Sawmill worker by night; stormtrooper whenever

KAMIAH, Idaho (AP) — TK-2668 maintains a lonely post in northern Idaho where he is the only stormtrooper for hundreds of miles.

When not on duty he works nights at the local sawmill, Three Rivers Timber, where few of his co-workers know of his position with the Imperial forces.

"I consider myself a reserve trooper," says TK-2668, who is known as Mike Dietz when not in uniform. "Since there's not a big rebel threat out here, I'm not deployed a lot."

Dietz is a member of the 501st Legion's Alpine Garrison, which covers Idaho, Utah and Montana. Members of the legion, also known as Vader's Fist, are bad guys from around the world who do good, volunteering in authentic-looking costumes for various events and organizations. During the last holiday season, TK-2668 could be found ringing a bell for the Salvation Army at the Lewiston Wal-Mart.

In 2005 he volunteered at cinemas in Lewiston and Grangeville to add ambience to the first showings of "Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith."

This month marks the 30th anniversary of the opening of "Star Wars." Dietz, 38, saw the film through a child's eyes when his father took him to the theater to see it. The movie struck him, "like it did with most people," he says. "It was the best science fiction tale ever told."

Most of all he was arrested by opening scenes of charging stormtroopers.

"Right then I said I wanted to be a stormtrooper, not knowing I would eventually become one."

Dietz has put a lot of effort into assembling a "screen-accurate" costume. His helmet includes a flaw in the right eye that can be found in versions of the film armor. Inside the helmet are fans to keep the wearer cool and prevent fogging.

It also is equipped with a voice amp and speakers that add another level of genuineness when TK-2668 asks people going to the drive-in, "Any droids or rebel contraband in your vehicle tonight?"

It takes him 55 minutes to put on all his armor, which he wears over a black diving suit. His blaster is made from real gun parts, although it doesn't fire, and weighs about 30 pounds. The extra weight is to discourage its use as a weapon in a robbery, he explains, because it looks so real.

Accuracy costs a pretty penny, Dietz says. He estimates his costume cost around $2,000. He bought it on the Internet and says much of it has been hand-built, "pressed out by guys working in their garages."