Chain of Command- Fort Irwin, Ch. 26.1 and further

Okay this may sound like a crackpot theory but now it's stuck in my head.

Who is in charge at Fort Irwin?

My first thought was I have no idea. But then I got a crazy idea in my head. What if the head is Durai? I know totally crazy but it's stuck in my head. Remeber that Scratch spoke military language, if anyone could con the military @ Fort Irwin it would be Durai. Maybe he has some prior service or knew someone (I think it's safe to say that Scratch and Angel have some past).

I know nutty but is anything in this series easy or predictable?

They've said Durai is down south and Ft Irwin is north east from the tower. So it's not likely. Now, does that mean Durai wasn't stationed there at some point? Nope! Not at all!

You know, it would have been useful to have had Angel with them. His 2nd Lt rank would have come in handy. If a full on military chain of command was in place and still functioning at Irwin, then, his rank would carry more weight than Michael's. And he's not as inexperienced as when he started out. He's seen more apocalyptic combat than almost anyone. Too bad he's MIA and probably on route to the Colony.

Oh thank god....things are about to return to normal around here.....

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Originally Posted by Ra1th

You know, it would have been useful to have had Angel with them. His 2nd Lt rank would have come in handy. If a full on military chain of command was in place and still functioning at Irwin, then, his rank would carry more weight than Michael's. And he's not as inexperienced as when he started out. He's seen more apocalyptic combat than almost anyone. Too bad he's MIA and probably on route to the Colony.

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The only thing Angel would do is cry he's not being considered for command and chase after Riley's pants.

*lights a smoke*

Man that felt good.....it's been so long!! :p

But honestly, I don't think Angel would be able to pull anymore weight than Michael did in this episode. Maybe later, sure. But against an "automaton" MP simply following orders, I don't think Angel outranking Michael would make a difference. The Secretary of Defense could have been on the chopper, and he would have been told to shut up too.

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Originally Posted by awkwardalex

My first thought was I have no idea. But then I got a crazy idea in my head. What if the head is Durai? I know totally crazy but it's stuck in my head. Remeber that Scratch spoke military language, if anyone could con the military @ Fort Irwin it would be Durai. Maybe he has some prior service or knew someone (I think it's safe to say that Scratch and Angel have some past).

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Don't forget about Michael's observation from the chopper in 25.1 that the highway was clogged with an "ocean of cars", 12 vehicles thick both ways, flowing out on the embankments, a "mass grave site of steel, preventing people from escaping the city. Without our helicopter, there is no way anyone could have made it this far."

Durai and the gang only had cars and trucks, which seems to rule out any quick stops over to Irwin via the highways...

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Originally Posted by nikvoodoo

Oh thank god....things are about to return to normal around here.....



The only thing Angel would do is cry he's not being considered for command and chase after Riley's pants.

*lights a smoke*

Man that felt good.....it's been so long!! :p

But honestly, I don't think Angel would be able to pull anymore weight than Michael did in this episode. Maybe later, sure. But against an "automaton" MP simply following orders, I don't think Angel outranking Michael would make a difference. The Secretary of Defense could have been on the chopper, and he would have been told to shut up too.

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Not so much in this episode but in the one's to come. From the sounds of it, the man in command seems to be an officer, and he's probably a damn good one, probably a colonel or a major. If the military chain of command is still in place, then Michael will have to work much harder to show and establish his leadership skill. In the short run, Angel's rank would have been far more useful. Especially considering that Michael no longer responds well to taking orders. Maybe it'll be different now that it's a military chain of command, but we know for a fact that Angel is particularly good at completing missions and has a good deal of zombie exp. Those two things make him a very good officer.

I'm just guessing at this point, but Michael is someone who has to lead. At some point soon, he's going to have to prove his leadership and get into a very high position of leadership just for story's sake. No one would let a newcomer into their leadership, unless they were desperate for leaders. Michael is going to have to prove himself worthy of that position. Since they're probably going to be assimilating into the chain of command, Angel would fall into a Lt position, so he'd have immediate leadership.

I'm excited to see some kind of Gen Hammond, Col. O'neil SG-1 relationship develop between Michael and said base commander

FINGERS CROSSED

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Originally Posted by Ra1th

Not so much in this episode but in the one's to come. From the sounds of it, the man in command seems to be an officer, and he's probably a damn good one, probably a colonel or a major. If the military chain of command is still in place, then Michael will have to work much harder to show and establish his leadership skill. In the short run, Angel's rank would have been far more useful. Especially considering that Michael no longer responds well to taking orders. Maybe it'll be different now that it's a military chain of command, but we know for a fact that Angel is particularly good at completing missions and has a good deal of zombie exp. Those two things make him a very good officer.

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I totally disagree. Much in the same way everyone in the Tower looked to Michael and not Angel, despite Military structure and rankings, Michael is head and shoulders above Angel and it doesn't take much for people to realize it. All they'd have to do is line the two of them up and see how much better Michael is at just about everything and he'd get an immediate field promotion. And you saying Angel is a better do-er and mission helper makes him (in action) a subordinate to Michael...the planner. So I'd say you just shot your own argument in the foot.

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I'm just guessing at this point, but Michael is someone who has to lead. At some point soon, he's going to have to prove his leadership and get into a very high position of leadership just for story's sake. No one would let a newcomer into their leadership, unless they were desperate for leaders. Michael is going to have to prove himself worthy of that position. Since they're probably going to be assimilating into the chain of command, Angel would fall into a Lt position, so he'd have immediate leadership.

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Yes and no. Michael doesn't need to take full command. If he feels like whomever is in charge has the best interests of his people in mind (and actually follows through on it) I don't feel like he NEEDS to lead. If he trusts the person in charge at Irwin, and he's given command of a little squad of troops, that could be enough. The issue Michael has had with people over him in the story has been they don't listen to his ideas. If someone is willing to listen, and consider his opinion and his "family" is safe....he's more likely to fall in line in my opinion.

And I sincerely doubt that Angel would be given command right away either. If they are surviving just like everyone else...trust is at a premium.
BTW: I missed this oh so much!

NCOs are the backbone of the military. there's an old joke that goes: you're a fresh LT, and you are given a flag and five feet of rope to hoist it up a ten feet of flag pole. how do you do it? give it to your first sergeant, come back in ten minutes, and don't ask queestions. officers call the shots, but NCOs make it happen, on all levels. as such, michael steps forward to make mission happen, but his natural role is to follow orders, that's what he's been trained to do. squad leaders (which as a sergeant he would be eligible for that role) take command of a team and accomplish an objective. michaels objective has been clear, keeping people alive, so that is what he's been doing.

For all of the non-military folks on here, I'll let you know how a new 2LT (or butterbar as we call them) is treated when he shows up to an Infantry unit. First, we check his left shoulder. No ranger tab? That means he's weak since most of his class of officers will have their tab. Second, we introduce ourselves (As a platoon sergeant, I introduce myself, then my squad leaders). Usually a good LT will say something like "I can't wait to learn from you guys". If he says he's got some great ideas, you're in trouble. The platoon leader has to learn from their NCOs to be successful. Lastly, you get the platoon in a formation and let him introduce himself. If he starts telling you all the deficiencies he finds on the soldiers or acts like he's an NCO himself, you have to stop that shit immediately. I've had the best PLs and the worst PLs you could imagine.

With all of that being said, if Angel had been with them he would have been treated the same way until he showed that he knew his shit. It wouldn't have taken long, but he still wouldn't have impressed anyone with his rank. Michael's rank has a lot more pull with soldiers and officers than 2LT.