Captain Claude Riesen

Background
Born in a town near the border of Ikaria and Ardenia, he was raised in a relatively normal environment. His town was recovering from a mass amount of bandit attacks, to which he led a militia to wipe out their camp. Through this, he learned the value of teamwork and compassion and really shined through with his innate leadership skills. It was through these experiences that he decided he should enroll in the Lameanr Military Academy, to help others find their confidence and to protect against anything like what happened to his town happening anywhere else.

Birth and Childhood
Claude was born in Sayre in the year 326, the day after the New Year, which is seen as the luckiest time to be born. It was on the border of Ikaria and Ardenia, though it was extremely militarized, it had to be, because of all the bandits that continuously raided the town. When Claude was just 13 years old, he raised a militia and destroyed the bandits, forcing their forces to "scatter with the winds." When he was 16, he enlisted in the Lameanr Military Academy, a truly amazing honor.

Claude's childhood aside from that was relatively normal. He lived with his mother and father, neither of whom served professionally in the military, though they both served in the Sayre Militia. Claude grew up with one sister, whom he loved very much. She, along with Claude, enlisted in the Lameanr Military Academy, though since his sister was two years younger, she enlisted when Claude was 18.

Applying to the Lameanr Military Academy
Claude initially didn't really have much of an interest in joining the military or anything similar, however, the people of his town offered to pay for his entrance exam fee, so he took them up on their offer.

Nowadays, Claude considers the Academy to be the best experience of his life, it isn't so much because it is part of the military, but because of the sense of familiarity and security that he feels with all of his classmates, it helps him get through the day.

He spends a lot of his time playing what he calls 'matchmaker' which consists of him looking at the relationships each of his friends have with each other and doing everything in his power to make this relationship grow, whether it be to put them on the same duties or placing them in a mock battle simulation together.

With Claude's former experience in the Sayre Militia, combined with his high test scores, physical aptitude, and overall combat experience, he entered the Academy as a Warrant Officer First Class.

Nodrian-Ikarian War
The Nodrian-Ikarian War, also known as the Second Great War began in the year 345 SIY, though it was kept tightly under wraps for the first few months of the war as the government believed they could win the war in just a few months. The war lasted for 2 years before the Ikarians signed a peace treaty with the Nodrians, it was an Ikarian victory.

Claude Riesen played a pivotal role in the war, even at one point taking operational command of the I Corps, in the First Army, albeit briefly. Some of his most notable battles were the Victory over the Freezing Plains, a skirmish near the Nodrian city of Hemda, the siege of Elric Wall, and the Conquest of Nodria.

Post-War Era
The post-war era was a difficult time for Ikaria, and it was quickly followed by the Second Ikarian Civil War, in this time, Claude stayed with most of his graduating class, married Elaine Giselle, and was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. Claude was given control over his own Independent Battalion. Many of his top advisors and staff were those he served with in the Second Great War. He helped with natural disasters and other humanitarian aid projects proposed by the military.

Second Ikarian Civil War
During the Second Ikarian Civil war, Claude took part, quickly earning himself a promotion to Brigade General, granted directly from the Empress herself. Claude led many successful campaigns against the rebels, though ran into trouble against Linoch Holst's forces. In one battle, the two fought so ferociously and were in such a horrible stalemate, the two ended up soaked in the rain, bloodied and bruised, in a brutal physical fight.

Edward Fleming
- He and Edward are best friends, they've known each other a long time.

Elaine Giselle
- Elaine is in love with Claude, though it's a tightly kept secret that only Elaine knows.

Aisha Evans
- Aisha likes to mess with Claude, but they're friends.

Ingrid Hawkin
- Ingrid likes everyone in Class C, but she is a bit shy, so she doesn't talk with people other than Aisha too much.

Thea Thatcher
- Thea's flirted with Claude before, but he didn't reciprocate the same way, so she gave up.

Sylvain de la Croix
-

Cornelia Jezelia
-

Yuri Astrovska
- Claude and Yuri are very close friends.

Michele Wilson
-

Amelia Kirk
-

Axel King
-

Victoria Vicks
-

Elizabeth 'Sixer' Niles
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'Nine'
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Nico Emmy
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Amy Castre
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Blaire Neward
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Marcel Reux
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John Watson
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June Harpass
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Hans Serte
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Laurence Milo
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Henry Nick Harrison
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Gordon Newcastle
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Orion Lambart
-

Quotes
“We’re officers of Lameanr, we gotta do our best!”

"We're representing the spirit of Lameanr, we can't look foolish!"

“As Commander, I’m tasked with making sure we all get out of this alive,”

“Hey guys, let’s all calm down a little, we’re all friends, let’s just settle down and talk it out,”

"You really okay with fighting your own people, Yuri? I mean, you grew up with them. If you want to sit this one out, you can,"

“Silence is never a done deal on a battlefield, you just can’t hear anything because your blood is rushing through your ears too loudly,”

“I’m fighting to protect the things I love, I grew up here, there’s things behind me that I need to keep safe, to protect at all costs, so, you know my answer, no surrender!”

“When you’re at home, relaxing with your family, the son, or the daughter, or the grandchildren, they bury their elders, but in war, it’s completely different, the elders are the ones who bury their young ones,”

"War is hell, everyone knows that, and while we may have signed up for this, volunteered for this, it doesn't make it any less difficult to do what we do, to stand in the face of adversary and give it our all. All of us are still so young, and nobody here wants to die before we get to live out our dreams,"

Dates of Promotion
* Claude was promoted directly to Brigade General, the youngest ever to do so, it was a reward for victory in the Nodrian War straight from the Empress herself, and what she says, goes. For administrative purposes, official records show he was promoted to Colonel and Brigade General on the same day.

Claude Riesen Military File
Surname: Riesen

Given Name: Claude

Middle Initial: F

Suffix:

Prefix:

Birth Date: 1/2/326

Age: 19

Country: Ikaria

Branch: Army

Country of Birth: Ikaria

Security Number: 07

INN (Ikarian National Number): 978-32-7619

Rank: Captain

Religion: The Holy Coven

Blood Type: A+

Military Lineage: None

'''Biography: Claude grew up in a village on the border of Ardenia and Ikaria. It apparently had quite the bandit problem and he led a militia against the bandits, sustaining minimal casualties and defeating the bandits.''' Unit/Squadron/Regiment: The Lameanr C Squad

Unit/Squadron/Regiment Type: Active Mixed Unit

Specialty: Armored

Weapons: ZTR-63 Pistol, KFS-331 Rifle Enlistment Date: 3/30/342 (Lameanr Military Academy) 5/23/345 (Regular Army)

Enlistment End: Medals Won:

Majestic Merit Star

Defense Star

Honorable Conduct Star

Army Service Star

Special Operations Star

Dutiful Star

Volunteering Star

Veteran Of: Special Jobs: Armored

Active/Reserve: Active

Deployment Status: Actively Deployed Dependents: Next of Kin: Emily Riesen (Sister) Drafted: 5/23/345

Commissioned: 7/15/344 (Lameanr Military Academy) 5/23/345 (Regular Army) Conduct Record:

9/20/345 Attempted fight with CO. Put on probation.

9/21/345 Probation lifted.