Bubba. Good boy. You did not fuck it up.

Congratulations on surviving, keeping this place alive, and doing darn good work.

I will continue to find things to yell at you about. Well done.

PS: You are still a nub.

From my very first day on the Council, Bubba has been a stalwart ally, mentor, and friend. Whether it's the absolute chaos of Story Group or any one of the million random, manic ideas I’ve had as Voice, he has been a calm, patient, and dedicated purveyor of wisdom and action. I can’t even count how many times he has thoughtfully reviewed things I’ve sent over, asked insightful questions, and proposed a better path to follow, all without ever putting me down or making me feel stupid for even suggesting something in the first place.

Of course all of this is part of why he ended up Grand Master in the first place, and why his term has been so fruitful. I have learned so much about how to be a leader, and in some cases, more of a normal functioning human, due to just how Bubba acts and works day in and day out. I couldn’t be more grateful for the time we have spent working together.

Thank you so very much for the years of work Bubba. And for putting up with my crazy ass along the way. Don’t enjoy retirement too much.

Lt. BubbaX (aka SpamG0D, aka Bubba, aka Dacien Victae), the High Court of Inquisitors has been reconvened to continue Case 159.

Lt. BubbaX, the trial never ended!

Twenty-four years ago you were reported as a clone and were placed under surveillance. Long have I watched you to determine if you were a genuine individual. For all these long years I’ve seen you lead, I’ve seen you hand out justice, I have seen you teach and grow others, I have seen you hold court, I have seen you create, and I have seen you become a strong and noble individual.

This court finds you…worthy, and remember - the trial never ends.

To all that comes next, I’m proud of seeing you grow from a young green member to an elder statesman. You’ve done well, congratulations.

I wanted to do a formulaic medal recc here and just list up the statistics of your assessment over your time as GM, but it wouldn't adequately cover the reason you are getting this honour I don't think. Instead, I took a bit of a trip down memory lane and am now forcing you, the poor soul who chose to read this, to be dragged along for the trip.

I don't remember when I first interacted with Bubba. What I do remember however, is when I first formally worked together with him.

(imagine those swirly lines you see in '90s tv shows when a flashback is incoming)

He had just succeeded Solari as Headmaster, and even though Solari had already handed over the active projects, he let me as P:HM onboard him a second time on all of them. That day I found him to be patient, as long as he detected sincerity. I would also discover him to be quite blunt when he encountered insincerity.

When he became Justicar, I knew he was patient and hardworking. I found him to be just and fair during that time. He didn't lose the bluntness in the face of insincerity however, which undoubtedly proved as useful in that role as it did when he ran the Academy.

When he became Deputy Grandmaster, I knew him to be patient, hardworking, just, and fair. While I had encountered his ability to delegate and manage various projects and teams during our time together in the Shadow Academy, it was at this time I would truly understand how good he was at both of these.

When he became Grandmaster, I knew him to be patient, hardworking, just, fair, and an effective manager within our club's context. It was at this point I knew we'd have some great years ahead of us as a club. During this time, I learned him to be a master at forward thinking and planning ahead.

A few weeks ago, when his retirement was announced, I knew there was nothing to worry about. Every project, every possible issue that could pop up in the near future, there was most likely already something in the works to counter, ameliorate, or prevent it. Additionally, if anyone has earned the right to step back and rest on his laurels, it's Bubba.

At this point, I started to truly think back over the time I had known him. His time in club leadership brought quite some changes to the club. I generally don't forget things, so my mind recalled something Muz wrote as he inducted Bubba into the ranks of the Elders over ten years ago:

"Dacien has been one of those people who always seem to get overlooked because of their nature. He's not the type to grandstand, not the type to call attention to his work, so it largely gets taken for granted."

Bubba, under your tenure as Headmaster, we implemented the Journeyman Hall (now novitiate hall), we reworked the grind path into the foundation of what it is today, we split the journeyman tier into novitiate and journeyman. We created courses, rode herd on a massive staff and started the work to downsize it. You expanded on the automation of course grading as well.

As Justicar, you sat in judgement and generally made the club a safer place for our members. Your work here cannot and should not be underestimated. The medals you were given in this period all call you a reliable advisor as well as a dedicated and hardworking councillor (per a medal recc by Mav).

As Deputy Grandmaster, the first thing you tackled apparently was the onboarding of your replacement as Justicar and you expertly managed that transition (per a medal recc by Evant).

As Grandmaster, the other recommendations for this award, will undoubtedly continue this trend of thanking you for everything you did in improving the club as a whole over the last few years. It is hard to point at anything in the club and not see your fingerprints. I honestly believe that your efforts over the last decade, in a large way, contribute to the fact that we're still around and as vibrant a club as when I joined.

Congratulations on the Golden Lightsaber my friend, if anyone has earned this, it's you!

He knows what he did.

There’s a limited number of people who really know what being a Grand Master actually entails. The long hours, the tough calls, the stress, the understanding that ultimately it is your call. It’s not something that you understand fully until the excitement dies down and you’re left with the quiet, the responsibility of it all. By the time that you get to that point, you’ve likely already left a mark on the club in a fantastic way. Projects released, enhancements implemented, and members’ enjoyment increased, but under someone else’s vision, under someone else’s plan. But then suddenly, it’s your vision, your plan. And all preconceived notions, all the things that you thought would be easy… aren’t. To be entrusted with such a large part of people’s enjoyment, the continuation of a legacy set now thirty years ago. That every failure is on your head, that every success is something that you will give to others.

Add to this the wealth of work and personal investment that he’s done. Now consider the unending struggle of building a team, the constant roll of retirements and hiring DC members to manage. The focus on building and not just wildly slashing away the old in favor of new and shiny. The patience to deal with conflicts without alienating folks who are just trying to enjoy their downtime. The willpower to decide when there’s no clear correct answer. The wisdom to see beyond the immediacy that this world demands now in order to make decisions that will serve this club for the years to come. The leadership to build a council that any Grand Master would be proud of, perhaps even envious of. And to do it all quietly, a steady hand in the background, guiding it all forward.

I’m glad to be adding my words to this recommendation for your well earned Golden Lightsaber. That said, it’s not the golden pixels that matter at this level of play. It’s not the possessions, the character sheets, the storyline, the credits or any of that which really make it all worth it. It’s the knowledge that at the end, you touched those lives. That the kind words and memories shared in these recommendations are genuine. That you made a difference to them, and that is the best measure of success any of us could hope for.

Thank you, for all of the work, the unseen labor and the silent hours. Thank you for keeping this place that we all know and love moving forward to a future where it is still relevant. Thank you for the grey hairs we gave you, the stressful afternoons, the times that you set the phone down and wanted to headbutt traffic. Thank you for staying sane throughout it all. Thank you.

Bubba,

I don’t say much these days and certainly don’t participate in anything, but I’m always there, watching from on high. I can say without a doubt: you did well, good sir. You did very well. Being Grand Master takes a lot of time, a lot of effort, a lot of caring, a lot of creativity, and a lot of determination. You had it all in spades. I certainly appreciated you continuing to carry the flag for people like me and Muz and the others that came before.

Speaking of which, I know Sarin would have been very happy with the work you’ve done. You continued his tradition of greatness; and he had the utmost faith in you. I’m probably not the best to say so, but I feel his absence keenly in writing this and thinking of the past. Good on you for keeping tabs on this place that we all love and that he loved the most.

I wish you the very best for the future.

It's not every day you add a few words to this kind of recommendation, but still, I'll be brief and let others who have worked more closely with Bubba have their dissertations :D Writing this recc is a pleasure and privilege.

Working with Bubba has been a rather short but pleasant experience, but it boils down to one basic decision: him having the utmost trust in me when he accepted me as Herald for the second time. Full stop. Yeah, we've worked together before, cooperated on the Council and outside of it, had some laughs here and there, trolled Howie, one could say "you know each other well", but the truth is I wish I knew Bubba better than I do. I do know him as an excellent leader who filled those big shoes splendidly, but most importantly for me I know him for the trust he showed me when I was out of office for years. It is humbling and I will always be grateful for that.

I'm glad I got the chance to work with you, Bubba, and I hope I get another one in the future. Enjoy retirement.

Bubba,

Thank you for the time, energy, and effort you expended to help advance the DJB. The position of GM is often thankless and filled with dealing with loads of bullshit. You managed to navigate your tenure with poise and grace. Not only did you march through the tough parts, you managed to maintain a sense of humor along the way.

For someone who was new to the council, your approach to things made the transition to a new role much easier. Your candor, kindness, and tact has left a lasting impact on me, particularly in regards to how to be a successful leader.

Thank you for all your work, guidance and positive attitude. The mark you have left is immeasurable.

Congratulations on retirement!

Bubba has been a presence in my DB career almost since the beginning. He hired me as a freshly minted Knight for my first staff job as a professor in the Shadow Academy when he was HM. We served a term together as Hands of Justice under Jac and I had the honor of serving as one of Bubba’s hands when he was JST. He was DGM and GM during my term as Fist and one of his last major acts as GM was to bring me back to the DC as HM to implement more crazy ideas.

In a club full of large and sometimes over-the-top personalities, of which I can sometimes be one, Bubba is a steadfast and stabilizing force. He is measured, wise and kind. When action or correction is needed, he takes it with tact and unwavering professionalism. He encourages his subordinates and genuinely listens to their counsel, even if he goes a different direction. As a leader he recognizes the strengths of those working for him and empowers them to make change. Many of the major positive changes to the club in the past few years have been a direct result of this leadership quality. I put forward a lot of crazy ideas and Bubba gave guidance, helped refine but ultimately empowered me, well really James, to carry them out.

Enjoy your retirement and this well-deserved token of appreciation from a grateful club. You have truly left a positive impact.

It is hard to believe that Dacien and I have been bouncing around with one another in various capacities for over 20 years at this point. They really should put us in a home. From getting yelled at for giving me a job in That Other Place back in 2006, to being pulled back together for a Crusade, from Plagueis PCON to working side by side on the Council, and now finally with him as Grand Master providing insight to us Consuls, Dacien has always been there. I do not think there has ever been a Grand Master who was such a consistent presence in the leadership of the Brotherhood before taking the big chair, and I also do not think there has ever been one whose departure leaves a larger void as a result.

As a corollary to that, however, I doubt there has ever been a Grand Master who has more fully earned a restful retirement than Dacien. As much as we all thought we would have more time with him at the helm, would it not be greedy of us to ask for more when he has already given so much to the club over the years? I will always be grateful for everything he has given to the Brotherhood, and for the guidance and advice he has so freely shared with me personally. I hope this is not a goodbye, so I will instead leave it with an “until next time.”

Congratulations, Dacien, on an incredible tenure of leadership in some of the most demanding positions the Brotherhood has to offer. Thank you for your service, sir.

I never had much opportunity to get to know Bubba before I began working for him directly as Consul. I had heard plenty of stories from others, including Atra, Turel, Atty, and many more, but had no real one-on-one interaction with him until mid-2024. When that time came, however, Bubba quickly became a pivotal part of my work within Vizsla and eventually my elevation to Fist.

In my experience, he was never one to jump to conclusions or cling too firmly to a single idea or concept. When I brought him feedback on projects, proposed improvements, or changes in how I approached my role, he would push back just enough to ensure I truly believed in what I was advocating and could logically explain my rationale. Once that was done, he stepped back and allowed me to succeed or fail on my own merit.

It takes a hell of a leader to trust that their people are doing what they believe is best, even when you may disagree with them. I believe this mentality was a major factor in the recent launch of the Battlepass. He allowed the Council to carry the work through to completion, providing only the necessary oversight on key decisions as we took the concept from idea to reality.

I appreciate the guidance over the past few years, and more importantly, I appreciate the trust Bubba has placed in all of us to carry the Club forward from here. Enjoy retirement while it lasts, Bubba.

For service to the Brotherhood.

Bubba, thank you for all your contributions to the club, both as Grand Master and before that. The Brotherhood wouldn't be where it is today without your excellent leadership and guidance. Congratulations, and enjoy your retirement (at least for now…)

To be even a passable GM asks an incredible amount of a person. You've handled that task with a remarkable level of grace and though I'm sure the strain must have gotten to you, I struggle to think of any time you let it show. You have, without fail, been engaged, patient, thoughtful, and kind from my first interaction with you through today. There's hardly anyone else I can say that about, and looking back, I hate how easy it has been to take that for granted.

I like medals and titles and public praise as much as the next person, but that is not why I do what I do. I do it because the fulfillment I get from this club comes from making things better for people. I have often been disappointed at how many people in leadership view this as a foreign mentality. You were never one of them. You got it. You never gave me cause to doubt it, whatever disagreements we had. You make other people's experiences better.

I do no make things easy for myself, and unfortunately that means I often don't make things easy for other people, least of all the GM who has to bear the brunt of not only me, but everybody else. It's hard to put into words how much I appreciate the support, the many chances, and the hours and hours of your time you've given me through RHoJ, Exarch, HM, and P:GM.

We all owe you a long rest, but I will bitterly miss working with you.