Clark, the original Flamer Flanagan was a Heavy Flamer armed Terminator in Space Hulk (Dark Angels Chapter, for the record).  One of the hazards of being a member of my gaming group was that you became a pawn in my tabletop forces.  Al is a ginger kid, your stereotypical red headed Irish Canadian.  It was as more a description of his temper rather than any pyromaniac tendancies Al Flanagan had which made him the ideal flammenwerfer candidate.  Once our group became playtesters and I was doing art, Al got the Plasma Projector to carry on the tradition.  Incidentally, Sgt Steve Patterson was named after another of our group who later became a writer for GG.  Marco and Clark gave him the promotion.
  PayDay Trooper Rob Bottos, Troopers Chris Dobler, Lisa Kessig, Davis Kim and yes, Wes Johnson (Tragically decapped by Mk 1) were all inducted into the UNE in this manner.  Later, fans we met at Cons, or who wrote us interesting letters became a part of LOS history too.  And, Eric, when we had dinner at Origins, you said you played Machines...hence jacked Pioneer Sapper Eric Jacobson.

Ha ha!  I came to chide as well.

Although, Tom, tell us honestly: what is the weapon of choice of "Flamer Flanagan" post 1993?