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March 2017 Newsletter - the April/SWCO Edition!


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In Memoriam

From the DL

From the XO

From the PRO

Around the Detachment

Notable Troops

Advanced Tactics Awards
Follow FISD

 

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Roland Klippel (TK-2231)
 
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On the 13th of March, 2017 Roland Klippel (TK-2231) from the German Garrison unexpectedly passed away in the age of 52.
 
Enlisting in 2008 Roland served in the Custodes Euroi Squad, owning a variety of costumes. As he had been a staunch supporter of the 501st Legion it is a great loss for all of us.
 
Roland is known for his friendly and generous temperament and is dearly missed by his fellows.

 

Our sincere thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends at this very difficult and sad time. The brothers and sisters of the FISD especially want to express their deepest sympathy to them.

 

Thank you for your service, brother. Requiescat in pace in eternam.

 

Buckets off.

 

With Unquestioned Loyalty,
 

The German Garrison

 

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Celebrate Good Times, Oh Yeah!

While every day is a time to celebrate the magic that is Star Wars, and stormtrooper costuming in specific, unless you have been lying next to a lava river on Mustafar sans legs and an arm, as you know April is the time for Star Wars Celebration to descend on Orlando.

For sure FISD will be there in strength throughout the convention, from individuals walking the con in armor, the bash, and a storm of photo shoots, including one on the Beach to recreate the shot in Rogue One. You can find all the FISD Celebration events at http://www.whitearmo...n-orlando-2017/

We’re also celebrating with our biggest merchandise rush in a long time:

• FISD Celebration T-shirts
• FISD Celebration Stickers
• Even an FISD Celebration commemorative poster

Is a detachment all about merchandise? Of course, not! The staff has been hopping, and you’ll notice much has already changed in a short period of time:

• Heavy Weapons Trooper CRL updates
ROTJ CRL updates
ANH Space Pack will be CRL approvable in days

What else is new? We’ve now crossed 700 Expert Infantry, with Christine TK-10404 “Cricket” achieving the milestone. To commemorate that what could be better than hockey jerseys. Yup, you read that right. Check it out, they are totally worth your hard earned cash.   (More Info below)

Also, for you Rogue One fans, there is now a sculpt in progress for the Rogue One stormtrooper at http://www.whitearmo...-one-tk-builds/.

Can March get any better? Sure it can. Danny TK-55550 “Ripper_L” has enlisted as our very own Forum Content Editor at Large, and has been doing a great job of removing outdated content and re-organizing the sections bit by bit to make information much easier to find.

How about that? And, to think we’re just getting started. What’s next? Keep checking in on the forums, and you’ll be amazed. 

With unquestioned loyalty,

Paul TK-8020 "Daetrin"
Detachment Founder | Leader

 

 

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What's Up, Stormtroopers, Stormtrooper Fans, etc?

I've got a good bit of rambling ahead, so I'll simply say that Paul touched on a lot of this above, but I'm going to dig in deeply with a lot of it.  Additionally, thanks and a FISD Staff welcome to Jessica as she prepares to assume the full role of the Detachment's Public Relations Officer (PRO) as we move forward from this Newsletter - the March 2017, April edition!  

A lot of good stuff follows, let's get to it:

Wow!

 

Did you hear the one about the group of Stormtroopers that wandered onto a beach?  No?  Well, at the moment there isn't much of that story to tell that you haven't seen already in Rogue One - A Star Wars Story, but a week from Sunday, that question will take on a whole new meaning for a lot of us!  That's right, it is time for:

STAR WARS CELEBRATION - ORLANDO!!!!
 

Yes, Celebration is literally only days away and very, VERY soon, a great many of us will be loading up armor trunks, getting on planes, trains, automobiles, and perhaps boats, and converging on the sleepy hamlet of Orlando, Florida, USA.  (Okay.. It isn't exactly a sleepy hamlet, but I have it on good authority that it may never be the same after our visit next week!)

Busy, Busy, Busy...

 

That's been the buzzword (phrase?) for the staff here during the last month.  There are of course many new and STAR WARS CELEBRATION - ORLANDO!!!! themed pieces of FISD swag available for order (they will be available after Celebration for awhile also) right now, and a great many more making their way around the world for delivery.  Racing shirts have begun arriving at houses, just in time to be packed up and taken to Orlando (and a tip of the bucket to our own Aaron Gibson; TK-99725, Pyrates) for making that happen for Troopers all over the world.

 

So, Yes...  STAR WARS CELEBRATION - ORLANDO!!!! Is Indeed Exciting, but..

 

Are you aware that within the last month, the Detachment reached an Advanced Tactics milestone?  We did.  Christine Lee, TK-10401 of the Georgia Garrison "Cricket" here at the Detachment (who's build thread was a phenomenal adventure to follow, by the way) was awarded the Detachment's 700th EIB award on the 9th of March!

 

Congratulations to Christine, and all of you here at the FISD who have helped to make it happen!  It takes an online community to build an EIB approved Stormtrooper! - and I'm not taking anything from Christine in saying that.  

Each and every one of us here at the FISD work hard to help others to build their armor correctly, whether they intend to go for EIB/Centurion or not.  We have a very large and passionate community where Stormtroopers are involved, and we are always looking together collectively to see what we can do next, to keep on improving.  We keep looking away, to the future, to the horizon.  We have adventures and excitement in armor building to pursue!  Worry about where we are, or where we've been?  What are we?  Jedi scum???  We CRAVE awesome armor builds and super cool threads.  Simple truth here.    ;)

 

So, having said that, what's next?  Looking ahead (like we do), we have a new goal...  A new target.  It will be up to each and every one of you to keep us on target, to ensure that we make this happen.  Truthfully, there is no better time to highlight and announce it than right now.  Right now, as we prepare for STAR WARS CELEBRATION - ORLANDO!!!!and shortly afterwards, we will be staring directly at the 40th Anniversary of Star Wars itself.  The 20th Anniversary of the 501st Legion.  This is exciting stuff!

You know what is more exciting? 

 

The March to 1,000!

 

Yes, that's right, we are going to make the push for 1,000 EIB approved Stormtroopers here at the FISD.  

 

What can you do to help?  

Well, for starters, if you're not EIB approved then take a look at your armor.  Ask the question "What do I need to do, to get to that level?"  It probably is not as difficult as you think it is.  The original premise behind the program was to push armor makers to improve their kits and to get the older FX based armor owners to improve a little bit.  The tagline then was $50 and an afternoon.  It shouldn't take that much  money or work with today's improved armor kits.  The fact is that in most cases, a properly built set of TK armor is very likely EIB ready at approval time.  All you'd need to do is take some pictures and build an application thread. 

 

What if you are already EIB approved?  Have you done all that you can in that instance to get us to 1,000 EIB?  No..  Be an active part of this community that helps to build those approval threads.  Spread the word.  At the end of the day, we all have our own reasons for submitting or choosing not to submit for EIB, and any reason you have as an individual is valid.  

 

My take:  We are allowed to do a lot of amazing and special things in this armor, because we are who we are.  I personally feel that we owe it to the fans - especially with the Star Wars fever at such an amazing level right now - to give them the most awe-inspiring, and unforgettable experiences that they can have.  For me, it is about Star Wars itself.  It deserves our very best, and I feel that we owe it to Star Wars to do it.

So, think about that a bit, and see what you can do to get us to 1,000 EIBs this year.  Help out a new hopeful trooper.  Take them by the hand, and lead them on the path.  It is an unheard of volume of applications and approvals, and we want to feel the joy of achieving it as a community, as strongly as we want to see Andrew and Tony endure the weight of them.    :D

 

Look in the mirror.  

See that kid who wanted to be one of those awesome Stormtroopers when he or she grew up?  

Go for it.  Make that dream come true and truly be one of those awesome Stormtroopers in every way that you can!

Star Wars deserves it, just as much as you do.

 

So, that's it for now.  

I look forward to being able to see each of you at STAR WARS CELEBRATION - ORLANDO!!!!  

 

With Unquestioned Loyalty,

Tim Waychoff
TK-51878 "Dark CMF"
FISD Executive Officer

 

 

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Hello all Troopers,

 

My name is Jessica Bowyer, TK-69940.

 

I was asked by our DL to take on this position and I'm excited to step up for the challenge.  We have some great things happening in the FISD media and some very busy weeks ahead. We hope you will enjoy our continued efforts in bringing a positive and fun environment to you all.

 

We are always in need of your trooping stories from around the world, so please don't hesitate to share your pictures with us via FISD Forums, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

 

Celebration is only days away now so don't forget to keep track of schedules and times of our FISD Group Photo's, and hope everyone who's going has a safe and memorable time.

 

With Unquestioned Loyalty,

 

Jessica Bowyer

TK-69940 "Bugs"

FISD Public Relations Officer

 

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STAR WARS CELEBRATION - ORLANDO!!!!

 

Calling all 501st Legion stormtroopers!


Below is the "official" list of FISD events for Star Wars Celebration coming up this April - if you will be there and are interested in participating in one or more of the events, please indicate your interest along with any questions you may have in this thread:

- FISD Detachment Group photo: Saturday (April 15th), 1130am - 1pm ET; Atrium below the 501st Experience Room (W206ABC)

- FISD Facebook LIVE EIB Application Review (April 15th) - following the FISD Photos above, precise time and location:  TBD
- FISD Detachment Meetup & Social: Saturday, (April 15th), 6pm - 8pm ET; Rosen Centre Bar & Lounge
- Rogue One "Storming the Beach" beach photo shoot: Sunday (April 16th), 2pm - 4pm ET; Sidney Fischer Park, Cocoa Beach FL


If you are on Facebook, please "Like" our official page. I will also be creating Facebook Calendar Events to help track attendance. http://www.facebook.com/WhiteArmor/

In addition, there is now an unofficial (and Closed Group) "501st Legion FISD Social Group" on Facebook to which calendar events have been posted: http://www.facebook....69017450268208/

Here is the link to the main 501st Legion schedule of events: http://www.501st.com/celebration/

For those who are interested, the planning thread at Legion is here: https://www.501st.co...p?f=187&t=93927

With Unquestioned Loyalty,

 

Brian Robinson

TK-2918 "tkrestonva"

Provost Marshal Emeritus
(and awesome "behind the FISD scenes" contributor)

 

STAR WARS CELEBRATION - ORLANDO!!!!

 

Time For Your first Troop!

 

So (after what seems like ages), you finally received your official 501st I.D. number and signed up for your first Troop.  Now what?

 

Depending on the event, there may be a few differences in protocol.  For instance, a "Canon" event (one authorized by LFL or Disney) may be more serious in nature and regimented, while other times we are there to make the occasion a lot more fun, (parades, library troops, weddings, etc.).

 

Here are a few basics to think about in regards of what (and what not) to do on your inaugural appearance with your local Garrison.  Of course, all events are different..  some will be indoors, some will be outdoors, or a combination of the two.. some will have just a few members, others may have over a hundred, but the basics stay the same.

 

 

1.  Before you leave-  If you have not had the chance to wear your armor for any length of time, put it on (including your bucket) and wear it around the house and maybe in your yard for a while.  This will give you an idea of your range of vision, movement limitations, and let you know what you are in for.  You may need to adjust things here or there for mobility and/or comfort.

  

2.  Be prepared-  Double (and triple) check your armor to make sure you have all your accessories and all your connections are secure before leaving your house.  I would suggest carrying a small repair kit in your bin as well, with items like white duct tape, CA glue with accelerator, extra Velcro etc.  There is a great thread here for this:  http://www.whitearmo...ency-troop-kit/

 

2.  BE ON TIME-  I cannot stress this enough.  When you sign up for a troop, they will have an arrival time, (usually an hour or so before), and a "step off" time.  The hour gives you the chance to get your armor on, and make any adjustments.  There should be  "handlers", but any fellow Trooper will be glad to help you help you out.  The POC (point of contact) person for the troop or event coordinator will give you any specific details you might need beforehand, (directions, special notes) so feel free to ask them any questions.  If you have any concerns, let your handler or the person in charge know about these.  They are there to help.

 

3.  Be aware of your surroundings-  Due to the limited visibility in a bucket, watch out for curbs, steps, obstacles, etc.  Small children will often run up to you and stand close by, so be aware that they may be right below you and cannot be seen.  When raising or lowering your weapon, take it slowly as not to clock anyone in the head.

 

4.  Photos-  You will be asked (sometimes hundreds of times) "Can I take a picture with you"?   Be patient, and get used to it!  But be aware of where your arms are to avoid touching anyone inappropriately.  Often, people will ask "Can I hold your gun"?  That is entirely up to you.  A lot of us have spent a great deal of time building our weapons, and they (especially the resin cast) can be damaged if dropped.  Many of us carry Hyperfirms for this reason.

If you don't want to let someone hold it, you can say something to the effect of "The Emperor/Lord Vader forbids it" or "It's against Imperial regulations".  Just be polite about it.

 

Side note:  Never, EVER point your blaster at a child for any reason.  This is just in really bad taste.

 

5.  Hydration-  Another item that is EXTREMELY important, especially in warmer areas and extended troops.  FISD legend Steve (gazmosis) wrote a great post on this subject, and it is used here (with permission):

 

  "Big troops, big crowds, lots of kids, lots of chances to show off your hard work. With the hot weather, there are also lots of chances to be become quickly dehydrated and sick. Don't let this happen!!

 

There is no greater cooling system than hydration. But drinking a crap ton of water is not the solution....it's how and when you drink it that is.

Let's be clear here!!! We are talking about WATER! Not soda, not energy drinks, not juice. WATER...H2O. Leave the Gatorade in the cooler for after the troop.

Proper hydration should begin a full day prior to a hot troop. Steady intake of water (8-16 oz. an hour) is fine. Too much water at one time can actually be harmful but a slow and steady intake will allow the body to properly absorb and distribute it until you are hydrated down to a CELLULAR level. Yes, you will be in the bathroom a lot. But when the pee is clear...you are there! Continue this until just before bedtime.

On the day of your troop, avoid coffee and other caffeinated drinks that can dehydrate you. Your bathroom trips will have evened out overnight. Have one more bottle or serving of water before suiting up. Once in your suit, you will sweat. No matter what fans you have in your lid....you will sweat. THIS is your cooling system. If you are properly hydrated, you will have the fluids so that your body will adjust to the rise in temperature and cool itself properly. If not, your body will use the water in it twice as fast and without the proper reserves, you will risk not only dehydration but elevated internal temps, dizziness, and possible heat stroke.

The long and short of it is be safe and smart. We need out troopers vertical!!!!!"

 

On that subject, if you do feel dizzy or need a break, tell your handler immediately.

 

6.  Changing areas-  Most events will have a private changing area, but some may not, so ask ahead of time.  If it happens to be an outside area, you can wear your under suit to the event underneath your clothes.

 

7.  Armor bin storage-  Again, most troops will have a secure area designated to store your armor bin, away from the public.  If this is the case, you are fine.  Some have asked "Do I need to keep it locked during the troop"?  That's up to you.  We tend to be a very honest bunch, treat each other's belongings like our own and keep an eye out for one another.  (I have never felt the need to lock mine).  If it is a parking lot suit up, that's a different story.

 

8.  Conduct-  Have a blast on your troop, but keep it civil.  Some Troopers clown around a bit occasionally (myself included) depending on the circumstances, but remember, you are a representative of the 501st Legion, the FISD and your Garrison/Squad, so act accordingly.  When in doubt, ask someone who has done that event before.

 Side note:  If you happen to be a smoker, please do not do it in public view while in armor. 

 

9.  Handlers-  Handlers are an absolutely integral part of a troop, and make our lives much easier.  They take photos for the public, warn us of obstacles, escort us to the restrooms/break areas, pick up fallen armor pieces, protect us from kids smacking us with toy lightsabers, guard our stuff, bring us water, keep us informed, and a myriad of other things.  After your troop, be sure to thank them for all they do to make an event possible and allow those in costume to have a better time.

 

Most importantly of all....... HAVE FUN!!!!!      :duim: 

 

With Unquestioned Loyalty,

 

Joseph Pedigo
TK-10963 "JustJoseph63"
FISD Ambassador

 

STAR WARS CELEBRATION - ORLANDO!!!!

 

Did we mention:  STAR WARS CELEBRATION - ORLANDO!!!!
 

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Want Your Troop to be Included?

Post your troop report in the Field Training Exercises section here http://www.whitearmo...ning-exercises/.

Those with troop logs please post a separate troop report as it is easier to link too.


                                                                      A Good Reason to Post Your Troop Report!

If you need a reason to post a troop report then this could be just for you, Joseph (justjoseph63) is running a competition for yet another awesome Disney Imperial cog jacket, more info here http://www.whitearmo...jacket +contest



 

 

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                                            The "March to 1000 Campaign" is under way!

 

Attention all Troopers (and future Troopers)!  We have begun our official "March to 1000 EIBs" campaign for 2017.  As you may or may have not realized, we recently passed the 700 mark in approved Expert Infantry submissions, and our goal this year is to reach the one thousand mark!

 

Becoming a part of the EIB program is something we are hoping everyone will strive for.  It makes you look better as a TK, and also the FISD as a whole

 

That being said, as an incentive to reach this level we will be offering something really special... the official "March to 1000" hockey jersey!  These shirts (idea and design by our very own Andrew (Sly11) will be available for those who have reached that level 2 milestone.  They will be personalized with your official TK number, name and other information, as well as the Centurion logo if you have reached that level.

 

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These will be manufactured in Germany to the highest standards, and the first run should begin no later than June.  The final price will be determined in May or before, but will probably be around the $50. to $65.00 mark plus shipping.  These is currently an interest thread posted here for more info.:  http://www.whitearmo...nterest +thread There will more detailed information as things progress, so stay tuned and check back often for updates.

 

So, Troopers, now is the time to get started on your upgrade and get those submissions in!  

 

With Unquestioned Loyalty,

 

Joseph Pedigo
TK-10963 "justjoseph63"

FISD Amabassador

 

 

This month the 1st Imperial Stormtrooper Detachment would like to congratulate:

Expert Infantry Badge Award:
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Jen Ward "JWard" TK-70305 (EIB #691)

Conner Fisher "mrcjfish" TK-11995 (EIB #692)

Jon Lubin "Jaltrooper" TK-12569 (EIB #693

Robert Heck "RLH2515" TK-10596 (EIB #694)

Thomas Paracek "Doni" TK-23884 (EIB #695)

Daniel Bastida "Lobo" TK-71214 (EIB #696)

Jochen Till "Jochensen" TK-30087 (EIB #697)
Aaron Gibson "Pyrates" TK-99725 (EIB #698)

Solomon Odom "MacPhisto" TK-77797 (EIB #699)

Christine Lee "Cricket" TK-10401 (EIB #700!)

Chris Ballance "R2Chris" TK-82997 (EIB #701)

Shane Cole "Darth Colejoy" TK-74263 (EIB #702)

Shane Aubrey "Shanester" TK-71969 (EIB #703)

Andrew Haag "gatetrooper" TK-14023 (EIB #704)

Brian Vetter "vettereddie" TK-75053 (EIB #705)

Jim Sobota "Engineering Trooper" TK-12638 (EIB #706)

Martyn Fennell "Chopper857" TK-42413 (EIB #707)

Scott Bilkey "Sgt. Bilko" TK-80407 (EIB #708)

Teresa Nuthall "Soulart" TK-41307 (EIB #709)

Justin Casey "CptCasey" TK-31111 (EIB #710)

David Clampffer "dclampffer" TK-31574 (EIB #711)

Jess Wedlock "LuckySox" TK-42129 (EIB #712)

 

Centurion Award:

http://www.whitearmor.net/eib/centurion_badge.png

 

Robert Heck "RLH2515" TK-10596 (Cen #310)

Kris Hase "Haso" TK-29175 (Cen #311)

Dave Adams "bobafret" TK-72569 (Cen #312)

Riley Cravens "cascadiantrooper" TK-11731 (Cen #313)

Jochen Till "Jochensen" TK-30087 (Cen #314)

Jose O'Kean "Oki" TK-15245 (Cen #315)

Christine Lee "Cricket" TK-10401 (Cen #316)

Jamie Park "crema" TK-96302 (Cen #317)

Thomas Paracek "Doni" TK-23884 (Cen #318)

Sascha Raabe "Darth Raveen" TK-14469 (Cen #319)

Jon Lubin "Jaltrooper" TK-12569 (Cen #320)

Aaron Gibson "Pyrates" TK-99725 (Cen #321)

Mark Bradley "Humperdingle" TK-22700 (Cen #322)

Martyn Fennell "Chopper857" TK-42413 (Cen #323)

 

Stand tall and be proud of what you have achieved troopers. You will now be deployed into the First Imperial Stormtrooper Detachment Advanced Tactics Roster.

 

May you be an inspiration and beacon for aspiring troopers who want to look the best!

 

Make us proud troopers!

The FISD is always looking for new applicants for our Advanced Tactics program so please do not hesitate to apply if you meet the standards! Our Deployment Officer and armorers are here to help and guide you through to success!

Feel like your armor is up to standards and worth of recognition? Apply for the Expert Infantry Badge Program now!

Want to go the extra mile, raise the standards of Stormtrooper armor, and be the envy of your peers? Apply for the Centurion Program now!

Note: Applicants need to be EIB approved before applying for Centurion.
 

 

With Unquestioned Loyalty,

Tim Waychoff
TK-51878 "Dark CMF"
FISD Executive Officer

 

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Don't Forget We're on Facebook and Twitter!

Facebook: www.facebook.com/whitearmor
If you're on FB, stop by and say hi, ask questions, and share stories!

Twitter: www.twitter.com/FISD501st or @FISD501st
follow FISD on Twitter!


Instagram: www.instagram.com/501stfisd

With Unquestioned Loyalty,

Tim Waychoff
TK-51878 "Dark CMF"
FISD Executive Officer


On behalf of the 1st Imperial Stormtrooper Detachment Command Staff and the Imperial Propaganda Department,

<End Transmission>

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What a jammed packed edition this month and next month look like its should be the same with Celebration recaps! 

As for the March for 1000 I know I'm hoping to join the ranks and just printed out the requirements & checklist to begin the process.

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