"Alexander van Farcht is not your typical Rim World high officer. Not from noble (or Rowes entourage heritage) his trader parents fled from an area now part of the Draconis Combine when he was just born. His parents needing to flee after a "friendly takeover" from a combine traders family. The family spent several years in space earning meager income as ship officers. After some years they found permanent employ with the growing Republic like so many other refugees. Growing up in the republics trading fleet and never living planetbound, his body never grew big or muscular but he constantly fought muscle atrophy. When he became 16, he enlisted in the Rim World Military as a pilot. His experience as ship rating, his keen mind and his knack for strategy and military history helped him in the common officer courses he found himself in. Drop-, Jump- and Warship training followed soon after. Chances to join those were provided by a "high officer" mentor. With 30 he was an accomplished career officer in command of his own military Jumpship patrolling the periphery borders of the RWR fighting pirates regulary and providing defense for the nascent periphery colonies. Until a nasty fight nearly cost him his right leg and he became crippled. But never again could he walk and serve normal.
So his mentor helped him out again and made him an instructor at the newly christened RWR naval academy. Shunned by most of the higher officers in the Navy due to his "common" roots the mentors protection let him rise there as well until he became the Head of the acadamy.
In the following decades Alexander van Farch reached the rank of Admirals and shaped the academy. Despite the higher class officers nepotism (similar to the social generals in the Lyran Commonwealth), his stern but professional approach and his strategic knowledge made him a known and respected Admiral with the ratings and common officers. Nepotism in the RWR navy still runs rampant though due to political loopholes for wealthy and connected individuals to circumvent the public academy by having their young officers being "tested" and evaluated "at home" by experienced officers of captain or higher rank.
The death of the old Fleet Admiral led to the appointment of van Farcht to this position at the age of 67 after being the head of the academy for over 30 years. Much to the shock and chargrin of the "high officer" corp. Foreign spy services also cannot tell what the Rowe family actually wants to change in the Navy and the naval politics... but all analysts agree on one thing: change and reform will come."
This is van Farchts summary. In rpg terms, he would have his highest stats in Low-G-Movement, Ship Rating, Military History and Strategy (fleet deployment). Crippled right leg (can walks slowly with a cane for short distances on a planet) and some really high level enemies. Also beloved by the majority of the fleet. His naval war games to train the navy are not only regular but famous with all naval personal throughout the Inner Sphere. While the highest echelon of the officer corps in the RWR might be social admirals, the average training and experience level is actually quite high due his established curriculum. His works on naval warfare are a must read for many.
:)
i hope, venser can make some traits with this background. :D
