Greetings Troopers! I want to wish each and every one of you the very best this holiday season. Whether you are home or away, there is no better way to celebrate the season with your family and friends, even those friends on FISD.
The staff has put together a really nice holiday letter this month to celebrate the spirit and also to cap off another outstanding year on FISD, so grab a glass of nog (or Red Solo Cup!), kick your feet up, and enjoy!
With unquestioned loyalty,
Paul C. Hoeffer
TK-8020 "Daetrin"
Detachment Founder
It’s hard to believe that 2011 has already come and is almost gone. This year we celebrated our 5th year in existence and by any metric the growth has been phenomenal. Starting from 10 members and a few posts we are now the largest detachment in the Legion. If we were a garrison, the number of Expert Infantry Badge recipients alone would make us the 6th largest unit in the Legion. Centurion has lived up to it's name and we are actually at the mark where 1% of the Legion TK's hold that title, an excellent start in it's first year.
We now have completed CRL's for every costume we support and have added to new Legion approved costumes: the Sky Trooper and the Death Trooper. Gone are the days when the only thing to do with a worn out suit was to go sandtrooper, the advent of having 6 EU costumes provides ways for troopers to stretch themselves creatively. In fact there are more EU stormtroopers than there are canon ROTJ or ESB, so they are definately gaining in popularity.
For those who are fans of the canon stormtroopers, just as last year was the year the ESB troopers really came in to their own, this year we've seen a run-up and invigoration of the ROTJ trooper. There are now solid sources for ROTJ armor, helmets, and accessories so it's no longer the case that you have to modify ANH armor to do this costume. Several troopers have really done bang-up jobs in re-creating these costumes and I think next year we'll see even more as we get closer to the 30th Anniversary of ROTJ.
Looking back further we can see another measure of success that this detachment has been part of. Five years ago the average Legion stormtrooper looked much like this fellow - 100% out of the box FX, with black drop box straps no less:
Today, most Legion stormtroopers are far more accurate and look like the fellow below, which was good enough to use in an LFL book shoot:
And yes, in this case it's the same fellow (me). The advent of the CRL process has provided more detailed and correct guidance than there ever has been before for new and existing troopers alike, whether on their first costume or upgrading that old FX kit. The constant evolution of armor makers is that kits get cheaper and more accurate every year, which in parallel means that it's never been easier to create costumes of a level that was considered rare, expensive, and difficult to achieve only five years ago.
Lastly I'd be remiss if I did not clal out some special troopers on staff for recognition. While we have the Achievement Award to recognize outstanding troopers in the field, staff work day in and day out with little reward and are deserving of our thanks and gratitude:
Lucas (ZeroRoom) for rescuing our website from a less than stellar upgrade and giving us a fantastic skin again
Matt (Shooter) for being the force behind getting these newsletters out. Not an event goes by that troopers don't remark on how the newsletter helps them stay in touch
Brian (tkrestonva) for keeping the peace for several years now. When was the last time we had a flame war anyway?
Tom (RogueTrooper) for getting our CRL's in order, keeping our wiki updated, and also for being an all around helpful person
Mason (dashrazor) has helped many troopers on their accuracy journey as Deployment Officer, and also pioneered the SkyTrooper
A.C. (novatie) for not missing a beat in keeping membership issues squared away
Aaron (Synaptyx) for being our resident merchandise artist, creating all our 5th Anniversary designs and also our Centurion tab
Damian (Dmian) for taking the helm with numerous site issues earlier in the year, and also helping update our branding graphics
Terrell (SuperTrooper) may not post much anymore, but he's been taking my phone calls weekly (or more) and coordinating many areas behind the scenes
Also members of the IPM team, who've been working as a machine to keep this place hopping
Ryan (bluehickey) has been doing near all the EI and Centurion photo processing, plus many of the CRL images
Jesse (TK 4702) for numerous graphics and also the incredible calendar that will be released soon
Luis (bobojuice) for stepping in and helping out with many graphics requests
Tray for the trading cards - he's been unstoppable!
Wyatt (TK4205) for our coin run & patch run
My apologies for anyone I left out - so many people worked together this year to make FISD the best place to go for everything stormtrooper related. It truly has been a team effort, and we thank you for the privelege of serving you. There is no more fun group of guys and gals in the galaxy.
With unquestioned loyalty,
Paul C. Hoeffer
TK-8020 "Daetrin"
Detachment Founder
In an effort to strengthen the levels of the FISD programs, I am proposing some changes to the Centurion program concerning the AM/FX chest plate, back plate and greaves/shins.
For the Requirements:
1. The AM/FX style stock/unmodified chest plate needs modifications to meet the requirements for the Centurion level.
2. The AM/FX style stock/unmodified back plate needs modifications to meet the requirements for the Centurion level.
​3: There is also a major assembly problem with the AM greaves/shins armor that affect all levels of the requirements.
Note: This may be added to the base CRL requirements.
*The AM greaves (shins) shall be on the proper legs, with a new cover strip. The cover strip edge shall be facing the inside of the leg.
Also the base CRL will be updated to clarify that the MRCE/EFX helmets will need to be modified to meet legion standards. While this is something known by most members here, the addition of this to the base CRL's will be helpful to new members when deciding on a new helmet.
501st members can view the discussion HERE
The Poll is now open to vote: Please vote and tell your friends who are full detachment members to do the same.
501st members can vote on the amendment HERE
UPDATE
We are currently up to 192 approved EIB's!!! just one more month to hit our goal of 200! The Centurion ranks are growing as well, currently there are 23 approved Centurions!! I would love to see this number get up to 30 by the new year.
Keep up the great work troopers!! 
With Unquestioned Loyalty,
Mason Carson
TK-4603 "Dashrazor"
Deployment Officer
Article By: RogueTrooper
With the upcoming 5th Anniversary of the FISD, what better way to get some history and insight into the forum, than to sit down and talk with the person who has been here from the beginning. I am, of course talking about the founding member and Detachment Leader, Paul Hoeffer (TK 8020) Daetrin.
Collage designed by RogueTrooper
I could go into Paul’s background and what his favorite foods are, his love for motorcycles, and his family life, but I thought instead, that I would share the first time I met Paul in person. I had been on the FISD for awhile, but never really met anybody that was on the forum, face to face. It was the first day of C5. I had just purchased my tickets to meet some of the Star Wars’ celebrities and while meandering through the exhibition hall I saw a guy dressed in all black, wearing a beret. He was talking to a man in a Stormtrooper costume. I actually walked up to survey the guy’s armor. When I heard the man dressed in all black giving pointers to him, about going EI, I chimed in with a few things myself . The guy in all black with the beret gave me a quizzical look, like how did you know that? I threw my hand out to him and said “how are you doing, Paul, I see that you can’t take a break from the FISD work, even on your vacation." He still didn’t know who I was even after I told him my full name. It wasn’t until I told him my forum name, RogueTrooper, that it clicked with him and we had a good laugh. After having a conversation, he and his Garrison mate and I went our separate ways to enjoy the convention. I didn’t think I would probably see Paul again, since it was such a big convention with so many people there. But, the next day, I showed a guy that I struck up a conversation with while waiting in line, the 501st room. He was astonished by everything he saw in the room. I noticed a group of Stormtroopers standing over to one side of the room and made my way towards them. Once again, there was Paul talking about TK armor. The TK’s were just a few minutes away from doing a troop. They were going to be walking their captured Rebel Fleet Soldiers through the main exhibit hall. I thought to myself afterwards, that if I had walked into the room a few minutes later, I would not have been a part of it, and probably would have missed the fun. As they started their march with the prisoners, I noticed Paul did a little half skip as though he was out of cadence.. Most people would have thought he was trying to get back in stride with the group, but Paul wasn’t out of cadence at all. Even without being able to see his face, because of his helmet, I knew that the little half skip was his “Oh What a Feeling†moment, and he was simply enjoying every minute of being in his TK armor.
At C5, I got to meet some well known Star Wars’ celebrities, such as, Hamil, Kurtz, Mayhew , Peterson etc. and have cherished memories of the time I spent at C5, one of which is the memory that I just shared with you above.
Photographs and collage designed by RogueTrooper
Now on to the Main Event. I asked Paul questions that I hoped would bring insight to the workings of the last five years in one of the largest Detachments. So open the blast doors for the Q & A session to begin....
Where did the “lighting bolt†come from that triggered the idea that a forum for TK’s was needed?
Paul: My garrison was small at the time and there was little local help to be had. When doing my TD & TK, I had great experiences via detachment forums – all of a sudden instead of me and my buddy trying to read static content on someone’s website, there was the whole community of people that we could turn to for help.
After a while I wanted to upgrade my suit and there just wasn’t a really good place to turn. Sure, there was the Legion boards, but what about folks not in the Legion? I remember having an awful time trying to get transparent and reliable information locally – it was all “well, you have to know someone who knows someone†or “when you’ve been in awhileâ€. I thought it was quite silly to require new people make the same mistakes we did over and over again. When I asked on the Legion boards about a TK detachment, the answer I got was “you’re in itâ€.
At that point it seemed that if I wanted the thing done I had just better do it myself, as I was determined that new folks not have to go through the same process I did when I was getting started.
When the concept of a forum for TK’s arose what were the expectations and what was ultimately expected to be achieved?
Paul: For myself they were quite small. I think most of the old timers wanted it to fail or just didn’t care, but for myself I figured if it stayed small and I helped out even a few people, then I’d be happy. In the end I just wanted a place for stormtroopers like MEPD was for sandtroopers.
Knowing that the TK was the first costume in the 501st, and encompasses the largest group in the Legion, with that in mind, did you think back then, opening up a forum, where all Stormtrooper enthusiast could and would bring their point of view to the costume, would create an environment where the costume would grow and mature or possibly create a situation where the “A†bomb would be waiting for the button to be pushed toward disaster?
Paul: I thought it more the latter. There was some real negativity when I started – after all I had been in the Legion only a year so who did I think I was? But I had my mind made up that there was an unmet need for new folks in smaller garrisons or who didn’t have local help and needed a forum to ask questions on, so I stopped caring about the naysayers. One thing that was critical I think was creating a vision statement about what I wanted to achieve. This really set the tone for the forum and anytime a question came up about how we should operate, it kept coming back to what our goals were.
Reflecting back on the ‘07 Rose Bowl Parade (Star Warriors Documentary) that is now featured on the Star Wars Blu-ray saga set and having the best of best chosen to represent the Legion, it is really funny to see that it was a common practice that the armor was assembled with rivets protruding from the shoulder bells, forearms and other parts of the suit, and the irregular FX style helmets were the mainstay of the group participating in the Parade. Do you think that was a shot in the arm to try to help the 501st members improve the image of the TK armor or possibly start the program that has come to be known as the Expert Infantry?
Paul: Actually not. The EIB program was conceived before the Rose Parade. I had seen how effective the Police Officer program was for MEPD and how it really incentivized people to take their costumes above base accuracy (back then, a 501st sandtrooper could have a TK sniper plate, TK ab buttons, etc. and was basically a dirty TK with accessories). At the time TK’s were mostly out of the box FX, yet around me I saw other Legion costumes accuracy being increased, and with that I was determined not to let the TK become the “an impolite person end†of accuracy in the Legion, so to speak. Once again, I was on a mission. J
Before the FISD, what were the major sources to help someone assemble their TK armor? Also, on a scale of 1 to 10, ten being the highest, how far do you think the TK costume has improved in the past five years?
Paul: It depended greatly on where you were. If you were in a big garrison with a lot of local help, some garrisons had tutorials on their forums, plus there were sites like Dean Plantamura’s White Armor Chronicles that had some good information. Otherwise though, you were out on your own and we really had to dig for information.
As far as costume accuracy has gone – it’s near a night and day difference. Back when we started most of the Legion was still in out of the box FX and some folks had upgraded their helmets, and fewer still were in AP or TE armor if they could find it. Today TE derived armor is really more the norm. The FX helmet is all but gone from most of the Legion, and even in suits of armor what used to be Expert level requirements are now base CRL. In this case though, the TK is on par now with other costumes in the Legion, e.g. I think the standards are pretty consistent and fair cross-costume.
Thinking back five years to the inception of the FISD, did you have any idea that the forum would grow and want a program like the Centurion or even possibly go beyond?
Paul: Not at all. People were criticizing the EIB program (known at various times as the Mark or Elite program) as being elitist, too hard to achieve, and too restrictive. We did a lot of work to ensure that the EIB standards were achievable with only a modest investment of time and energy and thought it would just increase gradually over time as the base standards increased. However in the past year there has been a group that has felt that they wanted a path towards even greater accuracy, so rather than making the EI something only 1% achieve, we did Centurion (and as of today, only about 1% of Legion TK’s are a that mark, so Centurion indeed).
In the past five years, if there is a moment, in your eyes, that totally changed the FISD and the TK costume, what would it be?
Paul: Aside from getting Legion approval? J
I would say it was the advent of affordable TE type armor on the market. Up until then FX was the least expensive way to go, so moving up the accuracy bar meant an investment in serious money as TE/AP type suits were about $800 or so compared to $500 for FX. Once the pricing for TE type suits became on par with FX, then we saw waves and waves of new people going straight to kits that were EIB out of the box as well as people replacing older FX suits with TE type armor. FX was even forced to change its molds to make them EIB out of the box to compete, so now pretty much new trooper can go EIB with no extra cost or time invested.
Compared to the main characters such as Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, Yoda, and Han Solo, the Stormtrooper was considered to be a secondary character and was the main structure of the forces of the Empire. When you think of the Stormtrooper in these terms, why do you think it became such an iconic character that people gravitate towards and want to build the armor?
Paul: From a character standpoint I think it’s the fact that troopers stick together. They are hard core – doing what needs to be done without any complaint fuss. Who can’t respect the qualities of a professional soldier?
From a trooping standpoint I think it’s partly because of the helmet. When you have an exposed face people can make judgments about you in costume, e.g. maybe they don’t like the way you look for some reason. But with a helmet, I can be anybody. That anonymity is very appealing from a trooping standpoint as I can yawn, close my eyes, roll my eyes even and no one knows.
The other part is that it’s a group costume. There can be only one Darth Vader at an event and you have to play that part, but with a TK you can hang out with other TK’s and also have a little of your own personality shine through.
Why do you think that the Stormtrooper is one of the costumes that has such a fanatical base,(they are rivaled only, by a few other costumes in the Legion, such as Darth Vader, Boba Fett, etc.) that are not only striving to get to level of screen accuracy but are constantly debating about the original materials, tools, etc. that were used to create the screen used suits?
Paul: Actually I think all costumes in the Legion do this. If you go on MEPD they are scouring their old auntie’s cupboard for old tupperware parts. Biker scouts are equally fanatical about their details as well. I think we as TK’s simply think we’re more fanatical, but the reality is we’re all the same. J
When originally set in motion, the FISD was a forum based just on the canon TK’s (ANH, ESB, ROTJ). Now that the FISD has broadened its horizons with the Expanded Universe section and with new generations of Star Wars enthusiast that may have been introduced to a Galaxy Far, Far Away through the Prequels and other mediums, such as video games, etc. For these generations, the Original Trilogy, probably was not a part of their heritage. They may not have a passion for the “plain vanilla Stormtrooperâ€, and may have more of an interest in building a Clone Trooper. So with that in mind, do you think that the EU TK’s will help generate interest from the new generations in the OT TK’s that otherwise might not have been interested in them, or, on the other hand, someone who had an OT TK and lost interest, then found the EU and revitalized their interest?
Paul: I think it’s more the latter. Young kids are all about clones, and they keep cranking out new clones with new colors, etc. every season of Clone Wars. If you look at people who do TK’s, they are mostly older people (I think) who are more attached to the original series. The advantage of the EU TK’s is that they can provide an option for old suits. Before if you had a banged up TK you made it a sandtrooper, but now you can just make a Commander, Incinerator, or Sky trooper out of the suit. The Commander and Incinerator seem to be especially popular.
With the FISD’s Fifth Anniversary upon us, what do you wish had been done differently over the past five years, if anything?
Paul: I think the Reception Center is the one thing I had really high hopes for that never really made it out of the park. The idea was that this would contain the best of the best tutorials and overviews of armor and assembly. I’m really not sure what to have done differently on it, I’m open to suggestions!
What challenges and what do you see ahead for FISD?
Paul: The biggest challenge is just ensuring that the forums & wiki site are kept up to date so that it’s easy to find information. Also, my overriding concern is we never lose the Troopers Helping Troopers spirit that we started with. It’s easy to get wrapped up in the accuracy wars or cool merch, but at its heart a detachment exists primarily to help new and existing Legion members get help with their costumes, and also to provide a sense of community and esprit de corp.
Collage designed by RogueTrooper
Thank you Paul, for taking the time to be a part of this article. I also wanted to thank you for striving to create this forum where your dedication and hard work has given help to TK enthusiast around the world. I would also like thank the FISD members for making the forum a quality site for information, help and camaraderie.
It is truly hard to consider a time when there was not a Stormtrooper Detachment. I can tell from all the newcomers, starting their journey, as well as, the veterans that find themselves looking to upgrade from their 8 year old armor, that they are truly appreciative for all the help and information found in this open forum to help them make informed decisions when it comes to their TK armor.
Here is to the past 5 years and the future of the First Imperial Stormtrooper Detachment. Salute
With Unquestioned Loyalty,
Tom Gardner
TK-5940 “RogueTrooperâ€
Tactical Officer
The Christmas season is once again upon us, and as we all know Christmas is the season of giving. It is of course also the season of receiving! So what's a self respecting Stormtrooper asking Darth Claus to leave under the Christmas tree this year?
For those of you whose loved ones might need a nudge in the right direction, we've taken time out to prepare a short list of the best in TK merchandise, guaranteed to please even the most hardened Imperial Trooper this holiday season.
HALLMARK STORMTROOPER TREE DECORATION
Before the big day even comes, make sure to pick yourself up one of these great white plastic tree decorations to display your loyalty to the empire where it counts - your Christmas tree! These bad boys are surprisingly well sculpted for something costing under $10, and although officially discontinued by Hallmark are still widely available from places like Amazon. I can safely assure you it's the first thing to go on my tree every year 
ACTION FIGURES
We all know there as many star Wars action figures out there as there are planets in the galaxy. For the completists out there some form of TK or another has been released in pretty much every figure collection since the revival of the franchise with the Powers Of The Force range back in 1997, so there's no shortage of options out there this Christmas.
For my money though, the must have release is the Joker Squad 6 pack, featuring the first officially sanctioned female Stormtrooper and a girl who's been creating quite a splash around FISD this year - Jes Gistang. Also featuring, Anson Trask, Sergeant Harkas, Hondo Karr, and Vax Potorr, this limited edition set of six 3 3/4-inch action figures features removable lids on all figures and is still available at Go Figure Action Figures and Amazon.com.
The other great Multi pack no trooper should be without is the Star Wars Evolutions set. Featuring each iteration of the trooper from the original AOTC Clone trooper through to the classic Sandy, as the name suggests you can display the full evolution of white plastic in the Star Wars universe. Consider it a quick visual history lesson for any less informed visitors to your quarters.
The Evolutions pack is available in two editions: regular troopers and a commander set and comes with two extra guns - a clone rifle and a clone blaster rifle.
THE EVOLUTION CONTINUES...
Of course there's more than one way to skin a Bantha. Another cheeky way to explore the trooper evolution is with these adorable little TK Russian dolls from Hot Toys. Starting with the original clone armor as the smallest 'babooshka' creations nest, one inside the other, all the way through to the classic TK on the outside. Best of all - with this great nested system you can always have them on show according to the amount of space you have!
NEED MORE IMPERIAL CREDITS?
Still saving for that RS Propmasters kit or a CFO ROTJ to complete the trilogy set? There's no better place to stash those imperial credits than in this TK Bucket shaped piggy bank from Disney. Although it suffers a little from the MRCE symmetry issue, this a nice scaled piece of trooper merch that can fulfill your needs for both form AND function as it sits atop your shelf. Pick one these fiduciary aids from Amazon or Disney.
GOT A BAD TRANSMITTER?
Instead of pointlessly tapping on your helmet pick up a pair of these Funko Stormtrooper headphones. Although I can think of a more obvious design for a set of TK earphones (ear caps, product designers?) all you audiophiles out there will appreciate the great sound quality these affordable earphones put out of their 40mm drivers. With a standard 3.5mm audio jack, these ear blasters are fully adjustable and compatible with most iPods, MP3 players and game stations. If the giant DJ look isn't your thing they also come in a smaller foldable version and Entertainment Earth has both.
IMPERIAL APPAREL
Can't stay out of armor but keep getting odd looks at Barbeques? These simulated armor tee shirts from Forbidden Planet should satiate your desires. Looking just like your chest and shoulder armor you'll always be rocking the white no matter how casual the situation.
Of course this simply won't be enough for some of you. In that case zip up your hood, give up on breathing and order the Freelance Studios Stormtrooper hoody from The Big Bad Toy Store. This toasty little number is perfect for those frosty winter days, and can get you to and from troops without ruining the mystery of who's behind the helmet...
JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG...
Of course we all know this just scratches the surface of what's out there in the TK Merch world. For the tech heads there are TK iPhone covers, Stormtrooper thumbdrives and Stormtrooper mousepads. If your handy in the kitchen Big Bad Toy Store are offering TK Spatulas and helmet shaped icecube trays. For the fun lovers there are bobbleheads and backpacks and for the serious collector there are brilliant pieces of sculpture from ArtFX, Kotobukiya and Sideshow.
All that being said - the top of my Christmas wish list this year belongs to Gentle Giant. They are well known around here as purveyors of fine TK sculpts but they've outdone themselves with these glorious bookends portraying Luke and Han in white armor as they struggle for their lives in the trash compactor:
Whatever your tastes and budget, there's no denying that with the right wish list in your gloved hand there'll be a grin on the face of every loyal trooper this Christmas.
And don't forget - whatever white plastic shows up in your stocking this year, post it here for all to share the love 
With Unquestioned Loyalty,
Lucas
"ZeroRoom"
Webmaster
December is not only the busy month for Santa Claus, but for the 501st, as well, with parades, Toys for Tots, and the DK in your stocking tour, or just having a lot of merry fun at holiday parties. It is truly a wonderful time to be trooping.
CAROLINA GARRISON IN THE FAYETTEVILLE CHRISTMAS PARADE:
This year's Fayetteville Christmas Parade was rocked by the boys in white from the Carolina Garrison who sent the crowd wild representing Star Wars in the flesh, as seen in the video posted here:
STAR GARRISON ARRESTS SANTA:
"Look sir - Candy Canes."
Star Garrison put Santa under Imperial scrutiny but kept in the Christmas spirit by letting him go to delivery presents galaxy wide. Read about black and white meeting red and white in the troop reports here: http://forum.whitear...showtopic=17848
GARRISON CARIDA: DK STAR WARS IN YOUR STOCKING TOUR:
Garrison Carida spent two quality hours doing a DK Books "Star Wars in Your Stocking" event swamped by a sea of kids. Read about this hugely popular event at http://www.danbeltz....wordpress/?p=98
THYLACINE SQUAD: SPECIAL KIDS CHRISTMAS PARTY:
Australia's Thylacine squad put an army of kids through their paces at a Tasmanian sports stadium for a special kids Christmas party. The troops of Thylachine Squad share their experiences in this video below:
Just in time (almost!) for Christmas, Darth Santa has decreed that there should be a bounty of gifts for one and all! Where shall we start?
-> 10" 5th Anniversary Patches are now on sale - get this one of a kind patch here: http://forum.whitear...showtopic=18038.
-> 2012 FISD Calendars are available. These are incredible and perhaps the best 501st calendars ever made.
-> 5th Anniversary Trading Cards
Also in stock...
-> FISD Expert Infantry and Centurion tab patches- still a lot for sale.
-> Gold 5th Anniverary coins are still avaible for any EIB holder who hasnot bought theirs yet - only 20 left!
Don't Forget We're on Facebook and Twitter!
Facebook: www.facebook.com/whitearmor
Twitter: www.twitter.com/@FISD501st
With unquestioned loyalty,
Matt MacNeil
TK-4887 "Shooter"
Public Relations Officer
On behalf of the First Imperial Stormtrooper Detachment Command Staff.
End Transmission.
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