Hello once again, I am back with another hasty blog. I have continued to read "Starship Troopers" by Robert A. Heinlein up until the 300th page. So far, things are getting exciting as our main protagonist, Juan "Johnny" Rico, is trying to become a Mobile Infantry officer. But what led to Johnny wanting to become an officer? Well, let me tell you. Johnny had arrived on the secret military staging planet, Sanctuary. Here, one of Johnny's comrades asks him what he wants to do with his life. Does Johnny want to just serve his two year term and be done with it in order to receive the privilege of being a voting citizen? Or does Johnny want to go on with a full military career because he has found his calling as a soldier? Johnny then decided that being an officer and going full career was his destiny. He was already a capable Mobile Infantryman, so why not?
As Johnny was getting his papers ready in order to go into officer training, his dad stumbles upon him. Johnny learns that his dad never died in Buenos Aires and that he has enlisted into the Mobile Infantry. Johnny is quite surprised that his dad would do this seeing as he was a business man and objected heavily against him joining the military. But, his dad explains that Johnny's enlistment into the military awoke something inside him. He felt as if he could not really feel like a man if he did not enlist, being a civilian made him feel empty inside. They caught up and set off to their separate destinations. Johnny would head off to train to become an officer and his dad to step aboard Johnny's old corvette, the Rodger Young.
Johnny learns that becoming an officer involves a lot of studying into the art of war, psychology of war, et cetera. Then, Johnny is visited by an old friend, Carmen. He is taken out to dinner by her and they discuss what's been going on recently such as the death of Carl, Johnny's old best friend. At the end of the date, Johnny receives a kiss from her which earns him quite the reputation with the other officers in training.
During his studying, Johnny has a mini existential crisis of why he has to fight. He explains to himself that it must be for the survival of the human race or for his comrades in the ground with him. He finishes his studying on the ground and is being sent to his ship where he will act as a third Lieutenant, a rank given to officers in training. He is put aboard the ship Tours, a large ship with many platoons of men. Aboard the ship, he receives a lot of insight into what it means to be an officer in the Mobile Infantry. First off, there are not many officers to begin with. Three percent of the Mobile Infantry's composition is purely officers, meaning that were valuable assets. Secondly, Johnny learns how to act if he is to become an officer. He can not be looking like cadet who stands up straight and salutes all the time, he must act relaxed and address other officers as if they were friends. Lastly, Johnny learns how to behave when he is out on the field giving out orders. An officer must always appear to be calm and speak clearly. An officer must also be able to make quick decision, with the help of his sergeant if needed. All of this learning was to prepare him for a combat drop where he would be placed in command of a platoon of men. Will Johnny crack under the pressure of being an officer? Or will Johnny be able to successfully become a capable leader? Tune in tomorrow when I squeeze out another blog.
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