ofpeditor

Run for the hills, there's a another OE on the way! After a trip to get another ultrasound, it's been confirmed - our family is growing +1. The missus started the nesting process; I've been leaving straw around the house for her to create her new roost and unruffle her feathers a bit. I've been practicing the Yes, Dear and started singing to her stomach; never thought this old man could be a softie, eh?   I got out a needle and thread and already stitched another 1-inch stocking for the holidays  Just thought I'd let some of you ol' BAS lads know and update you a bit on the going-ons in my life...beat you to it Ebud! hope everything is going well with everyone, and I'll be sure to stick around a bit more and fill you guys in on the progress.

ZZZZZZIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNG!

1 spawn is a big tranisition as it is...but i heard it's not quite as overwhelming as making the move from +1 to +2. my mother flew out to see us and made the comment that when dealing with children, 1+1 NEVER equals 2. the responsibility jump from an only child to having a brother or sister is exponential. with how i used to pick on my sisters, i can see that being extremely true. but it's purely endearing, we're a close-knit family even now. pray to God it's a boy first. otherwise i'm going to need to make sure every boy in town knows i have guns and knives. mwahahaahaha. "So Jimmy...*picks up the 226*...what time should I expect you two back, hmmmmm?" Â

hahaha...i signed my death warrant when the doctor told me she really was pregnant. i looked at the beaming young lady and said, "phew! its about time i have another voice to nag me!" hahaha...that went over realllly well. there's not a chance in hell i'm going to let myself miss this devil being born; i already let our admin know the ETA on his (or her for that matter - jesus, another ponytail stomping around the house?!) arrival. i'll apply for a LOA to help out. i wasn't sure how i'd feel hearing that i'd be a dad. i knew i'd love the news, i just didn't know that i'd be this elated. things have been going really well since getting back. my sister had her first kid, i found out i'll be a father (let's gooooooooo, let it be a boooy!), took some MUCH needed vacation, and signed on another contract. looks like i'll be able to keep food on the table a while longer! thanks for the kind words, guys...glad to see you're all still around and kicking!

You shouldn't fear those birds, mate. They're phenomenal... when they work properly, of course. Just a matter of working out the kinks. Boeing has a helo flight test facility out of New Castle Co. Airport that we had the chance to frequent when they were doing the V-22 flight tests. Had a handful of opportunities to get our boys in that thing and see what she could do. My review? 4 stars. Ain't nothing like a HH-60, though.

After some time over in Iraq, our contract is up for now and I'm finally back home with the wife. Just thought I'd post the note here, as some of the old BAS guys might want an update. Time for some long overdue vacation time.

no worries about the turkey mate, i'm just blowing smoke anyway. just like any person can be book smart, when it comes time to apply that knowledge, some people just get thrown off; that's the best way to explain what i witnessed. a lot of these guys could spout off all sorts of knowledge, but when it came to a medical response in a sticky situation, they couldn't act on what they knew they had to do. knowing and doing are two different things, and when seconds count you cannot afford to spend the time transitioning from one to the other. before i even became involved with the firm, i received my medical degree in cardiology. i'd spent time in an ER and trauma center. this was primarily the start of my medical training, prior to ever signing on. once i signed on to the company, the level of training i received was phenomenal and far more than i could have ever expected. every day i'm working with guys who've spent 10-20 years in their respective branches (even a few foreign guys), a vast majority who've had an SF-background, and i get to learn from them every day. we do intense training year-round to help prepare, but you pointed out exactly what i had to learn when i got into this - that not everything you learn is embedded in a textbook. am i glad i'm not stuck in a white lab coat? oh hell yes. Â

the old k-pot? don't know if you've had any experience with the mich, but they're a light years ahead in terms of comfort.

i only wore my helmet about half the time. if my wife knew this, she'd be PISSED. she gets the nickname "killa" for a reason. in most urban environments it was a no-brainer, else one could find themselves really a no-brainer. i've worked on enough guys to realize that there are a lot of things that could have prevented in "should-have-been-wearing" situations. i swear by Gallet's products now, and plan on sending back my helmet with a huge THANK YOU, so they can see first hand the damage the helmet took and the damage it prevented on my (yes ralphy), incredibly thick skull. but even now, i know i should wear my helmet more than i actually do. there's reasons, and if those don't hold up, i'm just plain stubborn. i have to agree hellfish on this though, i despise wearing it. Â something i noticed over there was the number of greenhorn medics who hadn't a clue what the hell they were doing. i don't know if it was just a need to get acclimated to the combat zone or what, but there were plenty of military medical personnel i met that i would NOT have felt were competent enough to treat patients in certain situations. it really concerned me. to be fair though, the majority of personnel knew what the hell they were doing and did their jobs damn well. shinraiden - if you can deep fry a turkey, the missus and i are there! ralph - what specifically is wrong in the signature? hellfish - for some reason i thought you had served with the marines, not the army? avon - they're all beef. "they plump when ya cook 'em."

we engaged the 'bad guys' quite a few times while over there. whether i killed anyone is for me to know and you to fear in your sleep. mwahaha. take that response as you will. but really, i dont think this thread is an appropriate place to talk about ending a life. we were there to preserve life, it was our primary task, and in my case i've got my medical bag with intentions of preserving it. Van Hellfish - i didnt use my camera all too much in my time over there for the sake of it not on my mind during ops and lack of motivation while we had some down time. i did develop a mean game of chess, though. however, i did take some shots, its all 35mm, so it'll take some time to develop. our firm has a strict black-out policy on operations, media, and what you, the public sees, so any film related to our time there goes through the admin in a "censorship process"; i.e. anything they don't like gets pulled and we're left to bitch and kick and moan without getting anywhere. give it a week or two, and i'll have images to post. anyone got a web server i can host the images on? an incident ya'll might like to hear, i know angusheaf has already heard this. we were out det'd with some of the army boys doing door to door searches on an op, and we had to stop while the EOD boys were working on an IED along the road. Got out of the vehicle to stretch my legs and the next thing I know I'm on my ass seeing stars and everyone else me is returning fire. Some f*ck had taken a lucky pot shot and the round deflected off my helmet. We knew where it originated, but there wasn't a chance in hell we were going to catch up. Effectively destroyed my comms, but my noggin stayed in one piece. Writing a HUGE thank you and customer testomonial to Gallet. How's that for campfire talk, avon? OE

learning sand art  easier to cut and paste than to type out a long response. our purpose in iraq. hope that answers your question ironsight? have a good day, guys. next 5 days are hectic unpacking/packing/WILDPASSIONATEHORNDOGGEDNESS. i'll be around, so fire off questions, and i'll be glad to do what i can to answer Â

Wasn't entirely sure of which forum to post this in, so Hellfish or whichever moderator, if you'd please put this in the appropriate area, it'd be greatly appreciated. As the US Military has been taking a bit step out of the limelight over in Iraq, the firm I am contracted with has gotten into a new theater. We're deploying to Iraq, meaning I'll be in Baghdad, Karbala, and Samarra and surrounding areas for upwards of three months, assisting in Rescue & Retrieval. Turns a stomach, but it'll get me away from fixing the house for a while  I wanted to write and let you know that I obviously cannot be an active part of the community, and I'm taking a hiatus until I return. To my BAS mates - keep up the spectacular work, I'll be in touch and grabbing some photos while I'm over there If I find the time and get the chance, I'll drop a line from overseas. I hope to make a safe return here in a few months. take care guys Ofpeditor

Sunscreen! DOH! I knew I was forgetting something!Beach ball, check, towel, check, speedo, check, M4, check, but the sunscreen? I was out of my f'ing gourd! 5 Day forecast: 115, 113, 111, 111F. Dry dry heat. I love it. You never know. Maybe you already have! We rarely release information to the media under policy (blackout), and anything you hear or see is very well thought out and very planned. But like I said, you never know. So watch the television at all hours. Do it. I'll wave. So do it. At this point in Iraq, the reason your face comes on screen isn't a good one. I'll aim to keep mine off it. We're out of here come Tuesday, so any of you guys who've been in the sandbox already, drop me a line before then. Cheers!

Thanks for the encouraging words, guys and avon, ma'am. Ebud! Enjoy the married life! Addressing simba: I work for a company whose mission, as Ebud pointed out, is to perform and assist in rescue and retrieval operations. Meaning, if a person is taken hostage, this case in Iraq, we could very well have an integral part in getting that person back safely, working alongside the US Military and other groups brought over for the same or similar purposes. Notice I said "getting that person back safely," not killing civilians for the sake of killing civilians. In my hands, yes, I do carry a gun. Just as you would in a hostile environment. But turn me around, and you might notice I carry a medical pack. Why? Because I've spent a large part of my life in the pursuit to preserve life, not to take it. Yes, I will deliver a swift fist of justice, but I will never waver to offer a soft touch of health. I'm not going to waste another minute entertaining your thoughts there, hoss, but I'm sure after three months of time over there I'll be able to put even more of it into perspective for you. And by the way simba, I'm not a young guy. I'm into my 30s now. Thanks again to all of your encouraging words. Take care!

Wasn't entirely sure of which forum to post this in, so Hellfish or whichever moderator, if you'd please put this in the appropriate area, it'd be greatly appreciated. As the US Military has been taking a bit step out of the limelight over in Iraq, the firm I am contracted with has gotten into a new theater. We're deploying to Iraq, meaning I'll be in Baghdad, Karbala, and Samarra and surrounding areas for upwards of three months, assisting in Rescue & Retrieval. Turns a stomach, but it'll get me away from fixing the house for a while  I wanted to write and let you know that I obviously cannot be an active part of the community, and I'm taking a hiatus until I return. To my BAS mates - keep up the spectacular work, I'll be in touch and grabbing some photos while I'm over there If I find the time and get the chance, I'll drop a line from overseas. I hope to make a safe return here in a few months. take care guys Ofpeditor

I see the swiss women haven't dulled your great sense of sarcasm, TS! I've worked with you guys now for almost two full years (correct me if I'm wrong?) and you still haven't stopped amazing me. Incredible work, once again. And to Ebud, congrats on getting hitched. I've got a week before our first anniversary, and if yours follows the suit of ours, it only gets better. *turns to wife. "there. i said it. do i get paid now?"*

search and rescue ridin' bitch in the LBs or manning the minigun on the HH60s...simple, yet gratifying. oe

1967 Aston Martin Db6 Vantage Coupe...Restored and currently driving 1971 MGB...currently the wife's, working to get it fixed up and proper so we're not stranded on I-95 AGAIN. 1983 Honda Ascot 500cc...never got the license, sat til I sold it. 1986 Jeep CJ-7...loved this old junker, ran it til it wouldn't give me another ounce of power. 1965 Ford Mustang...Restored, Sold 1984 Ford Club Wagon...Sold 1976 Chevy Nova...the ol' silver bullet, drove it til it just died, made a pact to never put another ounce of a fluid in her and she still kept running; eventually donated 1999 Chevy Tahoe...semi-adopted from my father, currently driving After my father retired some years ago he'd pursued his love of restoring classic cars. I encourage all young guys to get their dads into this. Through High School, Uni and Med School, he'd let me drive his work and it paid off  At 31, I'm getting that damn there's a lot of things I want to do feeling...IF (and that's a big IF) I've got the time, I hope to look into getting my motorcycle license (long overdue) and get a Deuce Softail Harley Davidson.

Because I'm a part of one. And no, the theory is not the same for all.

You make some good points walker; however, these are common misconceptions. The level of involvement isn't something I'm going to willingly discuss, so what I'll say is more often than not we are given a great deal of support and 'backup' from the hands that feed us. One of the ways around this is that, technically, we're considered civilians and therefore have the same protective rights that an ordinary civilian possess. If an American national is taken hostage, the US Mil will do everything in its power to get that person back safely. If harmed, actions or reactions are staged accordingly. While we may be on our own sometimes, we're generally not left without a lifeline. Example being the events that unfolded in Fallujah with the Blackwater contractors. For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction; this time in the form of Semper Fidelis. What I will say, and any other contractor will agree, we rarely find ourselves dealing with local police or enforcement agencies. Depending where one operates, local authorities can be about as crooked as a redneck's tooth. Even happens here in the US. Â Everything you've said here has been an issue that's covered through our guidelines. Â Thanks for the comments walker, always good to hear different thoughts.

I originally had this as a PM, but I feel it addresses your queries and is on-topic enough to post here. ------------------------------------------------------ Before I decide to respond, IF I decide to respond to your reply, let me just clear up some issues here. 1. I may have come across as harsh, and for that, I'm still not going to apologize. You read it how you wanted to, inflection is lost when words are put down in type. 2. What is your background on PMCs? Do you have ANY understanding of how we operate, from the administration to the operators like myself? What DO you know about private firms that are contracted out? Or are you making comments from what you THINK you know? From reading your comments in this thread, you've established your ethos, and from my point of view, and I highly doubt I'm alone on this, you're shootin' from the hip with your remarks. On this subject, I feel that you're uneducated, I'm entitled to that belief, just as you're entitled to your own. You brought up mercenaries. I was correcting you on that. 'Mercenaries,' in the context that I've picked up from your statement, are completely different from private companies that are contracted by the US Government for an uncountable number of reasons, which I'm not going to get into. If you meant differently, enlighten me. I'm completely "in touch" with the thread, and hence posted a counterpoint to it that the military will never be entirely privatized; therefore you're arguing a moot point. If you read my post thoroughly, and I ask you to go back and check it again, I made my point that the Military will never be entirely privatized for the exact reason you pointed out - the government has and wants to retain control over it's protecting force; hence, PMCs will always play a supporting role to the actions taken by the US Government and it's military. Again, like I already pointed out, we rely on the Military and Gov't agencies for logisitcal support, and that's not going to change. We'll never grow beyond the hand that feeds us, and thanks to laws which I'm sure you're aware of, we're restricted in who can offer us a contract. You learn something new everyday. Irrelevant, but: of course I know nothing about Economics, why do you think I made the switch from this to this back in Uni?   I still stand by the fact that it ain't rocket science, genius  Cheers mate, don't blow a gasket over a forum post, I'd hate to have to go in and fix you up. Â

By no means Hellfish; in essence, what do you think I work for? We're contracted out as for the rescue and retrieval of persons or nationals domestic and abroad. Pathy, just a heads up, you've put your foot in your mouth. There's a HUGE difference between professional soldiers contracted out by the government and the yeehaw shoot-em-up mercenary stereotype you have in your uneducated head. Let me ask you this. You're in a tight spot, you need help. Do you care who it is that comes in to rescue your ass, as long as you're rescued? If you say yes, you're lying. I've been working six, coming up on my seventh year in SAR for a firm contracted out by agencies, and the guys I work with are 90% former US Mil. Majority of these guys have put in 10, 15, 20 years service and have seen active combat in their respective branches, as well as with the firm. We're not the drooling, steroid pumping, bloodshot profit-driven killers that you seem to have assumed for PMCs which ARE different from "mercenaries." Yes, we are paid to do our job, which is not to kill, but to complete our mission statement, in the case of our firm RESCUE & RETRIEVAL. And yes, our salary is an additional benefit to our work, but no, we don't have our own little political agenda. We're contracted out, for the last time, given our mission statement, and professionals, meaning we do what we're required to do. The government will never let the entire military be privatized. They have their own checks and balances system in place to prevent this "power trip" you're so worried about. We acquire resources and logistical support from the USMil and agencies, it's not a secret. They use us as, if you look at it subjectively, as pawns. The pawns can't do anything without the support of the Queen, aka the government. Without their financial support, without the logistical support (transportation, equipment, and other critical items that let us operate), we're unable to do anything. Why do you think they can afford to pay the salaries they pay us? Because they do not have to worry nor finance the millions or billions of dollars spent on the procurement of the hardware that the USMil does. It ain't rocket science, genius. If they DID spend the cash flow on things like helicopters, etc, there wouldn't be PMCs as there'd be no "sex appeal" of a high salary to fund their guns, aka their operators. Like I already said, it ain't rocket science. Unfortunately no, an economist wouldn't talk like that. He'd know what he was talking about first. To help answer the original questions: 1. We are not under the same laws governing warfare and combat as the conventional forces. This is due in part to the fact that in essence, we're classified as a corporation, and a person like myself is just an employee. I'm not a person that can pull Statues and Laws out of my ass, so I don't know the exact specifics, but as I said, we're not under the same laws and guidelines. 2. Some equipment is our own. All my personal gear, from firearms to armor to my boots is MY gear, purchased on my tab, within a budget placed through the firm. We're not new to this game, we know what we like to use and we know what works. Therefore, the firm will comp us the bill of our gear, as long as it is reviewed and deemed appropriate. Vehicles, we've got some of our own, actually a few Landies and a few Chevy Suburbans tricked out for our purposes for use in urban operations. However, besides a couple of ATVs, mobility-wise, we look towards and depend heavily on the help the mil for logistical support on lend-lease policy. 3. You'll never get PMCs with capabilities to overthrow a nation. We're kept in check, and we do not have the resources for such actions. We serve a supporting role, leaving such "invasions" to the boys with all the toys, our Armed Forces.

Not an issue really. If you feel unsafe (I'll use it religously operating from an LB), we use a Personal Retention Lanyard (PRL) that add a safety line between you and the helo.

If Sky News is right (is the news ever right?) your only right about the Africans, apparently one of the blokes is ex-SAS. I dont think he's an amatuer some how... I heard there were 67 onboard the plan not 64 and they're facing the death penalty Edit: Pathy, in 4(ish) years I'll sign up You'll need a medic right? Hence the smiley. Tis a joke. As a matter of fact, I haven't even read the article/news story, but just listening to the opinions and shootin-from-the-hip 'baseless facts' of half the comments here. Cpt Frostbite, wow. Comments about mercenaries? That's all I can say. Wow. Hellfish made the most, and possibly the only comment in this thread that has any knowledgable truth in it (about the American registration for aircraft). Not sure your age Munk, but if you're 14 like I suspect with the '4 years' comment, realize that medics draw fire. Believe me Take that into account before you go volunteering

amatuers