In my campaign (a mix of RPG and on going table top tactical campaign) the unit, the White Hawk Irregulars, were founded in 3022 by then 20 year old Gabriel Hawk. Gabriel died fighting Clan Wolf in 3050 and his daughter, 19 year old Melandryse, took over the remains of the unit and rebuilt it. She died in 3077 fighting the WoB and the unit went to her son, Damian Hawk, then 19. Damian joined the White Hawks to Stones army and after the Jihad helped in the defence of the young Republic as an independent contract unit attached to the Republic military. In 3095, the unit was disbanded and cashed out their mechs (supposedly) during the arms draw-down and the core officers became landed gentleman farmers and industrialist in Prefecture 4. Damian son, Michael, thought the military was a waste in the peaceful Republic and ran the family's successful agribusiness, but his grand-daughter, Persephone, trained as a reserve mechwarrior with the Republic militia. When the Black-Out happened, 75 year old Damian, now in a wheelchair, called Persephone home and revealed that the 4 officers of the White Hawks had kept their mechs in secret, thanks to friends in the service doctoring asset records, for a time in the future when thier world might need protecting. Not fully trusting Stones visions of an enlightened peace lasting... so the baton has passed to 22 year old Persephone Hawk, and the reborn White Hawks are a single lance of hand-me-down mechs in serious need of some maintenance, just like 3022, ready to go to war once again...