For our current campaign, a "Classic Era" Morrow Project:
Pre-Training Medical
Medical examinations take only a day or so (though some of the results take up to a week to get back from the lab). From about 1984, recruits are mildly encouraged to get an appendectomy (presuming they still have their appendix). Older recruits, especially women, are encouraged to undergo a cholecystectomy (gall bladder removal). Recuperation from these procedures adds more than a month between induction and the beginning of training. If you go for the gall bladder removal, you'll have a scar about 18 cm long on your right side.
Removal of the gallbladder has not been known to cause any long-term adverse effects, aside from occasional diarrhea (especially after large, fatty meals). About 20% of the world's population develop gallstones at some point in their lives. Prior to 1990, the only medical specialty performing laparoscopy (minimally invasive surgery) on a widespread basis was gynecology.
Very few Project members availed themselves of the gall bladder surgery; perhaps 15% requested an appendectomy. Many - but not all - of the Project members undergoing surgery are treated in a Med Unit, partly to provide more training for Project medical personnel.
Training
The Project's training schedule (for playable teams, at least) takes about 8 months. For Recon branch members, it includes, in approximate order:
- Project goals, plans and methods (2 weeks, ALWAYS the first course for each platoon)
- this includes the "why we fight" stuff, what the Project knows or can guess about the War, how the Project will support your team, Project security levels, and basic indoctrination - this is about the only training conducted in proper buildings; trainees get to sit in proper classrooms for this segment
- familiarization with branch weapons, and basic issue gear, concurrent with initial physical conditioning - the most "boot camp" portion (4 weeks, always the second course for each platoon)
- branch weapons for Recon teams includes the M2HB machine gun, the M174E3 grenade launcher, and the Mh202 autocannon. Everyone gets laser training, though -- it's easy and fun! - not considered fun: exposure to tear gas (not CN-DM though) while learning to don gas masks
- operation, safety and support for Project electrical power systems (1 week)
- mostly what to do, and not do, with the fusion reactor. This course wasn't offered before 1985; instead, you got training on how to operate the gasifier
- driver training for V-150, Ranger, Scout and XR-311 (2 weeks)
- this does include motorcycles, if the trainee doesn't already know how. The motorcycles used in training are regular, gas-powered "dirt bikes" -- the Project wasn't quite clear on whether there would be electrical motorbikes. - some "cohorts" of trainees also get driver training for the SK-5 hovercraft, or other odd/scarce Recon vehicles (goofy little 6-wheel ATVs, for example)
- operator training for heavy construction equipment, including stuff not used by the Project (1 week)
- how to operate a bulldozer, backhoe, forklift, crane, cement mixer, tanker, and a few other vehicles - this is usually where the trainees will get to witness some HAAM suits in action
- locomotive and train operation (2 days)
- a very popular course. How to set and remove the manual brake, operate speed controller, open and close track switches, operate couplings
- railway track repair (4 days)
- a very unpopular course
- use of Morrow Project computer systems (1 week)
- for Recon team members, this is mostly how to use the AutoNav, and the vehicle computer. The Autonav is technically a computer, but it's not very programmable. - depots, large MARS and Science teams, and Prime Base have various "big" or "small" 1984-era computers installed. None of them are in any way anachronistic. Oooh, there's a GRiD Compass for the MARS team! 4.6 kg weight, no internal batteries, and the CCOS is not very compatible with other Project computers. Ahh, the Gavilan SC laptop, not even converted to used Project batteries, but much more compatible with the usual Project systems. Unless you're going to be assigned to use one of these, you don't get much more than a look at them.
- radio operator familiarization, and post-War communications procedures (1 week)
- emergency medicine training to EMT level (5 weeks)
- a course in handling mass casualties and radiation-related illnesses (1 week)
- includes instruction on donning, doffing the whole suite of CBR gear, use of antidotes, decontamination procedures
- a short course in demolitions (1 week)
- a short course in SCUBA, and a check on swimming proficiency (3 days)
- a wilderness survival course (3 weeks)
- eating nasty things, what NOT to eat, fishing, hunting and trapping, dressing game, building shelter, finding water, making fire ... lots of Boy Scout skills. Includes a week-long "camp out"
- cross-country skiing, use of snowshoes, building igloos, and other cold weather skills (1 week, usually November through June)
- a course in mountaineering (1 week)
- refugee camp construction class -- water & food distribution, power, shelter, etc. (4 weeks)
- decompression, filling of personal effects boxes, and final psych evaluation and counseling (2 weeks, always last)
Some courses change position in the list to suit weather conditions or equipment availability. There's usually a couple of weeks of "rest" included, and a good percentage of recruits have to re-take one course or another. Also, if too many people "wash out" of a platoon, it might be folded into another platoon at a slightly different point on the schedule. Everyone gets all the courses eventually, though. See this page for a description of the training experience.
Members of Science and MARS teams spend at least three more months in training, due to the greater variety of vehicles, equipment and weapons they use. MARS team members usually spend a month or two after completing their training, acting as security at some Project training camp.
Facilities for training change fairly often, and it's made clear to recruits that no permanent Morrow presence should be expected at these sites -- don't expect to find the Project there after the War.
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Of course, that's just our campaign. The training is meant to make sure everyone meets the "briefing" standard (3rd Edition, pg 61): " ... Each of you is fully trained and can operate all of the standard issue equipment in the Project given to yourself and your team. It is assumed that your knowledge of the team's weapons is complete and this would prevent you from making any ignorant mistakes."
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Michael B.
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