The Independent Army Rank Structure – Enlisted

If you missed the overview, take a moment to read that to help introduce this post to put this one in perspective.

Just to recap, enlisted ranks for both the Union and Confederate armies were Private, Musician, Corporal, Sergeant, First Sergeant, Ordnance Sergeant, Quartermaster Sergeant, and Sergeant Major. Suffice to say military tactics during the Civil War were quite different than modern tactics, and by that extension future tactics. While on the surface an inane statement, I want to point out that I think we can all agree there’s no need to bring back the designation ‘Musician’ as a military rank. No one uses drummer boys and fife players to keep the orderly battle formations in lock step. Taking that off the table leaves a fairly straightforward list of easy to understand ranks that clearly define themselves: Private, Corporal, Sergeant, First Sergeant, Ordnance Sergeant, Quartermaster Sergeant, Sergeant Major. Done and done right?

Well… to summarize Wikipedia’s description of the rank of Ordnance Sergeant it was a non-command rank assigned to a post and did not mobilize with any unit, was removed from regiment rosters, and was pretty much an administrative and supply position as its name would suggest. The same general rule applied to Quartermaster Sergeants, who were like Ordnance Sergeants except they were assigned to a company’s supply wagon. They were not a command position except to defend the supply wagon and only in the most extreme circumstances would they replace a fallen non-commissioned officer.

The Independent Army would have had posts and forts as required to garrison, supply, and deploy soldiers on an interplanetary battlefield. Someone has to handle supplies and ordnance and food and fuel logistics, etc. But, as you may recall from the overview, these would be temporary forts and encampments (not established posts) and were not designed to survive longer than was required to facilitate the war. By that end, the Independent Army wouldn’t have permanent “supply” ranks either, as the relationship between command positions and rank title would be far stronger than in most other organizations. All of the supply and logistics could just as easily be managed by appointed soldiers and sergeants. I’m sure many units would use the term Quartermaster or Ordnance as a title, or a descriptor of the person's current position - but not as an established rank.

Because of that, the Ordnance and Quartermaster Sergeant rank are superfluous and unnecessary; it’s fat that needs to be trimmed. The Independent Army rank structure would simply be Private, Corporal, Sergeant, First Sergeant, and Sergeant Major following the need for a team, squad, company, and battalion leadership*.

• Private – The average soldier. The term Private comes from the middle ages, when there were ‘Private Soldiers’ (like the term private citizen) who were not conscripted or feudalized into military service. They were there of their own free will. In few other contexts is the term more fitting than in our capacity as Browncoats volunteering to fight for our cause. There is no need for multiple classes of private, or a specialist rank, as the soldiers of the Independent Army are fighting for a purpose and once that purpose has been achieved they can returning to their homes and attending to their farms and ranches and real jobs.
• Corporal – The term derived from medieval Italian and designated the ‘head of a body.’ It has been used by countless militaries to designate leaders of small groups of soldiers or bodyguards. The familiarity and ubiquity of the term makes it an effective rank to use by the Independents.
• Sergeant – Probably one of the most recognizable military ranks, co-opted by paramilitary units and police forces and security organizations, a sergeant is your leader of sections and squads in charge of making the senior leadership’s plans a tactical reality.
• First Sergeant – Generally there is only one First Sergeant, as they are the senior NCO in a company. Being the first among all the sergeants of the company they are in charge of all the NCOs and the liaison between the soldiers and the commanding officer of the company.
• Sergeant Major – The highest ranking NCO in the Army; each Battalion would generally have one. Sergeant Major is technically a command position. In the Civil War when armies were fielded at the Battalion level in lines and block formations, it was a much more direct combat position. Realistically Sergeant Majors, while fielded in battle, more often serve in a regimental and administrative capacity alongside other field grade and strategic level officers.

*For those familiar with current Army makeupa reasonable question is ‘Where’s the Platoon level NCO?’ That would be the Lieutenant. There is no reason to assume the relationship Commissioned Officer and Non-Commissioned Officer animus we see today. Instead of needing NCOs at every level of leadership because Officers are these distant figures to be feared and envied, a Platoon is just a smaller company analog that young officers lead while training and acquiring the experience necessary to command an entire company. A platoon sergeant isn’t necessary when the Lieutenant is directly responsible for his unit and already has 3 – 5 sergeants as his subordinates leading the squads. While a company commander’s parallel in the form of a First Sergeant not only has historical precedence, but individual merit; generating an anachronistic ‘staff sergeant’ or ‘master sergeant’ rank does not encapsulate the minimalist goals of the Independent Army.

The 76th, A Rebuttle

So today I received a comment to my original post detailing the reasons I don't like the 76th Independent Battalion and why I made this blog instead of joining their group. I tried to respond to the comment, but the comment section doesn't give me enough characters to do it justice. Instead of splitting it into four or five comment responses, I'm just going to write a follow up essay using my responses to his/her (I don't know, the poster was anonymous). Hopefully those from the 76th or 76th sympathizers who have similar questions/comments/concerns will have the majority of their answers between these two posts - even if they don't agree with or like the answers.

 Here's the comment in its unedited form, followed by my responses to pertinent parts of the post.

 AnonymousMarch 16, 2015 at 8:57 AM

You know, you have alot of gumption, to criticize a group of people who are as much of a diehard fan group as you are. However, with that being said, I do on certain points agree with you on the accuracy of the canon uniform in question. You do have to understand though that this group all started out, at the time with a concept that no one else had attempted or tried,. so it was in its own development stages. and the significance of the uniform specifics were just to make it worth while to be the first to proudly march in full array with every detail shiny so to say. But it was not dead on or canon accurate. So, I am willing to give you the shadow of the doubt to hear your take on the improvements or adjustments that could have or will have profane effects on the fan fare. BTW, I am one of those 76th Battalion. I marched in the very first Marches in Dragon Con, and I have done DC for 23 years straight. I have also costumed as the FF Mal version and the Serenity version which got Nathan Fillion's approval in person and even on his former MySpace profile at one time. So I am no amateur. But please elaborate further to indicate the cultivations that could have or would be a better way to improve the presentation of the Whedon fan group. Also, if you are not willing to commit to your craft and costuming to try to make things as canon accurate, then why should anyone see your convictions to any other fan fare projects. I understand the cost factor and agree that some expenditures could have been substituted for more affordable facets. But are you willing to commit to doing all the work that is necessary to make thme Canon accurate if it is a more affordable substitute? costuming/cosplaying is not a given craft, it takes time and skilled effort to make something form nothing. I should know, I have been doing this form all facets for 22 years, both costume design, to theatrical make-up, to prop design and all being painted weathered,etc. But back on point, I am willing to conceed and be open to hear your side of the story and your input. Thank you for at least standing your ground and being forthcoming about your opinions, it is good to have that 1st amendment right and to be able to contribute to the cause and concept.

Hello there, anonymous 76^th-er! I’m happy you came on by my blog. I don’t give it the attention that I should, so it’s nice to know people see it now and again. I can go two ways with this response. I could make sarcastic comments on how you started your comment off on a real positive note. I could be vitriolic and respond about the gumption required to make non-canon concessions in a costume and then subsequently refuse to accept criticism on the subject all based on the grounds of “being there first.” Or I could excoriate your grammar and punctuation. But instead, I’m going to address some of the points you make, because I like feedback and I think it’s unprofessional to just shut people down.

“You do have to understand though that this group all started out, at the time with a concept that no one else had attempted or tried…”

I acknowledge the history of the 76^th and I think it’s commendable. But it’s also deplorable that “they tried really hard” is considered a valid dispelling of any possibility of change or improvement. Imagine how miserable the world would be if we used the first draft of everything that was ever designed. You seem to be interested in civics, acknowledging the first amendment. The American Constitution’s first draft was the Articles of Confederation, and I’m certain you wouldn’t want to live in that version of America. In fact, the first amendment is a fix to the original Constitution. But if we’re sticking to first drafts here, we shouldn’t have a 1^st amendment. Just food for thought.

Yes, it’s commendable that those who founded the 76^th did something that no one else had done at the time, or had attempted to do. My counter argument is that, if I were around at the time, I would have done it better and it’s hardly my fault I became interested in the subject second. In fact, before starting this blog I contacted the 76^th and expressed some of my concerns, and was firmly rebuffed.

“You know, you have alot of gumption, to criticize a group of people…”

Yes, I criticize the group. But I also extol its virtues. In fact, in future posts I actually reference the 76^th’s helmet painting tutorial. Why? Because it’s a good tutorial and there’s no reason to make a new tutorial for something that’s already well covered. Please read the original post on the 76th again more thoroughly. Notice how much time I spend complimenting the 76^th, acknowledging its place in the fandom, and thanking it for the framework it has created. It’s a great resource, and I’m sure it’s a good community for those who supplicate to the masters; but don’t think that by virtue of being first it has some ordained purity against critique or improvement. If the 76^th were an organization receptive to making true to screen browncoat costumes, this blog wouldn’t exist. But it isn’t, and those in charge of the place don’t feel inclined to receive dissent, so I have created an alternative for those who want it.

  

“I have also costumed as the FF Mal version and the Serenity version which got Nathan Fillion's approval in person…”

I make the distinction that the 76^th doesn’t do a screen accurate cosplay, they do a Firefly themed cosplay. I don’t want to be firefly themed, I want a costume that is equivalent to your Mal costume, one that those on set would endorse and say “hey, that’s spot on.” something indistinguishable from props and costumes found on set. I want to look like an extra on the show. The way that the 76^th demands you assemble your cosplay does not fulfill that desire. They don’t look like the Independent soldiers did on screen.

Let’s use your Mal costume as a parallel for a minute. Hypothetcially, let’s say you changed a few things. For instance, you added a different kind of suspenders because you couldn’t find some that matched. Maybe the boots you could afford were lace up, but you wore them anyway. Now let us use a different color for the leather of the coat; a brown color but a different shade. Add some stuff to it that wasn’t there before, like a big patch on the arm and maybe some flashy knee pads to the britches. Use a revolver instead of a screen accurate Reynold’s pistol.

You may have perfect stitching, the highest quality materials, and it could be tailored perfectly. It might be a stellar costume and it would certainly resemble this familiar character called Captain Mal from that one show Firefly. But truthfully, is it really a Mal costume, or is it just a space cowboy that resembles Mal?

Now let’s look at the 76^th. They require patterns, ornamentation, insignia, and accoutrements that are either different from or nonexistent in the screen images we have from the show. The 76^th resemble browncoats from the show Firefly, but they’re not browncoats as seen on screen. In addition, the group is not open source. They hide much of their information behind closed boards requiring registration and all the proprietary patterns, accurate or not, are sold for profit by the founder. I find that to be contrary to the free and open costuming community. I plan to offer that kind of knowledge on this blog for those who want to put in the time to be a screen accurate browncoat but don’t want to supplicate to the cult of Boothe.

I want to be a “as seen on TV” browncoat. That’s what this blog is about. Those are our fundamental differences. And since this isn't a 76^th hate blog (as I point out) I made the post to identify the reasons behind splintering from the established 76^th group and creating this new project. I dislike what the 76^th is doing sure, but I don’t hate them. They have their place. The only thing I object to on a personal level is the decision to use US rank insignia. It’s indescribably disrespectful to me and every other service member. The image I want to portray is incompatible with the 76^th, so I choose not to participate. But since the 76^th is a popular, recognizable, and pervasive costuming group in the firefly fandom; I posted a list of my dislikes about the group as a way of answering a potentially repetitious question: “Why not just join the 76^th?” I respect the group enough to be honest with why we’re incompatible.

“…proudly march in full array with every detail shiny so to say.”

I am happy you’re proud to march in shiny array. But nothing about the browncoats as we know them via the show was shiny, so I don’t want that. I think it’s foolish to want that if you want to be a browncoat, but that’s a personal opinion not a critique or insult or attack. However, I acknowledge that the spic and span, neatly pressed, blemish free, look appeals to some people. The 76^th caters to them, and while I wish the 76^th would update its patterns and required materials (and take off the ****ing rank patches) I don’t necessarily think they should drop the parade pretty mystique. It’s unique, and it’s something that will always set the 76^th apart from the rest. However, it’s not how I want to portray myself. However, the 76^th wont accept someone with screen accurate clothing, so I can’t play. However, someone who wants perfectly pressed uniforms, as long as they're screen accurate, would be wlecome in the Shadow Irregulars… we’d just kind of think he was a weirdo who liked soap too much.

“But please elaborate further to indicate the cultivations that could have or would be a better way to improve the presentation of the Whedon fan group.”

This entire blog is my elaboration on how to improve the presentation of the fan group, please take the time to actually read it. I don’t really appreciate your gibe at my convictions though. Is this blog updated regularly, or frequently? No. But I’m also dedicated to my volunteering, my family, my career, and my education. This is for fun. To discount my ability to have a quantifiable impact on the hobby just because I don’t have 89 hours a day to devote to costuming is hardly much of an argument and is a bit discouraging to everyone except for those who dedicate their life to making costumes. It’s borderline discrimination. I mean, I could have some nasty things to say about someone who prioritizes their time so that they can make costumes all day instead of earning more money, having more sex, or developing one’s self personally. But that’s pretty low, and I wouldn’t have thought it up until you broached the issue. And I am not so crass as to insinuate that your proficiency in costuming is somehow at the expense of being a functional human being; so neither should you insinuate that my lack of surplus free time completely invalidates my worth as a costumer.

“But back on point, I am willing to conceed and be open to hear your side of the story…”

The thing is, and this is the point that I’m not sure where the line between honest and rude is, but for all the time you and your 76^th buddies put into the costume: none of you seemed to have spared much thought for the canon accuracy of it all. I find that deplorable. No one who cared about screen accuracy would accept modern US Army rank patches, or vests with braiding in the wrong place, or smocks of the wrong material. You challenge me to be willing to commit time to doing the work necessary to make it accurate when you had the monopoly on the subject for years and did nothing to ensure accuracy? That’s preposterous and disappointing. As a fan, I feel betrayed by the group for having an opportunity to be a shining beacon and a leader in the genre. I feel like the group took advantage of their monopoly to interject someone’s, or a small cartel’s, perspective in an attempt to get a large group of people to carry on their personal lineage. I honestly wish that the 76^th was accurate enough to be worth joining, as this blog is actually quite a bit of work. But the fans deserve a little extra work, so I don't mind so much. 

Off Topic - Training

So this last week I've had the opportunity to attend a Krav Maga class. While it's all good training and I'm sore as hell from it, I graduated the class and can now be an instructor. That's good as I'm a new defensive tactics instructor at work; which is why I was sent to the class in the first place.

Anyway, the next post will be on the scarf. I went out and bought fabric and everything, but man I am wiped. It should be up by the end of July at the latest.

The Independent Army Rank Structure – An Overview

In the show there are six military ranks that are mentioned in regards to actual Independent Soldiers during the war. This leaves obvious gaps in the knowledge base. As far as I can tell by a cursory googling there seems to be no real consensus on what the rank structure of the Independents really was. As to the ranks that were mentioned in the show Tracey is referred to as Private multiple times in The Message. Zöe is listed as a Corporal when researched by the Operative in the movie. Mal is called Sergeant more times than is worth counting. A Lieutenant is referenced in both The Pilot and The Message. Zöe mentions a Captain when telling the Griswald Grenade story in War Stories. Mal tells the story about Colonel Orbrin’s mustache when they’re talking about Tracey in the Galley in The Message. Finally in Serenity (The Pilot) Zöe tells Simon that they (Zöe and Mal) aren’t in the encyclopedia entry about The Battle of Serenity because “We’re not Generals or diplomats…” thus alluding to the fact that there must have been both diplomats and Generals involved in the Independent faction.

So how to fill the gaps? The quick and easy way is to just turn to the military we’re familiar with and use that. Private, Private Second Class, Private First Class, Specialist, Corporal, Sergeant, Staff Sergeant, Sergeant First Class, First Sergeant, Sergeant Major, Command Sergeant Major, 2nd Lieutenant, 1st Lieutenant, Captain, Major, Lt. Colonel, Colonel, Brigadier General, Major General, Lt. General, and General. That’s pretty much what the 76th uses after trimming the fat (they don’t use PV2, SPC, CSM, 2LT, or Generals). But using modern military ranks lacks perspective and understanding of the source material. There have been many fundamental changes in military hierarchy and rank structure since the Civil war.

And let’s face it, The Unification War is an unabashed parallel to the American Civil war, not to WWII or to Vietnam or to the Gulf War. The Unification War was about a wealthier more industrialized Alliance vs. the poorer, rural Independent planets. While the south was already part of America when the Civil War happened, the Independent planets were all individual sovereign planets, and the war was about expanding the Alliance to include them (despite their objections.) So if one desires to fill the gaps in the Independent military, it’s best to look at it’s more realistic parallel: the Confederate Army. Both the Confederate and Union armies had identical enlisted rank structure, which consisted of 8 enlisted ranks in comparison to the modern Army’s 13 enlisted ranks (if you include Command Sergeant Major of the Army as a rank and not a position). These ranks were Private, Musician, Corporal, Sergeant, First Sergeant, Ordnance Sergeant, Quartermaster Sergeant, and Sergeant Major.

The modern Army has 10.5 commissioned ranks (technically the 5 star General of the Army rank exists, but will never be awarded again so I count it as a half). The Confederates had 7 commissioned ranks and the Union had 9, but only because they differentiated between three different kind of Generals and the Confederates didn’t. They both had 2nd Lieutenants, 1st Lieutenants, Captains, Majors, Lt. Colonels, Colonels, and Generals (with the Union splitting said rank to Brigadier, Major, and Lieutenant General).

Why is there such disparity between the historical armies of the Civil War and the modern US Army? Without sounding too derisive, a standing peacetime military with career soldiers in it needs a way to keep large numbers of people interested enough to continue to stay enlisted. In the modern Army every commissioned officer from battalion to brigade to division has a NCO ‘side kick.’ This is just a personal opinion, and I don’t wish to offend any acting or retired Brigade Command Sergeant Majors in the audience, but outside of an administrative Army these positions are unnecessary. Field grade officers are more than capable of handling strategic leadership without NCO input and advisement, especially since executive level sergeants are generally so removed from the front line troops that they are rarely as in touch as they make themselves out to be. These positions developed as, over the years, career NCOs became unsatisfied with the ceiling of their advancement and found ways to expand their influence in the upper echelon of Army politics.

This is not just something that happened only at the top of the ladder though, as on the other end of the scale there are three ranks of private that effectively have the same duties and responsibilities. I can assure you from first-hand experience in the US Army as a Private who started at E-1 there really is no difference between them except that there is a feeling of satisfaction and achievement derived from being promoted – even if it’s effectively meaningless except in the most specific circumstances. But with three ranks doing more or less the same thing and benefiting from the morale boost derived from promotion the modern Army is capable of preventing the boredom and complacency that could negatively influence a soldier who has to spend the first quarter to third of their career in the same rank.

Now as jaded and negative as those opinions may sound at face value, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that structure and it’s extremely beneficial when compared to the current social climate in which the Army draws its soldiers from. Lower ranking soldiers benefit from the moral boosts while in the least glorious part of their career. Senior NCOs who are motivated to reach the strategic and political levels of the Army’s advancement are encouraged to pursue their higher education which will benefit them when transitioning to the civilian after their military career is complete. But none of these dynamics exist in a war-centric Army. Somehow I doubt the Independents had thousands of people doing desk jobs and admin tasks as their sole Army job in the way that many soldiers in the modern Army do. For an Army like the modern army all those auxiliary positions are necessary, but in a tooth and nail fight like the Independents were engaged in with the Alliance you don't spare any soldier you don't 100% have to from the front lines; especially not a temporary military force. And let’s be honest, if the Independent Army had won it would have had to disband. All those people who had just finished fighting a war to reject a unified government would never tolerate a unified military that wore brown coats instead of gray tunics.

After the war was over the border worlds would have returned to focusing on themselves as a loose group of barely cooperating sovereign entities. But when you think of how one would organize an Army whose sole purpose is to fight and win a war, it would look much different than an institutionalized standing Army meant to endure multiple generations. It would be imperative that the organization have as few ranks and the clearest chain of command possible. Rank, at its most fundamental level, exists to organize soldiers in such a way that effective large scale military strategy and small unit leadership can be achieved. The prestige and glamor of rank that develops in longstanding armies would have no place in a slap dash Independent Army. While there had to have been plenty of career soldiers in the Independent Army, there could never have been any career Independent Soldiers… if that makes sense.

That’s not so say that the border and rim planets didn’t have preexisting standing militaries and wouldn’t have raised ones after the war was over had they been successful. On one of the firefly Wiki pages it says that Zöe was a career soldier before the Unification War. I’m not sure what source they site for that bit of information, but that’s hardly important as it does make sense both for her character and from a cultural perspective. Individual worlds could and probably would have had their own standing militaries, each of those as unique from each other as the various countries of the world today, utilizing any level of convoluted rank structure with various cultural influences. Just think of how not only does the US have a national regular army, but each US state has its own National Guard, individual Federal government agencies, local county governments, and even their municipalities have semi or para-military style tactical units. Each country on earth has its own military, many of these nations also having various lower level organizations and forces in the same manner as the US. Now project that concept across multiple whole planets. The sheer variety of potential unit arrangements, rank structures, and organization variety that could have existed before the war is dizzying. But the Independent Army could never have functioned with all that incompatibility. The Independent Army would have needed the most streamlined and straightforward rank system possible to function effectively with such a diverse pool of fighters under their command. It would have to be straightforward, hierarchical, and position oriented.

Wow, this post got really long really quick, and probably didn’t really answer any of the specific questions you may have had. I hope, at least, it has created a cultural foundation that will make subsequent, specifically oriented, posts more clear. Even if it’s a bit of a tease I’m going to take a breath and step back for a moment to ruminate on all the conceptualization and theorizing. I’ll be doing a follow up post focused on the enlisted soldiers, and then one elaborating on the commissioned soldiers in the next few days.

The Helmet

So I promised an in depth look at each uniform component from a ‘we wear what we want!’ kind of brown coat costume perspective. Instead of bouncing all around, I’ve decided to start from the head down… which brings us to the helmet.

Instead of pulling my own screen captures this time I cheated and just flipped through what they had at Still Flying and so a huge shout out to them – thank you! Now, instead of reposting all those pictures I encourage you to mosey on over to their website and check the screen caps yourself if you’re interested in corroborating the points I make in the post.

Now, in my mind’s eye, I thought (for whatever reason) that extras without helmets outnumbered those who do. Turns out I was terribly wrong, and there are only four people who are shown on screen without their buckets: Mal, Zoe, Tracey, and the guy with his head shot off in Serenity (The Pilot). Sounds like a case of hero-itis to me, in where the principle characters in shows generally eschew meaningful bits of gear in the name of ease of identifiability, comfort of the more expensive talent, and ego of the stars not wanting their face and hair-dos covered. It’s why Spiderman’s always taking his freaking mask off in movies, and the trope can be found in almost all sci-fi and military theater.

And really, in combat, a helmet’s a really good idea. The brain’s pretty important, don’t let anyone tell you different. But then again, an actual metal US Army M1 helmet can run you $80 if you’re lucky on Amazon, to $360 from historic memorabilia websites, to $5,000 for a named and published ETO General’s helmet (though if you buy that and paint it over for a Firefly cosplay you deserve all the vigilante justice in the ‘verse.) It makes sense though, it’s a WWII helmet, and they’re only getting rarer and harder to find.

Luckily WWII reenacting is still a pretty big thing, so you can find fairly inexpensive reproductions. There are also plenty of plastic ones out there, from chinsy plastic costume stuff to airsoft quality to high impact plastic that would protect you from dropping something on your head like a hard hat would. In the end, it doesn’t really matter, as you’re going to paint over it anyway, thus disguising whatever material is underneath. As long as it doesn’t crumple when squeezed it’ll do just fine. Again, if you’re drawing live small arms fire, and you’re in your Firefly costume, you’re probably doing something wrong.

So go do some googling, find a helmet within you visual desire and price range, and buy it. Once you have it, it’s time to make it Browncoat-y. And that’s where I defer to a tutorial posted by the 76th Battalion. It’s a pretty neat tutorial, though it’s specifically designed for the vintage Russian helmet that was used on set along with M1 helmets. I don’t know the model number of that helmet, and I have no idea where to find it, so if you do let me know.

Also keep in mind that the tutorial is also geared toward a metal helmet. If you’re using a plastic one make sure you check your paint’s directions on how to make it adhere to plastic well.

Here’s a link to said tutorial: (I'm a link) and it’s also on the Cortex, the sidebar list of links on the main blog page.

Finally, is the helmet required? No, of course not. It’s really the coat that makes a Browncoat identifiable. Plus, a good mark of a special or irregular unit is its disregard for policies usually considered so important to regular standing armies. So if you want, wear your hairmet with pride Irregular! But if you’re worried about bullets to the brainpan you may want to put one on eventually. Your call.

How Do the Irregulars Fight?

Though there was no standing Independent Army before the war, it wasn’t long before ‘regular’ units developed, especially in the draw up to armed hostilities with the Core worlds. Even the rim has politicians and land barons and misc. rich folk who, in the fight, like the idea of being called Colonel and General and have the pockets to pay for it. These people organized the larger Battalions, tried diplomacy with the Alliance, and decided to fight the core on their terms: Large scale battles, mechanized infantry, air squadrons, etc.

The Shadow Irregulars however were never that large, and never wanted to be. They were the common folk who were fighting to save their ranches and their lifestyles, they wanted to win to keep what they had and no more. The lack of numbers made them less than effective in pitched battles against the might of the Alliance’s money and numbers. Instead, the Irregulars excelled at many other combat duties besides main-line combat, such as scouting, skirmishing, harassing, pursuing, rear-guard actions, cutting supply, sabotage, raids, ambushes and underground resistance. The Irregulars knew the land, even unfamiliar land, in a way that other soldiers didn’t on either side. They were ruthless, and survivors, and smart.

In contrast to an Infantry Battalion, the Shadow Irregulars were more like modern Army Rangers minus the specialized training (just wits and grits) than they were the 4th ID, and are best described as ‘Special Operations’ for lack of a better term.

The Uniform, an Overview

Man, it feels like I haven't posted in months. Oh wait...

Anyway, though I have every intention of delving into each of the items individually and in great detail it’s always good to take a look at the whole outfit. Starting from the head the uniform seems to consist of:

Hair (most people wear nothing on their head) or a helmet with a brown stripe.

Something around the neck, a bandana, scarf, that kind of thing. Almost every character has their own variation.

A shirt, I suppose. Brownish? Maybe black? Probably anything dark in color works.

A red vest with gold stripes.

A long garment. This includes either the smock thing worn under the vest, or the trademark brown coat worn both over and under the vest.

Armor on the arms. Some do, some don’t.

The Serenity ‘Verse seems to be a fairly cold place. Everyone is wearing gloves.

Khaki/tan pants, most with brown piping.

Belt

Leg wrappings. Again, it must be cold everywhere they decided to fight.

Boots or shoes.

War gear. There are soldiers with on their belts, cross slung satchels, tactical vests, etc. in addition to their weapons.

This Firefly Wikia sketch gives a fairly decent snapshot.

The Independents Patch, Researched

When I introduced this topic I talked about how the point up or down discussion is a moot point. It's a simple case of miscommunication between artist's intent and what has been immortalized as screen canon. I stated that there were far better questions regarding the patch and how it fits into the Browncoat Uniform. Turns out, I was more right than I anticipated.

I could only find a handful of characters who wore it. What I found interesting, especially if it was originally designed as a rank patch, was the number of people who did not wear it. Even more interesting I noticed how characters that had a patch on wore their coat differently than others.

There are plenty of soldiers wearing browncoats, not smocks, under their vest. We can see them here retreating over the hill in the opening scene of the episode Serenity.

This guy right here for instance, is very distinctly wearing a browncoat under his vest. His long sleeve has no patch on it though. This ensemble looks a whole lot more like the image on the Wikia I posted earlier than our principle characters do. In fact, not a single one of the extras retreating over this berm have a patch on.

Here's the soldier who was field promoted to Lt. Baker and dismissed to call in for air support. You can clearly see he's got a full sleeved coat on and not a smock, the buttons are visible on his right chest. What he lacks is any insignia on his right shoulder. It is also readily apparent through dialogue that he is subordinate to Mal, referring to our hero both as "Sergeant" and "Sir." I've gone through this frame by frame I can't find a definitive picture of his red vest, only what looks like what could be his red vest. I can't tell if it's under or over his coat, though it is under his tactical vest which is worn over his coat like most everyone else.

Anyone who has a coat on over their vest has a patch on. This one is from The Message. He's wearing a coat, and the patch is aligned the same way Mal's is.

This is another shot from Message. I can't be sure if the guy in the background is the same one from the previous picture, but either way we see a number of over the vest coats with patches. I started to wonder if only those in leadership positions, such as Sergeants and Officers, wore their browncoats free so they would be easily recognizable to other grunts on the battlefield. Though we cannot see the Lieutenant's patch in the episode The Message, it is safe to assume that the two people above are not lieutenants. If they were there would be no need for Mal and Zoe to have spoken for him later on in the episode. We see two confirmed Lieutenants in the show, with coats on over their vests. One of them has his rank patch with the star pointing up and the other has no screen time to confirm nor deny. We see one confirmed Sergeant (Mal) and two assumed sergeants, all with coats on over their vest and with their rank patches pointing star down. So I see the perfect opportunity to merge the creator's intent with what we see on screen. The mis-sewn coats can still be considered accurate for a sergeant and the correct orientation can be considered accurate for an officer.. We have enlisted personnel wearing theirs with the triangle oriented in the opposite way as officers, thus creating contrast that makes identification easier. At this point in time I'm not going to make a sweeping endorsement of the idea, but its something to mull over later. I always intended on doing an Independents Rank Structure blog post and this will add an entirely new, complicated, twist to that discussion.

As for now, wear the damn patch whichever way you want. Screen Canon still supports both ways, but I'm starting to think that I'm onto something with this up or down as an indicator of rank thing.

The 76th Independents Battalion

A number, not all but enough, of threads on Browncoat costume eventually refefence the 76th Independents Battalion. So, It’s important that I get this out of the way early. The 76th Independents Battalion is a really cool idea. In fact, it's very similar to my intentions with this blog. The concept that an organized Browncoat organization can be put together, especially for attending conventions and things, is a fantastic goal in the spirits and footsteps of groups like the 501st Stormtroopers. Where the 76th and I begin to differ is not in concept, but in execution. Though organized with the best of intentions, there's a fundamental methodology to the organization that I believe does not typify who Independents were both in spirit and how they were portrayed on screen.

For those that don't know the 76th is the only real organized Independent Browncoat costume organization that I know of. The truth is I dislike the 76th, which is sad because I really wanted to like them. I adore the idea of an organized Independents costume group... but not that way. Unfortunately, the way they mishandle the very concept of creating a Browncoat organization much less the development of the actual costume is exacerbated by the fact that they were the first ones one the scene and have no competitors. The lack of any other organized Independents cosplay group means that they are the de-facto authority on the subject. I intend to change that.

But I cannot express how important it is not to misconstrue this as a 76th hate blog. My goal is not to replace the 76th. In fact, if my research does anything to improve the costume that is worn by members of the 76th then I would be elated. My goal is to improve the standard of Browncoat costuming for the entire community, not to be 'top dog.' Is I'll talk about later the 76th has its place. Right now the 76th does not do the costume justice, and I care far more about recreating accurate, screen true costumes. I want to look like I walked off the set when I finish my kit. The 76th does not do that. I will be referencing the 76th a lot as they are the only major group out there with resources; they are the only standard to be judged by. And in no way am I trying to insinuate that they are one giant epic fail. They have a number of valuable resources I intend to extort, but the majority of their practices I disagree with. Their website contains quite a few decent links and advice. But in the end their underlying methodology is wrong.

So to make things simple I’m going to just list the differences of opinion I have with the 76th here and now. When, in the future, I reference them with derision at least you’ll know that there are completely professional reasons for it. The majority of my dislikes boil down to three major categories: failure to encapsulate the spirit of the Browncoats, unnecessary regulations that make the costume more difficult/expensive to create, and non-canon supported suppositions and additions that detract from the screen image.

• First and foremost is that to be accepted by their unit and to march with them on parade you must use the pattern for the vest, smock, and/or jacket developed by the founder. That on its own grates me the wrong way, but then he charges for the pattern. It’s just so skeevy. Even if he isn't out to profiteer on the fandom (and in many ways that's not a crime) it certainly seems that way. He doesn't charge a lot, but still it’s galling. Plus, the patterns are shapeless and look like crap. A simple google search provides free patterns that will serve you much better. In the end, there's something wrong if one person is the only resource to go through to produce a proper costume.
• The 76th's uniform regulations fail to personify the screen presence and spirit of the costume. A good costume makes you indistinguishable from an extra at the coffee pot during filming. The 76th wants ‘parade pretty’ uniforms free of dirt and distress with as near uniformity of style as possible. This kind of appearance is not represented in the show. The loose confederation of dusty soldiers would not have the regimental glitz and glamour of the contemptible Alliance Regulars. The border and rim worlds couldn't agree on much apart from ensuring the mail got delivered before the war. Any concept of a standing 'Independents Army' pre-succession is absurd. For one the Independent Faction didn't exist before the threat of Unification and, a little while after, the war. Once war broke out there wouldn't be time for parade pretty.
• The infatuation with being parade perfect and uniform generates a level of inaccessibility to the lower income costumer. It is understandable that the 501st Legion of Stormtroopers has strict requirements, but all of them are supported by screen canon. In the show a number of extras, and most notably the principle characters, do not have helmets. Thus someone who does not have the time or money to invest in one shouldn't be excluded or made to feel any less a Browncoat. Situations like this are made worse when the regulations require a very specific surplus item restricted to its all metal original form, excluding kevlar or plastic. The truth is, you can pick up a cheap plastic helmet from an airsoft store online for twenty bucks plus shipping. It looks close enough and with paint no one can tell. This is a costume after all, and no one expects their costume helmet to protect them from small arms fire. These kinds of restrictions do nothing to enhance the costume and only hedge out those who cannot afford or are unable to find the item. In the case of the helmet, requiring a specific surplus item that is no longer in production creates a finite limit to the number of cosplayers that can ever participate. Who wants that!
• A number of their uniform choices look downright wrong. The vest, for instance, has its stripes lower than any of the pictures I can find. Mal, Zoe, and Tracy all wear vests where the first gold band on their vest begins right where the v of the neck begins. Just compare a picture of the ‘76th’s’ vest and screenshots. I’ve said before, variation is acceptable. But when you require someone to wear something that isn’t supported by canon I start to have problems.
• The directive that officer’s wear blue scarves and enlisted wear red is not supported by canon. I’ve been trying without success to find a blue scarf on anyone in the show. It’s the same point I just made. If you want to wear a blue scarf, go ahead. Mal wore a grey one, Tracy a brown one, and Zoe a red. Tweaking or bending canon for convenience or due to resources is fine. But demanding that people break canon to join your group is just plain wrong.
• Periodically throughout the uniform section it is said “or ask the CO for approval.” If it looks right, do it. If you did your homework (or my tutorials become detailed enough) and have an eye for the costume you’ll know if something is out of sorts. I really hate the concept of grovelling for approval.
• I can’t say it enough, if you're not running a racket one should avoid the perception that you're trying to fleece your fans. The number of required items that just so happen to be offered for sale by the founder's friends is startling and offputting.
• Most of all the use of current U.S. rank and insignia is not only canonically wrong, it's downright offensive. The concept of slapping on a ‘Battalion Patch’ doesn’t bother me, obviously various units may do things in various ways, but putting American rank patches on your collar is insulting to actual service members. I don’t care if you wear the chevrons upside down there are people who in law enforcement, corrections, the military, government security, etc. earned those stripes. Unless you did, don’t wear it. If the actual costume on screen used American rank insignia I wouldn’t really mind, because canon is king. There's nothing inappropriate about wearing a Star on your collar if you're cosplaying General Francis X. Hummel from Michael Bay's The Rock. It's what he wore on screen. But Firefly already has a canon rank patch. Ignoring that to wear rank insignia people have fought, killed, and died for is completely unacceptable.
• I cannot stress enough that I don't hate the 76th. I love Browncoats and because I love them, I cannot accept the 76th's decision on the costume.

But how can I be so judgmental? I go on and on about how there's variation and a boots up appearance to what a Browncoat would dress like. Why am I getting down on these guys? Because the image they present is not the one you see on screen. The sad truth is, with how far they've gone astray from how Browncoats are portrayed in the show, it comes down to the question "Which do you wish to be, a Browncoat or a member of the 76th?" The 76th cannot really be considered a true Browncoat costume. As a member of the 76th you're not a Browncoat from the show, you're a Browncoat of some fan's vision. Personally I have a lot more interest in the show's creator's vision than some random guy's.

But there's a place for the 76th. If you as a cosplayer really are far more interested in looking uniform and polished, if you really want to wear a brigade patch and you have no interest in distressing a uniform there's a place for you with the 76th Independents Battalion, a place that has chosen to be a Browncoat Recreation organization. If you want to look like a Browncoat from the show, then the Shadow Irregulars is your go-to place for Browncoat Reconstruction. I am also vindicated to know that I am not the only one who thinks the way I do. In studying the disseminated information regarding Browncoat uniforms I have read a number of comments referencing the 76th that mirror my own thoughts. The end result are a silent network of people who say ‘screw them I’ll just do it on my own!’

Yes. Yes, yes, YES! That’s the Independents spirit! But you don’t have to feel alone anymore. If you are one those disenfranchised Browncoats who had the sense the that 76th just wasn't doing thing quite right, this resource is for you. It does not demand membership to have access to its articles. It exists for the greater Browncoat Nation. And if you really desire a unit or organization to be attached to, if that would help you round out your character or create a sense of belonging that you desire, consider the Shadow Irregulars your home. Because we’re about doing it the right way.

The Official Firefly Companion Vol 1 and 2

So we're off to a wedding in California, but a three hour layover in Denver means time to blog! It occurs to me that a blog on costume design cannot be complete just by pouring over screenshots I find on the internet. So I downloaded a free video editing software that allows me to take the videos off my DVD and go through it frame by frame. Woo! Lots of eye crossing madness, but its worth it. I also know of the existence of the every useful visual companions to the series and film. These books are vital to success... but books cost money, so I'll probably be purchasing them slowly over the next couple months. I have no intention to stop working while waiting for them though. If I discover discrepancies with what I've already worked on, then I'll just have to update my work. Three points for use of the scientific method! In the mean time, anyone with the companion who wants to shed light on anything I've gotten wrong I'd appreciate the help. In such instances scans will be invaluable.

The Cortex

I did a fairly broad google search for ‘Browncoats’ ‘Firefly’ ‘Serenity’ ‘The verse’ both alone and in combination with words like ‘blog’ and ‘costume’ and such. I have a fairly formidable list of Firefly related links now. I intend to add to it as this blog rolls along because lets face it, trying to eyeball a butt-ton of google searches is pretty ridiculous. If I’m missing a good one, and I'm sure I'm missing plenty, let me know.

The Independents Patch, Prelude

As first order of business I've decided to tackle the Independent's patch issue. Even today the argument rages back and forth between fans and merchants. Star up or star down? Triangle up or down? It makes me drool sad brain numbing tongue tears that whenever I see a thread on the patch the only thing people bother talking about is up or down. Why does it make me angry? Because there's an answer directly from the costumers. Mal's patch was sewn on upside down. The star was supposed to be up. On the dead LT in Serenity the patch was star point up. The authorization codes were printed on it in such a way that they would be upside down if the patch was sewn on the way it was for Mal. To be honest as I dig I see an absurd level of variation between Browncoats dress, moreso than I'd anticipated. Point up or down can be chalked up to unit preference. Canon is King though. Both ways appear on screen. Which, for now, means as far as the Shadow Irregulars are concerned both ways are acceptable. What I want to know, what no one bothers to discuss, is who wore what kind of patch and when? We know that it is a rank insignia because the visual companion labels a picture of them as so.

So I'm going to go through Serenity's battle scene as well as The Message's. We'll see if we can't find any answers to some of those questions through trends in costume on screen. And holy crap is that tedious! And it is only step one. What follows is enlarging and cleaning up the images in photoshop to bring out details. I'm not sure I mind, but I'm not even half way through being half way near done.

I want to also go through any scene inside Mal's cabin on Serenity to see if he has Independent paraphialia on his walls such as a flyer or flag. Besides the film, Objects in Space, and Our Mrs. Reynolds I cannot think of a scene in his cabin. Which episodes am I missing?