-Introduction-

My friends and esteemed colleagues- it's been a long time coming and we've still got a little ways to go, but the completion of what I believe the Navy is and ever will be is at hand.  In the last year to year and a half, the academy as it was has been completely re-vamped, new systems and styles of training produced and further development for maximum efficiency introduced.  While the shaping of a steady staff has yet to really come full circle, its inception is fundamentally important in the VE's ability to mature our young pilots into officers- or more. 

I have not called attention to these accomplishments in vanity, however- I wish not to gloat at all, in fact.  The intention of this thread is simple: we need an information outlet.  As Commander of Phoenix Wing and Training, I feel it is my duty to inform you of the opportunities the Navy now offers you- the pilot, commander or even high ranking officer.  Please do not feel intimidated by these things, but rather- curious.  These are neither expectations, nor are they limitations- simply conduits and avenues of extremes in the minds of commanders past and present.  I give you- the Imperial Navy.

-The Imperial Navy-

Basic Training

In taking Basic Training, a wealth of information can be found immediately as to the expectations of the Navy in reguards to its squadrons.  Recruits are given assignments that pertain directly to what they must know in order to suceed in a squadron.  Greater challenges are offered in the event a recruit finishes early and would like to make a name for themselves, not to mention rewards and ceremonies available should a special group of recruits come through.  Again- the efforts of the VENA-S will make these things possible, and only when they become an effective force will these things come into the public arena.

Now offered in this phase of the pilot's career is known as 'Pilot Proficiencies.'  This system of comparison according to point values, gives you the chance to decide where you want to take your character.  Not only will they help you determine what type of pilot you want to be, but it will also display your abilities opposed to that of your fellow squadron members.  The definition of these skills, whether they be flight or hand-held weapon aptitudes, are to help create effective teams of characters.  Furthermore, as these point values begin to tick upward, the strengths of your character will become more evident and the proficiencies will help you to show the overall development of that character.

Pilot Life

As a character in the Vast Empire Universe, the latest reforms in VEN-Squadron writing style will allow for more independence.  Where members once felt isolated, intimidated or afraid to post for fear of retaliation, rebuke or embarrassment, they will be allowed to post without the fetters of direct orders from the higher-ups.  To explain it simply- new pilots will be put into flights, most likely with other new pilots, based on chemistry and style.  These men and women, though writing in the same stories as their squadron, will pursue alternate plot-lines altogether, so that their success and overall completion of the story is not dependent on a single figure-head.  No longer should the absence of a single-member dishevel an entire squadron and force new members to leave out of sheer confusion or paralyzed activity.  This will be accomplished with the creation of NPC's by the pilot and for the pilot.  With the addition of characters that are now under your control; you will control the suspense and relationships between your characters more permanently.  Naval stories will begin to look less like the all too well-known "run-on," and become more novelized.  This does not, however, mean that the abilities of our members must be at a maximum.  Remember that these pilots will be put into flights based on ability as well as chemistry, so the daunting posts of superior writing should not be a problem.  Furthermore, these stories will have a more permanent place in VEN history- where is the motivation to write if no one reads or hears about your work?  Not only will the story itself be recorded in the VE wiki, but they can be submitted for best works of the year, so more public recognition can be paid for exemplary work.

Contests and Activity

The way the Vast Empire, and not just the Navy, has been known to work is quite apparent if it's looked at over several years time.  This is, undoubtedly, a seasonal club.  Our members come and go according to their time constraints and we can not blame them for doing so- even individuals of leadership are seen disappearing because of real-life activities.  Thus, it is the goal of this Navy to promote what is truly expected of the Navy during certain periods of time.  While we do not encourage the absolute atrocity that is our activity in certain periods of the year, we do accept it's inevitability.  From here on out, it should be the goal of our organization to accommodate these changes.  When members begin to disappear, our groups must work together to appear large, still- we should not be disheartened by the absence of our friends and the expectations of this club any longer because those expectations are changing.  During the pre-winter season, wing stories because our squadrons will probably shrink due to exams and other yearly responsibilities.  Again, the post-winter period can be a tough time as well as the pre-summer and post-summer period. 

One can not get hung up on those times, though.  During these periods of great activity, we must be ready to settle for nothing less than extreme contest and competitions.  Probably the most famous of these is the Elite Squadron Competition (ESC), the yearly inter-squadron competition that usually occurs in the first month of summer.  However, other competitions such as the Annual Writer Competition (AWC), the judgment of pieces sent in from throughout the year for awards, usually near the end of the Summer Season; the Inter-House Competition (IHC), a competition between the best flights in the Navy to produce ratings of quality throughout all flights, usually held in the Winter Season; or the Career Story Post that constantly logs the progress of our members and their accomplishment in terms of overall number, can be looked forward to.  Other competitions may include gaming or graphics competitions or even overall accomplishment ceremonies.  All of these and more are to be used to ensure that our members get the full experience when coming to visit us.

Intermediate Training

Since such importance is to be placed upon the effectiveness of the Flight, Intermediate Training will act as the guiding force in developing young Flight Leads and putting them on the path to greater degrees of leadership.  If it is of the ambition of our pilots to lead more than a group of three or four pilots- there is no reason why we should hold them back.  Never the less, it is here that the skills a pilot will need to command even the largest groups will be pointed out in plain sight.  It is in the Flight Lead position that the majority of your skills will be developed, not only in writing, but of the understanding in how to cooperate with other members and see the importance of individual communication.  Here you will learn if you are happy- or want more.  The Senior Aviator's Certificate (=SA=) will give you the chance to lead a flight, but the Minor Exams (MEs) will give you additional information to become a more competent leader in the event that you should choose to become a trusted commander of the Vast Empire Navy.

Skills and Studies

Directly after taking this SA, whether you would like to become a leader or not, you now have the option of giving your character seperate strengths altogether.  For the longest time people have felt that thier stories lacked substanance because they revolved around the same problems over and over again- they've felt trapped.  However- if your character is not only a good pilot, but a decent medic- does the story stop when that fighter touches down?  Most certainly not.  While the new reforms allow you less-restricted control of your character's fate, it also moves you into new environments that you can create to harness your character's new traits.  Often, these will be reflections of our members themselves- their interest in real-life will be transposed to their characters and allowed to shine in creative zest, making their stories more in-depth, more accurate.  And still yet- these abilities will help to define your character by bringing out circumstances that force him or her to act uniquely.  Lastly- again, the road of skill development will follow a similar road to your time in the Navy and level of overall experience.

Poly-Placement

As a member, some people can not get enough of what the squadron offers for them.  Perhaps it is here that they have found thier individual club-calling.  Whether this means staying as on as an experienced pilot and well defined character or actually moving up the scale to run a squadron altogether- you make that choice.  However, should you decide that your skills and talents are really not suited for the Imperial Fighter Corps, perhaps larger ships are of greater interest to you.  While your character, after taking the SA and some of the MEs, will not have the highest rank, he or she is capable of joining a ship and taking part in the stories that can only be found onboard or around larger cruisers.  They may start as an on-board technician or even a gunner in one of the various turrets, but that's enough to change the overall state of your character's story.  Furthermore, you now have the opportunity to help train others.  The Vast Empire Naval Academy Staff (VENA-S), accepts applications from members after thier completion of the SA for some of the beginner positions, such as operator.  These men and women are first alert members that can make or break the recruitment process; their reaction time may be critical to the career of a possible recruit.  Either way, the possibility of joining any of these groups is an opportunity to move up and actually lead entire divisions.  This will take a great deal of time and work- but your limitations are only pen-strokes of your imagination.

Universe Expansion

If you've taken the SA, you're probably beginning to understand how key it is in opening up the doors to the Vast Empire Navy.  Let us expand even further by allowing you to inform or engage in meaningful discussion of ideas that pertain specifically to the Navy.  This can mean helping out your squadron by updating and maintaining their wiki or main webpage, but this can also pertain to the actual publication of 'articles.'  While the Vast Empire News Corp is still a growing division, individual articles written specifically for Naval consideration can be created on the wiki.  Say you'd like to create a larger database from which our commander's can choose enemies- you can collect and/or create stories and articles on the various pirate organizations in Naval Space.  Or perhaps you'd like to write about the various planets being fought on- so you collect the names of the planets that have been used in the passed so that they can be cross-referenced with each other.  Or- maybe you just wanna talk about a new engine being put into production.  The universe is yours to consider and debate with one another- but who knows: one day it could be common VEN literature.

Officer Citation

Believe it or not, the Officer's Lounge gives you more than the freshest Java.  Upon passing the MA and proving yourself adequate by either completing the FOCE or being deemed worthy by a superior officers, the officer ranking again changes your abilities as far as being a member or character.  Where "poly-placement" spoke of putting people in positions to develop them as the member wishes them to develop- this is that place they are striving to reach.  The Officer citation does more than puts pins on your chest- it gives you the chance to wield very real power in the Vast Empire Universe.  You may start out small, leading a squadron or being on the command crew of a small cruiser, but with experience and time in the Navy, those things to will grow.  Soon that squadron commander position becomes a Wing Commander position or some other position of demanding attention- who knows when and if they will ever be necessary, but this could refer to a position specifically devoted to story creation, like the technical supervisors of the VEN's past.  Switching back to the ship portion of the VE's writing, perhaps now you are leading a small fleet.  Time, experience and trust will determine these things of course, but the galaxy is yours to create as far as we are concerned.  In terms of the Academy- you may take on greater responsibility at the completion of these exams.  Perhaps you'll start out in the Trainer position and move up to Mentor, or even the Vast Empire Naval Academy High Staff (VENA-HS).  As you can see- things begin to get rather wordy from here on out.

Supervisory and Administration

This, of course, pertains to officers, but really it goes to anyone who is willing to lead or invent.  The need for competitions and new ideas is un-dying.  If you feel you have the skills to create a group or following of your own- why not suggest it?  This could mean starting up your own RPG room and getting a group together from the local squadrons or starting game training sessions.  Or perhaps you'd like to be a judge in some kind of competition- why not?  These positions are especially reserved for older members, not only because of the time restraints that have probably been put on them, but because they are the wisest choice for such positions and most likely to come up with effective ideas.  Never the less- come to us with ideas for making this a better place.

-Closing-

So I hope these things can be used to inspire you or at least inform you of what it is you can do in the Imperial Navy.  All of this is really the collection of years in the making, from the incitement of the Officer's Handbook to the current day sections on fighter tactics and character development.  Please, offer your comments on our work and continue to ask for amendments to this 'can do' list.  Thankyou and I hope you continue to enjoy your stay with the Imperial Navy.
 
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*Flash Was Here...*

WC|TO/CMD Shazam/Phoenix 1-1/Phoenix Wing/mSSD Atrus/1VENF/VEN (=A=) (=*SA*=) (=MA=) (=*FOCE*=) [CBV*] [LoM] [LSM] [MC2] [VC:S] [SV*] [DSM] {Platinum Writing Medal}

Phoenix Wing Commander and Training Officer