Popular Post Jo Marshall Posted June 28, 2021 Popular Post Posted June 28, 2021 Today we are proud to present the Length of Service and Special Awards! 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, 10, 15, 20 and even 25 years of continuous service. This year, thirty players have reached a length of service milestone. Of those, eleven are celebrating their first milestone, having picked up the award for one year of active membership. Another six have achieved three years of active membership and ten more have been here for five years. Two players have reached the incredible ten-year milestone, and one has reached fifteen years! We also have two players celebrating their five-year command milestones as Commodores of our fleet! 5-year Commanding Officer For those who have served as commanding officers for their ships and stations continuously for five years. Officers in this category are also appointed to the rank of Commodore to recognize their experience and leadership. Commodore Sal Taybrim, who took command of StarBase 118 Ops on December 12th, 2015. Quote After first earning the rank of Commander on October 29, 2015, Commodore Sal Taybrim took command of our fleet’s namesake installation, StarBase 118 Ops, on December 12, 2015. Promoted to Captain on June 12, 2016, and then Fleet Captain on February 20, 2019, and rising to Commodore on December 14, 2020, her rise has been swift. In five years of service as a commanding officer, Jamie has received many decorations, including the James T. Kirk Cross, Christopher Pike Pendant, and Staff Member of the Year Award. In her years as a duty officer, she previously received the Prantares Ribbon and the Rising Star Award. In addition to her duties as CO to her crew, Jamie serves as a member of the Executive Council, facilitator of the Newsies Team, and member of the Chat Team and the Wiki Ops Squadron. In the five years Jamie has commanded Ops, she has proven to be level-headed, creative, uplifting, insightful, prudent and nothing but extraordinary. She is a leader who cares, wants others to do well, encourages, pushes and challenges, offering a hand up when someone falls down. Stern with a heart, compassionate with boldness, open and available, who allows freedom and yet keeps things on track, striking a good balance with the missions. She does so with good, easy going humour, and always strives to help people be the best versions of themselves in their simming. Jamie, thank you for five years of serving Ops and SB118. We’re looking forward to many more. You can read more about Commodore Sal Taybrim in an interview she did last year. Commodore Roshanara Rahman, who took command of the USS Invicta (NCC-81407) on April 5th, 2016. Quote Roshanara Rahman was promoted to Commander on February 3rd 2016, which kicked off a very busy year for Rich. He inherited command of USS Invicta two months later, swapping between Roshanara Rahman and Joseph Washington. Meanwhile, Rich carefully planned his own hand-crafted ship and region. He began putting his plans into motion following his promotion to Captain in late August. The USS Veritas, based in Rich's original campaign region called the Shoals, was finally launched in December 2016. For years, Rich has dedicated his time and energy to the fleet at large — whether it be championing the wiki's development, pushing for innovation in our personnel systems with the Vets Affairs, the creation of the ASDB with Oddas Aria, his role on the Training Team, and performing duties as the current Executive Council Magistrate. The work is near-endless, and he's dedicated to this community of people on a whole other level. Rich himself is an incredible person and an epic story teller. He creates striking visuals fit for a Star Trek universe and distinct characters that are a pleasure to read and interact with. He was promoted to Fleet Captain on February 22nd 2019. Still commanding Veritas, Rich joined fellow captains Quinn Reynolds, Jalana Rajel, and Sal Taybrim when he was promoted to Commodore on April 10th 2021 as one of the longest running captains of a ship for five continuous years. Thank you for all your hard work, Rich! You can read more about Commodore Roshanara Rahman in an interview he did last year. 1-Year Member For those who have been members continuously for one year. Haley Caden, graduated from training on June 1, 2020 R'Ariel, graduated from training on June 1, 2020 Artinus Serinus, graduated from training on July 1, 2019 Lephi, graduated from training on June 1, 2020 Stefan Mattheiu, graduated from training on May 5, 2020 Noa T'Nessa Levinson, graduated from training on January 6, 2020 Airik Tierney, graduated from training on May 25, 2020 Drevas Matthel, graduated from training on June 1, 2020 Alieth, graduated from training on February 10, 2020 Sirok, graduated from training on February 10, 2020 Wes Greaves, graduated from training on February 9, 2020 3-Year Member For those who have been members continuously for three years. Serala, graduated from training on December 4, 2017 Toryn Raga, graduated from training on October 4, 2017 Jacob Horne, graduated from training on August 23, 2017 Kiran Han, graduated from training on October 1, 2017 Genkos Adea, graduated from training on February 6, 2018 Tatash, graduated from training on August 1, 2014 5-Year Member For those who have been members continuously for five years. Amuro McKnight, graduated from training on February 15, 2016 Jocelyn Marshall, graduated from training on April 10, 2016 Ayiana Sevo, graduated from training on September 1, 2014 Serren Tan, graduated from training on April 1, 2010 Oddas Aria, graduated from training on May 5, 2016 R'Kala, graduated from training on August 1, 2011 Etan Iljor, graduated from training on March 23, 2015 Yogan Yalu, graduated from training on November 13, 2011 Alora DeVeau, graduated from training on August 6, 2013 Anthony Meeks, graduated from training on January 17, 2011 10-Year Member For those who have been members continuously for ten years. Shedet, graduated from training on August 4, 2003 Sky Blake, graduated from training on March 1, 2011 15-Year Member For those who have been members continuously for fifteen years. Lilith Thorne, graduated from training on August 1, 2000 Special Awards 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. Jo Marshall, USS Gorkon Presented by Quinn Reynolds: We're so fortunate this year to see many people nominated for the Rising Star award, showing what a fantastic community we've built and how many people love to invest the time and energy into making it even better. Those who nominated Jo Marshall talked at length about her leadership qualities; her dedication, her willingness to go the extra mile, and her ability to balance good humour with teaching moments. Over the past twelve months, her contributions to the fleet have bordered on the incredible, showing how much she cares for and champions our community. Not only does she help lead her ship with the above qualities, but she also steers and supports many of our OOC efforts; helping to organise the State of the Federation Address, as a stalwart member of the training team, showing her creative flair in the Image Collective, facilitating the Federation News Service and Poll of the Week. On top of that, she helped champion the return of the Writing Challenge to phenomenal success, and of course, facilitated this very ceremony! Her guiding hand already makes this fleet a more fun, vibrant and exciting place to be, and we're fortunate to count her among the leadership of the group as a staff member. We look forward to seeing her continue to cheerlead, support and innovate, and thank her for everything she does now and in the future. Congratulations and well done! 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. Wes Greaves, USS Thor Presented by Aron Kells: I’m especially honoured to present this year’s Luminary Award to Jacob, aka the marine detachment commander for the Thor, Wes Greaves. Jacob also received the Thor’s TOSMA this year, and one of his nominations for that award included the observation that Jacob “has been a driving force on the Thor since he was a second lieutenant.” I’m borrowing it for this citation and to recognise that Jacob started out running and has only been building momentum since. He’s now a member of the Thor’s staff group, where I rely on his strong senses of leadership and equability, and he’s someone you’ve probably encountered around the fleet as well, whether on Discord, as a new member of the Training Team, or — if you’ve been a member of the Captain's Council over the past year — for his keen insights on marines in the Star Trek universe and for Starbase 118 RPG specifically. Jacob pulls from his own marine background to bring a grounded, experienced perspective to marine structure and function on the Thor, and to say that he’s revolutionized how his fellow simmers and I think about marines is actually an understatement. He’s the well-deserved winner of last year’s Semper Fidelis Award (the marine duty post award), and what he’s done with his time with the 118 fleet has not only changed my sense of marines in Star Trek, he’s done a lot to educate me about marine ethos and ethics in the real world, too. But this citation isn’t for the Semper Fidelis, it’s for the Luminary, and I mention his marine work to introduce everyone to the idea that Jacob’s been a natural leader from the very beginning when he generously allowed me to bring his thoughts on marines to the Captain's Council. He’s a natural leader who seeks challenges both IC and OOC — he recently, for example, came to me with an idea for a series of JPs in which Greaves receives additional command training from Kells. One of his nominators said it best, and so I’ll leave you with some of that high praise: “This is a man with a solid head on his shoulders, who cares about others, has fantastic writing talents, and I cannot wait to not only sim more with him, but to watch where he goes in our wonderful community.” The Sarpeidon Award Awarded to members who have 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. Noa T’Nessa Levinson, USS Chin’toka Presented by Roshanara Rahman: Watching the wiki grow over the years is one of the highlights of being a part of this community and every year, new members bring fresh ideas on how to present information about their characters, the stories of our ships, and the greater universe we’ve all built. Since first diving into the wiki, Noa T’Nessa Levinson has shown remarkable originality and creativity in figuring out new ways to bring style and a polished presentation to the wiki. He similarly continues the long tradition of wiki gnomes before him in diligently maintaining not just his own ship’s pages but that of the wider fleet and its lore to help ensure everything is as up to date as possible. Above all else, Levinson’s passion for the wiki and helping other members learn its power and potential is obvious, endearing, and inspiring. Learning to edit the wiki is often perceived as one of the most intimidating skills for new members to master, but Levinson’s joy in his work and commitment to supporting others by answering their questions and troubleshooting problems helps make the unfamiliar task of wiki editing not just friendlier but an exciting world of possibilities waiting to be discovered. Congratulations, Noa T’Nessa Levinson, on being recognized with this year’s Sarpeidon Award, and thank you for your hard work and dedication! 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. Addison MacKenzie, USS Resolution Presented by Quinn Reynolds: It is always a pleasure to present the Boothby Award and recognise someone who has gone above and beyond in supporting the Training Team. Addison MacKenzie is a name that stands out in the Academy, volunteering regularly and long past his obligations to do so. He supports the team with positivity, respect and good humour, shining in whatever role he takes on—be it mock cadet, First Officer or Commanding Officer. Several of his nominators spoke of how fantastic his mentoring is, offering cadets feedback which not only corrects problems with the basics but gives them things to think about as they move forward into the fleet. But he doesn't just teach cadets! The nominations also spoke of how his enthusiasm and skills inspired them to be better trainers, learning from the example he sets. Besides taking part in classes, he supports the work of the Academy as one of our Statisticians, a role that requires an organised, keen and detail-oriented eye to ensure that we track the cadets passing through, and ensure we properly credit our trainers for their hard work. His presence makes the Training Team a fun, dynamic and streamlined experience, and cadets and upcoming trainers alike benefit from his experience and professionalism. Commander Addison MacKenzie, thank you so much for everything you've brought to the team and many congratulations on winning this year's Boothby Award! 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. Lephi, USS Chin’toka Presented by Mei’konda: One of the fleet’s newest members, Lieutenant Lephi, played by Daphne, has proven herself to be a rising star amongst the Chin’toka’s crew. One of the things we can always count on her for is to be a welcoming, positive presence in Discord, one of the newest and most important avenues of communication with our members. Lephi reliably greets newcomers to the server with genuine and enthusiastic positivity and has been referred to as our unofficial ambassador by members of our crew. She answers questions in the Academy channel when she knows she has the right answer and is a constant source of humour and an occasional participant in our impromptu gaming sessions, such as in games of Bridge Crew. For these reasons, I’m delighted to present the Quark’s Bar to Lieutenant Lephi! 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 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. Alieth and Sirok, USS Thor Presented by Aron Kells: “There are many types of disadvantages one might have in a community like SB118,” writes the nominator for both Andrea (Alieth) and Miguel (Sirok) for the Xalor Clan Xifilis Award this year, and praises the two simmers’ abilities in a language that isn’t their first tongue. “Despite the difficulty that this must surely present,” the nomination goes on, “they have become a wonderful asset and add a depth and colour to any scene in which they write.” Andrea and Miguel are to be commended not only for their skilled writing but also for their perseverance in a community like Starbase 118, which is so strongly text-based and when so much of what we do revolves around writing our stories. Congratulations to Andrea and Miguel, and thank you for making Starbase 118 a part of your story! Corliss Fortune, USS Gorkon Presented by Quinn Reynolds: One of the bright lights of the fleet and tireless champion of its members, it's a delight to have Corliss as a member of the Gorkon's crew. In the past, she's won the Order of the Valiant Heart for the realism and fidelity she brings to the role of counsellor, the Silver Palm for lifting hearts and keeping morale high, and this year we've awarded her the B-Plot for the windows she creates into her character's personal life. When you realise she lives with ADHD, and the challenges with executive function and writing that often walk hand-in-hand with it, it makes her dedication to simming even more impressive. She's an inspiration and I am very pleased to recognise her with the Xalor Clan Xifilis Award. Drevas Matthel, StarBase 118 Ops Presented by Sal Taybrim: Not everyone has the same access to support and healthcare and knowing that a bright and shining young writer not only struggles with mental health issues but also struggles to get the support he needs is a concerning reality of the 21st century. But over the past year, we are so incredibly proud of Ensign Drevas Matthel for speaking openly about his issues, actively seeking positive solutions and resolutions and seeking support for the right places. His ongoing endurance is a testament to an amazing inner strength that is both admirable and commendable. Many of us know how difficult it can be to push forward at times, especially with everything that has occurred over the last year, and yet Ensign Drevas never failed to persevere. Furthermore, with his continued positive growth in out of character communication, he has impressively improved in his simming, bringing his character to life, creating a meaningful pNPC that his crew enjoys reading about and forming bonds with fellow players and characters alike. Ensign Drevas, your hard work over these past months has been noticed and appreciated and you have done an awesome job in improving your writing and your communication. I am so pleased to present you with the Xalor Clan Xifilis award! Nugra, USS Constitution-B Presented by Jalana Rajel: I have had the pleasure to write with John on and off for years during his guest visits to the Apollo, the Constitution and other ships across the fleet and it finally got to sim with him on a more permanent basis when he was placed on the Conny. John is passionate about writing, listening to his ideas is pure joy and the excitement is contagious. He thinks out of the box, inside the box, around the box and is not afraid to try new things, is happy to help other players and has quickly become a pillar of the ship. As long as I have known him, despite challenges in Real Life, be it his own mental or physical health, difficult circumstances or overwhelming events, he still did his best to not let it show in his writing or in the way he interacted with the players. Through all his difficulties, he wanted to make sure that everyone has fun. During this last year, Jonathan had not dealt only with his own challenges, but has only taken care of his hardships but also took care of his lovely wife who struggled with her health as well and took care of his job, his writing business, their lovely children on top of staying the spark bug we know him as on the Conny. He never lost that light, his humour, creativity or willingness to give his writing his all, reached out to players to plan plots, help them, welcome them and assist despite not being a member of staff at this point. I am in awe that he managed all that despite his RL situation. Thank you for being you, Jonathan, and congratulations on the Xalor Clan Xifilis Award! 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. Zhanyt Lafizatar, USS Veritas Presented by Roshanara Rahman: In the wider world of Star Trek simming and roleplay, one member has consistently shown up to represent StarBase 118 not just as a guest but as an event host. Zhanyt Lafizatar (known to some by his previous characters of Ceciri Ariadust and Tiria Hamasaki) has consistently served as an event host in each year of the Khitomer Conference since 2019. Last year, Lafizatar hosted the informative panel, “Writing with Canon,” showcasing to the wider audience of non-118 attendees how we frequently play and expand on canon in our stories here in the fleet. Lafizatar has also been an active and regular presence at other non-118 simming events such as FallFest. Through his participation in the panel discussions, Lafizatar helps bring awareness to other Trek role players of our organisation’s existence, how we do things, and what makes us special. For his persistence in carrying the 118 banners beyond our borders, I’m pleased to present this year’s Community Champion Award to Zhanyt Lafizatar, one of our fleet’s most dedicated ambassadors. Locutus Award For members of the Publicity Team who go above and beyond their monthly requirements for regular participation. These team members show enthusiasm and flair for spreading the word about our role-playing community and take an active interest in finding new ways to invite people to join our ranks. Alieth, USS Thor Presented by Kalianna Nicholotti: Publicity, or in a more modern term Marketing, is what brings people to the fleet. Without it, we would never meet our newest friends or reconnect with some of our old ones. This year saw the split of the official Publicity Team into one that handled publicity and one that focused on social media. With these changes came novel approaches and a learning curve for everyone involved. Thankfully, we have some incredibly talented and dedicated officers involved, including Andrea, aka Alieth, who is the recipient of this year’s Locutus Award. The Locutus Award is given to recognize someone who exceeds the requirements and participates regularly in activities that bring new members to the fleet. In this, Andrea is a force of nature. She is visual, present, and accounted for in various faucets, even helping to get an Instagram plan in place for the newly developed social media part of this team. She’s always looking out for the fleet, and she is a powerful voice for us when the opportunity presents. It is such a pleasure to present this award, and I offer a hearty congratulations to her - and to say that I can’t wait to see what trail she will blaze next year! Northern Star Award Given to members holding the rank of Lieutenant or Lt. Commander who show constant commitment to the fleet as members of taskforces and through our other fleet endeavours. These officers are vital to the success of our fleet, showing their support and enthusiasm for their crews and our community through their tireless efforts. Alora DeVeau, StarBase 118 Ops Presented by Sal Taybrim: If you have played on StarBase 118 for any length of time, you have almost certainly come into contact with the name Alora Deveau. Maybe it was through an interview for the Community News where Lt. Commander DeVeau is an absolute powerhouse writer, showcasing members of our fleet from every ship and every rank and reaching out to dozens of fleetwide members to help get them in the press. Maybe you heard her on the StarBase 118 PaddCAST where she helps both behind the scenes and in front of the microphone, bringing you special features and special segments that help light up your airwaves. Maybe it was on the training team where she serves as one of the diligent academy officers mentoring new members on their first steps into our community. Maybe it was in the forums where she is a tireless supporter of the Appreciations area across multiple ships. Maybe it was on the wiki where she works hard to make sure ship and fleetwide articles are edited for continuity and accuracy. Or maybe it was on Discord where she’s a bright and shining star, always ready with a positive word for others. And through all this, she also maintains more than full time simming on two ships, with excellent writing skills and a willingness to reach out and create joint posts with any player on any ship in the fleet. She is a generous player who is always willing to bring new people into a scene, facilitate positive storylines for characters and be supportive of her ships in so many ways. She is a mentor, team leader, staff member and an incredible player. Amanda, the player behind Alora DeVeau is truly a positive force for Fleetwide unity and an amazing role model for junior simmers. Her fleetwide mentality helps make the taskforces she works with shine and brings all of our ships and players in the fleet into the limelight so we can grow closer together. I am so incredibly proud of Amanda and pleased to present her with the inaugural Northern Star award! Jake Sisko Prize Awarded to members of the Federation News Service Team who regularly go above and beyond in their contributions and participation. These team members show dedication and creativity in editing and writing news reports, helping to maintain our IC news service, build the 118 universe and provide inspiration for our members. Jo Marshall, USS Gorkon Presented by Roshanara Rahman: There is no one more dedicated to the successful operation of the Federation News Service than Jo Marshall. Em, the player for Marshall is passionate about the unique lens the FNS offers to the world of Star Trek and how it can serve as a great vehicle for storytelling, either complementing and expanding stories from our sims or presenting wholly original and exclusive stories just told through the medium of FNS articles. Like the best editors-in-chief in newsrooms around the globe, Em rallies her bullpen of roving reporters and editors every month with the organisation of a field marshal. No pun intended! She brainstorms headlines to inspire others to flesh out full stories and contributes her own regular articles. She adeptly manages a team of co-facilitators and news editors to ensure that every ship report is revised and proofread in time for publication, her charm and efficiency belying just how much work she does behind the scenes to make sure they meet deadlines. And unlike, say, J. Jonah Jameson of the Daily Bugle, Em is always cheerleading and championing her team, encouraging their ideas and giving helpful feedback on their drafts. For her tireless devotion and work to make certain that the FNS meets its publication schedule month after month, year after year, I can think of no one better to be awarded the first Jake Sisko Prize. Congratulations, Em! Okuda Award Awarded to members of the Image Collective who regularly go above and beyond in their contributions to this team's efforts, creating images and graphics for the fleet. These team members display their artistry and dedication with a visual feast for members new and old, bringing our creations to life and stoking imaginations. Alieth, USS Thor Presented by Jalana Rajel: In a roleplay that draws pictures with words and in which we have to imagine our surroundings, the characters and species, one of the most helpful tools we can provide are graphics to kick-start or expand that imagination. Knowing the faces of our characters, the wallpaper in our hallways or the view out of our windows breathes life into the writing. Ever since I started working with Andrea I have been in awe of her carefully honed art, her skill and her knowledge. She has jumped right into new ideas and projects from the first moment, eagerly spearheading the makeover of Ship and Task Force Logos, updating graphics across the board, streamlining processes and sharing her knowledge and tips with the image team. It is no surprise that before long she became part of the Facilitator team and eventually was promoted to the main facilitator. In the shortest time, she had made a name for her and has left her mark on Starbase 118 from the first day on. By now it is almost impossible to look at the website and wiki without finding something Andrea made. And when you ask the members of our community, you'll hear the same reaction: We love it! This brand new award found a worthy first winner! Congratulations, Andrea. Very well deserved! Please join us in congratulating these talented players! 12 3
Noa T'Nessa Levinson Posted June 28, 2021 Posted June 28, 2021 Woooo, congrats to all the winners, and really - thank you. All of you are genuinely awesome, and that can't be overstated or said enough - every single one here is awesome. 2
Popular Post + Lephi Posted June 28, 2021 Popular Post Posted June 28, 2021 Fantastic job everyone! I'm proud of you all. Together we all have an amazing community! 5
Popular Post Alieth Posted June 28, 2021 Popular Post Posted June 28, 2021 (edited) Here I'm waiting eagerly for my one-year badge to brag about it, and you've poured all this on me.... you guys.... you guys are the best, I'm a lack of words atm so I'll only say.... ¡Gracias! And absolutely congrats for all the well deserved STARS there Edited June 28, 2021 by Alieth 5
Jo Marshall Posted June 28, 2021 Author Posted June 28, 2021 Serious congratulations, everyone! They're some cracking awards and well-deserved! 2
Mallora Vossti Posted June 28, 2021 Posted June 28, 2021 I'm new to the fleet, but it is good to know that I am surrounded by so many truly excellent writers and contributors to this community. My hearty congratulations and thanks to one and all! 3
LCDR Aine O. Sherlock Posted June 28, 2021 Posted June 28, 2021 Congratulations everyone! It was great reading these citations, you all deserved these so much! 3
Toryn Raga Posted June 28, 2021 Posted June 28, 2021 Huzzah! Congrats to you all! You may or may not hear it often enough, but everything y'all do is remarkable and makes our community so much better. Keep it up!!! 3
Tony, aka Rouiancet Posted June 28, 2021 Posted June 28, 2021 So many congratulations to everyone on this impressive and incredible list! Whether you've been recognized because of your length with the community or because something you've done this year merited special recognition -- you are amazing and make Starbase 118 a wonderful place to be! 1
Sal Taybrim Posted June 29, 2021 Posted June 29, 2021 Congratulations everyone! You have all done fabulous work over a very difficult year! You should all be very proud! 1
+ Arturo Maxwell Posted June 29, 2021 Posted June 29, 2021 Wonderful to see so many Service Awards again. and a most hearty congratulations to all who received one of the Special Awards this year! You help make our Fleet the wonderful place that it is! ❤️ 1
Theo Whittaker Posted June 29, 2021 Posted June 29, 2021 Congratulations to every who won an award- and again, to everyone who was nominated for an award. You all set a wonderful example of excellence in simming! 1
Recommended Posts