Aide-de-Camp: The Final Campaign

Fully Caffeinated (Try Decaffeinated)

This page is devoted to the communication of my dream, a clan of campers. It is hoped it may fuel the fire inside you, and help you finish the race I started.

I believe in Clan of the Camper. I believe that it can last decades, but it must do so eventually without the Aide-de-Camp.

To completely become an adult a child must at times fail in order to learn, so if parented too much a child will never learn to stand on it's own feet.

Subsequently, it is the job of the willing parent to nurture and encourage those skills necessary for children to become adults. And at some point resolve that the child's maturity will require the parent to retire.

After a final year of service (December 31, 2005 until January 2007) it is my intention to retire from leadership completely. During the 2006-2007 election cycle I will not seek, nor will I accept my clan's nomination for leadership.

Thus, I will retire to Campquake.Com and give Campquake.Org and all created content and rights thereto to the next elected leader, or in the absence of a leader the next appropriate rank as specified by Article III of the Campquake Constitution, entitled "Election Cycles".

Clan Leadership Platform

My platform for leadership is unchanged. Clan of the Camper must expand, enlist, and secure its rightful place in the gaming industry. To accomplish this our organization must function as a military unit guided by republican principles that are democratically established.

Accomplishments

Under my leadership: Clan of the Camper has secured existence over a decade; lived by the code; expanded from a clan of two to one hundred plus over time; developed multiple domains; pattered leadership from history; established legions; forged alliances with Steel Maelstrom, the Musketeers, Clan Team Sierra, and Dolomite's Horde; introduced authority sharing; created ranks and encouraged promotion; introduced the concept and practical application of a membership Senate; opened leadership to advancement through volunteerism; split clan leadership amongst separate houses of governance; wrote and handed over a constitutional construct entitled "A Multiplayer Millennium Manifesto"; Implemented constitutional authority; placed power in the hands of the Senate; sponsored multiple domain names; served in good and bad times; made many errors; defended [CotC] from Clan Nucka, Clan Porno, Not Made For Clans, Clan IKYD, Clan ~)wNa(~, and purported members of DMFD.

Strategic Vision

If elected to lead Clan of the Camper once more for a final year, I will work toward one exclusive objective. To understand the objective requires digression toward current clan status, which is capable and robust.

For over a decade we have kept, lost, and then rekindled a core of membership, a backbone of nobles and patricians, always faithful, always present. To this we have repeatedly added new blood, and so gradually this class of volunteers ebbs and flows as they serve the legions, retire, and then support the Senate.

In evaluation we have created a core, we have created everything we need to maintain that core: forums, domains, servers, structure, regulations, even a constitution. What we don't have is a standing army, we don't have a single legion for defense.

My strategic vision for the last year of service is to devote no time toward day to day operations in any way, having codified what should be done automatically for years. Rather, I will work toward the creation, training, and deployment of a fully staffed and functioning legion. This will be my parting gift to the Senate.

Aide's Version Of History

Aide's history is your history, and that of Clan of the Camper. To record all that has transpired over a decade is a project for clan historians, and not one man. But it is important to note that all those who have worn [CotC] by their name have shared in the communal history of us all, and so no one member could be left out. In that single act of adding [CotC] to the name the cumulative experiences of ten years of members spread across billions of gaming hours is infused. As for me I have been there too, for a time ghostly, absent, but always returning to do what I thought I could, and so have you. Together we must not let the dream die but keep it alive, and restore responsibility to a new generation and to those that would lead.

Favorites

The Aide-de-Camp's favorite meal is typically Tex-Mex. Especially tasty are shredded beef enchiladas and a side of chili, all home made. His favorite movie is the Great Escape with Steve McQueen, "...dedicated to the fifty." Visual stimuli is either historical, war related, pure science fiction, or the female body. Until two years ago fine tobacco was enjoyed with alcohol on a nightly basis, but age and wisdom overtook ignorance and now only fine adult beverages are consumed, occasionally. Other favorites include a loyal companion, "Merlin", a 126LB Great Pyrenees, known in Europe as a Pyrenean Mountain Dog. Aide has been employed in the mental health field for fifteen years, he is married and has family. He does camp, all computer games are typically shooters, and football is shared only with church on Sundays.

Departing Caveat

In contemplating what may come from what we have created consider this a warning, a revelation to the true nature of tolerance, that to defend Clan of the Camper a leader may be required to sacrifice all in order to secure existence.

To this end I swear on the blood of my volunteerism, on Organ Donor, and on all that is Holy, that once I have retired, should I be recalled to service salvation upon a failed [CotC] self governance, it shall be my first goal to suspend and destroy the constitution, dictate compliance, and purge Clan of the Camper from all infection. Amen.