Thank you for letting me join your forum. It looks really interesting. I am a civilian, not personally involved in any branch of the armed forces, per se.
I have a high level of personal interest in special forces/special ops, intel/recon, terrorism/insurgencies, guerrilla warfare and paramilitia, strategy/tactics, weapons, operations, to mention a few. To be honest, I'm a Military channel/History channel junkie and watch anything I can find on special forces, (but don't like it when the stories aren't acurate like in most of the hollywood movies, fictitious books), wars, training, etc. I would like to learn more from you about special forces, & the lifestyle, and thank you for allowing me that opportunity.
I do not believe I will be posting much, but I thought I should introduce myself anyway. And I wanted to take a moment to say thank you for all of the fascinating and well thought-out material here.
PS.
After spending some more time reading the posts from this group and looking at all of your impressive credentials and skills, I feel more comfortable now letting you know a little more about me. I'm usually very reticent to even tell as much as I did above to anyone, especially online, so please forgive me if I was too vague before. Also, I had to check with my bro about what I can and can't say about him, here, because I don't want to give out the wrong sort of information, but he said as long as I don't use his name or give out detailed info about him (which I'd be hard pressed to do these days, anyway, I think), that it's ok to talk in generalities. Plus, he doesn't tell me specifics about his missions, (but not cuz he doesn't trust me). He's just not allowed to and truth be told, I don't really wnat to know. I mean, I'm curious, but I wouldn't want to accidentally say the wrong thing to the wrong person, know what I mean? However, I'm very aware of the importance of keeping confidential info confidential, because I've worked in several arena's in the past where it was important that I do that, yeah?
I am a woman, over 20, living with my family in CA. I love to read, write and listen to music. The only kind I don't really like is Country-Western and gangsta rap. I have a wide variety of interests and like to research subjects that interest me. I'm pretty laid back, have a sense of humour (watch out, I'm French and I love Jerry Lewis movies). Though I'm usually kind of shy at first when I meet someone, I do warm up pretty quickly and try to get along with most everyone. I am opinionated, but I do keep an open mind and am not set in my ways, by any means. The older I get, the more I realize there's so much more I want to learn about, you know?
So, why am I interested in joining this fascinating group? I really had to think about this today, because I knew it wasn't an easy/simple thing to explain, yeah? But, I'll try:
My brother was in the special forces and was discharged recently with a purple heart. He was deployed in the ME. Don't know exactly where, of course, but I could probably make some pretty educated guesses from pictures and info. However, I won't. lol I think if he could have, if he wasn't injured the way he was out there, he would've stayed in it forever and I have a great respect and deep admiration for him in addition to how much I love him. So, my knowledge of the military and special forces is a bit narrow, because it comes only from questions I ask of him and what I've read and seen on TV (military channel is one of my faves). I don't like to ask him about much, because he's done two or maybe even three, (can't remember now!), combat tours and doesn't like to talk about the things he did/had to do out there. I don't blame him and am not one to push a sensitive issue. Still, he's very generous and has been helping me with a novel I'm writing in which a character is (sorta like him) quite adventurous and a member of an SF-type unit. So, obviously, I think my bro is a very cool guy and he's one of my heros.
I'd like to understand him better, now that he's a man and has had these experiences and I think that has something to do with my interest in the SF and reason for wanting to be here specifically, but also, my late husband was in the military before he died. He was in the Gulf War. So strange, heh. I think I'll have to get out there one day to find out what's so special about this place that keeps stealing the men in my life away, yeah?
But, I can't remember now what branch or rank, etc., because he died just a couple weeks after we were married and that was quite a long time ago, now. I think I sorta blocked it out. So, maybe this interest has something to do with that, too. I dunno.
My other brother was a marine during a time when we weren't in conflict and was also honorably dc'd after he'd completed his service. He loved it. Well, I guess they all did, yeah?
I wanted to sign up for the marines, but found out I was pregnant when I got a physical the week before enlisting. lol What timing! Grr. So, that was that. lol But, I think I would've hated it. I'm terrible with directions and maps. I get lost so easily. I probably would've ended up in the enemy's camp the first day I was deployed anywhere. lol
I do have some questions, but usually I can research and find the answers I need, so like I said above, I probably won't post alot. there is one question I have that I can't seem to find an answer for, yet, but I haven't searched this site, so after I do, if I still can't find it, then I'll ask, because I've spent alot of time looking for the answer already (months).
Ok, so that's my intro and probably the most you'll ever see me write here, probably. Sorry it's so long, but I didn't want to leave it vague, like it was before, now that I've seen some examples and understand a bit more what you might want to know about me for when I ask a question. You'll be able to see that I'm just a person who is curious/very interested and doesn't have alot of knowledge in this area, yet. I hope to change that, though.
If I missed something or didn't give enough of the right info, please, feel free to ask/tell me what you're looking for. This is my first time posting an intro on any forum, lol, and as I said, I'm really not used to talking about myself. Usually I make jokes if I have to do that, but in deference to NDD who wants this to be "a serious site for serious professionals", (see, I did read some stickies, but I did find out there are even MORE of them than the ones I read before, lol), I tried to behave myself. How'd I do, eh?
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