Dorsai Irregulars

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The Dorsai Irregulars was originally an organization made up of people from science fiction fandom. They were founded in 1973 to provide volunteer services such as room patrol and convention security to the science fiction and fantasy communities.

Since their founding, the Irregulars have expanded from the original seven to just over 90 members. This does not count the members who have died. Growth remains slow but steady, with new members coming from various subcultures such as gaming, furry fandom, General Technics and so forth. The types of conventions they serve have expanded to include anime, the Oshkosh Fly-In, the Mythic Journeys conferences on mythology in the modern world, and so forth.

Membership to the Dorsai Irregulars is by invitation only. New members are chosen primarily from people they have worked with and who work well with the group. Important criteria include a willingness to work selflessly; a reliable good nature under stress; an ability to think on ones feet; a deep sense of personal responsibility; an ability to perform various roles in the organization; and most all a certain undefinable "simpatico" that they claim to know when they see it. There is no official limit or quota on new members but the selection process is somewhat complex and lengthy. Candidates for membership are not informed that they are under consideration.

The Dorsai Irregulars also have a significant connection with the filk music community and are the source of many filk songs based on the works of Gordon Dickson, particularly the Childe Cycle. The name "Dorsai Irregulars" is in reference to the Dorsai, a fictional culture from the Childe Cycle notable for their mercenaries. The name is used under formal license from Dickson.

Notable members have included Robert A. Heinlein, Virginia Heinlein, Kelly Freas, Robert Asprin,and Dickson himself.