shashachu

@gmrhodes13 is correct - some troopers just show the blaster/pistol connected while holding up the thigh armor. You can do the same with the closeups of the ab section sides. Here are a few previous TFA applications for your reference: https://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/45952-tk-99665-requesting-tfa-eib-status-kb-approved/ https://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/43748-tk12111-requesting-tfa-eib-status-anovos-approved/ https://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/45668-tk-8136-requesting-tfa-eib-status-anovos-859/

Hi Jodi! In addition to the photos @gmrhodes13 noted, please include photos of: - your boots, so that we can confirm they are the FOTK style with the side zip - Helmet close ups (front/left/right/back) For the arms raised photos, please include both full body and closeups of the abdomen sides. Very excited to see a FOTK submission!

Hi @MGKG! Just checking in again to see if there's anything we can assist you with.

766. https://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/47639-tk-25280-requesting-esb-eib-status-afp/ Posted by TxuTxi 28//7-19 Hi Jesús! Thanks for your application and for the updated photos with the corrected side gaps. They look great now! CRL and EIB Application Requirements All required photos are now in and, after review, we are pleased to welcome you to Expert Infantry rank. On behalf of the DO team and myself, many congratulations! Other-Armor Fit/Assembly In this area we review observations made by your fellow troopers and the DO team. Some observations may lead to suggestions to improve the overall look of your armor. Note that we consider both text (CRL) and pictures (screen caps/reference images) when reviewing submissions. Just a note for your review: I will do my best to use ESB armor as reference images, but occasionally I do use ANH armor since ESB was mostly re-used ANH armor, and there are a lot fewer ESB references available. Starting from the top, some of your helmet decals are a bit creased. It would really help you look your best if you were able to replace them with new smoothed-out decals. Reference Image: Next, your teeth gaps are quite a bit larger than the screen-used helmets. It would not be easy, but if you filled them in some with ABS paste, it would really help your helmet match the screen-used ones. Reference Images: Continuing on to the Thermal Detonator, ideally the screws sit closer to the end of the clips. This would involve replacing the clips and is not a big deal, but it's worth mentioning. Reference Image: Next, your thigh armor seems a bit low. Ideally we want to minimize the amount of black showing, but if there is black showing, it looks cleaner if the gaps are even. You have no gap at the knees but quite a large gap at the top of your thighs. If you are able to, we're recommending you raise your thighs a bit. That will also keep your sniper knee from getting caught behind the thigh armor. Reference Image: Finally, your butt place is popping out a bit. Ideally it should sit right under the kidney plate, so we're recommending that you try adjusting the strapping in that area to get it to sit properly. Reference Image: Centurion Requirements In this section we prepare you for Centurion. More photos may be requested in the future that allow us to make better decisions on possible adjustments. If there are any areas of concern they will be discussed here. Because Centurion photos show much more detail than EIB, items to pertaining to Centurion might be seen there and not here. We try to point out all that we can from what is seen, but the final accuracy is the responsibility of the trooper. Starting from the top, the paint on your ear bumps is quite thing, so we'd like you to make it wider to match the screen-used armor. Although this isn't specifically stated in the CRL, the references images are clear and it should be a simple fix. Reference Images: Moving on to the shoulder armor, the L3 CRL states: There should be a minimal gap between the shoulder armor and the chest/back plates. Yours look quite good, but there is still some gap, especially at the top of the bells. You can tighten the strapping holding the bells on, and also be sure to trim all the return edge off the bottom of the bells to bring them as close to the chest and back as possible. Reference Image: It's not totally clear, but it appears your forearms still have a bit of return edge on the wrist side. Per the L3 CRL: No return edge on the inside of the front of the forearm is allowed. It should be a simple fix - just a few minutes with some scissors to clean up the edges. Reference Images: Next, a couple fixes will need to be made in the ab/kidney area. Ideally there no gap between the abdomen and kidney armor. Abdominal and Kidney Plate align horizontally at top. Rivets are equally spaced along the depth of the armor and about 10mm from the edge. The heads are rounded or domed. Note: Paperclip brads are not considered to have a domed head. Rivets are painted white. This is almost certainly just a dressing issue, but the tops of the ab and kidney will need to be aligned, and the top pair of ab/kidney rivets will need to be painted white. Reference Images: And that's it! Congratulations on your EIB approval, and we'll see you at Centurion! Now get out there and make us proud!

Hi Jesus! Thanks for your patience. Your armor is in review and since we all discuss every application together, it sometimes takes a few days for us to get all the feedback. I appreciate your enthusiasm! We will be with you soon.

Those photos look great!! Sorry for the trouble, but could you please also post new left and right side arms raised photos showing the fixed gap? You're almost there, Jesús!

I personally wouldn't let higher level applications keep me from trooping but it's a personal choice. As Joseph pointed out, mobility cuts are fine as long as they don't go past the ridge. From the CRL (L3 for shins). Any mobility cuts on back of piece do not go past raised ridges You can go and look at past EIB and Centurion approvals to see many examples of folks who got L3 with mobility cuts. And as you'll discover, armor is never truly 'finished'. You'll continue making small adjustments and improvements.

Hi Jesus! Great to see another ESB application. For EIB, the crl says: Any gap between the abdomen and kidney armor is no more than 1/2" (12.5mm) wide. It appears your ab/kidney gap is too large. Can you post updated photos showing a smaller gap? I think it may just be that you can get there by tightening your belt, or tightening up some of the strapping connecting the ab and kidney. Thanks, Sha Sha

You only ever get one EIB number. We set a goal of getting 1000 troopers approved for EIB a couple of years ago, so each trooper only gets one EIB number, no matter how many approvals they have.

Hey Ardeshir, I just want to be clear that the suggestions section is only that - suggestions. Not required at all, and certainly things like the helmet ears are more difficult than others. We definitely don't want you to be taking on anything that you're uncomfortable with. As far as applying for Centurion, the only required changes are the items under the Centurion section. Let us know if there's anything else we can do to help. -Sha Sha

Hi Ardeshir, Great to see you going up for another EIB! CRL and EIB Application Requirements All required photos are now in and, after review, we are pleased to award you another Expert Infantry approval! On behalf of the DO team and myself, many congratulations! Other-Armor Fit/Assembly In this area we review observations made by your fellow troopers and the DO team. Some observations may lead to suggestions to improve the overall look of your armor. Note that we consider both text (CRL) and pictures (screen caps/reference images) when reviewing submissions As always, let's start from the top. *Really* nice job on the helmet! You've clearly done your research. One suggestion I have is that the bottoms of the ears are a bit on the thick side. Ear trimming is one of those tasks that every TK builder dreads, but if you're up for the challenge, thinning out those bottoms will really elevate the look of your helmet. Reference Images: Moving on to the tube stripes, you pointed out that you're doing the 11-stripe variation, which is totally fine. However, when compared to screen caps, your stripes are a bit thin, making them look too far apart. It's a very minor detail, but if you made each stripe a bit thicker, they would not look overly spaced out. Reference Image: Next, as was already pointed out, the Hero helmets had just some white weathering on the rims of the hovi tips, but were not painted white on the inside. (I believe the text of the CRL here is actually incorrect, but the screencaps are clear.) Reference Images: Continuing on, this is just a minor dressing detail, but when suiting up, be sure the black gaps are even. In this set of photos, your left forearm is sitting too high, and is actually touching your bicep, leaving a larger-than-desireable gap at the left wrist. Next time you're out for a troop, just have a handler give you a once-over to make sure you're looking your sharpest. As your fellow troopers already mentioned, the corners of the ab buttons should be squared off, not rounded: Your butt plate alignment is a little wonky. This is particularly obvious in one of your action shots, so we're recommending you add or tighten the strapping in that area. You could also consider doing some heat bending to make sure it wraps around your body properly. Be careful too about your left thigh running into the left side of your butt plate, as that can lead to painful armor bites. Reference Images: Finally, as was already pointed out, you may want to double check your calf closures, as your left one appears to be sitting a bit open. The best advice I got during my build is to make sure my calves stay closed without any fasteners at all. I personally use Velcro, but I also did a bunch of heat bending to make sure my calves want to stay closed, even without the Velcro. Reference Image: Centurion Requirements In this section we prepare you for Centurion. More photos may be requested in the future that allow us to make better decisions on possible adjustments. If there are any areas of concern they will be discussed here. Because Centurion photos show much more detail than EIB, items to pertaining to Centurion might be seen there and not here. We try to point out all that we can from what is seen, but the final accuracy is the responsibility of the trooper. You did reach Centurion with this set of armor already (congratulations!) but after consulting with @msouza and @TheSwede, there are a few small corrections we're going to have you make before applying for Centurion with your Hero. Hopefully you'll agree they're in the interest of making you look your absolute best, and none of them should be very difficult to make.  First, we'd like you to trim off all of the return edge on the vertical ab buttons. While this is not an item specifically called out in the CRL text, we do consider reference images when doing application reviews, and it should be a simple fix. Pry off the vertical ab buttons, trim off all the return edge so they sit completely flat, then re-glue. Reference Images: Next, the L3 CRL states: Back plate shall have no, or minimal overlap of the kidney plate. The right side of your back plate is overlapping the kidney. I actually had to make the exact same correction on my own application, as I have scoliosis so my back is curved. I corrected it by adding some foam underneath the right shoulder bridge, bringing the right side of my back plate higher. In your case, it may even simply be a matter of how you're standing in the photo. Reference Images: This looks like something overlooked in your original Centurion application, but the L3 CRL states: No return edge on the inside of the front of the forearm is allowed. It's possible it's just the photo, but your forearms appear to have a few areas that still have return edge, so those will need to be trimmed. Reference Images: And that's it! Congrats on your second EIB award, and we shall see you very soon for your second Centurion!

Reggie promised!

Hi Malcolm! Just wanted to check in and see if you needed anything from us. Let me know if any of the requested fixes are unclear, or if you need some extra guidance. We'll be here when you're ready.

Hi Malcolm, Apologies for not noticing this earlier, but we'll need another correction before we can proceed with your application. You are using shims on your kidney piece which is totally fine, but for EIB, those shims need to sit flush. Unless I'm mistaken, yours are sitting behind the kidney: If you'll bear with my poor illustrations, I've tried to show what the end-goal is. The visible shim (blue) should be flush with the kidney piece, and you'll use a backing piece of ABS (red) to connect it to the kidney. When you do correct the shim, be sure to try to minimize any ab/kidney gap that remains. For EIB the ab/kidney gap should be no larger than 1/2" (12.5mm), while for Centurion there should be no gap. Additionally, a visible seam is passable for EIB, but if you'd eventually like to go for Centurion, the seam between the shim and kidney will need to be filled. Here are a couple examples of shims that did pass EIB: Please let us know if you have any questions. You're almost there!

Hi Malcolm, No that should be good. We'll be with you soon. Thanks!