Sakhara Academy

Sakhara Academy
Sakhara Academy Logo
Academy Information
Location	Sakhara V
Founding Year	2613
Course Information
BattleMech	unknown-3079+
Aerospace	unknown-3079+
Armor	Unknown-3079+
Infantry	Unknown-3079+
Battle armor	3081+

Sakhara Academy is widely regarded as one of the best in the Federated Suns. Founded in 2613 by retired Star League officers, for many years it was open to anyone who could afford the tuition.

General

Founded by former Star League Defense Force officers as a private military academy, Sakhara Academy managed to avoid the political bickering between the Federated Suns and the Star League prevalent in the period from the end of the War of Davion Succession to the beginning of the Amaris Civil War. The Academy was noted for turning out graduates of the highest caliber who were eligible to serve in either the SLDF or the Armed Forces of the Federated Suns. For a time, nearly every Star League member military boasted Sakhara graduates among their ranks. From the founding of the Star League until at least 2765 Sakhara Academy maintained a close relationship with the Fourth Robinson Chevaliers due to the unit's long association with Sakhara V. It became traditional for elements of the Fourth- if they were available- to act as the opposing force in field training exercises conducted by each year's graduating class.

During the First Succession War, the students and staff of the Academy repelled three separate attacks by the Third Sword of Light. At the opening of the conflict, the school maintained around six training regiments worth of cadets. Over the course of the Succession Wars, however, enrollment dropped steadily. By 3025, the Academy was only able to graduate single classes of approximately eighty students, who were divided evenly among MechWarriors, aerospace pilots, armor commanders and infantry officers.

For being such a small academy, and one that was privately run and financed, Sakhara Academy turned out a surprising amount of talented soldiers. Many suspected that this was due to the impact made on its alumni, as graduates and their families considered Sakhara to be an extremely prestigious institution. Over time, Sakhara became known as a generational school, and Sakhara's cadets were usually children of former graduates or families that could afford the raised tuition costs. Such was the reputation of the school that it was not uncommon for entire generations of certain families to attend Sakhara. Thanks to these donors, however, Sakhara gained access to advanced training equipment and facilities.

In 3079, Sakhara was still training the MechWarriors, aerospace pilots, and armor and infantry officers as it was known for, and had added a Battle Armor track that was anticipated to graduate in 3081. Sakhara was one of the two military academies that was not affected by Yvonne Steiner-Davion's Academy Appropriations War Powers Act in the post-Jihad era. As it was a private school, it and Goshen War College remained on the rolls and at full training capacity. The Academy continued to operate unabated during the Dark Age, maintaining its reputation of superior graduates and prestigious, well-connected service for its graduates.

As tensions between the successor states began to mount, however, Sakhara was pressured by the AFFS's need for more troops to widen its selection criteria to accept applicants of more varied backgrounds. Though this altered the long-standing familial atmosphere of the Academy, it did not lessen the skill or renown of its graduates, and many believed that the school benefitted from the wider applicant pool.

Sakhara Academy was attacked and destroyed by the Seventh Ghost during the 3144 Combine invasion of the Federated Suns. Though they ultimately lost the battle, the Sakhara Academy training cadre made their attackers pay dearly, wiping out a sizeable portion of the Seventh before being overwhelmed.

Atmosphere

For much of its history, entrance to the Sakhara Academy was reserved for scions of noble families that had the wealth, social clout, or generational history necessary. The majority of its cadet body were children of former graduates, as were most of the instructors and staff, which led to the school developing a close-knit, familial atmosphere. This did not mean Sakhara was easy to graduate, however, as the Academy prided itself on training and graduating the finest officers in the AFFS. Upon graduation and the completion of a traditional two-year term in the Training Battalions, the now newly-minted Leftenants were posted to an AFFS command, usually one headed by another Sakhara graduate. It was not uncommon for cadets and graduates both to maintain connections after graduation and look out for each other. Graduates were considered elite by outsiders but made a point to never look down on anyone that did not have the good fortune to attend.

Special Notes

After completing their studies at the Academy, graduates receive a commission in the Armed Forces of the Federated Suns as a Subaltern. Traditionally, these Sakhara subalterns will then request to be posted to one of the Academy's training battalions for two more years of additional training, and will usually bring their family's 'Mech with them to train in.

Notable Graduates

See Category:Sakhara Academy Alumni

Training Units

• 1st Sakhara Academy Training Battalion
• 2nd Sakhara Academy Training Battalion
• 3rd Sakhara Academy Training Battalion
• 4th Sakhara Academy Training Battalion
• 5th Sakhara Academy Training Battalion
• 6th Sakhara Academy Training Battalion

Historical Insignias

• 
  Sakhara Academy Logo
• 
  Sakhara Academy Logo Dark Age

Bibliography

• Field Manual: Federated Suns
• Field Manual: 3145
• Field Report 2765: AFFS
• House Davion (The Federated Suns)
• MechWarrior: Dark Age - Dossiers and Pilot Cards
• Objectives: Federated Suns