Hello, fellow readers. We are meeting with Captain Sophie to find out what happened in the background, to make Station Promethium and District 2 go from the drawing board into reality. The idea that came from Commandant Allian Blackwell to the hands of Captain Sophie to a well-executed and successful opening.
PO1 Asa Darkbyrd:
Thank you, Captain Sophie, for agreeing to this interview with me for the SLCG Magazine. This month we’ve been focusing around the theme of Promethium.
Captain Sophie Sharkfin:
Do you mean the element on the periodic table?
PO1 Asa Darkbyrd:
No the new station of District 2
Captain Sophie Sharkfin:
Ah, copy because it has atomic number 61.
PO1 Asa Darkbyrd:
To hear it, you are one of the many masterminds behind taking the idea of district 2 and Station Promethium from a dream to a reality. Would you like to tell me about that, please?
Captain Sophie Sharkfin:
District 2 was an idea born in a conversation with the Commandant. We explored several options to expand more leadership billets and figure out a way to get closer and more involved with the Bellisseria region, which is enormous.
PO1 Asa Darkbyrd:
Yes, Bellisseria is pretty new itself, so there was a station before, I understand, in District 2, which retired temporarily. Why did it get taken down? From what I know from Commandant Blackwell, we used to have 20 stations. Now we are down to 12. That was due to the removal of the prior District 2, and where was it located previously?
Captain Sophie Sharkfin:
The dismantling of D2 was before my time, as was the reduction in stations. I had heard D2 involved the Heterocea region, but I’m not sure. Heterocera (spelling?) is now part of D1.
PO1 Asa Darkbyrd:
How many stations are we looking to have in District 2, approximately?
Captain Sophie Sharkfin:
I would like to get it to 3, at least, which means we’d eventually add another one, possibly on the south end of Bellisseria.
PO1 Asa Darkbyrd:
And do you think there are enough command staff and guardians to fill the positions in D2 as it grows?
Captain Sophie Sharkfin:
There are 3 in the region if you include Munro, but Munro is exceptional circumstances and not your typical station. As we grow, and if we continue to grow, we’ll have enough to expand to another station at D2.
PO1 Asa Darkbyrd:
Right, Munro is kind of its little world, right?
Captain Sophie Sharkfin:
Munro is in the 1940s if you consider that another world, then yes indeed!
PO1 Asa Darkbyrd:
So what did you do to get the Promethium Project up and going? What did it take to get it planned and get it into place, and did it meet the projected start date on time, or were there delays?
Captain Sophie Sharkfin:
So, the first order of business was to select a district commander — that was LCDR Neil. We had to all decide on a location — we could purchase new coastal land or subsume an existing substation. We weren’t satisfied with the available property or the price of some that may have been suitable. So. We had a choice between Substations Promethium or Jingi.
PO1 Asa Darkbyrd:
So Promethium is not a full station but a substation?
Captain Sophie Sharkfin:
We went with Promethium — meanwhile, we had an RFA out for CO. We were already planning to send two SRs upon graduation last month. So we had the CO picked the same day we had two SRs, and the same day we had a Station in which to put them!
it all came together beautifully! (SRs who graduated as PO3s I mean) did that answer your question?
PO1 Asa Darkbyrd:
Yes, ma’am, I understand now.
Captain Sophie Sharkfin:
RDML Mandy, LCDR Maddie, LCDR Neil, VADM Ken, and I discussed the transition almost daily, even the proposed logo. The proposed logo was approved today, do you want to see it?
PO1 Asa Darkbyrd:
Thank you. Oh, wow, that is amazing. I love it. Who came up with that idea?
Captain Sophie Sharkfin:
RDML Donatella designed that, our G9 She is an incredible designer.
PO1 Asa Darkbyrd:
That is beautiful and a powerful graphic.
Captain Sophie Sharkfin:
It is a kind of badass.
PO1 Asa Darkbyrd:
I’m sure the readers are going to enjoy seeing that bit of art, so is it G9 that comes up with all the station logos?
Captain Sophie Sharkfin:
Yes
PO1 Asa Darkbyrd:
I never knew who came up with the logos for the stations I guess if I didn’t, I’m sure others don’t understand that either.
Captain Sophie Sharkfin:
In the past, it could have been someone else; some are quite old.
PO1 Asa Darkbyrd:
Are there any plans to revamp them, or are they just going to keep them as they are?
Captain Sophie Sharkfin:
Right now, we intend to keep them just as they are. If you change a logo or patch, then you have to consider all the others who served at that station in the past 15 years and get their opinion also. Logos are sacred in that way. The same applies to real life.
PO1 Asa Darkbyrd:
That is a fascinating statement So does Promethium have an XO?
Captain Sophie Sharkfin:
There is no XO at Promethium yet, but we’ll get one there soon. Finding quality leadership for the XO position is a slow growth process. We are now looking at putting at least one substation in each of the four sectors of Bellisseria. We are now allowing people to donate their Bellisseria houseboat as a potential substation. We need SLCG locations throughout Bellisseria.
PO1 Asa Darkbyrd:
I did not know that
Captain Sophie Sharkfin:
Needing new locations throughout Belliseria, is information that we are finding ourselves and trying to find a resolution to the problem.
PO1 Asa Darkbyrd:
I will be sure to make that notation in the magazine to help get the word out. If we all do our part, we make SLCG a great place to be no matter what that part is. So tell me about your background in SLCG; how did you come to join the group?
Captain Sophie Sharkfin:
In 2016, I landed a C-130 on an abandoned piece of land near the blake sea. CPO Margo (SLCG 3316) found it and sent me a notecard. I wrote back and asked, “How can I join CPO?”
PO1 Asa Darkbyrd:
You joined, because of CPO Margo doing her job, how long have you been in the SLCG?
Captain Sophie Sharkfin:
I am approaching four years, I believe.
PO1 Asa Darkbyrd:
What has been your most memorable time in SLCG? I’m sure that there are many lol, but I’m sure there is one that stands out One that has impacted you the most.
Captain Sophie Sharkfin:
As an SR, I responded to a vessel in distress and rescued someone while driving my Guardian RIB. I was like, “Wow, this is cool!” the other thing, I was tasked as the CO of Abbotts by the Commandant to think about what a station “deployment” would look like to have one in SLCG. So I gathered my crew the next day and said, “Team, we are going to deploy to sea today. We will no longer be using the station while we are gone. We will all deploy on the FRC. Any questions? No? Okay, man up the vessel!” And we went on deployment for six days straight and made up all kinds of fun activities! And that was SLCG’s very first station deployment. There have been 12 deployments since January 2019.
PO1 Asa Darkbyrd:
So you started the deployment activity, that’s pretty amazing. The Commandant has come up with a lot of great ideas; also, I’ve noticed.
Captain Sophie Sharkfin:
The Commandant is an idea machine.
PO1 Asa Darkbyrd:
So is there anything you want the readers to know?
Captain Sophie Sharkfin:
Nope, Finding lost objects is great for recruitment; however, our primary mission is to promote boating safety — we must not ever lose sight of that. I do believe that through recruitment, we also encourage safety boating because of the excellent training we provide to our members.
PO1 Asa Darkbyrd:
lol well thank you so much, Captain Sophie, for your time, and I have enjoyed our interview together
Captain Sophie Sharkfin:
as did I, thank you, PO1 Asa
There you have it, readers, the story of the hard work in the background to get Station Promethium up and going. As guardians, we only see the finished product. However, we never really get to see the processes that happened in the background to get the finished product going successfully. I hope you have all enjoyed learning how the ideas from District 2 came up, the work that went into it, and the design of the logo, which is pretty amazing. Thank you for allowing me to share this with you, and I hope you have enjoyed reading about it as much as I have written about it.
And until next time, stay safe and healthy. Remember, we are the SLCG and the face of the many who enjoy seeing your boats patrolling out in the waters. Daily, your helicopters and airplanes are flying over, making sure that the boaters are staying safe. We are clearing the air of lost particles to make flying and boating a more safer adventure for all.
If you have any LL houses, boathouses out in Belleseria that you are not using, and wish to donate as a station for District 2, please contact Captain Sophie Sharkfin. She will make sure to put your donated LL place to good use building up the SLCG in district 2. Remember, our stations are here because people have generously donated space for us to have them there. Thank you so much for being the fantastic Coasties that you are and the hard work you do every day.
Thank you again until next time,
PO1 Asa Darkbyrd
Assistant Editor of the SLCG Magazine