Philippe

Thanks so much for saying that. I definitely don’t want to come off as a know-it-all or an arrogant prick when I often just like to expand or chat a little for things others may not have experienced or perhaps not aware of regional or national differences. I have spent much of my life training and/or instructing indifferent fields; civilian flying and instructing , engineering, military flying and instructing, safety and aircraft crash investigation, intelligence systems and intelligence gathering, deploying in the military and as a UN specialist. No command, no deployment, no conflict, no war, etc, is ever the same, however the main theme and requirements generally carry over; even with our international allies and partners. It’s always a pleasure to work jointly with international forces. Likewise, I’ve been deployed on a small island with limited US and Allied forces personnel…not normally working directly together. Yet a prior mission was at risk and one of the other countries servicemen came to speak his best English to explain their concerns; exceeding the limited space for the few aircraft the island could support, normally, chief among them. But understanding their language somewhat, I picked up on their time constraint and limited people to achieve hand pumping petro and started the aircraft via hand maneuvered battery-pack start assist cart. I rallied US guys to forms a line for quick switching hand pump operators so a fresh man stayed at sprinting levels of performance. We had the aircraft fueled and started on the runway, then equipment cleared and them rolling for takeoff in time to stay engaged on a real world threat out over the ocean without a relief bird within range for a while yet. The the allied force commander back on their mainland got briefed and it served as a major topic at a joint meeting between our partner countries. Just as the unit cohesion in this story, amplifies the human condition, so does understanding how to work together with allies in real world problem solving and pitching and when resources allow; it was spontaneous but as our twin would say…it just felt right to do it.

Sorry to hear that the time served and the mix of especially officer level promotion and career politics has taken from the overall clarity of mission purpose and necessity. World stability doesn’t happen by self policing, it is by the fragile systems of international check’s and balances. Do they intend to challenge the prior standard? Will they go unchallenged or do they even truly have the political and military will to bring a challenge or changes to the status quo; but no doubt the strategic landscape is ever changing and to think a status quo is a static quo is an error often paid for in more blood than mere policing activities exacted upon the stabilization forces. Having had a long military career and having experienced the field officer politics, I wish you the best as life after the military is awaiting.., as your last changing of the guard allows retirement to civilian life again.

The action will ratchet up I'm sure but they were a war the m9ment they crossed into the theater with hostilities; no rest for the weary 😩. The commanders are very much aware that the arriving and departing troops are a target, as marshaling of the troops is done in-theater but weapons, ammo, rations and even water are not necessarily battlefield ready for immediate troop mobilization and deployment upon stepping from conveyances. More lines, more waiting, more briefings, and more local familiarization; then team composition and schedule rotations for the full welcome wagon experience.

The training conditions you mentally. The muscle memory keeps most from overthinking. It has each person knowing and understanding what and when they need to do their tasks. Likewise, the duty roster rotations have prepared the unit, each person knowing the others’ jobs/tasks so as to provide cover for when that task demands more. The cop out of that’s not my job could very well be downfall of the person and the unit; that can not be allowed when training for success.

Training is never over…just a new phase or change of conditions. Sometimes you’re the student, sometimes you’re the instructor, sometimes in the same conversation. 😝

Yep, if my father said turn that sh#t off, you’d better have a hand on that dial pretty quick or that radio may be taking a swim in the creek; either that or we’d find ourselves knocked into the corners with topspin. Ironic that my girls didn’t give me a problem with that language but my 10yo neighbor boy thinks every opportunity to spin me up is a comic moment…until I pop him in the mouth for cursing and tell him he can go home any time if he doesn’t like it; he’s always here so he doesn’t give up easy.

As he and his mom were near destitute when they returned to live with her dad. I figured it was logical somewhere in there that Levi didn’t attend school or missed too many days to be advanced.

A fierce competitor, my granddad would say. Helping me understand what that meant. He explained, son of fears competitor is one that comes in first and third in a jack off contest; nope, a fierce competitor cannot accept defeat when I challenge is at hand.

Who’s on first!

It is a sad 😢 sad 😔 testament when the father of the father has to protect his grandson from his very own son; not in a heated or emotional situation, but from a conspiring, conniving, and power-hungry man that grew from perhaps being spoiled rotten. As to the dead man switch, as a proviso of Taggert not being able to claim the trust was/is probably a key provision of the general trust rules as stipulated, whether claimed or not, but clearly defined as applicable upon Taggert’s death if not claimed. Could Taggert revise, possibly, but trust are often not allowed to revise. But if allowed, would he be required to, probably not. It’s very likely smart ole Bill Yoder knew this would be a lot for the newly informed Taggert, and that the trust might be even be put in limbo while contested…for the same nefarious reasons that proviso should/would be wanted to remain in effect.

See, it was gentle; a gentle humbling.

Somehow I feel we were…labeled junkies; so, give me another hit. A great chapter of recognition platoon leadership and a great job of coaching the guys to not only believe but to sell that believe when your heart and mind tells you it’s the best way. That coaching was also aimed at how the lieutenant can help bring that confidence and leadership out in the people he is leading. As a young leader he’s success is getting the best people comfortable and confident to bring those ideas to light and brainstorm the plan…even quick planning allows some proofing before locked and loaded.

Damned if you do, damned if you don’t; that’s a good start yet a dangerous one as Zane is unpredictable when he still thinks he can recover or manipulate his whole world.

An engineered plot that almost makes it seem like Taggert was a bastard child of another man. It’s Unbelievable to imagine how sick some people are towards other humans, it’s even sicker to see when family eats their own.

Amazing how possessing character makes even a big man seem all the more so…a giant of a man, and easy to respect and trust as a leader, your leader as you embrace the environment that leadership secures.

Those scars are very physical and likewise traumatically emotional 😭. Unfortunately the physical doesn’t heal to the way it was, it heals just to knit the wound from exposure. The heavy scar tissue would possibly need surgery to lesson the binding or pulls the skin and knitted sub dermal layers would have knitted together; causing restraint to layers of tissue that should otherwise shift and glide upon the others as different muscles and tissues expand and contract for the body in motion. Those knitted tissues take lots of therapeutic massages and in severe cases surgery to lesson the improperly formed scar tissues. It can be painful beyond just superficial closure of the weeping wounds. Unfortunately I’ve been there and the site is still a reminder when reaching more extended range of motion…especially when done extemporaneously. So beyond the physical and emotional scars remains ongoing and significant physical trauma and god knows what type of PTSD for your family branding you for your nature…and in a sleazy setup too; that’s enough to break many a person.

Too bad the Casey, or boyfriend questions, or not as simple as the ole scratch and sniff sticker; well, there’s another reason to have a line-up. Scratch and sniff…would you like to go out, be my boyfriend, husband, my sex toy? The S&S sticker says we’re hormonally fucking already.

Outdoor adventure: Mt Buttocks - Adventures Climbing and Spelunking

Are you saying there could be a line-up and police to Marshall the asses in?

Business - “The Principles Office”

Was that just his view on the Bible…or a reflection of his attitude on life I general? Attitude Check - This place sucks Declarative Attitude Check - I’m telling ya this place sucks! Inquisitive Attitude Check - Have you hear how this place sucks? Questioning Attitude Check- Can’t you see how this place sucks? Negative Attitude Check - No place sucks like this place sucks Positive Attitude Check - This place positively sucks Apathetic Attitude check - No one care that this place sucks Empathic Attitude Check - I’m sensing that this place sucks Empathetic Attitude Check - I can see why you feel this place sucks Passionate Attitude Check - You leave no doubt that this place sucks Compassionate Attitude Check - You’ve embraced how this place sucks Etc. Etc.

Ahhh, but the old canning or fermenting methods were most often a crock of something. And as my grandparents and great aunts and uncles used to say…don’t ever put your kill upon the back porch unless you intended my great granny to cook and serve it to you that night. So even a crock of shit is a dangerous thing and not to be taken lightly…for be it entree or side, it’s at best a BS pie.

Whether it’s hidden love, unrequited love, or just the love of bonded friendship, it’s always tough to see and feel that relationship ripped apart like the strong but yielding Velcro strips holding the past to the present; sometimes tossed into the wash to fine it’s intended pairing, but more often wrapping around an odd piece of clothing or…there it is, that missing sock I’ve been looking for; now to just get the new bonding separated.

Three marines walked into a bar, the first one…

So much apart and so much alike. A bond inseparable yet separated, a loved forbidden yet undeniable.