State of the Rebel Squadrons
March 14, 2011

Greetings RSers,

First, let me tell you how I’m going to arrange this SotRS. I’m going to start with this brief introduction before moving to Promotions/Awards and finishing up with News and Announcements.

Promotions/Awards

Ok, I have a few promotions to award this time.

Joshua Hawkins: Josh, since your return from a bit of an LOA, you’ve worked tirelessly in the Internet Office. I’ve been very grateful due to all of the coding work you’ve done as we’ve worked to get ready to implement the Reorganization plan. You’ve worked to upgrade the forums, set up the new rosters, and generally acted as a troubleshooter for anything we’ve needed. On top of that, you’ve still taken time to help us after getting married have a new daughter, somehow juggling things around to make it work. Josh, in appreciation for all of the work you’ve done for the club in the past year, I herby promote you to the rank of full Admiral. Congratulations, Josh!

David “Heavy” Pasiechnyk: Heavy, with all of the preparation for the Reorganization, you managed to do something that no one else in the Internet Office had done before: Create a unified mission reporting system. For the first time, the RS has a mission reporter that is configured to handle our 5 main platforms, not only with mission reports but narratives as well. Plus, he worked tirelessly to correct any issues that were discovered during the Dry Run to improve its functionality. To put the icing on the cake, he has agreed to serves as the RS Second Officer. Heavy, for all of the hard work you’ve put into this club to make it grow and to help the Reorganization plan get closer to implementation, I hereby promote you to full Admiral. Congratulations, Heavy!

Eric Skrevski: Eric, for a while now you have helped keep the ABG active, stepping in run sims and other activities during Raven’s recent LOA and while I have kept Sconn busy with Reorg stuff. By doing this, you have worked towards making sure the other simmers in the RS had the same opportunities to enjoy themselves as anyone else in the RS. Your work to keep the ABG active has not gone unnoticed. Eric Skrevski, I, with the unanimous recommendation of the ABG Command Staff, hereby promote you to the rank of Major General. Congratulations, Eric!

Jay Forerunner: Jay, I’ve been paying attention enough to know that you are one active guy around here. That kind of activity does not just benefit you. It benefits your entire squadron and provides an example for newer members of the club. Jay, due to your dedication to proving yourself through activity and being an example we all can follow, I hereby promote you to the rank of Lieutenant Commander. Congratulations, Jay!

Z Antilles: Z, it wasn’t long ago that I didn’t really know you. I’d seen you on IRC, but that was it. However, after spending some time with you in the B&G looking at real estate listings (‘small but mighty’)and looking at your activity during the Dry Run, tying for second place in the MP standings, I can’t help but wonder how you’ve managed to go for almost 3 years without a promotion. Today, I correct that oversight. Z Antilles, due to your continued activity within the ABG and the club as a whole, I hereby promote you to the rank of 1st Lieutenant. Congratulations, Z!

That concludes the promotions this time around. However, I did get some very important medal nominations today from Fleet Admiral Raven. Given the severity of these nominations, I feel it best to quote Raven’s message in its entirety:

“Every unit has members that go above and beyond the normal call of duty. These people strive day in and day out to do the best that they can in every aspect of a division from actual participation to striving for new innovations, and mingling socially with those around them. I am blessed to lead a unit where I have three such people. These three have given their time, energy, efforts, and patience over the years to the ABG, a unit which is wholly unique in the Rebel Squadrons. Not only do we have a complex, ever changing system, but the social aspect of our unit is difficult to deal with at times. We deal with unique personalities all the time, and at times things can get rather heated and personal. Most of the time, we're able to push past it and continue to do what we're all here for... have fun. These three have done more for this unit than they might think, from new innovative ideas, to new systems, to keeping the unit socially together... and I will be damned if they aren't rewarded for it.

The New Republic Medal of Honor is one of the highest awards in the Rebel Squadrons, awarded for a specific gaming platform for exceptional performance. I am pleased to present all three of these candidates to the whole of the RS for their tremendous accomplishments.


I hereby nominate Brigadier General Eric Skrevski for his performance in the Terra Firma campaign. During the campaign, which was an experiment in real-time simming, Eric consistently urged the group forward, creating countless opportunities for the group to succeed in their overarching goal. In combat, he not only fought tremendously hard to defend his peers, but saved them from grizzly death through unique solutions and tremendous forethought. Out of combat, he utilized his diplomatic and verbal skills to win over allies that would have otherwise not been swayed; securing the unit's tedious foothold on the world. He exemplifies a consistent, willing, able, and experienced roleplayer who is willing to sacrifice anything for his peers. These accomplishments would be enough for this award, but his contribution goes beyond this single campaign. He has had a pivotal hand in the most recent resurgence in Imperial oriented simming, and has been instrumental to the CS in his years of service.


I hereby nominate Admiral Sienn Sconn for this award not based on any single campaign, but for his multiple exceptional campaign performances spreading across his years of service. His character, one of the oldest in our unit, has seen countless battles and has been a mentor at one point or another to nearly every character who have gone through our system. During the Shadow's Edge campaign, he valiantly defended Allegiance members as they fell back from an unknown creature hellbent on destroying everything in its path, and was nearly killed in the process. He was instrumental in discovering the motives behind the Enigma (IFH V for those ABGers who remember) campaign; and his knowledge allowed the group to excel in the labyrinth like gauntlet presented to them. The pinnacle of his performance as a roleplayer came within the Unholy Alliance campaign, a campaign that spanned the course of three years of ABG simming. Sconn made the ultimate sacrifice for the group locked in combat with a high inquisitor, a pivotal member of an invading force bent on decimating the ABG and taking the RS planet of Bethlamore. Though he sacrificed himself in battle, he managed to mortally wound his opponent, depriving the invading force of one of their commanders; and beginning the turn of tides in the ABG's favor. Fortunately for the ABG, death was merely a temporary setback... Regardless, his performance over the years has made a lasting impact on the ABG as a whole which will last a lifetime.


Finally, I would like to nominate Vice Admiral Cyrel Vandroth. Cyrel, formerly Ciredik, has been an ABG member longer than I have. He has always been a major moving force in the unit and a good personal friend. That aside, his nomination solely comes from his performance in the Unholy Alliance campaign. He was one of the only ABG members to participate in every single UA sim. Though the fact was not made public, this long-reaching campaign had been going on for three years, with seemingly unrelated 'mini-campaigns' spreading that time. Cyrel was the first ABG member to make the connection that events were intertwined with each other, and was the first ABG member to fully understand how and why the invaders at Bethlamore were besting them at every turn. With assistance, he was able to help drastically reverse the fortunes of the ABG, securing logistical and strategic victories against otherwise insurmountable odds. As a combat medic he brought many participants back from the brink of death, while incapacitating and otherwise disposing of opponents. Developing what seemed like a professional relationship with some of the more 'sway-able' members of the invading force he unknowingly secured major victories for the ABG by convincing many of the elite members of the invading force to 'sit out' engagements, focusing their efforts elsewhere. Ultimately, Cyrel would leave the ABG at the end of the campaign, pursuing other ventures in an agreement to save the lives of his peers. His selfless devotion to his team, his absolutely legendary performance, and his overarching drive to see victory when others were looking annihilation in the face should make our entire fleet proud for years to come.

I hope these nominations are accepted so that this might be the first of many:

Congratulations. Each of you deserves more than I can possibly ever give... but I hope these medals mean as much to you as the sheer act of nominating the three of you does to me.

-Fleet Admiral Michael Raven
-Allegiance Battle Group Commanding Officer”

In the history of the RS, I do not believe a place can be found where the Medal of Honor has been awarded for exemplary activity in the simming platform, despite its status as a multiplayer platform. Tonight, I will correct this.

Upon the power vested in me by High Command, the RS Bylaws, and you, the members of the Rebel Squadrons, I, as RS Fleet Commander, do approve these nominations and hereby award Major General Eric Skrevski, Admiral Sienn Sconn, and Vice Admiral Cyrel Vandroth the New Republic Medal of Honor! Congratulations, gentlemen!

Of course, looking to see the criteria for the NRMoH has also opened my eyes to another situation. See, there is another combat medal in the RS that is higher than even the Medal of Honor. I speak of the Coruscant Star of Valor. The Star of Valor is presented to a member who has shown extreme performance in combat over a substantial period of time, exceeding the criteria for the Medal of Honor on multiple occasions and distinguishing himself as superior to others in combat. This medal may only be awarded to a member once and may only be nominated and awarded by either the RS XO or the RS FC. To date, only one person has been awarded the SoV: Fleet Admiral Michael Raven. I would see another name added to that list. This person has been awarded the Medal of Honor 3 times now in multiple platforms. I feel that anyone who can earn the MoH more than once is certainly not doing just the bare minimum to receive it, but is going beyond what is required. This ‘anyone’ that I speak of is none other than Admiral Sienn Sconn. Admiral Sconn, as RS Fleet Commander, I do hereby nominate and award you the highest combat award that can be given to an RSer: the Coruscant Star of Valor. Congratulations, Sconn! May god have mercy on your soul.


News

HC:
In HC news, FA Rahj Tharen has once again entered retirement. His Alderman position has been filled by CMDR Tá'Ré Djo. Thank you, Rahj for your service.

Club News:
I’m sure everyone here is aware of the recent Dry Run 2 that has concluded. For those of you who are new to our ranks, the Rebel Squadrons is in the process of reorganizing itself. I am pleased to announce that the initial phase of the Reorganization is almost over.

Within the next 2 weeks, barring any unforeseen circumstances, I intend to implement the Reorganization plan approved by HC over a year ago. This will mean the end of the RS’ separate divisions. Instead, everyone will be unified on one roster. Each member will be a part of one Squadron from which all avenues of activity are open to them. Members will have the freedom to decide what THEY participate in.

However, this is just the initial foundation. As I told HC on Thursday, we have to continue to build the house. As time goes by, there will be even more changes. The most noticeable will be to the RS site itself. Instead of having subdomains based upon our different divisions, they will be based upon the different platforms.      

Through it all, we will need your continued support to make this a reality. If anyone has a question about anything concerning the Reorganization, do not hesitate to contact me at kirghylommax@gmail.com.

Thank you all for your continued support and assistance.

Yours Cheerfulness, Service, and Brotherhood,

LGN Kirghy Lommax
RS Fleet Commander