“I've been in the Navy all me bloomin' life, sir.
Me mother was a mermaid, me father was King Neptune.
I was born on the crest of a wave and rocked in the cradle of the deep.
Seaweed and barnacles are me clothes.
Every tooth in me head is a marlinspike; the hair on me head is hemp.
Every bone in me body is a spar, and when I spits, I spits tar!
I’se hard, I is, I am, I are!”
*And thus began my interview with Rear Admiral (Upper Half) Izzy Harcassle, Commander of the Second Life’s US Navy Second Fleet, homeported at Naval Base Jeogeot Point. Along with his wife, Rear Admiral (Lower Half) Daniella Harcassle, Chief of 2nd Fleet Personnel, they have created one of the most amazing RP Sims on the entire Grid.
SL is a land bounded only by the creativity of its residents, and some of those residents create elaborate Role Playing (RP) scenarios. One such group is the US Navy SecondLife.
Josh Bellic (JB): Good Afternoon, Admiral. Thank you for agreeing to meet with me today and share with our readers some of the wonders of the US Navy in Second Life. Please tell us how you came to be involved with US Navy SL?
Admiral Harcassle (AH) : When I joined SL, I had no idea that there was a military roleplay community in-world. Forming this group, and watching it grow from its birth in 2013, is my way of continuing to serve. We have members who were in the RL service, and others who were not. Our membership fluctuates depending on season, but we have a good core. We also collaborate with other Navy groups on SL like US 7th Fleet, who are a Vietnam War-era simulation. Currently, our basic training program at Naval Service Training Command (NSTC) Nautilus provides basic training to three Navy groups. The 2nd Fleet trains enlisted recruits through Recruit Training Command (RTC) and qualified officer candidates through Officer Candidate School (OCS). Then we send them back to their fleets for duty.
JB: Excellent! And how long are each of those courses?
AH: Right now, recruit training is one week long, and officer school is four weeks long. One of the reasons training takes long is because we owe it to the RL Navy to be authentic. This means teaching civilians the basics of military customs and courtesies. Each prospective member needs to learn the basics of being a sailor. This includes how to wear a uniform, when to salute and who to salute, and how to address their shipmates by name and rate.
JB: Something the RL Navy calls “Sailorization” is very much a part of your program then?
AH: Yes it is, very much so. Because if you're not gonna try to be real, what's the point of wearing the uniform? All I ask in return is that members *try*. Make an effort to be a part of the group. In return we provide everything they need.
JB: So then, Admiral, what are the stated objectives of your group?
AH: As you know, the United States Navy is all about maintaining a presence at sea. On SL, this is primarily accomplished through surface warfare operations on both the Blake Sea and Jeogeot Gulf.
Furthermore, we have an extensive aviation program for prospective pilots, in addition to search and rescue. But I believe what we really strive for is the culture and experience of being in the military in general. This means living on base, interacting with your shipmates, in addition to your family.
JB: That is a very worthwhile goal, Admiral.
AH: We try! It's not always successful lol. Many people would rather just blow stuff up.
JB: Wellllllll...that can be fun too, can’t it?
AH: If you're looking for a group that's strictly about combat, then we may not be the group for you. We're not in the business of lying to people just to increase our numbers. We are more than happy to point you in the direction of one of the many combat groups in the SL Military community.
AH: Additionally, we hold many events for our members like balls and dances, movie nights, and memorial events on special occasions. It's a part of my RL that I miss, so I try to share that experience with our members.
So there you have it, Folks. If you were ever In the Navy, or if you wanted to get a taste of what life in the Navy might be like, information is available at the first URL below
Military entrance Processing Station (MEPS) Naval Base Jeogeot Point
Flight Deck of the USS Kitty Hawk
* title correction 7/5/19
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