Important Announcement Regarding CO Applicants

Written Bydulac
Published On

Good day members of the Fleet. As you may or may not be aware, we’re very, very close to launching our new Commanding Officer Academy. This will be a fundamental restructure in both delivery (100% online via IFS2) and content, resulting in a new generation of Commanding Officers better equipped with the tools and skills they need to manage and market their sims in the social-media era.

In order to ensure a smooth transition from one system to the other, the Fleet Council has taken the extraordinary decision to pause CO Applications until no later than November 7th. During this time, prospective CO’s will be able to express their interest in becoming a Commanding Officer but the Task Force CO’s will not be processing any applications. Part of the reason for this is we will also be changing the way CO applications are handled within the Fleet with this change. A brief outline of these changes are below.

CO Application Process

With this change, we will be introducing a minimum six-month eligibility period, i.e. a player must have simmed in Obsidian Fleet for a period of six months or more in order to become a Commanding Officer. Once that period of time has been met, prospective CO’s will be able to apply for Command Academy. The application form is being amended to require a prospective CO to also provide two references – one of which must be a currently serving Commanding Officer in the Fleet, the other may be a previous CO in OF or a fellow player. During the CO Academy process, the TFCO’s will work with the prospective CO and Academy Tutor to place the CO aboard a sim they’ve expressed an interest in commanding and the CO will develop their initial concept, site ideas, marketing plans, etc. as a part of CO Academy. They’ll then be given command of their simulation upon the successful completion of Command Academy.

We’re making these changes primarily for these reasons.

  1.  To ensure that prospective CO’s are fully supported during the Academy process by their TFCO and Tutor
  2. To reduce the “churn” of commands, i.e. those players granted a Command position under the current system who fail to complete Academy
  3. To enable the Commanding Officer to have a fully developed sim concept and plan in place before taking up their sim
  4. To enable the TFCO/TGCO to have a full understanding of how this sim will connect with the Obsidian Fleet universe and support the CO during their command.

The TLDR Summary

  • CO Applications paused until November 7th
  • 6 months eligibility wait before applying
  • New CO Apps will need two referees – one CO, one player/former CO
  • CO Academy can be taken without picking your command first
  • CO’s will be placed during the CO Academy process
  • CO’s will get their sim once CO Academy is complete

If you have any questions regarding these changes, please feel free to comment below or contact the Joint Fleet Command.