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Barkey Since: Feb, 2010 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
#14001: Jul 15th 2012 at 6:48:58 PM

Of course we do have some new innovations for something like that which we didn't have back then... Namely the "inferno ball" and drones.

Get a nice little armored EOD drone on tracks with a gun on it, and you have yourself an efficient excavator.

Joesolo Indiana Solo Since: Dec, 2010 Relationship Status: watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
Indiana Solo
#14003: Jul 15th 2012 at 7:42:54 PM

That makes me laugh and feel terrible at the same time.

I'm baaaaaaack
dRoy Professional Writer & Amateur Scholar from Most likely from my study Since: May, 2010 Relationship Status: I'm just high on the world
Professional Writer & Amateur Scholar
#14004: Jul 15th 2012 at 11:03:42 PM

[up][up] Wow, I didn't know my elementary school worked like Marine Corps. Does MC use a lot corporal punishment too? tongue

Continuously reading, studying, and (hopefully) growing.
Nohbody "In distress", my ass. from Somewhere in Dixie Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Mu
dRoy Professional Writer & Amateur Scholar from Most likely from my study Since: May, 2010 Relationship Status: I'm just high on the world
Professional Writer & Amateur Scholar
#14006: Jul 15th 2012 at 11:06:30 PM

[lol]

By the way, under the Real Life section of So What Do We Do Now? has this:

Many veterans of the military found during their time of service that they felt they were truly living when danger was all around. Back in the civilian world, they often don't know what to do with the rest of their lives. This is why many go into mercenary work for private contractors. (A good dose of PTSD doesn't help, either.)

How much of this is true?

edited 15th Jul '12 11:36:35 PM by dRoy

Continuously reading, studying, and (hopefully) growing.
pvtnum11 OMG NO NOSECONES from Kerbin low orbit Since: Nov, 2009 Relationship Status: We finish each other's sandwiches
OMG NO NOSECONES
#14007: Jul 15th 2012 at 11:45:03 PM

Lol, funny comic.

They even have Blue Falcons!

"Buddy" is only half the word.

Happiness is zero-gee with a sinus cold.
dRoy Professional Writer & Amateur Scholar from Most likely from my study Since: May, 2010 Relationship Status: I'm just high on the world
Professional Writer & Amateur Scholar
#14008: Jul 15th 2012 at 11:49:08 PM

I don't get that one.

Continuously reading, studying, and (hopefully) growing.
pvtnum11 OMG NO NOSECONES from Kerbin low orbit Since: Nov, 2009 Relationship Status: We finish each other's sandwiches
OMG NO NOSECONES
#14009: Jul 15th 2012 at 11:52:15 PM

A Blue Falcon is a polite phrase for a buddy-f**er. That one guy who rats on people and/or goes around screwing it up for everybody. The comic even did the blue wings.

edited 15th Jul '12 11:52:51 PM by pvtnum11

Happiness is zero-gee with a sinus cold.
dRoy Professional Writer & Amateur Scholar from Most likely from my study Since: May, 2010 Relationship Status: I'm just high on the world
Professional Writer & Amateur Scholar
#14010: Jul 15th 2012 at 11:53:11 PM

Ah, the snitcher. I see.

Continuously reading, studying, and (hopefully) growing.
Cganale (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#14011: Jul 15th 2012 at 11:56:09 PM

I've been accused of being the Air Force version of that.

But then, the one time I dimed someone out was two days after a GI party in tech school, during which the idiot next door to me had been passed-out drunk, then when the floor MTI banged on his door was stupid and inebriated enough to cuss him out. Two days later, we're all lined up in the hall after PT and the MTI's looking for anyone who overheard said idiocy. Nobody was saying anything, and I knew damn well that it was only minutes away from it being all our asses. So I stepped forward since I had been standing in the door of my room and had overheard it when it happened.

dRoy Professional Writer & Amateur Scholar from Most likely from my study Since: May, 2010 Relationship Status: I'm just high on the world
Professional Writer & Amateur Scholar
#14012: Jul 15th 2012 at 11:58:08 PM

That must have been a hard choice.

By the way, why is it called Blue Falcon? I can't find it on Wikipedia.

edited 16th Jul '12 12:01:39 AM by dRoy

Continuously reading, studying, and (hopefully) growing.
Cganale (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#14013: Jul 16th 2012 at 12:28:27 AM

It wasn't hard at all. The guy and I were not friends, and I didn't want to wind up doing some bullshit duty because nobody else had the balls to speak up.

Of course, that's a little harsh. I might have been the only one that actually overheard.

Deboss I see the Awesomeness. from Awesomeville Texas Since: Aug, 2009
I see the Awesomeness.
#14014: Jul 16th 2012 at 1:20:23 AM

Blue Falcon is probably just a backronym to make it polite the same way Charlie Foxtrot is.

Fight smart, not fair.
Barkey Since: Feb, 2010 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
#14015: Jul 16th 2012 at 1:32:19 AM

By the way, under the Real Life section of So What Do We Do Now? has this:

Many veterans of the military found during their time of service that they felt they were truly living when danger was all around. Back in the civilian world, they often don't know what to do with the rest of their lives. This is why many go into mercenary work for private contractors. (A good dose of PTSD doesn't help, either.)

How much of this is true?

I can relate. It's why I keep considering working for a private contractor. Though for me it's a combination of not knowing what to do with myself, and not having viable job skills for anything else.

Martello can attest to this as well, but even when nothing is actually happening, just being in a place where you're always on your toes and things are always dangerous is like being in another world. My memories of Afghanistan feel like everything was twice as vivid as the real world back in the states. Like everything was somehow more acute, filled with color and clarity. Civilian life kind of feels like white noise on a television by comparison, while Afghanistan was life in HD for me.

entropy13 Since: Nov, 2010 Relationship Status: Drift compatible
#14016: Jul 16th 2012 at 4:38:54 AM

In slightly alarming news, Chinese ships were actually sighted near Okinawa (not Senkaku, which are farther west, but Okinawa), that's why Japan recalled their ambassador to China yesterday. Oh and the Chinese frigate that went aground near the Philippines' western island of Palawan has now been "recovered", and the captain was surely humiliated by that since the weather here was quite hot (not much rain) and calm (not much wind). LOL

I'm guessing the bases in Okinawa are all abuzz right now, especially since a Chinese general said in a radio interview that Japan should "return" Okinawa to China. LOL

Greenmantle V from Greater Wessex, Britannia Since: Feb, 2010 Relationship Status: Hiding
V
#14017: Jul 16th 2012 at 5:08:02 AM

[up]

I guess it doesn't help that there's a great big USAF base on Okinawa (Kadena AFB)...

Keep Rolling On
Gabrael from My musings Since: Nov, 2011 Relationship Status: Is that a kind of food?
#14018: Jul 16th 2012 at 6:21:45 AM

[up]Aren't we already in the process of downsizing and eventually leaving there?

"Psssh. Even if you could catch a miracle on a picture any person would probably delete it to make space for more porn." - Aszur
dRoy Professional Writer & Amateur Scholar from Most likely from my study Since: May, 2010 Relationship Status: I'm just high on the world
Professional Writer & Amateur Scholar
#14019: Jul 16th 2012 at 6:25:47 AM

[up][up][up] I think I heard that in the news. Such an interesting development. I wonder if it would have any effect on Korea. I'm pretty sure there will be in some way, but I cannot quite picture how at the moment.

Continuously reading, studying, and (hopefully) growing.
entropy13 Since: Nov, 2010 Relationship Status: Drift compatible
#14020: Jul 16th 2012 at 7:07:18 AM

US Pacific Command Chief Admiral Samuel Locklear III had a courtesy call earlier today, meeting our president, Benigno Aquino III. He was (naturally) accompanied by US Ambassador to the Philippines Harry Thomas Jr.

Nohbody "In distress", my ass. from Somewhere in Dixie Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Mu
"In distress", my ass.
#14021: Jul 16th 2012 at 7:26:29 AM

Not that I imagine little pesky details like "fact" would stop the PRC, but was Okinawa ever under Chinese control, at any point in history whatsoever? The closest I can find in a quick google search is about the 14th century when they were a tributary state of China, but even that still has Okinawa as a separate entity (albeit with a lot of Chinese immigrants).

As for the US presence on Okinawa, while it will be scaling down under an agreement earlier this year, there will still be a significant military population on the island at least for the near future.

All your safe space are belong to Trump
InverurieJones '80s TV Action Hero from North of the Wall. Since: Jan, 2010 Relationship Status: And they all lived happily ever after <3
'80s TV Action Hero
#14022: Jul 16th 2012 at 8:19:57 AM

@d Roy: All of it. Every word.

'All he needs is for somebody to throw handgrenades at him for the rest of his life...'
Greenmantle V from Greater Wessex, Britannia Since: Feb, 2010 Relationship Status: Hiding
V
#14023: Jul 16th 2012 at 8:35:52 AM

[up][up]

As for the US presence on Okinawa, while it will be scaling down under an agreement earlier this year, there will still be a significant military population on the island at least for the near future.

Especially with the US Strategic re-balancing, expect Kadena to be open for a while yet.

Keep Rolling On
Barkey Since: Feb, 2010 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
#14024: Jul 16th 2012 at 10:28:35 AM

Aren't we already in the process of downsizing and eventually leaving there?

I expect our stuff in Japan will be there for a while yet. Don't forget that way bigger than Kadena is also the Navy/Marine base in Okinawa. We have a lot of heat on that island, and China isn't going to be able to do shit to push us or the Japanese off of it.

Maybe these developments will keep Okinawa open. I've heard a lot of the locals really want the marines gone from Okinawa, but with a looming Chinese threat if they keep being belligerent...

pvtnum11 OMG NO NOSECONES from Kerbin low orbit Since: Nov, 2009 Relationship Status: We finish each other's sandwiches
OMG NO NOSECONES
#14025: Jul 16th 2012 at 10:57:48 AM

Is that the sound of a sabre rattling around in a scabbard...?

Happiness is zero-gee with a sinus cold.

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