Time: Gorgas

The Caucasus countries, for the most part, do not believe in the sensitivity of time, and do not view punctuality or the importance of time as the US and most other Western countries do. Most of the people in the region do not view time as a resource and do not feel any compulsion to effectively manage their time. The people in the Caucasus region do not make the connection between effective use of their time and production. This lack of time consciousness will likely frustrate US soldiers as they work with their allies, but it will also give the US a battlefield advantage against its enemies.

Key Dates, Time Periods or Events

The entire region’s recorded history extends back at least 3,000 years, but people populated the area long before that time as indicated by the archaeological objects discovered in caves and at other long- inhabited sites.

Gorgas’ recorded history dates back to the 12th century BC. Sometime between 319 or 337 AD, Gorgas became the second country to adopt Christianity as its state religion. Gorgas faces a situation where Zabzimek and South Ostremek want their independence, and Donovia’s large military coerces the Gorgan government to allow the separatist republics to exist as such.

Routine, Cyclical Key Dates

Traditional Wedding Seasons

The seasons have no major effect on when urban Gorgans marry, as there is no defined rainy season and temperatures tend to be moderate year-round. This is generally true of the large farming population as well, though spring planting and fall harvest times are usually avoided.

National and Religious Holidays

Gorgans use the Gregorian calendar to determine their holidays, and they celebrate many special occasions associated with the Christian faith. Since most Gorgan Christians practice the Orthodox faith, their Easter celebration sometimes does not occur at the same time Easter is celebrated in the rest of the world.

Holiday	Date	Description	Military Implications
New Year’s Day	01 January	Celebrates the new year according to the Gregorian calendar.	NA
Orthodox Christmas	07 January	Uses the Julian calendar.	NA
Baptism of Jesus	19 January	Celebrates the baptism of Jesus.	NA
Mother’s Day	03 March	Honors Gorgan mothers.	NA
International Women’s Day	08 March	Honors all Gorgan women.	NA
Orthodox Good Friday, Great Saturday, Easter Sunday, and Easter Monday	Varies 05-08 May 2013 20-23 April 2014 12-15 April 2015	Commemorates the death & resurrection of Jesus.	NA
Saint Andrew I Day	12 May	Celebrates the Apostle Andrew, the founder of the Gorgan Orthodox Church.	NA
Independence Day	26 May	Celebrates the National Council of Gorgas’ declaration of independence and the creation of the Democratic Republic of Gorgas in 1801.	NA
Saint Mary’s Day	28 August	Celebrates Saint Mary, the Mother of Jesus.	NA
Saint George’s Day	23 November	Celebrates Saint George, the patron Saint of Gorgas.	NA

Harvest Cycles

With mountains separating eastern and western Gorgas, the country contains a variety of climates affecting the harvest cycle. The western part of Gorgas receives the most rainfall, and it falls throughout the year. Gorgan farmers plant their crops in April and harvest them before the end of

October. Eastern Gorgas possesses a drier climate, and farmers wait until the spring melt in the mountains to plant their crops. Eastern Gorgas will usually plant and harvest crops later than western Gorgas. The Caucasus Mountains also affect the harvest cycle. While the mountains may provide an excellent opportunity to grow grapes to make wine, the harsh winters and frosts even in the summer may make it difficult to grow seasonal crops. The mountain weather will most likely influence the Gorgan farmers to plant crops that can withstand the weather, grow in a shorter growing season, and be harvested before the fall weather becomes too harsh. (See the Physical Environment variable for additional information on Gorgas’ agriculture and the country’s seasons.)

Elections

Gorgas elects its public officials for four years, with a three-term limit. The Gorgan parliament has 235 members—150 seats by proportional representation, 75 in single-seat constituencies, and 10 given to the representatives of the displaced persons from the separatist region of Zabzimek. In 2003, Gorgans approved constitutional amendments to reduce the parliament to only 150 members elected through a proportional representation system, to take effect in two years.

Cultural Perception of Time

Most of the Caucasus area does not perceive the importance of time as the Western world does, especially as it relates to business. The more a country interacts with Western nations, however, the more the country accepts the Western idea of the importance of time.

While Westerners take time commitments such as deadlines and schedules very seriously, in the Caucasus, time commitments are seen more as an objective to be achieved, if possible, rather than a requirement. Promptness is based on relationships. In the West, time is money. In the Caucasus, there is no problem with making people wait all day and then telling them to come back the next  day. A person from the Caucasus will be much more likely to be on time if the person who set the time commitment is close to him, such as a friend or family member. Business is conducted more on the basis of personal relationships than on respect for time.

Gorgas, like most other countries in the Caucasus region, does not view time with the same criticality as the Western world. Most Gorgans do not feel a sense of urgency to complete any activity, and this remains especially true in the rural areas.

Tactical Exploitation of Time

Caucasus Perception of Time

For the most part, people in the Caucasus perceive time as an unimportant resource in their lives. They believe that things will occur whether they take proactive action or not. Each country in the region possesses a long history, and people believe their country will continue well into the future. Most of the people in the region look back to times when their ethnic group held the upper hand in interactions with their neighbors and hope that one day their country can become the dominant power again. The people do not look at time in the short term, but look forward to the long term when conditions will again allow them to take their rightful place among the world’s leaders. For Ariana and Atropia, their hydrocarbon resources may provide them the impetus to become a regional—if not world—power. For Gorgas and Limaria, their lack of natural resources will continue to plague their ability to improve their situation in the short term. Donovia wishes to regain the dominant regional influence it once commanded.

US Perception of Time

The time perception of allies in the region will frustrate the US, but the US can also take advantage of the lack of urgency of any enemies in the area. The US will need to help its regional allies understand that time is a precious resource that once wasted can never be recovered. Punctuality  and a sense of urgency remain essential for a military to defeat the enemy on the battlefield. Due to the enemy’s lack of a time table and its apathetic regard for punctuality, US forces and their allies will most likely find opportunities to get inside the enemy leaders’ decision cycles. Rapid US and allied action will cause the enemy to react to their actions instead of the enemy taking the initiative.

Summary

For the most part, the Caucasus countries view time differently than the US. Time is relatively unimportant to the people of Ariana, Atropia, Gorgas, and Limaria in almost every aspect of their lives. They lack a sense of urgency to accomplish tasks, in complete contrast to the Western world where almost everyone wants to accomplish as much as possible in as little time as possible. While the Donovian view of time is closer to that of the US than the other nations of the Caucasus, it is still notably different. All five cultures have extensive histories dating back centuries; and people feel that whatever they do, their country will continue into the future. The area’s perception of time will cause the US to become frustrated with its allies but will provide opportunities for exploitation of US enemies. To do so, however, the US will need to understand the nuances as each country perceives the relative importance of time somewhat differently.