As a freighter captain, she got around a lot, and Sam developed an appreciation for the diversity of the galaxy. He also gained an interest in cartography from his mother's starcharts. After this, he joined his father on Mars for an education. At 13, he once again joined his mother. It was a fairly happy childhood, despite his parents' differences and their contrasting lifestyles.

Sam entered the Academy late but soon caught up and excelled. He changed his name to avoid being linked to his father, not wanting to base his own career on his father's success. However, his Boerean side led to several disciplinary problems. The Boer are naturally fiercely independent and a little on the wild side. This leads many people to wonder about Sam. He loves his work and is a keen academic but has a fierce temper and spends his vacations pursuing extreme sports.

Requester's Comment: "I know you may think I have discipline problems, but I promise you they will not affect my work or the other crew members. Give me a chance to work on a big starship. I will come through for you, I promise. Just give me a chance."

Commanding Officer's Comment: "McCaw is a good worker and an excellent scientist. However he is rash and young, his Academy record speaks for itself. If you can teach him a little restraint, he will make an excellent crew member."

Medical Report: "McCaw is in excellent physical health. However, he applied for transfer due to emotional problems caused by our recent emergency. Exercise caution when broaching the subject. McCaw is part Boer and for cultural reasons, will require a three-month sabbatical every seventh year."