All cadet applicants entering Quantum Corps have to go through ‘nog school,’ also known as the UN Quantum Corps Academy.  It’s a four-year science and engineering-heavy school that takes a raw recruit and makes him into a world-class nanotrooper.  There are separate tracks for officers and enlisted personnel.

Below are some details about the Academy, specifically the officer track:

1.    The Academy is physically located at Table Top Mountain, Idaho, USA.

2.    The Academy is a 4-year school.  Cadets graduate after 4 years and are commissioned into Quantum Corps as 2^nd Lieutenants.

3.    There are multiple schools and specialties within the Academy.  Most cluster around the following areas (all cadets must choose a course of concentration in one these):

a.     Command and Control (CC) School

b.    Interface Control and Operations (ICO) School

c.     Containment, Service and Support (CSS) School

d.    Quantum Systems and Engineering (CQE) School

e.     Defense and Protective Systems (DPS) School

f.     Stealth, Signatures and Countermeasures (SSC) School

4.    The first 2 years (Nog 1 and Nog 2) are for foundational instruction in Languages, History, other Social Sciences, Mathematics, Sciences and Engineering Fundamentals. 

5.    The last two years (Nog 3 and Atomgrabber) are for applied studies, command and leadership studies, strategy and tactics, Corps history and philosophy, higher level math, science and engineering, unit-level assignments as a cadet apprentices or interns, and senior projects.

6.    The term nog comes from the word ‘noggin’, as in what gets beat on when you come to the Academy.

 

Here’s a closer look at the sequence of courses a typical cadet might take during his or her four years at nog school:

  

	1st yr Freshman “Nog 1”	2nd yr Sophomore “Nog 2”	3rd yr Junior “Nog 3”	4th yr Senior “Atomgrabber”
Fall Semester	Foreign language Psychology History Math 1 Computer Science PE	Nan Eng 1 Eng Mech 1 Econ 1 Physics 3 Pol Sci PE	Molecular Ops 1 Intro to ANAD Chemistry 5 SODS 1 NanoBiology 1	ANAD Sys 3 Nanoscale- Tactics 1 Containment 1 Human-ANAD Interface Design
Winter Semester	Foreign language English 1 Chemistry 1 Engineering 1 Math 2 Physics 1 PE	Nan Eng 2 Eng Mech 2 Law Chemistry 3 Physics 4 Molecular Eng 1 PE	Molecular Ops 2 ANAD Sys 1 SODS 2 NanoBiology 2 Battalion Ops Quantum Sys 1	Command & Control NanoTactics 2 Containment 2 DPS Senior Project 1
Spring Semester	Foreign language English 2 Chemistry 2 Engineering 2 Math 3 Physics 2 PE	Nan Eng 3 Eng Mech 3 Chemistry 4 Molecular Eng 2 UNIFORCE -    History	Molecular Ops 3 ANAD Sys 2 SODS 3 NanoBiology 3 Quantum Sys 2	ANAD Strategy NanoTactics 3 Containment 3 Philosophy Senior Project 2
Summer Semester	Electives Apprenticeship	Electives Internship	Electives Internship	Unit assignments

 

Quantum Corps Academy turns out world-class nanotroopers.  Once you’ve fulfilled all requirements for graduation, you receive a diploma awarding you a Bachelor of Nanospace Engineering and you’re authorized to wear the gold ‘atomgrabber’ pin on your black and gold UNQC uniform.  The graduation ceremony at Table Top’s Drexler Field is a sight to behold: the graduation and commissioning ceremony ends when a small tightly controlled swarm of ANAD bots is released into the air, quickly forming the Quantum Corps emblem in the sky over the stands. 

 

And, of course, now that you’re a newly commissioned 2^nd Lieutenant in Quantum Corps, you learn how to say “small is all!” with a new found conviction.

 

On the next post in early March, I’ll introduce you to one of Quantum Corps’ principal enemies…the Asian criminal cartel Red Hammer (Hong Chui).

See you in March.

 

Phil B.