[Ansteorra] Spare Armor for Afghanistan

[John Atkinson]

I noticed this posting and discussed it with the gentle from
Ealdormere who is, so far as I know, one of the the only other two
authorized Heavy fighters on Khandahar Air Field.  Having said that, I
speak only for myself on this topic.

Apparently it has gone viral throughout most of the Known World, and
I'd appreciate my forwarded response to be sent where ever you have
seen the request for armor to be brought to Gulf Wars.  I cc'ed the
SCA in Afghanistan yahoogroup.

First off, let me say how much I personally appreciate the idea--and
even more so, the fact that it would actually happen.  I appreciate
that this response might upset some folks who are trying to do what is
a well-intentioned act of charity.  But I have to call it like I see
it--and in this case, I'm the one wearing the armor in more ways than
one.

Let me present the obstacles to having loaner gear and holding actual
rattan combat on KAF.

First, the climate.  During most of the year, this place is incredibly
dry.  We do not have, for the most part, climate-controlled living
conditions.  Leather would dry and crack in fairly short order.  I
brought a leather half-gauntlet to wear doing pell work, and it has
already split to the point that it would not be safe to wear.  During
the rainy season, metal armor would rust solid.  We do not have the
shop, equipment, tools, etc. to maintain the armor.  Most of us do not
have the time, either.

Second, storage.  If I say it is frankly kicking our butts to handle
storage of the rapier loaner gear, it would make the scale of problem
apparent.  I personally live in a circus tent with about 150 other
troops.  We are on bunk beads, and while lying in my bed I can reach
out and touch the bunks of the people to my left and right.  Even
those people who do have space to store a duffel bag of armor and
swords have a hard time making it out regularly enough for the gear to
do any good.  It's our biggest issue right now--one of the loaner
rapier bags is in the hands of someone who has not been out to play in
two weeks.  Next month, I will likely be out on mission for 5-7 days
at a time--I certainly could not hold loaner gear.

Third, experienced fighters.  We have three with experience in rattan
fighting -- and one of them is leaving in two weeks to go home.
Frankly, I feel a lot safer having two utter newbies going at it with
rapiers than with rattan clubs, especially if those people have
military pugil stick or riot baton training and are essentially
trained to fight to submission.  Without an SCA group to properly
train newbie how to call blows and what is and is not acceptable, the
safety margin goes straight to pot.  Especially if the one or two
authorized marshals happens to not be there that night.  Which leads
us into the last two points.

Perception of safety.  Unless and until we get a general or three out
here who fights in the SCA, we are dealing with people who don't
understand what we are doing.  They tolerate rapier--unofficially and
under the radar, so to speak.  If we went to rattan, someone would
take notice, and most likely ban it.  That stuff LOOKS dangerous, and
the chain of command is risk-adverse as it is.

Finally, safety.  All of us have to be at work tomorrow--and for some
of us, "work" consists of going out and killing people for real, who
are trying very, very hard to kill us.  If I get a broken collar bone
because some idiot Marine beat me with a club, I fail in my duty.  I
would have to send my Soldiers, for whom I am responsible, out the
wire without me.  It's not what an Ansteorran hero does--and more
importantly, it is not what a professional Soldier does.  What would
be even worse would be for me to "simply" be bruised and battered
enough that it will slow me down on mission.  I trust I should not
have to elaborate on the consequences.  While it is possible to get
hurt fighting rapier, it is far more likely to get hurt fighting heavy
in minimal armor that doesn't fit properly against people who don't
know what the hell they are doing.

Don't get me wrong--I want to be able to fight heavy.  I would love to
have kit that fit me and was servicable enough to make me feel
comfortable doing so.  But frankly, I don't see it as practical given
the circumstances at KAF.

Ld. Ioannes Dalassenos
Squire to Sir Giotto di Giovanni

John M. Atkinson
SSG, USA
-- 
"Thousands of Sarmatians, Thousands of Franks, we've slain them again
and again.  We're looking for thousands of Persians."
--Vita Aureliani