Airbornelawyer
03-18-2011, 03:57
Regards to all.
I have not been around for a while, but am slowly returning to the real world - and by real I'm including our little cyber-sandbox. I just wanted to update those of you who might have been wondering whatever happened.
After the rule of law advisor positions I was in line for with the State Department in Iraq and Afghanistan fell through, I kind of took a break which got longer and longer. Most of what I have been doing has been military history research and managing my investment portfolio. I am currently splitting my time between Memphis TN and Columbia SC, which are a lot cheaper than NYC, and I expect to be moving to Potsdam, Germany soon for a short sojourn to finish several book projects.
For those who don't know, one of my specialties is the military decorations of Imperial Germany. I recently completed a book entitled Verleihungen von Orden und Ehrenzeichen an Beamten und sonstige Fachleute der Königlichen Preußischen Bergverwaltung im Ersten Weltkrieg, which I am sure will fly off the bookshelves. :rolleyes: I am also finishing a page-turner called Verleihungen von militärischen Orden und Ehrenzeichen der Fürstentümer Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt und Schwarzburg-Sondershausen im Ersten Weltkrieg und von nichtmilitärischen Orden und Ehrenzeichen von 1909 bis 1918. These are basically just part of a series of reference books on these decorations and their recipients. I also have projects on awards to members of the public works administration, the colonial administration, the goldsmith's guild, the steel industry trade association, the students and faculty of German universities, chemists, architects, paper manufacturers, pharmacists, music instrument makers, and other arcane groups.
I am also working on a reference book which I hope will be the definitive English language guide to these awards and will partially replace my late, lamented website, which used to be the definitive source until I lost my web host. [Minor history for those who are interested: Imperial Germany consisted of 4 kingdoms, 6 grand duchies, 5 duchies, 7 principalities and 3 free cities; and each of these awarded their own decorations (for example, the famous Iron Cross was originally an award of the Kingdom of Prussia, not Germany in general, as was the Pour le Merite, or Blue Max).]
Separately, and also in a rather narrow niche, I have been working on a database which would allow you to create an order of battle for the US Army in World War II for any date you chose. It would run from theater through army group and army down to corps and division (subdivisional attachments and detachments are almost impossible to keep track of). Hopefully it might be a useful tool for 4-5 people who might be interested.
I hope things are well for you all here, and I hope to get back in touch with those I lost touch with, and I hope I can continue to contribute to the forum.
Best regards
I have not been around for a while, but am slowly returning to the real world - and by real I'm including our little cyber-sandbox. I just wanted to update those of you who might have been wondering whatever happened.
After the rule of law advisor positions I was in line for with the State Department in Iraq and Afghanistan fell through, I kind of took a break which got longer and longer. Most of what I have been doing has been military history research and managing my investment portfolio. I am currently splitting my time between Memphis TN and Columbia SC, which are a lot cheaper than NYC, and I expect to be moving to Potsdam, Germany soon for a short sojourn to finish several book projects.
For those who don't know, one of my specialties is the military decorations of Imperial Germany. I recently completed a book entitled Verleihungen von Orden und Ehrenzeichen an Beamten und sonstige Fachleute der Königlichen Preußischen Bergverwaltung im Ersten Weltkrieg, which I am sure will fly off the bookshelves. :rolleyes: I am also finishing a page-turner called Verleihungen von militärischen Orden und Ehrenzeichen der Fürstentümer Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt und Schwarzburg-Sondershausen im Ersten Weltkrieg und von nichtmilitärischen Orden und Ehrenzeichen von 1909 bis 1918. These are basically just part of a series of reference books on these decorations and their recipients. I also have projects on awards to members of the public works administration, the colonial administration, the goldsmith's guild, the steel industry trade association, the students and faculty of German universities, chemists, architects, paper manufacturers, pharmacists, music instrument makers, and other arcane groups.
I am also working on a reference book which I hope will be the definitive English language guide to these awards and will partially replace my late, lamented website, which used to be the definitive source until I lost my web host. [Minor history for those who are interested: Imperial Germany consisted of 4 kingdoms, 6 grand duchies, 5 duchies, 7 principalities and 3 free cities; and each of these awarded their own decorations (for example, the famous Iron Cross was originally an award of the Kingdom of Prussia, not Germany in general, as was the Pour le Merite, or Blue Max).]
Separately, and also in a rather narrow niche, I have been working on a database which would allow you to create an order of battle for the US Army in World War II for any date you chose. It would run from theater through army group and army down to corps and division (subdivisional attachments and detachments are almost impossible to keep track of). Hopefully it might be a useful tool for 4-5 people who might be interested.
I hope things are well for you all here, and I hope to get back in touch with those I lost touch with, and I hope I can continue to contribute to the forum.
Best regards