Rebel Squadrons

State of the Rebel Squadrons Address 2-14-03

By FA Rahj Tharen
Unit: The Rebel Squadrons
SotRS, Feb 14, 2003
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Greetings Members of the Rebel Squadrons,

Welcome to the latest installment of the State of the Rebel Squadrons Address! At present, we find ourselves with a completely new year ahead of us. It is my hope that the vast amount of accomplishments from the past year will only be built upon and succeeded in the next. Already, a growing list of projects are in the conceptual stages of their development or beyond to bring about another round of club improvements. As each day passes, the members of the Executive Staff and High Command are working to maintain and exceed the usual expectations they are expected to carry out. With this kind of mentality in mind, everyone is doing their best to ensure a successful new year.

Moving our eye to present business, the following is a listing of the most recent noteworthy news items:

The Rebel Squadrons Wins the Outer Rim War II –
http://www.rebelsquadrons.org/outerrim2/

- The Rebel Squadrons has officially won the Outer Rim War II competition. In terms of the competition's participation success, there were 14 total weeks (for 7 System Battles) of play ranging from late October of 2002 until early February of 2003. In these five months, about 945 total matches of XvT, XWA, JK, and JO were played in 1v1 and 2v2 formats between about 160 different players from 7 clubs.

- In terms of the final results of ORWII, the Rebel Squadrons won every System Battle. These include the Cadrel Expanses' (http://www.rebelsquadrons.org/outerrim/cadrel.htm) Elornia System, and the Binaural Sector's (http://www.rebelsquadrons.org/outerrim2/binaural.htm) Ockus, Hanguur, Blaylock, Demelin, Vertico, and Ledbetter Systems. All of the data for these Systems will be added to the RS Planets Database in the future.

- I would also like to express my deepest thanks to Brigadier General Isoldur "Dragon" Cauthon for being instrumental in laying down the foundations of this competition, as well as in helping in its daily administration. Also, I would like to thank Admiral Shikkie Kaaran for providing the coding of the automated website and advanced bot interface and Lieutenant General Deltan Saviri for the ORWII website design. These three guys made it a lot easier to get this event started.

- Lastly, the members of the Redemption Fleet’s Kenobi Group (http://galileo.spaceports.com/~rskenobi/) are working on continuing the ORWII fictional storyline progression that has been started at http://www.rebelsquadrons.org/outerrim2/storyline.htm. They will base the fictional stories (similar to the ORW News Stories from ORWI) off of the competition’s results of each System Battle and also attempt to use RS characters that significantly contributed to the ORWII. I certainly look forward to their accomplishments on this project!

Vast Empire Alliance -
http://www.rebelsquadrons.org/oea/vastempire.php

- The Rebel Squadrons Minister of External Affairs, MGN Lamin Zykara, has secured an official alliance with the Vast Empire. The above URL is a link to the Document of Alliance which specifies the terms for alliance. The Vast Empire (http://www.vastempire.com) is an Imperial based club that has participated in the two previous ORW’s with us.

New RS Order of Battle Database –
http://www.rebelsquadrons.org/oob/

- Thanks to the efforts of ADM Shikkie Kaaran, LGN Deltan Saviri, and myself, the Rebel Squadrons Order of Battle Database has been completed. This database is a comprehensive and organized listing of every official ship in the RS’ arsenal, along with specific ship class information and the RS units that call the ship home. Also, the database has options to add, delete, and edit current ships and for Fleet Commanding Officers to request new ships from the FC and RS XO. You can view the new RS OOB Database at http://www.rebelsquadrons.org/oob/. Pictures do not yet exist for every ship class, and the database may not be 100% accurate. Therefore, updates and tweaks will be made as more information comes in.


Rebel Squadrons Fleet Commander Emeritus -
http://www.rebelsquadrons.org/fc/fcinfo.php

- Each of the following officers have had the rare opportunity to serve as Fleet Commander of the Rebel Squadrons. They each have encountered and challenged the call of volunteerism in ways that few ever experience. Volunteering to run a non-profit organization for the enjoyment of hundreds of Star Wars fans is not an easy task. In retrospect, it can possibly be agreed by each of these officers that it is, in fact, an insane one. Perhaps because of this, all Rebel Squadrons members must recognize and remember the accomplishment of attaining and serving at this exigent position. Therefore, the following outstanding list of officers have earned the honorary post-FC title of Rebel Squadrons Fleet Commander Emeritus to recognize this accomplishment.

- Rebel Squadrons established, 1994.
- Rebel Squadrons reestablished, 1995.
- Admiral Byteman - Rebel Squadrons Leader from August 1995 to December 1995.
- Admiral MATE015 - Rebel Squadrons Leader from December 1995 to February 1996.

- Office of the Fleet Commander established, March 1996.

- Fleet Admiral Super (FCSuper@aol.com), Rebel Squadrons Fleet Commander Emeritus, March 1996 to November 1996.
- Fleet Admiral Dialathos (DialaThos@aol.com), Rebel Squadrons Fleet Commander Emeritus, December 1996 to June 1997.
- Fleet Admiral MacMan (MacManRS@aol.com), Rebel Squadrons Fleet Commander Emeritus, June 1997 to January 1998.
- Admiral Castor Efrata-Landis (MTNLIONRC@aol.com), Rebel Squadrons Fleet Commander Emeritus, January 1998 to October 21st 1999.
- Admiral Jack Stewart (JackStewrt@aol.com), Rebel Squadrons Fleet Commander Emeritus, October 29th 1999 to June 8th 2000.
- Brigadier General Dew (Dewkng@aol.com), Rebel Squadrons Fleet Commander Emeritus, June 8th 2000 to August 8th 2000.
- Fleet Admiral Dave Trebonious-Astoris (raptor7@tns.net), Rebel Squadrons Fleet Commander Emeritus, August 15th 2000 to September 15th 2001.

- Admiral Rahj Tharen (ZEoN3@aol.com), Rebel Squadrons Fleet Commander, September 15th 2001 to Present.

More information about the RS’ initial beginnings can be viewed at an article submitted by former FC Super at http://www.rebelsquadrons.org/ohr/articles.php, with more to follow at a future date.

New RS Commando Division Commanding Officer –
http://www.rebelsquadrons.org/rscd/

- With ADM Kaz Falcion’s recent retirement from the position, I have appointed Lieutenant General Patrick “Blaster” Blastfire to succeed him as RSCD Commanding Officer. As such, LGN Blastfire joins the voting membership of High Command and joins a long and proud history of RSCD Commanding Officers. Congratulations!

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Office of the Fleet Commander Report
Admiral Rahj Tharen, Fleet Commander

FC Website - http://www.rebelsquadrons.org/fc/
FC E-Mail - fc@rebelsquadrons.org

Now that the Outer Rim War II competition has marked its completion, I would like to focus the club vs. club multiplayer attention into the Week of War competitions on the Zone that are hosted by battlestats.com. More than likely you are already familiar with the competition format and rules. Therefore, you can expect an increase in their emphasis in the future.

As always, the Executive Staff is involving itself in a plethora of projects to not only keep the day-to-day operations of this club continuing, but to improve every fiber of the club. Specific details about each can be found within the reports of the respective Executive Offices, but the following is a brief summary of what is happening:

- Rebel Squadrons Order of Battle Database
- ORWII storyline continuations
- New RS website design concepts
- New RS BBS website design
- Multiplayer Combat Profiles in a member’s Roster DB Profile
- Operations Office website improvements
- Logistics Office concepts
- NR5F and UCFP Alliances
- Recruitment and Advertising Initiatives
- RS Fictional Timeline

Note: Some of these ideas are still in their conceptual stages, so if you would like to hear more on any of these projects, please email zeon3@aol.com.

Like in all SotRS Addresses, you will find a report from every office in the Executive Staff. These reports should give every member a fairly good insight into the day-to-day operations and happenings of this club. With that said, congratulations to those pilots and commandos that received medals!

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Office of the Executive Officer Report
Admiral Shikkie Kaaran, RS XO

XO Website - http://www.rebelsquadrons.org/xo/
XO Email - rsxo@rebelsquadrons.org

The coding for the new Rebel Squadrons Order of Battle Database is complete. This database is a comprehensive and organized listing of every official ship in the RS’ arsenal, along with specific ship class information and the RS units that call the ship home. Also, the database has options to add, delete, and edit current ships and for Fleet Commanding Officers to request new ships from the FC and RS XO. You can view the new RS OOB Database at http://www.rebelsquadrons.org/oob/.

Next, I will be working with the Fleet Commander to create Combat Profiles within a member’s Roster Database Profile.

After that, I will be working with the Rebel Squadrons Internet Officer, LGN Deltan Saviri, for a new design for the RS BBS. As you are probably aware, the new RS BBS that I have coded is at http://www.rebelsquadrons.org/bbs/ and seems to have been a very worthwhile success. Therefore, expect to see improvements on that as well.

==================================
Internet Office Report
Lieutenant General Deltan Saviri, Internet Officer

IO Website - http://www.rebelsquadrons.org/io/
IO E-Mail - rsio@rebelsquadrons.org

Current Projects:

Domain Standardization: Python and I are looking to create a general set of guidelines on where domain level functions reside and programming standards. This will allow future IO staff to easily learn and manipulate the website.

Online Storyboard: This project is primary for the IBG but nearly all fleets can benefit. I am going to be creating an online forum for the linear posting of interactive stories. No estimated date of completion as this is my 'learning PHP' project.

Workflow: The RS Internet Office now requires for all support requests to come through the support form on the RS IO page (http://www.rebelsquadrons.org/io ). This will better allow for the IO team to track, respond and assign work tickets ensuring that member requests are responded to, tracked and eventually cleared.

New RS Website Design: We are currently developing the overall look and design for a new RS website. We have made great progress and hope to have the design nailed down in the upcoming weeks. After enough designs have been created, a poll will be set up for the members to vote on their favorite version and opportunities to give further input.

RS Order of Battle Website Design: This design is now finished and may be viewed at http://www.rebelsquadrons.org/oob/.

New RS BBS Design: This project is currently on hold till the above two have been completed.

Internet Officer Team Cohesion: I am currently working with members of the IO team on a regular basis and am trying to increase the interactivity between team members.

================================
Operations Office Report
TBA

OO Website - http://www.rebelsquadrons.org/operations/
OO E-Mail - oo@rebelsquadrons.org

Rebel Squadrons Operations Officer Vacant –

This week, BGN Isoldur “Dragon” Cauthon resigned from the significant position of RS Operations Officer due to his leisure time being needed elsewhere in life. Dragon’s accomplishments were largely responsible for the creation and the establishment of this Executive Office. He has been instrumental in creating, maintaining, and administering the RS Merit System, the Inter-Club Melee competition, the past RS Training Nights, and most recently, the Outer Rim War II competition. Therefore, for his dedication, service, and accomplishments as Operations Officer, I hereby award BGN Isoldur “Dragon” Cauthon the Distinguished Service Cross.

This, of course, opens the position. The Rebel Squadrons Operations Officer (OO) is responsible for overseeing and administering single player and multiplayer club wide events, competitions, and systems of merit, as well as all competitions for the Rebel Squadrons in conjunction with other participating club(s). Consequently, I am looking for the following characteristics in a potential replacement. These characteristics, however, are just guidelines and are by no means binding…

* Proven leadership and activity.
* A year or more of service in the RS.
* Proven ability to organize multiplayer competitions.
* Web and coding skills.

Please email myself (fc@rebelsquadrons.org) and the RS XO (rsxo@rebelsquadrons.org) if you are interested.

Rebel Squadrons Deputy Operations Officer Vacant –

This position would simply assist the Operations Officer in the execution of their duties. Please email myself (fc@rebelsquadrons.org) and the RS XO (rsxo@rebelsquadrons.org) if you are interested.

===============================
Department of Internal Affairs Report
Admiral Rensal Darklighter, Minister of Justice

MoJ Website - http://www.rebelsquadrons.org/doia/
MoJ E-Mail - moj@rebelsquadrons.org

For the most part, the Department of Internal Affairs has been fairly quiet for the last few months. As MoJ, I am always proud of the way the majority of our members are presenting themselves to each other and to the other clubs on the net.

In the meantime, this Department has redirected a couple minor complaints back into the Chain of Command. After investigating a case involving crude behavior by RS members in channels of the Emperor’s Hammer, the Emperor’s Hammer Lord Ambassador Wes Janson has assured me that those incidents have not happened again. Warnings were sent out to those RS members where appropriate. I also recently got a complaint about a ban in the B&G that I have forwarded to Shik to take care of since he is the B&G owner.

===================================
Medals Office Report
Major General Ben Jyzner, Medals Officer

MO Website - http://www.rebelsquadrons.org/medals/
MO E-Mail - medals@rebelsquadrons.org

I think the Medals Office is pretty much at the place where I wanted it to be three years ago when I first took over. We have found an efficient and precise way to award medals and they are easily searchable with easy to find explanations.

Other than that...I am going to try to figure out some way around a couple of the uniform bugs, but it is not looking too bright until PHP can handle images better.

Distinguished Service Cross
Recipients: BGN Isoldur “Dragon” Cauthon

Alliance Dagger
Recipients: BGN Isoldur “Dragon” Cauthon, ADM Rahj Tharen (3)

Combat Medal
Recipients: 2LT Kiwi, LCM Dev Azzameen, COL Han Suul, MGN Lamin Zykara, MGN Spokes, LGN Patrick Blastfire (2)

Valiance Combat Citation
Recipients: CPT Chrys Cortan, MAJ Dex Bogart (3), LCM Dev Azzameen, COL Han Suul (2), COL Licah Fox (2), BGN Isoldur “Dragon” Cauthon, MGN Lamin Zykara, LGN Spokes, GEN Kyle Tobarn, VA Trace, ADM Rahj Tharen (3)

Veteran Service Medal – 1 Year
Recipients: CPT Bonaparte

Veteran Service Medal – 2 Years
Recipients: COL Han Suul

Veteran Service Medal - 3 Years
Recipients: CMDR Trosa Aldair, MGN Garrik 'Face' Loran, MGN Wes Belden

Veteran Service Medal - 6 Years
Recipients: ADM Kaz Falcion

As always, congratulations to all of the pilots and commandos that have earned these medals!

==================================
Office of External Affairs Report
Major General Lamin Zykara, Minister of External Affairs

OEA Website - http://www.rebelsquadrons.org/oea/
OEA E-Mail - moea@rebelsquadrons.org

Alliances Pending: NR5F, UCFP.
Negotiations Pending: Red Squadron, Blue Squadron.
# of RS Alliances: 1
Current Allies: The Star Vipers, The Vast Empire

I am very pleased to announce a successful alliance with the Vast Empire (http://www.vastempire.com/). Furthermore, I am working on alliance papers for the United Confederation of Free Planets which will establish them in a way similar to an "auxiliary" of the Rebel Squadrons - they will fly our flag in external conflicts but retain their own sovereignty as a club.

Summary of accomplishments:
- Vast Empire alliance
- Document templates for documents of alliance and RS policy letters

Upcoming goals:
- Alliances with the UCFP and NR5F
- Further relations with Red / Blue Squadrons

Recruiting Directorate
COL Xian Ysi Zephyr, Recruiting Officer

Here goes an informal check in -

1) The Recruitment Office is being drafted and will be posted by your deadline. It'll store general RS recruitment material and help for those who are looking to market our club.

2) I'm going get a listings of all the SW / Sci Fi magazines and websites and send out an initial contact letter to promote our club. Hopefully that will turn out some results.

3) I'm going put out an RS-wide message regarding AI and anyone else good with computer graphics to help draft a new RS logo that we can market. Since the legalities with Lucas is going to let us use actually SW items, it may be hard to get some good results but I'm sure we can come out with a nice looking logo. From there, we can think of creating letterheads, and other neat signature items that will help promote us even more.

4) Lastly, I had a plan to contact all the local Sci-Fi / Comic Book / Video Game stores to market the RS offline. Probably put up a demo disk of the games we support and a general recruitment letter or packet, it may help sport us as a professional club.

================================
Office of Historical Records Report
Fleet Admiral Dave Trebonious-Astoris, Historical Officer

OHR Website - http://www.rebelsquadrons.org/ohr/
OHR E-Mail - ohr@rebelsquadrons.org

Not much to report for the OHR this time around.

I've added a couple more items to the timeline in the "RS History" section. Also put up a couple new links in the "Files" section that were submitted by members. The old Minos center page is now linked, for example. As for the RS Fictional Timeline, I have made a BBS post (http://www.rebelsquadrons.org/bbs/thread.php?id=2710) to enlist some help for this undertaking. Expect some progress on this project shortly.

Once again, I urge all members to help in the OHR by writing or contributing information if they can. Aside from Face’s history of Wildcard Squadron, I have got little-to-no support from the membership. Thus, the OHR has pretty much continued at the pace of my own submissions. Fleet, Wing, or Squadron histories of any unit would be greatly appreciated, especially if you already have them on hand. Please send all submissions to raptor7@tns.net.

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Closing

Once again, here is my big reminder for you all to walk away with after reading this Address. In closing, I would like to challenge our membership with some new attributes to think about. I challenge every member in this club – from cadet, pilot, and commando up to the Fleet Commanding Officers - to ALWAYS keep the following things in mind while enjoying the Rebel Squadrons: HIER, communication, and how you can contribute to the betterment of your unit and your squadmates.

It all starts with every individual member, and without people like you, this club could not possibly exist. Therefore, keep the concepts of HIER (Honor, Integrity, Equanimity, and Respect) close, and strive to cultivate an atmosphere of respect in all of your actions. As for communication, I dare every person in this club to take more initiative and to keep your fellow members up to date by writing more emails and by forging a powerful bond with the members of your Squadron. Those that can do this may realize an esprit de corps that stems from your unit. Strong communication and interaction is the lifeblood of every unit! Lastly, stop and think about how you can make this club a better place. After all, as a member of this club, it is up to each of us to make the RS experience as enjoyable as possible for you and for your fellow members. While we are here, we might as well make it great. With these challenges in mind, not only does the future look brighter than ever, but we can make this club what we want it to be – together.

May the Force be with you and may the pride and honor of the Rebel Squadrons carry on in all of you!

Respectfully submitted,

Admiral Rahj Tharen, Jedi Master
Rebel Squadrons Fleet Commander
fc@rebelsquadrons.org

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