I am MW Sgt. Dysart N Quinn. You may address me Sgt. Quinn or just Quinn. I am not yet a commissioned officer, and I do not require the honorific 'Sir.'
We are assigned together to this unit, the Heavy Lance of the Airdrop Company of Haldane's Harriers.
Notice I say 'Assigned to the Lance,' not 'are the Lance.' There currently is no Heavy Lance.
A Lance is more than 4 mechs and pilots listed on a TO&E chart, which is what we are currently are.
A Lance is an entity unto itself. It moves as one, its 'Mechs coordinated as naturally and as easily as the fingers on my hand.
We will become Lance. Do not mistake me. To become a Lance will require work, effort and sweat both from you and from me. And I will get that from you.
Why? You're asking. Why make this effort. Its not to look pretty on parade. It is not to get me in good with Captain Bear or Major Haldane. Its to keep us alive. In case you gentlemen had not noticed, ours can be a deadly business.
Haldane's Harriers is a strike force, a dagger aimed by its employers.
The leading edge of the Battalion is the Airdrop company. The leading edge of the company is its Heavy Lance. Us. We're the point of the Dagger. And by God we'll be sharp.
Although I understand most of you have not seen much of him, I have faith in Major Haldane's abilities. He is a very competent soldier. He will not accept pointless tasks from employers, and he will not assign pointless tasks to us.
In exchange, he expects competent performance in any task he assigns. It is my job to maneuver this Lance competently.
Similarly, I am quite capable of carrying out my duties. I will not give you foolish or sacrificial orders. I expect my orders to be competently carried out on demand. I require that to perform my duties, which include preserving this Lance and keeping it battle-worthy, man and machine.
I will not leave anyone behind on a battlefield. [Projected image of Avenger] This is my 'Mech, Gifted. Down here on this leg is a Pickup box. I hope never to need to carry any of you off the field, but it's there. I expect the same policy to be carried out by any of you at need. So you can carry out any order with the confidence of being able to exit.
I was trained in a number of military schools. I realize that not all of you have as much training and drill in disciplined military behavior. Therefore, I will not expect from you academy standards. But I do expect respect, for me, for each other and for yourselves.
I expect you to care for yourselves. You will maintain physical fitness and you are responsible to report for duty fit for it.
While I do not expect you to all become Techs, I do expect you to care for 'mech.
I will brook no disorderly conduct on base or off it, as I am responsible to Captain Bear and Major Haldane for your behavior.
We represent Haldane's Harriers; further, we represent Airdrop Company's prime unit; lets act it.
Schedules will be posted at 0800 hrs tomorrow.
Any Questions? Dismissed.