So right now I'm writing a fic that includes the scene in TGM where Cyclone and Warlock are explaining the mission parameters to Maverick. As a result, I've watched the scene about 1000 times, and while doing so, paused it on a particular frame, which happened to be Bradley's file:
I noticed a few things, and people might have said these before but, oh well:
he was born June 27th, 1984 making him only two years old when the events of Top Gun transpired
he's 35 in the events of TGM
he has been in the Navy for 15 years and 1 month
he is currently in "STRKFITRON EIGHT SEVEN" (Strike Fighter Squadron 87, the "Golden Warriors") out of Virginia Beach, VA
he went to the University of Virginia as the class of '09
he majored in Political Science
under "language" it lists Spanish, and a quick google search confirmed that the "1010" means "elementary proficiency"
here's where it gets interesting:
obviously we know Maverick pulled his papers from USNA, and he remarks that Maverick has set him back years
under "previous service" the file says he spent 4 years and 1 month as a "HT2"
another google search said that this was Hull Maintenance Technician, Second Class - which is an enlisted sailor role, not an officer role
Hull Maintenance Technicians are the welders, plumbers, and metalworkers who fix pipes and maintain the ship’s literal hull.
this means Rooster must have worked enlisted while he was getting his degree, and then comissioned as an officer
another interesting detail is that Rooster has been stuck as a Lieutenant for 11 years and 2 months
I started looking into ranks and stuff and it said that most Lieutenants transition to Lieutenant Commanders after 9 to 11 years of total service in the Navy
so when Rooster said Maverick set him back, he literally meant it because he's been stuck as a Lieutenant
This is just based on the research I did, and what I thought was interesting. If there are any errors, please feel free to correct me!!
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