Command Officer Profiles

Admiral Geoffrey Tolwyn: Personal & Confidential

PERSONAL FILES. Not to be opened except with the express written permission of Admiral Tolwyn, or in accordance with the procedures of Sect. D-147 paragraph G of the Security Act of 2649.

Command Officer Profiles

Admiral William Wilson Friends call him: Bill MARITAL STATUS: Wife, Arete (dec., 51.11) CHILDREN/DEPENDANTS: None BORN: 2498.134 COMMISSIONED: 22.07 (Academy LAST PROMOTED: 49.03 CURRENT ASSIGNMENT: Commander, Pegasus Station NOTES: Golfer (bad), back-slapper, pipe smoker (Sirian Red) Bill Wilson is an officer of uncommon intelligence and efficiency. As a battleship commander in the Pilgrim con- flict he displayed remarkable imagination and courage. His courage remains, but he seems to have lost the spark of inspiration in recent years. Right now, Wilson seems best suited to the role of base commander. I don't think he'd be happy on staff (though he'd make a superior logistics and supply officer), and I don't think he has the fire for fleet command. If he asks for retirement at 35 I'll grant it, if he decides to stay on until he gets his 40 that's all right as well. However, I don't see him getting any further promotions. I could easily see him staying in charge at Pegasus for the duration and beyond.

Not particularly popular with his men, but he keeps discipline. Don't put him too near the action, or too far in the rear―he's exactly the kind of man we need reinforcing the front. Very blunt―keep the press away, and don't let him loose on the Senate without a leash. There are persistant rumors of a drinking problem. I've looked into this, and they're nonsense, although I suspect he did go through a brief bad time after the death of his wife (note: don't mention Mrs. Wilson unless he does so first―puts him in a bad mood.) I've only had a few private conversations with Wilson, but I suspect he's religious, in a mystical kind of way. Seems to prefer to keep the details to himself. If he's needed at HQ or Terra, try to work some golfing time in, does wonders for his morale. I've never seen him happier than after 18 holes with two senators and a general, all equally pathetic at the game. Also fishes a bit, though he definitely prefers the links. Other than that, doesn't seem to have any hobbies.

Commodore Richard Bellegarde Friends call him: Richard MARITAL STATUS: Single CHILDREN/DEPENDANTS: No dependants BORN: 05.265 COMMISSIONED: 29.02 (OCS) LAST PROMOTED: 52.10 CURRENT ASSIGNMENT: Naval Ops Adjunct, HQ Command (Concordia) NOTES: Beer aficionado, card player, uncomfortable around children, allergic to cats. My Good Right Hand and protégé. Good strategist, and getting better. An excellent man with the press, also knows how to talk to the line captains. Still needs to be reined back a bit around senators and other civilian brass. Richard came in at the very tag-end of the Pilgrim affair, and some of the other senior officers (particularly those whom he has jumped in rank) like to remind him of this. I believe it's a sore spot. Also doesn't help that he's not an Academy man. I don't believe I could have tolerated our present strategic waiting-game if it wasn't for Richard's poker-player nerves. He has a samurai's appreciation for offensive inaction. Sometimes, during strategy sessions he gets this far-away look in his eyes and his voice drops almost as though he's talking to himself, and I absolutely know that the next thing he says is going to be devastatingly brilliant. If he ever gets to the place where he can do that regularly and on command, I swear I'll retire the next day and leave the whole bloody war to him.

I have certain doubts about Richard. Not his loyalty per se, nor his commitment to the war effort. Rather, I'm concerned that he does not sufficiently appreciate the importance of Confed―and of Terra itself―as a concept. He sees the present war merely as an Us-vs.-Them survival struggle, without regard to its long-term ramifications to our race and culture. He sees that we must win, but he does not see the ramifications of victory (if we lose, of course, any discussion of the "long term" is strictly a moot point.) Fancies himself a lady's man. Richard has only narrowly avoided scandal more than once. His ongoing career depends on him having put such youthful indiscretions behind him. Plays cutthroat poker. Shouldn't be allowed to play cards with anybody important who hates to lose. I'd like to boost Richard a rank and give him a fleet or perhaps a whole sector, but not until I can find somebody who can replace him at his current post. He needs to move up if he's to be ready to take over for me when I retire.

Commander Paul Gerald Friends call him: Paul MARITAL STATUS: Divorced (estranged) CHILDREN/DEPENDANTS: One daughter, Sandy, b. 41.042 BORN: 16.198 COMMISSIONED: 33.06 (OCS) LAST PROMOTED: 45.01 CURRENT ASSIGNMENT: First Officer, CS Tiger Claw NOTES: Don't know him well at all. Reported to like camping (Terran & exotic). Competetive marksman in his Academy days. I've only met Gerald a couple of times. Most of my information is second-hand. An excellent hard-line, by-the-book XO. I must confess I've dawdled in giving him his own command. According to reports, his crews respect him, but they don't really follow him. Gerald's best when he's paired with a captain who's a good motivator. His day will come soon enough, however. We're simply too short on command-grade officers to not use a man of Gerald's experience. Reported to be inflexible and a bit prejudiced. Like far too many of our officers who came aboard since the last war, Gerald is all too eager to blame the Pilgrims for everything from crop blight on Brack to the latest advance in Kilrathi fighter tech.

Needs to think more about the war he's in now and less about the one he missed. Has spent almost all of his career to date aboard carriers in one capacity or another, and by all accounts he knows a flight deck as well as any tech chief in the fleet. I'd like for his first command to be something smaller than a carrier, but I'd fear wasting his strongest expertise. Perhaps a carrier support ship? Staff is another possibility―seems to have a mind for strategy, but I have no evidence the man possesses even a shred of political sensibility. Biggest asset seems to be an affinity for the care and feeding of pilots. Definitely knows when to slack the leash and when to crack the whip with a fighter wing. The Tiger Claw's wing saw a 23% jump in its efficiency rating in his first year as XO, and continues to climb. His pilots tend to get their jobs done, and also to come back alive, at a significantly better-than-average rate.

Captain Lawrence Sansky Friends call him: Ski (dislikes his given name) MARITAL STATUS: Single CHILDREN/DEPENDANTS: No dependents BORN: 04.133 COMMISSIONED: 25.03 LAST PROMOTED: 40.08 CURRENT ASSIGNMENT: Captain, CS Tiger Claw NOTES: Excellent darts player, horrid amateur painter, likes musical theater. Very good with brass and paints. I must confess a wholly subjective liking for Sansky. Give him a wooden deck and a new uniform and he'd be right at home in a Hornblower novel. A lifelong bachelor, I really believe he regards himself as married to his ship. If I ever need a replacement for Dwight, I wouldn't mind seeing Sansky at the helm of the Concordia. In my more sober moments, however, I have to admit that I don't really know Sansky at all, nor have I ever met anyone who claims they do. He's a pleasant fellow to be around, but he's very good at keeping his real self to himself. I respect that in an officer, but it also worries me in a subordinate.

Sansky's crews all seem to adore him. Gossip holds him a soft commander, but I regard that as simple jealousy. His efficiency reports are first rate. He and Gerald make an ideal command team, I think―the father figure and the headmaster. Sansky seems to be particularly good in a crisis. Several times I've seen him bring his ship back from situations I'd have thought hopeless (he earned himself a Senatorial Star during the Epsilon initiative, while commanding the Halsey), and I consider that final and sufficient indicator of his qualifications as a commander. As far as I can tell he has no interest whatsoever in further promotion. However, if the need were truly urgent I wouldn't hesitate to give him a fleet (though I'm sure he'd hate it). Likewise, if he ever makes noises about retiring I'd be perfectly happy to boost him to Commodore just to give him the benefits. Seems the least we could do.