No, really, I am back
Well, I announced my return from retirement because I really, really thought that I would have copious amounts of spare time - I've been back in the army (still a National Guardsman, but watching my civilian career wither on the vine thanks to multiple periods of active duty over the last few years) since February, and I recently moved into doing something that looked like it wouldn't take a huge amount of time - but it turns out that it does takes a huge amount of time to well, so my plans to return to writing regularly are going to be delayed by a few months. I'll post here when and as I can.
And no, whether fortunately or unfortunately, nothing I'm doing right now involves actually doing army stuff like shooting, jumping out of airplanes (except a "Hollywood jump" every three months on a clear day over Rhine-Luzon or Sicily for pay), or blowing things up. If I get time someday, I may be able regale you with stories of wrestling out of control copy machines into submission, long-range sniping at presenters during briefings, set-piece battles over proper formatting of Powerpoint slides, and risking daily injury from paper cuts or printer toner in the eye.
I am going to forward a suggestion to MG Parker (the commander of SWC, otherwise known as the John F Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School, otherwise known as the John Wayne School for Wayward Boys, otherwise known as the "green beret" school) that, in the best interests of actually accomplishing our mission, they stop teaching hand to hand combat and survival to make room for typing classes - and don't get me started on how we should be training incoming operators on Powerpoint as a substitute for a decision, email and IM as a substitute for an op order, and Excel as a substitute for a relational database.
And now, I'm going to bed at 9pm to make up for several late nights and a weekend of my life I'll never get back getting some critical reports that absolutely, positively had to be filed away and never seen again by man by the first thing this morning. Even scarier: Next time I post, I will try to address at least one of the pictures of me "in various states of undress", since someone actually emailed and asked. You've been warned.
And no, whether fortunately or unfortunately, nothing I'm doing right now involves actually doing army stuff like shooting, jumping out of airplanes (except a "Hollywood jump" every three months on a clear day over Rhine-Luzon or Sicily for pay), or blowing things up. If I get time someday, I may be able regale you with stories of wrestling out of control copy machines into submission, long-range sniping at presenters during briefings, set-piece battles over proper formatting of Powerpoint slides, and risking daily injury from paper cuts or printer toner in the eye.
I am going to forward a suggestion to MG Parker (the commander of SWC, otherwise known as the John F Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School, otherwise known as the John Wayne School for Wayward Boys, otherwise known as the "green beret" school) that, in the best interests of actually accomplishing our mission, they stop teaching hand to hand combat and survival to make room for typing classes - and don't get me started on how we should be training incoming operators on Powerpoint as a substitute for a decision, email and IM as a substitute for an op order, and Excel as a substitute for a relational database.
And now, I'm going to bed at 9pm to make up for several late nights and a weekend of my life I'll never get back getting some critical reports that absolutely, positively had to be filed away and never seen again by man by the first thing this morning. Even scarier: Next time I post, I will try to address at least one of the pictures of me "in various states of undress", since someone actually emailed and asked. You've been warned.
posted by Special Forces Alpha Geek at 12:06 AM
5 Comments:
Bear up, soldier. You are serving your country and we back home owe you a debt of gratitude. Any man or woman in uniform today deserves the civilian population's respect. My theme in my blog is to develop consciousness that America is a grateful nation. Kp posting as much as you can. You write so well, and don't let distractions mortify you and make you paranoid.
Excellent! How nice to have you almost, sorta, once-in-a-while posting again! I'll probably have to read the promised story with one hand covering my eyes, though, since I'm undoubtedly one of your more easily shocked readers.
Sounds like you're in or near Italy, which is my very favorite country to visit. Hope that you have a little spare time to enjoy the local sights and some of that delicious food.
Well those nasty copy machines and power points presentations are definately a "clear and present danger" so its good that you are there to take care of them.
"And now, I'm going to bed at 9pm to make up for several late nights and a weekend of my life I'll never get back getting some critical reports that absolutely, positively had to be filed away and never seen again by man by the first thing this morning."
Funny,... when I was in the Army we had a saying for paperwork like that. "The Army wants everything in triplicate. A copy for you, a copy for me, and a copy we burn so the Russians don't get it."
~V5
I'm glad you are back. I followed a link from Blackfive's post hoping there would be new entries. I'd actually given up on you returning and had removed you from my bookmarks! you're back on the list now though.
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