Lieutenant Ken Kudo [SF-Ranger]

Name Ken Kudo [SF-Ranger]

Position Chief Strategic Operations Officer

Second Position Engineering Officer

Rank Lieutenant

Basic Info
Personality
History

Character Information

Gender		Male
Species		Human
Age		35

Physical Appearance

Height		5'10"
Weight		191lbs.
Hair Color		Black
Eye Color		brown

Family

Personality & Traits

General Overview		Ken has the habit of being rather tough-minded and by the hip. His clear-headed pragmatism and reason are valued during times of distress, especially during a critical situation, as he seemingly remains calm and collected in order to focus and aid others. Ken has shown to be extremely loyal to Starfleet. However, Kudo ultimately proved that for the greater good, he was willing to discard his loyalties to either side if it conflicted with his core beliefs.
Strengths & Weaknesses		Though very professional when on the job, Ken jokes with his colleagues and is lighthearted during times of levity. However, he still remains professional and never lets his guard down -covertly-, not completely trusting most others. As is to be expected of a special forces soldier, Ken is well-versed in martial arts and melee. Having learned various disciplines from the best in those areas, and combining those skills with his own unique style, Kudo is capable of withstanding a great many foes. As an opportunistic fighter, and a realist, he knows there will be those times when all his skills won't matter against a far stronger and tougher opponent. At that point it becomes a battle of wits, with Kudo struggling to find a way to put an opponent down aside from a straight wrestling match.

Service Record

STARFLEET RANGERS:

"Recognizing that I volunteered as a Ranger, fully knowing the hazards of my chosen profession, I will always endeavor to uphold the prestige, honor, and high esprit de corps of the Rangers. Acknowledging the fact that a Ranger is an elite soldier I accept the fact that as a Ranger my superiors expects me to move further, faster, and fight harder than any other soldier.Never shall I fail my comrades. I will always keep myself mentally alert, physically strong, and morally straight and I will shoulder more than my share of the task whatever it may be, one hundred percent and then some. Gallantly will I show that I am a specially selected and well-trained soldier. My courtesy to superior officers, neatness of dress, and care of equipment shall set the example for others to follow. Energetically will I meet the enemies of the United Federation of Planets. I shall defeat them on the field of battle for I am better trained and will fight with all my might. Surrender is not a Ranger word. I will never leave a fallen comrade to fall into the hands of the enemy and under no circumstances will I bring disgrace to the uniform. Readily will I display the intestinal fortitude required to fight on to the Ranger objective and complete the mission, though I may be the lone survivor."
— Starfleet Ranger Credo

***

One of the most romantic branches of Starfleet is the Starfleet Rangers, a fairly recent innovation in the service. The Rangers emphasize planetary survival skills and the ability to work alone for long periods of time, allowing Rangers-operating both singly and in small groups-to explore, patrol, and protect the borders of Federation space.

Starfleet ranger training began as a series of courses at the Academy intended to teach planetary survival skills necessary for officers visiting undiscovered and unexplored worlds on the fringes of known space. While comprehensive, the survival courses were fairly basic, with some more advanced programs available.

The Rangers began to develop as a true branch of service during the Federation's first war with the Cardassian Union. The Cardassian War pointed to some weaknesses in Federation defense strategy; many young Starfleet officers operating on worlds like Setlik III and Davros III were unprepared for the requirements of guerrilla-style warfare and survival under the harsh conditions they encountered.

The remote locations of many Federation colonies along the Cardassian border made things even more difficult, spreading Starfleet resources thin. Although a single starship was more than capable of protecting a colony, Starfleet could not spare a ship for every single colony. In many ways, in fact, a Nebula or Ambassador Class ship with a crew of hundreds was overkill in responding to the kind of skirmish warfare the Cardassians were engaged in. A smaller, more precise, response was required.

Toward that end, Starfleet began the Ranger program, proposed by Captain Robert Crichton. The program trained Starfleet officers in planetary survival, scouting, small-unit tactics, and defensive strategies to protect small and often isolated colonies on border worlds. Officers who underwent the Ranger training program were better equipped to operate along the border worlds and to work in small groups or alone for extended periods of time, without the support of a large starship.

The program proved a success. The Rangers were able to better coordinate colony defenses against Cardassian raids, providing a quicker response time and putting a stop to incidents like the Setlik III massacre, which resulted largely from Starfleet's inability to be everywhere at once. The Rangers were everywhere, or at least that was how it must have seemed to the Cardassians, who now discovered a small and capable Starfleet presence on every colony world, ready and waiting for them. Rather than conducting sneak-attacks against helpless outposts, the Cardassians encountered prepared and armed resistance to their attacks, which allowed colonies to hold out long enough for help to arrive.

And on, and on.