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Re-enactment Group Politics


hbtcoveralls
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Not trying to be funny here, but I always wondered.... How does a re-enactor choose his rank? I would think that most would want to be the CO or at least a staff/master sergeant. So is it decided by the group who is what rank or do guys rotate? I mean a squad of one private with the rest being a sergeant or above would look a little silly.

 

Just wondering.

 

 

Good question and there are several things to consider:

 

Ratio of officers and NCO's to grunts. Just look at the standard section or squad from the era and service you are reenacting and you'll see that there are usually several privates, a Lance Corporal or Corporal, a Sergeant, a Lieutenant and maybe one more senior officer.

 

Age appropriate rank: there weren't many privates in their fifties, unless you're doing a Volksturm impression, so don't have an officer who doesn't shave yet commanding a geriatric section. I'm 55 years old and depending on which impression I'm doing I'm the following ranks:

 

18th Field Engineer Coy, R.C.E. Major

5th Special Forces First Sergeant

25th I.D. E8

5th GebirgsJager Gefreiter

 

All ranks are age appropriate for the country and arm of service.

 

Further, many of the larger, well established units will issue you your rank based upon their needs and length of service with their unit. One of my reenacting groups, the 5th GebirgsJager recently promoted a StabsFeldWebel to Leutnant in recognition of his efforts in attracting new recruits to the unit, so sometimes merit can come into play, just like the real world. Hope this helps, Derek.

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private panda

I'm still in high school (senior), and have only been reenacting for a few years. However, I've been a JROTC nazi for most of those years, and recognize rank BS when I see it. The unit I'm trying to join here in Austin, mostly WW2, has the rank problem a lot. Our captain is the director of the museum we're based at, and tends to gon power trips of Timothy Leary proportions. I also tried to join a ww2 equine unit, but left the group after the leader kept sending REAL political messages that were extremely offensive.

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Sgt_Rock_EasyCo
I'm still in high school (senior), and have only been reenacting for a few years. However, I've been a JROTC nazi for most of those years, and recognize rank BS when I see it. The unit I'm trying to join here in Austin, mostly WW2, has the rank problem a lot. Our captain is the director of the museum we're based at, and tends to gon power trips of Timothy Leary proportions. I also tried to join a ww2 equine unit, but left the group after the leader kept sending REAL political messages that were extremely offensive.

 

I know reenacting is not real. In life, you will run across individuals of all persuasions. Some of them are not nice, some are prejudice in various forms, some are good guys and some are not. This is life and it's part of the layers of reenacting also. This is also what you run across at the work place and in the military. The difference is that in the military you can't use being "offended" to not work with someone. You have to deal with them. Tell them off once and then continue mission.

 

Rock

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Rock, if you ever get an interest to get back into Vietnam reenacting, let me know. I will get you out to one of our events and maybe you will find "home." our guys would eat up everything you've said in this thread and welcome you with open arms.

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Sgt_Rock_EasyCo
Rock, if you ever get an interest to get back into Vietnam reenacting, let me know. I will get you out to one of our events and maybe you will find "home." our guys would eat up everything you've said in this thread and welcome you with open arms.

 

 

Thanks.

 

I've got some stuff left that I'm giving to a buddy that does Vietnam Displays.

 

Rock

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