nkomo wrote: I know that a lot of collectors of WW2 or Vietnam will tell collectors to buy reference books and study to keep from making mistakes. Ummmmm.....I can think of two or three reference books that are out there for OEF/OIF collectors. It makes it hard on us, as we have no guides to go by. We have to learn the hard way and right now, we have to protect ourselves from fakes.
For USSF collectors I recommend
US Special Forces Group Insignia (Post 1975) by Harry Pugh, Gary Perkowski, and Len Whistler. The book was published in 2004 so it has a bit of GWOT OEF/OIF information. It is a good reference and very affordable.
For world wide Airborne and Special Operations Forces nothing beats membership in the Parachutist and Special Force Insignia Collector Group. Membership cost is $26 USA/Canada and $40 International. The membership fees primarily fund the groups printed journal
'Chutes and Daggers. The journal is published four times per year with each issue at around 75 pages. The C&D's journal illustrates thousands of special operations insignia, wings, certificates, etc. The journal also illustrates the fakes and suspect patches. Lastly there are articles on operations, SOF history, book reviews and more. It is well worth the money. I'm plugging this as a member only. I have no other association with C&D. Sadly, the miscreants that are making the reproduction patches get a lot of their designs from C&D also.
If you are interested in either the book or membership in the Parachutist and Special Force Insignia Collector Group contact Harry Pugh at the address below:
Harry Pugh
P.O. Box 7201
Arlington, Virginia 22207-7201
Or PM me and I will give you an email address. I'm not going to post it here for the 'bots to find.
In closing I guess i'm trying to say a couple of things - one, there is reference material out there we just have to look for it; secondly, "we" are part of the problem ..... There are experts here on this forum that post every day. I'm certainly not including myself, but this forum is blessed to have walking, talking, and posting experts here on nearly all facets of these GWOT topics. Knowledge may be power, but there is no power in knowledge unless it is shared. Which brings me to the last point - the "dilemma". Do you post pictures of a rare piece of insignia, a modified top, or other item even knowing that the scum bag fakers who are ruining the hobby are going to reproduce same .........? I say YES!! And here is why. With the rare exception, such as described by Arch above, I say YES. Does it help the fakers? Yes, of course; but
more importantly it helps our fellow collectors! Does it help a new collector who sees something here and thinks "wow, I jus saw that patch at the surplus shop"! That is the piece that is important to me. And I have tried to do just that by posting here some very rare theatre made SOF patches and even some Blackwater and contracting pieces. If the knowledge and information shared here helps other collectors and supports our passion for collecting then I consider what the fakers do with it to be collateral damage. I'm sure that not everyone shares this viewpoint but I am comfortable with it and think there is value in looking at both sides of the issue.
End rant, off the soap box, and 10-8 - my thoughts only ....