Forces.TV has a neat article on the troops that signed on for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Not only does using military in the film add to the authenticity of the players, it also gives the film access to people physically fit to handle the crazy costumes and Stormtrooper suits they are asked to wear for these films. The Special Edition of A New Hope used Marines for the updated Dewback sequences but Rogue One seems to take that to the next level.

When our Officer Commanding asked us if we wanted to be an extra in the next film during a morning brief, nobody put their hands up. We all thought it must be a wind-up. It took him most of the day to convince us that he really did know someone who was looking for a body of men to mill around in the background and do what they were told.

All in all, Forces.TV says they used about 40 men:

They were almost typecast. Flyboys and instructors, ammunition loaders and groundies became X-wing pilots, ground crew and Marines.

The men didn’t find it weird that they were told not to talk to the actors and the crew as they found it just like the service where officers are separated from the rest of the forces.

Rogue One sounds like it is going to have a lot of badasses walking around! The Force Awakens can go on all day about using real sets, but they let famous people be Stormtroopers for a day. Rogue One gets to boast about using real troops! Take that, Skywalker Saga if that’s even your real name!

Check out the full article here.