STARFLEET International Conference
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The STARFLEET International Conference, also know as IC(s), is a Conference where the international membership of STARFLEET: The International Star Trek Fan Association, Inc. gather to meet the leadership on the international level. In past ICs members from as far away as Germany and Australia have attended. The IC is a weekend event which usually starts on Friday with a board of directors meeting an informal Opening Session and ends with the Closing Session usually starting before noon on Sunday. There are also several classes in which members can attend to improve their knowledge of certain aspects of Trekdom within the association.
Initially called the 'National Conference', the International Conference is usually held in a location where travel is easy to get to, either by auto, aircraft or rail. Bidding for the ICs are done two years in advance with the announcement traditional coming during the General Session held on the Saturday of the IC. The announcement for the 2007 IC was delayed several weeks after the 2005 IC in San Antonio, Texas due to a confusion in the guidelines and due date of the IC bids. The 2006 IC was held in Philadelphia from August 4-6 and the 2007 IC will be held in Denver, Colorado. It was announced during the 2006 IC that Ithaca, New York will be the site of the 2008 International Conference.
On the Friday morning of the IC, members of the Executive Committee (Commander, Vice Commander and each departmental Chiefs or their designated proxies) as well as members of the Admiralty Board (Each elected Region Coordinators or their proxies) meet to make major decisions that affect the association in a closed session that concludes that afternoon.
The main event of the IC happens Saturday Morning with the General Session, a formal meeting which starts with the introduction of the Commander, STARLEET, Vice Commander, STARFLEET, the Executive Committee and the Region Coordinators or their proxies and the presentation of the colors by a unit of the STARFLEET Marine Corps. Then each Region Coordinator reads a list of active chapters (starships and shuttles) within their regions. Afterward each Department Chief reports on the shape of their departments with the final address from the Commander, STARFLEET on the 'State of the Fleet'. Awards, promotions and special honors are announce toward the end of the session, which a video feed has been available for members unable to attend to view since 1999 via the internet, and since 2003 from Radio Starfleet.
Also part of the Saturday Afternoon sessions is the SFMC International Muster, in which active and reserve member of the SFMC come together. Usually a special inspection of members in uniforms as well as awards and honors are given.
The Saturday events culminate with a Banquet and Dance, the latter open to all members whether they attended the banquet or not. There is also usually an auction between the banquet and Dance with the proceeds going to a charity designated by the IC organizers. After the formal events of Saturday are over, there are also usually individual parties within rooms and suite staged by individual chapters and regions. Most are opened to the general membership.
The IC ends Sunday morning with the Closing Session and the dismissal of the membership. In recent years, prior to the Closing Session, the STARFLEET Counselor/Chaplain's FDC Department holds a non denominational service for those who wish to attend. The IC organizers usually hold a post IC gathering for the workers of the IC after the clean up is finished.
Most ICs are stand alone events but some have been associated with conventions that also were going on in the area that they were staged. In 1995 the IC was part of DragonCon in Atlanta. Several IC have had special guest, such as Chase Masterson in 1999 and Vaughn Armstrong in 2005. A very special guest at both the 1998 IC in Lubbock, Texas and the 1999 IC in Charlotte, North Carolina was John Bradbury, considered the founder and first president of STARFLEET.
[edit] Locations
- 1990 - Kansas City, MO
- 1991 - Hunt Valley, MD
- 1992 - Kansas City, MO
- 1993 - Arlington, TX
- 1994 - Orlando, FL
- 1995 - Atlanta, GA
- 1996 - Oklahoma City, OK
- 1997 - Cherry Hill, NJ
- 1998 - Lubbock, TX
- 1999 - Charlotte, NC
- 2000 - Burlington, VT
- 2001 - Kansas City, MO
- 2002 - San Jose, CA
- 2003 - Greensboro, NC
- 2004 - Birmingham, AL
- 2005 - San Antonio, TX
- 2006 - Philadelphia, PA
- 2007 - Denver, CO
- 2008 - Ithaca, NY
