The Vaults of Heaven (AU)

[jemhouston]

Fowler just fouled out.

OOC Is he any relation to the Tom Clancy's Fowler in The Sum of All Fears?

[Wolfman]

Fowler just fouled out.

OOC Is he any relation to the Tom Clancy's Fowler in The Sum of All Fears?

Big time foul out, Jem.

[Poohbah]

Fowler just fouled out.

OOC Is he any relation to the Tom Clancy's Fowler in The Sum of All Fears?

OOC: No.

[Belushi TD]

Ah, I see. I didn't think about it from that point of view.

THanks for clearing it up for me.

Belushi TD

[Poohbah]

10th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron
Cannon AFB, Clovis, NM

Mantell finished checking her gear and saw Fowler heading back into the ops bay. She went to Barnes and said, "Master Sergeant Barnes, I'm going to talk to the Ell-Tee real quick after the brief."

Barnes nodded.

Fowler said, "All right, gather 'round. This is a real-world mission. We will be operating in the Warren Annex Midgetman patrol box, up in Wyoming. Apparently, someone spotted a Mexican Army recon team operating in the Wendover box. Our mission is to detect, and if necessary, engage, anyone trailing the missile convoy. Master Sergeant Barnes, I want a general CONOPS. Sergeant Mantell, I want a terrain and environmental analysis. The rest of you, stand by to assist as directed."

Everyone said "Hoo-ah, sir!"

* * *

Mantell walked up to Fowler and asked, "Sir, could I borrow a moment of your time, please?"

"Certainly."

They stepped out of the bay, and Lieutenant Fowler said, "You have the floor, Sergeant."

Mantell considered her words for a moment, then said quietly, "Sir, you set me up for conversations with my peers and subordinates that I'm not really ready to have yet; my relationship with Becky is still in its early days, and it may yet go to hell in a handbasket. I'm sure you meant nothing by it, but, all the same, I'm in an uncomfortable spot, sir."

Fowler was silent for a long moment, then said, "Sergeant, please accept my apologies. I wasn't thinking."

Mantell said, "Thank you, sir. And that brings me to another point. Sir, you can't be one of the guys with us. You can be one of the guys with your fellow members of the LPA--but not with us. There has to be that bit of distance. Because you might have to order us to our deaths, sir."

Fowler sighed, then nodded. "Point taken. Anything else?"

"Sir, you know why I listen so closely to Master Sergeant Barnes?"

Fowler made a "go on" gesture.

"Sir, he's been doing this for about fourteen years post graduation. I've been doing it for two months. I figure he's seen a thing or two."

Fowler sighed again. "And I've been blowing him off."

"Sir, this job requires the utmost personal confidence to even consider going to Keesler, let alone consider freefalling out of an MC-130P at night over Indian country to hack into the enemy IADS, find high value targets, and generally enable mass mayhem against the enemy. You just need to temper it with a smidgen of humility."

"Hoo-ah, Sergeant. Let's go back in."

Inside the bay, Fowler said, "All right, people, listen up! Sergeant Mantell brought a few things to my attention--things that need to be corrected. Good news is, you aren't the problem. Bad news is, I'm the problem. I need to do better, and I will. You may have heard me running my mouth about her personal life. Please pretend you never heard it, and please refrain from asking her about it until she's ready to talk. I want to extend my apologies to her in front of God and everyone. I was behaving badly, and there's no excuse."

* * *

Fowler nodded to Barnes. "All right, let's look at the CONOPS."

Barnes stood and said, "Sir, the concept of operations is simple enough. We will be deploying into the Warren Annex's western patrol area. We will gain trail on the closest missile convoy and conduct delousing operations, looking for anyone trailing the convoy. If we find them, we will engage them. Enemy forces are expected to be one or more patrols from the Brigada de Fusileros Paracaidistas' Special Mission Unit, which is comparable to the 75th Ranger Regiment's Regimental Reconnaissance Company. Threat forces are armed with light infantry weapons, plus man-portable antitank guided missiles and air defense systems. We will be supported by . . . "

* * *

Fowler said, "Sergeant Mantell?"

Mantell stood up and said, "Sir, the Warren Air Force Base Mobile Missile Annex is just north of Creston, Wyoming. The missiles based there belong to the 389th Strategic Missile Wing, which has its headquarters at Warren AFB proper, outside Cheyenne. Their normal concept of operations is to deploy one of the wing's four squadrons to the Annex. During states of heightened international tensions, additional squadrons can deploy to the annex, and assume patrol stations in the box."

Mantell clicked the remote, and the large-screen display lit up with a map of Wyoming. "The patrol box corners are roughly as follows: Little America, Wyoming in the southwest; a point on US 191 directly west of Atlantic City, Wyoming; Shoshoni, Wyoming; Casper; and Rawlins. The missiles move both on and off public roads. There is a considerable logistics support effort required to keep the convoys fueled and the personnel fed, watered, and able to tend to hygiene and health. The shortest patrols are five days, with the typical patrol lasting ten; some have gone as long as thirty."

Mantell clicked the remote again, and said, "The patrol box covers a region known as the Red Desert. It is over 9,000 square miles of some of the driest terrain in North America, despite being located outside of the traditional desert latitudes. The western portion of this region straddles the Continental Divide and is an endoheric basin--that's a fancy way saying that water that flows in doesn't drain out through a river."

Pardo raised his hand, and Mantell called on him.

"Sergeant, if the water goes in and doesn't flow out . . . well, where does it go?"

"What little water there is in the basin mostly comes from snowmelt and either soaks into the ground to become part of the aquifer, or it evaporates. The basin itself is bounded on the west by the Lucite Hills, and by the Rock Springs Uplift to the East. Average high temperatures in October are in the low fifties, and lows are typically in the mid-thirties. Average wind speed is 12 miles per hour, and average humidity is 52%. The lowest elevation in the region is 6,500 feet above sea level; higher elevations will be correspondingly colder, drier, and windier. Lowland soils are typically various clays and have a low load bearing strength when wet; this will affect mobile missile convoy operations, and it will be damned unpleasant to march through. By this time of year, there will be occasional snowfall in the higher elevations, and any accumulation will likely melt during the day . . . "

* * *

Fowler said, "All right. As I see it, we'll need cold-weather gear--not arctic, but we will need thermal underwear, definitely. Pardo and Thibodeaux, you're going to be carrying the long guns, I'm going to need you two to work up .338 ballistic data for the environment. Schettler and Martinez, you're carrying the spotter scopes and the intercept kits; Schettler will be the senior knob-turner, Martinez, you coordinate your RF search plan with Schettler. Mantell, you have the primary designator slot, with Barnes as backup; I will be carrying the primary INMARSAT phone, Master Sergeant Barnes will carry the backup." He looked at Barnes and asked, "Am I missing anything?"

Barnes said, "Extra batteries, sir."

"Thank you. Everyone will carry extra batteries for our electronics, per our standard winter plan. Pre-jump equipment inspection in two hours. We will pre-breathe on the aircraft. Sergeant Barnes?"

Barnes said, "Make it happen, airmen."

Everyone stood and began working on their equipment loads.

[Matt Wiser]

The area is "high desert", and well qualifies for that designation.

[Poohbah]

The area is "high desert", and well qualifies for that designation.

Much higher than the Mojave--what California calls "the high desert."

[jemhouston]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J95BmQKPUu4

Hopefully, the LT and everyone else will step up.

[Belushi TD]

It appears that some portion of the post was eaten by the cybergnomes.

The basin itself is bounded on the west by the Wa Average high temperatures in October are in the low fifties,

It appears that you've lost the west boundary (Wasach mountains?) and I would assume an eastern boundary?

Belushi TD

[Poohbah]

It appears that some portion of the post was eaten by the cybergnomes.

The basin itself is bounded on the west by the Wa Average high temperatures in October are in the low fifties,

It appears that you've lost the west boundary (Wasach mountains?) and I would assume an eastern boundary?

Belushi TD

Missed fixing that, fixed now. Lucite Hills to the west, Rock Springs Uplift to the east.

[Wolfman]

Things are getting even more interesting, and it’s nice to see the Lieutenant eat a little humble pie in front of the team admitting that he screwed up.

[Johnnie Lyle]

Things are getting even more interesting, and it’s nice to see the Lieutenant eat a little humble pie in front of the team admitting that he screwed up.

Shows he’s got potential once clued in. Good for him!

[jemhouston]

Things are getting even more interesting, and it’s nice to see the Lieutenant eat a little humble pie in front of the team admitting that he screwed up.

Even better if he means it.

[Wolfman]

Indeed, guys.

[Poohbah]

16 October 2010
11th Special Reconnaissance Squadron
Hill AFB, Ogden, UT

Mantell waited for the other parties on the VTC to connect.

Colonel Berkeley came up, and Josh said, "Good morning, sir."

"Morning, Josh. 26th SOW should be on direct--"

Brigadier General Rachel Greenberg's face appeared.

"Good morning, gentlemen."

"Good morning, ma'am."

"All right, first things first: Josh, I'm absolutely not mad at you. I just haven't had time to give you your well-deserved attaboy because the chain of command above JSOC and SOCCOM have lost their damn minds and they keep calling every fifteen minutes with either demands for me to pull a rabbit out of my hat or the latest musings of the Good Idea Fairy." She sighed. "Things were hella easier when I was driving Pave Low IIIs during the war."

Josh exhaled silently to relieve his inner tension, then said, "Good to hear, ma'am. And you're absolutely right about that last."

Berkeley chuckled. "Ma'am, it was only easier because guys like Tanner and Sundown were shielding us worker bees from the bullshit."

Greenberg chuckled. "Got me there. All right. We do need to figure out our next actions, however. It would be very nice if I can offer a well-considered action that gets us out of reacting to everything and lets us impose some order on the situation."

Mantell said, "Ma'am, may I suggest we reach out to the Regular side of the house?"

Greenberg said, "Blunted instrument for the moment, I'm afraid. The Buffalo Wings have tasking already, and the Brave Rifles . . . look, Sophie's a mensch, but she's got her hands full getting them to believe in themselves again."

"I wasn't thinking of Special Recon. I'm figuring that the 10th has been tasked with delousing the missile convoys."

Greenberg nodded. "Probably a good guess."

"I'm thinking of what to do if we find more teams. The 366th is up at Mountain Home--"

"They're a Beagle wing, right?"

Josh nodded.

"Well, if we find somebody, we need to be able to do something. What's your game plan?"

"Ma'am, I go up to Mountain Home and talk to Colonel Eichhorn and her squadron commanders. Brief them on the engagement on the Wendover Range, and request an alert package. They're supremely placed to handle all four operational areas--one's practically right outside the main gate at Mountain Home, Wendover and Fairchild Annex are both a mere hop, skip, and a jump away, and they can hit Creston Annex's maneuver area in less than an hour--even faster if we blue suiters invoke military necessity and go supersonic."

Greenberg steepled her fingers, and her face lost all expression--something that Josh knew from experience meant that she was engaged in deep thought about his proposal.

Finally, she smiled and said, "I like it. You're right about the location--it's absolutely perfect. And it shows we're doing something about the problem. That'll let JSOC--who we are all now attached to as of this past midnight--deflect the BS and let us do our jobs. I am authorizing you to proceed, and to accomplish it ASAP. I'll get word to her command duty officer, and issue travel orders for you."

"Yes, ma'am."

16 October 2010
Special Reconnaissance Team IDAHO
Aboard an MC-130P Combat Shadow
Over the Great Divide Basin, Wyoming

The cargo bay was illuminated in red light to spare the night vision of the loadmaster and Team IDAHO.

Mantell felt Schettler check her rig, then slap her shoulder, indicating it was good.

She in turn checked Master Sergeant Barnes' harness and parachute, then slapped his shoulder. Barnes repeated the process with Lieutenant Fowler.

The loadmaster held up one finger. One minute. He then opened the cargo ramp. The yellow light was on.

The last minute went by quickly, and the light turned green. Team Idaho stepped into the night, each jumper doing his or her best to "fly the exit," steering their bodies into the relative wind. Soon, they were free-falling.

They fell through the evening sky, the only sounds being the air zipping past them and the sound of their breathing through their oxygen masks.

At 8,500 feet, Fowler pulled his ripcord, and seemed to leap upward into the sky. The rest of the team pulled their ripcords as well, and soon they landed.

In minutes, they'd buried their parachutes and jump gear, marked the site, formed up, and headed out. Martinez was on point; Thibodeaux was on sweep.

The night was quiet and chilly. They moved with deliberation and silence.

* * *

After a brief halt to verify their position, call in their safe arrival, and drink water, they began moving again. Mantell let her eyes shift continuously as she moved, using her peripheral vision to get a better view of the surrounding terrain.

And tried to ignore the skittish feeling going up her spine.

Four hours later, during another halt, she held up her fist.

Barnes made his way to her and murmured, "What's up?"

"Sergeant Barnes . . . I'm convinced someone's watching us."

[Johnnie Lyle]

Oh shit.

[Matt Wiser]

Not good....

[jemhouston]

1. They remember the purpose of commanders is to shield worker bees from the Good Idea Fairies.

2. Rut RoH,

[Wolfman]

Oh shit.

Took the words right out of my mouth.

[Jotun]

Things are getting even more interesting, and it’s nice to see the Lieutenant eat a little humble pie in front of the team admitting that he screwed up.

Personal note: My father was in the German Navy from 1963 to 1975 and was the youngest OR-7/OR-8 (Hauptbootsmann) in the navy, a rank he attained after ten years. Back then, that was about as rare as hen‘s teeth.
When I started my defection to officer country, he took me aside and told me never to let rank go to my head, to listen to the NCOs and to admit mistakes and if necessary apologize, if needed personally and in private. And leave a bit of distance between myself and the troops even while being approachable. Best advice I ever got.
The mere concept of looking down on others based of rank is alien to me and I never understood that kind of behavior.