REMEMBER 173rd AIRBORNE 2007

[BIGGREG]

We did a Reenactment to REMEMBER operation Rock Avalanche made by 173rd 2nd 503rd from the 19th to the 25th October 2007.

Here are some pictures

 

 

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and some more

 

 

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and more....

 

 

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and some more

 

 

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and a couple more

 

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some troopers having MRE

 

 

[BIGGREG]

 

The REMEMBER group

 

You can check more about Operation Rock Avalanche on the web

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Rock_Avalanche

on the website of the SKY SOLDIERS

and also take a look at the great documentary

RESTREPO

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Restrepo_(film)

[willysmb44]

I’ve been a historical re-enactor since I was 6 years old and have never agreed with the whole, “You shouldn’t wear that patch or uniform unless you served in real life” argument when addressing a historical-themed event for a long-ago timeframe.

That said, I’m torn between being impressed with the correct equipment and wondering about doing an event with full insignia and uniforms that are currently used by the entire US Army at this moment. I dabbled briefly in airsoft stuff a few years ago, so I get what you were doing with this and I DO understand your intentions were noble. I just can’t get past what others will think of this. Re-enacting a modern timeframe is a little odd to me and will be deeply offensive to some.

Still, I must also admit that your group did their homework. If anything, they have MORE of the stuff you’d likely see in the sandbox in that timeframe. That command was infamous for an overall lack of discipline in that timeframe, so their standards got pretty lax. You can watch the film to see what I mean. I showed these photos to a co-worker who was in that campaign (and now a happy civilian). Once we got past his initial reaction, he started looking at the equipment. He pointed out some “my specific fire team didn’t do that” nitpicking stuff, he said that he saw items that wouldn’t have been carried because the chain of command let individuals get away with a lot of personalization. Also, “No way were we that clean except when we first stepped off the bird,” he said.

[rr01]

Very nice depiction, gentlemen. No matter what comments are posted here you should consider each a part of the learning experience so you can keep improving. Over time you will undoubtedly have a presentation worthy of what really took place. Of course you will never be able to replicate the true emotions of those events but you can still offer homage to what took place. Keep at it!!!!

[Darktrooper]

Way too soon to be "reenacting" ANYTHING from OEF/OIF.

[BIGGREG]

I’ve been a historical re-enactor since I was 6 years old and have never agreed with the whole, “You shouldn’t wear that patch or uniform unless you served in real life” argument when addressing a historical-themed event for a long-ago timeframe.

That said, I’m torn between being impressed with the correct equipment and wondering about doing an event with full insignia and uniforms that are currently used by the entire US Army at this moment. I dabbled briefly in airsoft stuff a few years ago, so I get what you were doing with this and I DO understand your intentions were noble. I just can’t get past what others will think of this. Re-enacting a modern timeframe is a little odd to me and will be deeply offensive to some.

Still, I must also admit that your group did their homework. If anything, they have MORE of the stuff you’d likely see in the sandbox in that timeframe. That command was infamous for an overall lack of discipline in that timeframe, so their standards got pretty lax. You can watch the film to see what I mean. I showed these photos to a co-worker who was in that campaign (and now a happy civilian). Once we got past his initial reaction, he started looking at the equipment. He pointed out some “my specific fire team didn’t do that” nitpicking stuff, he said that he saw items that wouldn’t have been carried because the chain of command let individuals get away with a lot of personalization. Also, “No way were we that clean except when we first stepped off the bird,” he said.

 

Thank you for your comments.. I understand them 100%..

I know it's difficult to re-enact a unit "that soon" but this reenactment was dedicated to friends that were in Afghanistan and they loved it (their words.."remembering us and our fight really touched us")

Do the reenactment without the patches it would be wrong then it will not been reenactment but "airsoft" but i understand none of us earned the right to be a "sky soldier" we just wanted to REMEMBER their fights, their sacrifices.

 

I know we were too clean this is part of the work that we are doing now ( we try to improve every day)

Anyway thanks for the comments thanks for the critics and thank your friend for his service

Greg

[BIGGREG]

Very nice depiction, gentlemen. No matter what comments are posted here you should consider each a part of the learning experience so you can keep improving. Over time you will undoubtedly have a presentation worthy of what really took place. Of course you will never be able to replicate the true emotions of those events but you can still offer homage to what took place. Keep at it!!!!

 

Thank you very much... :-) we will do our best to make every time better...

[BIGGREG]

Way too soon to be "reenacting" ANYTHING from OEF/OIF.

 

Thank you for your comment... I undestand your point...

Thank you for your Service

[squirrely]

Way too soon to be "reenacting" ANYTHING from OEF/OIF.

 

I hate to be that guy, but I tend to agree with this...

 

Aside from that, it's a nice 'impression'. What's the guy with an assault pack carrying?

[BIGGREG]

I hate to be that guy, but I tend to agree with this...

 

just a question....why wait 40/50/60/70 years to Remembering and thanking Us Soldiers and Veterans? :think:

 

Aside from that, it's a nice 'impression'. What's the guy with an assault pack carrying?

 

can you tell me which one?

[squirrely]

can you tell me which one?

 

 

This guy. Just curious, that's all.

[willysmb44]

I know it's difficult to re-enact a unit "that soon" but this reenactment was dedicated to friends that were in Afghanistan and they loved it (their words.."remembering us and our fight really touched us")

Do the reenactment without the patches it would be wrong then it will not been reenactment but "airsoft" but i understand none of us earned the right to be a "sky soldier" we just wanted to REMEMBER their fights, their sacrifices.

I know we were too clean this is part of the work that we are doing now ( we try to improve every day)

Anyway thanks for the comments thanks for the critics and thank your friend for his service

Greg,

I’m glad you took my comment as it was intended. It’s surprising (in a good way) that you didn’t get worse feedback than you have as this forum isn’t very re-enactor friendly from time to time. There’s an awful lot of, “you didn’t EARN that shoulder patch” talk going on here, even for re-enactors wearing uniforms that have been outdate decades ago.

I know that when I put together the local Desert Storm group for the 20th anniversary of that war, we got more than a few, “It’s too soon,” reactions online and in person at events. I responded that we didn’t think it was right for the veterans to be well past retirement age before they knew people appreciated their actions. That usually shut them all up. Most of us were portraying either line grunts or rear-echelon types anyway, so few took issues with insignia. It also shut some folks down when we explained that three of us were IN that war (one of us with the Argentinian Army, but they were equipped with US gear and uniforms). I have friends who do Vietnam events, and they tell me they’re also often told it’s “too soon”. I’ve heard it a few times for WW2 as well. Most folks feel it’s okay to do Civil War, so I have no idea how many years have to pass before it’s no longer, “too soon”.

I was just thinking about it in the context of you wearing current Army uniforms and insignia. I don’t have a problem with it because you did it in the correct context and it doesn’t look like you’re trying to pass yourselves off as current US Army soldiers to the public. In my mind, that’s fine. I would, however take issue if your group had decided to start wearing SF tabs and the like. That’s a key reason why I so quickly soured on airsoft and got out of it as a hobby as people there will often try to re-create modern uniforms then get into arguments with others on who has the ‘right’ to do so. But I take from your tone that it sounds unlikely that your group would do that. It appears to me you have a defined ‘line’ on what is and isn’t correct.

Lee (former US Army Captain)

[BIGGREG]

 

This guy. Just curious, that's all.

 

I have an M4+M203 the guy in the middle has a M4 and the guy on the right also..you can't see it..

[BIGGREG]

Greg,

I’m glad you took my comment as it was intended. It’s surprising (in a good way) that you didn’t get worse feedback than you have as this forum isn’t very re-enactor friendly from time to time. There’s an awful lot of, “you didn’t EARN that shoulder patch” talk going on here, even for re-enactors wearing uniforms that have been outdate decades ago.

I know that when I put together the local Desert Storm group for the 20th anniversary of that war, we got more than a few, “It’s too soon,” reactions online and in person at events. I responded that we didn’t think it was right for the veterans to be well past retirement age before they knew people appreciated their actions. That usually shut them all up. Most of us were portraying either line grunts or rear-echelon types anyway, so few took issues with insignia. It also shut some folks down when we explained that three of us were IN that war (one of us with the Argentinian Army, but they were equipped with US gear and uniforms). I have friends who do Vietnam events, and they tell me they’re also often told it’s “too soon”. I’ve heard it a few times for WW2 as well. Most folks feel it’s okay to do Civil War, so I have no idea how many years have to pass before it’s no longer, “too soon”.

I was just thinking about it in the context of you wearing current Army uniforms and insignia. I don’t have a problem with it because you did it in the correct context and it doesn’t look like you’re trying to pass yourselves off as current US Army soldiers to the public. In my mind, that’s fine. I would, however take issue if your group had decided to start wearing SF tabs and the like. That’s a key reason why I so quickly soured on airsoft and got out of it as a hobby as people there will often try to re-create modern uniforms then get into arguments with others on who has the ‘right’ to do so. But I take from your tone that it sounds unlikely that your group would do that. It appears to me you have a defined ‘line’ on what is and isn’t correct.

Lee (former US Army Captain)

WOW...

well as you said we did not earn the patches and ranks so we really feel bad (bad in sense that maybe we might offend Veterans/Active duty personnel) to wear them (from WW2 until today's Reenactments) our goal is NOT to pretend to be active duty...we have to many friends that are serving in the US ARMY and as respect for them we would never do anything to offend them or any veteran. Our idea as a reenacting group is to portray the best we can US ARMY-MARINES-NAVY-AIR FORCE from ww2 until today.

for the SF tabs/medals ect. we don't like to show off we try to stay humble and to explain to the public what we do and how we do it... they are the center of our work we are only living mannequins.

 

I'll post some picture of a reenactment we did with a friend of ours an active duty SGT. in the 2nd Cav.

[Mercenary25]

Modern reenact is pointless... Why?

 

-too soon

-many veterans are still alive and young

-because of modern media, there is plenty of REAL photos so why need to portray them?

-one day pictures will be mixed up as real reference photos making us harder to find them.

-The term,"Modern Reenactors" is often used by airsofters as excuse to post on my forum.

-I don't know if you guys do airsoft but it is ruining the Ox2 collecting world.

 

Better way to remember the veterans is set up displays in exhibits on tables and mannequins instead of wearing them for a photo op.

 

Just my .02 cents.

[BIGGREG]

I understand your point...

Just remember that most of our Active duty friends were very pleased for what we did...so we decided to do this kind of reenactment after "asking their permission"...

if i may I'm posting some picture with our friend in the Army (now in Fort Hood)

[BIGGREG]

 

we did this event and he thought us a lot of stuff about equipment and he was talking all the time to the public explaining and showing all of it...

It was a blast for him and we were very happy to be there and the most important thing is that a lot of people enjoyed our presence and the fact that we are doing this even if it's "too soon"

 

The active duty is the guy with the TAN vest and the baseball hat

[BIGGREG]

by the way we are not Airsofters all our guns are "replicas" or Demiltarized (not functional)

:w00t:

 

[BIGGREG]

I really hope that we did not offend any Veteran of OIF or OEF our goal, as a I said before, is Remembering you and what you did and..

THANKING you for your Service.