![Hale Stratton [Major, United States Army]](https://no-way-home.sim-station.net/application/assets/images/characters/HaleStrattonBIO.jpg)
Hale Stratton
Name Hale Stratton [Major, United States Army]
Position Group Leader
Character Information
| Gender | Male | |
| Age | 30 | |
| Birthday | 11 December 1980 |
Physical Appearance
| Height | 6'2" | |
| Weight | 180 lbs | |
| Hair Color | Shoulder Length/Brown with Blonde Highlights | |
| Eye Color | Blue-Gray | |
| Physical Description | Tanned, well-balanced, proportioned and conditioned – Hale is muscular and definitely lean with visible abs (six pack). Brown hair streaked with natural blonde highlights, that he wears a bit longer than shoulder-length. Prefers to be clean-shaven when he's stateside; other than that, he has no hair on his body. Blue-gray eyes that hold within their depths a wealth of experiences he doesn’t like to talk about. Wears a set of army dog tags with the following information: Stratton Hale Thomas 4253827238 O Neg Catholic Comfortable in boots and jeans, prefers to be clean and tidy in his appearance. Prefers dark colors whenever possible. Wears a St. Michael’s Medal on a chain. Been in 'hiding' for so long that he doesn't indulge himself when it comes to civilian clothes. Just good-quality, monochromatic outfits (black, white, gray). |
Family
| Spouse | None | |
| Children | None | |
| Father | Hugh Stratton | |
| Mother | Hannah Stratton | |
| Brother(s) | Samuel, Patrick, Jason, Charles | |
| Sister(s) | None | |
| Other Family | Michael Stratton (Grandfather) |
Personality & Traits
| General Overview | If ever there was a fish out of water, it’s him. He literally spent his entire adult life training to be where he is, a Green Beret serving his country, only to have everything fall apart while he’s on leave, separated from his team, his regiment, his entire world. He understands discipline and pushing himself to the limit. He accepted the risk the day he took the oath and he’s never looked back. He has no interest in medals or awards of any kind. For him, its enough to do the job. The ones that don't go on the uniform (and they're there only because its required) get shipped home to his Mother (at her insistence). At heart, he’s a good man with a strong sense of right and wrong and is very responsible. He’s a natural leader, with his own six-man team, and now, it’s all gone. Hale is stubborn and persistent, surrender isn't a word he accepts. Once he understands the objective, he will commit himself one hundred percent. He’s most comfortable with his team-mates who share the same experiences and world-view. He has a good sense of humor, though it's maybe a bit dry, and an infectious laugh. He’s most at peace in the outdoors. Loves animals and radiates both calm and confidence. Polite to those who are older than him, remembers his manners but won’t back down either. Although he’s protective, willing to defend the helpless, he’s not someone you can easily provoke. Extensive training means that he’s controlled and chooses his reactions rather than let someone push his buttons. With that being said, while he’s comfortable with people, he’s not all that good at letting folks get past friendly to the more personal aspects of his life and has never been one to waste money on things that weren’t necessary. Hates getting dressed up and fancy parties where everyone has to be on their best behavior. |
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| Strengths & Weaknesses | Strengths * Green Beret with combat skills (including military parachutist and combat diver) * Master Diver with almost 1000 hours * Bachelor's degree in Marine Biology * Trained in leadership skills; leading his own team * Intelligent, highly observant, and mission-oriented * Knows a lot about living off-grid, mostly learned from his parents * Off-duty training in Mixed Martial Arts. Weaknesses * Doesn’t like enforced idleness. Those five mile runs that he does every day? They’re as much for the mental/emotional side of him as the physical. * Can sleep anywhere (seriously, anywhere) but wakes up easily. * Once he’s awake, it’s hard for him to fall back to sleep again. * Hates fancy dress/formal parties. * Needs coffee like some folk need to breathe * Doesn’t understand movie or television show references – has never owned a television * Keeps his sexual orientation to himself and a very few close friends |
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| Back Pack Contents | Hiking Backpack containing: - Flashlight - Fire-starting Kit (Char Cloth and Tinder) - Mirrored Compass with Declination - Toiletries Kit (Toothbrush/Toothpaste, Bar of Soap, Razor, Shaving Cream) - Bear Spray - Collapsible Water Bottle with Personal Water Filter - Rechargeable Flashlight - CoolNet with UV Protection (multifunctional headwear) |
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| Weapon | - Sig Sauer P320 (Wilson Combat/Caliber 9mm) - Has a Weapons Carry License issued by the State of Kentucky. - Bushcrafter 162 Fixed Outdoor Survival Knife with Sheath |
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| Hobbies & Interests | * Hiking * 7K Spartan Races. Was training for the 10K. * Swimming/Diving * 60-120 minute workouts daily that focus on strength and endurance training. Also some emphasis on mountaineering (finger and hand strength, pulling strength, endurance/stamina). Finishes with a five mile run. * Reading - has never had the patience to sit through a television show/movie * Pool / Darts * Horseback riding |
| Personal History | Hale's parents, Hugh and Hannah Stratton, made the decision early on in their courtship to live debt-free, as much as possible, and used the monetary gifts they received when they got married to purchase a piece of land near Fairbanks, Alaska that was not connected to the power grid. They lived in a tent while they built a small dry cabin. Committed to doing the work himself, the process was slow at first but, with a solid foundation in skills, Hale's parents reached a point where there wasn't anything they couldn't do. There were a couple of moves, trading up for a better piece of land or, for awhile, one that was closer to a town, but the parameters were always the same. Create microsystems rather than be connected to the power grid and have 100% equity in their home and their land from day 1. They built additional structures -- a bathhouse, an outhouse, a root cellar, storage, and a second cabin for his paternal grandfather. Hale learned the basics early on in life. Hauling water. Chopping and stacking firewood. Take your boots off in the mudroom. Wash your hands before you eat. Remember to say 'please' and 'thank-you'. Ask to be excused from the table and take your dishes to the sink. And of course, don't forget your chores. Every day brought learning opportunities and a growing sense of self-sufficiency. And while there was always work to do, there was time for fun as well; Hale and his brothers were never short of things to do. They challenged each other, dared each other, fought with each other, played endless practical jokes on each but one thing every kid in the schoolyard knew – mess with one Stratton brother, you mess with all of them. Beneath it all though, Hale learned early that Stratton men measured their manhood by the number of tackles performed on the football field, the number of beer cans they could crush on their skull, and the like. Living with four brothers, a father, and a grandfather, Hale understood that there were parts of himself best left unexplored. Buried. He learned about clearing land and cabin construction, handling predators, identifying poisonous plants and insects. All the things that went into life off the grid. There were other families in the area and the Strattons made connections. The boys went to school with the other locals and as they grew older, everyone around him started talking about college and making plans for life after high school. Hale, who loved the water, had started to think about studying the world's oceans. Marine Biology. And while his friends all made these huge plans, getting their own land, buildings cabins of their own, striking out for the big city, going to college, Hale's thoughts were all about saving the planet. Making things better for future generations. In September 2001, while he was in his third year at Duke University, the family took a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Manhattan to watch his uncle’s debut in an off-Broadway play. The day after the performance would be their final day in New York. His mother intended to buy some last-minute gifts while his father had made arrangements for Hale and his brothers to go on a helicopter flight over the city. He remembered making a joke about how Patrick was going to end up barfing on them all. He remembered ignoring the news that was playing in the background, he remembered that. Remembered how his Dad had been drinking a cup of coffee and just dropped the mug on the carpet. He remembered turning, following his Dad’s line of sight, and watched in real time as the first tower came down. He remembered how the course of his life changed in those moments. After graduation, Hale enlisted in the U.S. Army and was sent to the Officer Candidate School and somewhere in all of that, he decided to try for Special Forces, the Green Berets. Hale's dream was to buy a boat, maybe take a long sea voyage, but its just that, a dream. When he needs time to decompress, entirely free to be himself, he takes leave and heads to Wisconsin where he owns a 40-acre parcel of land. What's there he's built himself or with friends; his team has been there and its become a sort of sanctuary for him. About the Cabin There's a one room cabin, with large fireplace in the center, and a sleeping loft. Triangular, built-in cabinet under the stairs leading up to the loft on the far wall across from the door. On the right side, is a kitchen with a table and chairs, wing chairs in front of the fireplace, and on the left side, there's a small library, a sofa, and a pair of single beds that can be used by guests. It's a dry cabin so there's no running water but he did have a well dug on the property and there's a separate bathhouse and outhouse. Everything runs off of solar, generators, and wood fires. A large shipping container houses his tools as well as supplies for upcoming projects. A root cellar has been dug under the cabin (accessible from inside) with shelves for food storage. Nothing's there, of course, in terms of food; he generally just brings what he needs. |
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| Service Record | 09/1998 - 06/2002: Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, Marine Biology Major Dean's List for four years. Graduated with a bachelor's degree in Marine Biology. 08/2002 - 12/2002: 15 Weeks Basic Combat Training and Advanced Individual Training 02/2003 - 05/2003: 12 Weeks, Officer Candidate School, Fort Benning, Georgia Graduated OCS with a rank of 2nd Lieutenant (0-1). 06/2003 - 06/2003: 3-Week Basic Airborne Course (BAC) 07/2003 - 08/2003: 6-Week Special Forces Preparation Course 09/2003 - 09/2004: 53-Week Special Forces Qualification Course 2004: Promoted to 1st Lieutenant (0-2) Phase 1: Assessment Phase 2: Individual Skills (13 Weeks) Phase 3: MOS Qualification (18A) (15 Weeks) Phase 4: Language Training (14 Weeks) Phase 5: Collective Training/Unconventional Warfare (4 Weeks) Phase 6 Graduation and Out Processing (1 Week) 10/2004 - Present: 5th Special Forces Group, Fort Campbell, Kentucky 2006: Promoted to Captain (0-3) * Attended the Military Free Fall Parachutists Course (MFF) * Attended the Combat Diver Qualification Course * Attended the Special Forces Sniper Course * Participated in hostage rescue drills in Germany * Attended the Special Forces Basic, and later, Master Mountaineer Course(s) * Led a 12-man A-Team that was deployed frequently for missions in the Middle East and Persian Gulf. * When the Wildfire virus pandemic broke out, Hale had already put in his packet for promotion to Major. 2010: Promoted to Major (0-4) * Received word by email while in Bangor along with word that his family is alright. No word on his team. |