In 2007, the 501st Legion is celebrating ten years of bringing order to the galaxy. From one man's dream to a bona fide international Legion of thousands, the men and women of the Fighting 501st proudly continue their mission to "celebrate the Star Wars movies through the wearing of costumes, to promote the quality and improvement of costumes and props, and most importantly to contribute to the local community through charity and volunteer work..." We would be honored if you would join us...

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A special message from the Legion Commanding Officer...

An anniversary is a special time in any organization's life. In particular, a 10th anniversary is arguably the first major milestone that seems to say that you have truly achieved and become something. It is this "something" that we celebrate. We have become a large, organized, worldwide entity. We have become a force for good, supporting charities and community programs where we live. We have become a trusted and respected promotional partner for Lucasfilm. And we have become an inspiration to our fellow fans in showing them just how much fans can accomplish both in the costuming world and beyond.

Though it is not the nature of "Vader's Fist" to stand idle, hopefully our membership will briefly pause to contemplate not only what the Legion has achieved, but also what we can and will yet achieve together. While the Legion's list of accomplishments certainly seems to attest that we've "arrived," we are only at a mile-marker, not a destination. It has indeed been a wonderful journey so far, but there is still a whole lot of trooping to do!

It is my hope that we will emerge from our year-long celebration focused on the future and clear about who we are and what we can yet accomplish together. We wish to thank all of those who have been so supportive of our endeavors and hope that we can continue to serve and entertain you in the coming years. Throughout 2007 we will have special activities and projects to help commemorate the occasion of our 10th anniversary. So we encourage you to stay plugged into 501st.com for info and updates on the latest happenings. In particular, we invite you to join us at Celebration IV and Celebration Europe for special anniversary-related displays and presentations. And don't forget, "the Emperor is expecting you!"

Troop On!

Mark Fordham
SL-0096, Legion Commanding Officer

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A special message from the Legion Founder...

Ten years ago, some Star Wars fans thought it would be cool to dress up as Stormtroopers and pretend they were an actual unit in the Star Wars universe. It was a fun idea, but hard to get behind at first. Still, with perseverance and a lot of work, ten years later there are over 3,300 fans in over 30 countries wanting to do the same thing.

We've managed to lock down almost every accolade and endorsement there is in the Star Wars community, including becoming our own Hasbro action figure, having our name attached to a Legion of troopers in an actual Star Wars movie, and performing for George Lucas himself. Not too shabby for a beginning.

The future is bright for the Legion, as we continue to help our local communities, appear in public as good-will ambassadors, and spread the magic of Star Wars. As Mr. Lucas mentioned in Pasadena, the Stormtrooper character will be around for a long time; I am sure the Legion with be there right along with it. So now is a good time to reflect back on all we've done and all the people we've shared time with. We are a magnificent family full of fun and love, and we're growing larger all the time. Let's take pride in what we are and look forward to another ten years of trooping with our friends. Long live the Legion! Vader's Fist!

Albin Johnson
TK-210, Legion Founder