Inspiration needed - SWJ town square scene

[SWCAdmin]

So we've often imagined ourselves as the open, unclass, neutral ground akin to a market in a town square at a little Swiss crossroads amongst all the mountain peaks of the various silos of excellence and juggernauts of cloistered brilliance. Now we are very fortunate to have an illustrator who is going to turn that image into a reality.

Now calling for what sort of things should be pictured in there.

We're not really sure if we'll make it very busy with TONS of stuff, a la Where's Waldo?, or we'll distill significantly. But for now, free thinking hats on.

What are the images that depict the essence of small wars and Small Wars Journal? Today and historical.

Examples: (don't bother trying to categorize, I just threw a couple out to make sure we're thinking broadly and uncategorized)

• People - Teddy Roosevelt and his rough riders, Petraeus & Crocker, Clausewitz
• Activities - voting, MEDCAP, Predator strike
• Places / Things - 9/11, Saddam's statue, Gitmo, Algiers
• Misc squishy things - justice, 3 block war

We'll be watching this list and culling the ideas for development with the artist. Please fire away.

[slapout9]

John Wayne with his Green Beret!

[jcustis]

-a silhouette of a commander at the end of a handset, running from a radio on a RTO's back
-a silhouette of a corpsman/medic administering aid to a child
-a silhouette or photo of a Marine/soldier playing soccer with LN children, while other troops are conspicuous in the background as overwatch.

[Steve Blair]

-a silhouette of a commander at the end of a handset, running from a radio on a RTO's back
-a silhouette of a corpsman/medic administering aid to a child
-a silhouette or photo of a Marine/soldier playing soccer with LN children, while other troops are conspicuous in the background as overwatch.

I also like the TR idea. Somewhere in the corner you need a copy of the original Small Wars Manual, and maybe a shadow of Old Bill (the mounted trooper done by Remington to show the continuing role of cavalry in the US's small wars).

And Slap, what about a SF guy based loosely on Larry Thorne? Might better capture the international aspect of SW.

[davidbfpo]

A 'terp' helping the infidel, a map upside down and something that shows how weird the real world is. Maybe a Russian-made chopper, in US markings?

[Polarbear1605]

samar2.jpgHow about the cover from the book "The Ordeal of Samar" ...file attached

[slapout9]

-a silhouette of a commander at the end of a handset, running from a radio on a RTO's back

Having been an RTO for a Platoon leader and Company Commander (carried all my gear plus a PRICK 77) I can strongly identify with this one

[Kiwigrunt]

A confused wounded UN soldier with an unloaded rifle pointing at his ROE card or COIN manual while locals with cell phones try to penetrate his body armour with spears to finish him off.

With a jet flying overhead…..and a donkey and a Hummer in the distance…and a man in a three piece suite with a briefcase standing with his back to it all, lecturing the commander.

[M-A Lagrange]

A confused wounded UN soldier with an unloaded rifle pointing at his ROE card or COIN manual while locals with cell phones try to penetrate his body armour with spears to finish him off.

With a jet flying overhead…..and a donkey and a Hummer in the distance…and a man in a three piece suite with a briefcase standing with his back to it all, lecturing the commander.

A confused wounded UN soldier with a stick trying to contain local militia armed with cell phones and AK or RPG and to calm them down by distributing candies.

With an MI8 flying over and a old APC tracked by donkeys and a man in a three piece suite with a briefcase lecturing the commander who is drinking tea and watching cricket in a parade uniform from a powerfull country as swaziland...

That would be more accurate