A question was posed to me regarding what has happened to the U.S. Government and all the Armed Service departments in the TRANSPORT world.
1. As everything has gone to hell in a hand basket, and everyone has to work together (or, as in reality, it would be great if that happened), the U.S. Armed Services--Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines--have been combined. You have mixed services and service personnel, perhaps not changing when it comes to rank, but sharing skills and training when and where possible.
Example: Captain Jacob Billet (CO of the HURON) comes from the Army sector, while Lance Corporal Loutonia Phelps (the HURON's driver) and Lance Corporal Eddie Mulholland (the HURON's rear gunner) both come from the Marines.
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CAPTAIN JAKE BILLET
Art by Tim Holtrop copyright 2014
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The Coast Guard and National Guard have also been rolled into this larger lot, though again you will have a mix of personnel with specific training in their respective areas and locales.
It all works well with the national and global catastrophe Humankind now endures.
Or as General Owen Shiffler, an old Texan warhorse, once said (a few weeks prior to collapsing with the virus): "Ya'll get along, I mean, really work together, or I'll put each and everyone of you out in the sticks with nothin' but your LPCs*."
* - LPCs, leather personnel carriers, aka, boots.
2. The United States Central Government is still alive and well, though at a reduced capacity. POTUS has issued each state's management responsibilities, except Alask and Hawaii, be their own, offering what military assistance the beleaguered and diminished U.S. Armed Forces can muster. The large cities, where the majority of the military is located, now pay for, and in some cases, totally manage their armed forces units (with the help of the particular units military command). It is basically like each large city with a military garrison has their own little DoD (Department of Defense).
There is still a Secretary of Defense, and a few under-secretaries, but again, separate departments have now been combined into one.
In Grand Rapids, in current story line, the hierarchy would be (for example):
A. Billet reports to Colonel Jackson
B. Colonel Jackson reports to Grand Rapids Mayor Honeywell and city commission
C. Jackson will also report out to whoever is in the government position of JCS (Joint Chiefs of Staff), as needed.
I hope this answered questions and clarified this particular subject that isn't necessarily spelled outright in the story.
There are no silly questions, feel free to ask any other.
Roll out!
Pete
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TRANSPORT (Book One) can be found here:
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