Training the Teams

[cosmicfish]

Slowly starting to rebuild my version of TMP, and I always try to put together the whole universe (or at least the big, always-encountered parts) before inflicting it on players.

This led me back to the issue of training the Teams. On my organization, TMP members are divided between 5 classes:
MARS
Recon
Science (including Medical)
Operations (including Command staff and many/most permanent base personnel)
Recovery (normally called Specialty)

It is mentioned in American Outback that members train together for at least a year, which gives a good lowball estimate of total training (is all their training together, and if so, why?). A year, for reference, is about as long as it takes to train a Green Beret and about half as long as it takes to train a SEAL (including BUD/S, SQT, ULT, and SLT, all required before deployment).

I have divided training into several phases (all currently set to 3 months):

Phase 1 (Recovery) [3 months]
Prior to being formally entered into the Project, candidates are entered into a Peace Corps-like program where they expect to go to impoverished ot devastated areas and render assistance. To prepare them for this, they are each given 3 months training that compliments their academic training and gives it a practical tilt. The goal is to have at least one of each specialty per eventual Project Team. Candidate specialties are:

Agricultural
Communications
Engineering (buildings and roads)
Mechanical
Medical (also taken as Team Specialty later on!)

This Phase also serves as the last evaluation period before candidates are "read in" to the Project. This training is followed by some amount of time (a few weeks or months) out in the field actually doing this stuff, during which evaluation continues - candidates who prove unacceptable never find out more about the Project, acceptable candidates get sent to the next open spot in Phase 2.

Phase 2 (INDOC) [3 months]
INDOC is where TMP recruits are given basic military and Project training and evaluated in depth for their ability to contribute to the Project. This is akin to military basic training, but a bit longer because there is more being evaluated. Candidates coming out of this Phase are assigned to one of the aforementioned classes.

Phase 3 (Class General) [3 months]
This is where Project members learn what it means to be in Recon or MARS or Ops or whatever. More than the general skills required of all TMP members, these are the skills required to be on a specific type of Team.

Phase 4 (MPV) [3 months]
Team members learn to operate Project vehicles of the types appropriate to their class, and then specialize in particular crew positions: Driver, Gunner, Systems, and Commander.

Phase 5 (Class Specialty) [3 months]
This is where Project members learn the specific skills they will use in non-recovery operations with their Team. That may be as a sniper (Recon or MARS) or as a demolitions expert (Recon or MARS) or as a medic (Any) or as a plumber (Recovery). The list of specialties is broad, but typical MARS/Recon options are:

Communications
Demolitions
Medic
Sniper
Weapons

Phase 6 (Team Integration) [3 months]
Up to this point, members have been going through as individuals. At this last Phase, they are formed into a Team, trained on their specific equipment, and run through evolutions that test their ability to work together.

Assuming all goes well, candidates will go through each Phase once and then be frozen with their Team. Some candidates will be bounced from the Project or required to repeat or transfer training if they are still viable for the Project but need more work or a different assignment.

That's it.

I know it seems like a lot, but considering the difficulty in selecting candidates, the expense of equipping and freezing them, and the difficulty in removing problem members, I think it is reasonable.

Any thoughts?