Introduction
Hello, everyone! I hope you’ve all had a wonderful holiday season and enjoyed the beginnings of the new year. You will have realized by the title of this thread that I am officially running for a second term as Delegate of The North Pacific. The last four months have been the greatest honor of the eight years I’ve been a North Pacifican and I would be lying if I said I have not enjoyed it completely, so the opportunity to do the job again is one that I could never pass up.
For those who might not be familiar with who I am, or the degree to which I have served our region, I recommend you read the following. If you are, then feel free to skip to the sections specific to the executive, I only echo the positions highlighted in my previous campaign for the sake of posterity. Prior to this term as Delegate, I have formerly served as Vice Delegate, a Security Councillor, four-time Minister of Communications, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Culture, Minister of Gameside Affairs, several periods as Deputy Minister of each ministry, four-time Deputy Speaker, and as a Captain-ranked Officer in the North Pacific Army with fifty-one completed missions. I have worked alongside multiple cabinets and delegates throughout the years, learning various important lessons along the way. I do believe I have the experience to fulfill the role of Delegate again, even more so after serving in the position for a full term already.
Despite the excitement I feel for the next twelve months, just in general terms for our community, it is not lost on me that the last twelve have brought unprecedented challenges and historic change amidst an even larger, constantly changing landscape. Things have not been easy, by any stretch of the imagination. Our resolve has been tested more times than we can probably remember, and at every turn there seems to have been a new obstacle. Our response to this change over the last four months will impact our community for years to come, and so too will the way in which we react to our current circumstances. We’ve proven to ourselves this term that positive change is possible and that good things can happen when we work together. Therefore, it is now time for me to look forward to the future, and once more offer to you my platform, where you’ll find the objectives and ideas I believe will put us on the right path next term.
Defense
The Ministry of Defense has undergone several key changes this term, including the creation of a new military branch in the Militia, allowing dozens of gameside nations an avenue through which they can help the NPA in its piling efforts, a refocusing of ministerial objectives towards our war objectives, improved mentoring in the creation of the instructor role which has further integrated the High Command in the training process, heightened recruitment efforts, and a continuation of more specific rewards incentives. We’ve set realistic goals and pursued them with all of the ambition and tact that I expected, and for that I believe it has been a successful term for Defense. However, there are still a lot of areas in which improvement is possible and it is important that we continue to build upon these foundations to set ourselves up for another term of growth. Last term we saw our military react to the beginnings of a war. We saw the NPA surpass all expectations, but we also felt the growing pains of that. This term we need to make that second leap in terms of our own military capabilities. Ministry-wide objectives need to be understood and directed across the board. Cohesion is paramount to our success, and it will be on the shoulders of our military leadership to ensure this.
Organized Training Schedules
One of the issues with growing as a military is the demand for quality training among newer generations of soldiers. It is no use recruiting if those who join do not learn enough to succeed in the long run, so we need to commit to further improving our training processes. We need to be able to direct the course of learning such that recruits know what skills are required to advance through the ranks, and when they will be taught them. My answer to this issue is organized training schedules. Essentially, similar to the cultural calendars I prototyped this term, instructors and members of High Command will be tasked with establishing training schedules. Whether or not these training schedules are standardized or tailored to their specific skill set will be up to them, but it remains crucial that we dedicate ourselves to training up the next generation of military leaders if the NPA is to thrive as a larger organization. Recruits and soldiers should be able to indicate when they will be available for certain ‘classes’, for lack of a better term, and instructors should schedule periods where their availability matches into a calendar for small groups to join. These classes will constitute the formation of core skills amongst newer soldiers, who we need to know they have the experience and the guidance of the NPA behind them.
Expanding High Command
I also believe if the NPA is to continue growing, we must also explore all options for expanding High Command. Even if this means training up a couple of officers on top of the usual schedule, I believe conducting preliminary trials for new members at the start of next term will only benefit the ministry. It is vital that we have as many active members of the High Command as possible offering their perspectives and experience, especially as the war continues. This may take some time if officers need to be trained up, but it will be absolutely worth it to have a couple more active officers at the top so that those who already serve are not overwhelmed. Seeing these trials through could be a great way of ushering in the next generation of military leaders in a process conducive to learning, rather than pushing them into the deep end.
Continued Recruitment Focus
While I do not believe we are exclusively resting on any laurels from the initial period of growth following the beginning of the war, it is definitely clear that recruitment efforts have slowed down towards the holiday season and the end of the term. It is essential that we pick up the pace again and continue our focus on recruitment. There are many ways we could do this, but one that I have considered would be gameside storytelling. This could be segments published by The Northern Notes, articles in The North Star, or even broadcasts by NBS. The aim is to highlight the experiences of soldiers from all ranks in a way that is appealing to potential recruits. Imagine all of those newer players who may be interested in R/D reading a first hand account of the victory in Solidarity, for example. Alongside this, we need Gameside Advocates to continue promotion, Home Affairs to keep putting out recruitment lists, and the Ministry itself to create new incentives for players to join the NPA. Bringing about a solid military fitting for one of the largest regions in the game requires the effort and understanding of the entire community, where each part contributes to the whole.
Allied Military Training
We would benefit greatly from conducting training operations alongside our newer allies, such as The Wellspring and Carcassonne, in addition to the liberations and sieges we join with Libcord and other organizations, if they’d be willing to explore that. Working alongside allied regions which have established their own militaries more recently than the larger R/D players would shift our training processes out of their relative diplomatic vacuum and improve the degree to which our military can cooperate within a more diverse diplomatic network. Expanding High Command goes hand in hand with this goal, as encouraging more training with our allies requires a greater variety of availability and expertise at the top. It is essential that we cultivate and nourish our newest relations in as many forms as possible, so conducting allied training operations is just one of those forms that we should be exploring.
Maintained Rewards Incentives
Rewards for contributing to the NPA in all three branches should be maintained as outlined in my previous platform in September. This means encouraging usage of the rank ribbons, awarding tailored ribbons for missions of distinction, exploring card rewards further, nominating additional long-time members of the NPA to the hall of honor, maintaining the graphical operation count leaderboard, and continuing to design profile cards for each soldier as requested. There is definitely still room for more incentives to be explored, but for now I think our current structure is capable of ensuring that our soldiers feel recognized and rewarded. If there are additional ways in which the NPA can better reward soldiers, I would always be open to discussing and considering them.
Foreign Affairs
Our approach to Foreign Affairs this term has been pragmatic and forward-thinking. We have established new relations with three regions in The Wellspring, Carcassonne, and The League/Concord, successfully assigned and maintained diplomatic postings, utilized our diplomatic network in favor of the war effort, and reliably completed our distributions to a high standard, strengthening our connections to the wider gameplay sphere. I have also been particularly impressed by the discussions that have taken place in executive channels, where staff have provided their own perspectives of events and helped form the outlook of the ministry. However, little progress was made on some of the more specific goals I set out to achieve, so further work needs to be done over the next four months to see those through.
Active Diplomatic Research
I imagine it can be quite difficult at times for members of the Foreign Affairs staff to pin down exactly what it is they are supposed to do in the time between distributions and other ministerial tasks. In my previous platform I stressed the importance of further involving diplomats in the outward communications and activities of the ministry, and while I do believe there is still value in pursuing that, I actually sense that encouraging more individual diplomatic research may be the key to providing further avenues of engagement, instead of exclusively looking for ways to involve diplomats in treaty talks and other external discussions. Each diplomat must feel that there is progress to be made within the ministry through conducting their own research, perhaps into an ongoing international event, or the happenings of the region to which they are assigned, which has not been happening enough. This could be accomplished through weekly research tasks or directed discussions, serving both as a tool for the ministry and a way of teaching aspiring diplomats. The posting of reports from ambassadors needs to become the baseline for regular activity within the ministry.
Overhauling Staff Training
This was an area I attempted to address in my previous platform through instructional case studies. While these did not come to fruition, I still believe they could be extremely valuable in the long run if we can get them going and get them right. It is our duty to train members of staff such that the future of the ministry is in good hands, just as it is the duty of the NPA to get recruits up to speed. In every area of the executive there is the known best way of action and a group of newer staff trying to learn it. Right now, I don’t think we’re doing enough to actively prepare the staff core for future opportunities of leadership within the ministry. So, we need to continue working on the case studies, but also begin thinking about other ways of training staff. As I mentioned above, perhaps directed discussions could work here. What do staff need to know? How far off are they from that knowledge? Perhaps another option would be quizzes? Or even a place where useful sources of information on FA in NationStates can be pooled and distributed to staff? The possibilities are certainly endless here, we just need to start working on it and commit to it.
Diplomatic Network Visualization
I am still dedicated to getting an interactive visualization of our diplomatic network created, with the intention of training staff and documenting our current state of external affairs. Imagine you could click on a node, that node has a label, one of our allies. The node expands, with lines stretching out to the mutual allies, more nodes, in the visualization. If it’s a multilateral agreement, let’s make the line a different color. We could do the same for bilateral agreements, non-aggression pacts, and in-game/forum embassies. The thickness of the line could reflect the age of the relationship. Staff can use the graph to explore our diplomatic environment, giving them key context and understanding which they can then use in their capacity as an assigned ambassador to a posting. Combine this with case studies: why did that relationship break down? How were those relationships formed? What makes a good ally? What avenues do new Foreign Affairs staff have within the ministry to learn? We can and should offer more of those avenues if long-term, high-quality leadership of the ministry is to be ensured. I admit this objective comes more from my visually-oriented preference for learning, but I still think it could result in some insightful research, nonetheless.
Culture
I’m proud of our cultural performance this term. We've put together several successful interregional events, alongside many smaller projects and activities. We’ve explored multiple new ideas, from monthly calendars to trivia shows, but most importantly we’ve seen a term with consistency. Weekly events have gone ahead with relatively few issues, and we’ve felt more freedom to create things for the wider community. Going forward, it’s just important we continue to enjoy coming up with projects and find better ways of planning ahead of time.
Festivals, Festivals, Festivals
Who doesn’t enjoy a good festival? We’ve built quite a bit of experience in putting together interregional events this term, so let’s go again and get some more planned! We can manage a similar quantity next term, but the focus will be on improving the depth and commitment to planning for them in advance. This is something that can come from anyone in the ministry, really, with the right direction. They definitely are a highlight of the term for me, I enjoy seeing our community interact with others and it is something we have to keep going for.
Weekly Events Shake-Up
In my previous platform, I refer to our weekly events as the bread and butter of what Culture does, and I emphasized that we could be diversifying what we offer to the community each week. I maintain this view, and it is important that we keep asking the community what sort of new events they want. I have appreciated seeing ideas float around this term, but with the further backing of the ministry we can definitely make more of them a regular weekly thing. This goal relies upon encouraging more engagement from staff and amping up recruitment for the ministry in general, since a lot of the ideas this term have come from the same minds.
Proactive & Collective Planning
We’ve often found ourselves scheduling and completing cultural activities too spontaneously and on short notice last term, but I do not necessarily take issue with that for smaller events. When it comes to the bigger events, we need to be looking further ahead more, and asking ourselves what we want to do for the entire term, rather than the day or week. If we can put together a calendar for the term, etch dates out months in advance, and collectively plan for things in that way, we will not so often be forced to plan with days or hours before deadlines, and we will be able to breathe a little easier if new ideas come into the picture. So, let’s make it a priority early on in the term to set realistic and achievable goals, and plan proactively.
World Assembly Affairs
The Ministry of World Assembly Affairs is without a doubt one of the most impressive areas of the executive in terms of its organization and performance. Not once have I doubted the ability of the staff to put out quality IFVs, manage voting threads, and in general keep on top of the fast-moving worlds of the GA and SC. Therefore, it can be difficult to identify distinct areas of improvement that are not repeats of previous administrations and platforms, so the following objectives attempt to strike a balance between innovation and consistency.
Committing To Commendations
I have been disappointed with my own performance in terms of researching and putting together commendation drafts within the capacity of the Heroes of Valhalla program, specifically for Prydania and Sil Dorsett, so I will be dropping authorship of those drafts to whoever is interested. I am willing to help as a co-author, but I definitely underestimated the time and research required to put together top quality commendations. It is still a leading priority for me to encourage those drafts, alongside any other deserving commendations of TNPers, so that we may catch up to other regions in terms of pushing for recognition of our players in the Security Council, but I personally would love to see more aspiring SC authors take them on.
Revisiting Staff Mentorship
As proud as I am of our most decorated authors and contributors to the World Assembly, it also still remains a priority of mine to see some newcomers rise through the ranks and land some resolutions of their own. I plan to continue exploring improvements not only to the World Assembly Acceleration Program, but to our overall approach with WAA mentorship. Sure, it’s not a requirement for staff to venture into resolution writing, nor is it a particularly welcoming place for complete beginners, so in that regard I can understand how tricky the concept of mentoring feels, but there is value in trying, even if one or two new authors get the knack for it. A large part of my philosophy when it comes to our interaction with the GA and SC is regional representation; I want to see newer TNP authors make names for themselves, and if we can help, then we should. I believe the best method for this, as I have stated previously, is in the understudy of active authors and assisting in research and drafting. Let's identify the ambitious first-time authors and provide them with more opportunities to learn from more experienced authors.
Evaluating Ministry Infrastructure
One of the ministry’s greatest successes last term was re-establishing some of the core functionalities we lost throughout the year, such as IFV telegram preparation. We owe this to Magecastle specifically, but it is time, as it is for general regional technologies, for more of us to understand and become acquainted with it. I think a reasonable focus next term should be on preparing deputies to use the restored systems more frequently, and also on exploring further expansions to the technology. If we could get things like voting records, WA representation, and RMB promotion of resolutions automated, then not only will we be building on this platform but we will be improving the performance and engagement of the ministry. This could take some time, but nevertheless it must remain on our radar next term.
Further Gameside Interaction
As previously mentioned, there is potential for ministerial technologies in World Assembly Affairs to benefit our engagement gameside, such as automated RMB posts about resolutions, dispatches containing statistics about regional voting trends, and up to date records of regional votes. This term we explored what could be done about the Gameside Voting Program, but at this point I do believe the program needs a serious rethink and consideration for its continued operation. The current methodology of creating a separate region, only open to embassy posting for TNPers, and requiring specific codes for votes to be registered, simply feels overcomplicated. There is value in providing the RMB with information about resolutions at vote, and trusting to a degree that organic conversation will develop around them with the right prompting. Either way, I respect the intentions and purpose of the Gameside Voting Program, but it does need to be reconsidered and redesigned if that purpose is to be fulfilled.
Communications
My passion for the Ministry of Communications is at its highest point in years, perhaps since I was first appointed to the position. The last two terms have been a reminder of the limitless potential inherent to the field, and we’ve proven to ourselves that maintaining a reporting arm of the executive is not only possible, but can be enjoyable for those involved and dedicated. We have the distinct privilege of writing and broadcasting amidst truly historic times for our region, and we’ve taken that opportunity fully. The North Star has thrived as newer generations of talent have emerged to take the publication forward, The Northern Notes has seen modernization to its processes and thus a surge in productivity, and the Northern Broadcast Service has more than pulled its weight in terms of creative output. You’ll likely notice which publication I have left off that list, so let’s talk about that… and some other things.
A Direction For TNL
Anyone familiar with the tenure of El Fiji Grande in the position of Communications Minister will recall the standards we held for The Northern Light, our most well-known and sought after publication. While I am aware an edition has not been published this term, we do have to ask ourselves if the reason for that is to do with any potential faults within the ministry or something else entirely. I am more inclined to go with the latter. The expectations and workload we place on writers and editors is something that we have to prioritize over everything else; we have seen that balance vanish along with the ministry itself in the past. I want to see another edition of TNL released, and we do have some material put together which could and should be arranged next term in that regard, but it is important to evaluate the importance of TNL in the context of the demand for content and energy created by The North Star, our current publication. TNL should be on the to-do list for next term, absolutely, but it needs to be ensured that the trade-off we accept in terms of energy and time investment do not reduce the quality and rhythm we have found with other publications.
A Direction For NBS
On the flipside, sometimes creative output can be energized by a break in the rhythm of a process. In the case of the Northern Broadcast Service, I sense that while the formulaic, regular shows such as election coverage and midterm reports should continue, more spontaneous and niche shows in between could offer a respite in terms of scheduling and planning. If a broadcaster has an idea for a show five to ten minutes in length on a specific event or topic, and one or two other broadcasters like the idea, why not hop into a voice channel, get some basic notes laid out, and press record? Similar to the changes we’ve implemented in The Northern Notes to allow writers the freedom of putting content out in between editions of TNS, so too might those types of changes help NBS get more content out faster. Regardless, I plan to continue editing and preparing the shows as much as needed.
A Direction For TNS
When it comes to The North Star, for the most part we’ve got it down to a science. We know that a planning thread is to be released at the start of each month, staff will come up with ideas, writers will write articles, editors make sure they’re in good condition, designers put together the graphical version, and it is released. We have consistent news output on engaging topics, and as far as I am aware this workload is balanced in terms of preventing burnout. Anything else is in specific areas of focus, such as graphical design or article quality, though I also believe we're doing well in those aspects too. I do think that we could encourage further contribution to planning and drafting threads in terms of ideas, just so that we are making sure that new ideas are coming to the forefront instead of the reliable and easier article suggestions, but other than that The North Star is in a great place.
A Direction For TNN
The Northern Notes have seen a revival of sorts towards the end of this term, but we’re not quite there with it yet, I don’t think. I have sincerely appreciated and enjoyed seeing the process of writers generating their own segment ideas, posting drafts, receiving feedback, and having their work published much faster than they might through The North Star, but we need to improve the frequency with which those segments are released. Newsworthy events happen every single day in the region, and I know that a lot of potential writers would be interested in bringing attention to and covering them in a journalistic fashion. It should be a core aim within the ministry next term to expand upon these late successes with the publication and see where things can really go. I think TNN has the potential to join TNS and NBS as active, proven publications, if we can generate enough interest internally for creating more regular content.
General Ministry Administration
Overall, general administration within the ministry has been great. Communication between leadership and staff has been consistent, and I’m happy that the points system is being audited more often. It’d be good to see more awards or outward recognition of staff on a more regular basis throughout the term, it really doesn’t take much for the Minister and their deputies to settle on a couple of writers, editors, and broadcasters every few weeks and make a thread acknowledging their contributions, as I did in my most recent term in the position. It doesn’t need to be elaborate, or even a part of the wider points system, but writing and drafting articles, as well as doing broadcasts, can feel like thankless work at times, so it is important that members of the ministry feel recognized and rewarded for their time and energy.
Home Affairs
Home Affairs has been excellently reliable in fulfilling the general responsibilities of the ministry. Namely, telegrams and lists have been completed almost like clockwork, our welcoming and mentoring channels on the forums and on Discord have seen consistent and dedicated activity, the Gameside Advocates have diligently monitored and enthused the RMB, and resource reviews have still been going ahead. However, there are still projects we’re making progress on.
Working On Recruitment
In my platform for September, I referred to completing the ‘trident recruitment strategy’ as one of the core goals for HA in terms of combatting the effects of the Frontier and Strongholds update and in general improving recruitment within the region. This is a definitive long term commitment that we should continue to pursue over the next four months and beyond, if needed. We have made considerable progress on API recruitment, with a working, proven prototype launched and in action as you read this platform. Additionally, the route to a manual recruitment solution is much clearer now thanks to our ally Europeia, with us aiming to host an instance of their manual recruitment tool within our own infrastructure. I look forward to seeing that come to fruition to round out the culmination of our initial recruitment efforts. Finally, stamps are a more obscure area of recruitment, as it is not always necessarily clear in what quantities they would be best used, although I do plan to integrate them into the recruitment mix by taking an inventory of all available stamps and coordinating discussions on a potential stamp donation program.
Completing Rewards Scheme
Towards the end of the term, myself and Lionsroar began work on a new rewards scheme for Home Affairs, similar to that of Communications. This is definitely something I want to continue exploring, as the metrics for awarding points for specific tasks in the ministry are much more obvious than in Communications. For example, awarding points based on the number of recruitment telegrams sent, mentees taken on, and new members of the Discord welcomed. I am aware that the style of task the ministry offers might feel at times monotonous, but it is important to recognize the underlying purpose behind Home Affairs as a vehicle for regional growth and development. Without it, we would be so much worse off than we are. Those who choose to commit themselves to these vital aspects of the executive are absolutely worthy of rewards and recognition.
Thinking About Advertisements
One of the responses we had a couple of times to the census conducted recently was that the advertisements posted by the Gameside Advocates felt a bit too repetitive, and I think that is a valid criticism to raise. We need to consider how the RMB feels about advertisements and what we need to do to make them more engaging and unique. The GAs work tirelessly on the RMB and deserve a lot of praise, so this is not a performance-related issue, but perhaps creating multiple templates for each advertisement, more than currently exist, and using them less often, might be a better alternative than the current advertising method. We can also increase activity in other areas of advertisement, such as telegrams sent by HA, or by using the WFE more regularly. Regardless of which option we choose, it is our responsibility to listen to the gameside community and do what we need to do to improve their experience.
Technology
Making progress on restoring key technological infrastructure across the region has been another major priority of mine throughout the year. While my expertise in the specifics is limited, I am absolutely convinced that our infrastructure can be rebuilt with enough time. I must especially acknowledge Sil Dorsett who has pioneered the effort, alongside Eluvatar, to make our technology both open source and sustainable in the long run. A remarkable degree of improvement has already taken place, we just need to narrow down our focus and create a master list of technological objectives, sorted by importance, and continue the great work we’ve been doing over the last few months.
The War
First and foremost, I am immensely proud of what we have achieved so far when it comes to the war, especially when there are so many complex, overlapping, and ever-changing factors that form the basis of what we consider our win conditions. It can sometimes seem like progress has been slow, but I can say with one hundred percent certainty that we are not worse off on account of the war, in any sense. At every single turn, we have been remarkably strong and dedicated in our pursuit of what is best for the community. So, where do we go from here?
Next term should be all about maintaining and building upon the momentum we gained from the beginning of the war. This means doubling recruitment efforts for the NPA, ensuring regular and high quality training for new members, promoting the military through gameside storytelling, increasing the degree to which we reward and recognize our soldiers, and expanding High Command to create greater leadership availability. We must meet our enemies everywhere and in all ways with formulated strategies to make our mark. The North Pacific Army and Ministry of Defense are naturally the first line of attack there, but the efforts of the entire community will be needed in a variety of ways.
Foreign Affairs should focus on reaffirming our strongest and most war relevant alliances, but also on considering opportunities for further diplomatic outreach. The more we encourage goodwill and military coherence with the regions who value our freedom and interests, the better. We cannot let ourselves fall into a situation where we are more isolated than we can afford to be, so Foreign Affairs needs to make sure we're connected, respected, and understood by all of our allies on the war. Our diplomats must adopt a more regular practice of conducting research and communicating important information when it comes to relevant events and happenings, but let's make it happen in practice.
Home Affairs needs to amp up recruitment lists for the NPA whenever possible. Welcoming and onboarding conversations need to refer to the NPA as well, with links to informative dispatches or forum threads made available to those newer players. No ministry plays more to the tune of the butterfly effect than HA, where one successful recruitment telegram could convince a future delegate to join the region, or in this case, where one of those recruits contributes significantly to our military and war effort. I trust that the GAs, who I think have done an absolutely stellar job this term, will take on board some of the criticisms with RMB advertisements, specifically to make them less repetitive and more engaging, so the NPA can better stand out as a clear and appealing option for newer members.
Communications has a lot to offer in terms of boosting regional morale and reporting on the facts of the war, which I do think it has effectively been doing already. However, TNN can and should fulfill the demand for regular wartime updates on gameside. Additionally, the design team must be encouraged to produce war related media and where possible improve our current graphics. TNS articles on the war should continue, as well as broadcasts. The goal of gameside storytelling comes into play here too, but the core function of Communications in a wartime context is simply to report on it and generate engagement domestically.
World Assembly Affairs must continue to oppose the efforts of our enemies to advance their own interests in the GA and SC wherever possible, as they have done and will continue to do to us.
Culture is best able to provide those moments of connection and enjoyment which allow us all to relax. Festivals, events, and smaller activities become positively anticipated marks in our calendars and remind us why our community is worth standing up for. The specifics are scarce in this area in terms of wartime contributions, but a Culture Ministry operating at full potential is exactly what we need next term.
Conclusion
I know this platform has been quite a long read, so thank you if you’ve made it to the end. We have a lot to look forward to as a region over the next four months if we continue to channel the same positive energy we’ve had this past term. If you take just one thing from this campaign, let it be that we can overcome anything. In the moment, it may feel like those obstacles are larger than us or insurmountable, but in hindsight that feeling is rarely ever proven useful. We can and will keep sailing toward greater horizons.
Thank you for reading and I look forward to answering your questions!
