Julie Hoffman
Sarna News
Julie Hoffman | |
|---|---|
| Personal | |
| Died | 19 January 3067[1] |
| Affiliation | Lyran Commonwealth |
| Profile | |
| Rank | Colonel[citation needed] |
Julie Hoffman was the commanding officer of the First Alarion Jaegers between 3057 and 3067.[2][3]
History[edit]
Personnel for the First Alarion Jaegars, as were the Jaegers as a whole, were drawn from a variety of Lyran units as part of Archon's Order 573023, with extrovert unit CO Julie Hoffman one of the most popular commanders in the Donegal Broadcasting Corporation "Fighting for Peace" propaganda series and attracting steady public support for and applications to join her unit. Integrating such a large and disparate band into a single whole was a challenge to which the unit's command staff excelled at, with the newly formed Jaegers passing their combat-readiness test in less than eight months, followed by reaching regimental status ten months later. With the permission of the LAAF high command, the First Alarion CO worked closely with her fellow officers to build a solid working relationship with the Alarion Naval Academy and the War College of Buena, allowing them to directly offer positions within the First to both academy's top graduates.[2][4]
Operation CLEANSWEEP[edit]
The Jaegers first real action outside twice monthly exercises were civil defense operations intended to limit anti-Katherine rebellion on the seat of the Alliance's naval program, the most notable being code named Operation CLEANSWEEP taking place in 3062 in the wake of increased tensions on Solaris VII. As rioting on Alarion's capital of Craiova escalated out of control, the Jaegers and Alarion APM were dispatched only to come under sniper fire resulting in the death of three infantry troopers before they could restore order. Colonel Hoffman ordered the arrest and incarceration of three hundred civilian suspects, which triggered an outcry from the public. Though the protests against the LAAF and Archon ultimately calmed down, while Cleansweep was militarily sound, the actions of Colonel Hoffman and the First had undone most of the public relations benefits of "Fighting for Peace".[2][4]
Feeling the formerly positive attention around her turn negative and believing that Cleansweep showed her unit was ill-suited to civil defense and policing actions on Alarion, Hoffman requested the First Alarion be transferred to garrison the Mountain Wolf BattleMechs facilities on the nearby world of Vendrell. Provincial Commander Hauptmann-General Peter Zenger took this under advisement, but ordered the First to remain on station on Alarion.[2]
Hoffman was delighted with the positive attention she received initially, less so when the media turned against her after Cleansweep.[2]
FedCom Civil War[edit]
The Alarion Jaegers didn't see much action in the early part of the Civil War. They spent most of the early waves moving to reinforce strategic positions.[5][6] Later the First Alarion Jaegers were one of the involved and effective Loyalist units in the FedCom Civil War as part of the famous Eleventh Arcturan Guards led battlegroup, seeing action in some of the most significant battles in the Alliance as well as the fighting on Tikonov in the Federated Suns.[7] After that action they were tasked to liberate Skye from the latest Free Skye rebellion, but these orders were later countermanded and the unit was ordered to reinforce Tharkad.[8] In March 3064, the Jaegers joined Task Force 11A where they attempted to trap Victor Steiner-Davion and his accompanying troops. There they attacked the Outland Legion's second battalion, and they were part of a major Loyalist victory.[9] Later they took part in the fighting on Tharkad where they a months-long mobile campaign against the Kell Hounds. This conflict led to the nearly total destruction of the unit, with only two lances of 'Mechs left intact while the supporting armor and infantry units were down to less than one tenth and one third of their original strength.[8] While all but destroyed by the Civil War and despite its significant role in opposing him, the unit's performance lead Archon Peter Steiner-Davion himself to authorize the First Alarion Jaegers be rebuilt. While the reborn unit and its CO pledged their support to Peter, the LAAF High Command had questioned the credibility.[3]
Hoffman successfully led the First through the maelstrom until she died in battle on Tharkad.[3]
References[edit]
- ↑ Endgame, ch. 25
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Field Manual: Lyran Alliance, p. 49: "1st Alarion Jaegers Unit Profile"
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Field Manual: Updates, p. 167: "1st Alarion Jaegers"
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Era Report: 3062, p. 35: "1st Alarion Jaegers
- ↑ FedCom Civil War, p. 69
- ↑ FedCom Civil War, p. 89
- ↑ FedCom Civil War, p. 126
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 FedCom Civil War, p. 176
- ↑ Storms of Fate, p. 19: The Jaegers fight on York