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2017 Awards Ceremony – Staff awards


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So Rich, Captain Roshanara Rahman, was my CO during training and his guidance started then, starting by helping with some of the finer points of my biography that helped me make Aria a better character.  Later when I, on a whim, published a paper for the JSCE he encouraged me to do more and has constantly answered questions, offered advice and always had an encouraging word, even though I do not serve on his crew.  It is no surprise to me that he has won this award for OOC work.

From the moment I first started on the Training Team Renos has been encouraging and helpful, always available to offer advice and guidance.  He has always been easy to talk to and made it apparent that I can ask questions and that he has had my back if I make a decision.  Thanks for putting up with all of the questions.

Toni has been my commanding officer, I was very pleased to see her nomination accepted and her ultimate award.  I've seen her navigate choppy waters with players and always make decisions for the good of her ship, club, players, and ultimately the "fun" of the game.  A more deserving player I cannot imagine.

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Thank you I am very honored and touched to be receiving the Chief's Citation and the sentiments shared, they will all be treasured. I'd like to also extend Congratulations to everyone! We had an amazing year and Staff working diligently behind the scenes made that possible.

Rich and his contributions to the wiki caught my notice before we had really interacted with one another. The amount and quality of his work has made our wiki shine even more than it had before. In fleet chats where we have interacted, I found him to be charming and funny and, am looking forward to see if we will be neck and neck again at trivia like we were last year!

 

Jamie and I have mostly worked together at the Academy, and of course interacted in the chat where she is always up for a bit of talking with fleet mates. At the academy I got a first hand look at the humor and cheery attitude Jamie seems to always have both in sims and in every OOC message. Her feedback to cadets I found to be an inspiration in postivity and helped me find ways to improve when feedback myself. Any place seems to be brighter when she is around OOC or IC.

 

Tony was my cadet steward so he was part of my fleet experience ever since I returned to the group. Working with him on OOC projects was a joy and his leadership skills, and friendliness always shined. I too hope RL will allow him to come back to us one day.


Ann's grace under fire and civility when dealing with problematic issues is something I remember well during my time on the Embassy staff. Being even handed is not always easy to do yet Ann ensures it in every communication she makes. She will always be my oldest friend in the fleet and I still think back to the adventures we shared as fresh officers.

 

With James being, my mentor and CO I have seen his dedication to the fleet, the academy, and his ship first hand on a daily basis. Inspiration does not fully cover just impressive all of that is. He lives and breathes with the fleet always in mind and does so with distinction and honor. Thank you for everything that you do and Congratulations!

Edited by Brell
typo, grammer
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Aww, Brell, simming with you has always been a terrific adventure that started more than 10 years ago when I was so new to simming. You helped me then, and I'm proud to see you come back to sim with us, and getting the recognition you so richly deserve. :)

I thank you, and everyone for all the kind words, and encouragements. Y'all are the best when making simming fun and enjoyable.

Rich, you're like a breath of fresh air, offering help when all seems lost. I am in awe of you for all the things you do to make SB118 a better place. It just seems to me that you have boundless energy and a creative flair for everything.

James, working with you the most, I have found you helpful in many ways. And most deserving of your awards. I'm also in awe of your abilities to lead and be so involved with the Fleet at large.

Tony, I miss your take on the problems we have and your considered input on how to turn things around. You were always the voice of reason that I always appreciated.

Sal, while it's true we have not worked much together, it hasn't been because I haven't wanted to - I have. But maybe we can find a way to mesh the distance between the Embassy and  SB118 Ops some day soon. I think we both have a mutual goal of keeping this game fun, and that seems to have the makings of a fun mission.

Emma (Rear Admiral Reynolds) I feel privileged to work with you on the CC and EC. I've come to respect your honesty in everything you do.

Fleet Admiral Wolf thank you for all the doors you have opened for me to do the best I can with limited resources, and making it so easy to fall in love with the game you have provided us all.

 

Congratulations Everyone! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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I'm a bit jealous that @Renos got to present the Staff Member of the Year award to @Roshanara Rahman, whose mark on this community is unmistakable. I have sung his praises before, many times!, but there's no harm in doing so again, right? Rich's boundless energy has touched so many people and parts of this group, where to begin? This year he's being honored for his work as a staff member, and it was a long, hard road to get here. I saw in him incredible potential when he started sailing through the wiki years ago, beautifying and organizing pages and creating new portals. Then he ruffled some feathers across our staff when he created the Dept. of Veterans Affairs, a team whose goal was to help us maintain members, but often presented to the CC (and me!) some very challenging feedback about things we really needed to fix. When he got to the Captains Council first as a First Officer and later as a Captain, it was clear that his clarion voice would not be quieted as a newbie, and he often helped push discussion in productive ways that helped us really think about what it was we were trying to do and what the best way was to do it. Now he's landed on the Executive Council as the Captain at Large, while helping to run the Federation News Service and the USS Veritas, a ship of his own creation. He's also receiving the James T. Kirk Cross for his achievements as a new captain, and I'm sure most – if not all! – of his crew would agree that he's quite deserving. I'm so appreciative for members like Rich who are inspired by this community and want to help it grow and be more dynamic. Thanks to him for all his hard work – he earned this award with countless hours of effort. 

I said quite a bit about @Renos in my presentation of the Picard Award, and the Great Bird Award, but yes, let's a moment to thank James for all his hard work on the Training Team. He's been learning the ropes over the course of the last year, seeing the team through a very difficult period as our applications have slowed and it's become harder to keep our team humming along as we always have. But James has been diligent, and constantly pushing for improvements to manuals, making sure that everyone gets taken care of, all while running the Andaris Task Force! He definitely deserves this award. 

To @Toni, I ask: Is there any award you haven't received? 😂  The Sarek Star is an award that Ann really had to earn. I remember an officer with fire in her eyes who was bound and determined to rise to the top, no matter what anyone said. And that led to some moments of confrontation on the CC and EC in years past. But over these past few years, I've seen a new side to Ann – one that's compassionate, empathetic, and very sincere. She's grown so much and created a quiet and intentional brand that makes the Embassy very welcoming for weary players looking for a long-term place to call their own. Among the staff, Ann rarely raises her "voice" and instead chooses diplomacy more times than not. Congratulations to her for adding another award to her rack! 

And @Sal Taybrim earning the Pike Pendant is quite an achievement these days considering that she's one of our newer captains. She brought to our community some long-developed skills and it was easy to see from very early on that she was destined to command a ship of Taybrim groupies! I've worked with Jamie both in setting up her transition on SB118 Ops, but also on the Chat Team, and have always appreciated her hard work, as well as her sage opinions on the Captains Council, where she often gives carefully considered feedback. But this award is all about command, and Jamie has certainly created an environment where members on SB118 Ops remain for quite a long time and seem incredibly dedicated. So thanks to Jamie for putting in what it takes to not just know what leadership is, but understand how it must be wielded for everyone's benefit.

To all the others: Congratulations to you as well! Thank you for being a part of what we're building and being such important parts of this. :wolfy:

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Y'all didn't make it easy to cast my votes on who got which award from the impressive lists of nominees! ;)

@Roshanara Rahman, as my very first taste of excellence in the fleet during my time in the Academy, you've left a lasting impression on me, Rich. I'm so glad to see you get such prestigious awards!

@Renos, I wouldn't be where I am in the fleet today without your masterful tutelage and guidance. A truly excellent person in every way, know that whenever I give praise to anyone for anything, it is ALWAYS implied that you are first and foremost in my gratitude for giving me the same skills and opportunities.

@Toni, you've always been such a great sport when I get to write with you, I only wish I had more opportunities! Your lasting impressions on the game itself reverberate to the core of the fleet and its history, and I'm honored to get to work with you whenever I get the chance.

@Sal Taybrim, I've said this elsewhere, but I don't know how you do it! You are such an active and engaging player all over the fleet, from the CC, through the ships you serve on, and through your OOC activities. I absolutely love writing with you, and I know I'm not the only one! :)

@Brell, Brell, Brell... I miss you a ton, Lee, and I know you're one of the good ones! Keep on doing your thing, and this will be far from the only Staff award you'll earn! ;)

@Tony (Kells-Solzano-EM), alas, our time together was cut far too short. Thank you for launching such an innovative ship in the Za, and I hope that I get to work with you again in the near future!

Thank you so much to each and every one of you for your unfailing dedication and excellence! Our fleet is in great hands with fine folks like you keeping us on a true course!

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When @Sal Taybrim writes about how she prodded me to join SB118, it is completely and utterly accurate. In truth, she has been someone I've considered a mentor and friend for ages, and I believe I speak for everyone when I say the Pike Award is one she epitomizes in spades. @Sal Taybrim is someone who knows the value of these games, that the stories we weave together are another way for us to test our creativity, build friendships, and in a way, another way to enjoy our lives more fully. She builds her characters with care, and because she knows the value of her own characters, she treats other people's characters with an equal amount of care to help other players build upon what was created to make a more complete whole. She emphasizes that the value of a "game" is not just merely whether you win or lose, but the experience itself, and most importantly having fun. @Sal Taybrim is fierce, passionate but all of that energy goes to show just how much she wants everyone to have a good time and really experience things to the fullest. Congratulations @Sal Taybrim - you absolutely deserve this. 

 

Congrats to the other winners and all the best wishes! 

 

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First, I want to thank everyone for the kind words sent my way. It is truly humbling not only to read them but also to be in such company as the others honored this year. So, I'd like to share my own memories and praises for my fellow recipients.

@Renos, the fact that you've been both awarded this year the highest "admiral"-level award and named only the second person thus far to receive the group's highest award the Great Bird Award says it all about your contributions to this community. This very awards ceremony is only possible thanks to your tireless efforts to not only do the job because it has to be done but to do it well! You are meticulous in your work, planning events such as these or running the academy with the precision of a military general (or admiral I suppose, appropriately enough!).

But you're also not just interested in doing the job as it's always been done but figuring out if there are ways to improve. You don't seek the facilitator roles you've often found yourself in for the sake of the title or recognition. You do so because the group has needed a leader on these efforts, and you've stepped up to ensure it can continue to prosper. Ironically, despite how close we've now worked with each other starting with that first enthusiastic message I received from you when we were both Lt. Commanders getting ready to launch the Featured Bio Contest together and the countless OOC conversations we've since shared, we have yet to sim together! We must rectify that at some point, perhaps in this next year before the 2018 ceremony! Congrats again, my friend!

@Toni was my academy instructor (back when she was a commander) AND she was the first person I sent my first feedback about how StarBase 118 might consider doing things while still as a cadet! So I suspect she always knew I was going to be one to stir things up long before some of those other things @FltAdml. Wolf mentioned happened later! :P I deeply respect how she has been able to command Embassy for the past several years and not only just lead it but driven her crew to thrive on such an unconventional setting for a Star Trek sim group. The consistently high activity level, interesting missions, and unbridled enthusiasm of her crew are all testaments to her fine leadership.

@Sal Taybrim I feel like you could write a book on how RPGs work (and if you have, let me know so I can pick up a copy). I've always been impressed with your insight into how this game of ours works and your ability to see and understand the things that aren't so obvious but are key to running a successful group and ensuring everyone is having fun. You understand that while our pastime involves writing, it's not *just* about writing and that as you've said many times, a good writer might not necessarily be a good simmer. There's an entirely separate skillset needed to be the kind of simmer that others want to write/play with and another set of skills needed to successfully sim in a command role IC and OOC. I hope our group is able to incorporate that insight you bring to this community into how we operate and how we teach others to sim and lead.

@Brell, I haven't been able to sim or work with you as much as I'd like, but from what I've seen so far in the academy, we're very lucky to have you among the training team staff. I can see why James was so excited to have you come aboard as a deputy commandant, and congratulations again on your promotion. Your enthusiasm, attention to detail, and energy will serve both you and our group well for hopefully many years to come!

Finally, @Tony (Kells-Solzano-EM) well, I've already said quite a bit in my official presentation, right? You already know how much our friendship means to me, so I think I'll just share with everyone else that having my character (Joseph Washington) punch your character (Aron Kells) in the face was one of the highlights of my time here, and for everyone out there that enjoys Captain Rahman, you can thank Tony for helping convince both her and her writer to give it a shot since originally she was destined to always just be an engineer. Though both she IC and I OOC weren't sure if it would work (her more explicitly), I think Tony and I have both learned that no matter how much we may think another type of character may seem to make more "sense" for command purposes and other utilitarian reasons, ultimately, it's important that you write for the character you most enjoy because it comes through in your writing that you're having fun, and that is vital for a captain to show to his or her crew so they can feed off of that enthusiasm.

Congratulations again to all!

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