I may have gone a bit overboard with the General's origin story, but it's not too bad. It looks really long, but it's really not. It's an easy read, I think. I'll have an insignia for the army soon.

[hider=Caelan J. Hathaway][b]Name:[/b] Lieutenant General Caelan J. Hathaway, Yakima Republic (YKR)
[b]Age:[/b] 38
[b]Race:[/b] Human
[b]Gender:[/b] Male
[b]Rank:[/b] Lieutenant General

[b]Brief Origin Story:[/b] Caelan J. Hathaway was born in NCR, New California Republic, in 2244, to John Hathaway, a Desert Ranger from Arizona, and Catherine Warren, a doctor with the Followers of the Apocalypse. NCR was - and still is - the closest thing to life in the Old World. Strong walls sheltered tens of thousands, a simple road system facilitated the movement of functioning motor-vehicles and horse-drawn carriages, and a police force roamed the streets day and night. There Caelan had the extraordinary privilege of attending school, living a simple life without the worries and dangers of life in the wasteland.

The NCR fascinated Caelan from an early age. To think that everywhere else, life was hell. But there, in the NCR, order had been restored. Trees kept their green leaves, and people lived lives as if nothing had occurred on that fateful day in 2077. Justice and the rule of law had prevailed there. He dreamed of one day marching alongside its soldiers, bringing the light of civilization to all corners of the world, and set out to enroll in one of the Republic's several military academies.

After the insistence of his father, Caelan familiarized himself with firearms and learned the basics of survival at an early age. Though it wasn't likely he'd have to defend himself as long as he remained in NCR, his father - once a grizzled Desert Ranger before a lucky shot from a Jackal raider caught him in the leg and ended his career - reminded him of the importance of self-reliance. It was around that time that Caelan developed an interest in horseback riding, and the two would often head out beyond the walls to hunt giant geckos to be sold at the markets. The sixteen year-old Caelan soon mastered the art and distinguished himself as a capable horseman, often taking odd jobs for the many caravan companies and mail businesses.

When he wasn't studying or taking odd jobs, he helped his mother outside the city walls, where hundreds of wastelanders too unfortunate to be granted entrance, or pay for treatment, gathered to be treated by members of the Followers of the Apocalypse, who provided their expertise free of charge. There he learned the basics of medicine and the treatment of physical trauma. 

Both of his parents had dedicated their lives to selfless service to the people. His father - a Desert Ranger turned police officer - spent years in the desert hunting down those who preyed on the weak, while his mother, a doctor, treated the sick and wounded, asking nothing in return. It was this upbringing that inspired him to enlist in the NCR military at the age of seventeen, hoping to help bring order to a ruthless world. After graduating from a military academy, he enlisted and joined the cavalry.

He excelled and distinguished himself with his service, earning the respect of his comrades and of the people he served and protected. The Khans were the first enemy he faced. They were terrorists, indiscriminately targeting NCR civilians. He had no qualms when the NCR drove them from California; he was glad to have contributed. Like his father, he was fighting people who preyed on the weak, and he showed them no quarter. What followed were years of excellent service, earning him many commendations and an offer to join the NCR Rangers, which he declined in favor of continuing to lead his men in the cavalry.

When the Great Khans resumed their war against the NCR - and its citizens -, Caelan was one of thousands of NCR soldiers deployed to the Mojave Wasteland. He faced the Khans there, as well as other hostile groups, and continued to serve. Not everyone was happy with the NCR occupation of the Mojave Wasteland, but Caelan considered it a service to its people. As far as he was concerned, those who opposed the occupation, and eventual annexation, stood in the way of restoring the world to its Old World glory. Their independence was a burden, and not worth recognizing when they could simply be annexed and made into something even greater, for the benefit of all. 

It wasn't long after that that the NCR came to blows with Caesar's Legion, an army of neo-Roman slavers terrorizing the wastes. He again served admirably, personally leading cavalry against their motor-powered chariots on one occasion, and coming out victorious. He suffered his first serious injury in early 2277, when a Legionnaire cut him down from his horse. He almost lost his life but recovered to face them again later that year, at the First Battle of Hoover Dam.

By now it had become apparent that while the NCR was predominantly a force of good in the world, its politics back home often conflicted with what was best for the people, especially those in its occupied territories. It was a corrupt system, and many were exploited for the benefit of few. Others were abused. He had personally seen the NCR displace people without reason, and rumors told of killings. The NCR was far from perfect, this much he knew. But it was still the best hope for the world, so he pressed on.

The next year would be his last with the NCR. In 2278, following a series of Great Khan attacks against NCR troopers marching to the front, the NCR mobilized a force to strike back - a force which included Caelan's unit. The NCR tracked down the Great Khans and surrounded them at Bitter Springs, and what happened next was nothing short of a massacre. He watched as NCR forces mowed down entire families - combatants and civilians alike - in what was supposed to be an attack on a "massive enemy encampment" that turned out to be the home of not just combatants, but innocent families. This single act broke Caelan's faith in the NCR and disillusioned him completely. The NCR wrote it off as a miscommunication and embarked on a campaign to suppress information that, quite accurately, described the operation as an indiscriminate massacre of combatants and civilians alike. He was among many who resigned from the military shortly after, and spent the next few years dealing with the trauma it brought him.

Drawing inspiration from his father and the Desert Rangers, he formed a group in 2279, dedicated to protecting the people of the wastes. The Hathaway Hussars were formed from members of his cavalry unit that had resigned with him, and were likewise disillusioned with the NCR. Those who sought to do good in the world the only way they knew how joined the ranks, and together they traveled the wastes doing what they could to help those in need.

Their travels brought them to what used to be Washington State. They arrived in the midst of a battle being fought between the Yakima Republic's forces and a confederation of tribal raiders. It was there that the Hathaway Hussars made their first appearance, charging downhill at the flanks of the tribal army, catching them completely off guard and turning the tide of the battle in favor of the Yakima Republic. Recognizing their experience, and the skill of his group, Caelan and his men were soon after offered a place in the Republic. Having been disillusioned with the NCR, he saw the Yakima Republic as another chance to do good for the world on a larger, more significant scale. The former raiders making up much of the fledgling republic were a concern, but he accepted the offer and settled there with intents to bring reform to the nation. 

[b]Appearance:[/b] Caelan stands at 6'2" with an athletic build. He has a stern look and the proud posture of a career soldier, giving off an air of pride and authority. Caelan has a fair complexion and brown eyes. His hair is short and black. He is always clean-shaven. He is never seen without his saber at his side.

[b]Additional Information:[/b] Though Caelan has many reasons to criticize the NCR - having personally seen the corruption and incompetence within its ranks -, he still considers the NCR his home and is proud of his service in its military. He recognizes there are many good people with the NCR, and fears what may happen if he is pinned against them. His sympathetic views on the NCR are no secret, and he has personally advised against a confrontation with them, citing their superior strength and resource pool, but also his reluctance to fight against what he still considers his people.

Caelan dislikes the presence of former raiders within the republic, and is disgusted to see them escape justice simply because they're useful. He is willing to support any movement to remedy this.[/hider]

[hider=Hathaway Hussars][b]Army Name:[/b] Hathaway Hussars

[b]Army Banner:[/b] Pending

[b]Army Specializations:[/b] Yakima Republic's premier cavalry (specifically light cavalry), they are trained to overrun enemy positions and charge the enemy head-on, or at their flanks, overwhelming them and, if possible, catching them off-guard to sweep through them, slashing, firing, and trampling enemy combatants. With most of the force made up of former NCR soldiers, it goes without saying that they are among the most disciplined in the Yakima Republic's military. However, it would be dishonest to say every soldier behaves - they are Hussars, after all; the dashing adventurers of the army. Caelan J. Hathaway, their commander, does his best to keep them in line and, all things considered, does a fine job. 

[b]Army Origins:[/b] Formed from retired NCR Army cavalry. Briefly served as a group of peacekeepers similar to the Desert Rangers.

[b]Army Racial Composition:[/b] The Hathaway Hussars are made up almost entirely of humans, but several ghouls do serve within its ranks. Usually, though, recruitment is limited to humans partly due to the fact that, as Hussars, it is important for each member to be perceptive, with both great eye-sight and hearing, so that they may be alert on the fast-moving field of cavalry and reconnaissance. Also, the rotting flesh on ghouls tends to give off a foul odor which may alert the enemy of their presence. As such, only ghouls who have gone the extra mile to prove their worth are accepted as Hussars. 

[b]Order of Battle:[/b]

[i]Vanguard Company:[/i] Light cavalry, equipped with assorted carbines (some old, some new), pistols/revolvers, sabers, and occasionally explosives such as grenades and dynamite; light armor. Front-line cavalry, responsible for directly engaging the enemy.

[i]Pathfinder Company:[/i] Light cavalry, equipped with assorted carbines (some old, some new), pistols/revolvers, sabers, and occasionally explosives such as C-4; light armor; carries many survival essentials. Scouts and trackers, rangers and saboteurs responsible for providing reconnaissance, tracking the enemy and providing intelligence, from troop size and movements, to weak points. Occasionally tasked with sabotaging the enemy. They may also serve as explorers during peacetime.

[b]Additional Information:[/b] The uniform of the Hathaway Hussars resembles that of 18th and 19th Century Hussars; colorful and elegant. Though it is apparent that lack of authentic uniforms and depictions have forced the Hussars to improvise. It is not uncommon to see a Hussar with mismatching pieces, like pauldrons made of hardened leather, or of thin metal made from scrap, and wearing cowboy hats. All Hathaway Hussars wear a skull-and-bones pin made of scrap metal on their collar.[/hider]