First and foremost, the mission of  O.S.F. is fun in all of its anime-related forms for Crew, Affiliates, and Spectators alike.  Through cosplay, artistry, singing, fanfiction, creation and exhibition of movies, sponsoring and staffing of conventions, the holding of Non-Cons, and the ever present broadcasting of SDF-O Radio, we facilitate the Otakunization of mankind.
 
 

From its humble beginnings as a single vessel, the O.S.F. has grown immensely in six years. It is now composed of six Ships in two Fleets. The fleets correspond roughly with physical Terran geographies, but are not constrained to them, or even to the Earth (proper engines permitting).
 
 

First O.S.F. Fleet:

SDF-O, Flagship

Galatea, Escort
 

Second O.S.F. Fleet:

Aegis, Battlecruiser

Galaxia, Cruiser

Third O.S.F. Fleet:

Ichigo, Cruiser

Random Elements

S.C.C. Lumina, Ghost Ship

Decommissioned Ships:

Tama-Chan, Cruiser

Suppi-chan, Light Cruiser

Shoujou Kakumei Otaku, Light Cruiser

The Ships are the workhorses of the Fleet. Autonomous and independent of structure, they each travel their own paths in the pursuit of the Otaku Dream, but they come together seamlessly as needed. Each Ship has a Skipper whose word is incontrovertible Law on his/her vessel.

The Super Dimensional Fortress - Otaku:

The first Ship, with a proud history going back over three years, it bears a strong resemblance to the Macross, the original Super Dimensional Fortress. Admiral Gideon Marcus is still Skipper, overcoming incredible odds in the arduous adventures he and his Ship have come through. As the flagship of the O.S.F., it bears the primary responsibility for interaction with the rest of the universe.

The Galatea: 

The third ship to be commissioned, she and her Captain, Shannon Peterson, are tasked with the mission to fly in close formation with the SDF-O and defend against the evil Fanboys. In addition, they do a great Kenshin cosplay.

The Aegis: 

Flagship of the 2nd Fleet, commanded by Derek Wildstar, has the crew with the oldest mean age. Thus, while it occasionally creaks and groans, it is rich in history and tradition and ensures that all DBZ weaned whippersnappers are educated in the joys of Matsumoto and Hime-chan.

The Galaxia

Captained by the capable Hillary Hunt (about whom it is well known that she seeks the Universe's highest political position), this new vessel is well known for plying the shoujou lines in search of plunder.  Crewed entirely by beautiful women (save for their man-slave), they are surely a source of terror when encountered by ne'er-do-wells on high space.

The Ichigo

Our first entirely foreign vessel is currently based near Stockholm, Sweden.   Its captain is Lieutenant. Jan Mikael Torbjörn Alfredsson, and its crew is well versed in the arts of shipcraft, as befits their Viking ancestry.  

Random Elements

The S(omething) C(ute) C(osplay) Lumina: 

Every good fleet has a ghost ship, and this is ours.  Captain Jenny and Commander Leo have flown this speedy vessel all over the Cuteways of the Galaxy to display their award-winning cosplay, but many is the time that the ship has disappeared off all scopes leaving nought but an eerie afterimage.  It is expected that the birth of the First Mate's first child heralds a new appearance by the elusive craft.  

Decommissioned Ships:

The Shoujou Kakumei Otaku

The Tama-chan: 

Formerly of the First Fleet, this ship, consisted of an all-female crew based out of New York City.  They possessed two weapons officers and no navigators.  Predictably, the ship,  led by our youngest Skipper, Commander Krissy Pillot, foundered after several years, but the ship's Science Officer, Casidi Rapascz, escaped to become a member of the SDF-O's complement of Space Marines.

The Suppi-chan

From the unlikeliest of places sprang the newest of vessels--the name might be cute, but then so is its captain, the indomitable Amanda Boak-Riggs.  Powered by sugar, this ship was a powerhouse wherever it flies, from Kentucky to Florida.   Sadly, the vessel careened headlong into a asteroid-sized candy bar and has not been heard from since.

Conventions:

The O.S.F. (especially the First Fleet) has been instrumental in the planning and staffing of Animagic 2000, Animagic 2001, and Yuricon 2003. In addition, we donated to the karaoke rooms at Otakon 2001 and 2002 and performed at Yaoi Con 2002.  The Admiral and Queen served as judges for the 2003 Otaku Idol contest at Otakon.
 
 

Cosplay:

The O.S.F. prides itself on its award-winning cosplayers. Members of the SDF-O and S.C.C. Lumina have won Best of Show at Anime Expo 2001, 2002, and 2004 as well as other awards. Virtually all Crewmembers cosplay, and we continually seek to master the arts of costume creation and character portrayal.
 
 

Singing:

Several of our crew can sing and do so in as public a setting as possible. From impromptu performances of Tatakae! Otaking to serenading large audiences with original works like "Yaoi World", the voices of the O.S.F. can be heard at conventions around the country. Diana Wildstar of the Aegis won the 2004 Otaku Idol contest at Otakon.  The Admiral, Queen, and Ensign David Swanson sang karaoke with the staff of Worldcon 2007 in a Tokyo parlor.
 
 

Fanfiction:

Some of the Crew dabble in writing. The Queen of the SDF-O has received especial attention for her works, being asked to sit at several fanfiction panels. The Admiral has also dabbled.
 
 

Afterbirth and X/Y?:

Sometimes laughter is the best medicine. Afterbirth is the antidote to End of Evangelion, the Anno-inspired ninety minutes of pain. X/Y? is the answer to X/1999.  They are MSTs which have been well received at Animagic 2000, Fanime 2001, Animagic 2001, Otakon 2003, Anime USA 2003, and Fanime 2004.
 
 

Non-Cons:

The brainchild of Captain Lutz, 2nd Officer on the SDF-O, they are the backlash from the host of crappy cons we've attended. There are minimal fees, lots of fun activities, and general mirth and frivolity for all. Non Cons are for the exclusive enjoyment of O.S.F. personnel and Guests only. What they lack in size, they make up for in Otaku goodness.  There have been five thus far.
 
 

SDF-O radio:

The Voice of the SDF-O, and indeed of the O.S.F., this station has broadcast uninterruptedly for over a year playing the best in anime, j-pop, and game tunes as well as original programming and advertising. Hear the latest Fleet news on the Admiral's Morning Show.  Note: The Radio is down until a new transmitter can be constructed.
 
 

The O.S.F. is a naval institution. We use naval ranks and live by the Code of the Sea. This means we dress smartly and do what our Captains tell us to.  

Military personnel have always been divided into three groups: Officers, Petty Officers and Spacers. Officers are the leaders. It is on their shoulders that responsibility and the burden of command rests. They wear the sexiest uniforms, are more likely to smoke pipes, and come up with the most outlandish suggestions. It is they who uphold the tradition of the O.S.F. and ensure its propagation. Spacers make up the bulk of the Crew. They are the technicians, operators, and laborers. Without them, little would be accomplished. Bridging the gap between Officer and Enlisted are the Petty Officers. They are the section-chiefs and low level administrators, and they tend to be less well dressed than Officers or Spacers. They are also most likely to have large tattoos of anchors and "Mother" in various locations on their body.  

In short: Officers outline the jobs and give orders, Petty Officers ensure the jobs get done--and Spacers do them. Hopefully.  

The concept of rank is a simple one--one must be of higher rank to give orders to another officer. In the case where the rank is identical, seniority is determined by length of service. Of course, Line Officers (those with numbers in front on their title-1st Officer, 2nd Officer, etc.) always have precedence with the Captain of a vessel being the highest Line Officer. Note: On board ship, the commander of a vessel is always referred to as "Captain", regardless of rank. Promotion is a simple affair. About once a year, a Skipper will review his Crew and see who is worthy. Special care must be taken not promote out of sequence as this may breed Resentment and perhaps Mutiny.  

The following are the ranks of the Officers:  

Admiral:

The Boss. There are just two, each commanding a mightly fleet.  Theycan be recognized by their gold epaulets and formidable facial hair. They run the show.

Commodore:

As the number of ships has grown, Fleets have been organized of multiple ships for ease of administration.  To command a Fleet requires more than a Captain, and therefore we have revived the old rank of Commodore.  Derek Wildstar held this rank before his promotion to Admiral.

Captain:

The dream of every Command officer is to one day possess this rank--to be master of a ship-of-the-line.  It is they who set the pace and style for their own Crews, and as they tend to operate far from shore, have a wide degree of lattitude. It is considered a Dumb Idea for a Crewmember to go over his/her Captain's head with a complaint. The Admiral generally has better things to do anyway. Note: It is possible to have the rank of Captain and not have your own ship. Just look at Riker from TNG. Or don't. We're not Trekkies.  

Commander:

This is the rank of the up and coming, or the down and stifled. This is the lowest rank a Skipper may have. Most Skippers have the temporary rank of Commander until they get their ships together. It's also a common rank for seasoned first and second officers. They are recognizable for their immaculate uniforms and their fervent desire to get one more stripe on their epaulets.  

First Lieutenant:

A rank for veteran Officers, with a vast amount of convention and shipboard experience. It marks the pinnacle of achievement, and denotes considerable skill and expertise. They are the authorities in their field and are highly prized. From cosplay to morale, these Crewmembers know their stuff.  

Lieutenant:

These are the experienced Officers. They have gone to a convention or two and have started to pull their own weight. They can start bossing around all the Ensigns.  

Ensign:

The initial rank of all officers. Wet behind the ears Greenies who think they know all about anime because they've watched Akira and a handful of DBZ episodes and won't stop talking about how Goku can kick everyone's butt. Actually, no one like that would make it into the O.S.F. It's just the first rank.  

Specialists:

This is a rank which was invented to provide a military convention for the many specialists attached to the O.S.F. who don't fit the military mode. These are the artists, the ambassadors, those who get spacesick at the drop of the hat. They are afforded the pay and privilege of an Ensign, but have no officerial seniority. They may not give orders nor are they eligible for promotion. It is, essentially, an honorary rank. Specialists can, of course, become Enlisted men or Officers by standard methods.
 
 

Petty Officers:

Between the crew and the officers are the non-commissioned officers or Petty Officers. It is their job to ensure orders are carried out and that the crew are kept in line. Petty Officers tend to be taller than average-big hulking brutes with loud voices and indomitable personalities. When an Officer whispers, they roar-and Spacers tremble. Petty Officers are divided into 3rd, 2nd, and 1st class Petty Officers with successive increases in responsbility, compensation, and size. Upon reaching the rank of Petty Officer, 1st Class, said individual is eligible to attempt a transfer to the Officer corps, provided said PO can tie his shoes, tolerate the taste of red wine, and pretend to smoke a pipe.

The highest rank of the non-commissioned is Master Chief Petty Officer.  To date, only one man has attained the glorious title: "Perfect" John Glass.  Any 1st Class Petty Officers are welcome to the rank as well--provided they successfully wrestle the current possessor.  

Good luck.
 

Spacers:

Spacers are required to meet certain physical and educational standards. Unlike the days of the unlearned swab who populated the old wet navy, today's space-going O.S.F. demands a highly skilled and educated body of Otaku, ready to face a potentially unfriendly (and more likely boring) universe.  

There are three ranks of enlisted men: Spacer 3rd, 2nd, 1st. Each successive promotion brings more responsibilities and compensations. Most crew attain a rank of Spacer 2nd by the end of their convention sortie. Some may even start their service with this rank in recognition of a significant contribution upon entrance. The rank of Spacer 1st is more difficult to get, awarded to those crewmembers who show solid and commendable work term after term. 

The Baka Fan:

A big piece of posterboard meticulously folded into the shape of a fan and adorned with various Fleet and Ship and Personal inscriptions is the main sidearm of O.S.F. personnel. It's a scary world out there. Everyone must be prepared.
   

The Squeaky Hammer:

Shorter ranged than the Fan, nonetheless it can be a powerful weapon in the hands of an experienced wielder. The loud squeak is especially effective at warding off the smelly and the rude.
 
 

There is but one crime in the O.S.F. This is the crime of Mutiny! The punishment for Mutiny is death. Don't do it. There are no other crimes. Simply Dumb Ideas. These are dealt with by judicious application of the aforementioned weaponry. By big, hairy Petty Officers.
 
 

Promotion is considered the highest form of reward in the O.S.F. The awarding of Pocky(tm) is considered a lesser aprobation. Between these extremes, a variety of badges and medals exist to decorate the worthy.
 
 

Training Badges:

All Crewmembers who fulfill certain requirements receive these. They include awards for watching Miyuki-chan in Wonderland, Digi Charat, and Evangelion: Afterbirth.
 
 

Battle Ribbons:

These are awards for truly exemplary Fleet-related activities. These include making Baka Fans, DJing the Radio Station, and Drawing a Ship's Mascot. There are several formalized awards, but each Skipper is authorized to make Ship-specific ones.
 
 

Special Commendations:

These are the true medals of the O.S.F. These are awards for meritorious service in the Field. Anything done at conventions is rewarded with these. These include Con Medals, the Space Medal (for conspicuous gallantry of an Otaku), and the Otaku Cross, the most coveted of decorations.
 
 

The O.S.F. tradition is a long and proud one. It is a deceptively simple code: Have fun--and make sure others do too. We are a community of creative and vibrant personalities. It is our goal to take anime to the next level, and invent new ways of enjoying it. Through our camaraderie and panache, we inspire awe and admiration in those who know us.