From: F. Brian Mead (brian@hardscrabblefarm.com)
Date: Sun Oct 06 2002 - 20:31:48 PDT
Howdy,
In my opinion, what's being described here is not a MV show, or a
reenactment(including the reenactment camp). It's a Living History Program.
I first got into Civil War reenacting back in 1990. After a few
years of burning powder, I got into living history. In this, participants
try to give people a glimpse into what the world was like 50, 100, 150, 200
years ago. It's not just the smoke, noise & powder of a battle, or the hum
on an engine. It's the way a soldier packs his pack, what he chooses to
carry, how a soldier cooks his food, how a soldier lives in the woods with
only the contents of his pack & pockets to survive.
As for being a family hobby...my wife has been active living
history since 1993. In civil war, she's portrayed a poor local farm wife
who couldn't escape the oncoming army. In WW2 she's portrayed a Civilian,
British Women's Land Army, US Army Nurse, and the Women's Army Corp. Heck,
there's many WW2 & Civil War events she drags me to!
There is room in the world for all three(reenactments, living
history, MV shows). And all three should feed off the others and support
each other. My jeep is not a show vehicle...the public can not see what
the designers envisioned in their creation. I need the MV guys with show
vehicles so the public can see what the GIs started with. I'm tired of
shooting blanks & playing war for the public. It just doesn't appeal to
me. If the public wants to see how the battle looked...or what we think
they looked like...then I need the reenactors for that. What I enjoy is
talking with the public, and with WW2, learning from the veterans who come
to visit & see what we're doing.
I too have been to many an event with misplaced
participants. What is needed is for people to see what they want, and pick
events that match their interests. More importantly, event organizers
should describe the conditions, requirements, and schedule for their
event. I've also learn the hard way that I need to ask LOTS of questions
before I decide to attend an event.
Being well informed allows everyone to make their own
choices. But is also requires a level of understanding on all prospective
participants. If an event organizer has described their event well, I
don't show up anyway & get mad about it. I either choose another event
that suits me better or I adapt for the event. (Even though living
histories are my favorite, I've chosen to not attend some since I didn't
like the way they were being planned, or the program did not look like it
would achieve the same goals I had, or it just didn't seem fun!)
For this to work it also requires us to look at ourselves. I've
got buddies who are in their 50's who are transitioning to Revolutionary
War militia, Confederate home guard, or French WW1 Greybeards. Those
impressions are more correct for their coming ages. Personally, before I
got into WW2 reenacting/living history, I started working out & dropped 20
lbs. I'd still like to drop another 10-20lbs, but I'm working on
it. (even with that, I'm still a bit old to be an infantryman in the ETO
at 34 years old) Heck, I've even heard about a guy who got his stomach
stapled to fit into original uniforms...that's a bit much for me! As I
age, I too plan to modify or change impressions based on my age & physical
condition.
We're all in this to have fun. History is big enough for all of
us. In the immortal words of Rodney King: "can we all just get along"
... =^) Sorry, I just had to say that. =^)
later,
Brian "heading for the bunker" Mead
www.hardscrabblefarm.com
At 11:19 AM 10/6/2002 -0700, J. Lee wrote:
>If you have ever been to an MV event, like Woodson Bridge, Big Bear,
>Quanset, Gilbert, Ft. Stewart, etc., you know there is a lot of different
>facets to these things. You got your MV show part, the vendor selling -
>swap meet part, then there is the family camping, sometimes reenacting, MV
>trail rides, etc.. all important to the event success and its all sort of
>mixed up in one area.
>
>Sometimes (stressing the sometimes part) these things get a little too mixed
>up with civilian activities and vehicles. Like when motor homes, camp
>trailers, SUV's and white patio tents out number the MV's 10 to 1, it
>dilutes the impact of the MV effort. IMHO....it takes away from our
>original intent to protect, preserve and restore military vehicles for
>historical reasons. In that case, maybe organizers need to revisit original
>intent of the MV hobby and see if there isn't a way to accomplish
>everybody's needs without taking away from the MV show part.
>
>We could take a lesson Civil War Reenactors when it comes to separation of
>military from non-military. They really have nice turnouts because it looks
>civil war, its living history, not just another KOA camp ground.
>
>The obvious downside is the loss of certain conveniences in the "military
>only zone." And I say that knowing the older I get, the more important
>convenience becomes! And obviously, this idea is not for everyone. The
>main point is, its gotta make sense to do it and it ought to be done to make
>events better, not more exclusive. Obviously not every event can do a
>"military only zone." But, for those who can, the payoff in fun, in
>presented a dignified, history oriented display, the vet appreciation and
>community appeal makes the extra effort doing a "military only zone" really
>makes it all worthwhile. If we start drifting our events toward
>authenticity displays, I think we would do better attracting more people,
>insuring continuation of the hobby and offering a more quality event and
>that has to be to everyone's benefit.
>
>Thats my two cents worth...
>
>Jack
>
>
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "john werner" <j_werner@pacbell.net>
>To: "J. Lee" <milveh@sbcglobal.net>
>Sent: Saturday, October 05, 2002 8:31 PM
>Subject: RE: [MV] photos on net updated
>
>
> > Jack, thanks for the two batches of pictures. Just got home from Woodson
> > myself. Best
> > one yet. Regards, John Werner, Mt. View, Ca., MVCC/MVPA
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Military Vehicles Mailing List [mailto:mil-veh@mil-veh.org]On Behalf
> > Of J. Lee
> > Sent: Saturday, October 05, 2002 7:33 PM
> > To: Military Vehicles Mailing List
> > Subject: [MV] photos on net updated
> >
> >
>http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?p=999&gid=1222111&uid=720253&member
> > s=1
> >
> > Photos from Woodson's Bridge event, Oct 5, 2002. With a few pics at the
>end
> > of things to think about when you think of military vehicles.
> >
> >
> >
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> >
>
>
>
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