March 2012 FISD Newsletter

Greetings Troopers!

First, I would to thank everyone who supported and voted for me during the recent campaign for Detachment Leader.

There have been several changes to the command staff. Here is the new command staff:

Detachment Leader (CO) - Dashrazor - Mason Carson (TK 4603)

Executive Officer (XO) - RogueTrooper - Tom Gardner (TK5940)

Personnel officer (S1) - novatie - A.C. Meyers (TK 5597)

Deployment Officer (S7) - Locitus - Mathias Rodstedt (TK2959)

Intelligence Officer (S2) - Star Raider - Corey Andrews (TK 4524)

Public Relations Officer (S5) - AdamScottFM - Adam Scott (TK 6124)

Chief Tactical Officer (S8) - DarthAloha - Eric Brager (TK 9674)

Provost Marshall (PRM) - bobojuice - Luis Diaz (TK 7164)

Detachment Webmaster (S6) - ZeroRoom - Lucas Bowers

I would like to take this time to thank Paul and the members of the 2011 command staff and Imperial Propaganda Department that continue to devote there time and show Unquestioned Loyalty to the FISD.

We have high expectations for the upcoming year. Here are a few projects that are already in the works:

• Baseline requirements for the EFX/MRCE have been added to the CRL’s and we are working on a visual guide for the baseline modifications.
  
• New forum skins
  
• Forums re-organization
  
• Further refining of the CRL's
  
• Major updates to the main page Wiki
  

On another note, we are also currently wanting to make the CRL’s global by translating them into other languages. We will be looking for bilingual members that want to help with the translations.

We are also currently looking for more 501st members to round out the IPM (Imperial Propaganda Machine). So, if you have photo editing skills, writing or just want to generally help take the FISD to another level, let us know.

Let’s make this a year a stellar year for the FISD!!!

With unquestioned loyalty,

Mason Carson

TK-4603 "dashrazor"

Detachment Leader

First off, congratulations go to Mason for winning the 2012 FISD Detachment Leader election. Furthermore, a BIG thanks to both Mason and Mike for running clean campaigns, and to everyone who participated by asking insightful and thought-provoking questions, without coming off as trying to entrap or otherwise manipulate the candidates. This election was a pleasure to administer, and I can only hope future elections go as smoothly.

Now for some participation statistics …

If you look at the numbers, this is how it breaks out. Note that these numbers are a snapshot of the population immediately following the end of the election:

• Number of Legion-approved TKs: 2,311
  
• Number of full forum access detachment members: 634
  
• Number of DL-approved detachment members on the last day of the election: 507
  
• Number of votes cast: 283
  

Explaining the categories:

Item 1 is the total number of Stormtrooper costumes registered at Legion.

Item 2 is the subset of those who have been granted access to the Detachment Only area by the FISD Membership Officer, which is where the election Q&A took place.

Item 3 is the number of “registered voters†– note that simply owning a TK and having a Legion number does not make you automatically eligible to vote in a detachment election, per Legion rules you must be verified by the DL.

Item 4 is of course self-explanatory.

My take on this is although we are doing reasonably well in getting our full Detachment members (and status as such can be achieved simply by posting a request in the “501st Trooper Status Requests†thread) registered to vote, there is more of a gap between those who are registered to vote and those who actually do. Of course the biggest issue by far is the large gap between (1) and (2), which is a broader and more far-reaching issue than mere election participation. At the end of the day, the numbers tell me that only 12% of the Legion’s Stormtroopers chose to exercise their right to vote in FISD elections, which is of course the single most important tool one has in influencing the direction of the detachment. As a result, a small minority of troopers wield an outsized level of influence on extremely important issues such as CRLs – issues that affect ALL Legion Stormtroopers. As I stated last month, although this is *your* Detachment, if you don’t participate then you have no moral standing to complain about how things “should beâ€.

For those who exercised their right & responsibility to vote – thank you. For those who didn’t – let’s do better next year.

With Unquestioned Loyalty,

Brian Robinson

TK-2918 "tkrestonva"

FISD Provost Marshal Emeritus

Paul C.Hoeffer (TK-8020) is the visionary who founded the FISD and has been the main driving force of what this Detachment has become. Without his hard work and dedication there would be no FISD as we know it today.

In the recent past, Paul told some of us that he felt that the FISD was established enough that he could step aside and not run for another term as DL. Paul said he needed to take some time off and re-charge his batteries.

Paul is now lending his expertise as the XO of the Imperial Officer’s Corp Detachment, GWL and GML for his Garrison. I have to say, if this is taking some time off , I would hate to go on vacation with you.

Paul in his Imperial Officer uniform:

From all of us on the 1st Imperial Stormtrooper Detachment to you Paul, many thanks for all that you have done.

For those that did not get a chance to thank Paul, here is a link where you can express your appreciation for all of his hard work: http://forum.whitear...showtopic=18666

With Unquestioned Loyalty,

Tom Gardner

TK-5940 "RogueTrooper"

FISD Executive Officer

Ralph McQuarrie - Visionary, Illustrator. Artist passed away on March 3, 2012 at the age of 82. McQuarrie is best know for his concept artwork and matte paintings for the Star Wars Saga, which catapulted him into to working on some of the best known movies in the past 35 years.

George Lucas said at one point, if it had not been for McQuarries’s concept art that Lucas used to promote the original script to the to the studios, the original movie probably would not have been made.

McQuarrie’s contributions to the first film, not only shaped the look of the movie’s landscape and vehicles, but his illustrations also help create some of the iconic characters such as C3PO, R2-D2, Darth Vader, and our beloved Stormtrooper.

Not only did the world lose a great talent, but we the 501st Legion, lost a brother. In 2008 McQuarrie was inducted into the 501st Legion as an honorary member. Here is the ceremony:

McQuarrie’s talent and foresight has influenced the past two generations of artist and will continue to influence future generations of artist.

There is a saying that the work of most great artist is not appreciated until their passing. McQuarrie is the exception to that rule.

With Unquestioned Loyalty,

Tom Gardner

TK-5940 "RogueTrooper"

FISD Executive Officer

Special Correspondence by UKG CO - Gary Hailes, TK-2739

As many of you may know Allen Poole TK-1615 lost his long battle with cancer last September leaving behind a wife, Clare and little boy , Luke. He also left a great many friends.

Allen loved the 501^st and the UKG with great passion. He would troop whenever he was able and involved his family where he could. He would always be amongst the first to volunteer his time should anyone need help and genuinely put others before himself. In his last months, Allen was actually in close communication with another 501^st member who was also suffering with Cancer and spent much of his time giving him support. A true testament to Allen’s unselfish nature.

Allen married his long time love and mother of his son Clare last summer and I had the honour to be invited.

It was an amazing day topped off by members of the UKG changing into costume to welcome the evening guests. Needless to say Allen was arrested and only released on the word of his beautiful new bride. It was a very special day and I was proud to have been a part of it.

The next time I saw Allen was at his last Troop. He was awarded a gold patch for his above and beyond service to the UKG. Allen was very ill that day but despite this, insisted on going out in costume to help a raise money for a local charity. Once Allen was in costume it was as if there were nothing wrong! Allen trooped with us all day and no one would have believed how ill he was. I loved running a couple of arrest routines with him and he had certainly not lost his touch!!

At the end of the day I hugged Allen and we said goodbye. He knew it was probably the last time we would see each other and it was an emotional moment for both of us. I walked back to the car and I tried to fight back the tears. Allen was one of the bravest people I have ever met and his strength during the last months of his life was phenomenal. He really was an inspiration.

Allen sadly passed in September and the very Church where he was married that summer played host to his funeral.

Myself, Chris Baker, Steve Chafe, Kieran Thomas, Matt Sparling and Colin Wright were on duty in TK to assist with the funeral.

The Coffin was escorted from Allen’s home by Chris and Steve and then myself and Kieran accompanied them as the coffin was taken to the front of the church for the service.

The highlight, if you can have such a thing at a funeral, was the church organ playing the Imperial March! Just like Allen to make sure his funeral was done properly!!

We then attended the crematorium where Colin and Matt were on duty for the most solemn part of the day.

All in all it was a very fitting send off and most of all, Allen would have loved it!

We in the UKG have felt this loss deeply and are trying to make sure that Allen’s family still remain a part of us and continue to get our support. Later this year there will be a run of patches to honour and remember Allen and we currently have a run of 501 wristbands with which we hope, with your support, to raise almost £1000 towards his son’s future.

For more info on how you can support the wristband fund raising, here is the link: http://forum.whitear...l=&fromsearch=1

Gary Hailes

UKG - COMMANDING OFFICER

Gary Hailes

TK-2739 "89Batman"

UKG Commanding Officer

Starting from this year, I as the Deployment Officer will be dismissing EI and Centurion applications if I deem the picture quality too low to make judgement on, and/or details cannot be easily seen in submitted pictures.

Therefore I would like to provide some examples of what would be a bad picture, and what would be a good one.

This is too dark, and somewhat "grainy" in the darker areas of the armour. Also see how the lights on the left make that over exposed, in turn making my armour somewhat under exposed. Detail is too hard to make out in this picture.

This one is also underexposed. However, it is hard to make out any special detail in this picture

This third picture would be alright to use in your application. It would, however, not be good enough as a full front picture (which will be required to submit) as it is cropped at the knees. Lighting and detail is good however. This picture was taken in the exact same conditions as the previous two, only with flash added to the picture.

This is good full front picture that covers several important details in one single picture, using the same camera as above, but taking advantage of the natural light from the sun coming in from the windows.

The same goes for the full back and full left and right side pictures (not pictured here)

Taking individual pictures for required elements is also a good idea. For example the sniper knee plate that in my case is not attached with rivets and for Centurion is a so called “should beâ€, that means that it is currently allowed to be attached with rivets, but that may change to require glue and no rivets.

A good full side view of both left and right of your blaster is also good to submit when making your EI or Centurion application.

So with that, I'm looking forward to seeing more Expert Infantry and Centurion applications.

With unquestioned loyalty,

Mathias Rodstedt

TK-2959 "Locitus"

Deployment Officer

HAWKEYE

HAWKEYE ( TK-8555 ) is this month's trooper of the month. Kirby is a great example of what a big part of 501st is all about - putting smiles on kids faces that don't have much to smile about in life.

Working with the Make a Wish Foundation, Kirby has done several Troops in the paediatric hospital's around Malaysia. Although Kirby works hard and often away from home, he always finds time to spend with his son and devotes many of his free weekends to helping the less fortunate.

For those of us that have never rooped for kids in terrible situations like this, it's hard to imagine how upsetting it must be to see time and time again. However, in true Trooper fashion Kirby keeps doing all he can along with the Malaysia - Brunei Outpost to bring a bit of happiness at some of the darkest times.

Well done Kirby, you make us proud.

With unquestioned loyalty,

Rob Kingman

TK-7546 "matt black"

Imperial Propaganda Machine

The 5th Anniversary patches have all been shipped. We would like to thank everyone that purchased the patches. Can’t wait to see them on a jacket - so post your pics!

There is an FISD lapel pin being put into the works. So keep an eye out for them in the near future.

There are still about 17 gold challenge coins left, and for the 2012 FISD Calendars there are only 4 left. Plus, there are tons of 5th Anniversary trading cards available. Don't miss out on these.......

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.