No need to sound so dramatic. Add box to editor, save a line to mission.sqm then just make the parser read the new line, when it's already retrieving slots and descriptions. However, the system likely being same as in OFP 13 years ago. So, the code is probably a huge ball of crap nobody wants to touch.

Yeah, I assume, the game only reads the mission.sqm for the slots and descriptions while ignoring init etc.

Would it be possible to add a new text field in the editor next to the desciption, in which you would be able to set the squad/callsign? That way there would be a clear place/variable for the game to read without having to go into init field.

Pictures are not loaded in the mission selection screen on dedicated servers. However, they are shown once you have actually played/loaded the mission, but the missing picture error will be back once you reconnect to the server.

Still present in version 1.02.110424