FREEDOM BASE MEMBERS NEW AND OLD, PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF

[Shivannd (Joel Webne)]

As I mentioned in my State of the Base post, here is the introduction thread.
Please take a few minutes to introduce yourself here.
tell us a little about why you joined the Rebel Legion, whether you have any other costuming interests or are a member of another costuming organization, and anything else you would like to let us know about yourself. It is always great to hear from other members and to see who has what similar interests and such.

This thread will stay open indefinitely. If you are a brand new member please let us know where you are in the Base as well.

We would love to hear from everyone in the base.

Thanks in advance
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"Why, you stuck up,..half-witted,..scruffy-looking,..nerf-herder!"..."Who's scruffy-looking?"

Joel Webne

[Npask82 (Nick Pasquariello)]

I'm Nick Pasquariello and I'm the 2017-2018 Liberty Squadron CO. I've been in Rebel Legion for about a year and have two costumes a Resistance Pilot and a Generic Jedi. I am also a member of 501st, Garrison Tyranus and have a Tank Commander costume and am working on Darth Maul next.

I got into RL because my 5 year old Daughter instantly became a huge Star Wars fan when seeing Rey in The Force Awakens! It was actually her idea for me to dress up as a Resistance Pilot for Halloween last year and after seeing the crappy costumes available I came upon RL and started doing more research. Eventually I decided "I can do this" and so I did! Since then both my Daughter and I have done multiple troops together she especially loves the parades because she can hand out trading cards and stickers to the other kids.

I am located in Alexandria, VA and like many others around this area troop with GT, Old Line Garrison, Kyrimorut Clan, and of course our brothers and sisters over in Terrapin. I wish I had more to offer the Base in terms of skills but certainly can see projects through to the end so if you have a project that you got hung up on or want to see something get started let me know and I'm happy to harass Joel!
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Nick Pasquariello
Freedom Base
Jedi Master | Resistance Pilot

[mattcamaro (L. Matt Darling)]

Greeting everyone. My Matt Darling, I am fortunate enough to be the XO for 2017-2018 year. Thank you Joel for the opportunity to serve. My family and I live in Mineral Wells, WV. I spent 10 years in the Navy( Anti Submarinie Warfare and Rescue Swimmer) spent 10 years in the Army as an AH-64A and D model Apache Pilot/ instructor pilot. Retired in 2009. Since then I fly for a EMS helicopter company in WV.
I'm also one of the Wookiee LCJ for the legion. Current costume is Chewbacca. Member of Garrison Corellia. Costumes include: FO Tie Pilot, Tie Reserve Imperial Gunner, Bridge crewman and Biker Scout. retred Kylo Ren. Wendy my oldest got us into 501st in 2013, Matty my youngest wanted to do Boushh so we made her costume and we Decided to Make Chewie so I could be close to her since she has CP. My Wife Britt is a Mando like Wendy. Wendy, Matty and my step daughter Sarah are all Jedis in the base. My step son, Alex hasn't got in to costumes yet.

I have been an advisor in both Garrison Carida and Corellia. Also one of Corellias event coordinators.
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Wear the Hair!

[coryphefish (Corellon J)]

I've been in this hobby since I was six years old. (Making cosplays earlier, but I didn't see Star Wars until I was 8, so it averages out I guess.)

I'm on Team "The Prequels Weren't That Bad." I even loved Episode 1, but I still ran off to the LOTR fandom until 2012 when I discovered Knights of the Old Republic - which got me into all the other Bioware games, including the MMO.

I'm still very much a Bioware fan. My username is a Dragon Age reference. You can find me at Magic City Con every year running their Bioware Fan Track.

But I think the best way to put it is that Star Wars finally made a movie that made me respond as strongly as I did to Fellowship of the Ring and Mass Effect with a protagonist that I can relate to like KotOR. So I've come home.

I joined the Legions because I wanted to have more opportunities to cosplay outside of a small con (on average) every month or so. I also wanted the chance to do creative projects with other cosplayers from the same fandom. It's also been a dream of mine ever since I was a high schooler pressing my nose up to the glass of the Padawan's Guide website.

I got involved with both Legions last year. I started with a Kylo build, but put that on hold once I got obsessed with Rogue One. My 501st bridge crew was approved in May, and Jyn was approved in August. I'm currently looking at different Jyn variants, a Rebel Fleet Trooper, Kylo, and Kotor Revan.
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- An individual who did not so much rebel as saunter vaguely hopewards.

2018/19: Commanding Officer, Docking Bay 94 Detachment
2017/18: DXO DB94, BMO Freedom Base

[treblemaker (Carly Kennedy)]

Hello all! I just joined the Rebel Legion earlier this year after about 2 years of slowly pulling together my x-wing pilot and even more years of saying “someday….” I’ve also joined Garrison Tyranus this year with TIE Reserve and Bridge Crew costumes, and I’m currently (slooooowly) building ARC Trooper Fives. Next on the list after Fives is likely either getting the Hoth gear for my Rebel pilot or a Resistance pilot. I’ve also got a Jakku Rey if I ever get around to getting that up to approval standards. My “maybe someday” costumes would be Fulcrum Ahsoka and then Hera, if I can ever talk myself into dealing with body paint.

I’m a multi-fandom nerd, raised on Star Wars, and I’ve also been a cosplayer for more of my life than not.

I’m in the NoVA area, and have also been attending DC/MD events. Pretty sure I’ve interacted with more RL people from other bases than Freedom so far, just due to location. Looking forward to meeting more of you in person in the future!

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[Kievan Mereel (Sam Coulson)]

Hi Everyone! I'm Sam Coulson, but go by the screen name of "Kievan Mereel" that I made up for the Star Wars roleplaying game in high school.

I got into Star Wars when the Special Edition came out. I was 12-13, the perfect age of mid-childhood that Lucas says the films were made for. Between all the action figures for Christmas, the films playing on TV and the theatres, and the X-Wing DOS computer game, I was in.

I made my first costume for middle school halloween concert as a cardboard stormtrooper. The next year was a homemade rebel pilot. Then a Jedi robe for the Episode I premeire. I was already reading plans online on how to make your own vacuuform machine (though I never did it).

Fast forward to college after Ep III had released, when I ran into a chatty bus driver talking about these local events she attended in her plastic stormtrooper armor, and something about the 501st. I showed up and joined in a local parade, unannounced, in a terrible homemade Han Solo getup. I was such an eyesore next to that excellent Chewbacca.

Thankfully they were forgiving and I got to know the members at the after-party. I started working towards a Rebel Fleet trooper, and after a few iterations, upgrades, and troops, I was approved in 2007.

Utah where I was didn't have a large Rebel presence and I was around when membership grew and we got our own base. I also picked up a simple Imperial crew costume to do the 501st events that had so graciously allowed us Rebels to tag along. I graduated college and moved out to Northern Virginia, and now barely over the border to West Virginia.

I've attended events but also do a lot of costume research from video games being released. I've had the pleasure of having people build two brand new costumes based on my research (Imperial Navy Commando from Force Unleashed and Rebel Captain Juno Eclipse from Force Unleashed II). I've continued to do research on Rebel infantry uniforms and have partial builds for several. I hang out in the main RAID forums and probably cause trouble for the detachment officers since I'm too much research and not enough building.

Currently I'm the Freedom Base Squad leader helping out with this year's Rebel Fleet Trooper build. I also plan on doing a Rogue One marine, an OT Rebel pilot, Captain Antilles, plus a whole stack of other dreams like Season 1 Kanan Jarrus. One at a time, mate, and plenty of these have sat for several years.

[mgb1016 (Melissa Branch)]

Hi everyone! I'm Melissa Branch and I've been with Garrison Tyranus since June 2015. I'm currently an ESB TK and TFA Kylo, and I'm working on Benthic Two Tubes for Freedom Base. I'm hoping to have him approved in time for this year's Dominion Christmas Parade. Looking forward to trooping (or does that have a different name with the Rebels? lol) with you all soon!
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Freedom Base:
Benthic Two Tubes
Garrison Tyranus - Galactic Center Squad:
ESB Stormtrooper - TK-12189
TFA Kylo Ren - DS-12189
WIP: TK to TD conversion

[Mysterychix ()]

I'm Deb Benigni (aka Mysterychix) -- I live in the Sterling, VA area and my ROTJ Mon Mothma was approved just last March (2017). I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here in Freedom Base. My first time in costume was Celebration 2017 -- talk about jumping in the deep end!

I'm working on a Jawa for 501st, but due to some health issues it's taking longer than I thought -- hoping to get moving on it this summer and get it approved.

Deb
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Deb Benigni
(aka Mysterychix)

[Eon Topaz (Sean Truax)]

Hi,

New to the forums, working on a Jedi and an Endor Trooper, in addition to assisting my daughters with their costumes.

I met coryphefish (Colleen J) at AwesomeCon and she had some great info plus feedback for my youngest daughter and her Jyn Erso outfit.

Looking forward to the journey and seeing what I can learn and do.

[Jsilvius ()]

Hello everyone! My name is James Silvius.
In in Chesterfield, Va (just south of Richmond).
I've been a Star Wars fan as long as I can remember (In in my mid 40's).
My son is into Cosplay and has been making up his own costumes and wanted me to join in doing some Cosplay with him. So as and early Father's day present this year, he bought and assembled a generic Jedi costume for me to wear for this years RavenCon (2018). We ran into Colleen J and I sat on in the Rebel Legion panel to chat about it. I figured that I'm at a bunch of cons anyway between my wife being an author and my son being a gamer that I might as well see about joining and doing some good as well as sharing my love for Star Wars.
My hope is to get my generic Jedi up to snuff to pass RL requirements and then work on a X-Wing pilot (I think that will be my fav). I've already joined a few of the groups on facebook to get started.
I'm on team "They did Luke dirty" so don't talk to me about the last movie unless you want to see a grown man cry. :-)
Looking forward to meeting and once I get an approved outfit doing some trouping.

[gatoradrienne ()]

I'm Adrienne and I live in Salem, VA. I'm working on a Senatorial Leia for RL approval. I have been making costumes for years but haven't made a RL approved one yet. I have no idea how to use this forum. I have questions about my costume. Can anyone recommend a thread to join?

[smjonesy (Sarah)]

Hello from Charleston, WV! I was just approved (today!) with my ANH Senatorial Leia. I'm very excited to be a part of such a great affiliation.

I am relatively new to the cosplay fun, but have been making historical costumes for a number of years. Cosplay is a family affair as my two older sons often join me.

[ThierrySade (Lisa Robar)]

Hello from Richmond, VA! I really need to check in on the forums more often to catch up on things. I've been an active member since about 2008 in both the Rebel Legion and the 501st with my first costume Boushh. Ten years.. wow.. well the years have taken their toll on it and its going through some reconstruction on the shoulders so I stop cracking the poor edges each time I put them on. Other costumes I have are a generic Jedi, Zam Wessel, Biker Scout and soon to be a green skinned General.

Look forward to trooping with you all sometime!

Lisa Robar
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Keep it simple... yeah right!

[potentiometer13 (Joshua Little)]

I'm Joshua Little, and have always been a Star Wars fan for as long as I can remember. I watched episodes I-VI as a kid, but it was when Episode II came out that I got heavy into it (I still remember getting Walmart light sabers and defending against the imaginative droid army with my brother at my side. And also fighting my brother. A lot.)

Additionally I've played as many different Star Wars games as I could get my hands on (I really loved Star Wars: Demolition as a kid, but my favorite was probably Star Wars: Rogue Squadron III) and enjoyed them all (except for the newest Battlefront II. But I really wanted to.)

Growing up I've never went to comic cons and was afraid to show my nerd side as I felt most people shunned nerds in my hometown in Florida, however I went to my first one in May of this year and met Colleen J who convinced me to start my journey to building my first costume (mostly by showing me a light saber that can withstand actual fighting. I love light sabers.)

Last month I ordered my first sewing machine, sewed my first project (a Star Wars pillow. I had to keep it simple.) and am finally ready to sew my first costume (I am hoping to get it done in time for Halloween.)

[Sully ()]

Greeting Freedom Base. I'm Cliff Sulham from Burke VA, and am brand new to these forums. My wife and I attended an event at Quantico two weeks ago and were amazed at the level of detail put in to the costumes. Although the event was for the 501st, they pointed us in the right direction for the good guys. We are both excited to start real builds that will eventually get approved. We're open to any advice on ways to get involved early as handlers/assistants to learn.