We did Awardapalooza. And we did Recordapalooza. So why not Commandapalooza? This post is all about our amazing Commanding Officers and everything they’ve accomplished up through the end of 2025. This is one caveat, however: We only have command records for Jul 2001-Dec 2003, Oct 2010-Aug 2018, Nov 2018, and Jun 2019-present. A few years ago, former Fleet CO Jeremiah Griffith gave us records he had saved that cover January 2004 through September 2010. However, they are incomplete and have not yet been integrated into our official record book. Until that happens, we have had 150 unique Independence Fleet Commanding Officers who have guided 58 different sims. And here they are…
They have led 2,361 ship-months, won 207 posting titles, and commanded through a whopping 64,387 posts!
By Sim:
Active sims in bold.
By Commanding Officer:
Commanding Officers currently in command are in bold.
Only the top 25 and active COs are tagged.
What a history! What a legacy! What a group put outstanding role players and leaders do we have! There certainly is a lot I can say, but I’m going to let the numbers speak for themselves. But please do feel free to post your own observations, thoughts, and memories in the comments section below!
We recently had one big post on community awards from outside IDF. Why not another big post on awards from within Independence Fleet? That’s what this is! We’ve crunched the numbers for everything from our July 4, 2001 founding through the end of 2025. In that time, IDF has issued 1,248 monthly awards to 599 unique characters, representing 52 different sims. Wow, what a history! Since a table with 599 people would be too big for this article, we decided to narrow it down to the 25. On a separate note, we’ll be celebrating our 25th anniversary later this year! Awards were presented Jul 2001-Oct 2005, Oct 2010-Jul 2013, and Mar 2020-present.
Here we go with our monthly awards records…
Active or recently active member Hall of Famer
Active members of the fleet are now 1-10 on the all-time leaderboard, and include 18 of the top 25 spots. Hall of Famers make up only 6 of the top 25 today. It seems we likely have A LOT of future Hall of Famers in our midst! Also, Jenna Ramthorne has (barely) overtaken Bonnie “Bon-Bon” Durnell for #1, with Jonathan Grayson not too far behind at #3. Long-time sims USS Chuck Norris, USS Sunfire, and USS Washington dominate the list when looking at the primary sim of characters:
USS Washington: 4 of the top 10; 8 of the top 25
USS Sunfire: 3 of the top 10; 7 of the top 25
USS Chuck Norris: 3 of the top 10; 5 of the top 25
Breaking it out by sim:
The Sunfire leads the way with 236.5 total awards, with the Washington not too far back at 220. Active sims claim spots #1-4 (the USS Liberty is at #3 overall with 96.5 awards) and 6 of the top 10–the more recent addition to the fleet USS Firebird lands right in that 10 spot with 42 awards. The USS Wayfarer is #6 with 52 awards, and the USS Albion and USS Montana sit just outside the top 10 at #11 (26 awards) and #12 (23 awards), respectively.
Breaking it down further to awards issued since they were reinstated in 2020 (546 total awards):
The Washington leads the pack this time with 155, and the Sunfire is in second place at 118.5. The Washington also has the longest streak of winning at least one monthly award, dating all the way back to May 2021 for 57 months in a row if you count January 2026. I can’t find another streak that even comes close. If the W can make it through April of this year, that would make it an astounding five full years with at least one award each month!
Speaking of the W (and a few others), here is the list of sims that led the fleet in awards each year since 2020:
In case you happen to want to see each year fully broken out, we have that too:
Since they are mentioned throughout, let’s also not forget about our other two outstanding sims: USS Churchill & USS Eminence.
Finally, I would like to thank Rook Mirtoh and Arthur Winters, each whom has served as our Director of Personnel, which is the role primarily responsible for selecting the award winners (Mirtoh, March 2020-September 2023; Winters, May 2024-today, with Ken Gillis and me filling in a few times here and there). It’s more tedious than you might imagine! Thank you for making one IDF’s enduring legacies possible!
With that, let’s keep these amazing awards coming!
With yet another July, it is again my great privilege to formally announce the newest members of the Independence Fleet Hall of Fame. Induction is the highest honor this club offers–reserved for those with exemplary service or extraordinary contributions to the fleet, according to the Hall of Fame Charter (pdf). Without further ado, your Hall of Fame Class of 2023 is as follows:
Inducted by Election:
Colonel Steven MayTa Death
of the USS Sanctuary
The longtime Commanding Officer of the Sanctuary, Steven MayTa Death was the fleet’s all-time leader in command months with 89 when he and his sim transferred to sister club UCIP in 2020. He also managed 17 posting titles during his IDF career. Finding his niche by leading offbeat missions, his crew enjoyed their Marine-centric and action-packed storylines. There will never be another MayTa!
Lt. Cmdr. Maryam Syed
of the USS Sunfire
A mainstay of the renaissance era Sunfire, Maryam Syed was an integral part of helping lead the fleet back to its earlier glory days. Her outstanding contributions in-story, affable nature, and excellent recruiting also ensured the Sunfire remained great for many years. Showing superb breadth, she won six total awards, including Rookie of the Month, Best Post, MVP, and the Recruitment award.
Lieutenant Spaardra Tamis
of the USS Sunfire
A first-rate team player, Spaardra Tamis was an indispensable member of both the Sunfire and the fleet. As IDF was reestablishing itself during the renaissance era, her superior posting quantity and wide recruiting efforts were exactly what was needed at the time to jumpstart operations. Of her five total awards, two were for Recruitment and three were for Most Posts.
Inducted by the Veterans Committee:
None this year.
Congratulations to our three 2023 inductees! Thank you for providing a timeless example for us still role playing today to emulate. You will hereby forever be remembered for your extraordinary service to Independence Fleet. Well done! There are now 41 total members of this most exclusive club.
That’s two more inductees from the Sunfire, and our first from the Sanctuary.
It’s been almost four months since I assumed command of Independence Fleet back in February. It’s high time that we recognized some of the people who have made our resurgence possible. I hereby issue the following six citations:
The Excellence in Service Medal is hereby renamed the Command Excellence Medal. It is to be awarded for achievement above and beyond the call of duty at the sim Commanding Officer level.
Command Excellence Medal
Awarded to Captain Shane Youngblood for commanding the USS Chuck Norris from 2014 to 2020. Captain Youngblood kept IDF alive when its website went offline by having the Chuck Norris continue simming over email. For that action, IDF will be forever grateful.
Awarded to Colonel Steven MayTa Death for commanding the USS Sanctuary from 2012 to 2020. At the time of his transfer to fellow simming club UCIP, he was first all time in IDF with 89 command months. His tenure included 1,631 total posts and 17 posting titles.
Awarded to Captain Shran dh’Klar for commanding the USS Washington. As previously announced, Captain dh’Klar is now our Commanding Officer elder statesman with the all time lead in command months (90) and posting titles (26). He continues to be guiding light and example for his sim.
The Distinguished Service Medal is awarded for achievement above and beyond the call of duty at the Admiralty level.
Distinguished Service Medal
Awarded to Rear Admiral Sadie Stanton for her service as Director of Art. Creating an entirely new graphical design and feel for the IDF website, her creative vision has been invaluable in our second renaissance.
Awarded to Vice Admiral Ken Gillis for his service as Director of Technology. He built the entire new IDF website in record time and continues to manage a first-rate, fast, and error-free IT system.
Awarded to Admiral Charles Star for his service as Chief of Fleet Operations. The glue who puts it all together, he assembled the greatest staff this fleet has ever seen and continues to lead both here and in the community at large.
Just like the Monthly Awards, the Major Awards are now back too. If there’s a theme here, it’s the three Captains who bridged the gap from the old website and leadership to the new and the three Admirals who made what we have now possible. Thanks to all and I hope you continue to serve the fleet for many years to come.
Rook Mirtoh, your friendly neighborhood Director of Personnel here. It’s been a number of years since I was last in the IDF Admiralty. So many that I’ve lost count! Regardless, I’m back and so is IDF. March was a great month with many great posts and performances. Alas, we don’t have enough awards to honor everyone who is doing excellent things with us today. However, we can honor these outstanding members of the fleet.
Best Post
Cmdr. Jonathan Grayson (XO) & Lt. Cmdr. N’Sachzny P’Glosho (CSTO) USS Washington
For “Meeting old friends?” Beautifully written, an in depth look at the characters, history, and politics. Well done!
For jumping right in on the new website in his old role as XO and posting a fleet-high of 6 posts, all helping set the tone for what’s coming. Already stepping up as a leader and getting new crew integrated.
At 11:59 PM tonight, the USS Sanctuary will officially transfer from Independence Fleet to UCIP. The Sanctuary has been a mainstay in IDF since she launched back in October 2012. According to available records as of March 1st, the Sanctuary had seen 1,718 total posts and 17 monthly posting titles. Wow!
Perhaps even more impressive is that Commanding Officer Steven Mayta Death is not only the longest currently-tenured CO in IDF, but he is also first all-time in IDF history with 89 completed command-months, all with the Sanctuary. His alter ego, Steven Mayta Cha’Dich adds five more (one with the Sanctuary and five with Starbase Prime). What a record!
But Steven’s and the Sanctuary’s run doesn’t end here. Steven actually began his career back in UCIP, and he’s simply going home. Here’s to all the adventures he and his crew are going to continue to have for years to come!
Kirk, Spock and McCoy are lost in the Star Trek multiverse and find themselves beamed in to your stories. You can’t see or hear them but they can see and hear you. Just goes to show, you never know who’s watching. So here we go, beaming into the USS Sanctuary to witness its opening scene through the eyes of our favourite Trek heroes.
Fade in to the familiar golden shimmer of transporter beams as three figures appear in a dark room. They immediately draw phasers and glance around as if waiting for attack.
“Dammit Jim, where are we?” the doctor glanced around nervously.
“I have… no idea. What do you think of Spock?” the Captain turned to their Vulcan companion waiting for a response.
“I suspect…” Spock mused, “…that we have been drawn into an alternate dimension. We are here to witness monumental events and perhaps learn from them.”
“That’s nonsense. How could you know that you green blooded goblin.” Spat McCoy, his nerves getting the better of him.
“It is quite simple.” Spock explained, “I have read the script.”
“Oh boy!” exclaimed Kirk as he lowered his phaser in shock.
“That Captain, is the wrong franchise, but otherwise entirely appropriate to our current circumstances.” Spock replied.
“So what now?” demanded McCoy.
Lieutenant Commander Robert Razer has been dead for many years. his body lost to the cold space…
“Who said that?” McCoy jumped at the ethereal voice.
“I suggest you calm yourself Doctor.” Spock holstered his phaser, “that was just the narrator.”
A light flickered on from above and…
suddenly,
Robert gasping for air..naked… in a dark room with a single light shinning down on him …his head, arms and legs were strap down… he did not have a clue where he was nor who he was.. he felt random eyes staring down on him within the darkness… but he could not do anything to escape.. his body hurt… his mind was on fire, he was crying and he could not speak..
“Good heavens man we should help him.” McCoy made to reach for the trapped man but his hand simply passed through the solid matter like mist.
“I am afraid we can do nothing but observe.” Spock looked on impassively.
“He’s naked.” observed Kirk, “we can see his phaser.”
“Dammit Jim dont look at those.” the Doc turned his back.
“Mine’s bigger,” mused Kirk.
The scene flickered and changed. The same man but no longer strapped to the table.
Curled up in a corner Robert squeezed his legs against his body.
Kirk runs over and kneels next to the man, listening as he mumbles under his breath.
Robert- no it can be?…i can’t be alive?…. i cant? .. can’t… I am dead… I am dead…
Robert rocked back and forth repeating the words. My hurts… my head hurts so bad. why am I alive?….
The room had no lights in it.. It was bare. Bare floors, bare ceilings. There was nothing in the room but Robert.
“Who is he?” Kirk demands as the man continues to speak to himself his voice becoming louder and more frantic.
“This must be hell …. Hell. Hell…..hell (and as loud as he could scream) Hell!……
“Someone should give him a sedative.” said McCoy.
“That would defeat the object of the torture.” replied Spock.
Robert never thought of the outside world .. what was going on or where he was.. just the pain, just the darkness. there is no we ..there is only darkness.. darkness is my friend.
“This narrator is bugging me out.” McCoy looked around trying to find the source of the strange voice.
“Pretty cool though, having darkness as a friend.” Kirk considered the idea, “Hey I’m Captain Kirk and this is my good friend Darkness.”
“He was not being literal.” Spock gave a long suffering sigh.
“I bet darkness rides a motorbike.” Kirk pressed on unperturbed.
Robert rocked back and forth…. Laughter began to arise from the darkness…
“Oh he’s losing it.” Kirk stood up and went to stand next to Spock. They both looked down at the stranger named Robert as he cried out.
“Strike me down demon scum.. stop your toying with me and end my suffering.. if this is indeed hell…kill me…”
“I think he’s talking to you.” McCoy gave Spock a grin just as golden light surrounded them once more.
“That Doctor was uncalled for.” Spock’s voice lingered for a brief moment as the trio vanished into the ether.
As of 00 hundred hours this morning, I have assumed command of Independence Fleet (IDF / IDFleet.com). All active sims with the exception of the USS Sanctuary (NCC-2880) and the USS Chuck Norris (NCC-4005) are hereby released from the fleet and free to continue as independent games or to seek membership with other groups. Additionally, all members of the Admiralty are also released from their duties with this fleet.
I have appointed Admiral Charles Star as Chief of Fleet Operations to assemble a new Admiralty and reorganize the fleet. I’m also proud to announce that the USS Ganymede (NCC-80107) is launching for action today.
I know that none of you were expecting this. I’m sorry. I’m going to have you to ask you to grow up a little sooner than you expected. Know that I have full confidence in you and every member of this fleet to continue role playing excellence.
Independence Fleet may be almost 19 years old, but I believe her best days are still ahead. Let’s role play!
