The unit is currently accepting new members, but all applicants must be aware of the operational procedures and rules governing the unit before making the decision to join. Not only does this hobby take quite a bit of time and monetary investment, but your success within it depends mainly on your ability to get along with your unit and the other participants we encounter. The best ways to prepare yourself for entrance into the hobby is conversation with our members (try the Message Board) and reading our Handbook. When you've decided to join, fill out and submit an application to our Recruitment Officer.
Membership (A few key points):
- All applicants must provide their own gear and equipment. We had loaners, once upon a time. Noticing the past tense of that last sentence, you can guess how well that worked out.
- We don't charge dues or fees for this unit, but the events we attend and organizations through which our group is chartered will. These are part of the hobby, and your responsibility. Everything in reenacting is expensive, the equipment kit especially. If you can plunk down the money for that, an extra $20 or so a month shouldn't break you.
- Every new member must go through a probationary period, as outlined in the Handbook. You'll be given a mentor to make sure that we avoid rookie Feldmarshal-ism, roaring FARB and the general newbie mistakes.
- If accepted, rank will be awarded by the unit beginning at "Schutze". Due to unit accuracy concerns, I wish to banish right now any thoughts of promotion. Our upper ranks are filled already at our discretion. Besides, it's not like this is real military; it's all fun and games, and neither your pride nor your paycheck is affected by your collar tabs.
- We do not accept impressions of specific historical people; though you may choose to model yourself after somebody, you cannot give yourself that individual's rank and/or medals. For sensitivity reasons, some historical figures will be off-limits period. I never again want to receive an e-mail from Heinrich Himmler, and will personally track down and slap any Sepp Dietrich attempting to join with Knight's Cross in hand. That's just ridiculous.
- The unit reserves the right to deny membership to any person for any reason. There are no dues or fees to join, so members and applicants gain admission mainly through compatibility with the group. Jackasses, power-trippers, stitch nazis, and idiots need not apply. We also stress physical accuracy. While age isn't so much a concern (our members range from teens to 60's), the SS were the model elite. This precludes automatically your bearded die hards, walking (waddling?) wursts, and the elusive jungle pygmy.
- If you're completely new to the hobby, there's one phenomenally huge point to make: REENACTMENTS ARE BLANK-ONLY EVENTS. All ammunition must be blank-firing, and all explosive ordinance must be deemed safe by our unit's standards. We will fillet and roast anyone dense enough to bring live-firing ammo or projectile weaponry to our events; this is not a shooting club! Keep this in mind before you decide to join or show up. It's written in a little more depth in the handbook, but this is a huge safety factor to mention up front.
Another Disclaimer:
We're not Nazis, and have no affiliation with any racist or hate groups. We're in this hobby to explore and enjoy history and have fun. If you're looking for any Neo-Nazi or similar propaganda, go elsewhere. We don't have time to waste weeding the crazies out, so do us a favor and prune yourself if you're getting in this for the wrong reasons.