We had a lot of great contributors in August, including some fantastic award winners below. However, there’s one thing missing: No Recruitment award. If you’re doing any work to recruit players to your game or the fleet, please make sure your CO is aware so they can nominate you for an award.
Best Post
Cmdr. Samantha Howard & Cmdr. Jonathan Grayson & Lt. Lisa Olsson CMO/XO/CSTO USS Washington
Grayson does it again: Leading by example and filling in while the Captain had IRL items to deal with; A true example of what a team player XO looks like.
Last year on Ongoing Worlds, we hosted a role playing game show called The Simming Endeavor. The concept was simple: Bring 13 different role players together into a single game, allow them to compete each week to write the best post on a particular topic, and then have them vote each other out until there’s only one left. As host, it was tons of fun–some of my best all-time memories of role playing.
Our very own Bolak (aka Largehobbit) was one of the contestants. I’ll save you the spoiler and not tell you how he did! James “Rook” Mirtoh and James D. West both served as special guests (episodes 3 and 8, respectively). And finally, our former Director of Art, Sadie Stanton (aka Bella), created all the graphics for the show.
The purpose of this post isn’t to shameless promote our prior work. Well, at least not entirely. One of last year’s contestants, Messenger of Heaven, is looking to host and produce a second season of the show this fall. If you’re interested in serving as a contestant, please contact me on discord or through email. Believe me, it will be a unique experience you can’t recreate elsewhere.
Or if you just want to read the episodes, we’ve posted links below. We recommend starting with episode 1, obviously.
In unrelated IDF news, Captain Aurther Winters has relieved Captain Grover vonMcCormick as Commanding Officer of the USS Chuck Norris, and Captain Dick Sprague has relieved Captain Michael Meezo as Commanding Officer of the USS Wayfarer. Both turnovers are dated to September 1st.
For “The Illusion of Diplomacy” Junior officers reacting to a hologram of a Vulcan diplomatic officer – hilariarious and well deserving of funniest post this month!
When it comes to awards, it’s certainly tough to follow the Hall of Fame. However, we’re still going to try. The show must go on! Here are your June 2020 award winners:
Best Post
Ensign Balen Pibb Assistant Chief Security/Tactical Officer USS Chuck Norris
For “Tantrums about” A funny little interaction that moves the plot forward more than meets the eye.
Funniest Post
Lt. Mackenzie Graham & Lt. Donovan Steele Chief Medical Officer/Chief Operations Officer USS Ganymede
For “Steele a moment” Crewmembers meeting each other for the first time. Sometimes it’s big, sometimes it’s not.
Genesis
Capt. Shran dh’Klar & Lt. L’Rissa & Lt. Deanna Celes Commanding Officer/Flight Control Officer/Operations Officer USS Washington
For “Curiosity Has Risks” It may be simple, but I’m sure of one thing: This is going to be a great mission.
Springs kept the story going and single-handedly saved this sim after both the CO and XO quit. She also recruited new players and now the game is humming along.
Most Posts
Commander Samantha Howard Chief Medical Officer USS Washington
For writing 7 posts.
Most Improved
Lt. Cmdr. Estella Stratton Chief Counselor USS Washington
Stratton took it upon herself to push hard into the mission, showcased leadership skills, and did some excellent writing.
As mentioned earlier, Arliss recruited several members to the Eminence and this game is doing some great things now.
Maybe we have a few future Hall of Famers in our list above. Only time will tell. I take that back, I think we do have some Hall of Famers here! Keep writing and keep having fun.
I often think back to my original time in IDF, the fleet’s classical era in the 2000s. I remember them as the good ole’ days. The same for the renaissance period of the early 2010s. In reality, I was only a member of the fleet for about two and a half years during my first stint, and then I was Chief of Fleet Operations for less than a year and a half 2010-12. They both were fleeting moments, but I recall them much differently. No pun intended.
To quote Andy Bernard from the finale episode of The Office: “I wish there was a way to know you’re in the good old days before you’ve actually left them.”
So it is with IDF: These are the good ole’ days! Over the last few months, we’ve rebuilt our community, reestablished our Star Trek lore, and even played the old Super Space Command 3000 joke again. What a time it is! We’re right in the middle of the good ole’ days and our best years are yet to come. Cherish the moments we have now to write Trek with our fellow crewmembers. The future is limited only by our own imaginations.
On that note, I would like to bid a happy retirement to Fleet Admiral James D. West. Without him, there would be no IDF: He was one of our three founders and has been instrumental in leading our rebuild this year. To me, he’s been a mentor, a rival, a friend, and much more. To everyone else, he’s one of the all-time greats, not just within IDF, but for the entire simming and online role playing community.
In that light, I accept the authority and responsibility as Independence Fleet’s Commander-in-Chief and General Executive Director. As my first official act, I hereby permanently retire the Fleet Admiral rank. No one else can ever fill West’s shoes, so no one else will ever wear his rank either. Furthermore, Fleet Admiral West will always be the most senior historical member of this club.
It’s been almost four months since I assumed command of Independence Fleet back in February. It’s high time that we recognized some of the people who have made our resurgence possible. I hereby issue the following six citations:
The Excellence in Service Medal is hereby renamed the Command Excellence Medal. It is to be awarded for achievement above and beyond the call of duty at the sim Commanding Officer level.
Command Excellence Medal
Awarded to Captain Shane Youngblood for commanding the USS Chuck Norris from 2014 to 2020. Captain Youngblood kept IDF alive when its website went offline by having the Chuck Norris continue simming over email. For that action, IDF will be forever grateful.
Awarded to Colonel Steven MayTa Death for commanding the USS Sanctuary from 2012 to 2020. At the time of his transfer to fellow simming club UCIP, he was first all time in IDF with 89 command months. His tenure included 1,631 total posts and 17 posting titles.
Awarded to Captain Shran dh’Klar for commanding the USS Washington. As previously announced, Captain dh’Klar is now our Commanding Officer elder statesman with the all time lead in command months (90) and posting titles (26). He continues to be guiding light and example for his sim.
The Distinguished Service Medal is awarded for achievement above and beyond the call of duty at the Admiralty level.
Distinguished Service Medal
Awarded to Rear Admiral Sadie Stanton for her service as Director of Art. Creating an entirely new graphical design and feel for the IDF website, her creative vision has been invaluable in our second renaissance.
Awarded to Vice Admiral Ken Gillis for his service as Director of Technology. He built the entire new IDF website in record time and continues to manage a first-rate, fast, and error-free IT system.
Awarded to Admiral Charles Star for his service as Chief of Fleet Operations. The glue who puts it all together, he assembled the greatest staff this fleet has ever seen and continues to lead both here and in the community at large.
Just like the Monthly Awards, the Major Awards are now back too. If there’s a theme here, it’s the three Captains who bridged the gap from the old website and leadership to the new and the three Admirals who made what we have now possible. Thanks to all and I hope you continue to serve the fleet for many years to come.
Recruited the Washington’s stellar rookie and continues to work on recruiting for the ship.
Congratulations to all of our winners. Good luck to everyone for May and keep simming! That’s what I said last month too? I’m must be getting too old for this.
It’s that time again as we reach out into the community and ask one of our esteemed members about their “Favorite Trek.” Aurther comes to us after a break from the simming world and we are overjoyed to have him back.
Aurther cut his teeth back in 2003 when he was recruited into his first Sim through a college message board. So started the adventures of James Sullivan on the USS Dragon in IDF. From lowly Ensign to Chief Engineer James rose through the ranks until that thing we call “a life” dragged him away.
But the call of Captain Youngblood of the USS Chuck Norris called him back again to engage in technobabble once more, a language in which Aurther is quite fluent. Alas life struck again and Aurther went of to live it for several years before recently stumbling on an invite to returned to his old stomping ground to Trek once more!
Now a proud father of a beautiful 8 week old daughter and a man with a little extra time on his hands (or perhaps better time management skills) he has returned to the Chuck Norris and Independence Fleet to which he has remained loyal all these years!
Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you Aurther and his Favorite Trek :
Name: Aurther Winters
Rank: Commander
Sim: USS Chuck Norris
Position: Executive Officer
Favorite Star Trek episode? Darmok
Why? This was in the height of the TNG best writing and acting. The plot and the messages that came out of it were some of the best. The premise of being able to speak the same language but not the same language is a dynamic I don’t think is often explored enough.
Favorite Star Trek series? The Next Generation
Why? It expanded what was originally set out in TOS, but the stoy and acting was far superior. It also laid out the groundwork and subplots for would would come later in different series. Also I feel like there is nothing more iconic then then the Enterprise-D.
Favorite Star Trek film? First Contact
Why? As much as I love how Iconic the Enterprise-D was, when the Enterprise-E made the scene I was in love. As a fan of the ships on Star Trek this was one where there was just so many to see and like. This one also had a good fee call backs well also being interesting and showing us all where the line is. Here. No further! *Insert smashing glass scene*
Favorite Star Trek Captain? Captain Picard
What year did you start simming? 2004
What sim was it? USS Dragon
What keeps you simming today? Keeping the writing skills and imagination up, and love of Star Trek
Favorite non-simming hobby? Hockey
Favorite non-Trek series? The Orville
Favorite non-Trek film? Ghostbusters
Favorite book (fiction or non)? Redshirts
Favorite video game? Halo
Favorite musician or band? Greenday
Favorite superhero? Captain Canuck
If you could have any super power, what would it be? Don’t know if you would call it a superpower, but being able to understand and speak every language
Favorite sport? Hockey
Favorite team? Colorado Avalanche
Favorite food? Tacos
Coke or Pepsi? Pepsi
Lennon or McCartney? Lennon
Jordan or LeBron? Jordan
Star Trek or Star Wars? Star Trek
Rank the Trek TV shows from best to worst. The Next Generation (1987–1994) Original Series (1966–1969) Discovery (2017–present) Picard (2020–present) Orville (2017) Enterprise (2001–2005) Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Voyager (1995–2001)
Rank the Trek movies from best to worst. II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991) IV: The Voyage Home (1986) III: The Search for Spock (1984) The Motion Picture (1979) V: The Final Frontier (1989) First Contact (1996) Generations (1994) Nemesis (2002) Insurrection (1998) Star Trek (2009) Into Darkness (2013) Beyond (2016)
Was this too many questions? I mean by the end I thought you might have been asking for my shoe size, but I think this was a good amount.
Fantastic Aurther please take a bow and everyone else have a great Easter weekend!
Rook Mirtoh, your friendly neighborhood Director of Personnel here. It’s been a number of years since I was last in the IDF Admiralty. So many that I’ve lost count! Regardless, I’m back and so is IDF. March was a great month with many great posts and performances. Alas, we don’t have enough awards to honor everyone who is doing excellent things with us today. However, we can honor these outstanding members of the fleet.
Best Post
Cmdr. Jonathan Grayson (XO) & Lt. Cmdr. N’Sachzny P’Glosho (CSTO) USS Washington
For “Meeting old friends?” Beautifully written, an in depth look at the characters, history, and politics. Well done!
For jumping right in on the new website in his old role as XO and posting a fleet-high of 6 posts, all helping set the tone for what’s coming. Already stepping up as a leader and getting new crew integrated.
