Former Region 01 – RDC Regional Department Chief of Engineering
Update: Jason passed away 27 Sept 2021 – A very sad day indeed. (info)
A Discussion with R1 Regional Division Chief of Engineering Admiral Jason Schreck *
SD:202102.01 I recently had to honor to have a detailed interview with Admiral Jason Schreck, Regional Department Chief of Engineering for Region 01. In addition to reporting to him directly monthly in my role of Chief Engineering officer here on the USS Heimdal I’ve had the joy of following him on Facebook⢠via “STARFLEET Region 1 Corps of Engineers” for many years. If you are interested in vessel design, engineering chatter, jump in, it can be very interesting.
Admiral Schreck, thank you so much for agreeing to this interview, I know my Engineering team, the readers of the “Rainbow Connection”, and myself appreciate your time and dedication to Region 01 Starfleet.
– Let’s jump right in, please give us a snapshot of your Starfleet Bio: I have been a member of STARFLEET continuously since December 1998. I had been a member for a total of three years before that as well under a different SCC but was a kid who did not always have the cash to renew every year. But even when I was not an official member i was active with the USS Jamestown in Hampton Virginia. It was my first chapter and proud to say I was a member until 2008. During my time on that ship i started as a cadet and rose to the rank of Commodore holding department head positions as well as the XO position along the way. I also served as the Battalion OIC for the 7th BN 1st Brigade for several years as well as Brigade DOIC, and for a brief time Brigade OIC. I moved to Kentucky in 2008 joining the USS Tang as Chief Engineer and later XO as well. Sadly after a year of membership I felt the Tang was not going to last due to several reasons and decided it was time to find a new chapter. With little luck and lackluster responses from several chapters at best I launched the USS Columbia in 2010 and remained her CO until last year. Along the way I have also served as Orientation Director of STARFLEET, RDC of Engineering for Region 1, and Director All-Access STARFLEET. At the regional level I’m also the co chair of the Region 1 Space Camp Scholarship committee.
– Why Engineering – Personally and in support of R1? : Engineering was the first department I joined on the Jamestown as a cadet, Ironically most of my time on the Jamestown was spent as a Marine OIC and never served as an engineer beyond my cadet days on that ship. However I always loved starship design and technical manuals. I loved reading about different starship designs and even tried to draw my own from time to time but i quickly learned I am not an artist. I am also a avid model builder of everything from aircraft to ships, to sci fi, to real space and even occasional car models. Region 1 has always been my STARFLEET home and I thought the Engineering Program would be a great way to share my love of model building as well as starship design with others who had the same interests.
– In your years with R1 Engineering, what’s been your driving factor, that spark that keeps you going? I’d say it is giving Region 1 members a way to express themselves when it comes to a shared interest. It lets people see they are not the only ones who have these same interest and to connect with others who do.
– As a fellow Chief Engineer, I know maintaining regular open communication can be key, how do you help stoke the fire to keep your members, team, even support structure alive and well? With the RDC program I try to post something daily to our Facebook group to try to invite discussion or even just sometimes share a few laughs. It lets people know the program is more than just a program on paper alone.
– How has the Pandemic impacted your crew? the Chief Engineers that report to you? and the R1 support structure – from your perspective? This last year has been a mess. Our crew had several conventions and other events planned all of them on hold now. One of those conventions had already been announced to be the last one they would hold and now even that will never happen. The Columbia crew is a mostly online correspondence chapter who sometimes meets in person so people being home has not changed things too much. If anything it has probably increased crew activity. I believe the uptick in the Engineering RDC page activity may also owe to people not being able to get out and be with other members.
– What are your thoughts regarding 2021.… I’m hopeful 2021 will bring an end to the Pandemic and a return to at least some sense of normalcy. I hope meetings between crews can resume and other events can happen again. Only time will tell.
– What else would you like to share with our audience? I’d just like to say thank you for this opportunity and I hope your readers have learned something about the program. I would like members to know all are welcome not just Chief engineers or even members of Engineering departments. I try to keep our program fun and informative and would welcome anyone with an interest in Engineering and model building.
– I would like to thank Jason for all that he brings to Starfleet, Region 01, and especially Engineering. His consistency and positive nature make him a stellar leader to report to. * (also published in the Heimdals Raincon Newsletter March 2021)