Galedon Military Academy
Galedon Military Academy | |
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Academy Information | |
Location | Galedon |
Founding Year | Succession War era |
Course Information |
History[edit]
The Galedon Military Academy (GMA) is one of the oldest military academies in the Draconis Combine, having been founded on Galedon V prior to the Combine's formation. Accepting applications only from Galedon Military District primary school graduates, GMA offers training for all branches of the DCMS but emphasizes intense physical conditioning to a degree not seen in other academies, which has led to some problems. In fact, even after reforms to dampen down the brutality of the training regimen, the death rate among aerospace pilots was such that in 3058 the entire program was in jeopardy of being shut down.[1][2]
Basic training includes all of the DCMS-required skills in addition to a conditioning regimen that can only be described as savage; beatings are not uncommon, while female cadets in particular have been known to receive more abuse from instructors presumably because they require it. Half of a cadet's term will take place on the inhospitable world of Matsuida, where their physical and mental facilities are tested to the limit during long physical competitions and war games. Once cadets begin training on their MOS, the overt mistreatment ends, though extreme exercises such as free-climbing and hours-long obstacle courses continue. Advanced studies take place at the primary campus which occupies most of Galedon's Luzon continent; the campus also includes a proving grounds second only to Osaka Fields.[1][2]
Despite this training regimen, a strong loyalty to House Kurita and the GMA exists in each cadet who graduates from the academy, not least because the instructors are quick to punish any infractions. Those who graduate are required to serve at least two years in the 2nd Galedon Regulars, and those who prove themselves in combat often come back to GMA as instructors.[1] Graduates are rotated through the Second Regulars every six months, ensuring a quarter of the unit is in constant turnover. The top 20 percent of each class are kept by the Galedon Regulars, while most of the remainder are assigned as needed by the Bureau of Substitution. The bottom 5 percent are relegated to lower-echelon "sink" units as punishment for their transgressions.[3]
Jihad[edit]
With the loss of Galedon because of the "Curse of Galedon", the academy was lost.[4]
Dark Ages[edit]
Providing one of the more brutal curriculums to be found in the Draconis Combine, Galedon Military Academy (GMA) eventually modified its training programs to avoid unnecessary deaths, including phasing out its aerospace program. Most graduates are extremely loyal both to the Academy and to House Kurita, and their development seems to have benefited from the alteration in training programs.[5]
Its aerospace program now completely phased out, Galedon Military Academy is now focused completely on MechWarriors and the soldiers required to support those MechWarriors. More and more of its graduates are finding their way into the ranks of the Draconis Combine, which is now fortifying its position after reclaiming some worlds once ceded to The Republic.[6]
The new academy must be located on one of the remaining Galedon District planets.[citation needed]
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Handbook: House Kurita, p. 147
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Field Manual: Draconis Combine, p. 27
- ↑ Field Manual: Draconis Combine, p. 60: "2nd Galedon Regulars"
- ↑ Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 47: "The Jihad in Review"
- ↑ MechWarrior: Dark Age - Dossiers and Pilot Cards, p. 295: "Galedon Military Academy"
- ↑ MechWarrior: Dark Age - Dossiers and Pilot Cards, p. 339: "Galedon Military Academy"