Noble Team performance reports

The Noble Team performance reports are a series of evaluation reports of NOBLE Team personnel written by Colonel Urban Holland in 2552.

SPECWARCOM/30.MAY.2545

ECMPP header info excised for brevity...30.May.2545
Franklin Mendez
SCPO, UNSCN - SPECWARCOM
We’ve been lucky with Beta so far—very lucky—to get 312 out directly after training. An opportunity like that is not liable to happen ever again. And we were extremely lucky to get 320 out at all after CARTWHEEL, and I hope her luck has held up—but—

Now that I’ve had an opportunity to look over the data on TORPEDO, it looks like it’s going to be a meat grinder on par with PROMETHEUS. No doubt, we’ll be able to absorb approx 1.08% total strength of the combat element directly into base personnel with this kind of OP, but there are a couple more I’d like get out into the field early long-term, deep reconnaissance—specifically 170 and 091.

Even though we may be starting to push credibility with Ackerson and the rest of the grinning skulls by assigning so many of the cat 2s to non-combat roles—Ackerson has stated implicitly that he wants them all in the field—I don’t believe they have any reason to complain. I do get the feeling that Ackerson would gladly assign members of his own family to a suicide mission if he could find an appropriately high-value target to send them against, however.

So Ackerson wants his heads—and we’ll give them to him—just not all of them. You know as well as I do that we wind up with some that would have been chosen—not just kids unlucky enough to survive a glassing. Orders are still being followed; those Spartans are in the field and they are armed as SPARTANS—and they are making a difference. We are bending the rules here—not breaking them. Anyway, I believe our recon teams have proven their effectiveness—the fact that they are receiving local, unsolicited support proves this out

Kurt Ambrose
LCDE, UNSCN - SPECWARCOM

NOBLE PERFORMANCE REPORTS :: [COL. HOLLAND, URBAN]

The following is a verbatim transcription of an official document for archival reasons. As the original content is transcribed word-for-word, any possible discrepancies and/or errors are included.

NOBLE ONE

 

CARTER Commander FULL NAME:XXX, CARTER    SERVICE #:S-259    UNIT: SPECWAR/GROUPTHREE/NOBLE (P)MOS: 180A ENLISTMENT DATE: CLASSIFIED LOCATION: CLASSIFIED GENDER: M BIRTHPLACE: DURBAN, BIKO BIRTH DATE: 27/08/2520 Performance Born leader; inspires confidence in those under his command. Cool under pressure. Has laser-like focus—even while maintaining flexibility/adaptability. Charismatic and reassuring; capable of interacting with non-Spartans effectively and efficiently (low/no stress issues). Comments Minor trust issues; not severe enough to warrant psychiatric reevaluation, but enough to be noted << stems from operator [S-293] under his command being KIA 22/04/2552. He attributes S-293’s death to his own “inadequate team preparation”—not to enemy action or S-293’s own lapse in situational awareness. Whether this is the source of his hesitation to commit to one of the replacements is unconfirmed at this time. Note Perhaps replacing S-293 with the *1T271 from XXX group will get him back on track—he's always at his best while building a team.

NOBLE TWO

 

KAT Lieutenant Commander FULL NAME:XXX, CATHERINE    SERVICE #:S-320    UNIT: SPECWAR/GROUPTHREE/NOBLE (P)MOS: 18E ENLISTMENT DATE: CLASSIFIED LOCATION: CLASSIFIED GENDER: F BIRTHPLACE: MONASTIR, NEW HARMONY BIRTH DATE: 30/01/2530 Performance Exemplary combatant; brilliant cryptanalyst—there hasn't been a system yet she hasn't been able to crack. However, she does tend to dig a little deeper than mission parameters require on occasion—and there have been times when NOBLE's proximity to classified matériel has made me rather nervous. Comments S-320 is an inspired tactician; this is certainly related to her ability to acquire and digest information. There are times when S-320’s ability to read a situation—even with what many would consider cripplingly limited INTEL—could be described as supernatural. Unfortunately even having MAGICAL INTEL can't protect you against a fatal lapse of situational awareness. To wit: S-293 was KIA during an OP that S-320 had put together [22/04/2552]; S-320 is now convinced that S-293's death rests solely on her own shoulders (S-259 is likewise convinced that he is solely responsible for S-293’s death). Eventually I hope to be able to get it through their thick Spartan skulls that Thom is dead because he chose to pursue a group of enemy combatants ON HIS OWN rather than wait for backup. Note S-320's refusal to resubmit her certification for the P_A(r)/NCSI-AMA is more than a little frustrating. She says she submitted her certification papers on 04/08/2551 and refuses to budge. My records show that she qualified expert level with the P_A(r)/NCSI-AMA [04/07/2551], but LOGistics/Matériel Command claim they never received said notification and state that unless they receive said certification in a timely manner the P_A(r)/NCSI-AMA needs to be returned immediately. In the meantime there is no way for me to stop getting spammed from LOG/MC with reminders. This has been going on entirely too long.

NOBLE THREE

 

JUN Warrant Officer FULL NAME:XXX, JUN    SERVICE #:S-266    UNIT: SPECWAR/GROUPTHREE/NOBLE (P)MOS: 180B ENLISTMENT DATE: CLASSIFIED LOCATION: CLASSIFIED GENDER: M BIRTHPLACE: TYUMEN, NEW HARMONY BIRTH DATE: 28/02/2524 Performance Rock solid under pressure. Better than he has any right to be, but at least he isn't cocky—which is a good thing because he's chatty. This does tend to put him at odds with noise discipline protocols—his behavior in this regard is often overlooked by the other operators in the field because of the informational bent of his chatter. Comments During mandatory psychiatric evaluation [15/12/2549] it was noted by XXX that S-266 had "an unhealthy emotional detachment in regards to the consequences of his actions" – I can only suggest that this was done without any metric by which to measure said detachment. By my estimation Jun is a rationalist. He is also a Spartan. Note Although it is noted in his medical records that he has exhibited symptoms of PTSD in the past there have been no indications of a relapse post-therapy [05/01/2550].

NOBLE FOUR

 

EMILE Warrant Officer FULL NAME:XXX, EMILE    SERVICE #:S-239    UNIT: SPECWAR/GROUPTHREE/NOBLE (P)MOS: 18B ENLISTMENT DATE: CLASSIFIED LOCATION: CLASSIFIED GENDER: M BIRTHPLACE: LUXOR, ERIDANUS II BIRTH DATE: 11/03/2523 Performance Respected by his peers; detail oriented; unbreakable. There's not a whole lot more to mention; he is an effective member of the unit while in the field and maintains strict discipline off the field. It does seem that he tends to have more difficulty interacting with non-Spartans than others within NOBLE, however. Comments I wish he would reel his audacity in the field back about 24%. His behavior makes it difficult to field him against insurrectionists; it's hard enough dealing with the stories of UNSC excess manufactured by the civilian media without S-239 providing them with hard evidence of said excess. That being said: It's an odd feeling to be relieved that you are sending your people out against hostile aliens. Note I may have to consider rotating S-344 into his spot if another IN/OP comes up before S-239's next mandatory psychiatric reevaluation [REF:03/09/2552]. S-239's collection of alien contraband is truly impressive. However, the existence of said collection is in direct violation of NAVCOM General Order 098831A-1/Sub_7. Good thing we’re ARMY.

NOBLE FIVE

 

JORGE Chief Warrant Officer FULL NAME:XXX, JORGE    SERVICE #:S-052    UNIT: SPECWAR/GROUPTHREE/NOBLE (P)MOS: SO ENLISTMENT DATE: CLASSIFIED LOCATION: CLASSIFIED GENDER: M BIRTHPLACE: PÁLHÁZA, REACH BIRTH DATE: 05/03/2511 Performance Career soldier—but then all the Spartans are, aren't they; inspires confidence in those around him—he is a combat multiplier! Rock solid; almost thirty years in the saddle and shows no signs of breaking or slowing; easygoing for someone from the class of '25; need to keep an eye on him around XXX as he tends to be pretty free with his opinions. Comments Vocal in his support of provincial self-rule; just as vocal in his condemnation of the separatist and insurrectionist movements. Only member of the team that has seen as much action, if not more, against human militants as Covenant forces. Very difficult to read. ((NOTE: never play cards with JORGE.))

NOBLE SIX

 

XXX Lieutenant FULL NAME:XXX, XXX    SERVICE #:S-312    UNIT: SPECWAR/GROUPTHREE/NOBLE (P)MOS: 158A ENLISTMENT DATE: CLASSIFIED LOCATION: CLASSIFIED GENDER: XXX BIRTHPLACE: XXX, XXX BIRTH DATE: XXX/XXX/XXX Performance N/A Comments What little information I have been able to glean from around all of the redaction [note—I was quite literally expecting the ONI to start redacting page numbers] gives the impression that S-312 is more akin to a hyper-lethal vector than a soldier. A lone-wolf assassin that has broken organizations and made entire militia groups disappear. At first glance S-312 doesn't sound like the best fit for a team environment like NOBLE. However, we've been down a man for over a month—and frankly there are hidden benefits to a XXX like S-312. Call it the luck of the draw. S-293's 1156 has been filed since 22/04/2552, every active duty Spartan-II is on XXX for special training, and it seems that XXX wasn't able to keep his own private grim reaper out of the pool—only time will tell if this luck is of the good or bad variety.