An interview with ADM Toxic Lemon, USCG in SL

The honorable ADM. Toxic Lemon.

 
An interview with ADM Toxic Lemon, USCG in SL - April 26, 2018.
United States Coast Guard in SL - CGAS Majipoor, USCGHQ.


NEPTUNE interviewed Admiral Toxic Lemon on April 26 for the 2018 April issue. I went to the USCGHQ at CGAS Majipoor, Corsica, and showed the Admiral a first proof of the April cover, revealing the U.S. Coast Guard in Second Life would have cover story honors this month and what better way to do justice to one of the oldest role play groups in Second Life in the military/paramilitary universe than to let the man who leads it use his own words to describe it.

Please click on the images to enlarge.

At the Admiral's office in the USCGHQ by CGAS Majipoor.

 
NEPTUNE: Thank you for your time, Admiral Lemon. We are very glad to feature the United States Coast Guard in Second Life in this month's number of the Neptune magazine.
ADM Toxic Lemon: I thank you for your interest and your time, Captain Kron.

NEPTUNE: As a norm I tend to ask permission to publish our interview to the public, per Linden Labs Terms of Service norms. I assume you allow me to do so, Sir.
ADM ADM Toxic Lemon: Sure. You have permission on it from me.
NEPTUNE: Thank you, Admiral. So my first question...

NEPTUNE: How long have you been in the Naval Service in Second Life?
ADM ADM Toxic Lemon: Since early 2015. I think I joined the Coast Guard in May that year... but this I’m not sure on 100%. Before I was in NATO special forces as helicopter pilot and twice as Police officer and Sheriff, but my career in the Coast Guard began in the first quarter of 2015. I joined as a regular Seaman Recruit, Virtual Coast Guard.

Glory days of Task Force 141. The Admiral is second standing from right.

NEPTUNE: People are familiar with the Virtual Coast Guard (VCG), they were around for a long time... What made you decide to take the next step and fill the need for a United States Coast Guard structure in the United States Naval Service community?
ADM Toxic Lemon: Yes. VCG was here since 2008 so we have a combined 10 years in the grid. My step moving all on VCG to United States Coast Guard was to be seamless. I tried to transform the VCG into a true to real life United States Coast Guard, to adapt everything to the highest possible degree of similarity. Then we took clear steps to join as part of the U.S. Naval Community in Second Life.

NEPTUNE: What was the United States Naval Service community reaction to your "arrival" as United States Coast Guard?
ADM Toxic Lemon: I think good. I think we have sufficiently demonstrated that we deserve what we represent.

The Neptune fountain on the USCGHQ grounds at Majipoor.

 
NEPTUNE: In particular, this from the Virtual Coast Guard days already, I would like to know how the Second Life Coast Guard regards your structure. I was witness to your effort to adapt the aspect of your aircraft and surface vessels in an accurate but yet not mainstream way, in order to make the difference between United States Coast Guard and Second Life Coast Guard (SLCG), who traditionally sports real life United States Coast Guard colors but not its designation...
ADM Toxic Lemon: I think more Coast Guard inspired groups around are looking at what we do and how we do it. It is natural. Several high ranking members of the surrounding Coast Guard inspired groups have been our members in the past (in the VCG). About the liveries, I was looking in real life for a color scheme using real United States Coast Guard colors, what is specific for them, and after I adapted our old VCG color schemes to be more realistic. I hope I succeeded.
 

AW139 and NH-90 in HITRON colors, the standard in use by USCG in SL.

 
NEPTUNE: What are the United States Coast Guard main roles in Second Life?
ADM Toxic Lemon: Same as in real life. The education of our members, rescue at sea and coast, identifying and eliminating environmental problems (lost prims, for example), underwater work, assistance and a bunch of other things that can be adapted from real life in the Second Life environment, also partly law enforcement.
 

Main gate at CGAS Majipoor and the USCGHQ on the right.

NEPTUNE: You have had the Headquarters here at Majipoor for a long time, Corsica has been a solid base of operations since the VCG days, but you are expanding... How many facilities and stations does the United States Coast Guard have active in Second Life?
ADM Toxic Lemon: Originally Majipoor was the only air base.. In the past we had several stations, including the headquarters, strategically spread throughout the Second Life grid. Under my command, I redesigned the stations so they have meaning in the area they are on and have enough crew members. Currently we have one main Coast Guard Air Station (CGAS), one Coast Guard Naval Station (CGNS), the Training Center (TRACEN), headquarters (HQ), one sub-station for special activity and two bases for water and air, both CGAS but with docking.
The HQ where we sit now shares the same location with CGAS Majipoor, our main Naval Station is CGNS Cape Kirk (Second Norway), then we have CGAS Brinken (SNO Airport), CGAS Arianti (HMBR Airport), and TRACEN on Skadi.

MH-60 sn 6000 assigned to the USCG Stork Team at CGAS Majipoor.

NEPTUNE: What are the United States Coast Guard operational means, air and seaborne?
ADM Toxic Lemon: It’s a classic fleet, as in real life only adapted to Second Life. Not all types are here to be found. Our Naval system is simple. Seaborne: the basic rib, the 32 ft TPSB (32 ft Transportable Port Security Boat (TPSB)), the Marlin patrol boat, the RB-M 45 patrol boat, the 75 ft fire and patrol boat (WAT), the 225' Juniper class ship (WLB), the 154' Sentinel class fast response cutter (WPC) and the 418' National Security large cutter (WMSL). Airborne: the MH-60T Jayhawk, the NH-90, the D-139 (AW139), the D-109 (AW109), the EC-135, the H-92 and the MD-500 as helicopter fleet; the fixed wing fleet is small: the D-100 (EMB-500 Phenom 100) as VIP transportation plane, the D-120 (EMB-120 Brasilia) and the C-130.

The Admiral's desk at his USCGHQ office.

NEPTUNE: What is the United States Coast Guard present command structure?
ADM Toxic Lemon: Currently we do not have all positions occupied. Our Chain of Command is simple. From Admiralty via Fleet Command, TRACEN and stations have local CO’s and XO’s, which like our ships have in command an officer of rank no lower than Commander.
A big part of Admiralty is VADM. Eliza Belis, she is also the United States Coast Guard in Second Life Deputy Commander and representative, another is MCPOCG Charles Dirt; our Commanders Thomask Andel, Shar Bleac, Jasper Recreant; TRACEN commander LTJG. Nathan Nubalo, and a number of recruit company commanders, chiefs and petty officers.

NEPTUNE: For someone who reads this article and wishes to become a coast guard, how does one join the United States Coast Guard in Second Life?
ADM Toxic Lemon: The way is simple. Visit any of our bases where you will find a join vendor that looks like a save sign, fill the application taken from that vendor, and proceed according to the instructions that he/she will read there. Or ask any our members for help.

NEPTUNE: Do you have minimum requirements for candidates?
ADM Toxic Lemon: Yes, first and main is having a Human Avatar, 6 month old minimum, be active, grab work in a team, learn to observe the rules of behavior and the military to become a good Coast Guard.

The decked wall at the Admiral's office where the interview took place.

NEPTUNE: Is there anything you'd like to add about the United States Coast Guard in Second Life?
ADM Toxic Lemon: Yes, I would like to point out that the United States Coast Guard (formerly Virtual Coast Guard) is in Second Life since 2008, so we are the second oldest roleplay group in its style in Second Life, and it reflects the quality of the United States Coast Guard real life duties.

A very pleasant visit at Majipoor, as always.

NEPTUNE: My last question is... Are there any plans for the future that you can mention?
ADM Toxic Lemon: We would like to extend our ranks to new members, which is probably standard, and then further develop and reflect the real United States Coast Guard, so we can say that we are doing honestly and proudly what is our service following the real life model, and of course cooperation with the United States Naval Service Community and the global naval community in Second Life.

NEPTUNE: Thank you for your time, Admiral Lemon. We are very glad to feature the USCG in SL in this month's number of the Neptune magazine.
ADM Toxic Lemon: I thank you for your interest and your time Captain Kron.

A USCG Embraer EMB-500 Phenom 100 juicing up at CGAS Majipoor.

NEPTUNE and ADM Toxic Lemon hold the exclusive rights to this interview.
NEPTUNE Magazine 2018

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