trencher

Thank you Magdalena
 
Thank you Stefan
 
Thank you Sean
 
Thank you sir
 
Thank you Colin
 
Thank you Mike
 
Thank you Corey
 
Thank you Robert
 
Thank you Javier
 
And a thank you to anyone else that I missed. It truly means a lot not just to myself, but to Chuck and his family.

I will. I'll msg his wife have her read it to Chuck. Thanks for your kind words.

*****Update*******(August 4th 2017)*****
 
Right now what we need is some kind words. Alexandra (Chuck's spouse) said that he has seen all of the post, photos and well wishes. They are grateful for all of the kind words as they have helped to lift his spirits.
 
Yesterday Chuck went into surgery yet again and was having a really rough day before hand.  I have not heard how the surgery went, but I know that he has a hard and long road ahead of him.
 
If anyone has time to post a comment or a photo please do. If you have any troubles send me a message with the Facebook page or here and I will add it to the main thread.
 
Thanks again!
 
Sal.
 
 
 
******* Original post*************
 
My fellow Legion Brothers and Sisters,
 
I need your help. A close friend, a fellow paramedic, and one of our Garrison recruits was severely injured this past week and has experienced a life-altering event. He has been working on building his Imperial Staff Officer costume within the IOC and was hoping to join the Legion this year. Due to this accident, it will be some time, before he will be able to fully join. Right now, he is currently fighting in our ICU (Intensive Care Unit).
 
He has a very long and hard road ahead of him, and I’m hoping that if you have the time, you could send him some kind words of encouragement.
 
https://www.facebook.com/scruffylookingchuck/

Thank you for your time and well wishes.
Sal
“Blackfox”
ID/IC/TI: 10701
 
 
 

Troop on!  Don't sweat the last minute repairs.  

Pin it and enjoy your first troop!! It won't be the last time.


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Plenty - at Celebration one of my rank bar buttons fell off as I was walking to the show. Used some duck tape doubled up to keep it on for the day.

We could all tell you some stories.


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The best part for me is that everywhere I go. I run into fellow vets. Its like talking like gibberish to civilians, then that vet in the crowd tosses out an phrase we used in service. Then its like watching two doctors talk about medical terms. But we end up grunting and laughing.
 
 
And as far as sleep goes. I'm an anywhere any time guy. I fell asleep at a concert before. Lmao.

Hi my fellow officers.   As a young man growing up in a military family. I got to see my dad react to fireworks.  Not knowing then what I do now. I could see even after 30+ years of my dad in Viet nam, he would be bothered. He would never say it. But as his son, I knew something was off.  My dad served for over 22 years in the us military.  His plane was the most patched aircraft flying in Viet nam that it was called patches.  A C-123 with a rugged crew.  
 
Then, my brother.  A former ranger who was involved in the black hawk down incident and the first gulf war.  At this point. Mom and dad were divorced. My brother was kicked out of the army early. So he moved in with me (high school age at this point.)  and dad. He would hide under his bed at night sometimes.  I remembered my dad and I had to drag him out for work the next day. He never did sleep well.
 
Then I decided to join up.  I enlisted in the us army.  I was an 11 bravo.  For non military types, that's infantry. Late ninetys at this point in time.  My first time out of the country was Egypt. A operation called bright star. (Traded for a British household cav shirt.) NATO excersie with several countries involved.   Then 2001 rolls around.  War it is.  War it was.  I knew what could happen.  My family has served this nation since before it was a nation.  The cost is high, but its ours to fight for.  For we know the one thing the next generation never inherits is freedom. It has to be earned.
 
I fought during the invasion and several tours that followed.  I grew up a lot. I was a young man once. The one thing noons tells you is innocence if the first thing you lose the day training starts. Then its down hill from there. You fight hard, not for people at home. But that guy sitting next to you eating the same dehydrated bag of food you are.  You make bonds. Strong ones at that.  To this day, I consider those b*****D's closer that my own family.
 
Then you fight.  The whizzing sound bullets make as they fly past is unsettling.  It sounds like a bee in a tin can.  But you know its someone who wants you dead on the other end.  The horrible part was Afghanistan reminded me of Colorado. Especially in the mountains.  Its a beautiful place to be. But we were not always welcome.
 
The first friend I lost was hard. We were all close. It leaves a void in a squad.  One the whole platoon feels.  But the firefights were rough. It was so hard to find the enemy sometimes.  So you did your best. Even calling in airstrikes and arty on tree lines.  I love a good A-10 strafing run though. Every time you would hear the ground erupt with shells landing. Then you heard the gun go off.  Nothing like super sonic bullets.  
 
Then close combat.  You have enemies danger close all the time. They would get right up on us. I think they thought we would not call in close strikes like we did.  But it happened. You catch a round.  Burns then hurts.  I don't think I would have made it without some help from above. Namely A couple of air force f-16s with a usmc cobra gunship. 
 
Then more battles, more pain. More friends not going home. It was the nervousness of it all. It was unending. Day zero to the moment you got on the plane to go home. To me when the fireworks start, I'm that young soldier right in the middle of it again.  Making an agreement with god. That if he saw me through this. I would find a quiet place and live my days out in peace. It might sound dumb to some people. But I honestly feel that same firefight effect. Jittery, with a side of "damn I got this!" With a little remorse. Not every combat vet will tell you this. But there are days when looking back I wish I could have done something different to have gotten men home alive.  As part of the triple duce. I lost a great friend. Sgt Mike Esposito. 2004 was a bad year.  The same year I left the army. 
 
But as the fourth of July goes.  It brings up bad stuff for me.  Explosions from fireworks start a memory process for me.  Bad stuff all around.  I can't tell you I'm a good man. Just trying to make up for the crap I've done. Trying to earn still being here.  But for a whole week plus. I'm back to square one.  Reaching for a rifle that's not there. Smelling burnt flesh from nowhere. And being so edgy I can't sleep in bed with my wife. Good thing the couch is comfy.  
 
So in conclusion, if you see a vet on the fourth of July or a week or so later. And they look like they are jumpy.  Think of this. And be there for them.  Its a long road to being OK.  Maybe one day I'll talk about swerving to miss anything in the road in front of me. Especially pot holes.  That's a whole nother  story. But this is more than enough for today.  
 
God speed, and enjoy freedom.  Its worth the sacrifice.
 
"Balls of the eagle!"
 
Ssgt. M. Trepanier
 
 
 
 
 

Hi my fellow officers.   As a young man growing up in a military family. I got to see my dad react to fireworks.  Not knowing then what I do now. I could see even after 30+ years of my dad in Viet nam, he would be bothered. He would never say it. But as his son, I knew something was off.  My dad served for over 22 years in the us military.  His plane was the most patched aircraft flying in Viet nam that it was called patches.  A C-123 with a rugged crew.  
 
Then, my brother.  A former ranger who was involved in the black hawk down incident and the first gulf war.  At this point. Mom and dad were divorced. My brother was kicked out of the army early. So he moved in with me (high school age at this point.)  and dad. He would hide under his bed at night sometimes.  I remembered my dad and I had to drag him out for work the next day. He never did sleep well.
 
Then I decided to join up.  I enlisted in the us army.  I was an 11 bravo.  For non military types, that's infantry. Late ninetys at this point in time.  My first time out of the country was Egypt. A operation called bright star. (Traded for a British household cav shirt.) NATO excersie with several countries involved.   Then 2001 rolls around.  War it is.  War it was.  I knew what could happen.  My family has served this nation since before it was a nation.  The cost is high, but its ours to fight for.  For we know the one thing the next generation never inherits is freedom. It has to be earned.
 
I fought during the invasion and several tours that followed.  I grew up a lot. I was a young man once. The one thing noons tells you is innocence if the first thing you lose the day training starts. Then its down hill from there. You fight hard, not for people at home. But that guy sitting next to you eating the same dehydrated bag of food you are.  You make bonds. Strong ones at that.  To this day, I consider those b*****D's closer that my own family.
 
Then you fight.  The whizzing sound bullets make as they fly past is unsettling.  It sounds like a bee in a tin can.  But you know its someone who wants you dead on the other end.  The horrible part was Afghanistan reminded me of Colorado. Especially in the mountains.  Its a beautiful place to be. But we were not always welcome.
 
The first friend I lost was hard. We were all close. It leaves a void in a squad.  One the whole platoon feels.  But the firefights were rough. It was so hard to find the enemy sometimes.  So you did your best. Even calling in airstrikes and arty on tree lines.  I love a good A-10 strafing run though. Every time you would hear the ground erupt with shells landing. Then you heard the gun go off.  Nothing like super sonic bullets.  
 
Then close combat.  You have enemies danger close all the time. They would get right up on us. I think they thought we would not call in close strikes like we did.  But it happened. You catch a round.  Burns then hurts.  I don't think I would have made it without some help from above. Namely A couple of air force f-16s with a usmc cobra gunship. 
 
Then more battles, more pain. More friends not going home. It was the nervousness of it all. It was unending. Day zero to the moment you got on the plane to go home. To me when the fireworks start, I'm that young soldier right in the middle of it again.  Making an agreement with god. That if he saw me through this. I would find a quiet place and live my days out in peace. It might sound dumb to some people. But I honestly feel that same firefight effect. Jittery, with a side of "damn I got this!" With a little remorse. Not every combat vet will tell you this. But there are days when looking back I wish I could have done something different to have gotten men home alive.  As part of the triple duce. I lost a great friend. Sgt Mike Esposito. 2004 was a bad year.  The same year I left the army. 
 
But as the fourth of July goes.  It brings up bad stuff for me.  Explosions from fireworks start a memory process for me.  Bad stuff all around.  I can't tell you I'm a good man. Just trying to make up for the crap I've done. Trying to earn still being here.  But for a whole week plus. I'm back to square one.  Reaching for a rifle that's not there. Smelling burnt flesh from nowhere. And being so edgy I can't sleep in bed with my wife. Good thing the couch is comfy.  
 
So in conclusion, if you see a vet on the fourth of July or a week or so later. And they look like they are jumpy.  Think of this. And be there for them.  Its a long road to being OK.  Maybe one day I'll talk about swerving to miss anything in the road in front of me. Especially pot holes.  That's a whole nother  story. But this is more than enough for today.  
 
God speed, and enjoy freedom.  Its worth the sacrifice.
 
"Balls of the eagle!"
 
Ssgt. M. Trepanier
 
 
 
 
 

Hi my fellow officers.   As a young man growing up in a military family. I got to see my dad react to fireworks.  Not knowing then what I do now. I could see even after 30+ years of my dad in Viet nam, he would be bothered. He would never say it. But as his son, I knew something was off.  My dad served for over 22 years in the us military.  His plane was the most patched aircraft flying in Viet nam that it was called patches.  A C-123 with a rugged crew.  
 
Then, my brother.  A former ranger who was involved in the black hawk down incident and the first gulf war.  At this point. Mom and dad were divorced. My brother was kicked out of the army early. So he moved in with me (high school age at this point.)  and dad. He would hide under his bed at night sometimes.  I remembered my dad and I had to drag him out for work the next day. He never did sleep well.
 
Then I decided to join up.  I enlisted in the us army.  I was an 11 bravo.  For non military types, that's infantry. Late ninetys at this point in time.  My first time out of the country was Egypt. A operation called bright star. (Traded for a British household cav shirt.) NATO excersie with several countries involved.   Then 2001 rolls around.  War it is.  War it was.  I knew what could happen.  My family has served this nation since before it was a nation.  The cost is high, but its ours to fight for.  For we know the one thing the next generation never inherits is freedom. It has to be earned.
 
I fought during the invasion and several tours that followed.  I grew up a lot. I was a young man once. The one thing noons tells you is innocence if the first thing you lose the day training starts. Then its down hill from there. You fight hard, not for people at home. But that guy sitting next to you eating the same dehydrated bag of food you are.  You make bonds. Strong ones at that.  To this day, I consider those b*****D's closer that my own family.
 
Then you fight.  The whizzing sound bullets make as they fly past is unsettling.  It sounds like a bee in a tin can.  But you know its someone who wants you dead on the other end.  The horrible part was Afghanistan reminded me of Colorado. Especially in the mountains.  Its a beautiful place to be. But we were not always welcome.
 
The first friend I lost was hard. We were all close. It leaves a void in a squad.  One the whole platoon feels.  But the firefights were rough. It was so hard to find the enemy sometimes.  So you did your best. Even calling in airstrikes and arty on tree lines.  I love a good A-10 strafing run though. Every time you would hear the ground erupt with shells landing. Then you heard the gun go off.  Nothing like super sonic bullets.  
 
Then close combat.  You have enemies danger close all the time. They would get right up on us. I think they thought we would not call in close strikes like we did.  But it happened. You catch a round.  Burns then hurts.  I don't think I would have made it without some help from above. Namely A couple of air force f-16s with a usmc cobra gunship. 
 
Then more battles, more pain. More friends not going home. It was the nervousness of it all. It was unending. Day zero to the moment you got on the plane to go home. To me when the fireworks start, I'm that young soldier right in the middle of it again.  Making an agreement with god. That if he saw me through this. I would find a quiet place and live my days out in peace. It might sound dumb to some people. But I honestly feel that same firefight effect. Jittery, with a side of "damn I got this!" With a little remorse. Not every combat vet will tell you this. But there are days when looking back I wish I could have done something different to have gotten men home alive.  As part of the triple duce. I lost a great friend. Sgt Mike Esposito. 2004 was a bad year.  The same year I left the army. 
 
But as the fourth of July goes.  It brings up bad stuff for me.  Explosions from fireworks start a memory process for me.  Bad stuff all around.  I can't tell you I'm a good man. Just trying to make up for the crap I've done. Trying to earn still being here.  But for a whole week plus. I'm back to square one.  Reaching for a rifle that's not there. Smelling burnt flesh from nowhere. And being so edgy I can't sleep in bed with my wife. Good thing the couch is comfy.  
 
So in conclusion, if you see a vet on the fourth of July or a week or so later. And they look like they are jumpy.  Think of this. And be there for them.  Its a long road to being OK.  Maybe one day I'll talk about swerving to miss anything in the road in front of me. Especially pot holes.  That's a whole nother  story. But this is more than enough for today.  
 
God speed, and enjoy freedom.  Its worth the sacrifice.
 
"Balls of the eagle!"
 
Ssgt. M. Trepanier
 
 
 
 
 

Hi my fellow officers.   As a young man growing up in a military family. I got to see my dad react to fireworks.  Not knowing then what I do now. I could see even after 30+ years of my dad in Viet nam, he would be bothered. He would never say it. But as his son, I knew something was off.  My dad served for over 22 years in the us military.  His plane was the most patched aircraft flying in Viet nam that it was called patches.  A C-123 with a rugged crew.  
 
Then, my brother.  A former ranger who was involved in the black hawk down incident and the first gulf war.  At this point. Mom and dad were divorced. My brother was kicked out of the army early. So he moved in with me (high school age at this point.)  and dad. He would hide under his bed at night sometimes.  I remembered my dad and I had to drag him out for work the next day. He never did sleep well.
 
Then I decided to join up.  I enlisted in the us army.  I was an 11 bravo.  For non military types, that's infantry. Late ninetys at this point in time.  My first time out of the country was Egypt. A operation called bright star. (Traded for a British household cav shirt.) NATO excersie with several countries involved.   Then 2001 rolls around.  War it is.  War it was.  I knew what could happen.  My family has served this nation since before it was a nation.  The cost is high, but its ours to fight for.  For we know the one thing the next generation never inherits is freedom. It has to be earned.
 
I fought during the invasion and several tours that followed.  I grew up a lot. I was a young man once. The one thing noons tells you is innocence if the first thing you lose the day training starts. Then its down hill from there. You fight hard, not for people at home. But that guy sitting next to you eating the same dehydrated bag of food you are.  You make bonds. Strong ones at that.  To this day, I consider those b*****D's closer that my own family.
 
Then you fight.  The whizzing sound bullets make as they fly past is unsettling.  It sounds like a bee in a tin can.  But you know its someone who wants you dead on the other end.  The horrible part was Afghanistan reminded me of Colorado. Especially in the mountains.  Its a beautiful place to be. But we were not always welcome.
 
The first friend I lost was hard. We were all close. It leaves a void in a squad.  One the whole platoon feels.  But the firefights were rough. It was so hard to find the enemy sometimes.  So you did your best. Even calling in airstrikes and arty on tree lines.  I love a good A-10 strafing run though. Every time you would hear the ground erupt with shells landing. Then you heard the gun go off.  Nothing like super sonic bullets.  
 
Then close combat.  You have enemies danger close all the time. They would get right up on us. I think they thought we would not call in close strikes like we did.  But it happened. You catch a round.  Burns then hurts.  I don't think I would have made it without some help from above. Namely A couple of air force f-16s with a usmc cobra gunship. 
 
Then more battles, more pain. More friends not going home. It was the nervousness of it all. It was unending. Day zero to the moment you got on the plane to go home. To me when the fireworks start, I'm that young soldier right in the middle of it again.  Making an agreement with god. That if he saw me through this. I would find a quiet place and live my days out in peace. It might sound dumb to some people. But I honestly feel that same firefight effect. Jittery, with a side of "damn I got this!" With a little remorse. Not every combat vet will tell you this. But there are days when looking back I wish I could have done something different to have gotten men home alive.  As part of the triple duce. I lost a great friend. Sgt Mike Esposito. 2004 was a bad year.  The same year I left the army. 
 
But as the fourth of July goes.  It brings up bad stuff for me.  Explosions from fireworks start a memory process for me.  Bad stuff all around.  I can't tell you I'm a good man. Just trying to make up for the crap I've done. Trying to earn still being here.  But for a whole week plus. I'm back to square one.  Reaching for a rifle that's not there. Smelling burnt flesh from nowhere. And being so edgy I can't sleep in bed with my wife. Good thing the couch is comfy.  
 
So in conclusion, if you see a vet on the fourth of July or a week or so later. And they look like they are jumpy.  Think of this. And be there for them.  Its a long road to being OK.  Maybe one day I'll talk about swerving to miss anything in the road in front of me. Especially pot holes.  That's a whole nother  story. But this is more than enough for today.  
 
God speed, and enjoy freedom.  Its worth the sacrifice.
 
"Balls of the eagle!"
 
Ssgt. M. Trepanier
 
 
 
 
 

more trench coat reference. Let's make this happen people!
 




 

 

These are black Officer, aren't they  ? That looks great and would be useful for Missions outside the house when the weather is not so nice. I also hope this will be a accessory for the Officer costume.

Did someone say (black) staff officers with BLACK coat??!! Oh please oh please, I hope this can become an optional accessory
 

Awesome Donny. Congratulations on your first troop!

Krennics rank bar is too low 

Unfortunately, I will be spending this holiday-- like I have the last 2 Christmases, New Years and Thanksgivings.. at work. Also unfortunately, I happen to be working in a retail store this year, so I get the added excitement of surviving the Black Friday hoardes. Nonetheless, well-wishes to everyone this Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to those who observe it.

Hope all had a great day and an un-chaotic Black Friday.

HAPPY THANKS GIVIN
 

Stuffed! Now I know my uniform won't fit.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Hopefully you were able to take a few minutes for yourself tonight. Sorry to hear you are stuck at work.

Sorry to hear you will be working. Happy Thanksgiving though.

Sorry to hear you will be working. Happy Thanksgiving though.