For those who don’t know me or have yet to meet me in person, my name is Allan Liefke. I have been a part of Empire City Garrison since February 2016 and a part of command staff as a Charity Representative since late 2016. I started with a classic A New Hope TK to get my number, TK-97491. Since then it has blossomed into many costumes, more on that later.
Now to answer the question of why I troop, like many others it all starts in childhood. I remember the VHS copies that my aunt had taped off of HBO for me. After burning through those I got some regular copies to continue watching. The stories just resonated with me as they do with many others. I remember all the toys and the R2-D2 toy chest I had growing up, man do I wish I still had those action figures today. But one constant that has stood the test of time and is still a reminder every time I visit my parents’ house is the wallpaper I had growing up.

Seeing this wallpaper everyday as a child I always wanted to be in that universe and be those characters. It also had to be for the empire as their costumes are so much cooler.

Fast forward a number of years (and 2 kids) later, I am living just outside of Los Angeles and hear about something called Star Wars Celebration happening in Anaheim in 2015. I thought that this sounded right up my alley. I threw together a quick Sith costume along with a light saber and dragged my 5 year old Darth Vader daughter with me to check out this CELEBRATION!!!

For those of you who have been to any Celebration, you know what it is like. For those that have not been able to get to one, it’s crazy and insane. It is wall to wall Star Wars with everything for any kind of Star Wars lover. It’s definitely turned up to 11! But it is here where I hear of the 501st Legion, this group of people that dress up as plastic spacemen to help out charities and other worthwhile causes. Where do I sign up? I got some information and was on my way, then I come upon another booth that is selling full size wearable Stormtroopers, my mind was blown. Of course they had a con discount so I just had to buy it.

After many, many months of impatiently waiting I finally received my Stormtrooper kit. Now I have this big box of plastic, what did I get myself into? This brings me to the first reason I like to troop, the friendships. I met Dave Braun once at a troop he was doing, but here he is giving up his Saturday mornings to help me with my kit. He came over three weeks in a row, giving up his personal time to help someone he just met. Most of the people I have met through the 501st Legion are overly generous with their time and resources. It truly is troopers helping troopers. That is why I try and do the same to new recruits or anyone that is in need of help.
Now the second reason that I troop, the costumes and building them. When I first bought my Stormtrooper and had the sticker shock I thought “this is the only one I will ever do”. Well it’s about two years later and I have 10 approved costumes in the legion. I love using my hands and acquiring new skills to complete these costumes. Going on the various detachment websites, especially FISD, researching and finding the proper rivet or screw to use has sucked up far too many hours but has been an absolute blast. Some little kid seeing me in a Stormtrooper costume won’t care that I used the proper pan head screw, but it is just trying to craft it to screen accuracy that make it so much fun. It has also helped me spend more time with my dad. I have gotten him involved in making some of the parts for the blasters I have built, sewing patterns for robes, and borrowing of tools. It has created another bonding experience I don’t think we would have had otherwise. While he rolls his eyes and groans “not another project” he has enjoyed it and is always looking forward to the finished product.

Last and certainly not least is the charity and giving back that trooping allows me to do. I never could have imagined the amount that this organization could do by just being silly grown up children playing dress up Star Wars. Just being able to put a smile on children’s faces, or raising money for charities, or bringing awareness to issues, makes all the hours or building the costumes and money spent worth it. I have had the pleasure of being alongside my fellow troopers for blast a trooper at NYCC and raising thousands of dollars for the Make A Wish foundations.

Earlier this year my niece was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes. This has hit her pretty hard as she has to adjust to a strict diet that no kid wants and daily injections of insulin. My family decided to form a “team” and join the JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) walk in October. Here was a perfect opportunity for me, I get to support a charity that hits close to home and get into my Stormtrooper costume. I rallied the troops and was supported by 3 fellow troopers. I was touched to have the support of my fellow troopers in the cause that hit so close to home. Not only did they show up to support the troop some of them even donated to my nieces team. This single troop exemplified all the aspects of why I troop. I trooped as my Heavy Weapons Trooper; I built the DLT-19 and backpack almost completely from scratch. My fellow troopers supported me by showing up and doing our Star wars thing. But most of all we put smiles on people’s faces and raised money for a great charity.