CO Faction: The "Doves"

A well-organized and functional military force does not tend to encourage factionalism within its ranks, but such developments inevitably occur even at the highest levels so long as there are differences in mindsets and approaches. The USCM is no exception to this rule, and has seen three primary schools of thought become prevalent throughout its ranks. The paradoxically peaceable ‘Doves’ avoiding their nature as a fighting force to focus on humanitarian aid, the warmongering ‘Hawks’ seeking to crush all resistance on active fronts and bring back glory through victory, and the loose coalition of self-centered opportunists united under the banner of ‘Magpies’ for the sake of profit or personal opportunity.

These are not the formal titles for their associated political entities, as the bird terminology comes from long before these particular incarnations. Nonetheless, referring to a faction by its respective bird is more likely to spark recognition from the everyday marine than its official organization names.

The Hearts and Minds Movement

Faction Leader: UA Secretary of Defense Joelle De La Cruz, former LACN Fleet Admiral.

Local Leader: USCM Provost Marshal, Colonel Adrian Blackburn.

The Hearts and Minds Movement originated from a UA federal-level political organization following the Tienstein Campaign of 2162-2165  and the ensuing tactical nuclear deployment between UPP and USCM forces on 8 Eta Bootis A III. The organization’s founders were disgusted with the level of civilian casualties in a military front that ultimately resulted in nothing gained. They favored a diplomatic approach, even after the destruction of the USCSS Endeavour by UPP forces, claiming that negotiating with the UPP as well as trying to win the “hearts and minds” of the 8 Eta Bootis A III populace would’ve brought a swift end to the conflict.

The HMM has spread to other governmental bodies outside of the military, and has become a considerable force within the USCM itself. Following the involvement of De La Cruz within the organization, the HMM has gained even more influence within the USCM and UA government as a whole, in no small part due to De La Cruz’s popularity within the USCM and other military branches, seen as a leader who emphasizes cooperation between governmental entities and negotiations to resolve conflicts. However, De La Cruz’s attempts to align the faction’s ideology towards some of her more controversial policies - like a single federal military force -  have garnered little approval from the HMM’s old guard.

The local leader around the events of the Neroid Sector, Provost Marshal Colonel Adrian Blackburn, came to her position following a vigorous anti-corruption campaign and her assistance in establishing the USCM War Correspondent Programme. The programme tried to enable accountability of USCM operations to civilian scrutiny through stationing war correspondents with major USCM operations, and Blackburn ensured some level of freedom of speech for war correspondents from the alleged wrath of overzealous or hawkish military police.

However, Blackburn has gained few friends throughout these processes. Her anti-corruption campaign has been criticized heavily by those within USCM Requisitions and Procurement, along with those within the Corporate Cooperative for heavily delaying multiple USCM weapons from entering standard service - like the VP-78 and the SU-6. Her work in creating the USCM War Correspondent Programme has similarly been criticized, with her emphasis on freedom of speech for war correspondents having been reported to result in heavily demoralized troops as a result of press pieces that are more emotional than fact, painting the USCM as the bad guys.

Ideology

Note: These points reflect the general overarching attitudes of the faction as a whole. Individual members may or may not only reflect certain portions of the faction's ideologies, have their own beliefs that are not listed here, or even disagree with some but agree with others.

• Alignments: Politically Progressive, Humanitarian, Anti-War, Peacekeeping. Non-Corporate.
• Attempt a diplomatic solution whenever possible.
• Minimize civilian casualties. Indiscriminate bombardment and heavy collateral damage to civilians and civilian infrastructure is unacceptable.
• Encourage cooperation from locals, such as interpreters, informants, or even elevating and arming cooperative militias.
• Provide humanitarian aid both in supplies and construction work. Carry and provide spare water treatment systems, rations, etc.
• The duty of the USCM is to keep peace, not wage war. Sometimes this may require violence to resolve, but even in such cases care must be taken to only remove those who are impeding the wellbeing of the general populace.

Infighting and Sub-Factionalism

Unlike both the CPO and MODI, the Hearts and Minds Movement thrives on ideological plurality and decentralization. However, the source of its strength and what makes it unique also presents the HMM with its greatest vulnerability as the movement has quietly split along ideological lines between the old guard–founded in reaction to the horrors of the Tientsin Campaign–and a new wave of reformist recruits under the direction of Secretary of Defense Joelle de la Cruz.

The old guard remains deeply committed to the belief that the true strength of the USCM lies not in its firepower, but in its restraint when using it. Acting instead as a peacekeeping force which intervenes in conflicts to restore order and prevent civilian casualties rather than a conquering force which proactively acts to maintain the so-called "security" of the United Americas. De la Cruz remains true to these foundational beliefs, but she herself favors many controversial programs (like the creation of a single, unified federal military force) that have served to alienate many within the movement.

Popularity

The Hearts and Minds Movement has generally earned favor among colonies where it carries out humanitarian operations. To the many people aided by these operations, especially those in resource-starved and conflict-ridden regions, the HMM presents a rare face of compassion within the otherwise militarized presence of the USCM. Popular programs put into place by the HMM like water purification, food and medical air drops, and civil engineering support have been seen to visibly improve the quality of life in several outer rim colonies.

However, reception of the HMM has been far from glowing. Many government officials within the United Americas and the upper echelons of UAAC and USCM command have voiced concerns that the HMM's impact, while clearly well-intentioned, is far too small-scale and slow to make a meaningful strategic difference in the constantly shifting galactic landscape. Critics have argued many of the movement's projects amount to nothing more than "band-aid fixes," essentially calling them temporary relief efforts that both fail to address any of the deeper systemic issues plaguing far-out settlements and provide sustainable long-term changes.

An issue that further complicates the HMM's standing is the lack of any concrete data to suggest the overall effectiveness of the movement's programs. While De la Cruz and HMM-aligned officials claim success in several sectors, hard statistics are difficult to gather in any meaningful way due to the chaotic nature of colonial conflicts, inconsistent efforts to keep records, and the lack of any long-term follow up in many of the affected regions. The best available information estimates an approximate 17% increase in well-being among affected colonies, but this statistic is both vague and hard to verify.

Successes

The implementation of the HMM's less violent policies has caused a noticeable shift in attitudes among affected colonial populations, particularly those in outer territories where trust in UA governance and the USCM has eroded due to decades of heavy-handedness and neglect.

Central to this change are the movement's many investments in basic infrastructure and civil support programs. HMM-aligned forces across the frontier have worked diligently to rebuild water treatment systems destroyed through any number of conflicts, restock failing clinics and retrain the doctors and medics working within them, and distribute survival gear, food rations, and sanitation supplies to far-out outposts. These initiatives don't just alleviate the immediate suffering of colonists and colonial populations, they send a clear message that the USCM isn't just a machine of mindless destruction but a force of compassion and positive change.

Another area critical to the movement's success has been the protection of trade routes in sectors often plagued by piracy. HMM-organized patrols have proven to be highly effective at restoring commercial activity to poverty-stricken regions under the UA's control, offering safe lanes for merchant vessels and civilian traffic that haven't existed for decades in some of the hardest hit areas. Critically, these patrols operate under strict engagement protocols where pirates are to be captured where possible rather than killed and where local traffic is to be contacted respectfully rather than interrogated or detained without due cause.

The result of these efforts has been an overall warming of relations in many frontier regions. Surveys conducted by UA-affiliated observers show that in select territories civilian trust in the USCM has increased by as much as 20%. Governors and regional officials in these same territories report that crime rates have declined, that trade has stabilized, and emergency distress signals and requests for USCM intervention have decreased.

Controversies

With the Colonial Liberation Front expanding its presence across the Neroid Sector, scrutiny of the HMM's pacifist policies has intensified. What was once seen as compassionate efforts to stabilize the frontier are now being called "dangerously naive" by many of the more pragmatic and conservative elements of United American Allied Command.

A string of failed humanitarian missions, including supply drops and aid convoys, have reportedly been intercepted or exploited by the CLF and various CLF-aligned groups who then repackage USCM-funded materials for use in their own black markets or strongholds. Several investigations have suggested that pirates, insurrectionists, and terrorists were able to seize or reroute HMM aid, diverting everything from medical kits to food rations away from their intended recipients.

Though HMM leadership maintains that these incidents are outliers and under intense scrutiny, the damage to their credibility in regions like the hard-hit Neroid Sector is growing. Calls for tighter security procedures, more aggressive screening protocols, and temporary suspension of aid programs in heavily contested zones are gaining significant traction among many members of the USCM.

Relations With Other Factions

Doves and Hawks conflict over the handling of colonies and insurgents present on those colonies.

• Doves believe that the Hawks’ actions are actively detrimental to the their ideology and ultimate goal of reaching the hearts and minds of colonists.
• Doves often try to seek court martials, war crime tribunals, etc. against Hawks, both prominent and small-time members, but the evidence is often weak or intentionally unavailable.

Doves disagree with the majority of Corporate influences by MODI.

• Doves are not wholly against corporations - those that provide humanitarian equipment and supplies are vital to their mission- but MODI-aligned corporations generally focus on more lethal and effective warfare.
• Doves do align partially with Hawks on this: MODI-corporate influence on the USCM is dangerous, but while Doves believe this because it’s moving the USCM towards warmongers, the Hawks believe this because it’s at least partially putting control of USCM equipment into the hands of foreign corporations. WY in particular is 3WE aligned, which is a significant foreign superpower.

Doves have connections with minor MODI factions, particularly those serving in producing survival and humanitarian equipment. MRE companies, water purification tablets and systems, etc.

• In addition, Doves are not blind to the attrition of carefully and slowly clearing colonies, and avoiding collateral damage. Improving marine survivability is something they look to corporations for, where possible. Foreign influence isn’t as much of a concern for them compared to the Hawks’ fears.