Stolen Valor Tournament re-begins tomorrow
OK, so I’ve been on travel for two weeks at the Virginia and California Boys State programs. It was more intensive than I had hoped for, and my internet was absolute crap. Also, my laptop is dying, so my mouse won’t work in the USB port anymore. Which sucks.
Anyway, I entered all the posts, and hopefully Jonn or Hondo will post them, since I am headed to Gettysburg to participate in the reenactment of the 150th anniversary of said battle. Should be hella fun, despite the fact I am utterly exhausted and I don’t know how my body will deal with camp living.
Now, needless to say, internet service could suck. So I might not be on, but hopefully the posts will get put up.
In the meantime though, I give you a sock puppet with my beard and Don Shipley’s hair. It’s my way of an apology.
Category: Politics
The puppet needs a name!
Also, if it has TSO’s beard and Shipley’s hair, whose eyes are those? (I suspect they are the all seeing eyes that watch for valor vultures).
TSO. hope you have a great time at the 150th. I did the 135th and it was awesome. I still have all my gear but unfortunately I doubt if i will ever take the field again.
TSO – Toss the laptop, get an iPad. Have fun on the Battlefield.
On to round 2. Monkress FTW! (Or is that lose?)
Perfect picture. Have fun at Gettysburg.
Laptop sounds done! lol I had my problems and shares with em. Enjoy Gettysburg!
Monkress at least has a finals place.
The “Punk” will not be denied!
CA Boys State sounded a little more challenging than the one in VA. Try to enjoy Gettysburg, looks like a muggy and rainy week. Guess that’s better than a heat wave.
“Dying laptop” is why I detest laptops.
My sister has had 10 Mac laptops in 15 years.
My desktop is 10 years old and still kicking. Must be on Broadway.
Who’s hips? Don’t give the Monkress conspirators ammo. Enjoy GETTYSBURG. It always put life back in perspective for me.
Anyone care to explain how the reenactment works? is all staged? do you have to know the story and so forth? I’ve never been to one but sound pretty cool to be honest.
@11, lost, it’s like pro wrestling, everyone knows the Union wins.
Attention combat Eng.. Remember William Blake. Snuff the b allot boxes. Blake FTW. Joe
After following the Boy’s State Saga I will be excited when the tourney returns!
@11, Reenactments especially Civil War ones are pretty popular, in particular on the East coast and South. They have events every summer and tend to have larger ones for the major battles at 5 year intervals. Groups of reenactors from an area get together and decide to do a certain unit ( example Co E, 78th Pa Infantry) They usually have a side group that does civilians so the women and children can partake. Units get together ( both north and South) to form umbrella organizations that find sites and set up events.
There is usually a script to follow. The basic premise is there are two battles a day, each side wins once.In the major anniversary events they spread it out over a few days, picking parts of the battle that sort of even out the North- South winning part, For example the 135 anniversary had The Rebs win Seminary Ridge, the Peach Orchard and Wheat Field scenarios whike the Yanks won Culps Hill, Little Round top and Pickett’s charge. The guys going in are pretty savvy and understand they will win or lose and take “hits” accordingly.
I grew up about 2 miles west of Gettysburg, and I remember some very colorful characters among the reenactors. One guy walked to Gettysburg barefoot. He was a “rebel,” so God only knows from where and how far he came. Every year the reenactors would argue about who was going to win that year.
I read in the paper, last week, that a 3/4 ton statue was blown over by the wind at “The Angle.” Be careful TSO.
@16, Yes some of the folks who reenact are pretty colorful, both in good and bad ways. I’ve met a few that were pretty out there, some of who were stolen valor types, lied about everything including their real life military service. Definatley more than a few people who were escaping reality.
on the other hand I’ve met people that came from all walks of life, including retired and active duty Military that went out of their way to help people out and educate the public about the war. Some were as knowledgeable as college history professors.
As far as uniforms and gear there are reenactors that buy or hand make items that could trick museum curators, if not for the age. Guys go as far as growing their hair and beards to 1860s fashion and make their own Hardtack, ground coffee and salt pork rations.
What No beans? Joe
@ 18 Joe, beans were sort of a staple, the yanks even had a song about “The Army Bean” The man problem with civil war rations was that they has to take into consideration spoilage. Dry beans were available but the problem with them was that soldiers on active campaign wouldn’t have time to cook it. They relied mostly on 4x4x1/4″ hardtack crackers, salted pork and coffee. In camp the rations could be supplemented with fresh beef and bread baked in army ovens. There were other things, such as sugar, tea, cornmeal and mollasses issued and the union even had a way to dehydrate vegetables. The men would supplement by buying local goods, stealing or foraging from locals or packages from home.
Thank You for the Infro . Joe
As far as names for the puppet…
Years ago when I was stationed in Honduras, my younger brother came to visit me at Soto Cano. He was a classic crunchy-granola type at the time, with hair down to the middle of his shoulder blades.
The Honduran executive assistants, after meeting him, referred to him as “The Hairy One” in Spanish.
Humbly submitted: “El Peludo.”
“Slicky the sockpuppet”, there’s my input on that!
I used to do Civil War reenacting, and I met a bunch of great people doing that. I still have all my gear and accoutrements, so all I need is some powder and caps. In my reenactment unit, we had plenty of Vets, and a lot of them, Vets, and non-vets, did more research than they did reenacting, they wanted to portray that part of history as accurately as they could. As far as the honesty of that crowd, when i started doing that, I was told “You can safely leave anything lying around a crowd of reenactors EXCEPT BOOZE!”. Adult beverages tend to disappear quickly around that crowd after hours in Camp when the crowds have gone home! In the BIG events like Gettysburg, they’ll have different camps, modern camping, authentic camping, where NO modern flashlights, jewelry, etc are allowed, and there are the authentic Military unit Camps, where the reenactors literally camp like they did then, canvas tents, sleeping on the ground, brush arbors, and cooking is done over the campfire. (Campfire-cooked Corned Beef & Cabbage, ooohhh, so good!) Damn, I’m gonna have to hook up with another unit and get back into that!
Been on a road trip myself the last couple weeks Taking care of personal and familial obligations. I look forward To the tournament resuming soon…
I’d play for a stubby holder