sundancekat

So....whaddya think of my ISB uniform??
 

That's why I stay away from their stuff - if you read the REALLY fine print on their site, they say their costumes are meant for 5'8" to 6'1" (maybe 6'2") with a "normal" body

I am 6'6" with a 38 inch inseam (Doc told me once if my torso had ever caught up to my legs I'd be around 7'2").  The Jacket probably would fit, the pants wouldn't have a chance in hades.

39.  
My question is now: Why not consider trying to become an intergral part of IOC by more interaction and involvement than basically coming from nowhere and idleness on IOC to becoming its DL?

With all due respect this is being repeated because despite your lengthy waffling on you did not actually answer the question. 

Feel free to waffle but within it you actually do need to answer the question which from what I read in your response you did not.



Take on things my appraisal of what is happening.  I have known the leadership for many years now.  They do not hide their opinions on different matters.  And some of my conversations with them have simply been “This is the way it is” with no interest in change.  I tried to bring things up in the forums….not to any good effect.  I am not a political man, I have never had an interest in running, but when I am told that my ideas are shut out and the only way to get them considered is to run for office, that is how you get me to run for office.  Strangely my personal interaction with the many IOC members I know outside of the forums are very different.  Our ideas are very similar.  If that is the only place where that kind of change can happen, that is where I go.  How can you create effective change if you can only get into a group by showing rigid loyalty to individuals and uniformity of thought?

So now I am involved and we are going to put it to a vote, for those people that will be able to vote.  (that is a topic for the next question). 

40.  With the Q & A portion of the elections winding down, I would like to take a moment to make a few comments and observations, and then pose one last question to BOTH candidates.
I say "both" because lets be honest; The "third party" candidate we have - like many recent American elections - is effectively only there as a protest vote. He hasn't deemed it worthy of his time to grace us with so much as an introduction.
This is my first time going through elections with the 501st, but - and this may be against the rules, the norm, or logistically unfeasible but I would like voting to take place within the forums of the respective Detachment because:
It would encourage Detachment members to show up at least once a year. If even a quarter of the people who only logged in to vote actually stuck around, the boards - and by extension the Detachment would be made stronger. A perspective voter would have to make an effort to exercise their voting privilege. And if a voter doesn't bother to do their due diligence, we would all be better served if they abstained. I also think if a candidate DOESN'T bother to at the very least show up to publicly accept their nomination ON THE FORUMS, that they should automatically have their candidacy rescinded.
Although none of what I just said is a question per se, feel free to let me know if I'm off base or on to something.
 
Now, on to my final question;
To BOTH candidates, you have raised good points in the Q & A's.  What, if any of your opponent's ideas would you like to implement during your run as our Detachment Leader and why.
If there isn't one that you would use, please pick one that you DON'T like in particular and explain why it lacks merit.
 
Thank you both for putting yourselves out there, there have been a fair share of awkward moments and it can't have been entirely comfortable.
Regardless of the outcome, I look forward to your leadership in the coming year, and if you're there meeting you in Orlando.


First… where is he?  He accepted the nomination on the legion board, so did he make it in here?  Does he know how to make it in?  Was he run over by a car?  I didn’t know that there was a special section for 501st approved members.  Guess what?  A lot of people that are imperial officers in the legion don’t know that.  Some of the people that made CRLs like Agent Kallus and Grand Moff Tarkin were surprised to learn that and the Kallus CRL was made just last year!

I didn’t know I couldn’t get in.  I was pointed to the right thread with the instructions, but it is not entirely easy to understand, but some friends told me what exactly they were looking for and how to post it.  Then some people called out for me to be approved to get access.  That is how I got in to answer questions a day after it opened.  Maybe that other guy didn’t have that kind of luck that I did or have the assistance I received.
I agree with Mark in how he wants to increase the participation of the IOC.  We need to help more people as he said and we need to promote more people to come here. 

Where we differ is how we do that.  He doesn’t elaborate on his plan and he talks as if it was just centered around more people coming here.  I believe in using social media to touch more people on a day by day basis.  This would not change the importance of the forums and the business that happens there, it would be a tool to bring more people in. A closed Facebook group is not meant to conduct business that should happen on the forums, it is a means of reaching people in a private matter to let them know that important things will be happening on the forums.  I have also stated how to accelerated the incorporation of costumes and promote what can be done for the CRLS.  I have also stated how you can track our progress and metrics for the coming year.  There are no means of measuring success I have seen presented by my opponent. 

Where I differ greatly from him is when he says the forums are the IOC.  YOU are the IOC.  Our membership is out there.  The forums are a tool.  Some tools you use forever.  Some tools you use more than others.  You add tools to your tool belt as you get older, but tools suit the job at hand.  YOU are the IOC and tools must serve you and everyone else in the group.  The IOC is not one individual.  It exists for a mission, not a select few and not for me, but for everyone that serves in these costumes.

I look forward to seeing you in Orlando.

41.
I know I'm walking in on the tail end of this, and many before me have asked wonderful questions. Congratulations on you all for being it this far, and I'm going to try and start this with a decent lead into the question.

I've been a Legion member now seven years as of the 27th of this month. I've only got one costume, a Bridge Crewman, haven't traveled that extensively, tend to stay in my lane for the most part and not make waves.

This year, some fool nominated me for what you bunch are taking questions for. I declined, one because I have no great desire for leadership, and two because I knew that would be like putting a turtle on a fencepost. But, it did get me thinking that I want to help my only Detachment more.

So, here's the questions: Where do fools like me fit in to the picture? How can we help get from the point A of today to the point B of this time next year?

Thank you for your time, and good luck.

Ben,

It is good to meet you.  You and people like you are an integral part of the legion.  You have already made the biggest leap, you wear an 501st costume in public.  A lot of people who have interest in joining would never make that leap, but you did.  And that makes you special and valued.  The more members come to an event, the more impressive it is and more exciting it is for the public. 

I hope you get involved in any way that you feel comfortable in moving forward.  Improve your costume to get the level 2 or 3 certifications, start making a new costume… or even consider to make one of the new costumes that have not yet been approved.  Join in here and meet others and discuss your favorite subjects.  Or best of all ask the command staff where you can help.  Let them know what you do and what you like to do and I am sure they will find you something that you both would like and be good at. 

When I started, I came from a very sparsely populated state.  The closest other legion member came from another state more than 70 miles away.  I had to drive hours to go to events that were not very well attended.  Sometimes it would be only three of us, but we made it look like the Rose Bowl parade in 2007.  The kids and people we saw loved it.  The other members that came to the event valued us supporting each other.  In the years since, we formed our own garrison in West Virginia and brought in several dozen new members.  It isn’t quite as lonely as it was long ago, but I remember what it was like and I empathize with those not fully engaged.  I was fortunate in those early years to be adopted by a few other garrisons.  Bloodfin in Indiana, New England Garrison and the Dutch Garrison are like family to me and they have a special place in my heart.  They adopted a fool like myself and kept my enthusiasm up.  Keep your spirit going with trooping.  We both need it.

Sit down and figure out what you want to do in the next couple of years.  The beauty of many costumes is that they can build off earlier gathered material.  Offer yourself to volunteer and DO reach out to meet other members, particularly members of the IOC.  No matter where you go or how active you are you are an ambassador for us.  And everyone here would love to have your energy and industry to help us build.

A final statement before the voting.  We have entered a new era with Star Wars.  Every year until the end of our lives there will be new material that we can costume.  We need to quickly adapt to that and service the broadest number of members that belong or want to belong to this detachment.  We do not have to compromise quality.  We do not have to give up the things that we have enjoyed using before.  But we do have to be responsive.

1.  Increasing membership participation by adding new platforms for communication adopting best practices used by other detachments.
2.  Surveying and listing what costumes can potentially be added on a yearly basis.
3.  The creation of a private wiki to better store costume research for the development of CRLs.
4.  Aggressive promotion of level 1 CRL creation (no more paralysis by analysis).
5. Creation of metrics to show participation levels by active members of the IOC (inside the forums and without) .
6.  The use of Process sherpas (previous CRL creators) to help potential CRL creators with the process of getting their new costumes approved.
7.  A matching service for those that request assistance in costume creation with the closest physical IOC member that has the costume they want, to meet up in person.

Even if I do not win, these ideas are out there they will be advocated regardless.  Metrics will be collected to show our progress.  I may not run again, but I will see these ideas carried through to fruition.  Everyone here has value.  Everyone here has a say and the mission of the IOC will be to serve everyone in a principled stewardship.  Our processes serve us.  When they don’t they need to be changed.  This is for fun.  When it stops being fun, something dark has happened and we need to get back to it being fun…  for everyone.

Thank you for your consideration.

I know I'm walking in on the tail end of this, and many before me have asked wonderful questions. Congratulations on you all for being it this far, and I'm going to try and start this with a decent lead into the question.

I've been a Legion member now seven years as of the 27th of this month. I've only got one costume, a Bridge Crewman, haven't traveled that extensively, tend to stay in my lane for the most part and not make waves.

This year, some fool nominated me for what you bunch are taking questions for. I declined, one because I have no great desire for leadership, and two because I knew that would be like putting a turtle on a fencepost. But, it did get me thinking that I want to help my only Detachment more.

So, here's the questions: Where do fools like me fit in to the picture? How can we help get from the point A of today to the point B of this time next year?

Thank you for your time, and good luck.

Sent from my XT1635-01 using Tapatalk

Ooh ooh ooh, we finally have an in-universe answer for this one!  The Rogue One Visual Guide indicates that it is a "Private datapad contained in shockproof case".  For those with the book, check out page 121, the picture of Lieutenant Mytus Adema.
 
(and then check out the previous page where we get an in-universe justification for the "non-uniform" rank badges. )

I would like to extend this question, originally directed only to Bob, to the other two candidates as well.  Rob and Mark: What actions in the past year did you undertake to help with the backlog of CRL work needing to be done?  
 
Followup question to Mark: based on the comment above, it seems that the CRL backlog is due to administrative actions needing to be performed by the Detachment Leader, which BJ was not able to complete in a timely manner due to real life concerns.  Again, based on the comment above, it sounds like this work may have been restricted to Detachment staff only, and could not be performed by non-staff members.  Therefore, as the Detachment XO, what did you do to help alleviate this issue and ensure that CRL documentation was not allowed to languish indefinitely?
 
Finally, one question directed to all three candidates.  It has been stated at least once in this question thread that the Detachment Leader position can be quite time consuming.  Rob: Do you hold any other staff positions within the Legion, or do you have any other outside commitments that would prevent you from dedicating enough time to this position?  Bob: You've stated you hold no other Legion staff positions this year.  Do you have any outside commitments that would prevent you from dedicating enough time to this position?  Mark:  You've stated that you hold a Staff position in the FISD, as well as your Garrison's GML position for the coming year.  Do you have enough free time to dedicate to three time-consuming positions, without letting one or more of them suffer?  (Do you sleep?  What's your secret?  )
 
Thank you to all candidates for reading and responding, and I look forward to your answers.

Ooh ooh ooh, we finally have an in-universe answer for this one!  The Rogue One Visual Guide indicates that it is a "Private datapad contained in shockproof case".  For those with the book, check out page 121, the picture of Lieutenant Mytus Adema.
 
(and then check out the previous page where we get an in-universe justification for the "non-uniform" rank badges. )

Ooh ooh ooh, we finally have an in-universe answer for this one!  The Rogue One Visual Guide indicates that it is a "Private datapad contained in shockproof case".  For those with the book, check out page 121, the picture of Lieutenant Mytus Adema.
 
(and then check out the previous page where we get an in-universe justification for the "non-uniform" rank badges. )

Ooh ooh ooh, we finally have an in-universe answer for this one!  The Rogue One Visual Guide indicates that it is a "Private datapad contained in shockproof case".  For those with the book, check out page 121, the picture of Lieutenant Mytus Adema.
 
(and then check out the previous page where we get an in-universe justification for the "non-uniform" rank badges. )

Ooh ooh ooh, we finally have an in-universe answer for this one!  The Rogue One Visual Guide indicates that it is a "Private datapad contained in shockproof case".  For those with the book, check out page 121, the picture of Lieutenant Mytus Adema.
 
(and then check out the previous page where we get an in-universe justification for the "non-uniform" rank badges. )

Definitely for carrying their smokes. You'll notice by the time the FO has risen to power, smoking has become a bit of a taboo..hence why those Officers don't wear boxes. They do however appear to be avid fans of Vaping!


Four of them...this guy has a serious habit!

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The Emperor give me the head of a special force of Mandalorian women. (my wife and my two daughters)
 

 

I would not write off riding boots yet as the ones he wore in the panel did not look like the ones on display the cape also looked different 

I'm going to have to get one of those lightsaber umbrellas now. I'd never thought of carrying a theme-appropriate umbrella! Then again, I've only done one outdoor troop with nasty weather, and we were thankfully able to spend most of our time under a shelter, so it hasn't been much of a concern for me yet.
this reply was pecked out on my phone in tapatalk

A lot of people take this too seriously. Like WAY too seriously, because they play plastic spaceman WAY better than me! If it's raining, get under an umbrella. My Garrison is very relaxed with things like this, as long as the costume looks great. The point of this club is to promote Star Wars Costumes, and have fun. If you are worried, ask the EC if an umbrella is okay.

Become Admiral of the Death Squadron they said , it'll be fun they said ...

This was Carl. Don't be like Carl. No one liked Carl.

Be like Firmus. He was promoted. Was in two movies. Went down with his ship.
Oo-Rah!
Be like Firmus.

Ben, you are seriously my hero. Way to represent, trooper!
pecked out on my phone in tapatalk wheee

Many of my coworkers are huge geeks, so they enjoy hearing about my trooping adventures. My boss regularly asks me about the 501st because he's so amazed an organization like this even exists.
I've also "trooped" my office: showed up in full uniform before a TFA showing last year to hand out Imperial citations, and last week I suited up at the office so I wouldn't have to strip in a shopping center parking lot before a weekday troop. Not everybody understands it, but they all think it's neat that I turned my costuming super-hobby into a way to do some good in the community.
pecked out on my phone in tapatalk wheee

5 OF 5- MAY 4 MADERA CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL VISIT - 4 OF 5
 
This was set up by Izzy's wife, who is a nurse at Madera Children's Hospital, to have a May the Fourth visit to sick kids. We visited the playroom and then three or four different units to see kids in their beds with parents taking pictures. Because of risk of infection, no gloves were allowed; we had to gel in and out of each room with hand sanitizer. It was very rewarding to see the smiles on the kids faces and the excitement of the parents when we came into the rooms. An amazing start to my Star Wars day!
 

 

 

 

 

5 OF 5- MAY 3 VIGIL FOR FALLEN VETERAN JOHN SALLES- 3 OF 5
 
This was another troop very close to my heart. We were contacted by a former CCG member on May 2nd that her long time friend, veteran, and sci-fi fan John had passed away, succumbing to his injuries received 4 years prior when his black hawk helicopter was shot down in Iraq. Diane could not attend his service now that she lives in Tennessee, and was hoping a small contingent of troopers could come to his viewing on Tuesday. I decided to take the lead to honor this incredible man and called around for a last minute troop to stand vigil in uniform at his viewing. John had just received his Anovos TK kit and would work on it when he wasn't sick. He had been in and out of VA hospitals for four years, and decided for his last year to move in with his Mother, brave the pain, and travel the world in his remaining time. Being a huge history buff, he went to London and France, walking the sites of WWII battles and exploring the bunkers on Normandy's beaches. John was a police officer, war veteran, historical reenactor, and science fiction fan, who would be buried in his prop uniform worn by Leonard Nimoy in Wrath of Kahn, I had to honor this guy! My friend Rebecca was able to step up last minute and troop with me in her TK, which John would've loved. We stood silent vigil at the casket the last 2 hours of the viewing to see him out, and the family was so happy that they wanted our pictures and thanked us with hugs and hand shakes, it was an amazing experience, and one I will never forget.