Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Dear Unit Commanders, Contacts, and Vendors
On behalf of the Odessa staff I would
like to wish you, your unit, and yours a Merry Christmas, as well as a
Happy, Safe, and Prosperous New Year!
Lets hope Santa continues to bring
low petrol prices throughout the 2009 re-enacting season!
Respectfully,
Scott Thompson
Odessa Event Coordinator
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
A couple of things today; first are a series of points to help further
clarify the position of the Odessa Event Staff in regards to the History
Channel documentary. Additionally, this year's agenda is now posted
under the "Event Agenda" link.
History Channel Documentary - Updates and Clarifications
Because there has been so much interest and so many positive reactions to
the release that the History Channel plans on being at Odessa '08, the
Odessa Event Staff wanted to fill in some of the holes that may have been
created by the announcement:
A producer from the History Channel
contacted Scott Thompson several months ago, and requested they be able to
come and film some footage for a new installment of the "360 Series".
This is the same team that made "Enterprise 360" and was aired last
winter. It was an excellent production.
Now they are preparing "Patton 360" and wish to incorporate
re-enactors into the film, and to recreate certain episodes of history.
Because there are so many top-notch re-enactors that come to Odessa,
the team wanted to film there.
After much discussion with Scott Thompson, an arrangement was worked
out and the History Channel representatives have stated that they would
come to the event.
Many restrictions have been put in place by the Odessa Event Staff so
as to not disrupt the re-enactment.
In fact, the producer of the film is a WWII re-enactor himself and he
knows what is going on and how an event should proceed. He is very
sensitive to everyone's needs.
Scott Thompson believes that this is an excellent chance to portray
re-enacting in a positive light. The process will only improve and better
the hobby and the re-enacting community as a whole.
Now for some details as to the process in place.
1. Compensation - There will be no compensation to anyone
or any unit.
The Odessa Event Staff, the Western Front Association, nor any of its
members are being paid.
Participation in any planned film sequences will be voluntary. If you
object to being filmed in the sequences because you are not being paid,
then you do not participate - very simple. Many will volunteer though.
An agreement has been made to have any unit that participates in any
planed film sequences be given prominent recognition in the film's
credits.
The Odessa Event Staff is trying to get all units that attend the
event to at least be given a mention in the credits.
We are portraying historical units that mean something to each one of
us. What better payment do we need than to have these units shown in a
respectful and accurate manner?
2. Inaccurate Impressions - No one ever wants the bad
impressions to be in the forefront.
We understand that; neither
do we.
The producer has requested that only accurate impressions be used in
his planned film sequences.
If you have the wrong gear, improper haircut, are not in shape, or
whatever, you cannot take part in the sequences.
The producer has also requested that he be allowed to visit some of
the camps. All you have to say is - no - to any requests if you are not
wanting filmed.
Remember, the producer is a re-enactor himself and knows what can
happen in re-enacting.
We are not going to give the hobby a black-eye and allow inaccuracy to
be shown front and center.
So, if you are one of these "inaccurate impression" kind of
re-enactors, do not be upset if you do not get your camera time.
3. Interfering with the battles - There will be no
interference.
The production team plans on being there Friday and Saturday.
Friday is to be the individual film sequences. These sequences will
be away from any
re-enactment scenarios that are planned for the event. The film team will
be in one place the event's scenarios in another.
Saturday will have two film crews in the field, each with two men.
That is a total of four (4) individuals in the field. They should be able
to stay out of everyone's way.
One crew will be following the Allies and the other the Germans.
They will be filming what they see - with no retakes.
*************************************
The Odessa Event Staff thought that this opportunity would be fun
and something different for the participants to experience.
Everyone will be able to get from it what they desire - you can be
in it or ignore it - so be it.
To the nay-sayers that are not in agreement with the decision to
allow this filming - we on the Odessa Event Staff humbly disagree with
your assessments.
Thank-you to everyone that participates at
Odessa.
This event is for and has always been built around what the
re-enactor wanted.
Odessa Event Staff
Odessa 2008 - Event Agenda
To further assist your planning and expectations for the weekend, we
have recently updated and posted the Event Agenda for this year's Odessa
Event. For all you old-timers, you will recognize much of the
similar schedule as previous years:
- There will be two battles on Friday; one in the afternoon and one at
night. As usual, it is set up on a "First Come, First Serve" basis
for any interested units. Unit commanders, please contact Scott
Thompson at
scottthompson@rochester.rr.com if you are interested in
participating.
- Line-up for the main Saturday battle
will begin at 0845 hours, and the battle will last until 1400 hours.
There will be no Saturday Night battle.
- Saturday evening we will once again cook
up and serve another delicious period stew, similar to what was served
last year from the recently purchased German cook-kitchen. Only the
finest hearty food for our re-enactors!
- Battle winners and the awards ceremony will follow the dinner, and
will take place as always in front of the Registration Tent for anyone
that would like to attend.
- Please help to cleanup your campgrounds on Sunday morning.
Thanks!
Monday, August 25, 2008
History Channel Documentary
Just this weekend, Scott Thompson released some big news regarding Odessa
and the History Channel:
Attention all unit commanders and unit contacts:
The History Channel is in the process of producing a
documentary on General Patton. You may have seen their production of
Enterprise 360 this past winter. This was a series of all
the battles that the aircraft carrier Enterprise fought in. They are
producing a series called Patton 360. They are sending a film crew
out from Hollywood to capture footage of the event as well
as recreate footage to follow particular personal accounts of
WWII veterans.
They will be arriving at Odessa on Thursday, September 4.
They will be filming on Friday and Saturday. Friday is the day they
will be filming to recreate the veteran's stories. They will be
using footage of the hedge rows and other areas of the site. even
the encampment areas.
Because this is a seldom seen opportunity for the re-enacting
community, I am re-opening the registration for Odessa. All units
who may not be attending Odessa this year might want to reconsider.
Any units who are attending who might have some members who hadn't
registered by the pre-registration deadline will now be able to
register.
I know this has been a busy re-enacting season for many units
but this is a once in a life time chance. Please forward this email
to all the members of your unit incase any of your members would be
interested.
If you are interested please contact me as soon as possible
regarding this matter
scottthompson@rochester.rr..com. We will have
to recalculate the participant totals to accommodate the insurance,
food, wood, water, and port-a-john requirements.
Here is your chance to be discovered by Hollywood, become the
next Brad Pitt, and get filthy rich so you can buy all the WWII toys
you want!
Respectfully,
Scott Thompson
Odessa Event Coordinator
Wednesday, July 9th, 2008
As promised, pre-registration packets were E-mailed out by Scott
Thompson in mid-June to all invited Unit Contacts and Vendors for Odessa
2008. The files in these packets are now also available to view and
for download to members of the invited units through the "Docs. & Forms"
link found in the left margin of this website. Please note that the
Pre-Registration Deadline is August 2, 2008.
If there are any issues with the use of these files, please send your
questions and/or comments to odessaevent@gmail.com.
Tuesday, May 27th, 2008
Summer’s here again, and <www.OdessaEvent.com> is prepared to regularly
provide information and updates on Odessa ’08. Here are a few
announcements for what’s in store in the near future:
As some have already asked, the 2008 Odessa Event
will take place on the weekend of September 5, 6, and 7.
Pre-registration packets will be sent out by Scott Thompson in mid-June
to the invited units.
To promote a continuation of last year’s safe
success, the rules and regulations for pyrotechnics that were used last
year will not be significantly altered this year. Once again, all
direct-fire projectiles will not be allowed this year. An updated
“Rules For Pyrotechnic Use” file will be posted in the coming weeks.
More pictures to be added!
Thanks to everyone, and please keep checking back
often.
Friday, September 28th, 2007
New E-mail Address
In an effort to create another means of communication with the re-enactors
of Odessa, the following E-mail address, odessaevent@gmail.com,
has been set up where any and all questions, concerns, and/or comments regarding
the Odessa Event are welcome and can be submitted directly to select
members of the Odessa Event Staff. Be assured that every E-mail received
will be carefully considered with intentions of implementing the best overall
improvements and adjustments for future re-enactments at Odessa. This
should not cause any re-enactor to feel discouraged from still personally
contacting the Event Coordinator at scottthompson@rochester.rr.com about
further issues or comments they may have.
We are looking forward to this being a large and continual year-round
source of ideas coming directly from the re-enactors, so please feel free
to send information about specific aspects of Odessa that you have enjoyed
or wished could have been improved. Thanks!
Tuesday, September 11th, 2007
A letter from event coordinator, Scott Thompson:
"All Unit Commanders & Unit Contacts:
This year was a critical year in the re-enacting community pertaining
to safety issues. Last year at this time, Odessa was faced with some
safety concerns, and as I had stated last year, we would investigate
and address these issues by the next event.
Where safety infractions had occurred different re-enactors where
banned from this event while others were put on probation. But rather
than stop there, Odessa stepped up to the challenge by enacting safety
initiatives. We addressed safety rules and regulations, participant's
conduct as well as ammunition and pyrotechnics. We built a webpage so
each participant will have access to all the initiatives and won't
have any excuse for what is right or wrong. An entire process of
ammunition inspection was added this year which included an
administrative tent for ammunition inspection as well as an ammunition
verification check at roll call. Spot checks in the field and a safety
demonstration were also a part of the extensive process. The Unit
Commander's Acknowledgement of Responsibility & Accountability Form
was created to go one step further to hold unit commanders responsible
and liable for the conduct and actions of their individual members. By
ratcheting up responsibility and liability, it will ensure a safer
event.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of those units and
re-enactors who participated at Odessa this year. Due to the new
safety standards, this year's event was the most important to attend.
By attending this year, you were telling the re-enacting community
that you were taking a proactive stance in bettering the hobby. Those
that participated at this critical time speaks volumes for their
integrity, character, commitment and willingness to step up to the
plate shoulder to shoulder with us to make this an improved and safer
hobby. On behalf of those that attended, I would like to convey my
appreciation, and acknowledge each unit:
*Allied *
1st Div. 26th Inf. Rgt.
1st Inf. Div. E Co.
1st Inf. Div.
2nd Ranger BN, Easy Co.
3rd Inf. Div.
4th Armored
20th Combat Engineers
26th Div. 104th Inf. Rgt. Co. B
28th Div. 103rd Eng. Combat Bn.
28th Div. 109th Inf. Co. L
30th Inf. Div. 117th Rgt. L Co.
33rd Signal Construction Bat.
45th Div. 157th Inf.
63rd Inf. Div.
99th Div.
101st ABN/506 PIR E Co.
101st ABN/501 PIR
1st Canadian Parachute Bn.
7th Black Watch
15th Rece
Argyll Southerland Highlanders
Black Watch, Royal Highlanders Canada
First Special Services Force
Perth Rgt. Of Canada
*Axis*
2nd Gebirgs, 137th Rgt.
3rd Panzer Gren. Div.
15th Panzer Gren. Div.
Rgt. 135/ 45th Div.
136th Rgt. Gebirgs 2nd Komp.
Feld Troop 419
1st Luft. Lande-Sturm Rgt.
Fallschirmjager Rgt. 2
5th Fallschirmjager Div.
6th Gren. Regt. 1 HG
1st SS LAH (National)
1st SS LAH II Kp III Corp PG Rgt 2
SS Deutschland, 9 Komp.
2nd SS Pz Div. Das Riech
3rd SS Totenkopf – Auflarungs
5th SS Wiking
6th Nord SS
9th SS Hohenstauffen
9th SS (California)
10th SS Fundsberg 3rd Komp.
For those units who have supported Odessa in the past, it is my
hope that they will continue to support it in the future. On behalf of
the Odessa Staff, I want to thank you for abiding by the standards and
for making this another successful event.
Respectfully,
Scott Thompson
Odessa Event Coordinator"
Monday, September 3rd, 2007
General Announcements
Here it comes; Odessa is less than one week away! Again as has
been mentioned before, any registered units that would like to arrive as
early as Wednesday to begin setting up their camp areas are welcome to do
so. Sign-in at registration will officially begin on Friday at Noon.
Improvements have been made to speed up and streamline the
registration/information process this year. All registration,
sign-in, and potential first-aid issues will be handled at the
Registration tent. This should also be everybody’s first stop when
they arrive at Odessa, so that attendance is taken and the usual ID card
is provided to you. Next, every person will be directed toward the
Administration tent where all ammo checks, mortar round checks, scenario
questions, and security issues can be settled.
Every reenactor must
stop at the Administration tent with all ammunition on Friday, in order to
receive an ammo-check stamp on their ID cards so that they can take part
in the battles on Friday and Saturday. Individuals that arrive late
on Friday will need to visit the Administration tent on Saturday morning
before 8:00 AM. During formation, judges will be checking that
re-enactors have their registration ID cards and ammo-check stamps. Do
not line up Saturday morning without these simple things in order, or else
you will be sent to the necessary tent to be taken care of; this can and
will delay your unit’s departure into the field, which will not likely be
appreciated by your comrades.
Everyone has done
extremely well with these matters in the past, and with everyone’s
cooperation this year will go just as smoothly and even more safely.
Thanks!
Site Updates
Please notice that a new
link has been posted with the 2007 Odessa Event Agenda. Additionally, a
new FAQ question has been posted to clear up the way that vehicular hits
will be handled.
Thursday, August 16th, 2007
With this year's Odessa now less than a month away, final preparations
are quickly gearing up and taking place. This announcement to all Odessa
Event Judges and also FB272 Members & Honorary Members declares the time
and location for the official administrative pre-event meeting.
Coverage for the meeting will include the detailed schedule for this
year's event, a thorough presentation of all rules and regulations posted
on this website, additional important comments by Scott Thompson and
various other staff members, and an opportunity for the Judges to settle
any questions or thoughts they have for the event.
"To All Odessa Judges and Unit Members,
This is a reminder, the Pre-Odessa Judges meeting is being held on Sunday,
August 26th, at the 1941 Historical Aircraft Group Museum, 3489 Big Tree
Lane, Geneseo, NY 14454. This will be in the large hanger at the air
museum. The time is at 9:00 am, and it will last until 3:00 pm.
I look forward to seeing you there.
Respectfully,
Scott Thompson
Odessa Event Coordinator"
Monday, July 30th, 2007
New Link – Operation Cobra
A link has been added with some information that the historically
proficient might already be aware of; it provides a summarized description
for the backdrop that will be used as a lead-in to this year’s Odessa
Event scenario and situational objectives.
A Safety Notice by Scott Thompson
"All Unit Commanders, Unit Contacts and Re-enactors:
Because of our commitment to safety, we are asking all
participants to conduct themselves in a professional, responsible, and
safe manner. Use common sense and good judgment while participating at
this event. That goes for the encampment areas and around the vehicles.
In case there is an incident, where safety is a concern,
please bring it to the attention of the Odessa staff, Judges, or Event
Security immediately. Please get the exact details of who is the offending
unit, the unit commander's name and if possible the offender's name. Be
specific, pay attention to detail, and convey this to us. When notified,
our staff/judges/security are prepared to stop the battle, investigate the
matter and deal with the issue right then and there; remember, any
investigation we conduct is only as good as its witnesses’ information. We
are prepared to remove from the field, or event, any individuals, or units
who do not abide by the rules.
We want everyone to enjoy themselves but we will not have
anyone's safety compromised. I appreciate in advance, all who are
participating in this event, and want you to know, that your participation
is instrumental in bettering the hobby.
Respectfully,
Scott Thompson
Odessa Event Coordinator "
Sunday, July 22nd, 2007
In addition to the recent news posts that have been added here, there
are also a number of new items throughout the site for you all to review:
- Additional comments on the John Yendes Remembrance page.
- A new FAQ page that currently has a few of the most pressing and
consistently valid points raised by re-enactors about Odessa.
- A new page, which is actually a triple-link of information regarding the
Overall Commander methods that Odessa has always and will continue to
implement. It is intended to provide some further understanding for why
Odessa has lasted for over twelve years and continues to be simultaneously
unpredictable and historically accurate.
- More old photos that span the past six years of Odessa events.
Attendance and Arrival Times to the Odessa Event
A commonly asked question is, “Can I come to Odessa this year?” In order
to maintain the authenticity and historical integrity of the weekend, not
to mention handling the logistical and safety issues that are also
involved, the Odessa Event has always been an Invitation Only Tactical,
and is therefore closed to the general public. This also means that only
those reenacting Unit Commanders and/or Unit Contacts who have been
personally sent pre-registration packets and were invited by Scott
Thompson each year are allowed to attend and send in the unit rosters of
reenactors that will also be in attendance.
(By the way, if you are the Unit Contact then do not forget that the
registration packets are due in full by August 3rd, 2007.)
With that said, the Odessa Staff and members of Füsilier Bataillon 272
will be at the site all week. Any registered participant or unit wishing
to come as early as Wednesday to set-up their campsite areas and enjoy the
camaraderie (or Kameradenschaft as the case may be), or even to simply
enjoy the setting itself, are fully welcome to do so.
Friday, July 20th, 2007
Friday Afternoon Tactical – September 7, 2007
Do not forget that a Friday afternoon tactical has been added to the
Odessa Event. It went very well when it premiered last year, and hopes are
high for another stirring clash between Allies and Germans to occur this
year.
This is specifically designed for any die-hards that can arrive early and
are wishing to snag some extra “trigger time”. The tactical will be from
approximately 2:00 PM to 4:00 or 5:00 PM.
Members of the reenacting units that are registered for the Odessa Event
are the only ones that will be considered for this. If you can participate
and wish to be included in this extra scenario, you will need to contact
the Event Coordinator, Scott Thompson, at
scottthompson@rochester.rr.com.
Please also note that the Friday Afternoon Tactical will be kept small
with no more than 35-40 participants per side. It is first-come
first-serve, so if the numbers are filled early then you will not be able
to go out. Whole units do not have to participate, but if you are signing
up for this without your unit then you will be assigned to the scenario
commander for your side.
Cancellation of the Saturday Night Battle
In consideration of the safety issues and concerns that appeared during
Odessa 2006, the Odessa Event Staff have deemed it necessary to cancel the
Saturday Night Battle for Odessa 2007. This decision comes from the point
of view that safety is, and has to be, the priority of Odessa.
We apologize to the units who were looking for that extra bit of
trigger-time, but we also ask that you refer to the opportunity provided
above regarding the Friday Afternoon Tactical that is being offered again
this year.
Thursday, July 19th, 2007
Announcement of Overall Commanders
As you may already know, the Axis forces under the command of Doug Doyle
(from the 9th SS Panzer Division) were victorious on the field at Odessa
2006; that immediately dictates that he is the first candidate for command
of the Axis again in Odessa 2007. He has accepted that position, and since
last year was the second loss and therefore conclusion to Darrel Shanne’s
admirable series of years as Allied Overall Commander, a new one was to be
named for Odessa 2007.
It was previously announced that Rick Kiester had agreed to taking up that
position; but due to an unfortunate recent injury, a new Commander was
needed. The following is an official statement by Scott Thompson to clear
up the issue:
"New Allied Overall Commander
There has been a change in the overall command at Odessa. Unfortunately,
Rick Kiester was injured overseas. He required surgery and will not be
fully recuperated in time for Odessa. The new Overall Allied Commander is
Chris Van Brunt who is the commander of the 4th Armored Division.
Respectfully,
Scott Thompson
Odessa Event Coordinator"
Thursday, July 12th, 2007
As promised,
further links are currently being worked on and added to the
www.OdessaEvent.com website; the first update is now here and includes a
page dedicated to the memory and recognition of John Yendes, as well as a
page with a selection of photos from Odessa that have been collected from
the previous few events.
Over the coming
days and weeks will be more photos, a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page
for general information regarding the event rules and regulations, and much
more; so keep checking back often!
Monday, June 25th, 2007
If you have been invited to
this years event, and plan on participating please fill out and send in the
appropriate forms by
August 3rd. All necessary forms have
now been sent in the mail to all invited unit commanders; so, if you are not
a unit commander, but know that your unit has been invited, then get in
touch with your unit commander for the appropriate forms. If you need
extra copies, please refer to the
Documents & Forms section of
our website. Thank you.
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