|
Community Links |
Social Groups |
Pictures & Albums |
Members List |
Search Forums |
Advanced Search |
Go to Page... |
|
Thread Tools |
09-15-2020, 08:47 AM | #23541 |
Crimson Guard
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: over here
Posts: 2,092
|
So I have been thinking of writing some fanfics with Joe Colton during the 60's and 70's. His original filecard indicates he graduated West Point in 1960 (so let's say he is 22 if he started at West Point at the age of 18). I can't seem to find any requirements for officers back in the early 60's as to who could try out for SF. Today it is at least a First Lieutenant (promotable to Captain). So if that rule has always applied Colton could have tried out for SF as early as 1964 to 1965. It appears to achieve the rank of Captain requires five years time in service. For storyline purposes this would allow Colton to serve in Vietnam as a SF Officer.
During the 70's I am debating whether to have Colton leave the service and work as a private military contractor (a la Adventure Team) in hot spots such as South America and Africa. Later on he would rejoin the US Army. Or just keep him in the US Army and work as a covert operator with international covert operators in a joint team nicknamed the "Adventure Team". The only issue I see with him leaving the US Army is it would take that much longer for him to achieve the rank of General. Even to achieve the rank of Colonel takes about 22 years. So by the time of the Original 13 stood up the Joe Team in 1982 Colton would have only been a Colonel (22 years after his graduation from West Point). Not sure what year he appeared in the original comics (assuming it was 1994 when his figure became available) but not sure he could have achieved General in 12 years after becoming a Colonel (could be wrong though). My understanding is there is a lot of political BS that requires going through an O-7 to O-10 and after a certain amount of time in service if you do not achieve a certain rank there are mandatory retirements. Does anyone have any info on early Special Forces requirements and time it takes to achieve a grade of O-10? Last edited by john shaft; 09-15-2020 at 08:51 AM.. |
09-15-2020, 10:47 AM | #23542 |
Hog Driver
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Georgia
Posts: 12,235
|
I wrote a summary of Colton's promotion history several years back for my own fanfic. TIS and TIG has changed over the years so I referenced Army pamphlets from the time period and looked at real-life officers who began service in the early 60s. Colin Powell made Colonel in just 18 years. He made O7 in 21 years and O10 in 31 years. Also, once an officer has reached O7, he can be promoted much faster. I have Colton helping with the training of the Joes in 1978 (similar to Beckwith and Delta Force) a few years before it was officially stood up in 1982, when he is promoted to Brigadier General. Here's my history of his rank:
1960 O1 1962 O2 1964 O3 1968 O4 1972 O5 1978 O6 1982 O7 1985 O8 1988 O9 1991 O10 1994 O10 Compare with Colin Powell: O1 Jun 9 1958 O2 Dec 30 1959 O3 Jun 2 1962 O4 May 24 1966 O5 Jul 9 1970 O6 Feb 1 1976 O7 Jun 1 1979 O8 Aug 1 1983 O9 Mar 26 1986 O10 Apr 4 1989 Last edited by Tanksmasher; 09-15-2020 at 11:00 AM.. |
09-15-2020, 02:36 PM | #23543 |
Commando
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Britain
Posts: 3,825
|
Colton first appeared in GI Joe #86 in 1989, where he was head of security for an advanced laser weapon housed in the "Studebaker" Building in New York.
|
09-15-2020, 03:10 PM | #23544 |
Crimson Guard
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 1,725
|
3 years to one star? man how did he even get Brigade and Staff time in?
__________________
GIJoe 3D Printing Group on Facebook Find my 3D Scans and prints @ facebook , Instagram , Cults3D, Ebay 3dpo Customs |
09-15-2020, 04:05 PM | #23545 |
Hog Driver
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Georgia
Posts: 12,235
|
Apparently he took command of the 2nd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division in APR 1976 and returned to work for the Office of Secretary Defense in JUL 1977.
|
09-15-2020, 06:15 PM | #23546 |
Crimson Guard
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: over here
Posts: 2,092
|
Quote:
I wrote a summary of Colton's promotion history several years back for my own fanfic. TIS and TIG has changed over the years so I referenced Army pamphlets from the time period and looked at real-life officers who began service in the early 60s. Colin Powell made Colonel in just 18 years. He made O7 in 21 years and O10 in 31 years. Also, once an officer has reached O7, he can be promoted much faster. I have Colton helping with the training of the Joes in 1978 (similar to Beckwith and Delta Force) a few years before it was officially stood up in 1982, when he is promoted to Brigadier General. Here's my history of his rank:
1960 O1 1962 O2 1964 O3 1968 O4 1972 O5 1978 O6 1982 O7 1985 O8 1988 O9 1991 O10 1994 O10 Compare with Colin Powell: O1 Jun 9 1958 O2 Dec 30 1959 O3 Jun 2 1962 O4 May 24 1966 O5 Jul 9 1970 O6 Feb 1 1976 O7 Jun 1 1979 O8 Aug 1 1983 O9 Mar 26 1986 O10 Apr 4 1989 And if you don't mind I will probably mimic your take on Colton's progression as well. This would put him in Special Forces as early as 1964 and if memory serves me SF were the first to enter into Vietnam as advisors in 1965. I was wanting to create a fanfic with him as one of the first advisors during that conflict. |
09-21-2020, 08:52 AM | #23547 |
Crimson Guard
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: over here
Posts: 2,092
|
Besides Colton I am also looking at fleshing out the background of Major Bludd. His original filecard just screams potential for tons of back stories. I figured he would serve in the Australian SAS during the Vietnam War, then get honorably discharged and go on to serve in the French Foreign Legion as it appears Australia allows its citizens to join. While in FFL he would serve in the Chad-Libyan conflict and maybe this is where he first becomes involved in war crimes as his tactics against Libyan POW's was considered too "extreme". Because of his actions (and pending a further investigation) he is discharged from the FFL. Bludd "goes under the radar" during this time and goes to Rhodesia to serve with their military (apparently they allowed some former servicemen with a "no questions asked about their past" policy). Much like in the Chad-Libyan conflict he is once again accused of war crimes because of his brutal tactics. He subsequently disappears again and winds up in the employ of Cobra. As a side he may have crossed paths with Wild Weasel during the Rhodesian Bush War.
Also reading further into his rank of "Major". I wouldn't think he would have achieved that during his time in the SAS and then not proceed much further while in the FFL. SO that would leave him achieving that rank during his time in the FFL. However it appears a "Major" in the French Army is not the equivalent of the US and Commonwealth Nations rank of "Major". It appears to be more equivalent to a Sergeant Major and possibly even a Warrant Officer. Also it seems most of the FFL actual officers are mostly native French and not as many foreigners. With all of that I am attempting to figure out minimum service time for Bludd in the SAS for him to be honorably discharged. Then number of years in service for him to achieve the rank of Major in the FFL. He appears to be in his 40's during his first introduction in 1983 so he could realistically have been involved in the Chad-Libyan and Rhodesian Bush War conflicts. |
09-21-2020, 09:06 PM | #23548 |
W.O.R.M.S. Commander
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Back in the US of A! (NoVA)
Posts: 10,649
|
I have always been fascinated with Bludd and Mercenaries in general. Did anyone ever read Soldiers of Fortune magazine?
I seem to remember adds for work in the back of each issue. I realize enlisted get knocked down to trooper when they join SAS, but What about the officers? I assume he was in Vietnam right up to the end of Australian involvement. Which segways perfectly to Rhodesia, and tons of hot spots in Africa and South America. Don't forget the twins were also Legionnaires and they are French. I imagine Bludd may have crossed paths with Voltar who seems like a clone of Bludd. I would assume Destro or his father would have been running guns wherever there's a conflict and I could see Brekhov being on the other side of any conflict.
__________________
Improvise, Adapt, and Overcome. |
09-22-2020, 06:32 AM | #23549 |
Crimson Guard
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: over here
Posts: 2,092
|
Lol I actually had one issue of Soldier of Fortune back in the late 80's. It had an article of a reporter embedded with a group of Mujahideen as they carried a multi-barrel rocket launcher up a mountain and launched an attack on a Soviet outpost. It opened my eyes to how effective guerrilla warfare could be against a more technically advanced military such as the Soviet Army.
I had forgotten about the twins and their ties to the FFL. I may have to incorporate them into my fanfic I was planning. Or just make it that even though Bludd and the Twins were in the same bush war they did not necessarily cross paths. So many possibilities though with this. Not sure on the officers when they join the SAS and if they get pegged down or not. My reasoning on making Bludd an enlisted in the SAS is lets say he was an officer and made it to Captain before leaving the SAS. The FFL uses the French Army ranking system and even if he was able to enlist as an officer he would not have become a Major since the French do not use that rank in their officer corps. I figured (at least in my mind) he would stick with his current rank when leaving the last "official military organization" before becoming a mercenary. EDIT: As a side if Bludd made it to Major in the SAS (if he was an officer in this unit) then that means he either would not have progressed in the FFL....or maybe he did but decided to go with the last rank he was at while in the SAS before starting his mercenary days. Although not sure why he would as most former military refer to the last rank they achieved. Last edited by john shaft; 09-22-2020 at 06:36 AM.. |
09-22-2020, 02:28 PM | #23550 |
Commando
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Britain
Posts: 3,825
|
I dunno for sure, about officers getting back-ranked in the SAS, but I don't think it happens.
Logically, that thing about being 'demoted' to Trooper when enlisted arrive at the Regiment doesn't make sense anyway. A soldier spends at least 5 years getting to Corporal only to get demoted back two ranks? With that experience and training? GTFO. I think it's more likely that they treat you like a noob and that you're only *addressed* as Trooper until you prove yourself. |
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Please Help! Need filecards! | RockinHard | G.I. Joe Buy Sell Trade | 2 | 10-26-2008 06:14 PM |
Need filecards! | RockinHard | G.I. Joe Buy Sell Trade | 18 | 10-24-2008 09:17 PM |
Filecards Wanted!!!! | RockinHard | G.I. Joe Buy Sell Trade | 5 | 10-17-2008 10:25 PM |
Filecards Wanted! | RockinHard | G.I. Joe Buy Sell Trade | 5 | 10-05-2008 04:15 PM |
Quaid Spills Secrets on "G.I. Joe" | HissCommander | G.I. Joe News and Rumors | 108 | 10-01-2008 11:23 AM |
|
|
Recent Off Topic Threads |
What song are you listening to? |
1:18 Airwolf kickstarter |
4" Fortnite from Jazwares |
JazWares 18th Halo |
Marvel Universe 3.75" figures |