Why a Stormtrooper Detachment?

[Daetrin[Admin]]

Below is the "mission statement" of the detachment.

 

CURRENT VISION:

The 1st Imperial Stormtroopers are a Detachment of the 501st Legion, dedicated to the armor and equipment of stormtroopers as seen in Star Wars. They strive for accuracy in costuming and to discuss everything stormtrooper related. Their mission is to serve the needs of both current and prospective members of the 501st Legion, in keeping with their unofficial motto: "troopers helping troopers.

 

ORIGINAL VISION:

The 1st Imperial Stormtroopers are a Detachment of the 501st Legion, dedicated to the armor and equipment used by the stormtroopers shown in the Star Wars Original Trilogy. We strive for accuracy in costuming and to discuss everything stormtrooper related including Expanded Universe stormtrooper variations. The detachment is dedicated to serving the needs of both 501st members and persons new to Star Wars costuming who hope to join the 501st.

 

WHY:

 

Originally the 501st was a costuming club that centered on the stormtrooper costume. Over time the group has expanded its scope to include all "bad guy" Star Wars costumes. There is now a detachment that encompasses every costume type except the stormtrooper. The downsides of this situation are several:

 

1. There is no central body (aka detachment) that serves as the champion for the TK costume or to research, discuss, and propose standards for either existing stormtrooper costumes or new versions that might appear in the Expanded Universe.

 

2. There is no centralized resource for stormtrooper costuming for existing 501st members. All other costumes have such a forum to discuss topic specific to that costume except for the TK.

 

3. There is no centralized resource for stormtrooper costuming for new members. If there is a non-501st member who is new to this hobby and wants to create a stormtrooper costume there is no central forum for him to use as a basis to do this, unlike other costumes (e.g. Clonetroopers, MEPD, Bikerscout, etc.). I think this is the most critical goal of the detachment: helping new members who wish to create a stormtrooper costume and who do not have access to 501st-only resources to do so.

 

 

WHAT THE GROUP HOPES TO ACCOMPLISH:

 

1. Promote the current quality standards for the stormtrooper costume as established by the 501st.

 

2. Develop and create a higher standard of stormtrooper costume for members to achieve and a "kudo" (e.g. deployed status) as a recognition of that accomplishment (the same way the Mos Eisley Police Department has create a higher standard for MEPD Deployment). The goal of this is not to force people to achieve the higher standard, but rather to demonstrate what the costume can become and recognize those who achieve it.

 

3. Create an open and respectful forum for all discussions stormtrooper related, regardless of whether or not they are Original Trilogy or Expanded Universe. One major goal of the detachment is to celebrate the stormtrooper costume in all its forms, and the Star Wars costuming hobby in general.

 

4. Create and foster an esprit de corp for the stormtrooper costume. Some members complain that their garrison is stormtrooper-centric, others that the stormtrooper is looked down upon. By having a central space where stormtroopers can congregate and celebrate their costume, it removes the ?us versus them? mentality that has crept into some organizations, and establishes the stormtrooper costume as one of many equals.

[Daetrin[Admin]]

For posterity, here is the text that we used on our 501st trading card:

 

 

The First Imperial Stormtrooper Detachment focuses on both original and expanded universe versions of the Empire's armored foot soldier. By helping 501st members and new recruits equip themselves accurately, the FISD ensures that the 501st continues to impress Star Wars fans. Growing to nearly 800 members in it's first year alone, the FISD marches forward forming the backbone of the 501st.

[Daetrin[Admin]]

Current vision updated as what we had was still outdated by almost 10 years