Invictus Launch Week

Invictus Launch Week is a ceremony organized by the United Empire of Earth Navy (UEEN) which marks the beginning of the new recruitment year. It is an official holiday in the UEE.

It is also commonly known as Fleet Week or Invictus. It is celebrated annually in the period between Emancipation Day and Armistice Day, the final week in May. The event is meant as a tool to promote participation in the Navy as well as show awareness for the history of naval events. The event is also used by ship and armament manufacturers  as an opportunity to display their contribution to the military fleet.

Events

 * 2949 Invictus Launch Week
 * 2950 Invictus Launch Week; held at Bevic Convention Center, ArcCorp from May 22 till June 2, 2950
 * 2951 Invictus Launch Week; held at Tobin Expo Center, microTech from May 21 till June 1, 2951
 * 2952 Invictus Launch Week; held at Orison, Crusader from May 20 till 31, 2952

Closing and Introduction Ceremony
Invictus is a ceremony used to congratulate the latest graduating class of military personnel, but also as introduction ceremony for new recruits which are gathering to set off for training at the MacArthur base.

History
The Fleet Week has a long tradition. It goes back several centuries to the days when the UEE was known as the United Planets of Earth (UPE). Shortly after the First Tevarin War began in 2541, Humanity suddenly found itself in need of an organized military force of a size previously unneeded. To this point, aside from the hostage situation with the Xi'an in 2530, there had only been local security forces under the control of the central Human government.

With Humanity facing an imminent and overwhelming threat, a fleet needed to be raised and trained quickly. The Tribunal sent out an immediate call for recruits to create this army.

Transport ships on each of the settled planets would load up these volunteers and travel to a training facility on Mars known as Invictus.

On the morning of 2542-10-12, families and communities gathered at launch pads around the UPE territories to celebrate those that were going to defend against the alien invaders. As the conflict continued, more recruits would gather on that day to travel to Invictus to begin their training.

Over the centuries, as the Empire has expanded, space travel has become even more accessible and most recruits are able to self-report, the need for Invictus Launch Week's has diminished. The spirit of it, however, is stronger than ever.

Invictus is a time to celebrate each other. To celebrate bravery, duty, and commitment to the goals that define Humanity at its finest.

Historical Pillars
Below are some notable pillars in the history of the event.

Criticism
Arthur Warro, Co-initiator of the Polo Initiative criticized the missing transparency and high budget used for Invictus. He stated 'Invictus doesn’t represent the real Navy, it represents what the Navy wants people to think of it, later adding that the 'high Invictus costs [are] one of the reasons why the Navy was seeking a 7% increase to its budget [compared to 2950].' He also emphasized that the event gave free publicity for ship/weapon manufacturers, indirectly criticizing the ties between military and private corporations on the other side: '(...) if you don’t fully fund the Navy to allow it to buy these ships then you won’t be safe. It’s just so ingrained in the fabric of this empire that we can’t see it anymore.'

Gallery
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Trivia

 * The Invictus Fleet Week seems to be inspired by the US Fleet Week.