Fic help.

[SF_and_Coffee]

Yeah. I don't write fan-fiction, but I've decided that Jack has a bachelors in civil engineering with a masters in history (focusing on the use of espionage during the American Civil War). Definitely not top of his class material, at least not academically.

Seaboe

I honestly have a problem with the commonly-used characterization of Jack as being not terribly bright or that he is lacking in academic skills. It isn't possible to get into the Air Force Academy without having top-notch grades in high school, which would by definition mean a fairly decent IQ and academic ability. Jack plays dumb, but he's actually pretty damn smart. It would be nearly impossible to be promoted time and again through the ranks to reach his level if he were really as dumb as he pretends to be.

My theory? Somewhere along the way, possibly as early as high school, he decided that it made strategic sense to be underestimated by the casual observer, and so he developed a habit of cultivating an outward appearance of disarming average-ness... which allows him to use his intelligence to his own advantage without most people's being aware of it.

[BruTak]

Do you mean the hats that they wear with their dress blues? If so, they're called uniform caps and a nickname for them is "covers".

The thing that looks like a bucket, yeah.

I was thinking more that, since it's pretty much hated right across the board (so I'm told), there would be an unofficial nickname.

[BruTak]

I honestly have a problem with the commonly-used characterization of Jack as being not terribly bright or that he is lacking in academic skills. It isn't possible to get into the Air Force Academy without having top-notch grades in high school, which would by definition mean a fairly decent IQ and academic ability. Jack plays dumb, but he's actually pretty damn smart. It would be nearly impossible to be promoted time and again through the ranks to reach his level if he were really as dumb as he pretends to be.

My theory? Somewhere along the way, possibly as early as high school, he decided that it made strategic sense to be underestimated by the casual observer, and so he developed a habit of cultivating an outward appearance of disarming average-ness... which allows him to use his intelligence to his own advantage without most people's being aware of it.

That's the way I see it too. He acts like an idiot so people (the bad guys) underestimate him.

[SF_and_Coffee]

Jack has a Vietnam service medal. My personal chronology has Jack either volunteering or getting drafted into the Air Force where he got into a combat situation and got noticed. This notice is what got him recruited into Black Ops and getting into USAFA.

Two problems with that theory:

1. The Academy doesn't take people who have already served.

2. Jack was born in 1952, which would make him 22 in 1974. That means he entered the Academy in 1970. He turned 18 in '70, and therefore couldn't have been drafted prior to that year. And he couldn't have volunteered if volunteering meant not finishing high school, since you can't go to the Academy without a high school diploma.

[Sparky She-Demon]

Enlisted personnel can get into the service academies.

[SF_and_Coffee]

Enlisted personnel can get into the service academies.

At present, but -- and I don't have the link handy but I do remember having the document saved on my old computer -- at the time this would have applied to Jack, it wasn't possible with the Air Force Academy.

In any case, his date of birth and his date of graduation, which are both established in canon, render it a moot point unless you're also suggesting he somehow managed to live two lives at the same time. (Clone!Jack from "Fragile Balance" notwithstanding.)

[Sparky She-Demon]

I didn't know that. Thanks for enlightening me.

[Nikki Alexander]

I know there has been a Russian team working briefly at the SGC, but has there, to anyone's knowledge, ever been anyone from another country working there, and not necessarily on one of the teams. I have an idea for an original character, she's a nurse at the SGC, but she's British, she was born and grew up in England but her parents are American, she was in the TA (Territorial Army) back home in England. I was just wondering if that would be possible, I know it's a fanfic so really it's something I've created, but still I'd like to keep some things within the realm of plausibility.

I mean would she have to leave the TA and become a civilian if it was possible for her to work at the SGC, or could she still stay in the TA and be on a transfer or something like that. I know there were British personnel in Atlantis, but that's slightly different.

Also on a slightly related note if she did stay in the British Army and ended up in a relationship with say a Colonel, would that be against the frat regs...if you get what I mean, or would it not because they don't work together and she's not USAF....

There was something else but I've forgotten it, I'll probably remember later on. Anyway apologies for the length and I hope you understood what I'm trying to get at. If you want me to explain something further let me know.

[SF_and_Coffee]

I'm pretty sure it would be against the frat regs, nationality notwithstanding.

[Nikki Alexander]

Ah right ok, but would it be possible for someone of a different nationality to work there, and to get around the 'frat regs'. Would they hire a civilian nurse. I'd like to keep as much of my original idea, but I don't want make it too impossible and unlikely.

[SaraBahama]

The frat regs are pretty strict, and apply to military personnel fraternizing with civilian contractors also.

[Nikki Alexander]

Bummer, I didnt know that. I'm kinda thinking of getting round that maybe. Anyway, thanks. I may end up coming back with some more questions.

[BruTak]

As far as I remember, it's canon that alongside the Russians, the UK and Chinese governments are aware of the Stargate program.

However, given that the Israelis are sneaky buggers who're into everything, it seems logical that they would also know what's really going on under Cheyenne Mountain.

[Nikki Alexander]

As far as I remember, it's canon that alongside the Russians, the UK and Chinese governments are aware of the Stargate program.

However, given that the Israelis are sneaky buggers who're into everything, it seems logical that they would also know what's really going on under Cheyenne Mountain.

I knew that the UK was aware, but I just wasn't sure if there'd been any British personnel working there. I'm probably going to have to make some of this AU to make it work, but not very much.

[fems]

I knew that the UK was aware, but I just wasn't sure if there'd been any British personnel working there. I'm probably going to have to make some of this AU to make it work, but not very much.

The Atlantis Expedition had several members from other nationalities and I assume those people were at least trained and/or instructed on what to expect (off-screen), which most likely took place at the SGC or off-world, via the SGC. Could always go that route and then have your OC stay at the SGC for some reason. Or have someone from the infirmary hire the nurse, as they do need nurses there and we know they employ civilian doctors who are really good, so perhaps one of the civilian surgeons took their nurse with them, as they have been working together for years in the OR and that was this specialist's condition upon joining the SGC or something.