Daetrin

Wow, this is pretty cool. I can't wait to see it completed.

Way to go! Thanks for all you do

Hahahahaha - love that last one in particular

Not with the kidney. It's normal though that it can take a few troops to dial in your armor. No amount of standing in front of a mirror can prepare you for it. You may end up needing some foam padding too. Have people take a bunch of pix and then adjust, troop for an hour & take pix, adjust, etc.

Thanks - that's a really nice display and I may get one too soon.

Congrats brother!

I'd appreciate that Luca! This forum as you see it now is vastly different than how it started. The best part is we can change it over time to meet the needs of the users. I fully agree about IG & TikTok. FYI that there is a contingent that is very loyal to FB (I know, I know). We also are up on Discord too. FWIW, I can agree that older people can be boring. I work with scouts a lot (ages 12-18) and they are never the problem, it's their parents that drive me nuts. Such sticks in the mud :-p

And, if I have to say it, also shows how sometimes us older folks can make the mistake of generalizations and conforming to our biases vs. actually talking to our audience. Usually we get older we get wiser, but sometimes we fool ourselves that we are wiser than we are.

This is a perfect reminder about outreach and engagement, and some great advice. Thanks so much

That may be as well. Certainly something entitled about younger people today. I call it the curse of the app, e.g. they think they just press and app and things magically take care of themselves without any effort. This is the generation after all that gets trophies for participation...

I think too it used to be - back in the day - that basic wasn't all that great. Black ab plate buttons, plastic belts, FX helmets, etc. Going EI made you look *much* better for a modest investment in time and accuracy. What was EI then is basic now, and Centurion then is more like EI today. In other words, as the base accuracy has gotten higher with better kits and parts, going EI doesn't always result in a better looking suit to the general public. So I think for the normal stormtrooper, there is less incentive to go higher when basic today looks pretty good (compared to years past). Is EI hard to get? I used to say $50 and a few hours of work. Is that still true?

So all of this comes down to encouraging people to go EI from basic. That is ultimately the goal of all these programs. If they are no longer effective, they can be replaced.

What is their barrier to this? Lack of an account? I mean, it's like a 5 minute process to apply if you have all the photos already there. In the past being eligible for that gold EI only coin was a big incentive, but maybe it no longer is?

A close race, surely. Well done mate! :duim:

I think I can safely say that anyone who has gone Expert Infantry or Centurion can relate.

Yes Mike, they both died of COVID.

Tragically, his wife Tracie has passed last week as well: https://www.tributearchive.com/obituaries/23403589/tracie-reber/lapeer/michigan/muir-brothers-funeral-home I'm just gutted by the news still.

Great to see you again Nathan, though I wish it was under a better circumstance. Thank you so much for sharing those memories. They are all we have left of a great man and a good friend.

It is with a heavy heart that I mourn the passing of Terrell Reber, who was my XO for many of the early years of FISD and later became DL in his own right. In that time, he contributed his insight and wisdom in many areas most particular in the areas of armor, molds, and armor making. He was the first person to find a legitimate, conflict free path to selling TE derived armor when he founded ATA. It may be hard to believe, but there was a time those years back when a decent set of FX armor was $1200 and TE type armor was hard to acquire from a reputable person. ATA changed much of that, and ATA set the bar for providing quality armor at an affordable price. Hence ATA: affordable trooper armor. He was very picky about quality and hunted for plastic suppliers who would provide virgin material with the right shade of white. He could have charged more and had a long wait list, however felt that would be against his principles. These days there are many options for people to procure quality TE type armor at an affordable price, and we have a solid list of reputable makers. It can be hard to believe that it wasn’t always this way, or that even having a public list of vetted armor makers was considered taboo. With a glance at a picture, he could tell you the make of the armor or helmet and could spot all the “tells” that was uncanny. He gave selflessly his experience and advice to FISD members time and again. However, most of all I will remember him as someone who was always there to take a phone call when needed. Who gave selflessly to this hobby that he loved. 43 is just too young. Buckets off, as I drain it of my tears.

Yeah, can't wait for more

Totally awesome!

No wonder they have a hard time getting good pilots. Our 401(k) match is awesome, and at least we get a re-location allowance.

Loving the recent memes (Squid Game + Kirk)

Where was this when I started? This is awesome!

Great move - SpecOps is the perfect home for non-standard troopers.