*Well Loren..
Y'all stepped in a big cow pie on this matter...Let me assist you in wade'n
out to solid ground, and.. let the chips fall into place<G>
Royal Rangers evolved orginaly more from the influence of groups like
Christian Service brigade and Royal Ambassadors than from Boy Scouting.
Early on however, in the formulitive years.. the Adult leadership was made
up
of Mens fellowship and Dads who had strong influences from WW2. Early
Rangers had only a few emblems availible.. But when sewn onto a 60's
tan work shirt, it began to form a desire to up-grade to something "more".
The original Hat was a throwback to WW2..
The original program was named Pioneers and Trailblazers and if you view to
original brown art of the Pioneer handbook, you'll begin to wonder where any
sharply creased uniforms and medals might come from<G>
During this time period.. '62-'64 popular culture introduced us to a new
type of soldier, who wore a beret and jump boots, and fought to liberate the
oppressed.. NTC introduced the beret to Royal Rangers just as the founder
introduced a younger group called "Buckaroo's"..
In 1966.. Commander Johnnie introduced FCF while wearing his mighty-fine
buckskin outfit<G> and then developed another younger group named "straight
arrows"
following an Indian theam.
*However! *I love Commander Johnnie, and all the guys who found him a good
buddy<G>
He was a great man, but needed a group of backer's to get the Ranger program
moveing..
and so, while it wasn't his desire to promote a para-military uniform... *It
just evolved-
That's what MEN do when we get togather<G>
Medals and gee-gaws flowed from the desires of those who came along
inventing as
they went, and influenceing each other in a grand Men's "ego" club, assumed
to be about
boys.<G> *I loved the young Pioneer on the cover of my handbook.. I loved
his Rifle-
his Bone Knife.. 'Hawk, Powderhorn and his Coonhat<G>
*I loved the PLEDGE and the CODE... good 'nuf- good 'nuf!
JLTC turned me off and so does haveing boys stand bolt straight in white
gloves and sabres.
(JLTC with BDU's and sunglasses, and barking Sr.Guides)
*My FCF Chapter president told us at a event-
"If you want to join a blackpowder shooting club- *GO! Join that-"
*I guess Rangers is still green and everchangeing.. and mayby in time it
will come around...
I can wait, and till then I'll be rid of shiney shoes,polyester uniforms
and ties<G>
God Bless all who pledge...
Dine on the hay and spew the sticks<G>
-=A=-
----- Original Message -----
From: "Loren C. Klein" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "Rangernet Mailing List" <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, August 03, 2005 7:39 PM
Subject: Re: [RR] Re: Uniforms US and German
Hmm... Where do I get this from? Easy. Opa was an officer in the Heer in
WW2, and came over here as an, *ahem*, "guest" (Yeah! That's it!) in 1946,
and 4 of my uncles were/are currently officers in the Bundeswehr and
Marineflieger in both the FRG and post-unification Germany, and had family
on both sides of the Inter-German Border in the Bad Old Days. I am quite
aware of the role of the military and militarism in German culture because
not only my family's heritage (10 generations of Prussian/German
officers), but also in my research in Naval History, particularly on
thinking behind Adm. von Tirpitz's role in the Anglo-German Naval Race.
The disdain for the military (and things resembling the military) in
modern German society is not an overt opposition, but rather a sublime
looking-down of things which may appear related to it, and this is the
"conventional wisdom" among historians when discussing the topic. (The
looks I received from some natives about a von Tirpitz T-shirt I wore when
I was at my uncle's home in Wilhelmshaven 2 years ago said more "Why are
you wearing a T-shirt that has von Tirpitz on it!?!" than anything else.
Considering I was staying in the former home of the Hochseeflotte, I
thought it would be a bit pleasing historically-speaking for me to wear it
for that reason. Whoops!)
Any conversation I have had with Germans regarding their military and its
history are interesting to say the least. Though most like talking about
(not-so-) fond memories of National Service, anything beyond that, even
for enthusiasts tends to become a bit touchy. Discussions I have had
regarding the Eastern Front of WW1 (where my great grandfather died at the
Second Battle of the Masurian Lakes in 1915) almost universally led to
"Yes, but the East did not matter, as in the West was where Versailles
came about, and we all know where that went..." I find this strange
because for all of the Hohenzollerns' faults, they don't hold a candle to
die Fuerhere (as Opa called him, who didn't think much of Austrian
corporals, or Austrians in general. [Apologies to any Austrian readers out
there!]) the feats of the Army of the Supreme War Lord (as cool of a name
as I could think of) should at least be given acknowledgment and even
faint praise for some if its feats (von Lettow-Vorbeck in East Africa for
one). However, it just isn't there and any suggestion of it gets the cold
shoulder treatment (I can't wait to hear the deafening silence from the
centennial of WW1 form both Berlin and Vienna, and will laugh when Moscow
says anything positive about its role in the war... :^D) tells you
something about a nation's relationship with its military and its military
heritage, which as I stated previously is at odds with the American
tradition, which has nothing to do with winning or losing. (Where are the
German post-war movies glorifying the sacrifices of the men of Bluecher's
cavalry at Waterloo in the vein of Saving Private Ryan? Or the Opus on
Feldmarschall von Schiefflen like the US' movie about Gen. Patton?) Heck,
if I was you guys I'd be rubbing Waterloo, Leipzig, and 1870-71 in Chirac
and the French's noses anytime you guys get in a scrape in the EU, but
that's just me.
As for the RR uniform, I think it was my mistake to say "picky" as what I
meant was someone posted earlier about the differing philosophies with
regards to uniforms as we here are more concerned with them than European
Rangers generally are. IMO, it's all a matter of cultures, though there
are plenty of wanna-be Gen. Pattons in Rangers out to fill their uniforms
with medals and ribbons, just like I'm sure there's some Kaiser Wilhelm
wanna-bes over in the land of BMWs and Opels. Of course, this is all my
opinion, and you can feel free to disagree, but from this naval
historian-in-training with way too many family members griping about the
SPD and the dearth of the German military's view, it's the way it looks.
-Loren C. Klein
Louisiana District Webmaster
rangerforums.com Administrator
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Well I don't like to brag but I also have extensive experience with M1
Tank Platoon and Steel Beasts. Plus I once read a book about German Panzer
Aces." - Harold Jones from TankNet Military Forums on his tanking
experience other than his decade serving as an M1/M1A1 Abrams crewman.
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