The Gryphon's Beak
September, 2021Printable PDF
Flag Sends
One year to go. We are in the beginning of the home stretch of our Worldcon preparations, and getting closer to being able to finally comment on what we have planned. Right now, we are in a holding pattern, needing the concom to approve some of the plans before we announce them.
In this case, begging forgiveness is not better than asking permission.
What I can comment on is that we will be running a fully kitted out table all 5 days, and a room party for 3 nights. We will be running our own excursions into Chicago, with a focus on the Adler Planetarium, Art Institute, Field Museum of Natural History, Museum of Science & Industry, and more. We are working on a ‘Queen Berry’s Chicago’ excursion to the underground spaces of the city. There will be options for dining, exploration, and maybe even some baseball.
In all, there is a lot to do in Chicago, and there will be some kind of convention happening at the same time.
So keep your eyes peeled for updates and announcements as we finalize the plans. It’s going to be a blast!
THE TRADITION LIVES!
OAK FOREST
Matter of Honor LARP Update
Matter Of Honor Postponement Notice:
Dramatically rising Covid-19 cases and trends in the Bay City area have prompted both the Saginaw Valley Naval Ship Museum (USS Edson) and the Bay City Health Department to encourage us to cancel or postpone the Matter of Honor event for November 2021. While QAG staff had already expressed our requirement of player vaccinations, the tight quarters and minimal ventilation aboard the Edson make the event a significant danger given the properties of the Delta variant.
The November 2021 event will not be taking place.
At this time, both the TRMN and Quest staff are working on the most viable solution, which could very likely mean a rescheduling sometime in 2022. At this time, we are disabling all additional payments to player accounts and asking that players please be patient while we sort out our plan of action. Whatever the decision, full refunds will be made available should players request them.
At this time, this is all the information we are ready to convey – we will update everyone as we know more. Thank you for your understanding in the meantime.
October Reports
This is a reminder that your Chapter and MarDet reports are due between the 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/
Upcoming Events
The Bureau of Planning is excited to announce the launch of ConStack. This cooperative project between BuPlan and BuComm is now a fabulous new tool that puts information about over 2,000 conventions at your fingertips. All members of TRMN and the public can view ConStack at:
https://constack.trmnbureaus.info/
If you see that an event is missing or has incorrect information, contact your Fleet’s BuPlan Intel Agent or Branch Liaison and they will get it updated.
Marksmanship Update
By order of CO 2nd Fleet, the following marksmanship awards are issued effective 1 September, 2021:
PISTOL MARKSMANSHIP CERTIFICATE:
- CPO James Matthew FORGIE, HMS Havoc
- PO3 Steve GALPIN, HMS Havoc
RIFLE MARKSMANSHIP CERTIFICATE:
- PO3 Steve GALPIN, HMS Havoc
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.
June Honors – Awards
Queen's Bravery Medal
PO1 Tiffany KAMPERSAL, RMN HMS Hexapuma
Mentioned in Dispatches
S1C Sheila Anne CATAROCHE, RMN HMS Ajax
LCDR Debra FLIGOR, RMN HMS Hotspur
LCDR Patrick Ardan GIESE, RMN HMS Invincible
Prisoner of War Medal
CDR Richard James SAMS, RMN HMS Merlin
Manticoran Combat Action Medal
4th Award
CAPTJG Bruce CREWS, RMN HMS Enterprise
Aerospace Basic Observer Wings, Enlisted
CPO James Matthew FORGIE, RMN HMS Havoc
Enlisted Space Warfare Pin
CPO James Matthew FORGIE, RMN HMS Havoc
Ranks on awards are listed at the time of award, and may have changed by publication.
June Honors – Promotions
Congratulations are extended to the following members on the occasion of their promotions as noted.
HMS Demon
- Nix S Vulpix to Spacer 2nd Class, effective 26 August, 2021
- Perry W. Dyer to Civilian Three , effective 26 August, 2021
HMS Enterprise
- Kenneth McNealy Jr. to Spacer 1st Class, effective 16 August, 2021
- David Levi to Chief Electronic Mate, effective 17 August, 2021
HMS Galahad
- Stephen Baker to Spacer 2nd Class, effective 28 August, 2021
HMS Havoc
- Kennerly Ligo III to Petty Officer 2nd Class, effective 10 August, 2021
- Aaron M. Schafer to Spacer 1st Class, effective 17 August, 2021
HMS Musashi
- Damon Graham to Gunner’s Mate 1st Class, effective 8 August, 2021
- Ryan Pavao to Spacer 1st Class, effective 27 August, 2021
- Liz Carpenter to Spacer 2nd Class, effective 27 August, 2021
- Eric Clapsaddle to Helmsman 2nd Class, effective 27 August, 2021
HMS Vixen
- Justin Satov to Spacer 2nd Class, effective 21 August, 2021
HMSS North Star
- Jessica Corrine Chadwick to Petty Officer 3rd Class, effective 19 August, 2021
- Eric Stucky to Spacer 1st Class, effective 19 August, 2021
- Ron James Trebes to Spacer 1st Class, effective 19 August, 2021
- Ian James Wilson to Spacer 1st Class, effective 19 August, 2021
- Justin Allen Langel to Spacer 2nd Class, effective 19 August, 2021
- Richard A May to Spacer 2nd Class, effective 19 August, 2021
- Miranda Maeve Cockerham to Cadet Ranger Three, effective 19 August, 2021
Fleet Command & Staff Information
CO, Gryphon Fleet
co@gryphonfleet.org
Rear Admiral of the Green Geoffrey Strayer, GCE, KR, SC, OG, CGM, GS
Baron Oak Forest
XO, Gryphon Fleet
Rear Admiral of the Green Wayne Bruns, GCE, OM, KCGL, MC, OC, CR, SC, OG, CGM, GS, QBM, CBM, PC
Baron Grosvenor
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
Captain Junior Grade Kerry Kuhn
Fleet Medical NCOIC
medical@gryphonfleet.org
PO2 Steven Bobula
Intelligence Specialist
intel@2ndfleet.trmn.org
JAG Ombudsman
Vacant
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
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 Intrepid (SD-463), 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 Apollo (CL-80), Lafayette, IN
HMS Gryphon (SD-153), Indianapolis, IN
HMS Hotspur (DD-02), Rantoul, IL
HMS Samurai (CL-356), Goshen, IN
HMS Wolfhound (DD-437), Mt. Prospect, IL
Task Group 22.3
Cruiser Division 711
Independent Commands
Task Group 22.4
Independent Commands
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
Task Group 22.4
CAPTSG Samuel Dietzmann