Hey guys.

I'm currently in the process of joining the BARS, British Airborne Re-Enactment Society. Well, when I say joining, I'm in talks with the leader and I've received the membership pack. I'm currently trying to set a date to meet and ask more questions but I do want to ask you guys for some...assistance.

First thing is the uniform. I have the kit list and have gone to the various sites they suggest. The cheapest I have found is most of the kit for £340, so adding the other kit it would come to under £400, which I thought was rather goo.d But if you guys know any other site's or groups that sell British Airborne (WWII) kit I would be very grateful. Sites I have looked at are Solider of Fortune, What Price Glory, Epic Militaria and Pegasus Militaria. Any other site's I could look at I would very much appreciate.

Secondly I would just like you to suggest some thing's I should ask when I meet this guy. Me and my family have never done anything like this before so I am going in rather cold. I have some basic questions about the weapons, expenses, uniform ect but I was wondering if you had anything that might be worth asking about that I could easily over miss. (Just as a side note, I'm 17 so I can legally do it and go into battle's but I obviously rather young so you might need consider some under 18 questions I might need to ask ect.)

Thirdly, any message's of encouragement would be very well welcomed. I very much want to be a part of this group, especially since the British military rejected my application and I want to live some sort of military lifestyle. Also, this is probably the first major project I am doing pretty much completely on my own. As I've said, no one in my family has ever done this so I have no family backing, I have to put my trust in the society's members, who I am sure am fabulous but I obviously don't know them. So any encouraging message's would be fab.

Thanks alot.
Yin

Originally Posted by Yin717

Hey guys.

I'm currently in the process of joining the BARS, British Airborne Re-Enactment Society. Well, when I say joining, I'm in talks with the leader and I've received the membership pack. I'm currently trying to set a date to meet and ask more questions but I do want to ask you guys for some...assistance.

First thing is the uniform. I have the kit list and have gone to the various sites they suggest. The cheapest I have found is most of the kit for £340, so adding the other kit it would come to under £400, which I thought was rather goo.d But if you guys know any other site's or groups that sell British Airborne (WWII) kit I would be very grateful. Sites I have looked at are Solider of Fortune, What Price Glory, Epic Militaria and Pegasus Militaria. Any other site's I could look at I would very much appreciate.

Secondly I would just like you to suggest some thing's I should ask when I meet this guy. Me and my family have never done anything like this before so I am going in rather cold. I have some basic questions about the weapons, expenses, uniform ect but I was wondering if you had anything that might be worth asking about that I could easily over miss. (Just as a side note, I'm 17 so I can legally do it and go into battle's but I obviously rather young so you might need consider some under 18 questions I might need to ask ect.)

Thirdly, any message's of encouragement would be very well welcomed. I very much want to be a part of this group, especially since the British military rejected my application and I want to live some sort of military lifestyle. Also, this is probably the first major project I am doing pretty much completely on my own. As I've said, no one in my family has ever done this so I have no family backing, I have to put my trust in the society's members, who I am sure am fabulous but I obviously don't know them. So any encouraging message's would be fab.

Thanks alot.
Yin

As a generic reenacting commentary...Usually the Group recommends vendors who the Group knows supplies authentic, well made & priced uniforms & equipment, vs stuff from others that is deficient in one or more of those areas. I'd not buy anything not on the approved list untill you've had a good chat with the members & know one well enough to guide you on buying from other dealers

Originally Posted by George

As a generic reenacting commentary...Usually the Group recommends vendors who the Group knows supplies authentic, well made & priced uniforms & equipment, vs stuff from others that is deficient in one or more of those areas. I'd not buy anything not on the approved list untill you've had a good chat with the members & know one well enough to guide you on buying from other dealers

Kind of my line of thought but thanks for confirming it. Just a bit out of interest really.

Thanks again.
Yin

Ever consider manning up and being a real soldier for a while?

Yin; why was your application rejected?
If you don´t want to say in an open forum, then PM me. Maybe, just maybe, there are other options like TA or ACF.

MikeP, you clearly didn't read my first post very well. And how dare you say that because the is still rather touchy for me.

42RM, I'm happy to say. My application was rejected because I had asthma. I originally tried to join the TA. I was told, which was a lie, I could get through with a doctor's note. This was not the case. I needed to be off medication for 4 years and when I talked to doctors they wouldn't let me. So I'll never be able to join.

Yin

When it´s medically based, then unfortunately that´s it.
But have you considered Army Cadet Force?

http://www.armycadets.com/home/

Take a look and consider it. It´s also an opportunity for you to develop yourself in many areas.