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TD-92698 "Plainsrunner" Tour of Duty


Plainsrunner
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This is the beginning of my tour of duty log.    I managed to get out to the Iron City Cosplay Day in Birmingham, Alabama.    It is not a charity event, but it was a great opportunity for me to get out into the public in my armor for about 4 hours.   The event benefits the Sloss Furnace museum and preservation, and professional photographers come out and do free photo shoots for everyone.    

I was also able to meet and connect with several members of the Alabama Garrison.    It was the perfect first outing for my kit!    

My favorite photo of me from the event:

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Official Troop #1.     Our Garrison was contacted by the 42nd OSS at Maxwell Airforce Base in Montgomery Alabama.    We were asked to help them out with a video they are producing, and several of us answered the call of duty.    

I learned several things on this troop:

1.  My belt is too small.   It was too small when they sent it to me because I've lost a couple pounds since.    One of our handlers fixed it with a velcro shim so that it would stay on.   I've either got to get another belt, continue to use the shim, or lose some more weight.   

2.  The right side release buckle on my field pack is bad and won't hold.   My pack started coming off after filming several scenes.   In two of the three photos below you will notice I don't have my pack on.   I had to ditch it the rest of the day since it wouldn't stay on.     I've ordered black aluminum replacements.   THOSE should stay on. 

3.  I really need to find the magic mix for my helmet.   I still don't have any amount of articulation with the helmet.   It essentially just sits on me without me being able to turn it at all.   Would a band like the kind that are in hardhats work?

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Today was the Annual Huntsville Alabama Spina Bifida Bowl-A-Thon.     I took the kit out again with some of the fixes from last weekend and they worked.   The new field pack buckles worked great, the belt fix held.    However, a new problem cropped up --  my mic didn't work.    It was charged, the speaker was on, and all of the other basic stuff was correct.    It just wouldn't work.    I didn't even change any settings since last time -- but it decided it just wasn't going to troop today.    

So I shall be exploring and troubleshooting my audio issues this week.     Anyway, despite the hitch the day was a  lot of fun:

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On 4/28/2018 at 9:37 PM, Plainsrunner said:

This field pack breaks my back after about an hour though.   Not sure if there is anything I can really do about it though.....

Suck it up and troop on! LOL, in all seriousness though, I wear mine as long as physically possible and then take a break. Sometimes I put it back on and sometimes I troop without it. I prefer the look WITH but you have to choose your battles.

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2 minutes ago, Airborne Trooper said:

Suck it up and troop on! LOL, in all seriousness though, I wear mine as long as physically possible and then take a break. Sometimes I put it back on and sometimes I troop without it. I prefer the look WITH but you have to choose your battles.

Yep.   I go with it for about an hour, then I take it off for a while, and then I put it back on.   lol    It's rough!   I prefer the look with it on though -- just adds that extra badass to the look.

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A busy May 4th across the Legion I'm guessing!      I did my official troop at the Children's Hospital of Alabama:

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Later that evening some of us went over to the Back Forty Beer Company for Star Wars Night to hang out unofficially:

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  • 2 weeks later...

Birmingham Barons Star Wars Night on 5/18

Each time I troop I learn a little more about what works.  A constant source of frustration has been the bucket and the headset.   I'm sure most of you have experienced the battery getting in the way of you putting on and taking off your helmet.   I'm also sure that this process presents issues with keeping your headset in the right position on your head.    I solved both of these issues by moving the battery and the headset to a velcro mount in the front of the helmet under the mouth.    I also solved the lack of control over my helmet by mounting a hardhat suspension (the inside straps) into my helmet and secured the mounting bracket with industrial velcro.    I first tried hot glue but the process of putting on and taking off my helmet would break the mounts off.   With velcro if they come loose you just put them back on.      

I tried my new configuration at the Barons game Star Wars night this past Friday.    At any given time I had 100 people standing in line for pictures.  This was the first time a large number of the Garrison officers were present to see my wife performing handling duties and they were amazed at the job she did.    

All kinks with the helmet have been worked out.   The ONLY remaining issue is getting my voice effects loud enough to be heard in a public environment without resulting in feedback.    I'm working on what urgently this week.    

Obligatory photo of the troop:

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** I also still have issues with my shoulders and upper back hurting with the field pack.    I have ordered an upper back/neck support brace and will try that out on Thursday night.   If that helps with the field pack, even just a little bit, then I'll be set from now on!

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