In my judgment, the biggest problem with the Ukrainian army was the lack of competence among the non-commissioned officer (NCO) corps.
While the officer corps also left much to be desired, there was some room for understanding. Officers have always been an elite group, and it wasn’t feasible to mass-produce them when war hadn’t even started yet.
But what about the NCOs?
Even if we assume that field commanders exist, it is ultimately the NCOs who shine on the front lines.
Just take a look at Claude Rain, for instance.
The skills of seasoned and skilled NCOs are something that average officers can never match. There’s a reason why NCOs are considered the backbone of the military.
However, in Okhraine’s rank system, there was a pervasive tendency to undervalue NCOs.
How could the treatment of NCOs and soldiers be almost identical?
During my time in the 3rd Mage Battalion, one could clearly see how soldiers treated their fellow NCOs, Lumina and Bella.
In modern South Korean forces, even newly appointed second lieutenants or corporals might struggle somewhat with managing sergeants and above, but no one would expect a master sergeant to be easily swayed.
It wasn’t just because Lumina and Bella lacked experience or were women—it went deeper than that. Fundamentally, the Okhraine military had deeply ingrained beliefs that NCOs didn’t need proper respect or treatment.
Moreover, experienced senior soldiers weren’t being promoted to NCO ranks either.
Advancing from soldier to NCO was extremely difficult, and transitioning from NCO to officer was practically impossible. Soldiers often got stuck at the rank of corporal, which was absurd thinking.
This is why talented individuals ended up leaving the service without achieving anything.
In a partially conscripted nation like Okhraine, not allowing promotions through ranks is simply unacceptable.
So, I took action.
From the previous two real combat scenarios, I selected exemplary soldiers who had led the charge or were highly evaluated by platoon leaders and promoted them to corporal. Existing corporals were all promoted to master sergeants.
Platoon leaders, including some of my own former subordinates from the previous battalion, were commissioned as second lieutenants through local appointments.
When advisors suggested handing over our months-long airborne training program to newly arrived junior officers and NCOs? Were they crazy?
These new arrivals would still need months to learn the tactics of the 8th Aerial Mage Infantry Combat Unit.
All currently assigned personnel had to serve both as trainers and assistant instructors, so it was essential to give them appropriate titles.
Especially in an under-modernized organization like the Okhraine military, regardless of whether someone is labeled as an assistant instructor or trainer, if their rank is lower than others, they will likely be underestimated.
After extensively restructuring the battalion’s rank system with Chief of Staff Joseph Lebandovsky,
the next step was to reorganize the unit structure.
Though we planned to call it a battalion battle team, we couldn’t adhere strictly to the traditional battalion structure.
What about an “assault” battalion?
Of course, a logistics unit responsible for assault supplies was necessary, as well as an aviation unit to manage and operate airships parked behind the barracks.
Although the Technical Research Department has sent personnel now,
there was a need for these units to be directly integrated into our battalion. Unless an Air Command or Air Support Brigade were established, our current two transport airships constituted the entirety of our air force, so it made more sense for the battalion to retain control.
Thus, together with Chief Joseph, I created an aviation platoon directly under the commander.
For now, the position of platoon leader was vacant; it seemed inappropriate to appoint Roxanna outright.
I am a firm believer in meritocracy.
There’s absolutely no place for nepotism.
Additionally, we established two new companies and evenly distributed the existing battalion personnel.
Now, these veterans would guide the incoming soldiers and NCOs.
Also, thanks to Bella Meyer’s suggestion, we allocated a medical platoon under the command of special staff attached to headquarters.
With this, the 8th Aerial Mage Infantry Battalion was fully prepared to transform into the 8th Aerial Mage Infantry Combat Team.
All that remained was…
to devise a training plan to convert those adorable rookies into fearsome paratroopers.
*
“Roxanna Ha… no, Lieutenant?”
“Yes.”
Though called the medical unit, it was essentially just a room with a few beds placed inside.
We were informed that Major Debra Bennett from the Central Technical Research Department would soon arrive with construction engineers to improve our facilities, so hopefully this rudimentary setup would soon be upgraded.
“How’s your condition?”
“I’m feeling much better.”
Roxanna smiled while brushing her pink hair aside. Having exhausted too much mana during the escape from the Limansk arsenal, she had been confined to the medical ward for several weeks since then.
Even Edward, her external medical supervisor, had lost his temper to the point of yelling.
Yet, Roxanna herself didn’t seem overly concerned. In fact, she argued that enduring a few weeks in the medical bay was worth it, considering her sacrifice allowed the battalion members to escape safely.
Both Sony Chepelin and I recommended her for a medal citation in recognition of her efforts.
As a result, Roxanna’s uniform now featured a sparkling diamond pin along with a silver ribbon.
The Silver Medal for Military Merit.
Given the circumstances, a formal award ceremony wasn’t held, but her contributions were nonetheless officially recognized.
After all, every member of the battalion owed their lives to her.
“I want to be discharged soon.”
“I’m still unsure if putting you straight into training is wise.”
“I received a medal, so I should work harder. My father seems secretly pleased.”
I learned that Lieutenant Roxanna Elrim’s father was the head of a fairly large merchant guild in a southwestern trading city of Okhraine.
He wasn’t nobility, but did that matter?
A merchant guild leader in a trading city likely wielded more actual power than many minor nobles.
This explained my long-standing curiosity: how Roxanna managed to enlist despite her health issues.
It wasn’t bribery—it wouldn’t make sense for the Okhraine military to forcibly recruit someone with heart disease.
Anyway, for such a daughter to not only unofficially rise to the rank of second lieutenant but also receive the Silver Medal for Military Merit must surely bring immense pride to her father.
Of course.
“I omitted the part where you nearly died when informing him.”
At my words, she sheepishly scratched her head.
“If I had told him the truth, he probably would’ve ordered me to retire immediately or transfer to another unit.”
“I would’ve done the same.”
“Even if it’s not what I want?”
“That burden falls entirely on those left behind if you d*e. What good is a medal or rank when the person isn’t alive to enjoy them?”
It was a bitter truth.
Ultimately, those who survive are the ones left to carry the weight of d*ath. I still vividly remembered the faces of the soldiers who perished in the last battle.
The comrade who occasionally smoked with me and talked about the future, the lively chatterbox at the village tavern, and the one who repeatedly failed training and rolled around in front of me—they were all names now inscribed only on the memorial stone erected in front of the base.
“Roxanna, let’s make a promise.”
“Yes?”
“To never push yourself to the limit again.”
I extended my pinky finger. She stared at it blankly.
“You know reality isn’t that simple, Commander… or Captain. I can’t promise that. And I’m not sure I could keep it even if I did.”
“I understand. But making such a promise means you’ll at least try, right?”
Roxanna was always full of enthusiasm. Fine, good. Sacrificing oneself for comrades by burning one’s life force? How many soldiers possess such noble and honorable spirits?
Still, the mindset that one must inevitably sacrifice oneself isn’t entirely positive.
“Sacrifice,” though seemingly noble, is a highly subjective and relative value.
Imagine someone blowing themselves up along with a bridge to stop enemy advances. But what if the enemy was already prepared to ford the river?
If the destruction of the bridge yielded little strategic benefit, the noble sacrifice quickly turns into meaningless d*ath.
War, like everything else, doesn’t differ much. No, it’s governed purely by results. Everything depends on the outcome, however cruel that may sound. That’s reality.
“Sacrificing oneself can sometimes blind people’s eyes and ears. Be careful not to fall into that perspective.”
“Captain Enok…”
“Come on, will you promise or not? If not, I won’t replenish your mana anymore.”
“Haha.”
Roxanna burst into light laughter. Soon, her delicate fingers intertwined with mine.
“Isn’t it you who gets your mana replenished from me?”
“Tsk, it only happened once! It won’t happen again.”
“We’ll see about that.”
Roxanna replied with a slight smirk, a mischievous expression I’d never seen before.
