[Ansteorra] Fwd: [scaafghanistan] Spare Armor for Afghanistan

[John Atkinson]

Forwarded from the sca Afghanistan yahoogroup.

Ioannes

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Archmage Computers <archmagecomp at gmail.com>
Date: Sat, Feb 27, 2010 at 2:44 AM
Subject: Re: [scaafghanistan] Spare Armor for Afghanistan
To: scaafghanistan at yahoogroups.com




As for my self as the Ealdormere mentioned in the first paragraph.. I have
to agree to every thing said in the email... KAF at this time can not do
Heavy Combat... If there is any one from other Afghan bases
who situation is different such as BAF or Kabul. I do ask that some one who
has been at that base answer as each base
has different environments and resources.... We had quite a bit of luck with
the fencing with rapier and the officials perceive it as some variation
of Olympic fencing.

All of our practices at this time are in public view and as such make good
Demo and i have figures in the last 9 months since we started the fencing i
am sure we have added 2 new SCA Members and another dozen people saying they
will try it out when they get home.

The concern of dehydration and heat shock is also needs to be addressed as
summer roles in the temperatures reach 50+ Degrees C and then once the sun
goes down will dip down in to the 20's... Wearing Kevlar body armor may also
need to be required as rocket attacks here will be come more common in the
summer.


John Moran



On Sat, Feb 27, 2010 at 2:56 AM, John Atkinson <johnmatkinson at gmail.com>wrote:

>
>
> 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
>



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