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#Intermission, willingness to fight, and combat fatigue (2)
After “The End,” combat fatigue was an expression of trauma. As a result, it could appear on a daily basis—that was, if people’s daily lives could be compared to battle.
Therefore, combat fatigue managent was a key component of community operations. In order to operate more efficiently, leaders needed to contain, or sotis encourage, combat fatigue in their mbers.
Yes, that’s right. You didn’t read it wrong. Intentionally creating combat fatigue was one of the key pieces of know-how in community operations and human resources managent.
To give an example, people’s trauma was highly likely to influence their political orientation. A traumatized person wouldn’t want to go through that experience again. So if the pain they had suffered were likely to be reproduced at all, they would instinctively reject the situation. It was an instinct for self-preservation, in which there was no room for rational judgnt.
In reality, the political conservatism of war veterans was the best example. Because they had been through such a terrible experience, they would consider their survival and the maintenance of their community to be basic values.
This was also a ans of creating enthusiastic supporters.
Of course, this was only an option. If soone were a truly outstanding leader, they could raise enough support without using these asures. This would also be the moral path to take.
On the other hand, combat fatigue could be an opportunity for growth. As Nietzsche said in his work Twilight of the Idols, “That which does not kill makes stronger.” Haven’t you heard a story about a person who only got stronger after overcoming ntal wounds?
After “The End,” this approach was implented in a way that its potential was expanded. It was a similar category as growth by accumulating experience, but it was distinct in the system, aning that it was completely separate from reinforcent by skill acquisition.
Of course, this was not easy. You had to leave only ntal wounds that the subject could bear, but each person has different limitations. The key was how much one could “interpret” those limits. It would be impossible if your “Detection” wasn’t supported.
In so cases, it was not possible at all. The core of the leadership type “Inspection” ant that both the way it worked and the efficiency varied completely depending on your qualifications and preferences.
#Journal, p. 91, Camp Roberts
Three days had passed since returning to camp.
In the anti, the troop presence had been increased, and the camp commander had been replaced. As the status of Camp Roberts had been increased, so had the rank of commander. Now, the commander of the Seventh California regint would serve as the camp commander.
The forr commander of the Third Battalion was disciplined, and the attempt to pass all the bla on to the operations manager failed. Because this incident was such a big deal, the containnt command sent a full-fledged investigation team. There were many witnesses to the battalion commander’s negligence. On Christmas Eve, he had fallen into a state of intoxication. He wasn’t expecting to be in an ergency.
The problem was the new commander. Port Hunter Riggett had helped successfully stop the night attack, but not as much as Camp Roberts. Many people had been killed, the forr regintal commander of Seventh California among them. He had been stationed in Hunter Riggett with the Second Battalion. He’d been unlucky. He reported that he was going on a night patrol to console the soldiers on Christmas Eve and died as soon as the attack began. Sincerity in a person could be very detrintal.
Thanks to that, the post of camp commander had been vacant for the previous few days. It took three days for a new regintal commander to be appointed. In the anti, Lieutenant Colonel Farrell Ramos, the First Battalion commander, had acted as the commander.
And today… the commander of the regint arrived.
There was no such thing as an inauguration ceremony. Most of the troops had been deployed to strengthen their alertness, and the regint itself did not want to waste ti on unnecessary events.
However, I received a personal call.
“Nice to et you, lieutenant. I’m Lieutenant Colonel Gerald M. Laughlin, 160th Regint. I will be in charge of Camp Roberts from today… Oh, I’m a colonel now. I’m sorry, I haven’t adjusted to the new rank yet.”
The black-skinned regintal commander covered his mistake quite nicely.
The commander’s mistake was due to his promotion. Regardless of the original rank, the system granted temporary ranks necessary for performing duties.
A lieutenant colonel usually headed the command of the U.S. military regint. However, Laughlin had been promoted to colonel to serve as a camp commander, command support units other than a regint, and bring refugee support forces together.
The sa went for the commander of the Third Battalion, who had been dismissed. He had beco a lieutenant colonel while serving as a camp commander, but his actual rank was major. His salary would have been paid at the level of a major.
There was only one more mistake he made.
“Excuse , my rank is second lieutenant.”
The commander smiled quietly. “No, you’ll have to adjust to a new class. Co closer.”
As he approached, he removed my rank and attached a new one.
“Surprised?”
Wanting to be honest, I said, “Yes.” Colonel Laughlin then patted on the shoulder.
“Don’t be. You were supposed to be promoted early on. I just moved it up. Even so, it’s true that you’re breaking all the records for youngest promotions… though I think it’s nothing compared to what you’ve done. That’s the real reward.”
I had a guess when I heard that. It ant he intended to give another dal. It had been less than half a year since I applied to the U.S. military, and it was already the fourth ti I would receive one.
First, I had received the Order of rit for Military rit and the dal of Valor, and then the Order of rit for Service after visiting Atascadero.
Looking at the colonel’s expression, the level of “real reward” he’d ntioned seed to be quite high.
Was it the dal of Honor?
Sergeant Pierce’s words ca to mind. My achievents had been enough to warrant the dal of Honor from the beginning, but the higher-ups had seed to prefer giving low-level dals to induce mutual checks among refugees.
“You’re going to Washington. I heard that the council unanimously agreed to your service. We’ll leave tonight by plane, and we’ll be back tomorrow afternoon.”
The regintal commander turned my doubts into conviction. It was a dal that needed congressional approval and required to go all the way to Washington. It was hard to think of anything else it could be.
He reached out to . “It’s an honor to et a true hero.”
He had a firm grip. From his ever-serious eyes, I realized my renewed position.
The current situation was the reason for the dal.
It was surprising that the mutants had infiltrated on a planned basis, but the EMP attack was beyond imagination. I heard that the death toll of civilians alone was more than 80,000 people. Several garrisons had been erased from the map, and so of the successful defense sites suffered considerable damage.
Camp Roberts was the only site that remained standing unhard.
The bad news was being covered with good news.
I was determined when I decided to beco a recruitnt advert for the U.S. military, but I found that the role gradually beca burdenso as it got bigger.
I didn’t think people even saw as the sa person anymore. A hero was only a tool that was eventually shaped according to their needs.
Because of this, my answer was bound to be calm.
“I couldn’t have done it without the help of others. Thank you for your words, but I don’t think I’m the only one who deserves to be honored.”
“Of course, the investigation team sent from the command didn’t just look at the cri. A few more people besides you have been selected for a special promotion. Captain Capston is the representative. You’ll also be awarded a dal. So you don’t have to feel too much pressure.”
After asking more questions, I found that most of Charlie’s company was eligible for the promotion.
Captain Capston was in line for a two-rank promotion. He was being promoted to the top as a major and to the position of lieutenant colonel. It was explained that this was because he was in charge of the vacant battalion commander position.
The regint commander remained friendly to until the eting was over.
#Journal, p. 92, Washington, D.C.
I’m writing this after coming back from Washington.
The accommodation was at the White House. Not that it could really be called accommodation since I only stayed for a while, but there’s no other term that fits.
All the ti I was there, I was thoroughly monitored. Everyone seed concerned about escaping. They called it security, but I thought it was a little too much to have a platoon attached only to .
Such worries were no exaggeration. All refugees dread of living in the civilized world, east of the blockade. From their point of view, of course I would attempt to escape. And if I escaped, they wouldn’t be confident of catching , which would have a huge social impact.
Not that I wanted to escape in the first place, but in any case, I was a war hero. I had no intention of escaping; I had people to take responsibility for.
However, the scenery outside the window was beautiful. Outside the fence, a snowy white garden, a fountain rising beyond, and the grace of the Washington Monunt in the distance. It would have been even better without people flocking to see .
I didn’t have to worry about mutant attacks. The peace of mind I felt there was really special. It made desperate to take a walk.
Just in case, I asked if I could.
Of course, it was rejected. The air beca heavier, and I regretted that I had said it for nothing. I told them that they could put handcuffs on if they were worried, which utterly shocked them.
It was only a joke to ease the atmosphere.
The award ceremony was simple enough not to need any rehearsal. It only took about twenty minutes. After walking out in front of the applauding crowd with the president, my role was just to stand still.
The rest belonged to the chief of staff, the chief of chaplains, and the president.
“Let’s pray.”
Everyone bowed down at a word from the head of the group.
Although I did not believe in Christianity or Catholicism, I, too, held my hands in front of my chest and closed my eyes.
“The Almighty and eternal Lord who has granted us the inheritance of this wonderful land and true faith, I ask you to join in honor of this man who answered the call of duty in order to protect everything you have given him.
“Under your providence, Lieutenant Gyeo-ul saved countless lives with courage, honor, and dedication.
“By your grace, we believe that this man will continue to maintain the sa virtue. Honor this hero in your na, who has newly embroidered the tapestry of our great nation. And I pray again that we Aricans will continue each day with the sa courage and sacrifice as this man and continue our history forever.
“Thank you for all the etings and events you have allowed today so that this man can stand before us as the grace of the Lord. I also thank all the soldiers of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Rangers who are fighting back in tis of hardship and adversity…
“…Lastly, please regard Lieutenant Gyeo-ul as your joy, the people he seeks to protect, the nation he is willing to devote himself to. President Calvin Coolidge said, ‘A nation which forgets its defenders will be itself forgotten.’ As mbers of his country, we will give all the honor we can to this man who has protected public security, and we will never forget it. I swear this before you and your holy na. An.”
The United States was not a religious country, but it was like one in terms of tradition. As for , it was hard to sympathize with the unique sentint.
After that, it was ti for the president to perform my part of the ceremony.
It was rather longer than the prayer. The president tried to sum up all the contributions I had accumulated so far, rather than just talking about the current incident.
The reason was probably the myriad of caras set up before him.
I found myself speculating. As I had beco more famous than I’d imagined, I had to think that my previous confernts were turning out to be a problem.
Objectively speaking, I should already have received the dal of Honor after Paso Robles. It would not have been one of Pierce’s bosses who had doubts there.
Anyway, people from all classes at the ceremony responded with a warm round of applause at the end of every sentence the president said. In my opinion, their enthusiasm wasn’t just performative.
In front of a fra with thirteen white stars on a blue background, the president finally gave a dal. This was the highest honor an Arican could receive, a star with a green laurel wreath. In the center was embossed the goddess of wisdom and war, Athena, and my na was engraved on the back.
「THE CONGRESSIONAL DAL OF HONOR FOR GYEO-UL HAN」
It was very rare for this to be awarded to a living recipient. It was actually known as a “dead soldier’s dal” because it was usually bestowed long after the recipient was dead.
After the ceremony, I had dinner with the president. When I asked for better treatnt of refugees, he responded that he would positively review the situation. It was hard to tell whether it was just political words or a genuine sentint.
This was how the visit to Washington, which was only for half a day, ended.
When I got on the return flight, the half-day’s mories felt unreal. It felt like I’d had a sad, colorful, and loud dream.
And so, I ca back to reality. My reality, and the people I sympathized with.
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