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The required psych evaluation (Tag CNS)

Posted Oct. 23, 2021, 10:08 a.m. by Major Andrew Knox (Battalion Commander) (Sage Pennington)

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Aaryn Sage McClain (Counselor) in The required psych evaluation (Tag CNS)

Posted by Major Andrew Knox (Battalion Commander) in The required psych evaluation (Tag CNS)

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Aaryn Sage McClain (Counselor) in The required psych evaluation (Tag CNS)
Posted by… suppressed (15) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Andrew marched, as he did most places, down to the Counselor’s office. It was procedure to undertake a psychological evaluation at each new posting, though he was somewhat nervous that a non-Marine psych officer would be less inclined to understand his ways. Nonetheless, required procedure was required procedure. He came to an office door and pressed the chime, waiting at attention for a response.

-Major Andrew Knox

-bump-

“Come in,” a firm but melodic voice called out, the office doors automatically hissing open in response. The counselor turned to greet her visitor, recognizing the firm posture and the all business attitude of a Marine, even if she didn’t know this particular individual. Normally she would have followed this up with an invitation to enter, but curious what the young Marine would do next, she decided to wait and observe.

~Dr. Aaryn McClain, Counselor

Hearing the doctor say to come in, Andrew took one step inside the door, letting it swoosh closed behind him and stood tall as he always did. “Major Andrew Knox, reporting for psychological evaluation.” When he reported to a doctor, he was never quite sure whether or not to salute. Technically she was his junior by rank, but she did have certain authority. A never ending puzzle.

-Major Andrew Knox

“Prompt, I like that,” the counselor replied. She gestured for him to take a seat, offering, “At ease, Major. May I get you something from the replicator?” It was true she wasn’t going to be as formal with him, or anyone, but that didn’t mean she didn’t respect his commitment to strict protocols. His culture and way of doing things was no different than any other, and if she wouldn’t judge anyone else she might encounter in service to Starfleet, she knew it wouldn’t be fair to treat him any less, even if such a demeanor was initially hard to break through.

~Dr. Aaryn McClain, Counselor
.

Andrew’s demeanor relaxed slightly. “Nothing from the replicator. Thank you.” Most counselors he had encountered were informal, relaxed kinds of people. It came with the territory. It was likely why there were no Marines he had encountered who were, themselves, counselors.

-Major Andrew Knox

-bump-

“Fair enough,” the counselor replied, gesturing once again for him to take a seat. “Do you usually like to talk to people sitting down. Would that be uncomfortable for you?” She was genuinely asking, not mocking. She could understand the importance of being ready and not fully leading down one’s guard as a marine, but it could also be an indication of challenges if it was taken to the extreme.

~Dr. Aaryn McClain, Counselor

“Seated is fine. I just wait for an invitation.” He sat briskly and maintained his perfect posture.

-Major Andrew Knox

-bump-

“That’s very polite of you, and I respect it,” Aaryn answered honestly. “Please, feel free to sit anywhere you’d like.”

~Doctor Aaryn McClain, Counselor

He sat across from her, perfectly upright. “Thank you. How would you like to proceed?” Like most of his downtime, he awaited new orders. If someone wasn’t familiar with the pace of a career marine, he was an odd sight to behold, stiff and emotionless.

-Major Andrew Knox

Major Knox was one of the more interesting people she had come across thus far, if only because it struck her that he was coming across as more of a stereotype than an individual. Aaryn didn’t mean this in an unkind way, and indeed found it to be clinically relevant. What she didn’t yet know was whether he was capable of adapting and relaxing, if at the very least he was given permission to do so. “At ease, Major. I promise I won’t tell anyone,” she added with a small smile. “As for how I’d like to proceed, I find myself curious about what you expect. Were your past evaluations done by Marines?”

~Dr. Aaryn McClain, Counselor

Andrew did relax, though he didn’t know the counselor quite well enough to be comfortable. Her joke did help, though habits are eased out of, not escaped. “A mix, Doctor. About three quarters performed by Marine psychiatrists, the remaining quarter performed by Starfleet staff.” If Aaryn opened Andrew’s record, it would tell of a journey from an easygoing Lieutenant, a tense but kind Captain, to a seemingly emotionless Major. His last evaluation was performed by a Marine Psychiatrist who had seen him years earlier, they wrote I have no reason to declare the Major in any way unfit to carry out his duty. But I have a deep concern that all that remains of him is the ability to carry out his duties. Though he may be able to do his every job to perfection, the soul I once saw in him has been lost to something, but a soul cannot be accounted for by the military code, or any psychiatric textbooks. His mind is clear and he is fully capable. He is hereby clear for duty.

-Major Andrew Knox

-bump-

“I see,” Aaryn offered with a nod. She had known as much from his records, but was curious what he would offer. She didn’t like to second guess other professionals, but the evaluations she’d read didn’t justify the conclusions. Being psychologically fit was about more than being capable of carrying out one’s duties. Mental health challenges reflected changes in functioning, and Andrew had certainly changed in many of the areas that still mattered. “Which evaluators did you prefer?”

~Dr. Aaryn McClain, Counselor

“I have no fixed preferences.” Andrew said. “They’re different schools of operation and different ideologies. A marine evaluator is more familiar with what training and stressors I face regularly, which is appreciated. Fleet officers have more counsel to offer, which has its own benefits. Service on a ship reminds me of being deployed for long periods…”

-Maj. Andrew Knox

“What are those reminders like?” Aaryn asked, genuinely curious, but treading lightly in case there was more hurt there than her question might first suggest. Starfleet Marines, after all, weren’t deployed in times of peace.

~Dr. Aaryn McClain, Counselor

“Everywhere I’ve been deployed…” Andrew took a heavy pause. “Everywhere I’ve been deployed there was something terrible happening. And all I can do is hope I was on the right side of history. You just follow orders. Drop the bombs and fire the phasers. There’s no time to ask why.”

-Maj. Andrew Knox


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