The Gryphon's Beak
February, 2021Printable PDF
Flag Sends
HMSS North Star is officially live!
Which may not mean a lot to the Fleet membership as a whole, I freely admit. I am excited because this means that we can finally be in direct contact with the least active members of the organization. By having a more local contact person, the odds that the denizens of the North Star will find their place in a chapter increases…well… infinitely. Something about moving up from a zero chance to a positive number.
Anyway, maths aside, this new element comes with some new responsibilities. The command responsibilities for North Star will be added to the Fleet Deputy CO, Fleet Personnel Officer, and Fleet Bosun. Not as additional ‘hats’, merely additional aspects to those existing roles.
As we are without a DFCO, that places me as CO, CAPTSG Jamey Salsburg as XO, and FSMCPO Kevin Walsh as Bosun.
As we introduce the incoming members of the station to the Fleet, I will be bringing in the local ship COs as well, to make introductions, and begin the process of transferring off the station and into a local chapter. Keep an eye on your emails for more.
The Tradition Lives!
Comings & Goings
BuShips Directive 2101-01
Appointment of Deputy Third Space Lord
Ladies and Gentleman of the Grand Alliance,
It is my pleasure and privilege to announce the appointment of Deputy Third Space Lord, effective as of 0001 Hours on Friday, January 1st.
Rear Admiral of the Red Sir Zachary White, you are hereby ordered to report to the Office of the Third Space Lord, whereupon you shall assume the duties of Deputy Third Space Lord, Bureau of Ships, relieving Commodore Lori Bonilla.
••••
BuComm Directive 2101-02
Appointment of Marketing Assistant Director, Bureau of Communications
Commodore Dame Misty White:
You are hereby directed and required to report to the Office of the Fourth Space Lord, where you shall assume the duties of the Marketing Assistant Director, with all the rights and responsibilities associate with that role. Fail not in this duty at your peril.
••••
BuShips Directive 2101-06
Appointment of Command Staff, HMS Vixen (DD-174)
Petty Officer First Class David:
You are hereby directed and required to proceed aboard HMS Vixen (DD-174), there to take upon yourself the duties and responsibilities of Executive Officer, relieving Lieutenant Senior Grade Kerry Kuhn, RMN, in service to the Crown. Fail not in this charge at your peril.
Based upon the requirements of the service for your new billet, you are hereby brevetted to the rank of LIEUTENANT SENIOR GRADE, RMN.
••••
BuShips Directive 2101-07
Appointment of Command Staff, HMS Hexapuma (CA-412)
Lieutenant Senior Grade Kuhn:
You are hereby directed and required to proceed aboard HMS Hexapuma (CA-412), there to take upon yourself the duties and responsibilities of Commanding Officer, relieving Captain Senior Grade Jimmy Nelson, RMN, in service to the Crown. Fail not in this charge at your peril.
Based upon the requirements of the service for your new billet, you are hereby brevetted to the rank of CAPTAIN JUNIOR GRADE, RMN.
February Reports
This is a reminder that your Chapter and MarDet reports are due between February 1st and 10th. One thing I found amazingly helpful when filling them out was to use an online document (Google Docs, Word Online) to keep things organized as they happened. Then, when the reporting month hit, I could just copy and paste them into the reports form, and be done. No trying to remember what happened two months ago at the last minute!
And a reminder that Marksmanship submissions are due the 20th of the month, so we have time to correlate and get things set for the award issuance.
Marines – you now have a new online form to fill out for Bi-Monthly reports. The link is below. It will send the reports to your command triad, your Ship’s CO and to ComForceCom. Please use this form to send in your report that is due on the 5th.
There is only one stipulation with the form at this time. Please do not use autofill. Autofill does not work properly and that information is deleted in the report. You can copy and paste information into the report but forgo the autofill function.
https://buships.trmnbureaus.info/rmmc/
UK Shipping Changes
Due to recent changes in the value added tax (VAT) rules enforced by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs in the UK, we will no longer be able to allow members to make low value orders through the BuSup store. If you try to place an order through the store under a value of $200 you will receive a pop-up message informing you that your order cannot be completed.
The BuSup UK Operations combined order is unaffected by this change and we will be working to increase the frequency of these to ensure a steady supply of stock to the UK.
BuSup will continue to monitor the evolving situation in the UK and should the position of the UK Government change, we will reexamine our position.
If you have any questions about this change please reach out to us via email to 7SL@trmn.org.
Upcoming Events
As COVID-19 continues to flare in many states, large gatherings are being canceled across the board. Until it is safe to do so, Fleet advises considering all conventions ‘probably canceled’ for the foreseeable future.
We will return to our regular list of events once the situation allows.
Join us for TRMN Social Hour every Saturday evening at 7PM Central.
There is a wide range of guests, from our own Space Lords to members of BuNine, authors like Chuck Gannon, Eric Flint, Marko Kloos, and some guy named David Weber. Following the recorded AMA-format with our guests, the floor is open to free-form discussion & hanging out. Links for each Social Hour are posted in the Forums, and on the main Facebook page.
Hope to see you there!
Blood Drive Flyers!
BuComm-Approved blood drive flyers are available!
Each poster is available in 11 x 17 as a form-fillable PDF. Just enter your specific details, and your customized Blood Drive flyer is ready to go!
I want to thank SMAJ Brad Handley, MARDET Ajax, for spearheading the project, coming up with the idea and providing excellent suggestions on changes to the design. There is a ready-to-use version linked below:
Marksmanship Update
By order of CO 2nd Fleet, the following marksmanship awards are issued effective 1 February, 2021:
PISTOL MARKSMANSHIP CERTIFICATE:
- PO2 Charles HERO, HMS Musashi
- CAPTJG Gordon KLEIN-LEBBINK, HMS Ajax
- CDR Jim MCCOY, HMS Ajax
- SSGT Scott WALKOTTEN, HMS Helen
RIFLE MARKSMANSHIP CERTIFICATE:
- CAPT Larry FRENCH, HMS Demon
- CAPTJG Thomas C. HATHAWAY,HMS Ajax
- CDR Jim MCCOY, HMS Ajax
PISTOL SHARPSHOOTER AWARD:
- CAPTJG Thomas C. HATHAWAY,HMS Ajax
- LTSG Kerry KUHN, HMS Vixen
PISTOL EXPERT AWARD:
- PO2 Danielle OSTACH, HMS Demon
- LCDR Lisa Wiedemann, HMS Vixen
PISTOL HIGH EXPERT AWARD:
- PO1 Kyle ANDERSON, HMS Valkyrie
- CAPTJG Kevin JOHNSON, HMS Sabrepike
- S1C Lisa JOHNSON, HMS Sabrepike
- C3 Daniel JOHNSON, HMS Sabrepike
- C2 Rebecca JOHNSON, HMS Sabrepike
The Tradition Lives!
For CO 2nd Fleet:
Issued by:
KEVIN WALSH, NS
Senior Chief Petty Officer, RMN
2nd Fleet Range Officer
Gryphon’s Wings Fleet Relief Project
On May 23rd we launched the Gryphon’s Wings Fleet Relief Project. The response has been overwhelming, and I am humbled by the generosity of our members.
We are currently in the midst of a Global pandemic. However, while we are all in the same storm, we are navigating the waters on different ships. Sometimes these waters will be more than we can handle on our own, and we need an extra hand on deck. We want you to know that the 2nd fleet is here for you.
To that end, we are asking for donations to create an emergency relief fund to be used for TRMN 2nd Fleet members. This fund’s target is to provide immediate short term relief of an urgent crisis. For example: Sending someone grocery money for a weeks worth of groceries (as a lot of food banks are running out of food, short on volunteers, and closing), providing gas money for a week so someone can still travel back and forth providing care-giving to a family member, covering the co-pay cost of a doctors visit, and other small emergency expenses. Anything helps. I am asking for a $5 monthly commitment – the cost of a Starbucks coffee – to assist. Please join me, and those who have already donated, in making TRMN more than just a fan group. Click here, or the banner below, to donate. Meet the Test.
At the same time, we know some are being affected by the effort to combat the virus,including job loss, other reduction of income, medical difficulties, etc. This can result in a tough choice between shelter, transportation, food, or medical care. That is an impossible choice no one should be required to face, and we want to help how we can.
To apply for a Visa Gift Card for you or another member, please click here.
Only the 2nd Fleet CO will see who the requester and/or the potential recipient is. This will never be held against you in any way. We don’t ask for or expect repayment. This is not charity, we are simply keeping the RMN tradition of seeing that a Queen’s Navy is well rested, well fed, and healthy before going into battle. And this is a battle where victory will be measured in not just survivors but in the quality of that survival.
To request assistance, please click here.
A Matter Of Honor RMN LARP
A Matter of Honor is a multi-day, live-action role playing event set in David Weber’s expansive literary Honorverse. Held in November 2021, the event will offer players three days of exciting adventures and full immersion within Weber’s colorful science-fiction world. Within the interior of the decommissioned USS Edson in Bay City, Michigan, nearly 200 players will serve as the crew of the HMS Ballista, a heavy cruiser of the Royal Manticoran Navy with a mission of unparalleled importance. Each player will receive a uniquely-written character whose backstory and abilities will shape the actions and relationships of the player moving through the weekend event. Participants will need to work carefully with each other – and sometimes against each other – to fulfill duties and objectives unique to their character and the mission at large.
A Matter of Honor will be held from November 12 to 14th, 2021 and will run non-stop until the conclusion of the event. Unlike other QAG events, A Matter of Honor does not have specific “lights out” times and will run continuously from start to finish. Player sleep times will still mean activity for others, and each character will be assigned a specific schedule of on-duty, off-duty, and rest periods to simulate the rigors of space-bound life in the Manticoran Navy.
A Matter of Honor is an official Honorverse event and – while produced by Quest Adventure Gaming – is being carried out in cooperation with David Weber, the BuNine Team, and The Royal Manticoran Navy. The event will closely follow the canonical universe of the books, with frequent and obvious references to source materials. While participants are not required to be familiar with the Honorverse, a familiarity with the books is strongly recommended and will certainly assist players in their understanding of their characters and the in-game setting.
Most of the Matter of Honor event will be hosted aboard the USS Edson, a decommissioned Forrest Sherman-class destroyer from the Cold War era. Now a national historic landmark at the Saginaw Valley Naval Ship Museum in Bay City, MI, the vessel’s interior will serve as the HMS Ballista (CA-586). Players will have access to the vast majority of the ship’s sizable inner-workings, with various locales serving as key game locations and player accommodations. Many of the Edson’s actual controls will be temporarily fitted with a networked system of touch-screen panels and computer interfaces, allowing players to collectively navigate the Ascendant through a virtual simulation of deep space.
In addition, specific encounters and plot points will take place at additional sites in the Bay City/Saginaw area to serve as other vessels and planets within the Honorverse. At various points, players may have the opportunity to explore these additional locations, adding a sense of depth and scale to the overall player experience.
For more information or to register, visit https://matterofhonorlarp.com/.
January Honors – Awards
Member, Order of Queen Elizabeth
CAPTSG Elisa L. RANDALL, RMN HMS Invincible
Knight Commander, Order of King Roger
RADM Zachary WHITE, RMN
Knight Commander, Order of Queen Elizabeth
CDR Richard James SAMS, RMN HMS Merlin
Knight Companion, Order of Queen Elizabeth
CDRE Misty Rose WHITE, GSN HMS Galahad
Osterman Cross
PO2 Morgan K DAVID, RMN HMS Vixen
Knight, Order of Queen Elizabeth
SMCPO Bill LOCHEN, RMN HMS Invincible
Companion, Order of Queen Elizabeth
LTCDR Patrick Ardan GIESE, RMN HMS Invincible
Saganami Cross
CAPTJG Samuel DIETZMANN, RMN HMS Demon
LTCDR Lisa Ann WIEDEMANN, RMN HMS Vixen
CDRE Justin F. DUPRAS, RMN HMS Demon
Officer, Order of King Roger
LTCDR Julie CHASE, RMN HMS Lodestone
Member, Order of Queen Elizabeth
CAPTSG Timothy BAILEY, RMN HMS Musashi
COL Bryar NELSON, RMMC MARDET Invincible
Member, Order of Queen Elizabeth
CAPTJG Patrick HAGEMEIER, RMN HMS Merlin
CAPTJG Gordon KLEIN-LEBBINK, RMN HMS Ajax
VADM John NEITZ, RMN HMS Invincible
Conspicuous Gallantry Medal
RADM Wayne BRUNS, RMN HMS Invincible
Mentioned in Dispatches
LTSG Z KRICK, RMN HMS Musashi
Medal, Order of King Roger
CAPTSG Paladin MEYER, RMN HMS Merlin
CDR Ziggi THOMPSON, RMN HMS Javelin
Conspicuous Service Medal
KdS Charles L. SHANANAQUET II, IAN HMS Beowulf
Meritorious Service Medal
CAPTJG Samuel DIETZMANN, RMN HMS Demon
ENS Amy Louise THEISEN, RMN HMS Musashi
LTCDR Lisa Ann WIEDEMANN, RMN HMS Vixen
MCPO Rick WATERSON, RMN HMS Demon
PO2 Danielle E OSTACH, RMN HMS Demon
RADM Wayne BRUNS, RMN HMS Invincible
CAPTSG Rick MATHENY, RMN HMS Invincible
Navy Commendation Decoration
CAPT Larry Dale FRENCH Sr, RMMC MARDET Demon
FM Robert Jackson, RMA HMS Duke of Cromarty
Good Conduct Medal
PO1 Kyle ANDERSON, RMN HMS Valkyrie
PO2 Robert Allen HOUSEMAN, RMN HMS Ajax
S1C Janet Louise CUMMINS, RMN HMS Invincible
S1C Jeffrey CLUFF, RMN HMLAC Scythe
S1C Jerome Giovanni UDONGO, RMN HMS Samurai
PO1 Joe N GREENE, RMN HMS Gryphon
PO2 Charles J HERO, RMN HMS Musashi
SSGT Shelley WOLF, RMMC MARDET Invincible
LCPL Laura NELSON, RMMC MARDET Valkyrie
Recruit Training Ribbon
PO2 Morgan K DAVID, RMN HMS Vixen
Ranks on awards are listed at the time of award, and may have changed by publication.
December Honors – Promotions
Congratulations are extended to the following members on the occasion of their promotions as noted.
Board Promotions
Timothy Bailey, RMN, HMS Musashi, to Captain, Senior Grade
Richard Davenport, GSN, HMS Death Claw, to Captain
Sherman Day, RMN, HMS Demon, to Rear Admiral of the Red
Rick Matheny, RMN, HMS Invincible, to Captain, Senior Grade
HMS Demon
- Ursula Day to Master Chief Warrant Officer, effective 16 January, 2021
HMS Musashi
- Marcia Hero to Spacer 1st Class, effective 23 January, 2021
HMS Vixen
- Morgan David to DC Mate 1st Class, effective 14 January, 2021
Fleet Command & Staff Information
CO, Gryphon Fleet
co@gryphonfleet.org
Rear Admiral of the Red
Geoffrey Strayer
KDE, KR, SC, CGM, GS
XO, Gryphon Fleet
Bosun, Gryphon Fleet
bosun@2ndfleet.trmn.org
Senior Master Chief Intelligence Mate
Kevin Walsh, NS, QBM
Chief of Staff
cos@gryphonfleet.org
Captain, Senior Grade Zach McCauley
Flag Captain
co@hmsgryphon.trmn.org
Captain, Junior Grade Christina Swanson
Flag Lieutenant
flaglt@gryphonfleet.org
Lieutenant Senior Grade Kerry Kuhn
Fleet Medical NCOIC
medical@gryphonfleet.org
PO2 Steven Bobula
Intelligence Specialist
intel@2ndfleet.trmn.org
JAG Ombudsman
ombudsman@2ndfleet.trmn.org
Captain Larry Dale French Sr
GCE, RMMC
Legalman
legalman@2ndfleet.trmn.org
CPO Christina R Doane
Operations Officer
operations@gryphonfleet.org
Lieutenant Commander Patrick Giese
Personnel Officer
Captain (SG)
Jamey Salsberg
KDE, MC, OC
Range Officer
marksmanship@2ndfleet.trmn.org
Senior Master Chief Intelligence Mate
Kevin Walsh, NS, QBM
RMACS Liaison
ascl@gryphonfleet.org
Captain, Junior Grade Christina Swanson
Training Officer
bosun@hmsgryphon.trmn.org
Senior Chief Petty Officer
Derek Firehawk Sauls
Gryphon Fleet Order of Battle
Task Force 21
Covering Minnesota, Wisconsin, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan
Task Group 21.1
LAC Wing 30
HMLAC Gungnir, Willmar, MN
HMLAC Superior, Duluth, MN
SMLAC Arminius, Minneapolis, MN
Destroyer Squadron 265
HMS Javelin (DD-264), Big Lake, MN
HMS Lodestone (DD-64), Elk River, MN
HMS Merlin (CA-270), St. Cloud, MN
Independent Commands
HMS Hellhound (DD-446), St. Paul, MN
HMS Invincible (SD-455), Plymouth, MN
HMS Juno (BC-726), Willmar, MN
HMS Leonidas (BC-584), Grand Forks, ND
HMS Valkyrie (SD-355), Minneapolis, MN
Task Group 21.2
Independent Commands
HMS Borzoi (DD-438), River Falls, WI
HMS Gawain (DD-481), Madison, WI
HMS Musashi (BC-775), Milwaukee, WI
Task Force 22
Covering Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, and the Lower Peninsula of Michigan
Task Group 22.1
LAC Wing 62
GSNLAC Lilla Björn, Marquette, MI
HMLAC Scythe, Portage, Indiana
Independent Commands
HMS Demon (CLAC-62), Chicago, IL
HMS Gryphon (SD-153), Indianapolis, IN
HMS Hexapuma (CA-412), Rockford, IL
HMS Hotspur (DD-02), Rantoul, IL
HMS Samurai (CL-356), Goshen, IN
HMS Vixen (DD-174), Chicago, IL
HMS Wolfhound (DD-437), Mt. Prospect, IL
Task Group 22.3
Cruiser Division 711
HMS Sabrepike (CA-417), Franklin, OH
Independent Commands
HMS Beowulf (BC-739), Lansing, MI
HMS Enterprise (BC-480), Rochester Hills, MI
HMS Galahad (DD-478), Columbus, OH
HMS Helen (BC-570), Fruitport, MI
Echelon Commanders
Task Force 21
RADM Wayne Bruns
Task Group 21.1
CAPTSG Jill McTavish
Destroyer Squadron 265
CAPTSG Paladin Meyer
Task Group 21.2
CAPTJG Timothy Bailey
Task Force 22
CDRE Justin Dupras
Task Group 22.1
CAPTSG Michael Flanagan
Task Group 22.3
CAPTSG Jackie Snedden
Cruiser Division 711
CAPTJG Kevin Johnson