General Astra Meeting - 05MAR11

[Nrom Normandy]

[15:05:04] Nrom Normandy: alright, this looks like about all we're going to get so I'll get started

[15:05:16] Ethan Schuman: Rei is running late I think.

[15:05:17] Disembodied Hand: my brain is going to explode listening to 2 meetings

[15:05:28] Ethan Schuman: He should be here in a few. We can start without him.

[15:05:29] Nrom Normandy: well mine isn't too long

[15:05:55] Nrom Normandy: Thank you for coming. This isn't as big as our last meeting in February but that is okay.

[15:06:12] Nrom Normandy: If you noticed this past week I made a post in the Astra forum about some of the problems facing this organization.

[15:06:17] Nrom Normandy: I left one problem off the list.

[15:06:28] Nadav Vaher is Online

[15:06:36] Nrom Normandy: I started a new job on the 14th of February. This job is pretty important, and it is requiring sacrifices.

[15:07:03] Mercury: Inoue Katsu initiated OIC transfer.

[15:07:04] Orochimaru Kuramoto is Offline

[15:07:04] Nrom Normandy: Most of it has been my evening time, catching up on a lot of stuff which I can't really talk about. Another is requiring me to leave Second Life permanently.

[15:07:17] Nrom Normandy: So where does that leave us going forward?

[15:07:31] Orochimaru Kuramoto is Online

[15:07:32] Mercury: New contact: Xiolin Furlough

[15:07:32] Xiolin Furlough is Online

[15:07:41] Nrom Normandy: Well as I have said from the beginning, Astra isn't going to work out if it's simply one person doing all of the work. This is why I started that thread.

[15:08:02] Nrom Normandy: Those are the problems I faced when I transferred to Astra. They have always been the problems for this organization. The question has always been how to solve them.

[15:08:33] Mercury: Declaring new OIC for Titan: Succenturio Arokh Takakura.

[15:08:36] Nrom Normandy: Had to pull up a document I had been working on, sorry.

[15:08:39] Bradley Petrov is Online

[15:09:08] Nrom Normandy: I recommend a series of changes.

[15:09:19] Nrom Normandy: I can't enact these since I won't be here, so I leave it up to you all to do so.

[15:09:35] WolfShaman Warrior is Online

[15:09:49] Nrom Normandy: The division structure is organized in such a way that it is spread out all over the place. This isn't good for the squad leaders, and it isn't great for communication.

[15:09:54] Mercury: Lost contact: Inoue Katsu

[15:10:13] Orochimaru Kuramoto is Offline

[15:10:35] Nrom Normandy: For the past month I have had to stand in as the commander of the squadron, and this hasn't gone as smoothly as I would like. I recommend a simple structure based upon the organization of the US Air Force. Standing below the CO and XO of Astra would be an officer titled the Wing Commander.

[15:10:38] Orochimaru Kuramoto is Online

[15:10:39] Hollowmengitus Yifu is Offline

[15:10:40] Mercury: Lost contact: Hollowmengitus Yifu

[15:11:20] Anthony Lehane is Offline

[15:11:23] Nrom Normandy: The Wing is the overall structure for the combat units. It should have a cool name, like Tactical Wing or something. A wing makes sense since these are what exist on each Air Force base.

[15:11:34] Mercury: Titan entry:

Name: Ice Karsin [ Unknown - Threat level: 4 ]

Profile: secondlife:///app/agent/75d0dbac-df0d-4c1f-bc55-de4555f8cdc5/about

[15:11:43] Nrom Normandy: Below the wing commander is his staff, and the squadrons. Squadrons are divided into three.

[15:12:18] Nrom Normandy: The Alpha squadron, containing all alpha squads. Squadron 2, tactical, Squadron 3, Reserves

[15:12:19] Detox Exonar is Online

[15:12:20] Anthony Lehane is Online

[15:12:21] Hollowmengitus Yifu is Online

[15:12:21] Mercury: New contact: Hollowmengitus Yifu

[15:12:26] Nrom Normandy: Each squadron further separated into flights

[15:12:33] Nrom Normandy: sort of like we have now, but not as mishmashed.

[15:12:39] Mercury: New contact: Ordo Inventor

[15:12:49] (COM): Mercury SecretSpy: *is back from the dead. Gone 12 days 4 hrs 43 mins*

[15:12:52] Nrom Normandy: The point of it is that once there are enough people to fill three flights, you assign a squadron commander to squadron 1

[15:13:19] Nrom Normandy: Once there's more people, you add additional staff, build up your other squadrons, and give additional positions for growth.

[15:13:37] Nrom Normandy: That's what you need to do, keep it open so that as you grow you have room to fill things in. Simply keeping this in mind and reorganizing the roster will fix that problem.

[15:13:53] Nrom Normandy: I think Palaestra needs to be revised.

[15:14:10] Nrom Normandy: Right now, there are only 3 instructors. Ookami expressed interest but I don't see additional growth.

[15:14:50] Nrom Normandy: I think it would be a good idea for you flight leaders to take the current material, work with the officers, and construct a simpler and faster approach while still keeping the strength of our flight training.

[15:15:29] Nrom Normandy: I also think that training should follow a simpler format of: Course Overview - Course Objectives - Course Content - Course Summary

[15:16:02] Nrom Normandy: Much of the material that we cover could easily be handled through youtube videos, online tests, and other means. This would be a great opportunity for someone to experiment and learn.

[15:16:19] Kirshak Clarity is Offline

[15:16:22] Nrom Normandy: I also think that some of you NCOs should take initiative and become mentors.

[15:16:45] Bradley Petrov is Offline

[15:16:50] Deathcore Torok is Offline

[15:16:58] Nrom Normandy: We do not have a formal mentoring program in Ordo or Astra. Some people take it upon themselves, or our flight leaders do it. Once a new person comes into Astra, they should be taken under someone's wing... if you'll excuse the pun.

[15:17:57] Nrom Normandy: This is, again, something that NCOs can organize themselves. Aside from the wing/squadron/flight structure, none of what I mentioned requires any approval. These can be individual initiatives that once completed can get the formal approval and blessing.

[15:18:44] Nrom Normandy: I mentioned several times over the past two months about equipment and gear, and also a refocusing of Astra's mission and goals in combat. Unfortunately I can't implement these changes, but they are already in the channel so-to-speak.

[15:19:25] fernando Ryba is Offline

[15:19:42] fernando Ryba is Online

[15:19:46] Nrom Normandy: One of the mission changes was with mechanized combat units which would have both ground and flight characteristics. I've discussed this with officer staff in the past, and there are a number of mixed feelings on it. One of which is the feeling that Aryte would not accept us stepping on the toes of Terra's mission in combat.

[15:19:49] Micha Benusconi is Offline

[15:20:17] Kiba Rubble is Online

[15:20:27] Micha Benusconi is Online

[15:20:52] Blaze Wiles is Online

[15:21:07] Nrom Normandy: Well I wish to clarify Aryte's opinion: it's his idea and blessing to step on those toes, because to date the old Astra way isn't working. Officers and pilots will need to think about how to implement this new vehicle into daily duties, but changes are going to come whether we want them or not. The battlefield is changing, and our traditional role may not be here when we wake up to get up to speed with those changes.

[15:22:00] Nrom Normandy: My biggest suggestion is to avoid thinking about the community and working with them to create a new direction. Lead the way, from above and below. Take initiative. Design and come up with new technology and tactics. You guys have a lot of opportunities in SL. Come up with them here, experiment while you're small and you can do it.

[15:22:05] Hollowmengitus Yifu is Offline

[15:22:08] Mercury: Lost contact: Hollowmengitus Yifu

[15:22:13] Mercury: Lost contact: Ice Karsin

[15:22:31] Hokusai Otsuka is Offline

[15:22:51] Nrom Normandy: Mechs are just one way to do it. You have new things like the drop ship. It's still not used as much as it could be. Ethan and Disembodied did great work with it, and it shows what we can accomplish if we focus on something that I really wish you all will do: flight cores.

[15:23:34] Jeff Beckenbauer is Offline

[15:23:50] Nrom Normandy: Multiple control schemes and flight systems that are scripted and ready to go. They can be modified and tweaked to create varying strengths and weaknesses in their flight characteristics. Why is this important? I think one of the initiatives you folks should do is set up vehicle classes for ships. Light, medium, heavy, and fucking insane aka Navis.

[15:24:15] Jeff Beckenbauer is Online

[15:24:45] Nrom Normandy: If you're going to set up classes like that, you need lots of vehicles to fill in those categories. These vehicles should take into consideration the modularity of the systems we already use everyday. Standard weapons and ordinance that can be used across the board, but are limited by the flight cores and the vehicles containing those cores.

[15:25:13] Thomas Baddingham is Online

[15:25:54] Hollowmengitus Yifu is Online

[15:25:55] Mercury: New contact: Hollowmengitus Yifu

[15:25:58] Nrom Normandy: Think of it like hard points on the outside of your ship. If you are flying an air to air fighter, it only has a couple light hardpoints on the hull so you can put blasters or air-to-air missiles. In order to get ground capability, switching out completely different weapon attachments and modifications to the vehicles speed must be done and should be done on the fly. That was my idea, anyway.

[15:26:35] Mercury: New contact: Thomas Baddingham

[15:26:38] Ghost Harris is Offline

[15:26:42] Nrom Normandy: But there are changes to Astra's exposure as well. The Schola changes were made, but not as effective as I had hoped. You have the leader of Schola here today. Give her ideas, see what you guys can come up with to make our presence more known there.

[15:26:56] Mercury: New contact: Tsukiyomi Yuhara

[15:26:57] Tsukiyomi Yuhara is Online

[15:27:01] Bradley Petrov is Online

[15:27:03] Kiba Rubble is Offline

[15:27:25] Nrom Normandy: I still think advertising Astra is a huge thing to do. There were Armatura posters made a couple months ago. Some of you guys are artsy, why can't you come up with something like that? Simple posters that can be scattered across this city build would help increase Astra visibility.

[15:27:34] Scarlet Flaks is Offline

[15:27:39] Mercury: Lost contact: Scarlet Flaks

[15:27:59] Nrom Normandy: I was also planning on creating various videos on youtube to help advertise our capabilities and our group. We are pretty cool, and I have had some of the best people in SL under my command.

[15:28:28] Mercury: Lost contact: Thomas Baddingham

[15:28:51] Nrom Normandy: When I first became an officer, we had the idea of advertising in New Jessie but nothing came of it. Aryte gave his blessing, but aside from a few preliminary images nothing else happened. The same thing with ideas for going out and touring flying sims and trying to recruit there.

[15:29:30] Nrom Normandy: You're going to find that this is the pattern. People come up with ideas and don't follow through with them. You guys need to take responsibility for these things. Officer, NCO or not. If you don't push to do it, then no one else will. That's what I learned in this position.

[15:30:24] Nrom Normandy: So that's where I leave you. I don't have many other ideas. I had a lot of preliminary drafts but they never really went anywhere and I couldn't focus on them until I put out the daily fires.

[15:30:26] Mercury: New contact: Kaska Czarny

[15:30:26] Kaska Czarny is Online

[15:30:38] Nrom Normandy: So before I open the floor to comments and questions, I just have one thing left to say.

[15:30:56] Nrom Normandy: From when I joined in June of last year, when I log into SL, the first thing I do is handle my duties.

[15:31:13] Nrom Normandy: I respond to IMs I have, I go through my list of daily duties, and then I goof around.

[15:31:19] Nrom Normandy: Some of you guys are flight leaders.

[15:31:25] Mercury: Lost contact: Aegis Verne

[15:31:26] Nrom Normandy: That means contacting your personnel.

[15:31:32] Nrom Normandy: Not on Wednesday.

[15:31:35] Nrom Normandy: Not on Thursday.

[15:31:38] Nrom Normandy: Everyday.

[15:32:00] Mercury: Lost contact: Kristian Kit

[15:32:20] Mercury: New contact: Huttser Ishelwood

[15:32:20] Mercury: Titan entry:

Name: Huttser Ishelwood [ Ordo - Threat level: 0 ]

Profile: secondlife:///app/agent/7820a4f2-9093-4c9c-859e-2d96ac5adfaf/about

[15:32:34] Nrom Normandy: I got a lot of reports for this over the past couple months in my position, and when I see that someone tells me that they couldn't get in contact with someone, I know that usually meant the person didn't respond on Wednesday. That's not a jab, just a suggestion for improvement.

[15:32:45] Nrom Normandy: Training needs to happen and be the priority for trainers.

[15:32:53] Acheron Gloom is Offline

[15:32:53] Mercury: Lost contact: Acheron Gloom

[15:33:16] Nrom Normandy: I shouldn't have had to hear from trainees that they received excuses when they asked for training. To put it simply, trainees should never have to ask for training.

[15:33:23] Nrom Normandy: Armatura is experiencing this pretty bad.

[15:33:30] Mercury: Lost contact: Typhoon Ivanovic

[15:33:38] Acheron Gloom is Online

[15:33:39] Mercury: New contact: Acheron Gloom

[15:33:41] Zepp Stygian is Offline

[15:33:55] Hokusai Otsuka is Online

[15:34:03] (COM): Acheron Gloom: Being crashed by gremlins: awesome

[15:34:09] Acheron Gloom is Offline

[15:34:10] Mercury: Lost contact: Acheron Gloom

[15:34:13] Nrom Normandy: One of the things that led to me getting to where I am is that I took the initiative to make sure to ask for things to do, and when I had something to do, I made it the first thing I did when I logged in and the last thing I finished up when I out.

[15:34:51] Afevis Sodertelge is Online

[15:34:51] Mercury: New contact: Acheron Gloom

[15:34:52] Acheron Gloom is Online

[15:34:52] Nrom Normandy: It's called work ethic. While I know SL is supposed to be fun, those of us who take on the NCO and officer positions should know that we take on responsibilities and those responsibilities require us to take some of our fun time and put it aside for others.

[15:35:21] Nrom Normandy: Now, that's all I had to say today. Floor is open, just raid your hand if you want to say something.

[15:35:54] Detox Exonar is Offline

[15:35:54] Ethan Schuman: We're going to miss you. Me especially. One less human around. :(

[15:36:02] Ookamiwulf Lemton: Same

[15:36:04] Disembodied Hand: haha.

[15:36:32] Nrom Normandy: I've been pretty depressed about it for the past few weeks, it's hit my activity in addition to the things I've been doing in the evening.

[15:36:32] Disembodied Hand raises hand

[15:36:49] Nrom Normandy: go for it dis, forget the hand thing there's not enough people here for it to be an issue

[15:37:24] Mercury: New contact: Afevis Sodertelge

[15:37:25] Mercury: Titan entry:

Name: Afevis Sodertelge [ Ordo - Threat level: 0 ]

Profile: secondlife:///app/agent/8ed01d27-d906-48b1-81ee-d2307a468798/about

[15:37:37] Disembodied Hand: Its unfortunate to see you go, I know you had good plans for us and astra was slowly getting better, The schola thing works more than you gave it credit for )tho of course it could use more) 2 schola joined us today after I gave them a tour of our stuff at phase 6

[15:38:25] Nrom Normandy: I know of one at least, I sent him/her the notecard stuff that I usually give the new transfers and schola people

[15:38:37] Bradley Petrov is Offline

[15:39:34] Copper Shelter is Online

[15:39:37] Nrom Normandy: alright, I bet you guys are also listening in on Aryte so no problem. I'll go ahead and write up the meeting log and get started on the report for the general meeting if you guys want to head down there and you don't have any other comments or questions