State of Address

[TParis]

Greetings Officers, Allies, Friends, and Enemies of the United Federation of Planets.

As many of you know, Fleet Admiral Exeter has decided to retire. His career was a long, glorious, but most importantly, a unique one. Fleet Admiral Exeter entered the fleet May 9, 2006 as a cadet in the newly created Starfleet Academy. At the time, the Academy was highly experimental and was given much leeway to develop a working platform to combat a very real problem within the fleet. Our cadets simply did not understand our system and were not progressing. Fleet Admiral Picard and I discussed the matter in early 2006 and we picked whom we thought was the best candidate to stand up such a venture: Rogue_Trooper.

Rogue_Trooper spent several months developing a strategy for not only teaching cadets the words of our legislation, but testing their understanding of the concepts and purpose. He further developed a systematic method for tracking and managing our cadets. At the time, the concept of a UFP Cadet spending the time and having the understanding to progress up to the Starfleet Admiralty or even the Admiral's Council was unheard of. Now imagine last February when former Cadet Exeter becomes Fleet Admiral Exeter. Fleet Admiral Exeter is the epitome of hard work and determination as well as proof and result of the real power and effectiveness of the Academy. His career has proven that this fleet is truly a military democracy with opportunity for everyone and that every cadet has the chance to be the Fleet Admiral someday. No one else holds that prestige in this fleet.

I ask the fleet to join me in congratulating and offering a "job well done" to Fleet Admiral Exeter and wishing him the best in retirement. His flag ship will always be welcome to fly alongside us. Thank you for your tireless contributions to this fleet.

My appointment to Fleet Admiral has come after much regret. The Council of Admiral deliberated over the appointment either Admiral Alexraptor or myself. I know Admiral Alexraptor has given tremendous time and effort to the fleet and would have made an outstanding Fleet Admiral. I can say without the need of any humility that he is much more dedicated to the fleet than even I am. I know that he has and always will have the fleet's best interest in mind and I want to let him and the fleet know that he was a worthy candidate for the position.

As it goes though, I have been given the opportunity by the Council of Admiral's to lead this fleet into the next year. I recognize this is a privilege but not a right. The rank requires a great deal of responsibility and my duty is to serve the fleet. I've considered what that responsibility is and what I want my mark on this fleet to be. My job is to ensure this fleet meets the goals outlined in our constitution and highlights the very best we have to offer. We are a gaming clan, but most importantly, we are a Star Trek gaming fleet. Our objectives are the advancement of the Star Trek gaming ethos, enjoyment of online gaming, to cooperate with all bodies of similar aims, and to unit the Star Trek community as much as possible.

Of those objectives I feel the fleet is currently achieving none of them, to no fault of anyone. Therefore, I am going to focus on retargeting the fleet towards those goals. Within my initial week I will outline new goals for the fleet that will meet these objectives. I will then encourage the Commander's below me to determine how to meet these goals within their field of authority.

My primary concern is lack of cohesion within the fleet. Too long have we allowed minor and inconsequential differences to cause over dramatic arguments that leave each other with grudges and unfriendliness toward each other. This is going to end. I will be increasing the authority of the Security and JAG departments to target these behaviors and stop them in their tracks. Admiral Ruslan Lee will be fronting this effort to stop the attacks and insults toward each other and he will be backed up by our new Judge Advocate General Costello. But that certainly is not going to solve the problem. Therefore, I will personally be generating an environment of reconciliation and remediation. I will be working with my Commanders to give them the tools to bring their officers together. There will be no discrimination based on any factors. I will not allow officers to be picked on because of their race, religion, political views, sex, age, talent in games, or how expensive their mailbox in their front lawn is. All officers will treat each other with the dignity and respect due to another human being.

It is my opinion that if we can reengage those of us we have had differences in the past; we'll create a friendlier environment that will not only attract more outside recruits, but also increase our internal gaming to new levels. Although we have many many active and highly talented players, we have a deep rooted problem getting each other to play together. My hope is that we can recognize each other's differences and learn to appreciate them. I think Admiral Alexraptor and I can agree that this is definitely possible, as the two of us are examples of it. This fleet has a long history of forgiveness to others and I believe it is time we show it to ourselves. It is the Federation way to forgive, with some caution. Time and time again this fleet has survived being wronged by others and when asked for forgiveness, we've struggled but always done the morally right thing.

Our Commanders will also be given increased responsibility for managing their divisions without interference from higher command. I will enforce policy where "overruling" will be the exception, not the rule. I trust the Commander's I've installed and they should trust those they've installed. If I cannot trust someone with important decisions, whether or not I agree with them, than that failure falls on me for choosing them in the first place. Therefore, it is my opinion that Commanders should and will give their subordinates the opportunity and trust to carry out their own decisions and be given a chance to succeed or fail. It will be my responsibility and the veterans of this fleet to guide these decisions to help them succeed rather than dismissing them. I feel I've already exemplified this strategy in Operations during my tenure. These changes alone I feel will accomplish a majority of the work needed to meet the first two objectives.

To achieve the last two objectives, I will be dispatching the diplomacy department, under our new Ambassador Kelbie, to contact our friends and allies and develop a peaceful war plan to be carried out within the month of November. The goal and intent of this war will be twofold: to increase activity within the community and to strengthen our ties with our allies. We will work with our allies to develop rules of engagement and times for battle. I will allow all UFP officers to participate, not just Task Force One. Admiral Alexraptor will develop a workable battle scenario for Star Trek Online and I believe we are veterans in war time battles in our other games.

Over the course of the next few months, I will be implementing legislation to give more authority and automation to the Fleet Executive. It has been a long time where the Fleet Executive's de facto purpose was to wait for the Fleet Admiral to go on leave so they go sit in the big chair. It has been a very passive role that has been singularly supportive of the Fleet Admiral. That is a waste of a highly valuable Admiral in my opinion. I am going to discuss with the Council which powers of the Fleet Admiral can be permanently delegated to the Fleet Executive and whether or not those rights should be set in stone by a Constitutional amendment. For example, with the increase in Security's authority, the Judge Advocate General will be in full force to create a balance in authority and fairness as well as ensuring the officer's bill of rights are obeyed. I believe the Judge Advocate General can be properly maintained and controlled by the Fleet Executive whom already bears immunity from the JAG.

I also want to reemphasize the need to follow the chain of command. As the Fleet Admiral, I will expect next to nothing to reach my desk unless it has been discussed with Admiral Alexraptor beforehand. Further, I expect from him that he will not hear anything that has not been brought before Admiral IcemanHG, the new Starfleet CO, or Admiral Htdefiant. And from those two, I expect them to listen only to issues that have been asked of their Executives and so on and so forth up and down the chain. I will rely on Admiral Alexraptor to execute my plans as he will rely on the Starfleet and Operations COs. I will only interfere with my Commander's during desperate times. This fleet is a military democracy and militaries have respect for the ranks above them. The chain of command helps remind us of those ranks and positions and it is important that we follow these customs and gives the lowest possible commanders the courtesy of the chance to solve our problems. Of course, bear in mind that if your problem is not solved, you are welcome to approach the next link in the chain.

Changes will also happen at the highest levels of our fleet. I will expect activity levels of the Admiral’s Council and Commanders to be the same or better than those of other officers. The Council in particular will begin assigning Acting Councilors during another Councilor’s leave or absence. Those of us in special trusted positions must exemplify the behaviors and standards we expect of others. So I will implement and enforce policy that requires the standards that reflect the responsibility. We have an abundance of capable and intelligent officers who are asking for the chance to show us what they are made of. I will not hold back on an officer because a higher ranked officer, whom has shown commitment and dedication in the past, can no longer perform their duties to the level required. I will be implementing a monthly automated roll call system on the website for UFP officers. You will receive a private message automatically by the system reminding you to check in and signal you are still active. Promotions and awards will be based off of this activity. I will also require commander’s to track their officer’s activity in games. Per the Code of Conduct, any officer who cannot be active in games must be approved by the Fleet Admiral.

Finally, I place the responsibility of strengthening this fleet on its officers. No matter my plans and my intentions to strengthen us, it is the responsibility of each and every one of us to improve our fleet. I want to change the fleet’s attitude to focus on bettering the family rather than ourselves. I know on the surface we all feel this is what we are doing. But I want everyone to really take a deep look at their intentions and motivations and determine if what they are doing really helps us grow as friends and strengthens our family, or if we do these things to make ourselves happier or serve our own agenda. I can tell you right now that upon assuming this role, I've already had to evaluate my own intentions and even stop myself from making decisions because deep down I knew they were for my own gratification rather than the fleet's. I realized a decision I was about to make did not serve the fleet as well as it served me. It's important that we all take that and reflect on ourselves.

It is my hope that I will serve you well. I will do my utmost best to carry this fleet's goals and honor through the next year and I invite all of you to join me. Things will get tough at some points; things will seem hopeless at other times. But most times things will be blessed and promising, and I'll bring the keg so we can party it up. Bear with me through this transition. Once again, I would like to thank Fleet Admiral Exeter for his dedication and contribution and bid him farewell.

*SALUTE*

[Costello]

Thank you for the appointment sir, and congratulations on the other appointments!

I trust that you will lead this fleet with the utmost care and dedication.

[Kelbie]

Congratulations to those appointed. Good speech Admiral.

[Ciaran]

You couldn't resist mentioning the mailbox...:p
Nonetheless Congratulations on your appointment Fleet Admiral TParis and Enjoy retirement Exeter, you've earned it

[harper268]

Congratz TP for your promotion to FA you earn it bud cant wait to see what happens now

[The Pirate of AE]

May we strive forth into the unknown under our new leader.

[htdefiant]

Understood.

[Janeway]

Congratulations to those appointed. May this mark the start of a brave new era for [UFP].

I have no doubt that you will lead us well Fleet Admiral.

[magnis]

understood. changes shall be made as per orders.

[GregColemar]

*Stands at Attention and Salutes* Understood, sir. Once more, Congrats on your appointment, sir.