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Presidential Address

"The history of our nation is a long and turbulent one, for our entire modern development we have seen civil strife among the adversarial political factions in our nations.

The man who I followed into this office had a dream that was almost realized, a United Skibereen. He was an 'everyman' he was adored by the people, respected by his enemies and loved by his friends and subordinates. No one even knew the man's real name. Of course I speak of the Late, President Brian Boru.

The first president of the Republic.

It was a foreign war brought to our door step that took him from us, and with his death, his dream ...for a time did die as well.

You all know the last twenty years I have sat as acting president I have worked to bring that dream back to life.

I will not mince words and claim I am a true believer, rather Brian was my commanding officer, he was my President and he was my friend. He was the greatest man I have ever known and he believed it could be done. He believed we could live as unified civilized people.

Today I am proud to offer my office, the office of the President of Skibereen to the new and first Democratically elected President of the Armed Republic of the Three Isles of Skibereen.



In this election are representatives from every political faction in Skibereen, from every corner of the land. Representatives chosen by the people.

Votes casted with ballots and not bullets for the first time in over 100 years.

On the day of the Election I was proud to announce to nations across the globe we will be meeting to commemorate the opening of the Badb Catha International Military Academy. As well as our new President and myself will be dignitaries from nations spanning the Globe.


A United Skibereen welcoming the best of the best in the military world. The greatest military thinkers and tactical minds to take breath.

I am proud to say that today, we finally are truly one people."

President O'Donnely stops speaking, his face is tight and his words are choked in his throat.

"I apologize, I honestly never believed I would see this day come.
More details about the election and about the agreement being reached between the factions will be forth coming. As well greater details about the Badb Catha Academy.

Thank you and God Bless you."

O'Donnely walks away from the podium amid the snap shot of cameras from both domestic and foreign reporters he seen to clearly break down.

Social Liaison Officer Col Demadred takes his station at the podium.
As always the man is a bulwark to the presidential office.
He countenance is strong his eyes bright and non-betraying, he gives a slightly larger smile then he usually does give the press and he begins to speak
"The President is clearly moved by the events of the past year or so, and he wanted to be the one to announce it formally to the public. However his emotional investment has taken its toll, and so for the duration of these events I will be speaking for the current " he smiles again and shakes his head " for the current Administration. However there are members of the foreign press here and they are not here for the election...at least I dont think they are ...ok then. So what I would like to do is start this off with some information about the Badb Catha Military Academy.

Badb Catha, will be the largest and essentially only institution of its kind in the world. The main campus will be comprised of 982 acres on the Raven Island Naval reservation in the South Morai Sea. In addition to the main campus there will be additional facilities made available to the students of the Academy. Yes, Colin you have a question?" He points towards a large very black man in a grey suit.

"What could they possibly need access to that isnt available to them in 982 acres?"

"Excellent question, that would of course be the sea for one thing Colin. The Badb Catha is a complete Military Academy. Theory and practice will be instructed there so that it can be taken home and retaught. This isnt basic training, this will be the place that teaches the teachers. If a soldier is forged from iron, then we are the people who will create the blacksmiths.
Badb Catha will send back to its respective nations the best officers and best enlisted men with the best training to make more of the best.
The concepts here will provide a place for each nation to contribute its greatest doers and thinkers to reshape modern military thought and instruction.
The Raven Naval Military Reservation will be more then just a location for the school, it will be a cache of the greatest military thoughts of the world.

We do not intend for the Badb Catha to be the end of this revolution we intend for it to be the beginning. Next question?"


Another Press Agent "So who exactly is paying for this?"

"Nice question Terry. The Academy will take donations from Foreign National militaries, and Educational Institutions. Of course there will be a nominal tuition required to be paid per attending student. Of course no nation contributing faculty will have to pay tuition for their attending soldiers. I want to be clear, this is however the beginning. Skibereen is transitioning away from Militarism as a mere political facet. We recognize the respect that the general populace holds for both our Educators and our Protectors. This ingrained national pride in both Scholarly and Martial pursuits will be raised up in a culmination of the Raven Island Military Reservation providing the worlds most comprehensive Warrior Scholar Program.

This is not a gimmick Terry, this is the crest of the cultural wave that has been building in Skibereen for over a century.

This is the chance to better the world through our own experiences to share the best of our culture. Our love of learning and of martial traditions and skill. You ask, who is going to pay for this? I ask you Terry, who isnt going to profit from this? Next question."


"You keep talking about how this is just the beginning, what else can we expect to see? The Academy is a fairly massive undertaking."


"Well James, I cant get into too many details yet. However, the Raven Island Military Reservation is going to be under going a dramatic change, and it will involve creating services for soldiers and scholars alike the world has not seen.

I am talking about a true tribute that will cement Skibereen as not only the center of Military learning, but Scholarship in general. Again, when weighing out costs...we all know education is strong and sure investment. Along with that the RIMR will also be in keeping with some of other cultural traditions. Next Question."

He continued.

"Nations that will be contributing faculty and other assets include;
The Rebuilt Nation of Azaha
The Kingdom of Crookfur
The Holy Empire of Doomingsland
The Federal Republican Duchydom of Franberry
The Soviet Federation of United Hogsweat
The People's Republic of Hurtful Thoughts
The Centrist Demonarchy of Illior
The Freehold of Mondoth



As you can see by the list, this is no small endeavor and the cumulative information brought together by these nations will not only serve for the scholarly expansion of Martial Philosophy, but when put into the training programs for both officer and enlisted every other military training institution will pale as a candle to the noon time sun.

I would dare say in twenty years time that it will be officers trained at the Badb Catha holding sway over the globe unquestioned and uncontested. Next Question."

Sniper/Scout School Badb Catha Academy

The room was empty save for the first class the Academy would host in Sniper/Scout Program which fell under the Irregular Tactics Department.

The men of the first were ordered to arrive in full gear for a 7 day operation.

Rifles at sides and packs sat neatly beside folding metal chairs, the air of order in the room was exactly what one would expect from military professionals representing their respective nations. There was little chatter among men from different nations and half a dozen languages were whispered around the room.

The room itself was all lime green tile floor to ceiling, there was a drain in the center of the room, and more then one observant eye noted that for an empty room there was an excessive number of ceiling mounted fire sprinklers.

Three men entered the room in the common Skibereen Army uniforms, while all IFAF(Irysh-Finegall Armed Forces) uniforms were barely marked leaving saluting an officer a difficult prospect for the uninitiated these uniforms were completely devoid of markings beyond the camo break-up. The men had packs as well, sporting Cricket SMGs and rifles in the familiar 'dragbag'.

"Welcome ladies and gentlemen to the first Sniper/Scout program hosted here at The Academy." The man who spoke was small and lean, standing around 5'8" weighing no more then 170 lbs. His hair was cut short enough to look like growth from a razor job, though one could still see it was more grey then black.

"My name is Col. Michael McRainey, I salute you and the efforts you have made to make yourselves eligible to be seated here. I am going to assume you are all qualified beyond marksman shooting and so I have no intention of putting you through some remedial range exam. However we are all going to see each other's skill level over the course of the next 4 months and be certain I have little tolerance for lack of basic skills, so if you are here to learn land navigation via a map and how not to run out of water...I suggest you leave and request to be cycled into the more basic soldiering programs." To those in the know among the Special Operation Community Col McRainey is the preeminent sniper in the IFAF forces no IFAF has ever been in another country and told a story about Col. McRainey.

"I want to first be clear on a few points for those of you who are lacking actual combat experience.
Most of what you will do in your military career will garner you no accolades, no parades, and often regulars will look at you as if you are a boogey man...or worse.

Our particular skill set makes us professional murderers, make no mistake about that. More then any other soldier will you kill an unsuspecting foe who not have even the most remote chance to offer resistance. We as a group, explicitly do not offer a fair fight, we dont want a fair fight, and we don't care.

I do not allow the use of the word 'Hero', and as a soldier make clear that in my opinion nothing you do, including giving your life to complete a mission is above your call of duty. The only thing that will impress me is excellence at your craft. I am alive because of my dedication to that single mind set. I ignore instincts of self preservation and allow my skills to dictate the outcome of any event.

Two things I promise you will learn here if nothing else, you will accept your life is meaningless beyond your present mission and you will have the skills to make stopping you from completing that mission almost impossible." There was no humor in the man's statements and it was absolutely clear he meant exactly what he was saying.

"On that note I would like you to meet two men who have served a long number of years with me in the role we all fill.
you will address them as Saint Sebastian and Saint Anthony. From this point on you will address me as Saint Michael.
If you salute or acknowledge superior status of anyone in this class outside of this room you will be immediately washed out, that includes in your speech.

That being said let us begin, we are going to do a mock mission on the other side of the island, this will be the first exam. I realize many of you just got in and have had limited sleep, that is of course the entire point. The mission is projected to last 3 days, its up to you all if takes longer or not. But remember we are not in the business of rushing.
We move out in 24 hours, I will be providing maps and intel on the target, it is a civilian politician lightly defended but we may be forced to pass through or even engage in an urban environment. All pre-mission planning will be observed by my self and the other Saints. For the next 24 hours gentlemen, no one leaves this room. Sebastian."
With the final word to his compatriot the man designated Saint Sebastian flip a switch on the wall and sprinklers begin raining water down on the students. Saint Anthony tosses a satchel full of paper work with all available intelligence on the students target.

Bump

One of the first classes would be run by the star of the Crookfur contribution, Colonel James Samualson of the 138th Engineering regiment, the Crookfur Corps of Royal Engineers.

"Good morning ladies and gentlemen, My name is Colonel James Samualson of His Majesty's one hundred and thirty eighteth engineering regiment of the Crookfur Corps of Royal Engineers. The Royal Engineers are the oldest regular army unit within Crookfur Armed forces with a long and enviable history. However we are not here to discuss history, you are here to learn how combat engineers, sappers, if you like, can best acheive thier objectives and allow the rest of your froces achive thiers. Make no msitake about it, without an effective combat engineering force no army will succeed and as these lessons will tech you, an army with an exceptional enigneering element is incredably hard to defeat.

Our lessons will cover every major facet of the art of the sapper both defensive and offensive. Not only will these lessons cover the more traditional full scale warfare roles of the sapper but also how the applciation of an engineer's skills will allow the successful compeltion of asymentrical or counter insurgency operations.

But to begin with we will look at the key element of any combat engineering operation or force, the componenet that everything else relies upon: the lowly and often unsung Engineer or Sapper himself. Who is he? what is he? and above all how do we train him not only to be an exceptional soldier but also a craftsman, labourer and inventor all in one often previosuly udner educated individual."

Needless to say instruction in combat engineering would require extensive practical work and to this end the Crokfur MoD have donated an extensive amoutn of equipment consisting of not just that used by Crookfur forces but many other nations, soem retrived from the battlefeild, others by out right purchase or exchange and some by means best left unmentioned.