There is a lot to say about a community that has been around for 20 years. Today I sit here thinking of the life our community has lived in the last 20. For me its been 19 and some change of its 20 and I think for everyone to best understand what our community was and has become and where it may go. I will start with the beginning and go from there. Sit back cause this may be a long one.

My First day:
When i first started with =VX9= it wasn't a community it was basically a clan. A clan that started off playing Delta force. As a clan =VX9= disbanded and reformed a couple of times. I joined =VX9= when it was just getting into Medal of honor AA. My brother Abs had been playing with them and told me about a group of guys playing this kick ass game. My first step was buying the game Which I fell in love with. I at the time gave abs alot of shit about being in a clan with a bunch of weirdos playing games. However being the little brother That i was and the fact that I have been gaming with my older brother since I was 10 years old or so. I gave it a try.

Welcome to roger wilco:
Back then we were using Roger wilco to communicate. This was no TS. This was everyone in one channel and you better believe there was cross chatter and it sucked. Luckily later we set up a second RW channel for matches and so on . My first impression was complete chaos in RW. You couldn't get a word in with so many people talking. However It quickly became evident the fun my brother had been describing. There was nothing else like playing the game with other people and being able to communicate via coms. I was hooked.

The Next Step:
So I like everyone else I went through an application period where I was a Recruit like everyone else that joins. I was now a part of something I had no idea would be such a big part of my life for so long. I then made Pvt . I felt so proud to have been a part of gaming clan a group of weirdos just like me.

From Clan to Community:
As time went one we did great and won many competitions and received many accolades as one of the best teams in MOH:AA . However we were gamers and then came my new love. Battlefield 1942 . It started with A couple of us playing this game. We quickly realized the bigger picture of where this game could go for us. So We introduced the idea of Divisions for every game we went into. I can honestly say that I went into a 48 hour tunnel vision from a Friday night to Sunday and when i came out of it A new Structure and organization was born.
Now at this time We had grown in #s and Charlie CO - Which was our MOHAA division had great #s but Alpha Co. Had quickly surpassed it with in weeks. We had so many recruits coming that We had a rented 48 man server that was full with just =VX9= members. Back to the new organization. it took some time to get some of the old school members to totally accept it. They were stuck in clan mentality and were against some of the proposed items . It wasn't that they weren't good for us. It was that they weren't good for them. as a clan it is easy to be a dictator of people because there is no checks and balances. There mentality was about them and not about Its members.

Civil War: =VX9= Gaming Community was Born.
By now we had more then just Alpha nd Charlie. I had also now become XO of =VX9=. With this we Pushed into new Divisions. We had Bravo - which was Counter strike Division . Then We had Delta which was Americas Army division. We started taking shape into a great community. However and sadly we had come to an impasse Where old regime had created underground =VX9= in order to sabotage what we were building. You see there are two different kinds of people when it comes to community and leadership. There are the ones Who Grab a hammer and help build the house. Then there are the ones who want to stand to the side and tell you what color to paint it. All I will say about the Civil war is we were all out of hammers and sure as fuck didn't need painters. So Off they went and in 2003 The =VX9= Gaming Community we know and love was born.

New Leadership
After our Civil was I was selected as CO in 2003 . I had pretty much been doing the job of Co already as the Old Co Scorpion had already taken a leave of absence and had been gone for some time. Being asked by my fellow members and peers to be Co and lead our community was a special moment for me. As These guys stuck with our community and saw the vision of where it was and where it was going. Some of those guys in that room discussing and helping decide the new leader of =VX9= are still in here today. @Maniac , @BigDawg were to of the original What they called back then "Rippers boys" because they chose to stand by me instead of run off to something that no longer exist today. Since then we have added many great people into the ranks of Officers and Generals. Many people who have grabbed hammers and helped build on the vision and the message of ONE TEAM!

Through the Years:
We obviously have along and storied History. As we have been around for 20 years. I promise some day to sit down and right out a big chunk of it year for year As much as I can remember anyways. As When I joined =VX9= I was 25 years old. Our history is rich with great memories. Great Environment, Great games, Great friendships, Great family and especially Great people. Some who I can honestly say are and will be my friends for a life time. Our community is a living thing. It blood and life is our members. Your experiences , your joys , your sorrows are ours too. Our =VX9= has loved, Lived and lost. We have seen great people come and sadly great people go. Some we lose to the test of time . Others to Life and change , and sadly some to death.
Even in writing this it brings tears to my eyes. I have been here for 19 years and every loss of life hurts. just as much as the first one. As a community our members are people we spend just as much time as we do with our own families sometimes even more. I know I share this with everyone on here As I believe we have all felt the loss of a =VX9= brother or sister. Our hall of hero's is a remembrance to them and a reminder to us that the guy or gal next to you in this community is more then just a screen or a game character they are family. Through the years we have grown , Through the years we will learn, through the years we will always be ONE TEAM!

Where we are now:
Right now As I write this we are planning a Big celebration for our 20th. Filled with games and prizes and just good community fun. It is a great feeling to know that after 20 years we still have something to celebrate. That we still have the members and leadership that Believe in what we are building and moving forward to. I think the main reason so many clans or Communities die off is they lose sight of what is really important. They start believing in the me and not in the WE. Our Community is all about the WE. I see it everyday in the work that our officers and members put in. They give of their time . they sacrifice family time and their own gaming time to make sure our members have servers to play on. our discords are run efficiently and that our members are having an over all great experience. That doesn't even begin to describe the overall nature of our community in general . We are a loving and giving community. We take care of our own and have shown that over and over. This isn't done because we have too. its done because we love our brothers and sisters next to us. Its done because =VX9= stands for more then those on the outside can ever understand. There is a reason we have had members here in the 15+ years range. This is home and home is truly where the heart is.

Our Future:
Its Exciting to talk about our future. I can tell you that our community is an living being that adapts and evolves with the times. I know that we will continue to grow into the future and continue to change the way we game. We have a lot of smart and motivated people that help keep us moving forward. I have no doubt that we will be here another 20 years. I've said t before and ill say it again Our next Co is already in our community. We have a whole new generation of =VX9= gamer. Id say second generation . As they are the children of some of our members. We @Static who is Son to @wallpow and @MonkeyS who is son of @Warthog. My Son plays console as RipperJr=VX9= . and I know we have a couple of others who do as well. Its funny because some of these 2nd generation kids have actually been playing with us for some time. They were just too young to apply. They are here now and I cant tell you how proud and happy I am to see that. You see if our legacy of =VX9= is to continue to grow it has to have some organic growth , Like members kids now becoming members. Tells me our community doesn't just stop at our computers screen it goes on beyond that.

Our Birthday:
It being our 20th year as community I decided ti write this all out a little different my present to you was a small story all be it long winded it gibes those who didn't know a clearer picture of where we started , how we got there and where we may be headed. Being a gaming community for 20 years is huge. Its a big milestone for any community out there. Through 20 years y we have had challenges that we have had ti over come . We have had to make decisions that weren't always popular but were al ways with the good of the community at heart. This community is loved by many and guarded by many. We have members that leave for a year or two and show back up ready to be a part of us again. I will tell you this we have always left a light on for them.
As A community we have built a culture , a mentality and a family bond that cant be broken that wont be broken. Some have tried and failed. I'm sure we will be tested again down the road. The comfort I have in all that is that I know we have built something so strong here , So unique that Whom ever is in positions of leadership will continue to carry the torch of ONE TEAM!

My Appreciation:
Lastly but not least, I want to say thank you to everyone that does their part for =VX9=. From gaming to any kind of responsibility you all matter to me. Its not always easy to show appreciation beyond promotions and so on. I just want you all to know that This community has been a big part of my life, It is in a way my child , Something i have committed many years to and sacrificed for. It has grown into a love without words. I know I didn't raise this child on my own , We have so many talented people that have helped maintain and grow it. And So many people who continue to do so to this day. You guys are Rockstars and I love you all for stepping up. It is never unnoticed . Its is never unappreciated. You all have my gratitude and loyalty as I know I have yours. The work you put in day in and day out is the epitome of ONE TEAM! Thank you all for everything. Thank you for Helping keep a home over our heads for all these years . There is a good # of you to name But you all know who you are and no doubt our community knows who you are. I woulnt want any other leadership team at my side then you guys!

I personally want to say Happy Birthday =VX9=. 20 years you have been a part of many peoples lives. The love we have for you is never ending. We will continue to show that love in the way we play , the way we represent you and the way we care for you. You are our Home . HAPPY BIRTHDAY =VX9=


OME TEAM!
ONE FAMILY!
=VX9= Salute!
*****Gen.Ripper=VX9=