Tornado Special Number 23

GRUDGE MATCH
This week:
Garret from Thief
vs
Snake from Metal Gear Solid

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(Weep, wail, gnash your teeth! CoHo, Grudge Match's long-suffering co-presenter, has left us. So without a stooge handy, Kessler just grabbed the nearest person who looked like he had nothing to do. Your welcome please for the new Grudge Match presenter - Sector Admiral Kawolski!)

Kessler: Okay dude, I got it.
Kawol: What?
Kessler: For the edification and enjoyment of the audience, we proudly present:

The Sound of Two Silent People Trying to Stealthily Kill Each Other

Kawol: This is stupid.
Kessler: Shh! You're gonna miss it.
[Two minutes of silence]
Kawol: Wait ... no ... no really. This is dumb.
Kessler: C'mon! A multimedia extravaganza like this is exactly what separates Tornado Squadron from the competition.
Kawol: That's 'cuz our competition would never be this ridiculous.
Kessler: Quiet! You're going to miss the best part:
[Three minutes of silence]
[A very soft shuffling of feet]
[Thirty seconds of total silence]
Kessler: Holy crap! Did you see that?
Kawol: I'm leaving.
Kessler: Okay, wait wait. Using hidden cameras, I have taken this EXCLUSIVE photograph of Garrett and Solid Snake attempting to kill each other in a dark room:




The climactic confrontation

Kawol: Wow, that's a pretty inventive use of piano wire.
Kessler: I never thought a hacksaw could be used with such finesse.


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The Bottom Line
Well, we just lost TopDawg and CoHo in the same week, although TopDawg may be back very soon if all goes well, so until I hear otherwise I'm keeping a position open for him. As if that wasn't bad enough, I just received word from Xyrryc's cousin that Xyrryc's infamous zombie modem has died for good and therefore he too is being sent to the Reserves and will get in touch with us as soon as he's able.

This means we're down to 9 able-bodied pilots just before the Squadron League Semi-Finals. NOT a good position to be in, as I'm sure you realise. Luckily, an ex-Tornado veteran has requested to rejoin us, and as soon as the FO responds to my transfer request, we'll be getting Commander Spaceboy back in Flight Two.

This still leaves us with two empty spots, but surprisingly, I'm not in any hurry to fill them. There's a good chance TopDawg may be back sooner than we think, and I've no idea when we'll see Xyrryc again - next week or next year, I just don't know. So basically, I'm not going to allow just anybody to transfer in. We had a nightmare trying to get that last spot filled until Shak arrived, with about five different pilots shuttling in and out of the Squad in the space of two months, so unless I get applications from people I know are exceptional and reliable, those two spots are staying open for now.


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Battlegroup Annual Awards
Finally, in all the fuss surrounding the virus contained in this weeks' Battlegroup Report, it may have been easy to miss a pair of small announcements that were made. Vice Admiral Jarak has made an award of Pilot of the Year and Squadron of the Year, and it should come as no surprise that BOTH winners were from Wing X. The winners were:

Battlegroup Pilot of the Year
Colonel Callista

Battlegroup Squadron of the Year
Tornado Squadron


YEAH BABY!!

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New Flight Leader for Flight Two
As indicated earlier this week, CPT Kou-Taiki is stepping down from his position to allow someone else a shot. I was surprised that I only had two applications for this position, but it didn't make the choice any easier for me. Basically, when selecting a Flight Leader, a CMDR has three main factors to take into consideration:
a) leadership potential
b) obvious leadership ability
c) career progression.

I'll explain each factor in more detail here. Leadership potential means that a CMDR should be looking for pilots who MAY be good a good CMDR in the future IF they are developed properly while a Flight Leader. If a Squadron is doing well, a CMDR should look for this type of pilot for his Flight Leaders, since he will have time to develop their skills in a stress-free environment.
Obvious Leadership ability is self-explanatory. Any pilot in the Squadron who clearly displays the leadership skills required of a CMDR or who has successfully commanded a Squadron or Flight in the past. In any situation where a Squadron is in trouble, a CMDR should select Flight Leaders with obvious leadership ability. Unproven Flight Leaders will do no-one any good in a situation where the Squadron needs all the help it can get.
Finally, career progression. This simply means that if you pick a CPT as Flight Leader, he can't be promoted any further anyway. If you pick a LCM, then he can enjoy up to two further promotions in his new position. This should NEVER be a CMDR's sole reason for picking a Flight Leader. While I was FO I saw far too many CMDRs who chopped and changed their Flight Leaders around the second their current FLs reached the rank of Captain. This doesn't do anyone any favours.

Bearing all of the above in mind, I reached my decision based on the fact that we're doing pretty well as a Squadron, despite our recent resignations, and also because the person I'm choosing can expect to be promoted if they perform well. Had the situation in the Squadron been different, I'd have had no hesitation in selecting the second applicant, due to his obvious ability and exceptional activity levels. Therefore my apologies to Captain Shakur, but the new Flight Leader of Tornado Squadron Flight Two will be Lieutenant Commander Jerry, as soon as the Flight Office approves the promotion.

Congratulations Jerry, but bear in mind that you'll be on a trial period at first. My basic requirements for all Flight Leaders is that you fly in ALL contests that the Squadron takes part in. That's the minimum I expect, you'll also have to be more active than the rest of your Flight (although I'll allow some leeway here since Shak the Unstoppable Flying Machine is in your new Flight :P) and show me that I wasn't wrong to give you your chance. Your trial period will end when I either relieve you of your position and make you a Flight Member again or I promote you to Commander. Good luck!


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Battlegroup Ace Squadron Contest

The new Battlegroup Contest is upon us, and the deadline is VERY short. BGCOM/VA Jarak has posted the mission to be flown as Free-TIE 94 The Belhassa Marches, and the deadline is NEXT WEDENSDAY - January 24th. All files to me by Tuesday at the latest if possible. Luckily, we're so damn good that almost half the Squadron have already flown this sucker, and our scores are:

COL Kessler - *****
MAJ Kronn - *****
CPT Kou-Taiki - *****
LCM Miki - *****

Because unlike COL Manitsas, I'm far too paranoid to send out my Squadron's scores on a message that gets delivered to all Wing X Commanders :P


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The Usual Suspects

Flight One - The Missile Magnets
Fighter Pilots Make Movies - Bomber Pilots Make History
1-1 CMDR-AMB/COL Kyle "Old Man" Kessler
Working with Science Office on new Fleet Manual
Flew Free-TIE 92

1-2 FM/CPT "Mister Empire" Kou-Taiki
Awarded Letter of Achievement
Flew Free-TIE 92

1-3 TBA

1-4 FL/LCM Kaedryl "Beer Monster" Di'Mathe
--


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Flight II - The Brylcreem Boys
Kissing Ass and Taking Names
1-1 FL/LCM Jerry
Promoted to Flight Leader
Resigned Dark Brotherhood CMDR position to devote more time to Tornado

2-2 FM/CPT "Daddy" Shakur
Flew TC-TIE 12
Flew TC-TIE 13
Flew TC-TIE 14
Flew TC-TIE 18

2-3 FM/CPT "Old Man River" Fishbone
--

2-4 TBA


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Flight III - The High Priests of Love
We're the Love Commandos and this is a Raid!
3-1 FL/CM Callum "The Shadow" Veers
Passed IWATS PHP Course
Passed IWATS PHP2 Course

3-2 FM/MAJ Aven "Hermann the German" Kronn
Flew Free TIE 92


3-3 TBA


3-4 FM/LCM Kaoru "Junior" Miki
Flew Free TIE 92


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Peace, Love, Shave the Wookie.

CMDR-AMB/COL Kyle Kessler/Tornado Squadron/Wing X/ISD Challenge
MoH/IC/OoR/GOE/GSx2/SSx4/BSx9/PCx4/ISMx10/MoI-DC/IS-3PR/LoC-PSx34/CoB/LoAx3/OV-3E [PLDN]
[IWATS][IIC/3][M/2][SM/1][TT][XTT][CBX]][XA-A][GFX]
Battlegroup Command Advisor
http://www.xtc56.dial.pipex.com/deathwind.htm