Tactical Cinderblock

The Tactical Cinderblock is a member of SSI's Optical Communications team. Recruited in the middle of the 2014-15 academic year, "TacCin" quickly became instrumental to system tests, and was a strong supporter of OpComms System II.

Origin

The Tactical Cinderblock was first encountered while OpComms members were conducting fieldwork on the Western end of Stanford's campus. TacCin stood out from his construction material brethren, displaying considerable chutzpah and a go-getter attitude that OpComms team leadership felt would serve as an inspiration to both the group and SSI as a whole. Excited by the work offered to him, TacCin abandoned his previously nomadic and spartan lifestyle for the comforts of Roble Hall, where he would live until the conclusion of the year.

Role in the Optical Communications Team

TacCin proved to be a vital component of the OpComms team, both through his technical support and contributions to morale. A constant source of laughter amongst his teammates, TacCin singlehandedly carried the transmit node for System II during the course of short-range tests across Lake Lagunita. However, despite TacCin's eagerness and solid performance of his job, he was unable to keep pace with the change of technology within the group. A tripod later took his role of transmit node supporter during the development of OpComms System III.

Personal Life and Controversy

TacCin's continued presence in Roble proved a somewhat literal stumbling block for OpComms team members who lived there along with him after he ceased to be actively involved in OpComms tests. While TacCin remained nearby for group meetings, he felt he no longer had a meaningful role in the team, and group leaders struggled to justify the added expense of transporting him to and from tests. TacCin's friends and family were reportedly concerned that he had developed compulsive tendencies, as they observed him living an unusually sedentary lifestyle within a steadily enlarging pile of belongings, many of them relevant to the Optical Communications' team's work. "We were really scared; he was surrounding himself with all of this stuff for OpComms, as if to try and recapture the time when he was a big part of the team," commented TacCin's nephew, Brick.

Despite this rumored battle with depression, TacCin remained a source of pride and amusement for Optical Communications team members, who often found themselves telling stories about him to others, always smiling or laughing while doing so. TacCin's demeanor improved over the course of Spring Quarter; he found himself moving around his room more and generally expressing a better outlook on life. He ultimately served an important role during Spring Exam Week, watching over one particularly vulnerable OpComms member and protecting him from injury after a night of exhausting study left him collapsed on the floor.

Summer Assignment

Reinvigorated by his ability to be of use to the team, TacCin was excited to learn of the summer research project proposed to him by OpComms leadership. He was embedded in Lake Lagunita near the Elliott Programming Center, and tasked with studying climatic conditions around the lake and their effects on masonry materials. Though noting that this work was of unclear value to further optical communications research, TacCin was happy to take it on, and, reportedly, looks forward to reporting his findings in the fall.