Introduction
- This special welcome is presented by Lt. Commander Jo Marshall, the Awards Facilitator for this year's ceremonies.
To the community of UFOP: StarBase 118,
Welcome to the fleetwide awards ceremony for 2020, or, in world, 2397!
I'm filling in for some hefty boots here, so I'll try to make it quick and lively so we can jump into the deep end and kick the awards off!
There are five categories of awards: General Awards (which some ships have presented to their crews already!), Duty Post, Special and Staff Awards recognise players across the rank spectrum for all sorts of IC or OOC achievements. The member Length of Service Awards continue to grow, recognizing membership lengths of one, three, five, 10, 15 and even 25 years! A remarkable number of simmers have been around for such extended periods, and they count among our numbers.
We’re celebrating our 26th year as a vibrant and incredible community of players coming together. A massive thank you to everyone who submitted nominations and to everyone who had the heart there but not the energy for it. It's been a rough time all around the world and that you're choosing to spend your free time and creative energy with us is honestly heartwarming. I've really loved seeing how we celebrate one another, keeping us propped up through the trials and tribulations of a turbulent time, and how every single nomination is a note of love, respect and gratitude for our fellow writers. It's a huge reminder that everyone is appreciated and valued for our imaginative contributions to our collective.
Special Recognition
- The Awards Committee — composed of Fleet Captain Kali Nicholotti, Captain Nugra and Captain Jarred Thoran — who voted on the Duty Post and Special Awards. This is a complex process that involves reviewing all the nominations received, along with supporting links for a given award and then selecting which candidate they feel best matches the qualities the award is seeking.
- The Deputy Award Facilitators — Commander Randal Shayne and Lieutenant Commanders Sky Blake and Dassa Alexander-Dalton — who helped prep the awards nominations for review, compile materials for the awards ceremonies, along with assisting with other tasks relating to the awards. They put in a considerable amount of time and effort to help ensure everything was accurate, prepared and ready for awards day. Their help has allowed the awards ceremony to continue to run smoothly.
- The commanding officers of the fleet, who put in a lot of time and effort to review the nominations for their ships and ensure that the right people are selected for awards.
- All the first officers of our fleet, who voted on the staff awards providing recommendations to the EC, for determining the recipient of general awards where their CO was nominated, and writing awards presentations where needed.
- All of you who submit wonderful, heartfelt nominations each year!
Keeping all of this running behind the scenes is no small task — more like Sisyphus pushing the boulder up the hill only for it to keep rolling back down — and yet, it runs smoothly; the welcome is warm and generous, and we have a fantastic fleet to show for it. To that end, I’d like to extend a special thanks to our tireless leader Fleet Admiral Wolf and our wonderful leadership team who continuously drive forward to make the fleet better and better with every passing year. No request for help is too much, nor too silly, and I know everyone in the fleet has benefited from the guidance you all have given over the years.
With the addition of the new length of service awards celebrating those in command for five and ten continuous years of commanding a ship or installation, the fleet is in a fantastic position of stable leadership and the ripple effect is felt at all levels. So, on behalf of the entire fleet, thank you for doing everything you do!
Stay weird. Stay unique. The future's here, let's take it for a ride.
Happy 26th anniversary everybody!
-- Em (Jo Marshall)
p.s. Can I have the champagne now?
Duty Post Awards
We begin with the awards presented to members of our fleet who most fully realize the duty posts in which their character sims. The nominations in these categories are reviewed by a panel of three staff members: one commanders and two members ranked captain or above.
The Prantares Ribbon
Awarded to those Medical officers who has moved beyond competence to display a true gift for the healing arts in the context of space medicine. The officers given this award should display the ability to keep a steady hand in the often hazardous conditions in which they must practice, as well as the willingness to risk their own life to save the lives of others.
Addison MacKenzie, USS Thor - Presented by Aron Kells
- What makes a good medical officer is, I think, more than just a medical tricorder and a dermal regenerator. For good or ill, every good medical officer needs to have an established bedside manner. It can be supportive, like Dr. Crusher, or irascible, like Dr. McCoy or The Doctor, but it's something that's so necessary to a character. Matt, who I had the pleasure of getting to know when he first entered the fleet with Doctor Addison MacKenzie, who began as a medical officer under my character, the Veritas's CMO at the time, has crafted Addison with a delicious point of view.
- Simply put, she knew she wanted to be the best, and she knew she could be the best, and that's how she approaches every interaction. Another nominator noted that her demeanor is "mature, professional but wryly funny" -- a tall and nuanced order, but one that Matt pulls off extremely well for Addison. I don't think I've encountered a medical officer with so much personality, and that combined with MacKenzie's extremely competent approach to medicine makes her, and Matt, a shoo-in for this year's Prantares Ribbon.
The Natasha Yar Pin
Named after the Chief of Security of the USS Enterprise-D, killed in the line of duty, this award is given to those Security officers who have gone above and beyond the call of duty in protecting and preserving the lives of their crewmates, even at risk to their own.
Samira Neathler, USS Gorkon - Presented by Quinn Reynolds
- The character of Samira Neathler is written as one of the best examples of a security officer I have ever had the pleasure of reading and simming alongside. Sami has created a shrewd, intelligent and meticulous young woman who carries out her responsibilities with professionalism and restraint, always understanding that in Starfleet, violence is a last resort. We've seen her shine in protecting her fellow crew from dangerous situations while never stealing the spotlight from her fellow writers, shielding them from harm in character while encouraging their creativity and contributions out of character. It's a difficult balance to master and yet Sami achieves it time and time again.
- As chief, she runs the department with a light touch and a deft hand, meeting and greeting new additions with a wry sense of humour and an invitation to help improve and develop the role of security aboard the ship. She's an exemplar of how to write Security, following in the finest traditions of the on-screen officers and I'm so pleased to present her with the Natasha Yar Pin. Congratulations, Sami!
The Voyager Medallion
Named after the USS Voyager, this award is presented to those Operations officers who have shown great skill in keeping a starship in working order despite near-impossible circumstances. The officers receiving this award have advanced the field of Operations, making sure duty rosters, provisions, gear, and even recreation time are available... no matter what.
Jona ch’Ranni, USS Gorkon - Presented by Quinn Reynolds
- There's something a little bit marvellous about the way Josh (Jona ch'Ranni) approaches the role of Operations Officer. It's a wonder to watch him take relatively mundane scenes of his character's day-to-day duties — PADDwork, inventory and more — that not just flesh out the department, but draw other writers into unexpected and delightful moments of character development. He crafts his sims in a way that really underscores and reminds us how important Operations to the smooth running of a ship, as integral its fabric as the bulkheads and warp core.
- He writes his character with an engaging, gentle humour and his attention to detail is reflected in his sims. It can't be overstated how much another simmer feels noticed and appreciated when an off-hand comment or situation they write into their sim is later reflected in one of Jona's. The events and situations that other people sim in their storylines are not just acknowledged but reflected in his own scenes with a unique Operations twist. He's a fantastic example of how to sim the Operations duty post and I'm delighted to present Jona ch'Ranni with the Voyager Medallion. Congratulations!
The Sisko Tactical Cross
The Sisko Tactical Cross is a duty post award and is awarded to those Tactical officers who have shown cunning and bravery in battle. Master strategists, and experts in targeting and shield power distribution, these officers have done the impossible to save their ship and the lives of its crew.
Melody Delri’ise, USS Juneau - Presented by Oddas Aria
- One of the most competent Tactical Officers I have had the pleasure to work with, Ryan's Deri'ise has a combination of attributes that makes her formidable, yet not a cliche. Far from the brooding, tough, rough Tactical Officer that could be imagined, Delri'ise is a character that is professional - a character that gets the job done in an efficient manner. The award is well deserved for a player who helps sim so much about what goes on outside the ship, how those things affect the ship. and ways the ship and other crewmen can work to solve the problems at hand. Congratulations again Ryan, very well deserved!
The Phoenix Award
The Phoenix Award is a duty post award that recognizes engineers. Named for the vessel that legendary engineer Zefram Cochrane piloted during his historic first warp flight, this award goes to those Engineering officers who continue this tradition of excellence in the field of engineering. By performing their tasks with enthusiasm, imagination and diligence, by managing to make their equipment perform above and beyond its rated capacities, the officers meriting this award further the mission of their ship by their superior know-how. In short, miracle workers.
Romyana Casparian, Starbase 118 Ops - Presented by Sal Taybrim
- Rebecca, who plays Romyana Casparian was posted to StarBase 118 Ops and hit the ground running. From the moment Casparian stepped onboard Starbase 118 Ops, right in the thick of a deadly mission, she has brought her skills and quick thinking to the table. She is consistently able to bring her quick thinking skills and creativity in engineering to her writing, balanced by a truly compassionate viewpoint of a young person struggling in a crazy galaxy. She punctuates action such as holding a ship together in a tense battle with small moments that let her character shine.
- Furthermore, she goes above and beyond for her fellow crewmates both in and out of character. One example is when Romyana's fellow crewmate, Lt Bailey, was in much need of her expertise. Because Bailey is an Elaysian, she had crutches and leg braces that did her few favors on away missions. Rebecca could immediately see possibilities for improved design and overall mobility. She jumped around the chance to help right away, running with the idea of improved braces and even making the crutches Lt Bailey’s favorite color - hot pink.
- All of this is bolstered by Casparian's energetic and positive presence on Discord where she is frequently inspiring her crew with new ideas, connecting with others on joint posts and bringing a fun voice to our downtime conversations. She is a friendly, and wonderful person to talk to and has brought an ongoing excitement to StarBase 118 Ops, which we all love! I am so happy to see Romyana recognized with this year's Phoenix award! Congratulations Rebecca, you have done a fantastic job and I am so proud of you!
The Cochrane Award
Given to those Science officers who have contributed greatly to the advance of science in the midst of their Starfleet career, by staying knowledgeable about their field, participating in the community of science, but most importantly, by placing their knowledge at the service of their ship and its mission.
Quentin Collins, USS Juneau - Presented by Oddas Aria
- For the second year in the row I have the pleasure of presenting the Cochrane Award. Quentin, Justin, has consistently been the go-to source for all things science - wether telling me why its why a particular piece of a mission needs to be changed because the science doesn't work, or coming up with a bit of techno-babble to solve an issue in a realistic way, or using regular science to deal with a mission detail like filling out why an antagonist would e searching out a particular area of a newly discovered region of space.
- Justin is a seemingly endless well of knowledge dealing with all things Science related and seems to be able to apply it to the story at hand in a way that is relatable and not overwhelming. He has a quiet but joyous competence writing for science that the entire ship - and fleet - benefits from. It is my pleasure to present the Cochrane Award for these reasons and more.
The Pilot's Sextant
An award named after an old Earth navigational tool, the Pilot's Sextant is given to those Helm officers who have proven themselves to be the best of the best. From finding a safe route home to flying an emergency atmospheric landing, pilots who have earned the right to this award know the importance of staying focused, and puts their ability to make spectacular maneuvers at the service of their ship and its mission.
Ben Garcia, USS Thor - Presented by Aron Kells
- Wes, who plays Ben García, is in the tricky but rewarding position of playing both the Thor's second officer and another duty post on top of that, in his case that of HCO (helm, communication, and operations). Both of those roles are very much open to interpretation, each perhaps more so than any other duty posts, and together? Well, let's just say that there are lots of possibilities!
- But Wes has taken a wholly new approach to García's duty posts, playing from strength to strength depending upon what the situation calls for. Need an away team leader? He can do that. Need an audit of the senior staff's crew quarters? He can do that. But this award recognizes the strongest helm officer of the year, and so I want to particularly laud Wes for the way he tackles that particular challenge. Helm is a notoriously difficult post to play well, since helm's role in the story often boils down to pointing the ship and pressing the warp buttons. Wes, however, allows García to seamlessly meld his command experience with his piloting skills, as most recently evidenced by his recent turn as an away team commander and ace mission pilot for the Thor's first independent mission. However, I also have to draw attention to his excellent work in simming the Thor's final departure from Duronis II following the completion of the embassy's mission.
- Great work all around, Wes!
The Order of the Valiant Heart
 The Order of the Valiant Heart This award is given to those ship's Counselor who have shown great skill in protecting the mental health of their crewmates, clearly demonstrating superior ability to care, assist, and comfort those in need. They have gone above and beyond the call of duty in assisting their crewmates with their problems, and in preventing future problems from occurring.
Corliss Fortune, USS Gorkon - Presented by Quinn Reynolds
- What a wonderful example of a Counsellor Corliss Fortune is! From the very first time she wrote a counselling session with one of the Gorkon's writers, I was struck with how well she approaches the role, bringing a remarkable authenticity to her sims. The research she's done into psychology shows through, with Corliss' patients being guided through their struggles with kindness and patience, backed up by genuine counselling techniques.
- We've seen her guide members of the crew through marriage counselling, the fallout of a father betraying his son, regressing a mother and daughter through past traumas to heal together, aid a recently joined Trill in understanding and exploring their new identity and support a member of the crew in coming to terms with life-altering injuries. She helps the ship's writers delve into their characters' psyches, crafting sims that inspire, wrench hearts, and begin journeys of lasting character development that we see reflected in sims months and sometimes years down the line. I'm delighted to present Corliss Fortune with the Order of the Valiant Heart. Well done, Corliss!
The Semper Fidelis Award
For those Starfleet Marines who have shown great skill in protecting their crew, accomplishing their mission, avoiding tragic loss of life in the line of duty, and upholding the values of the UFoP in times of crisis.
Wes Greaves, USS Thor - Presented by Aron Kells
- Now, what you have to understand first about Jacob, who writes for Wes Greaves, is that he is a marine officer. When he speaks about and sims for Greaves in particular, and marines in Trek in general, he carries real-world authority and experience with him. He's easily been the strongest, most thoughtful marine player I've ever encountered, but I'm very pleased to see him win the Semper Fidelis Award this year for more than the quality of his sims. He's recently embarked upon a complete redraft of the Thor's marine detachment, which anyone can now read on the wiki (https://wiki.starbase118.net/wiki/index.php?title=Thor_Marine_Detachment).
- He also began a conversation on the Thor's OOC list about the place and status of marines, both on the Thor and in the Trek universe in general, and it's been one of the most in-depth and thoughtful OOC conversations I've ever participated in as a member of SB118. As a result of that conversation and of his own experience and drive, Jacob created a guide to both simming for and the role of marines in our game, which I'm excited to share with the fleet as a resource for future marine players and anyone curious about what marines are doing in SB118's universe -- so, consider this award very well deserved, but also a teaser for what this extremely talented simmer has in store for us!
The Black Cross
This award is given to a member of the Intelligence community that strives to accomplish the goals of Starfleet Intelligence, while simultaneously upholding the ideals and structure of Starfleet command. This person has the cunning to gather intelligence by means of deceptive dialogue or espionage, as opposed to force drawn confessions. While matters of intelligence are often game changers, this person strives to attain those goals within the boundaries of their Commanding Officer, and the regulations of Starfleet.
Ash MacKenna, USS Juneau - Presented by Oddas Aria
- Marissa, the writer for MacKenna, is an experienced simmer and nowhere does this show more than when she is writing for an intelligence officer. Instead of going the obvious route and writing a character that is rogue or living in the shadows, Marissa writes a character collecting information from both conventional and unconventional sources. Using her position she manages to contribute to both the lore and the action of a mission, the ship, and the region of space she finds herself in. Not only does she contribute to ships in meaningful ways - she does so in a way that is believable to the situation. The information comes to her character through hard work and manner befitting her position and in a way that allows other players a sense of wonder and inclusion in the story - encouraging them to contribute and to play along more.
- Marissa is one of the best writers I have written with, and I look forward to writing with her for a long time to come.
The Strange Medallion
Named after Commander Sally Strange, widely known as one of the most creative and dedicated First Officers in the fleet's early years, this award is given to those who perform above the call of duty in the position of First Officer.
Jo Marshall, USS Gorkon - presented by Quinn Reynoldsr
- It is hard to do justice to exactly how good Em (Jo Marshall ) is as a First Officer, but I'll do my best! Every role aboard the ship she's involved with is attended to with enthusiasm, meticulous care and a generous dose of good fun. She's a constant force for improvement and positivity aboard the Gorkon; she handles the mentoring program with a kind and supportive hand, encouraging the other staff members to do their check-ins and offer advice on how to handle difficult situations. Her own interactions with her mentees and other members of the crew are all that could be asked for, offering solid guidance with humour and inspiration, always striving to encourage people to be the very best simmers that they can.
- She guides the plot with aplomb, consistently throwing in delightful twists that keep people on their toes, all the while providing plenty of opportunities for other members of the crew to shine. The efforts of others are always recognised and respected, with Em ensuring that her sims are beautifully written, acknowledging and including all the small details that other writers have introduced and building upon them. Her writing is some of the best I've seen, with evocative descriptions and characters that just beg to be interacted with. She fundamentally understands that this is a collaborative game, celebrating the contributions of our writers with every sim she sends and ensuring that everyone gets to feel like the star of the show and never a supporting character in someone else's story.
- More than that, her dedication and love for the fleet is shown in how she participates beyond the Gorkon itself. In the academy, she trains new cadets with care and enthusiasm, with other trainers and newly-graduated cadets talking of how much they enjoy working with her. She's also active with the Federation News Team, Poll of the Week, the Image Collective — each task attended to with the same dedication and care that we see in her efforts aboard ship. Em also takes her observer role on the Captain's Council seriously, actively participating in the discussions that take place there and helping to steer the fleet forward.
- She is, simply put, one of the best simmers and finest first officers that I have ever had the pleasure of serving with. Congratulations, Em! I am so proud and delighted to be able to present you with the Strange Medallion.
Special Awards
Next, we continue with awards which recognize members of the fleet for particularly important contributions or roles which affect the fleet's OOC areas. Here, too, the nominations are reviewed by a panel of three staff members: one commanders and two members ranked captain or above.
The Rising Star Award
For members who show great promise in many facets of their participation in the group, and to whom we look to as a future leader.
Geoffrey Teller, USS Thor - presented by Aron Kells
- The folks who nominated Brian (Teller) for this award wrote a combined total of over 2500 words in support of this year's Rising Star. Many of those highlighted the responsibilities he's taken on over the past year, including as the acting XO and then CO of the USS Diligent for a mission on the Veritas, and then the masterful job he's done as the XO of the Duronis II Embassy and, currently, the Thor. It's even more appropriate that Brian was also last year's Luminary Award winner, as that award recognizes one member per year who shows extreme promise in their SB118 career, but who is ranked lieutenant or under. His dedication, support, mentorship, and involvement have been recognized by all around him, from SB118's guiding councils to the ensigns onboard the Thor. In fact, a group of ensigns approached me unsolicited to sing Brian's praises, noting, among other positive qualities, that he's cheerful, shows a strong work ethic, and is always able to engage simmers who don't know where to go next.
- A few of his nominators wanted to celebrate "Future Captain" Teller with this award, but I don't think they went far enough -- so please join me in celebrating "Future Admiral" Teller, this year's Rising Star!
Luminary Award
Given to members holding the rank of ensign, lieutenant junior grade, or lieutenant. For those who show great promise in their future endeavours in UFOP: Starbase 118 RPG.
Alieth, USS Thor - Presented by Aron Kells
- I also have the pleasure of recognizing Andrea, aka Lieutenant JG Alieth, this year's winner of the Luminary Award! Even if you haven't simmed with her directly, you've surely encountered Andrea before -- she sims on the Thor, but she's active all over the fleet forums and Discord, and her work as a part of the Image Collective has already become legendary. Her work with her RL husband Miguel, aka Ensign Sirok, produced the Thor's redesigned logo, and this led to a complete logo redesign for all the ships in the fleet. Her sim quality, too, is extremely high, and all of this came when she was just an ensign -- she was only promoted to lieutenant JG a couple of weeks ago!
- The whole SB118 fleet is lucky to count Andrea as a member, and I look forward to seeing what she does next. If this year is any guide, perhaps we'll be looking forward to Rising Star Alieth in 2021...?
Sarpeidon Award
The Sarpeidon Award is a special award given to any simmer who has made outstanding contributions to the 118Wiki. Sarpeidon was the world in TOS's "All Our Yesterdays," in which the planet's population created a library containing their entire world's history. This is, in essence, what our wiki strives to become: a collection of our group's history and a simming database.
Sky Blake, USS Veritas - Presented by Roshanara Rahman
- It seems only fitting to talk about Sky Blake's writer Deliera and her contributions to the 118Wiki in particular because it was through the wiki that we first connected. Long before we wrote together as shipmates and now CO and first officer, I stumbled upon Deliera's wiki page for her character and her behind-the-scenes pages and was in awe. I reached out to her later to help launch the Featured Bio Contest, which ran from 2012 to 2017 and highlighted great wiki bios from across the fleet. In 2014, we launched the Wiki Operations Team (now squadron), where she served as Vice Chief of Wiki Operations and eventually as team facilitator.
- Today, she continues her work on the wiki as an administrator, ensuring this vital resource of our fleet stays organized and up to date. Taking care of this important work doesn’t often draw attention to itself, and so I'm glad to see that this year six separate nominations were submitted for Deliera to be recognized with this award. Clearly, her dedication and hard work has not gone unnoticed. Besides her own contributions to the wiki, other players also cited how she can always be counted on to provide advice and guidance for those learning how to use it.
- She is a tireless champion of the power of the wiki to help people further tell their characters' stories, and she is so well-deserving of this award!
The Boothby Award
For trainers who go above and beyond their Academy training requirements. These trainers display an outstanding example of dedication to bringing new cadets to our community.
Samira Neathler, USS Gorkon - Presented by Quinn Reynolds
- Week after week, one name that stands out in the Academy is that of Samira Neathler. She's a stalwart member of the team, volunteering her time and energy whenever she can while knowing when she needs to step back for a week or two to recharge her batteries so that she can continue giving her best — a balance that's trickier than it seems! In every position she fills, she stands out as an exemplar of that role; her sims are beautifully written and set a fantastic example for our cadets, as an XO she keeps the class running smoothly with her organisational skills, as CO she supports both the cadets and the other members of the training team by offering feedback, insight and encouragement.
- The nominations consistently spoke of what a fun and welcoming environment she makes for our cadets, and how much she inspired and encouraged our newer trainers in their own path through the academy. For all these reasons and more, I'm delighted to present Samira Neathler with the Boothby Award. Congratulations, Sami!
Quark's Bar
Quark's Bar is a special award and is awarded to members who are regularly active on the forums and have been supportive and involved in conversations enhancing the overall forum experience.
Jo Marshall, USS Gorkon - Presented by Tristan Wolf
- The Captain's Council debated, this year, how to handle the rise of our Discord chat room when it comes to the Awards Ceremony. The end result was to wait until we had a better sense of what was to come in the next year. But it's clear, nonetheless, that many people in the fleet felt like Quark's Bar, created for the forums, as applying to the chat room as well – we had seven different nominees, many of which mentioned Discord. Everyone who was nominated was a vital and enthusiastic voice in our community. They're all people who've contributed to making the vibe fun in the last year – a place where people want to congregate. But one person, Jo Marshall, had the clear endorsement of the Awards Committee.
- Marshall has been tireless in helping to develop the OOC vibe, particularly on Discord. Between assisting in setting up the bot, to creating fun and interactive commands, and even helping to edit our staff guide to managing Discord, she's been proactive every step of the way. How can we forget that she also led the project to expand our custom emoji, including adding a number of Black actors into the mix. Our Discord is more fun because of everything she's brought to the table.
- She also led the charge in planning and executing this year's Writing Challenge revival, which saw the largest ever amount of participation in a challenge – all on the forums. Between the theme and rules she put in place, writers from every ship in the fleet demonstrated an incredible level of creativity that put our judges panel to the test in deciding who would win.
- I've so much appreciated Marshall's quick wit, friendly and helpful personality, and willingness to go the extra mile to try new things. She absolutely deserves this award!
The Xalor Clan Xifilis Award
 The Xalor Clan Xifilis Award Given to any simmer who overcomes any sort of disadvantage while simming. This award was originally called the "Rachel Garett Pendant," but was renamed for the 2000 ceremony to to honor a respected simmer in UFOP: StarBase 118 who passed away in that year. This is the only Special Award that is given more than once per ceremony.
Karen Stendhal, Starbase 118 Ops - Presented by Sal Taybrim
- Stefania, the writer behind Lieutenant JG Karen Stendhal, has proved her strength and determination since the moment she joined SB118. From Italy, English is her second language, which is a true struggle in and of itself. But she constantly works to overcome this challenge, upholding a fantastic personal standard of writing as well as a willingness to add as much as she can to each mission. Her writing improves with each and every sim and she brings a wonderful sense of humor and charm to her character and her narrative. Simming with Lieutenant Stendhal is a joy and will bring a smile to the face of any of her fellow crew.
- During recent events known globally (COVID19), her world has been turned upside down. Italy was one of the first countries quarantined after China. She let us know that she was in a very tense lockdown and dangerous situation. Still, she wrote on, never letting the craziness of the real-world affect her enthusiastic and lively writing. She even maintained an MSNPC throughout the crisis, assisting with our last mission as a leader as well as a player.
- Stefania, you are truly an amazing and enduring writer. Thank you so much for all your enthusiasm, humor and wonderful simming. I am so proud to be able to honor you in this year’s fleetwide awards!
Toryn Raga, USS Atlantis - Presented by Jarred Thoran
- The past year has not been kind to Toryn. Living in Florida he has been at the mercy of numerous storms and tornadoes that have at times prevented him from simming.. Additionally, with the spread of COVID-19, Toryn has been deeply affected, both in a professional and personal capacity. Lesser people would no doubt have thrown in the towel, but Toryn has persevered through it all and is an inspiration to his crewmates. It is my honour to present him with the Xalor Clan Xifilis Award.
Sheila Bailey, Starbase 118 Ops - Presented by Sal Taybrim
- Aly, the player behind Lieutenant JG Sheila Bailey, is an incredibly strong player who is passionate about disability awareness and portraying characters that are not disabled, but differently-abled, showing a true depth of characterization and an honest willingness to explore these characters and allow others to learn more about those characters through writing.
- In the tradition of all the best characters in fiction, Aly’s characters are in part a reflection of herself and some of her real-life struggles. Some days she does not have the energy to write and Aly communicates well with her fellow crew on days when she needs to rest or take a break, and still maintains a full time posting and excellent writing. We can see in her love for her characters, a passion for this awareness in real life, as well as an overwhelming strength to shine through difficult times and bring something truly creative and meaningful to out simming on StarBase 118 Ops.
- Aly, you have grown to be a brilliant and respected simmer on StarBase 118 and this shines through all the effort and passion you put into your writing. I am so proud to be able to recognize all your hard work and honor you in this year’s fleetwide awards!
Noa T’Nessa Levinson, USS Juneau - Presented by Oddas Aria
- Since coming aboard Ensign Levinson has made herself an invaluable member of the crew by being a source of unending positivity, friendliness, and willingness to lend a hand where needed. In addition to her steadfast devotion to maintaining a positive atmosphere, she has honed a set of simming skills that is hard to rival - using extended prose and commentary in a way that moves the story purposefully and realistically. These are all great qualities for a player to have, something grateful COs love to find in a player that has only been with us a short time, and qualities we are astounded to find in players that are not playing in their native language.
- The amount of time she puts into each sim, and other interactions with the group, in a language, not her own is an example to all of us and makes the entire group better.
 The Community Champion Award For members who participate in – or help facilitate – simming community events, representing the best of UFOP: SB118 to other organizations by hosting events, acting as contest judges, or otherwise contributing their expertise in a way that benefits the wider community.
Tristan Wolf, Starbase 118 Executive Tower - Presented by Sal Taybrim
- At first, this award may seem like a no-brainer. Fleet Admiral Tristan Wolf founded this community and remains on as its head administrative officer. Many players only see Fleet Admiral Wolf as the overarching admin that helps run the game.
- But what does running the game actually mean? What does it all entail? What does Fleet Admiral Wolf do behind the scenes? Let me take you through just a portion of everything Fleet Admiral Wolf does to support this community. First, he’s the driving force behind our publicity efforts, which reaches out to Star Trek fans across the globe and helps bring new players into the game. If you came here through a link, advertisement, Facebook or Google search, you had contact with Wolf’s work. If you’ve made a new friend in the past year you have certainly been facilitated by Fleet Admiral Wolf’s work. Going along with this Fleet Admiral Wolf runs our News Team which is not only a major factor in publicity but keeps our members constantly informed and entertained. He helps organize every major taskforce from the Chat team to the Academy and makes sure all members are informed of everything from forum outages to fun events on Discord. If you’ve been able to participate in something entertaining on the forums or a fun event on Discord, again Fleet Admiral Wolf helped make that happen and made sure you got the news.
- Moreover, Jordan, the person behind Fleet Admiral Wolf is a champion for creating a stable, long-term, inclusive, and safe community for writers of every background. He is passionate about making sure this community stays supportive of all players and Star Trek ideals. He guides the game’s staff in timely discussions about how to continually improve our community for all members. Jordan is also consistently focused on fleetwide unity and supportive of all our ships and crews. No one is more concerned about the fleet as a whole and making sure every ship is successful and every player has a good place to sim than Fleet Admiral Wolf. Everyone from newly posted Ensigns to seasoned veterans matters to this game and they matter to our Admiral.
- All of this has created an unprecedented run of 26 years and counting of a stable, complex and well-crafted game run by volunteers, founded on a dream that Fleet Admiral Wolf had of having a place where people could write about a better future full of fantastic adventures and strong friendships. We are all here today, celebrating awards and enjoying wonderful stories because of Fleet Admiral Wolf’s constant dedication to this community.
- I would like to personally thank you, Jordan, for creating this wonderful game and I hope that every player will join me in congratulating you as this year’s Community Champion!
Staff Awards
Staff Awards are reserved solely for officers who are Commander in rank, or above. As the people in our group who carry the burden of leadership and investment in our future success, it's important that we take a few moments to recognize the dedication and work they put in throughout the year. Without a staff as dedicated as the one we have, we simply wouldn't be able to sustain our community nature and many of the activities we enjoy.
This year, the fleet’s First Officers were again empaneled to vote on the nominations and advise the Executive Council on recipients. For the nine awards presented below, all come from the recommendations of the First Officer panel.
Elinor of Kanist Order of Excellence
Named for one of UFOP: StarBase 118's most significant founding members, this award recognizes those who have served the fleet as a staff member for at least 5 years, attained the rank of Rear Admiral or higher, previously been awarded the Picard Award and Staff Member of the Year Award, and continue to serve the fleet to the betterment of all members. This is the highest staff honor, celebrating longevity, dedication to the fleet, and the perseverance for wearing the Admiral's belt..
Quinn Reynolds, USS Gorkon - Presented by Aron Kells
- I first met Emma, aka Vice Admiral Quinn Reynolds, back in 2007. I had just been assigned to the Triumphant as its new first officer, and Emma had just seen Quinn promoted from ensign to lieutenant JG in the Triumphant's engine room. The Triumphant crew was very new, and when our CO took increasingly extended (and unannounced) breaks, I looked for help in navigating the uncertainties of my first XO gig. Even then, Emma was endlessly competent and a clear leader, and I relied very much as Quinn became my acting XO at the tender rank of JG. In fact, my positive impression predates even that tomfoolery, back to when she reached out to me following my transfer to Triumphant. She'd noticed that I was running a PNPC whose last name was Reynolds and suggested that, since Quinn's surname was Reynolds, might they be related? If you've ever noticed the positive simming opportunities that Emma provides to others, then know that this, too, has been there since the beginning!
- Years later, when I took over the Mercury (and then launched Garuda and Invicta), I very much wanted Emma to return to sim with me, as she was then on a long-term LOA from the fleet. I'm delighted to say that she accepted, and wrote Quinn as a captain of intelligence for a few important years. At the same time, after I had a couple of XOs who went on LOA and had no viable candidates, she offered to create a new character who could serve as XO -- not because she wanted to sim the position necessarily, but because she knew the ship could use the help. We designed the character with a "kill switch" wherein he'd defect as a part of whatever mission if (and then when) another player was ready for the XO spot. Again, I want to draw your attention to the positive attributes on display here -- playing cooperatively, making sure the ship came first, helping out and always adding to the ongoing story.
- When she launched the Gorkon, I hated losing her, but of course I recognized that she was a stellar simmer and would come roaring back into that center seat. It's worthwhile too to highlight her choice of ship name -- the Gorkon is the first ship in the fleet named for a fictional character, but specifically a character who embodied optimism regarding interactions between individuals and groups, as well as the peacemaking processes as a whole. Emma's credo is right there in the Gorkon's motto: "We succeed together in a greater whole."
- Nowadays, everyone in the fleet has likely had some interaction with Emma in some way, whether on the Gorkon, as a part of her service on the Executive or Captains Councils, on Discord, or as a part of her long-running leadership in the Academy (or something else entirely!). In fact, the Executive Council of 2015 would routinely seek out Emma's opinion on tricky matters, even before she had returned to captain the Gorkon or serve on the EC.
- It is entirely fitting that Emma is the inaugural recipient of the Elinor of Kanist Order of Excellence, the group's new highest honor -- and that she was also the only nominee for the award, and still received half a dozen nominations for the honor!
Honor of the Admiralty
The highest award that can be conferred upon a UFOP: Starbase 118 staff member under the rank of Rear Admiral. This award recognizes those who have served as staff members for a minimum of five years in a multitude of disciplines. From facilitating our task forces, engaging with the Captains Council, and leading with the utmost dedication, these writers volunteer their time, effort, and skill to building our game and community and have comprehensively earned the respect and loyalty of members.
Roshanara Rahman, USS Veritas - Presented by Aron Kells
- Writes one of Rich's nominators: "He is quite literally the reason that I am still a member of this community." You can't ask for higher praise than that, and yet I think Rich, aka Fleet Captain Roshanara Rahman (and roughly 6000 other characters), has earned not only the respect this award signifies but all of the substantial accolades that have come his way over the past decade. I was honestly not sure what to make of Rich at first when he transferred to the Mercury eight years ago. He was already a lieutenant commander and introduced Roshanara as such, so he was well-regarded around the fleet, but then he started suggesting ... things. Not bad things, certainly, but things I hadn't seriously considered before: long-ranging character arcs that lasted for months or years, novel ways to track and recognize promotions (which eventually morphed into the player achievement system), and then, once he became my XO and was able to access the Captains Council, even bigger ideas about how specific aspects of the group ought to change. Many of the big, structural changes that have occurred over the past several years, from giving commanders the right to vote on most matters in the Captains Council to the ongoing reform of rights for players on LOA, found their inception in Rich's ongoing fight to make the group more fair and equitable for all.
- And that's well before we even start to talk about the wiki! Along with Deliera (aka Lt. Cmdr. Blake and also about 6000 other characters) and a few others, Rich has completely revolutionized how we use the group wiki. Try the Six-Degrees-of-Rich game sometime: Find your way to a random article on the wiki, and then click around through a few more linked pages. Odds are, most of those pages will have either been directly edited by Rich or will use a template that Rich either designed or dreamed up. Especially when we talk about the wiki, it's hard to imagine what Starbase 118 would look like without Rich.
- Despite all of his work, believe me when I tell you it was quite a job getting him to even think about going for promotion and command, even though I knew he'd be amazing. But for a long time, Rich was content to write and edit and work in the background. No matter the way in which you've encountered him, though, I hope you're able to see that Starbase 118 is an endlessly richer place (no pun intended, or maybe pun very much intended) for Rich's presence and all that he's accomplished and will continue to accomplish as one of our most productive and laudable staff members. He is absolutely deserving of the inaugural Honor of the Admiralty, and I'm only sad that he can't win this one twice, as I'm sure that he'll continue to dazzle us all with everything he does and the ways in which he makes Starbase 118 better for everyone.
Staff Member of the Year Award
For staff members who have contributed tirelessly to the organization through any number of OOC channels, while maintaining excellence in simming on their vessel.
Oddas Aria, USS Juneau - Presented by Roshanara Rahman
- The past year has been an eventful one for Nicholas, the writer behind Captain Oddas Aria, and the fleet has soared because of his many contributions. While continuing to serve as commanding officer of his vessel, Nicholas planned and executed Project Capstone, a daring and unprecedented 12-week event where players came together to post as a new crew on the shakedown cruise of the USS Juneau. The event was the culmination of a wider yearlong fleetwide plot arc about the development of the Warp XV engine and arguably the most ambitious “joint” simming occasion since Operation Bright Star in 2010.
- After Capstone’s completion, Nicholas and his crew on the USS Eagle made the Juneau their new home, and behind the scenes, he took on a new role as the Captain-at-Large on the Executive Council. Since his term began, Nicholas has introduced regular CAL “office hours” on Discord and monthly summaries of EC business to the Captains Council to ensure more of our staff know what’s happening at our fleet’s highest levels. This is all on top of his continuing duties as an Academy Deputy Commandant and co-facilitator for the Advanced Starship Design Bureau team!
- Our community’s finest staff members and captains are those who grow beyond just the bulkheads of their ships to see themselves as caretakers of the wider fleet as a whole. It is this legacy of service that has enabled our community to thrive for twenty-six years, a legacy that Nicholas has continued as our 2020 Staff Member of the Year.
The James T. Kirk Cross
Given to new Commanding Officers who show outstanding potential in the field of commanding.
Jarred Thoran, USS Atlantis - Presented by Jalana Rajel
- There aren't enough words to describe the impact that this year’s James T. Kirk Cross recipient has had on the fleet and his fellow writers, but I'll try. In his three years adventure of writing with us, he has won numerous awards showing that he is a dedicated writer that his fellow shipmates simply love to write and work with. He has shown early on that he was eager to do more than just show up: he trained new members of the fleet, mentored new players to his ships, became a First Officer, lead the publicity team and has shown great promise from the beginning of his Starfleet career. That potential has not stopped; on the contrary he brought it into the way he is leading his ship, the USS Atlantis.
- While researching Richard's accomplishments it was anything but difficult to find voices who spoke highly of him. One of the strongest impressions he made was when he received command of the USS Atlantis. Under the best of circumstances that is a busy and stressful time, even though full of excitement. Things go very fast and are turbulent, especially when joining a new crew.
- But Richard has taken up this difficult role in a stride and quickly established himself as the kind of CO that inspires his fellow writers and brings out the best in them. Richard has an eye for what the members of his crew need to thrive and he assists them to the best of his abilities to get to their best selves.
- Richard's crew knows him as a hard working, fair and compassionate CO who is always willing to listen, communicate and give advice. Between all this work behind the scenes he does not forget to have fun while writing or joining in the playful banter in his ship's chat, which makes him a well rounded Commanding Officer. He is admired by his crew and the fleet at large and it's my honour and pleasure to congratulate Richard - and his IC counterpart Jarred Thoran - for receiving this great award, which is very well deserved. I can't wait to see where the next year leads you!
The Sarek Star
Given to a command officer who shows great diplomatic ability in working with members and staff.
Sal Taybrim, StarBase 118 Ops - Presented by Aron Kells
- It's my honor and delight to award this year's Sarek Star to Jamie, aka Fleet Captain Sal Taybrim. Though I've never simmed directly with her, I've known and respected her since she first came to my attention, the better part of a decade ago now. I was lucky to oversee her captaincy exam about five years ago, and not only was she clearly an excellent CO, she helped me rethink how to interact and empathize with my crew. I was predisposed to think positively of her already, though, after an event that had occurred a few years before in which Jamie had approached me on behalf of herself and others who, it seemed, didn't quite know how to articulate what sort of help they needed. At that point, Jamie was firmly established in my mind as someone who not only works well with others, but advocates on behalf of others. Over the half-decade or so she's commanded Ops, I've only seen those qualities improve, and so it's very much time to recognize Jamie with the Sarek Star.
- However, I also recognize that I often view others from the very privileged position of having been a captain for quite a few years, and that one's colleagues and crew are often the best when it comes to telling the real story. I read Jamie's nominations for the Sarek Star as impartially as I could, and I was pleased (but not surprised) to learn that she's very much held in esteem by folks on Ops and around the fleet. According to one nominator, "Jamie handles everyone she contacts professionally, with an outstretched hand of friendship and with firm guidance." Importantly, that nominator writes, Jamie has perfected that very tough balance between establishing firm boundaries and cultivating simmers with collaborative and unique opportunities on Ops. Another nominator notes that Jamie is "always on hand should there be a problem, or a crewmember has plot ideas for character development or plot point, always finding a pleasant and interesting balance between the two." And I'm sure that most folks, whether on the forums or on Discord, or somewhere else entirely, have noted Jamie's positive disposition -- or, as one nominator put it, "the ever-present encouragement for all."
- Simply put, Jamie is not only a diplomat but is also a delight, an outstanding CO whose dedication to the growth and sustainability of her crew is second to none. This award is long overdue and extremely well deserved!
Christopher Pike Pendant
Awarded to commanding officers who command their ship with honor and dedication, and help to provide a creative atmosphere which fosters outstanding simming.
Oddas Aria, USS Juneau - Presented by Roshanara Rahman
- Through the words of his nominators, the impact that Nicholas, the writer behind Captain Oddas Aria, has had on his crew is clear. They cite not just his creative energy but the care and support he gives to those under his command. One person noted, “He is humble, exceedingly competent and possessed of a fighting spirit. For every hit, problem and issue, Nicholas has the patience to face it and the desire to find the best answer possible.”
- As his former training CO and now fellow captain, I couldn’t agree more as I’ve had the pleasure of seeing Nicholas develop from a cadet in 2016 to an outstanding first officer and now one of our finest captains. One thing Nicholas has never stopped doing since his first days in 118 is asking questions and advice when he comes across new or challenging situations. That humbleness cited earlier by a nominator has only helped him ensure that he is always learning and becoming the best player and now CO that he can be.
- And now with his first officer Commander Randal Shayne embarking on a new chapter of his own, Nicholas has ensured that the high standard he has set for himself and his crew will continue to be spread throughout the fleet and to the next generation of officers. Congratulations and well-done, Captain!”
Chief’s Citation
Recognizing the essential staff members whose determined work has benefitted the group In Character, and/or Out Of Character, even while their primary service was not as the Commanding Officer of a simming installation. Inspired by the non-commissioned and enlisted personnel who are the backbone of any starship but were rarely recognized in Star Trek lore in favor of the officers.
Randal Shayne, USS Arrow - Presented by Oddas Aria
- The recipient of the Chief's Citation Award is often one of those members of the fleet who works behind the scenes to make the fleet a better place, putting the hours in to add to those activities outside simming that make the fleet more of a club than just a place to come and play a game. Through their endeavors, they work to make the fleet a place to hang out, talk about our favorite things, and participate in a larger universe.
- Randal Shayne, the recipient of this year's Chief's Citation, meets the above criteria and more. As the Poll of the Week Co-Facilitator, a member of the ASDB, heading up the Picard Canon Committee, serving on the Captain's Council, and more Shayne is involved in a number of activities around the fleet that make our group the group it is. Congratulations to Commander Shyane!
Kathryn Janeway Award
 Toni Turner, Duronis II Embassy The Kathryn Janeway Award is a staff award for retired Commanding Officers who have made a great impact on their crew and left an indelible legacy on our community history.'
Toni Turner, Duronis II Embassy - presented by Tristan Wolf & Oddas Aria
- The retirement of Rear Admiral Toni Turner (Ann) was a sad day earlier this year, as she ended a 14-year run with the fleet, having made a mark on nearly every area of our community. We want to recognize her dedication and loyalty, her boundless enthusiasm for simming, and her fierce advocacy for her crew.
- How do you encapsulate a career this long and mention all the things that need to be said? I recall so many moments from her time with us, even from those early days as a Counselor at Duronis II Embassy when she struggled to find her voice as someone who had only experienced Star Trek casually and wasn't intimately versed in all of the fandom and lore. She was nothing if not persistent and determined, though, to command her own vessel and lead a crew, and nothing was going to stop her. She earned the affection of many in the group with her tireless willingness to volunteer for anything that needed help. As a result, she rotated through many positions in the fleet – winning 19 awards along the way, including the Boothby Award and Staff Member of the Year. In later years of her command, she was an active participant on the Captain's Council and then the Executive Council as a full member.
- As a Commanding Officer she returned to the Embassy – after having served on the Challenger and Resolution – and earned the James T. Kirk Cross, Christopher Pike Award, and even the Picard Award. She was single-minded in her pursuit of finding and elevating new officers, encouraging them to look toward leadership and command. She was a booster of everyone she worked with, and was incredibly empathetic to those who struggled with finding their voice as she had.
- We thank her for her long-time service to the fleet, and hope she enjoys a restful retirement!
Length of Service Awards
Length of Service Awards are presented to members who have been continuously active for at least a year, there are also tiers for three, five, ten, 15, 20 and even 25 years of continuous service.
The list below only contains members who have newly hit the threshold for the award. For example, a member who's been here for four years, and received the 3-year award last year, won't be listed below. You can see all previous winners of Length of Service awards here.
Some members who have been on LOA since before these awards were created will be in multiple award tiers below as they “catch up” with the awards they missed.
We’ve used the best information we have available to us in calculating each member’s start date and LOAs. If you believe you should have received an award, but are not listed below, please contact your CO to have this corrected, and please accept our humblest apologies in advance for the oversight.
5-year Commanding Officer
1-Year Members
- Jona ch'Ranni, graduated from training on October 19th, 2018
- Samira Neathler, graduated from training on August 27th, 2018
- James Colquhoun, graduated from training on December 1st, 2018
- Corliss Fortune, graduated from training on October 3rd, 2018
- Pholin Duyzer, graduated from training on September 13th, 2018
- Lazarus Davis, graduated from training on October 2nd, 2018
- Jacob Horne, graduated from training on August 23rd, 2017
- Willimina Bellweather, graduated from training on November 5th, 2018
- Wil Ukinix, graduated from training on November 13th, 2018
- Charlena Vanlith, graduated from training on April 15th, 2019
- Sheila Bailey, graduated from training on December 11th, 2018
- Karen Stendhal, graduated from training on April 19th, 2019
- German Galven, graduated from training on July 29th, 2018
- Ferier Kian, graduated from training on January 30th, 2018
- Geoffrey Teller, graduated from training on September 17th, 2018
- Ben Garcia, graduated from training on January 2nd, 2019
- Addison MacKenzie, graduated from training on February 19th, 2019
- Quen Deena, graduated from training on February 6th, 2019
- Esa Darkkdust, graduated from training on November 20th, 2018
- Ilana Ganarvuss, graduated from training on April 10th, 2018
- Chloe Waters, graduated from training on November 1st, 2018
- Quentin Collins, graduated from training on December 1st, 2018
3-Year Members
- Piravao sh’Qynallahr, graduated from training on November 21st, 2016
- Ket Shoba, graduated from training on August 18th, 2013
- Ceciri Ariadust, graduated from training on December 15, 2014
- Prudence Blackwell, graduated from training on August 17th, 2016
- Luthas, graduated from training on June 8th, 2016
- Anthony Meeks, graduated from training on January 17th, 2011
- Arturo Maxwell, graduated from training on November 21st, 2016
- Melody Delri'ise, graduated from training on January 19th, 2017
- Krindo Pandorn, graduated from training on August 9th, 2016
- Jarred Thoran, graduated from training on May 8th, 2017
- Anath G'Renn, graduated from training on February 28th, 2017
- Yogan Yalu, graduated from training on November 13th, 2011
5-Year Members
- Cory Stoyer, graduated from training on November 10th, 2014
- Arlo Thorton, graduated from training on March 23rd, 2015
- Raissa Moonsong, graduated from training on July 1st, 2014
- Nijil, graduated from training on February 9th, 2015
- Kurt Logan, graduated from training on March 2nd, 2015
- Randal Shayne, graduated from training on February 2nd, 2015
10-Year Members
- Loxley, graduated from training on January 25th, 2007
- Roshanara Rahman, graduated from training on May 27th, 2010
- Dassa Alexander-Dalton, graduated from training on October 1st, 2004
15-Year Members
- Nyka Wyss, graduated from training on January 22nd, 2004
25-Year Members
- Tristan Wolf, Community Founder!
5-year Commanding Officer
- Vice Admiral Quinn Reynolds, who took command of the USS Gorkon (NCC-82293) on July 7th, 2015.
- Commodore Jalana Rajel, who took command of the USS Constitution-B (NCC-9012-B) on May 5th, 2015.
Final thanks
- Valued members of our community,
- I hope you've enjoyed reading through this year's awards ceremony. I know it's a lot of text, a lot of recognition, just a lot to read overall! But, in particular, I hope what you take away from this ceremony is the full feeling of gratitude and appreciation that pours out from what we're doing.
- I'd imagine it's hard to understand, before you reach the command levels of our community, just how much work is going on behind the scenes to pull off everything we do. But let me pull back the curtain and point out just how much this exercise is choreographed:
- Our process begins in April by reviewing the past year's ceremony, the suggestions we got from the community, and the list of awards to decide if we need to retire or add any. The Captains Council discusses these things at length before we have to refresh the form, check all of our award pages, begin preparing our news posts and fleetwide emails, and then launch the process.
- From there it's a sprint to the end of the nominations process, pushing everyone in the fleet to participate – uncovering memories from weeks and months ago of ways that people impressed us. Reviewing each of our peers and trying to understand the impact they've made on our community. All the while, our staff is ensuring that every angle is covered in nominations and that each person who has earned an award gets nominated.
- Things really get hectic once nominations close as our Awards Facilitator – Jo Marshall, this year – picks an Awards Committee and starts collating the nominations. There are at least 100 tasks that must be done in a line before we actually get to the ceremony, involving every member of the command staff, with some folks being simply buried in the work like Kirk opening an overhead compartment to reveal thousands of tribbles.
- At the end of the day, we are all exhausted but happy. Although we go to great lengths throughout the year to try and help each of you understand how much we value your contributions to the fleet, the carefully time and effort you expend to write the perfect sims, we also know the magic of coming together for this recognition – to write down in the annals of our history that "this person was amazing, and we want to thank them for that."
- It's no trivial effort – as much as we want you to think that it is! – and I hope that those of you who earned awards can take some time to look back over the history of the award you won, maybe read some of the presentation from those past ceremonies, and know that someday someone else will be doing the same with your name. Welcome to the Hall of Honor, you've earned it.
- Before we close, I'd like to mention some commendations and "credits" where they're due:
- First and foremost, to Jo Marshall, who stage managed this process – collating, coordinating, logisticating, pontificating, and memeing every step. She brought a whole new character to the role and upped the ante for all those who come after her. I have deep empathy for the person in this position, and even deeper thanks for all of the hard work put in to make sure that every detail is perfect and correct. Thank you, Jo Marshall, for everything you've done to make this "show" go off without a hitch!
- To our Awards Committee, that read through 22 awards worth of nominations and carefully voted to award the Duty Post and Special awards. You've done a great service puting in this time and consideration, and helping our community come to the best decision.
- To our Commanding Officers, who have been tireless and extremely gracious throughout the whole thing. Your efforts are priceless in how much care and time you've put in. Thank you for everything you've done here, and everything you do to maintain this thing we've all built. This is an amazing thing we have and I hope you know how rare and precious it is to have a "round table" like we're experiencing right now.
- To our First Officers, who judged the Staff Awards and every other day of the year help make what we do possible. Thank you for being our cheerleaders, our assistants, our defenses, our collators, and our partners in this. I look forward to the day when you sit in the captain's chair and look in gratitude at the person in your seat.
- Fleet Captain Sal Taybrim had these words of thanks:
- Jalana Rajel - for incredible dedication year after year to the image team. She's consistently helpful with graphics, helping others create new graphics, she created the graphics for our new awards, and she's consistently a friendly and helpful staff member for StarBase 118.
- German Galven and Nijil from StarBase 118 Ops who took the lead in cheerleading the awards and nominations process, and assisted in writing up the shipwide awards ceremony for Ops.
- Alex Blair from the USS Constitution who assisted Jalana in cheerleading the awards and nomination process on the USS Constitution and also assisted her in writing up the Constitution's shipwide awards.
- Also, a special commendation to German Galven for his work on the News Team. He has been an integral part of meeting our goals every month and uplifting others through an unending series of interviews!
- Commander Randal Shayne, new CO of the USS Arrow, had these words to offer:
- LtCmdr. Quentin Collins: Justin has been nothing short of an exemplary first officer from the beginning. He has had a hand in everything from award cheer leading to mentoring to discussing command decisions and making suggestions for our new region. And, on top of it, he stepped up without hesitation when the launch of the Arrow was moved up. All around fantastic.
- LtCmdr. Kim Chin-sun: James has been similarly helpful in the launch process. Specifically, his input and work in terms of mentoring cannot be overstated. Because of him, we can help guide newer officers effectively from the beginning.
- On a more personal note, I'd like to extend my personal gratitude to Marissa (Cmdr. Ash MacKenna) who has been spiritually supportive to me, and, from what I understand, functionally essential to the Juneau.
- And finally, my last thanks is to you, dear members! You make it all worthwhile. The joy you bring, and the joy you experience fuels every moment of this. I look forward to many more years in service to this community.
- Until next year…
- Jordan
FltAdml. Tristan Wolf
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