Harsh

+1. Metro has the experience and maturity to hold this position and do well with it. He actually put in the time and effort to talk with myself and every other member of SOBDE about his plans, and they are solid. Good luck!

+1 Good dude.

Oh man. I had a feeling this was coming soon. Flip, you’ve not only been one of the most competent BCMDs I have ever seen; you’ve also been one of the most caring, compassionate, kind, and hard working people I’ve ever met on Synergy. DU with you was a blast. My only regret was that I couldn’t be there with you longer. o7

+1 Ratio is super dedicated to BH and is a great leader! Good luck Ratio!

10/10 Reminded me of the old days. You put a lot of effort into the event and it showed. While it didn't go the way you wanted, I had a fuck ton of fun. Reminded me of the good 'ol days. Keep it up man.

Please Note: This application was waived by Gears. Steam Name: Harsh RP Name: Omega EOD 36 Darman RP Rank: CPT Steam ID: STEAM_0:1:167592505 Battalion or Squad you are applying for: Omega Squad Experience: 212th (PVT - CPT) The 212th was the first battalion I joined on the server, and the only group outside of Null that I have committed to as a server member over the past two years. I started where everyone does, a fresh-faced private with no clue what CWRP was. I learned quickly, and started climbing the ranks to become a Junior NCO and a 2ndAC Medic (eventually becoming MED lead). After a while, I moved through the ranks as a Senior NCO, joining the elite Ghost Company and serving as Longshot. I was soon promoted to Warrant Officer, and did as much as I could with the position (pushing the NCOs to tryout, promoting passive RP, and hosting regular entertainment for the battalion). My WO term ended with my promotion to 1st Lieutenant and to the position of Boil and Ghost Company Officer. I was promoted to Captain around 2 weeks later, and applied and received the role of Support Overseer (overseeing MED, ENG, and HVY) that I would hold until my resignation around a month later due to school. 3 weeks into being a CPT, I applied for the role of Obi-Wan Kenobi, thus freezing my rank until my resignation. Jedi (Youngling to Master) Approximately a week after I joined the server for the first time, I purchased VIP. I really wanted to try RPing as a Jedi, and I knew as soon I started playing on Synergy that I was falling in love with the server. I quickly moved up from padawan to Knight, and passed Shadow trials one late night in May. I soon started working as hard as I could to achieve the rank of master. To do so, I hosted more than 30 trials in a month for the Shadow branch. I also managed to reach the role of Shadow Manager Lead and then GateKeeper (Sentinel branch second in command). As SHML, I created a Shadow handbook to guide newer members through their journey as a Shadow. As Gatekeeper, I ensured that trials for the Sentinel and Shadow sub branches were up to par and being held regularly. For my work in the Shadow branch, I was nominated and passed into the master role. I then applied for Ki Adi Mundi, and served a month and a half in the position. During that time, I built 4 distinct tryouts for each class of 21st Jedi (Nova Corps, GM, KU, and SO). I soon transferred from the position into the position of Obi Wan Kenobi for around two weeks, where I collaborated closely with Cabrera (the next Kenobi) to build GC, Foxtrot, 2ndAC, and 212th Jedi Trials. My journey as a Jedi Master taught me a lot about leading from a command position and what it is like to be in a high command position for a large battalion. It also helped shape the same work ethic and high effort mentality that I apply to everything I do on the server today. Null Squad Jaing Skirata For around 2 weeks in April, I attended and failed around 30 rounds of Null tryouts. I finally passed on the overall round 42, becoming the first person to pass. Being a Null member for the past 7 weeks has been a truly amazing experience. Porch (Kal) taught me a lot about GMOD mechanics and helped me push myself to become a better player, leader, and all around person. As Jaing, I made it my goal to contribute to the Null squad becoming the best squad it could. To execute that goal, I set up a large number of outreach trainings for the specialized regiment battalions (at the time our designated outreach) and worked with their HCs and down consistently for a month to help them with the issues they saw with their battalions. These trainings consisted of regular PvE and PvP trainings, trainings oriented around specific issues like battle comms, and the Null drills that all of us Nulls hosted together. Part of making Null a better squad overall was creating an initiative to fill our squad and ensure that our squad members are the best they can be. I constantly pushed for us to do tryouts (as much as possible) and regularly requested that my fellow Null members train the very same PvP and PvE skills we taught. After all, practice makes perfect, and perfect is the kind of image I wanted us to have for the server. It should go without saying that I also helped with as many rounds of tryouts as I could. Playing Jaing was a dream from an RP perspective. I finally had an actual character to emulate, and did my best to promote passive RP server wide by ensuring that I exemplified my character’s traits as much as I possibly could (e.g. being absolutely brutal during interrogations). I also ensured that I remained a good role model for the server; I have never been arrested and have always presented professional behavior both inside and outside of the game. Null Squad Kal Skirata I’d like to preface this section with the fact that I was only Kal for a short 4 day period. I still wear this accomplishment proudly on the server, and consider it one of the best things (removal and all) that happened to me on the server. To clarify why I was removed, I had spoken out improperly in a legacy channel for a battalion I had previously been a part of. I did not follow the rules for the channel, and when I was told to cease discussion, I very stupidly did not do so. I have already privately cleared things up with all involved parties, and have since learned from my mistakes. If you’d like more details or further explanation, I will endeavor to provide it via dms. I didn’t have much time to execute the various plans I wanted to as Kal, but I still see obtaining the position as an accolade and wanted to briefly mention it here. Doom’s Unit (PVT - CMD) I came back to Synergy approximately 4 to 5 months after my removal. I had worked extensively with DU as their outreach as Jaing, and noticed that the battalion had been hit hard recently by the exodus of a number of higher ups. I decided to give the battalion a shot, and went to the tryouts. I started out as a private back when our HC consisted of Slak (Jedi Lead) and Po (commander). I quickly moved through the enlisted ranks, and started to prove my worth as an NCO. Because of the state of the battalion at the time, virtually every member was an NCO - we had maybe two junior officers, a single senior officer, and a handful of others I’ve forgotten about already. I applied for and received the position of ARFL shortly after becoming a SGT. I had noticed that ARF was dead in the battalion (there wasn’t even a tryout!) and wanted to revive the branch. It took me a week after consulting with certain 41st members to build a tryout and training that are still used today. Slak soon applied for Doom, and from my outstanding work in the battalion as an NCO (recruiting, hosting trainings, leading, etc.), I was quickly promoted from SSG → Warrant Officer. I only served a 1 week term as Warrant Officer. The reason I was only able to stay for one term was because I was, at the time, studying for the MCAT. For those who are unfamiliar, the MCAT is the Medical College Admissions Test, and is considered one of the toughest graduate-level exams out there. My test was a month and a half out when I got WO, and I realized a week later that I desperately needed to focus all of my mental resources on my IRL situation. As such, I put in a one month LOA. Despite my short term, I was given a promotion to the rank of 1stLT. I was told that I did outstanding work over the short duration of my term, and was deserving of the promotion. I was also used as a model WO for future WOs in the battalion, and mentored each of them up to our most recent one (Flip). After returning from my LOA, I was given the opportunity to hold the position of REGL. DU high command (now consisting of Flytape, Willy, and Slak) had determined that I was both trustworthy and hard-working enough to hold the position and succeed with it. As REGL, I created a server suggestion to add a JT regiment to DU, something myself and many other DU members desperately wanted. I also asked after and received a much needed discord and rank restructure, adding in the positions of ATKO and SFO to help the REGL oversee the many branches. Finally, I implemented a new training roster to log training from each branch, and created a minimum training requirement for each branch. My work as REGL did not go unnoticed. I was moved from 1stLT to MAJ a short time afterwards. I used this new responsibility to increase disciplinary standards in the battalion, enforcing comms discipline and PTS in every scenario out of game. I also enforced seriousness in game, cracking down on any potential mingery as soon as possible. Some things did slip under my radar, but I am proud of what I accomplished as a MAJ. I also managed to continue good work as REGL, creating a thriving regimental structure with almost all positions in the structure filled. I was then promoted from MAJ to CMD. This promotion came with increased responsibility, and I have taken it upon myself to maintain the principles of professionalism, maturity, and seriousness in game as much as possible (both for myself and others). My time as a CMD taught me a lot about the inner workings of battalion high command during this period. Why should you become a battalion commander? I am an extremely dedicated member of Omega Squad, and have been giving it my all since I passed tryouts a couple of weeks ago. I’ve shown from my work in my positions in the past that I have the work ethic necessary to accomplish my goals, and I never shy away from a challenge. My plans (outlined below) will require time and effort to accomplish, and I’m 100% certain I will be able to apply both of those qualities to my time as Niner should I attain the position. Additionally, I have a passion for my role as an SOBDE and Omega Squad member. I legitimately enjoy every second of my roleplay experience on the server as Darman (and I know that I will similarly enjoy my experience as Niner). I plan to apply this passion to my role as Squad Lead to make compelling and entertaining experiences for others on the server. I also have the leadership skills necessary for the role of BCMD. I understand the rigid boundaries of behavior necessary for SOBDE members, and I know how to properly enforce those boundaries in a fair yet strict manner. From my experience in the past, I have learned how to be a competent leader in the GMOD RP setting - both inside SOBDE and out of it. I plan to apply my wealth of experience to this position to make Omega as great of a squad as I know it can be. I have good judgement, and I am mature enough and humble enough to admit when I am wrong. I know that everyone I work with is comfortable enough to come to me with problems, without having to fear punishment. Do you understand the lore of your battalion or squad? Yes. Availability: In Game: Every day 10 P.M. EST - 1:30 A.M. EST Out of Game (Discord, mainly): 10:00 A.M. EST - 1:30 A.M. EST My availability hasn’t changed at all over the past 5 months. I know that my available hours are much later than prime time. I’m more of a late night player. I’m making an effort to be on the server earlier during the weekends, but my real life does come first. I don’t see my late night activity as too much of a problem. I will try my hardest to work around it as much as possible. Estimate how long you’ve played on the server? Over 3237 hours. Do you have a microphone? Yes. Where do you want your battalion or squad to be at the end of your term? Filling the Squad: This is a very obvious top priority, and it has to be said. Filling the squad is the most important expectation of a squad lead. If I get Niner, two Omega Squad positions will be open: Darman and Corr. I have a couple of ideas about tryouts (who doesn’t when they first become squad lead, right?) that I think will shake them up a bit and make them more entertaining and representative of the qualities I would want my squad members to exhibit. These changes will not take place until after I obtain the position of Niner. Until then, I will work with the current SOBDE regimental CMD to fill the position of Corr using the old tryouts. Outreach: This is one of my favorite parts of being an SOBDE member. Outreaching, to me, is so great because it allows squad members to be a part of bigger battalions and help them with whatever they need. However, I understand that outreach isn’t something that everyone likes. With that said, outreach for my squad will be optional should I become Niner. I want to take a page out of my old friend Porch’s book and do something a little similar to his “Null Drills” from the past - with a little twist. Essentially, I want to create large-scale outreach events for Omega’s targeted battalions twice every month (bi-monthly). These large-scale events will vary depending on the needs expressed to me by the HC of the outreach battalions. Some ideas I have already are creating a PvE centered hands-on training for breach and clear/assaulting defended positions/holding positions with little preparation/etc., where my squad goes over essential tactics (basic and advanced) for use in the PvE scenarios outlined above. I will claim the event server or a planet and use SA+ SOBDE members to help me design a set of training courses for use in these scenarios. These trainings will then be followed by a practical aspect - a kind of “live fire exercise” if you will - that will actually test the skills we taught in the training section. I want to stress that we will work on all of the aspects that the battalion HC wants their battalion to improve upon. These could be anything from battle comms to PvP skills - I will personally design high quality trainings to deliver to these battalions if they so desire. My rationale behind these big events are as follows - SOBDE in lore generally had a lot to do with training troopers to become more specialized. I think that our tryouts instill a lot of essential skills that most players on the server don’t get to exercise very often (i.e. we have a lot to teach). This will be a fun way to help other battalions. That’s not to say we don’t also have a lot to learn (of course we do!). With that said, I’ll be encouraging my outreach-inclined squad members to try and work on battalion specific skills with the battalions they outreach so that they can bring those skills to other unrelated battalions. For instance, an Omega working with DU might learn something valuable about defensive formations while outreaching with them. While we work on an Outreach event with Rancor, for instance, that squad member might go and teach Rancor some of what they learned with DU. It’s all a give-and-take process, and I think it’ll be very successful. Lore and Skills: I want Omega to be the “best of the best” on the server by the time my term ends. I know, it sounds super cheesy, but I think it would be awesome to have a squad that are experts with lore and general skills - a squad that is truly “elite.” With that in mind, I’ll be holding regular lore tests/quizzes for my members (with no stakes; it’s not like I’m going to kick anyone out for missing questions, don’t worry) to test their knowledge of Omega lore. I’ll also be holding private Omega trainings (both PvP and PvE) that will work to hone the skills of each member, both RP and shooter-wise. These will be thrown together at least twice a week, and will be targeted at establishing/improving a certain specific skill during each training (e.x: one day is TECH RP exercises, another is PvP). I want these trainings to be fun, so if my squad members don’t like them, I will find a way to make them entertaining. Maintaining Members and Making the Squad Interesting: Something I’ve seen happen in the past is the establishment of a kind of apathy in squads when people start to lose interest in their positions. This usually ends up with resignations from the squad. I want my squad members to maintain their positions for as long as possible - this will only happen if they’re kept entertained while they are a part of the squad. To make this happen, I plan on doing a couple of things. First, I want to do a weekly “commando mission” specific to Omega. This will be an event-server deployment that will test our skills in every way - from hostage recovery to covert elimination of a large hostile force. I want these missions to really stretch the skills of each Omega member, and to make them feel immersed and accomplished when they complete their objectives. Secondly, I want to involve my squad a lot more with the rest of SOBDE. I want to avoid an isolationist mentality at all costs. WIth that in mind, I want to work closely with the other squad leads to design similar “commando missions” that play off of the skills of each squad member in SOBDE. Thirdly, I want to foster a relaxed and engaging mindset in my squad members. I want my squad members to be comfortable coming to me with anything, and I want them to feel at home when they drop by our teamspeak channel. To that end, I’ll be sure to set up nights to play other games with my squad members (and anyone else interested in joining :)) to keep everyone relaxed and prevent burnout. Timeline: Day 1-4 of being Niner = Sort out tryout changes with the help of SOBDE SA+ Day 4-11 = Conduct tryouts and find two new members Day 14 = Omega outreach event #1 Day 21 = Omega special commando mission #1 Day 28 = Omega outreach event #2 Day 35 = Omega special commando mission #2 Etc., etc. with tryouts in between if spots need to be refilled. Do you understand that if you go inactive you will be removed from your position? Yes Do you understand that your position has a three month term limit and that you must reapply after three months to maintain your commander rank? Yes Disclaimers and Explanations: I just want to address a couple of things that I know people are probably wondering about. First: My voided BCMD Doom application. A lot of things went through my mind when I decided (somewhat impulsively) to void my Doom application. At the time, I had convinced myself that I didn’t have the time to deal with being a BCMD. I’m applying to medical school over the next month and a half, and I’ve been working for this particular goal all of my life. I shortly realized (a couple of days after voiding) that “not having enough time” was a lie I was telling myself. I’ve purposefully designed my schedule to accommodate around 4 hours in the evening solely to do whatever I want to. That has almost always been to hop on the server and RP with some friends. Yet, at the time of voiding my Doom application, I realized that I simply wasn’t having fun anymore. To be completely honest, I felt a lot of pressure (some from outside sources, a lot from myself) to apply for Doom - every other qualified applicant I had spoken to had denied wanting to hold the position. So, I decided to shoot my shot. Shortly after submitting my application, though, I realized that being Doom was absolutely not what I wanted. I was getting tired of RPing as a non-specialized trooper, and knew that there wasn’t much I wanted to do as Doom as a character. In short, I knew that I would get bored, and that the server would start feeling like a job. So, I voided my app. This application is different. I still have time on my hands to do what I want to, every single day. Since becoming Darman, I’ve felt a passion to get on the server and RP - the same novel passion I felt the first time I got into SOBDE as Jaing. I know that I’m not making the same mistake I made as when I submitted my BCMD Doom application - no one is pressuring me to do this; it’s something that I want to do. I’ve done a lot of introspection, and I can truthfully tell you that I’m excited for the chance to become Niner and finally be able to flex my leadership skills on the server as a squad lead. Second: My past removal from the position of Kal Skirata. For those who are unfamiliar, I was removed from my previous squad lead position very early into my term. I had worked incredibly hard to reach my position as Kal Skirata, and the position was stripped from me for a very stupid and callous mistake that I made. I’ve since learned from the experience, and I’ve walked away from it a more mature and sensible person - I can wholeheartedly promise that nothing similar will happen again. If you’d like more details, you can pm me and we can talk about the situation. Overall, I’d like to take my removal and experience as Kal as a positive. I’ve learned from the experience, and I think that I can use it to make myself a more effective and efficient squad lead for Omega.

+1, good luck!

Straight up fuck anyone who judges others in the gym. You're all there for the same reason - to get or stay fit. 99% of people at the gym aren't looking at you or paying any attention to you. If they are, it's just a cursory glance to see what you're doing. The other 1% of people are usually cool people who want to help you out with a spot or by giving you some tips on your lifts. I used to have the same exact sentiment when I first started lifting. I was insecure about the relatively small weight I was lifting, and thought that others would judge me. The thing is, though, after 5 years of lifting off and on, I've never been openly judged by someone else. Of course, someone may have been looking at me and judging me in their head, but I'd never know that. Plus, who gives a shit about them - if they're judging you they're not worth your consideration.

+1, this should add to Wrecker’s RP.

+1. I know from personal firsthand experience with you Crimson that you're an excellent leader, and are an especially excellent squad lead. Your experience does do a lot for you - you've always left your squad in a good place as you finished your lead term. However, my major qualm with this application is that you've not told us HOW you intend to accomplish your goals. I'd really love to hear about what exactly you'll be doing to make your squad active and present, increasing RP, and preventing attrition? Are you going to implement stricter, results-based activity quotas? Are you going to enforce/encourage outreach? Are you going to make Bad Batch exclusive events? Are you going to consistently test your members on lore to make sure that they can RP effectively? You've not given us any information really about what exactly you intend do. I am almost 100% certain you have ideas about how you're going to lead the squad - could you please share a few of them with us? I know you address this in your application that a lot of your leadership will be "touch and go," but I'd still really appreciate it if you could give us a little bit more information. Good luck, I know you'll do great!

o7 Leche, props to you for sticking it out! Wish I could have been there with you to see it firsthand.

I don't agree with washed up, personally. Askren got really unlucky in that Masvidal fight, but he's definitely a force to be reckoned with considering his outstanding grappling skills. Tbh, if the guy wasn't retired, I think he could do really well in the UFC again - just look at Khabib and his success with a wrestling focused fighting style. But yeah for sure, Askren isn't a boxer. He just walked away with a ton of cash though so props to him.

o7 skitz, take care of yourself my man.

+1. Cyan has been very transparent about his interest in running for REG, and he’s actually already been doing really great work to show SOBDE that he is qualified and devoted to the position. Good luck Cyan!

+1 good luck willy!

+1

o7 watch anime with me plz

o7 Neptune, you’ve done an amazing job from my perspective. It was a true pleasure getting to hang out with you when I had the chance.

Wow, I love this question. It's something I've pondered in the shower a number of times in the past while growing up. I don't think anyone can really have "the" answer to your questions but I'll let you know what I personally believe. To me, sentience all boils down to sensation and perception (like what Guac talks about in his response), but with some necessary qualifications. To be sentient, you must have the sensory equipment required to interact in some way with the universe. For humans this boils down to our sensory machinery (organs like the eyes, skin, ears, etc.). However, simply being able to sense is not enough to qualify as a sentient being. After all, a camera technically has the sensory machinery required to interact with and interpret the universe around it, but I certainly wouldn't consider a Nikon polaroid camera to be sentient. This is where the other half of the coin, perception, enters the picture. Perception is, as Guac so aptly put it, the ability to understand and be aware of something. In other words, a sentient being needs to be able to interpret and understand the wide variety of information that it records with its sensory systems. Under this definition, something like a computer attached to a camera could technically be called sentient. However, I don't personally see a simple processing chip attached to a camera as a sentient being. Instead, I'd qualify my definition by tacking on another requirement - Intelligence. This is a pretty nebulous term. After all, isn't intelligence just relative? To me, intelligence means being able to make use of your perceptions in some way to make a meaningful impact on our shared reality. Again, under this definition, a more complex machine like the Boston Dynamics robot would be considered sentient. The robot can sense its surroundings and make use of that data to move around and execute commands. This is where my final qualification comes in - Individuality. A sentient being needs to be able to sense, perceive, and have some modicum of intelligence. It also requires some form of individuality. More specifically, the being cannot be wholly controlled by another person or outside influence. When we add individuality to our sentience "equation," we see that robots like the Boston Dynamics one no longer apply as sentient beings. After all, those robots are controlled by a human user and make no decisions or thoughts for themselves. You're probably thinking to yourself: "That's great Harsh , by what does all of this imply?" Well, under my definition, beings like animals (from the tiniest, measliest little ant to the largest, smartest human) are all sentient. While there is definitely a widely varying degree of sentience under this definition, even the smallest and stupidest creatures are sentient under this definition. Now to address your more ethical question: "Should all sentient life be equal?" Before I start on this, I just want to warn all of you reading that this will most definitely be very hypocritical. I recognize this and raise to you the fact that this is simply a discussion, and are just my thoughts. My actions definitely don't reflect what I am about to write here. In the perfect world, yes, all sentient life should be equal. I personally believe that every sentient being experiences reality one way or another. The ant lives its life building its hive and serving its queen. The wolf hunts game and runs with its pack. Etc., etc. When these animals die, they cease to experience reality just as we do. What gives us the right to "play god" over them? The cynical answer is that we're simply smarter and more powerful than any of these animals. Yet, given the size, scope, and complexity of our ever-expanding universe, it is almost a guarantee that there is another bigger, more powerful, and smarter species than us out there somewhere. If that's the case, and we are the metaphorical ants to them, should we be considered equals? Out of pure selfishness, I'd have to say yes. That's why I think that (ideally) all sentient life should at the very least be respected. Practically, of course, this isn't possible. As a species, we require energy to survive - energy that we can (currently) only supply ourselves with through the consumption of other organisms. If we were to extend equality (or even respect) to all other sentient life-forms, we would soon find that our species is dead. Without being able to eat the sentient plants and animals we encounter, we'd die very quickly of starvation. From another practical angle, even extending our considerations of who is equal to us would be nigh impossible. Take the mentally ill as an example. People with low intelligence (as measured by IQ) or with mental disabilities (e.x: Autism, Personality Disorders, Schizophrenia, etc.), are all not considered equal to the "normal" human being. They are ostracized and pushed to the boundaries of society for the sole reason that they are only slightly different from the ideal person our society considers to be "normal." If we can't even extend equality to these people (who are our same species), how can we expect to extend equality to individuals of another species? In my mind, it all comes down to power. People with disabilities (mental or physical) have less power than the "normal" person. I'm not just talking about physical power here, I'm talking about all forms of power. Physical power isn't everything - the ripped body builder MMA fighter has less power than the senator who commands the law and dozens of bodyguards. Those with power shape reality to their will, and those without are crushed underfoot. Until this changes, the situation will remain the same. We'll likely never see a world with true equality, because we as a species have been bred over millennia of evolution to fight for limited resources and hold on to them with a tight fist. Reading over everything I just wrote makes me see just how cynical I am. Regardless, I hope this can spark some interesting conversation!

7/10, I liked your RP focus. Please tell Sith event jobs to not spam force reflect.

+1. Bacta you have an amazing attitude and I have no doubt you’d do a great job as Dooku. Good luck!

+1 Irondad is good for the job

+1. Very involved with and dedicated to the server.

+1 great guy, does great work

+1, you've always been professional in my interactions with you. Good luck!