifted in his seat a little, trying hard to contain his excitement. Jon had dreamt of this day for a long time, and now that he was finally here, it felt almost surreal.
Silence prevailed over the two for a moment as the recruiter typed some more on his datapad. Jon found himself curious, wondering what the sergeant was typing, but did not ask. After a moment, the recruiter set the datapad back on the desk and locked eyes with him. "Before we can proceed, I need to ask you some questions. Are you ready?"
"Yes," Ward answered.
"Good," Herzog replied. "First question: have you ever taken any form of illegal narcotic or unprescribed medicine?"
Jon shook his head.
"Okay, do you have a criminal record?"
Again, he shook his head.
"What is the highest level of education that you have completed?"
"High school," he answered, and then added, "I just graduated last week."
The recruiter nodded and smiled. "Congratulations. Do you have any health defects or abnormalities that I should know about? Any medical conditions?"
Jonathan again shook his head. "No, I'm as healthy as a moa."
Sergeant Herzog chuckled and nodded. He picked up the datapad again and typed away again, likely entering in the answers he had just given to the recruiter's impromptu questionnaire. Jon sat there patiently, reciting lyrics to one of his favorite songs in his head as he waited. It wasn't long before the sergeant was finished.
"Alright, I think we're pretty well squared away," the recruiter finally said.
Jon grinned. Those words were music to his ears. "So does that mean I get to sign my contract?"
"Well, you'll have to take a general aptitude test before I can legally allow you to sign any contract, technically," the Sergeant explained, maintaining direct eye contact. "However, I'm willing to make an exception with you. The test is honestly for those who aren't sure of what they want to do in the military, and I can tell you have your mind pretty well made up. So, I think we can skip the red tape and get you all signed up."
Herzog shot him a charming smile and slid the datapad across the desk to lie in front of him. Jonathan reached forward and scooped the 'pad off the desk, bringing it up to his face to read what was open on it. It was his contract, and it read:
UNITED NATIONS SPACE COMMAND DEFENSE FORCE
CONTRACT OF ENLISTMENT
The United Nations Space Command is authorized under the authority of the Unified Earth Government (UEG) to offer enlistment to any persons, regardless of race, gender, creed, place of birth, religious beliefs, or sexual orientation. By signing your name at the bottom of this legally binding contract, you certify that you are aware of and understand:
a). That an enlistment into the Uniformed Services of the United Nations Space Command will require a minimum term of four years of honorable service in pursuit of the defense of Earth and Her Colonies.
b). That you are not, under any circumstances, authorized to abandon your commitment to the defense and preservation of our species for any reason, and accept that should you desert your post, you will be charged to the fullest extent of the law.
c). That, in the service of humanity, you shall be exposed to mortal danger; the possible loss of limb and/or life; and hold neither the United Nations Space Command Defense Force (UNSC) nor the Unified Earth Government (UEG) responsible for any such occurrences.
d). That you are required to understand and adhere to the Uniformed Code of Military Justice and the rules and regulations of your chosen branch of service at all times until your term of active duty service has concluded.
If you understand and agree to the stipulations listed above, please sign your name on the dotted line.
CONTRACT OF ENLISTMENT
The United Nations Space Command is authorized under the authority of the Unified Earth Government (UEG) to offer enlistment to any persons, regardless of race, gender, creed, place of birth, religious beliefs, or sexual orientation. By signing your name at the bottom of this legally binding contract, you certify that you are aware of and understand:
a). That an enlistment into the Uniformed Services of the United Nations Space Command will require a minimum term of four years of honorable service in pursuit of the defense of Earth and Her Colonies.
b). That you are not, under any circumstances, authorized to abandon your commitment to the defense and preservation of our species for any reason, and accept that should you desert your post, you will be charged to the fullest extent of the law.
c). That, in the service of humanity, you shall be exposed to mortal danger; the possible loss of limb and/or life; and hold neither the United Nations Space Command Defense Force (UNSC) nor the Unified Earth Government (UEG) responsible for any such occurrences.
d). That you are required to understand and adhere to the Uniformed Code of Military Justice and the rules and regulations of your chosen branch of service at all times until your term of active duty service has concluded.
If you understand and agree to the stipulations listed above, please sign your name on the dotted line.
Ward removed the electronic pen from its sheath located on the back of the datapad and jotted down his name carefully. Once he was finished, he handed the datapad back to Sergeant Herzog, a grin split across his lips. He felt liberated, as if a terrible weight had been lifted off his shoulders. Jonathan had just signed his enlistment contract. "Finished, Sergeant," he said happily.
Sergeant Herzog nodded. "Outstanding."
"When do I ship out?" he asked, hoping that the answer would be sometime soon.
Herzog gestured for him to wait while he consulted his datapad. As asked, Jonathan waited, though he was anxious to hear the answer all the same. "November Twelfth is your approximate shipdate," the recruiter answered, setting the datapad back down. "You will be sent to UCMB Camp Daly for recruit training. You will be there for approximately twelve weeks. After that, you'll be a Marine."
Ward practically leapt out of his seat at the news. He extended his hand across the desk for the Sergeant, and the recruiter took it and shook it once rather hard. Sergeant Herzog chuckled and smiled back at him. "I would go home and tell your family the great news," be said.
Jonathan nodded, wished the recruiter farewell, and then walked out the door. The entire way home his mind was awash with thoughts of what the future might hold for him. After years and years of dreaming about this day, he found that none of it compared to actually living. It was an adrenaline rush he wouldn't soon forget.
Jonathan Ward was to become a UNSC Marine.