1. Introduction

Happy Thanks Giving to our Canadians, and Happy Columbus day to our American friends! It has been an exciting two months with highs and lows. Some of us have known each other for years. Others have joined to make new friends around a central focus of Arma 3. Community is everything in our group, and as a community we are closing the first chapter of many to come. 

2. Commanders Update

Congratulations and Thank You

With the completion of our first cycle and Operation Strident Defender we mark on our calendar the first of what I know to be many cycles to come our way and the success of our community. For those of us who partook congratulations on earning the Operation Strident Defender ribbon which will be handed off to each of you in the coming days. As well thank you for being here in our community to make this all happen. I believe firmly that this organization does not exist without people who enjoy, and want to show up to partake. Your own success is also a community success and that is always something we all should be proud of. 

Halloween Week

To change the theme slightly, our Annual Halloween Event week is coming up. This week all of our events which as per our norm would be as US Army Rangers, we side step into the SCP universe and don various uniforms and organizations colours as we embark on a more focused and spooky set of events. This year being our first official Halloween Week, we are opening our doors to the public and inviting some additional people from various groups or friends we might have made along the way. High tides raise all ships as they say and we want to share our events with new and exciting people. I look forward to seeing you all in mass for all three events representing our banners. Specific info and HTML modlist will be distributed this week.

3. Staff Shops Announcement

We are excited to announce that applications are now open for members interested in joining the various Staff Shops within the 1st Ranger Battalion, Arma III Realism. This is a great opportunity to get involved in the inner workings of the unit, contribute to its success, and take on leadership responsibilities beyond the battlefield. Staff members meet regularly and work together through various problems and tasks our unit wishes to take on. 

Here’s a brief breakdown of what each Staff Shop does:

• S-1 (Personnel Management): Handles recruitment, member records, promotions, and ensures all personnel are accounted for within the unit.
• S-2 (Intelligence): Responsible for gathering, analyzing, and providing actionable intel for operations, as well as creating dynamic and immersive mission scenarios.
• S-3 (Operations and Training): Oversees mission planning, training programs, and the overall scheduling of unit events and operations. If you're interested in training or helping new recruits get up to speed, this is the shop for you.
• S-4 (Logistics and Supply): Manages all unit resources, including modpacks, server maintenance, and equipment allocation. The technical backbone of the unit, S-4 ensures we run smoothly on a day-to-day basis.
• S-9 (Public Affairs): Handles community outreach, social media, unit branding, and content creation. S-9 is essential for sharing our story with the wider community and keeping members informed of unit happenings.

This is your chance to play a critical role in shaping the future of the 1st Ranger Battalion. If you're interested in applying for any of these roles, please reach out to your chain of command for more details on the application process!

4. S-1 Administration Update

Operation Strident Defender Ribbons

S-1 is pleased to announce the Strident Defender ribbon design which will be distributed to the service record of all members with the completion of the Fall Cycle and operation Strident Defender.

5. S-2 Intelligence and Mission Development Update

Liberation

The 2322 Liberation mission will be replaced with a customized mission with some interesting changes for players to deal with. This change will need the addition of one more mod to the usual modpack. This mod is called "Ravage" and you will need to load it on top of your usual mods to join the server.

SCP Deployment

As we get closer to the SCP deployment. Members should ensure they download the correct HTML for these missions which will be distributed via Discord. The SCP missions will take place in the same time slots as our regular events for the remaining time in October. 

S-2 Intelligence Brief: Deployment Phase Update

We’re pleased to report that the first cycle of missions has been a success from S-2's perspective. The missions ran smoothly, and we were satisfied with the technical performance and execution.

That said, we’ve been monitoring certain events where server performance degraded due to complex AI calculations, particularly with the LAMBS mod. After testing with both LAMBS and VCOM, it appears that the issue stems from LAMBS attempting to execute conflicting AI behaviors—specifically, trying to clear buildings while simultaneously assaulting players. This can result in looping calculations, impacting performance. However, we found that when the Zeus deletes the problematic AI units, the server performance immediately stabilizes. We will continue to monitor this and implement necessary adjustments as needed.

The remaining OPORDs and the Deployment Map have been updated accordingly, and all preparations are in place for the next phase.

Mod Updates

We are tracking updates to our Miscellaneous pack, which includes various smaller mods in our arsenal. An update will be deployed soon to ensure we remain current with the latest versions.

Work is also underway on new Ranger gear items, which will be integrated into our loadout in the near future.

Upcoming Development: New Training Map

There has been discussion regarding the development of a new training map to support our evolving needs and scenarios. This project is currently being spearheaded by SSG C. Nichols, and further updates will be provided as the project progresses.

Thank you all for your continued focus and dedication. As always, feel free to reach out with any questions or feedback.

6. S-3 Training Update

AIT (Advanced Individual Training) Progress

I’m pleased to report that everyone in the unit, with the exception of our newest recruits, have successfully completed their AIT. The S-3 department has been working hard to ensure that the new members are up to speed in their required training areas.

RASP (Ranger Assessment and Selection Program) Status

Currently, we have some variation in which phases of RASP members have completed. The goal is to have all members finish RASP before the next deployment cycle. To achieve this, S-3 will need to assess where each member stands in the RASP process and ensure we move forward with a clear understanding of everyone's progress.

There has been some discussion on how we should proceed with RASP moving forward. Kern raised the point that we should not begin a new RASP class until everyone is on the same phase, allowing us to complete the current round in unison. However, Nichols disagrees, emphasizing that the first class was always intended to be a test class, giving us the chance to make improvements for future classes. Nichols suggested we aim to have the process refined by the third class, but also expressed the need for further discussion with the team to ensure we address any remaining concerns.

Weekly Training Observations

Our recent deployment highlighted some areas for improvement, particularly with team movement across LDA/ODA (Linear Danger Areas/Objective Danger Areas) and overall communication. It was clear that some members struggled with team communication, which is crucial for mission success. The next training cycle will focus on building better team cohesion and reinforcing the importance of working together as a unit rather than as individuals. We are confident that these minor issues will be resolved with additional practice.

Documentation and Leadership Training

Bear and Kern have been working on a Basic Leadership Course (BLC) during their off time. Bear has put in a lot of effort into this course, which is designed to equip any member aspiring to become an NCO with the necessary skills for future leadership roles in the unit. The course focuses on small team tactics and decision-making under stress. We plan to make this course a requirement for any member looking to move to the rank of CPL. Completing the BLC will be essential for those seeking promotions to leadership positions.

7. S-4 Logistics Update

Minecraft Servers

Members who wish to access the Minecraft servers should use the Reaction Role channel to select roles and reach out to S-4 with usernames to be added to the whitelist of both servers. 

Professional themes

Change theme in a few clicks, and browse through Odoo's catalog of ready-to-use themes available in our app store.

8. S-9 Civil Affairs Update

Social Media and Recruitment Content

I’m excited to announce that Rico has started working on a new unit trailer. This is a key project that will help showcase our unit and attract new recruits. In order to make this as impactful as possible, we are calling on all members to contribute by providing video clips or beginning to regularly record your gameplay. The more content we have, the more dynamic and engaging the final product will be.

Both Rico and I are seeking input from the entire unit, so if you have any ideas or suggestions, don’t hesitate to share. Increasing our social media presence is vital to driving recruitment and growing our community, so let’s work together to make this happen.