Daetrin

Oohh ooh!  I can answer that question.  As you know I've been a GML for many years as well as DL of one det, and XO of two other dets. I've written or re-written dozens of CRLs over the past 10 years, so have seen things from all perspectives save the LMO.  The answers are:
 
1. You will need to create the ANH black officer CRL first before renaming the existing one.
2. Don't forget the RO black officer needs to have a different hat disk
 
WRT to GMLs, it's very short-sighted to say that GMLs only clear for L1.  We are also guides to help people go higher than L1.  In fact, it is part of our charter - and a good GML will do this - to suggest L2/L3 where feasible.
 
Why?  Because we do new people a disservice by only talking about L1.  It is usually easier to go L2/L3 right from the start than re-do later, and many people get pissed if they do L1 and then find out they could have easily done L2/L3 (or most of either) when they did their build.
 
Secondly, because as you know today's L3 is the future L1.  Standards only ever increase, and going L2/L3 now if practical is a bit of future proofing.

I'll try to be more fulsome in my reply.
I hope you all now have a greater appreciation of how hard it can be to get CRLs completed now that you can see it from the inside.  It is always worth remembering that the Legion is composed of thousands of people around the world, some who troop a bit and are casual members who just want to troop/socialize, and some who are hyper sensitive and will spend any amount of time and money to make the “perfect” costume.  To some anything more than L1 is a waste of time, and to others anything less than L3 is selling ourselves short.
 
Remember that L1 is supposed to be items that are easy to acquire and relatively modest in cost.   As you are finding out, what is “easy” and “cheap” to some is “hard” and “expensive” to others. 
 
So when I revise CRLs I always keep the above thoughts in mind.  For the CRL at hand, a few years ago asking people to get replica code cylinders was clearly L3, as they were uncommon, maybe one person made them, and expensive.  So they go to L3.  As demand for these items increases, more and more people make them so they become cheaper/easier.  L3 becomes L2, and eventually L1.
 
I will fully agree that good replica code cylinders are so available and cost effective that asking for replica ones can move from L2/L3 to L1.
 
It’s kinda like latex hand guards on TKs.  They used to be very hard, hard to get, and so started as L3.  Now they are L2.  Some day people will stop selling plastic hand guards and they will be L1.  Not today, but I can see it in a few years.
 
For rank badges, personally I’m OK with moving to the more accurate type for L1, however I do know a lot of people who make them on their own, or who have started putting officers together to whom moving to the correct ones is a burden.  And this is just in my garrison.  For that reason I can see having the good ones at L2 just a little while longer, maybe a year or so until people get used to it.
 
I’m not sure the CRLs will ever stop evolving in my trooping career.  I think over time the gap between L1-L3 will continue to decrease to where there’s not much difference.  I can see that on numerous costumes.  As you mentioned, what was once state of the art is now L1, but then back in 2005 no one could even conceive of what we have as L3 now.  It would be like having unobtainium.
 
Does that help?  Also, I don’t see us arguing at all, but discussing. 
 
I also hope you understand why these days we don’t really have a public discussion or vote on CRLs like we used to, we’d never get anything done.
 
Do you know why the big re-write that BJ & I did went so fast?  Because the only people working on them were him and I.  It’s much easier to move fast when there are only 2 people involved. J   Contrast that with say the Krennic CRL where it just is getting bogged down in everyone having an opinion.
 
Don’t get me wrong – I love full detachment discussions, but at some point you need to circle the drain with a few folks and make the hard calls.  Rest assured, no matter what you do, someone will be unhappy.
 
Lastly, I will 100% agree that whomever updated the dosimeter CRL entry since last I touched it really did a botched job. It's not clear at all now.

Well, whomever touched the CRLs last really f***ked them up.  The rank bar one for instance, WTF is it mentioning about hats?
I can see why you guys are upset with them now, I hadn't really read through them in years and they are a bit of a mess.
 
__
 
Color quantity and combinations are determined by rank, and are appropriate to uniform type.
For example: No Grand Moffs wore black uniforms with hats. Grand Admiral rank matches Grand Admiral uniform... etc.)

Well, whomever touched the CRLs last really f***ked them up.  The rank bar one for instance, WTF is it mentioning about hats?
I can see why you guys are upset with them now, I hadn't really read through them in years and they are a bit of a mess.
 
__
 
Color quantity and combinations are determined by rank, and are appropriate to uniform type.
For example: No Grand Moffs wore black uniforms with hats. Grand Admiral rank matches Grand Admiral uniform... etc.)

Yup, and I remember how frustrating it was for me as a new member being in the same boat, and as a GML have to deal with the fallout of moving targets all the time, and also as DL on FISD when people quickly push through CRL changes while people have costumes mid-build.  We don't lose much adding things to L2 and after a year moving them down to L1.  We certainly cause pain for people who have to throw away money & time mid-project, and the sour feeling they have that we have to contend with.

Oohh ooh!  I can answer that question.  As you know I've been a GML for many years as well as DL of one det, and XO of two other dets. I've written or re-written dozens of CRLs over the past 10 years, so have seen things from all perspectives save the LMO.  The answers are:
 
1. You will need to create the ANH black officer CRL first before renaming the existing one.
2. Don't forget the RO black officer needs to have a different hat disk
 
WRT to GMLs, it's very short-sighted to say that GMLs only clear for L1.  We are also guides to help people go higher than L1.  In fact, it is part of our charter - and a good GML will do this - to suggest L2/L3 where feasible.
 
Why?  Because we do new people a disservice by only talking about L1.  It is usually easier to go L2/L3 right from the start than re-do later, and many people get pissed if they do L1 and then find out they could have easily done L2/L3 (or most of either) when they did their build.
 
Secondly, because as you know today's L3 is the future L1.  Standards only ever increase, and going L2/L3 now if practical is a bit of future proofing.

Congrats Mark!  Can't wait to see the rest of the command team in the staff area. Should be a good year.

The upside of it being L2 is that it gives people/suppliers time to move to the new dimensions, so that in a few years from now L2 will be the new L1.

Yes!  Man, I am all over that.  (says the guy who owns an SE-14R and ensured it was the "unofficial mascot" of FISD.  And, wrote the text for the SE-14R 501st trading card)
 
Should be an easy fix.

A few thoughts...
 
1. The rain version will certainly be part of the same CRL, it will just be an option.
2. I'm guessing the flash back will be a version of an existing CRL, even if it's a variation of the ISB and say "or you can use this tunic".
3. I would agree that we shouldn't mention how the cape is attached, as it's not visible to leave it up to each person making it how they want to do it.

A few thoughts...
 
1. The rain version will certainly be part of the same CRL, it will just be an option.
2. I'm guessing the flash back will be a version of an existing CRL, even if it's a variation of the ISB and say "or you can use this tunic".
3. I would agree that we shouldn't mention how the cape is attached, as it's not visible to leave it up to each person making it how they want to do it.

A few thoughts...
 
1. The rain version will certainly be part of the same CRL, it will just be an option.
2. I'm guessing the flash back will be a version of an existing CRL, even if it's a variation of the ISB and say "or you can use this tunic".
3. I would agree that we shouldn't mention how the cape is attached, as it's not visible to leave it up to each person making it how they want to do it.

A few thoughts...
 
1. The rain version will certainly be part of the same CRL, it will just be an option.
2. I'm guessing the flash back will be a version of an existing CRL, even if it's a variation of the ISB and say "or you can use this tunic".
3. I would agree that we shouldn't mention how the cape is attached, as it's not visible to leave it up to each person making it how they want to do it.

That should be in its own thread.   FWIW, they were the best BJ & I could do at the time after hours squinting at the movies, and we were making tons of changes already.  What's the saying?  You should have seen the before pix. LOL

Part of the confusion comes from also trying to get a CRL pushed right at election time, where leadership roles at the Legion and detachment are focused on that and post-election changes.  I think everyone has the same intent & goals, the timing of it all just made for a messy process.  Now that the elections are all settled, future changes and new costumes will be more orderly, as there is a standard process that will be followed.
 
And yes, anytime you start making a costume with no CRL, one is always taking a risk.  Even if the DL & IOC are 100% firm on what they want, the LMO has ultimate say and can change wording as they see fit.
 
Small changes and clarifications are pretty easy to incorporate, and I'll loop with Mark on that as it's not something readily apparent even from looking at the Charter/Ops Protocol.

Part of the confusion comes from also trying to get a CRL pushed right at election time, where leadership roles at the Legion and detachment are focused on that and post-election changes.  I think everyone has the same intent & goals, the timing of it all just made for a messy process.  Now that the elections are all settled, future changes and new costumes will be more orderly, as there is a standard process that will be followed.
 
And yes, anytime you start making a costume with no CRL, one is always taking a risk.  Even if the DL & IOC are 100% firm on what they want, the LMO has ultimate say and can change wording as they see fit.
 
Small changes and clarifications are pretty easy to incorporate, and I'll loop with Mark on that as it's not something readily apparent even from looking at the Charter/Ops Protocol.

I think that was the intent, yes, so agreed. You should be able to take a black or ISB officer and do the following:
 
1. Get a new tunic
2. Add dosimeters (if changing from ISB)
3. Add the holster
4. Get gloves
5. Get rank bar (if you don't have one that matches)
6. Add cloak
7. Do your hair!
 
I think that would be it.

I like the idea of changing the CRL for the collar to note as a percent, e.g. 2/3, of how high it should go.  As you note, the CRL has to work for people 5'0" as well as 6'4", and 2" on one will not look the same as 2" on another.

And there was much rejoicing!  Finally - glad to see this come to light.  Eric/LMO is so good when it comes to this.  Michael, thanks for having the faith and sticking with it. You have the patience of Job (Sunday reference).

And there was much rejoicing!  Finally - glad to see this come to light.  Eric/LMO is so good when it comes to this.  Michael, thanks for having the faith and sticking with it. You have the patience of Job (Sunday reference).

All candidates:
1. For new GML's it can be hard to learn the ins and outs of the costumes.  Do you have thoughts on what a strategy would look like to help new GMLs or existing GMLs not familiar with the costumes get up to speed quickly?
2. For existing GMLs (yup, another years in the harness it looks like for me), given the explosiveness of new costumes that have come and are coming, what are you thoughts for keeping us informed of CRL changes?   Yes, I may be on IOC a lot because I'm the webmaster, but the truth is there is no way I can keep on top of all the new costumes in the detachments, and neither can any GML, so in this case I'm speaking for most GMLs who don't come here much.
3. Let's say it's 2018 and your term is up. Looking back, how will you measure the success of your year?
 

All candidates:
1. For new GML's it can be hard to learn the ins and outs of the costumes.  Do you have thoughts on what a strategy would look like to help new GMLs or existing GMLs not familiar with the costumes get up to speed quickly?
2. For existing GMLs (yup, another years in the harness it looks like for me), given the explosiveness of new costumes that have come and are coming, what are you thoughts for keeping us informed of CRL changes?   Yes, I may be on IOC a lot because I'm the webmaster, but the truth is there is no way I can keep on top of all the new costumes in the detachments, and neither can any GML, so in this case I'm speaking for most GMLs who don't come here much.
3. Let's say it's 2018 and your term is up. Looking back, how will you measure the success of your year?
 

To rif on this question, considering that Facebook is not available in several countries the Legion is in, how would you address the needs of those users?  You will also need to have 3 layers of security, as there are 3 layers of forum access, or more if you include staff.
 
The fact that Facebook is not accessible by all Legion members would - unless I'm missing something - prevent it's use for the purpose you suggest.  Or am I missing something?
 
Sorry, but it's not clear to me how a closed FB group solves the issue of CRL's not getting completed.  For instance how would it solve pictures not being submitted?  How would it solve faster approval via the LMO team?
 
 

Questions for Robert Baker:
So in theory the other candidates could also simply change platforms if they won, so how is that a differentiator for you and are you stuck on that idea?  I'm trying to understand the exact problem that can't be solved with the current platform, as it has a wiki component and all the permissioning you want already.
 
Secondly, the reason the CRL's have taken so long to get through is that the current DL, BJ, got swamped with real life job duties and it's the DL who has final say in the CRLs before they can go to the LMO.  So, the issue would seem to lie with BJ being caught up with other stuff and not delegating it off.
 
What I want to know is seeing that CRLs were stuck, what actions did you take in the past year to help unstick them, e.g. did you volunteer to help out at all?

To rif on this question, considering that Facebook is not available in several countries the Legion is in, how would you address the needs of those users?  You will also need to have 3 layers of security, as there are 3 layers of forum access, or more if you include staff.
 
The fact that Facebook is not accessible by all Legion members would - unless I'm missing something - prevent it's use for the purpose you suggest.  Or am I missing something?
 
Sorry, but it's not clear to me how a closed FB group solves the issue of CRL's not getting completed.  For instance how would it solve pictures not being submitted?  How would it solve faster approval via the LMO team?