Welcome Dylan. Before COVID-19, Clarksville had a fairly large number events, so once trooping is back to normal, there will be plenty of events in your neighborhood. We've had a handful of troopers in Clarksville area as well, so there are others. Naturally, you'd be able to drive to Nashville area to troop as well, and perhaps before if you want to be a handler/helper at events that do happen prior to getting your costume approved, or troop anywhere else in TN. Once you get your costume approved, you could also look for events in Kentucky as well (Blue Grass Garrison) if that is convenient for you. Either way, this is definitely the best time to get your costume ready.
Much like stormtroopers and biker scouts, you really can't have too many TIE pilots at events. They are iconic, and usually, one of the few costumes even the most basic and casual Star Wars fan can identify ---when they don't call you "Darth Vader" if we don't have a Vader, that is.
BTW: You might consider starting with the TIE Reserve. It is a good, relatively easy costume to assemble and get approved if you refer to the CRL (Costume Reference Library) on the main 501st website. It is a good stepping stone towards a TIE pilot. Then, start working on the armor, chest box, hoses, and helmet. Once they are ready, submit the full pilot for approval. If it gets approved, you'll have two costumes and can alternate as you see fit. A lot of the Imperial uniforms use the same components, so looking at the CRL entries could help you find others that you may like that are similar... and use the same parts you already have (or will want) for your main TIE pilot. The Officers Corp and the Jolly Roger Squadron for pilots must have had the same suppliers.