We honor the fallen.
On the 4th of January, 2016, Mason Barker, TK-9765 of The UK Garrison, passed away. Mason is remembered for his side-splitting humour and his generosity. As an organ donor, Mason’s has already affected other lives in a positive way. With humility and honour we now add Mason’s name to The Hall of Eternal Legionnaires. 
On the 17th of January, 2016 Justin Manning (ID-6872 of the 501st New England Garrison) passed away. Justin was well loved by all for his gentle and compassionate demeanor. A dual member of both The Rebel Legion and the 501st communities, Justin could be found in costume as much as behind his camera lens, documenting events and preserving the moment. It is with the same noble purpose that defined his service that we now add Justin’s name to The Hall of Eternal Legionnaires.
Greg Sebren TI-24244 passed away on 2-11-16. He had transferred from Garrison Tyranus to Star Garrison in December. He was a member of the IOC, Jolly Rogers & Spec Ops Detachements. RIP & buckets off trooper.
It's with sadness that we report the passing of another Star Wars celebrity. Alethea McGrath, the actress who portrayed Jocasta Nu in Star Wars: Attack of the Clones has become one with the Force. Our deepest condolences to her niece who was kind enough to let us know, to her family and to her friends. She was 95 years old. (theforce.net posted on Feb. 9, 2016)
(photo jeditemplearchives.com)
Buckets off troopers.
With Unquestioned Loyalty,
Clint
TK-16311 "cm325i"
FISD Imperial Propaganda Department
Greetings Stormtroopers, Cadets, Recruits, and groupies!
Quite an eclectic greeting there perhaps, but I feel it is both appropriate and accurate. Some may scoff at the inclusion of the term groupies, but consider this for a moment: The 501st Legion has 3,463 approved Stormtroopers. The 1st Imperial Stormtrooper Detachment has over 15,000 registered members. Seriously. Over 15,000. Pretty cool, huh?
Anyway, enough fun with language and statistics for one newsletter write-up, I’ve got a lot of things that I want to say and this is a newsletter, not a novel. I’ve been known to ramble - perhaps you’ve noticed that while you’ve been here.
So to actually get started, I have to say a few thank yous.
For starters, Paul (Daetrin) and Eric (Darth Aloha), the transitioning Detachment Command Staff, and the trusted advisors to that group of individuals. Each of you has played a massively instrumental part in me becoming the Detachment member that I am today. Your years of continued dedication and service to the Detachment have shaped the 501st Legion and its world-wide impact on the Star Wars Fandom. That is in no way an understatement, and it may not be strong enough to truly convey what all of you have done for all of us. Thank you.
Additionally, and perhaps more importantly, I have to thank every one of you reading this newsletter. A leader is a reflection of those that he or she serves, and in that regard I owe each of you a great deal of gratitude for allowing me to serve you, the members of the Stormtrooper community, in such a capacity. What a community this is, too. Read through some of the build threads, the older ones and the newer ones, and see the ways that techniques and methods have evolved over the last ten years. You’re a remarkable and talented group of people here. I’ve made it a point in my time here to make myself available to any and all of you as needed, and that will continue while I serve you as the Detachment Leader. Don’t hesitate to ask for help.
To the incoming or remaining Detachment Command Staff, thank you. I also apologize to this group specifically, as we’re going to be busy. Very busy. But, we’re going to have a great time, and you’re going to help me in making that happen – in fact, you’re really going to do all of the work, who am I kidding? I know that you’re up to the task though. Let’s have a good time folks! 
Let’s get on with it then, shall we…
It has been said so many times that it may seem cliché at this point in time, but isn’t it an exciting time to be a Star Wars fan? Think about it, this year we’ll celebrate 10 years of the FISD, next year we’ll celebrate 40 years of Star Wars! There are now three generations of families that have shared and loved adventuring in a galaxy far, far away!
Similarly, we’ve seen generations of TK armor that share that adventure, every day, somewhere across our planet. From FX, to ANOVOS and every possibility in between, we’ve worn and continue to wear the best looking Stormtrooper costumes the world has ever seen. We set the bar high, and have continued to look forward while continuously reaching out. We reach out to anyone who sets their mind to joining our ranks by moving from one of the 15,000 to one of the over 3,000. We welcome all of the shiny white plastic spaceman wannabes with open arms, and a spirit of Troopers Helping Troopers to ensure that our legacy continues, and that all of those costumes can share in reaching out to our communities in so many ways.
I don’t have a crystal ball, or the ability to see the future in Force visions (wrong Detachment folks, I’m a Stormtrooper, not a Sith Lord), but this is going to be a fun and exciting year at the FISD. That, I can tell you with some great certainty. At this very moment, the Command Staff for the next year is being finalized (you’ll see some more about them during the next month), and plans for improving what we do here and how we do it are being laid out. Celebrations are being planned, and commemorative swag is being brainstormed and designed, and will be coming to a Detachment sales thread near you throughout the next year.
So my first request of you, the readers of this newsletter, as your incoming Detachment Leader is a simple one:
Share this.
Tell other TKs in your Garrisons - Troopers that have maybe stepped away from the Detachment to focus on the Garrison sites; tell the other recruits who have not found their way here yet; tell the groupies that you know who might love to check us out… Tell them to have a look at the newsletter. Tell them to join you in an armor party, and share what they know with someone. Tell them to re-join, or to join in the fun that we’re having here.
If it’s a great time to be a Star Wars fan, it’s a better time to be a Stormtrooper.
We’re in for a fun year, Troopers. Spread the word, share the love!
With Unquestioned Loyalty,
Tim
TK-51878 "Dark CMF"
FISD Detachment Leader
“Difficult to see. Always in motion is the future.” – Yoda
Ignorant words, from a senile, Rebel scum, sympathizer. Hell yeah the future is clear, and it’ll be awesome! I’d like to congratulate Tim on his appointment as Detachment Leader! Great times are surely ahead under the leadership of a trooper who’s best described as “a man of the people”. I’ll bet almost each and every one of you has come to know Tim, either directly or indirectly. Why? Because he has always been friendly, kind, and accessible, and I certainly don’t see that changing now. Tim is a trooper of the people for the people, and I’m really excited for the future of FISD.
As for myself, I’d like to thank you all for tolerating me as your XO, for a time. You won’t be rid of me yet, as I’ll continue to contribute in any way I can, for as long as I can. For the most part though, I now step back into the ranks, and do what we do best, have fun trooping and bringing smiles to faces. As always, have fun building, have fun trooping, and have fun helping one another! Thanks everyone!
Now if you’ll excuse me, I'm tracking down that little green, negative-Nancy, Yoda, and there’s been reports of puppet activity in the area.
With Unquestioned Loyalty,
Danny
TK-66668 "MechaPumpkin"
FISD Executive Officer
Don't forget to vote for your next Commanding Officer of the Legion!
There are only two days left and the candidates are:
GM-2452 Daniel Rodriguez
TB-101 Aimee Jorgensen
DZ-895 Michael K. Washko
TK-978 Stefan Cembolista
CC-290 Bryon S. Mesarch
For more information please visit their Q&A that are linked in each of their names above!
With Unquestioned Loyalty,
Evan Loh
TK-24127 "evan_loh"
FISD Public Relations Officer
The “shiny” that LadyinWhite loves so much took on a whole new meaning with Captain Phasma, the Chrometrooper from The Force Awakens.
She put together an incredible build and a thorough build thread, and got her Phasma done in time for the red carpet premiere of The Force Awakens!
Starting with a set of TFA Stormtrooper armor, she collected pictures to examine for things to modify. Helpful people shared closeup photos of potential mods on the hand plates, and together they determined the pesky fingers were most likely C3PO parts, and that the cod looked to be that of a TFA Flametrooper. Ingrid began gluing the armor and building out the bones of Capt. Phasma.
Next she moved on to the bucket - a piece from Thorsson, and also got to work on the cape. After analyzing the pictures, it was determined that it was made from canvas drop cloth. After many experiments with napkins, scrap fabric, and an action figure - it was found to be “kind of” triangular/trapezoidal with two seams and four pockets.
Chroming the pieces could be done so many ways - vinyl, chemicals, even bringing it through an auto body shop. Ultimately, she decided to go Alclad. Her process was as follows:
- Rinse pieces in distilled water to remove dust, tape residue, and other grime.
- Paint gloss black, sand to a smooth finish with 2000-grit paper as needed.
- Wipe on car polish until you can see a mirror image sharply. Buff lightly.
- Dilute and spray on the wetting agent. Dilute and spray on sensitizer.
- Mix, airbrush silvering agent onto pieces using fine spray setting in sweeping motion.
- Buff lightly with tissue/toilet paper, touching up silvering as you go.
- Mix violet tint into clear coat and coat parts, following with hardener.
- When cured (not dried), use Elmer’s glue for weathering - scrape or rub to reveal shine.
-
Assemble parts.
And away she went. Painting and glossing and sanding and painting and sanding and painting… In the eleventh hour, over Thanksgiving, the last pieces came together. With her trusty handler Ralf, Ingrid got all put together and we got to see her shiny chrome-y armor!
Phasma made her big debut on the red carpet, commanding the TFA TKs and snagging shots with Gwendolyn Christie and Adam Driver.
What’s next? Putting together some language for the CRL and a google doc build for Phasmas to come. When someone proposed a name change from LadyInWhite to LadyInChrome, Ingrid declined - that white shiny is her first love. But I think I speak for a lot of us when I say we love her Phasma just as much!
With Unquestioned Loyalty,
Alison
"manyhighkicks"
Imperial Propaganda Department
Purdue University Basketball Star Wars Day
This past November the Bloodfin Garrison was asked for the first time to troop a Big 10 basketball game. Two of their starters are apparently huge fans of the movies. The troop was a great success and experience. We were allowed to go out on the floor during a TV time out, and TKs were allowed to escort Vader onto the court for photos will the students, public, and staff. This was my first troop at a large sporting event, and there was nothing quite like it. It was made all the better with the extremely helpful and kind staff of the university.
More here http://www.whitearmo...-star-wars-day/
Kyler - Lancer - 87243
Convoy for Cancer - Australia
The annual convoy raising funds for cancer families has about 400 motorbikes and 400 trucks travel from one side of town to the other. The 501st got asked to troop, but I wanted to ride in the convoy too. Combine the two!
Kitted as a snow trooper so I could sit and bend my legs properly I painted my helmet white (plasti-dip) and made a visor screen out of insect wire, painted white and black. My buddy, made a facemark out of a kids mask and a shortened cape for the ride - rest of costumes as per 501st. We then kitted up properly for the 'troop' after the ride.
Was a bunch of fun. The looks on peoples faces lining the roads! What? Has no one seen a snow trooper and Vader ride motorbikes before....
More here http://www.whitearmo...ncer-australia/
Ian - Sith Lord - 11409
Susan G Komen Race for the Cure West Palm beach, Fl
More here http://www.whitearmo...-palm-beach-fl/
Brian - Polar - 11669
With Unquestioned Loyalty,
Glen "Q" Rhodes
TK-85421 "gmrhodes13"
Imperial Propaganda Department
This month's Memoir can be considered a gift. A late Christmas Gift, if you will, from our beloved Uncle Walt to the Legion, and even the world. TK-60168, Ken Heavenridge of the Tampa Bay Squad shares with us a tale of a troop with an awesome plot twist!
Disney Christmas Parade 2015
So what started as a request from Disney for 20 "elite" Tks for a mystery event in
November ended up with 100 501st and Rebel Legion members marching in the
2015 Disney Christmas Parade! It began with a posted troop looking for 20 similar
sized, top notch TKs for a yet to be disclosed event for Disney. As we've done the
"May The 4th" event a few times for Disney's Hollywood Studios we expected it
would be along those lines. Little did we know at the time that that was NOT the case!
It was slow going for a while getting enough TKs that fit the bill signed up for this
Friday troop. Disney was getting restless and opened it up to "white armor" and
Snowies, Sandies, Bikers and a few select Clones were invited to sign up. Still not
enough they then welcomed Officers to the party. That changed again and the
Rebel Legion and their Pilots, RFTs, Endor Troopers and "Alien only" Jedi were
added to top us off at 100!!!
Later we learned that it was the parade that we were going to do and everyone
was excited. We were all to meet at their abandoned airfield just inside the main
gate for bin inspection, passes, a quick pre-lineup test then a bus ride into our
changing hanger backstage.
As always, strict instructions that there would be NO PHOTOGRAPHY of any kind
backstage! Two bus loads later we were all inside a large room staging for our
long walk backstage to the front of the park. Just behind the Main Street area we
all stood in formation with our Disney handlers awaiting our emergence into the
circle just inside the main gate.
The Rebels were grouped in front (like our prisoners!) : ) and were brought out
first. The TK group led out first with Disney's Vader and 4 of their TKs. Behind us
were the rest of our group with Disney's Phasma and 2 TFA Troopers bringing up
the rear. Everone was staged in the circle in formation for a while waiting for the
order to go.
We could hear the director on a PA giving instructions to his crew. Only the "Star
Wars" segment was being filmed at that time so we had Main St all to ourselves.
We also had several members in the crowd (including our GCO) snapping photos
of us and shooting some video. The order was given and we marched around the
circle and down Main St toward the castle with a steadycam weaving in between
us, an overhead boom camera and several stationary cams filming our every
move.
Once we got most of the way down the street we heard "Cut...Reset!" and turned
and walked back to our starting point. After a brief time we heard "Action" and
did our second take. Sadly it was our last and we continued down the street and
stopped in front of the castle. Oddly, we waited there for a while before we got to
march through Frontierland and out a gate by Splash Mountain.
An incredible experience and troop for sure!!! I do have to report that I heard 3
buckets dropped during the day: One in our dressing area, one right before we
entered the staging circle and one at the gate by Frontierland! I am happy to
report that no buckets were damaged in said droppings!
Oh and I was honored to lead the TKs in the front right position!!!
Tremendous thanks to Ken and the Legion members who represented us all so well on one of the world's happiest and grandest stages!
Additionally, I would be remiss if I neglected to mention that I'll be taking over a different column of the Newsletter effective with this very edition - maybe you noticed?
With Unquestioned Loyalty,
Tim
TK-51878 "Dark CMF"
FISD Detachment Leader
It’s easy to forget, when you gaze over a sea of shiny white stormtroopers that the FISD is made up of individuals from around the world, each with his or her own personal story and unique reason for joining the ranks of the 501st. It’s impressive that such a diverse group of people can come together, despite vast separations of culture and geography, to form the First Imperial Stormtrooper Detachment – For the love of the empire.
This month I continue my quest to strengthen the legion by introducing two more troopers that are just like the rest of us in many ways, yet each unique in their own special way. It’s common for us to discuss the details and stories of the troops we go on, but how often do we think about the individuals, from all over the world, that make up this incredibly vast organization that makes up the FISD. What drives a grown man or woman to put on the armor? How do they manage the juggling act between their everyday lives and the dedication to the multiple charities to which the 501st contributes? What role do our families play in our unquestioned loyalty to the Emperor? I plan to search for answers to these questions and more as I make my way around the galaxy speaking with Everyday Troopers from all corners of the Empire.
Last month we heard from troopers in Italy and Canada. I am working on putting together a digital map to put pins in for every city that has been represented in this column. This month takes us down to South America where I interviewed Stormtroopers from Peru and Brazil. These two troopers have as much heart as I’ve ever seen. I’m proud to include them in this month’s edition.
Manuel Alpaca is the executive officer from the Peru Garrison (formerly Outpost Peru). His favorite contribution to the 501st is visiting hospitals. He spoke of his experiences with temporarily distracting children from their suffering. Making appearances in his armor takes these children away from reality, if only for a couple hours. He emphasized his dedication to children, in general. He feels he can set a good example without feeding his own ego. He has been instrumental in executing the Peru Garrison’s collective goal of building bridges between those who can help and those who need it most.
Manuel refers to himself as an average Stormtrooper and strikes me as a man with a great deal of humility. He is the perfect example of the Everyday Trooper who is being pulled in every direction by his responsibilities:
“The photo without my armor was taken a few days before Christmas. My goddaughter was going to sing at school and I had an all-day troop taking the kids of an orphanage to the zoo. So, I had to go out with my Outpost shirt to go see my goddaughter and then return to the trooping. It was a very busy day! “
The goal of this column is to help spark conversations between troopers from around the world. If you have any comments or questions for Manuel, he can be reached here:
Name: Manuel Alpaca
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: Manu Alpaca
Twitter: @ManuAlpaca
FISD forum: ivanovo
Our next trooper is also from South America. His biggest concern with the interview was that his English wasn’t strong enough. I disagree, but it did highlight the fact that our organization is made up of troopers from many different backgrounds and cultures. We may look the same on the outside, but we couldn’t be made up of a more unique group of individuals. I’m proud to introduce André Luiz Marques da Silva from São Paulo, Brasil.
Andre troops with the Brazilian Division Garrison. He works as the CEO of an import/export company. Andre spends time in his personal life as well as in his trooping life with a close knit group of friends. He has aspirations of leadership within the legion as an officer or squad leader. He, like many of us, is fulfilling a childhood dream of being a stormtrooper. He had a chance to join some friends at the Rock in Rio (the world’s biggest music festival), to help spread the word about an upcoming film last year…
He later had a chance to go see the film with a bunch of his buddies:
What struck me most about Andre was a story he told me about helping fulfill one of his friend’s childhood dreams. Andre is clearly a selfless man who spends his time thinking of others. He strikes me as an inspirational member of the 501st whom we would all be lucky to one day refer to as an officer in the FISD. He spent very little time in the interview speaking about himself. He spoke about how his participation in the FISD has allowed him to focus on various forms of philanthropy. And he certainly finds unique ways of making other people smile:
“I was escorting a friend who lives in a mobile ICU, since suffering infantile paralysis as a child. His dream was to attend the Comic Con 2015 in São Paulo and meet his idols. We made one of his dreams come true and we can grow as human beings.”
If you would like to follow up with Andre or just use him as a resource, he can be reached here:
Name: André Luiz Marques da Silva
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/adaoeevatoys
FISD Forum : andre21978
With Unquestioned Loyalty,
Derek Lotz
TK–26212 “Dlotz”
Imperial Propaganda Department
Since last month, I’ve been seeing more signature graphics popping up around the forum. I’m glad to see January’s tip was useful. This month’s tip is for those of you that want to keep your thigh pieces up without having them connected to your upper body armor. Some troopers opt for this method because it’s a lot less stress on their shoulders. Without a garter to hold up my thigh pieces, I probably wouldn’t be able to troop. I have MS and it causes a lot of pain in my joints so I take every advantage I can.
Another advantage I like to take is saving money whenever and wherever I can. The garter I use can be made for just a few dollars if you’re making it from scratch, and even cheaper if you already happen to have some of the materials left over from your build.
Materials needed:
1” nylon strapping (enough to go around your waist plus about 2 feet extra)
1” parachute buckle
4 snaps
8 denim rivets
The first step is to cut a length of strapping that is equal to your waist size plus 3 inches. The extra 3 inches is what you will use to attach the buckle. Cut the remaining strapping in half and attach two snaps to each piece as shown. Do not attach your hanging snap plates just yet:
Next, attach the other side of the snaps inside the top of the thigh pieces as shown. It’s better to do this step and let the snap plates inside the thighs dry before continuing.
Now that your snap plates inside your thighs are dry, it’s time to assemble your garter belt and attach the hanging snap plates at the proper length. The first step in assembling your belt is to attach the parachute buckle to each end of the belt. This can be done using denim rivets. To use the denim rivets, simply poke one end through the strapping into the female side of the rivet. Make sure you have a flat piece of wood under the rivet and strike it with a hammer. It might be a good idea to practice hammering a couple rivets if you haven’t used them before. It’s pretty easy, though. Here’s what it looks like after the buckle is attached to both ends:
Finally, put on your belt at the desired location on your waist. Then, snap your hanging snap plates into your thighs and pull them on. Get them to the desired height and mark the strapping where you want to attach each one to the garter belt. Remove your thigh armor and attach the hanging snap plates at your marks onto the garter belt using the denim rivets. I put a couple extra to be safe. It looks a little messy this way, but you can’t see it when your armor is on. In the picture there are four snaps on each hanging snap plate. This is not necessary, but it allows me to wear the belt at different heights depending on how much weight I put on during the holidays. J
Feel free to contact me with any questions on my tips each month or any general questions. If I don’t know, I’ll find you someone who does!
With Unquestioned Loyalty to the Empire,
Derek Lotz
TK-26212 “Dlotz”
Imperial Propaganda Department
This month the 1st Imperial Stormtrooper Detachment would like to congratulate:
Expert Infantry Badge Award:
Lorenzo Russo "elleerre" TK-10212
Aaron Brudvig "Squimspickle" TK-19513
Rob Csorba "Ltchobs" TK-12621
Michael Howard "Superbee" TK-44701
Samuel Rodríguez "Hades" TK-24637
David "JodoYodo" TK-30307
Antonio Silva "Replicom" TK-15511
Christoph Lauber "Ripper_L" TK-55550
Brandon Lauletta "brandontrueblue" TK-12001
Jaime Gomez "SG JIG" TK-25358
Centurion Award:
Alberto Lanz "ZARAL" TK-27639
Steve Davie "Stvd201" TK-42200
Jay Bath "Coaster" TK-73427
Davide Pedullà "lorddavids" TK-92011
Aaron Brudvig "Squimspickle" TK-19513
James Suerdieck "JDTrooper" TK-11075
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. 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,
Evan Loh
TK-24127 "evan_loh"
FISD Public Relations Officer
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,
Evan Loh
TK-24127 "evan_loh"
FISD Public Relations Officer
On behalf of the 1st Imperial Stormtrooper Detachment Command Staff and the Imperial Propaganda Department,
<End Transmission>
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