The Workloaf

(This was originally a Twitter thread written for June Fellas 2023)

Out of all the organizations the #JuneFellas are matching these two weeks, what strikes me most about NAFOArmory and Operation: Boom Boom Pow is that one could call it “home-grown.”

Akiirro’d been a fella a long time, but in the early days said very little (save the occasional joke about electronics and programming). I still remember those quiet, occasional likes I’d get from this account that never said anything and had a strange, red tracksuit.

Though she was actively working on the rigs that drop early retirement plans on the enemy and 3D-printing fins for VOG grenades, she remained tight-lipped about it for months. Once she was allowed to discuss her work with the 92nd, Akiirro turned into one of NAFO’s microcelebrities overnight. Which is well-deserved. All of us are helping Ukraine. Few of us are doing it so directly.

Ben…well, everyone knows @FreeUkraine91. We named a day of the week and NAFO’s closest thing to Halloween after him. He was trying to raise funds for a drone army and running an Etsy store with pro-Ukrainian merchandise to fund the war effort.

Once Akiirro came into view and it became clear how much their mutual interests aligned, the two clicked. Ben started funding Akiirro’s 3D printing and electronics operation directly with his Etsy sales. Soon, more like-minded shibas with backgrounds in engineering and printing joined the fray – @Slowdiversion, @UaWarRoom, @allan_minder, @bn880, @OrbitworksA – the entire team are fellas.

With a team of 7 and a lot more pooled resources at their disposal, they formed @NAFOArmories. Not long after that Akiirro got a formal request for drones from the 92nd.

Eventually, Ben was asked to do the same for the 93rd. In addition, they’re still fulfilling monthly orders for drop rigs and fins from both.

It’s true that other orgs helping Ukraine have used our pfps, but they existed long before us and joined later when they realized we weren’t—at least, not only—a bunch of online clowns. And that’s what makes @FreeUkraine91, @Akiirro, and @NAFOArmories remarkable. They are our clowns. They’re as NAFO as it gets. And they are having a—if you’ll excuse the phrase—direct impact on the Russian military.

Now they’ve been asked by the legendary 93rd to acquire thermal- and general-purpose drones for the counteroffensive. And the #JuneFellas have decided we owe it to these NAFO legends to help them.