AD Sarriss Interview
You’re the Flight Officer of the TC now!!! What do you think about that?
It’s an honour, and I’m doing my best to be deserving of the trust that GA Ronin and HA Kawolski and SA Compton have in me.
Did you think that you were going to get the job ahead of the other applicants?
I wasn’t sure. There were a lot of very qualified folks applying for the position, and it was close right till the end.
Will you make any changes to the TC now that you are FO?
I’m getting there. I have a few ideas to try and level the playing field a bit, but they will come through in time.
This may be a stupid question, as you have only been FO for 5 minutes (mind you, that’s still longer term than some FOs of the past), but how hard is your job, and are you enjoying it at all?
It’s not HARD, per se… just busy. I am enjoying it, it’s fun to get the pilots out there and flying.
There has been many Flight Officers before you, but you’re the first ever female FO. Is this a big deal to you, or do you not give it any thought?
Our time has come! :-P Sure, it’s cool, but it’s not something I dwell on.
It’s rare that bad luck doesn’t fall upon the new FO (abductions, mean fathers, and so on). Does this worry you at all?
Hmmm. Darn, I thought there was something in the garden last night…
Just before your promotion, you were voted officially the most popular woman in the EH. How does that make you feel?
Well, some people would say I asked for it, coz I supposedly did some canvassing, but actually, I’m proud of it… I think it means that the general “voting” members of the EH have seen my work and appreciate it.
The rosters say that you’ve been in the EH for just over a year, yet over that time you are famous enough to win the Miss EH competition and become a FO. Now I’ve been an EH member for roughly the same time, but I’ve done nowhere near as well as you have. What’s your secret?
There’s no secret. All I’ve tried to do is be a visible presence. I’ve done my duty as an officer, and that earns you respect from your seniors. I know of someone who’s done the same in shorter time… :-P I think the fact that I’m on IRC a LOT also helps, but the main thing is to keep in contact with your squadron and CO’s…
Before you became the new FO, what other positions did you hold in the EH?
I spent my entire piloting career in Wing I’s Alpha Squadron (yay Alpha!), joining under the command of ex-COO AD Havoc, moving up to FL of Flight III, and finally to CMDR. I was there for a good long time before moving on to CA:FO, and FO. I was also XO of Milcom for a few weeks ;-) and MORA.
The Gold Star of the Empire is quite a hard medal to get; yet you have two of them. How did you earn them? Mind you, you also have a silver and bronze medal too, so what were they for?
I earned the GS’s for processing 50 graduates through the graphics course. (100 grads = 2 GS’s) The SS was for designing and posting the course on the Net, and the BS was for assisting TO Astatine on a project…
With you moving up into the FO’s office, will your old CA:FO1 office be occupied by anyone and what will their tasks be?
CA:FO1 is VA Shawshank. He will be primarily dealing with Naval Corps stuff, but will also run the Think Tank.
When you were CA:FO1, you were in charge of “special projects.” What kind of projects were you going to do, and are you still going to be doing them?
Shhh, it’s a secret :-P
Probably the biggest project you were working on is the “FO Think Tank.” Will you still be doing this? Also, what is the Think Tank and who will be in the Think Tank?
Yes, it will be revived shortly, under VA Shawshank. It’s mainly to table ideas for the TC and NC activities and procedures. I’m hoping to get a general sample of TC- and NC-ers.
What kind of subjects will you be focusing on in the Think Tank?
As above, it’s mainly to table ideas for the TC and NC activities and procedures.
How will you discuss and debate the subjects?
Via email, and on IRC.
How hard was it to leave the CM position of Alpha Squadron? Do you still keep in touch and show favouritism?
It was probably the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do in the EH. I do keep in touch, as time allows, but favouritism… no. That wouldn’t be right.
Do you think that you will ever go back to Alpha Squadron?
Probably, one day…
What do you love the most about being in the EH?
That’s easy… chatting to my friends all over the world. I like that we all have a common interest, but when you really get down to finding out things about the people you chat with, you find that you have a lot more in common too. And it’s all about personality in the EH…
Are you in any of the EH sub-groups, or do you like to focus on the TC?
Hmmm… when I first joined the EH, I joined the HF too, but found it not really to my liking. I was in the Senate for a while, but RL pressures at the time forced me to resign. I also was part of the CS of the ill-fated Milcom revival.
If you could have any other position in the EH apart from the one you have now, which would you choose?
Ummm, probably something in Ops or the Internet Office, since my big skill is graphics and that’s probably where I’d be good.
Apart from helping to run the biggest on-line gaming club in the world, what other EH stuff do you do?
Run IWATS Graphics, and help out whoever asks nicely :-P Sit on IRC and chat
JWhat do you think has been your greatest achievement in the EH?
Setting up the IWATS Graphics Course. I know it’s basic (for those graphics gurus out there), but that’s what people wanted, and I’m happy that so many people have found it informative and helpful.
You are a female officer (thus the whole MISS EH thing), and stories are told about the male officers giving women grief in the EH. Have you ever had any of this trouble and has it ever affected your EH career, for better or worse?
I can’t say I’ve had that problem, but I know what you mean… <shrugs> You deal with it when it happens… but then again, I do have some VERY powerful friends… ;-)
There are always a few paragraphs free at the end of my interviews, as I usually can’t think of any more things to ask the interviewee. Could you help me by just adding a few last words? :o)
Hmmm, words of wisdom… Well, all I would really like to say is this… I know things seem to be moving slowly, but it is summer and activity tends to drop around this time… Once people return from their leave, more will happen… To those who think I’m not really suited to the FO position, please understand that some people also have RL, and it does tend to intrude on “role-play” time…
Thank you for the interview, it’s an honour,