Chapter 29-1- Beyond Our Walls Part 1

[Pikepaw]

I really liked the POV change in the opening. It might ruin all of our assumptions about the journals though.

Did I hear Michael Swan right? Brittany Brombacher?! Is it digital boxers time?

By the way I am 0 for 3 on recognizing voices. Greg Miller, Bob Bergen as Duncan, Brittany Brombacher. I needed Michael Swan to tell me...

[Osiris]

HOLY SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTT!!!!!!! Britt NEEDS to be a recurring character!!!! IT MUST, BE KC!

[Hellbringer]

FYI, Yermo, where Puck earned his blood stripes, is a small town east of Barstow. It's important because the Marine Corps Logistics Base in Yermo is the closest point that the railroad comes to Fort Irwin. That's where equipment and supplies for Fort Irwin are delivered, and there's a large military warehouse center there.

Did four rotations to Krosnovia or whatever we want to call it these days. Went down to Yermo once or twice, so it'd be interesting to see if that place plays a factor in the story.

Bloodstripes? Definitely not a way I'd want to earn my rank and position, but some things are necessary at dire times.

Ok, the commander talked about "exchange points" being used instead of cash or US dollars. That concerns me because, stepping back a bit and fathoming a bigger picture, it sounds like either Ft. Irwin is in some sort of communications black out from the rest of civilization (and the commander is trying to keep things in order) or things have deteriorated so badly that there is no organized government or infrastructure outside the post.
Having no social security number on file for Michael leads me to believe in either case, because the Army post should be connected to other military installations electronically and be able to pull up his information readily.
As Alice would say, while looking through the glass mind you, "Curiouser and curiouser."

[Litmaster]

Didn't seem to get a whole lot of 'meat' out of this episode to theorize about... more a whole lot of creeping dread...


Tanya's Problem
Hell yeah... Britt the nurse is going to find something wrong with her. Wouldn't surprise me if they find either that she has been bitten and didn't turn (i.e. the immunity thing already much talked about) or that she had been doing some kind of experiments on herself in trying to develop a zombie vaccine that may be incriminating. Either way, it ain't gonna go well for her, and the colonel is going to try and give her the boot.

Question: I wonder if the colonel's insistence on regular medical clearance (seems like at least once a month for everyone) indicates that the Fort has had some trouble with 'slow-turners' in the past? And that Tanya is going to be accused of being just such a slow-turner???


Michael = Antigone?
...this will make Michael's life even harder, as he is going to have to choose between his loyalty to the Law (millitary, rank, structure, rules) and the 'higher law' of loyalty to his adopted family. He likely will choose the latter, making this a rather short stay in Irwin.


Irwin Kicks Out, but Not Kills
The fact that there is such a clamp-down on information until people have been medically cleared is a good sign, actually. This shows that people who are not cleared are banished from the Fort, but not killed outright like in the Colony (remember how Gatekeeper would have those rejected shot in the back?). So that speaks to a greater semblance of humanity, anyway. This colonel may end up being a dick, but he doesn't seem to be a monster like Gatekeeper.

Although... on second thought, wouldn't banishing someone to some overrrun place like Barstow pretty much be the same as killing them???


The 35 Mile Buffer
So I checked and this Yermo is about 35 miles SSW of Ft. Irwin. Since Puck got his 'blood stripes' there, it is safe to say Yermo is probably overrun, like Barstow. So they've got about 35 miles of desert between them and zombies. I was curious about how far the Zeds would migrate if they ran low on chow in Yermo... remember the starving Zed-Heads that swam all the way from (I think) San Clemente Island? I wonder how many incidences there are of wandering Zombs breaching the perimeter...


Mke's Marching Orders?
Anyone else think it a bit ominous as to why Michael was hesitating to sign the papers? Is that simply because he is unwilling to submit to a higher authority, or is there something more sinister afoot at Irwin? I don't see what signing a piece a paper matters anyway, especially in a post-apocalyptic situation like the world of "We're Alive"... I think the Army has much bigger fish to fry than a few recruits leaving post and going AWOL.





By the way, was anyone else glad to hear about the abundance of munitions at Ft. Irwin? Now all we need is a good old mass-zombie assault. I don't know about you, but this podcast would be a whole lot less interesting to listen to if the characters had to fight this shit out with sticks and slingshots...

[Cabbage Patch]

Ok, the commander talked about "exchange points" being used instead of cash or US dollars. That concerns me because, stepping back a bit and fathoming a bigger picture, it sounds like either Ft. Irwin is in some sort of communications black out from the rest of civilization (and the commander is trying to keep things in order) or things have deteriorated so badly that there is no organized government or infrastructure outside the post.

An "exchange point" system actually makes good sense, and I think it speaks well to the security of the base and how well provisioned it is. The fact that the Post Exchange is open in any form is a good sign, a link to normalcy and a sign that some luxury items are available. That's bound to help troop morale (which is the reason that PXs exist in the first place). And you couldn't use US currency, because there's no way of stopping troops from acquiring more (off dead zombies, out of business during recon missions) and causing crazy inflation.

This is very similar to what Riley did at the Tower with her "store". We never knew how goods were distributed from the store, but there must have been a system or else why have a store.

Having no social security number on file for Michael leads me to believe in either case, because the Army post should be connected to other military installations electronically and be able to pull up his information readily.

Believe it or not, the military is subject to privacy laws just like everybody else. When a soldier transfers in to a unit his data goes onto the local data servers, and a base like Fort Irwin isn't authorized to see anything about soldiers not stationed there. Ordinarily your orders arrive at your new duty station before you do, authorizing them to download your records. When you arrive you hand-carry the rest of your data, which the base gets when you in-process. In other words what we saw here was really close to "situation normal".

[Litmaster]

Nice posts, Cabbage Patch! You bring it, dude!

I'd REP you again, but the damn thing won't let me. You give great insight into Army details.



Quick Theory About Irwin's History

Evidence:

• The strong emphasis on medical clearance at Irwin
• That their helicopter was recognized upon arrival at Irwin.
• The 35 mile isolation buffer from the outbreak
• Puck isn't a 'newbie' despite only being in 1 1/2 years
• Irwin was between training cycles at outbreak = Few Active Duty Personnel

Theory:

• Irwin was probably used as an emergency EVAC site at the time of the outbreak
• Much of the base's current personnel are probably made up of civilians who were flown out of LA and nearby locales
• Even with the geographic isolation, they must have had an internal zombie outbreak due to some of the evacuees being infected and then turning upon arrival
• The internal outbreak was quelled, but they probably lost many people during the mini-disaster
• Puck was one of the few original Army guys to survive the outbreak, and so was quickly promoted to positions of responsibility over the incoming civilians
• So the colonel (highest ranking left alive) took over with an iron fist and a firm mandate that all Irwin personnel MUST get a physical at least once a month to ensure no further outbreaks happen

[Nitara]

Great episode! I just wish it hadn't ended so soon.

Anyway, I'm really looking forward to finding out what's wrong with Tanya. There's obviously something going on that she doesn't want anyone else to know about. As for Michael, I was a little surprised he was hesitant to rejoin the army. Then again, I guess that's what happens when you've grown used to doing things your own way for so long; and then people expect you to go back to the way things were.

[nikvoodoo]

I hope that Britt doesn't get a big ego like our old friend Greg Miller. It will be hard to fit them in the podcast room. And now Nikvoodoo will want a spot on the show.... Wait maybe he already on it? Maybe know so much.... bc he the PIMP zombie!!!!

I say nothing.

Mke's Marching Orders?
Anyone else think it a bit ominous as to why Michael was hesitating to sign the papers? Is that simply because he is unwilling to submit to a higher authority, or is there something more sinister afoot at Irwin? I don't see what signing a piece a paper matters anyway, especially in a post-apocalyptic situation like the world of "We're Alive"... I think the Army has much bigger fish to fry than a few recruits leaving post and going AWOL.

Actually, I'd wager they dont have bigger fish to fry. Especially if he has a unique skill set that isnt currently present. If someone still believes in the structure, Michael is subject to his service and he doesn't have a choice. Well....he does. His choice is to sign the paper, or risk prison time/execution. Yes, Michael could be executed for going AWOL during wartime (at least as I understand the outer extreme of AWOL punishments).

He'd do best to sign that paper...

[Hellbringer]

An "exchange point" system actually makes good sense, and I think it speaks well to the security of the base and how well provisioned it is. The fact that the Post Exchange is open in any form is a good sign, a link to normalcy and a sign that some luxury items are available. That's bound to help troop morale (which is the reason that PXs exist in the first place). And you couldn't use US currency, because there's no way of stopping troops from acquiring more (off dead zombies, out of business during recon missions) and causing crazy inflation.

This is very similar to what Riley did at the Tower with her "store". We never knew how goods were distributed from the store, but there must have been a system or else why have a store.



Believe it or not, the military is subject to privacy laws just like everybody else. When a soldier transfers in to a unit his data goes onto the local data servers, and a base like Fort Irwin isn't authorized to see anything about soldiers not stationed there. Ordinarily your orders arrive at your new duty station before you do, authorizing them to download your records. When you arrive you hand-carry the rest of your data, which the base gets when you in-process. In other words what we saw here was really close to "situation normal".

I offer a counter-counter-point or two to your counter-point. (where's my winking smile? I know I put it in here)

The exchange point system may sound good in the short term, but I think back to my folks and myself while stationed "out there." Some of my guys were at really small outposts, but they had a finance team come out once a month or so and cash out checks or offer cash advances up to a certain amount in order for them to use the local exchange or the local on-site bazaar. The remaining money was still in the system, though, be it cash on hand or stored up in a bank/savings account. However, to me this detail is minor and only a symptom of something bigger.

As for the privacy laws and such, yes, the Privacy Act of 1974, does protect individuals' rights. However, earlier in the episode, before Michael had to sign anything (cliffhanger), the command folks had his ID card. They checked his card to make sure it wasn't a fake; that card has his social security number on it. They had the information needed (his SSN) to verify that he was who he said he was. But they didn't use it that way. He willingly surrendered his card to them for use and that can be construed (am I using the right word here or have I been listening too many people who used that word?) as consent. This is the Army, after all.
Also, there was a 42-series (legal dude/adjutant general/human resource) person who typed up Michael's orders to bring him unto Active Duty. Orders don't get published or drawn up without going through iPERMS or E-MILPO (military administrative systems), systems connected to Human Resources Command or even the Army G-1 (personnel). Besides, that 42-series person would have access to look information on Michael in those databases on the Commander's behalf, especially if Michael was to become a part of that unit.

Just saying this smells a little fishy to me. Like something is rotten in Denmark. I have been wrong plenty of times before, though. I mean, I was dead sure that Bill, of the Apartment, was the man we call Ink... allegedly.

[Cabbage Patch]

...earlier in the episode, before Michael had to sign anything (cliffhanger), the command folks had his ID card. They checked his card to make sure it wasn't a fake; that card has his social security number on it. They had the information needed (his SSN) to verify that he was who he said he was.

Great point about the ID Card having Michael's Social Security Number on it, I totally missed that fact. It is starting to look like Fort Irwin is on its own, without access to the rest of the Army's data or logistics infrastructure.