h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hey friend. Just thought I'd drop a brief note ... Further to what has already gone via hotmail.

Still working on an Air base, the firewalls, filters and very specific precautions they take preclude me from accessing any e-mails other than my work account. So if you choose to reply to the hotmail wire, I won't see it until I am home once more. After a standard (Ontario) day-shift.

Anyway, and do have a good one.

Thanks, your Reverendship.

An email will be strolling it's way to you shortly (it's been stuck in my Outbox for ages...darn this Outlook!!).
We have the same set up at work, but as we live on base it's easy to pop over for lunch (after I sign out - red tape, eh?).

to you too, mon ami.

I'll be watching for it.

I lived "on-base" as little as possible, generally preferring to immerse myself in the local surroundings after hours. Just my quirk, I suppose.

Rev,

Just sent.

My wife hated living on base at first for exactly the same reason. When we lived in Belfast there was so much off limits that she had to get used to it, and she has adapted far better than I. Now she has a good bunch of mates who all look out for each other going stir crazy!

Go with God, sir!

The name is simply Nick, btw. And message received and acknowledged.

I suppose if I would have made it out of country, with family, I'd have followed the same common sense idea about housing. I know a number of my friends were glad of it during a few periods in Germany.

If it doesn't break any of the double-O rules, ... how long have you been serving now?

IS5416,

Thank you for the email. It certainly explained a lot. I must admit, I was on a bit of a downer after the incident in question. You would think that humans would at least give each other reasoning for action.

I have responded to your mail this morning and the answer about the other matter is a "Yes. I can certainly do that".

It would seem that speaking poison is a great skill of the man.

Do you have a Yahoo account so that we could talk in depth about this on YIM?

Jamie

I thought his goal might be to become the great novelist. He does spin a fancy yarn. Or is that fables for night-time reading to children? Hmmmm

Hi Nick,

Thanks for the mail.

Even a good novelist gets his story together. "Jack" has plot holes the size of the Great Lakes.

In answer to your question, 18 years man and boy. Longer than I anticipated, but I really love the life. I'm promised the wife that I will see out my remaining four and get a real job!

You had mates stationed in Germany, eh? Whereabouts?
I was near Hanover for a year and a half. Lovely place. Three of the lads have German wives thanks to that hearts and minds exercise.

Jamie,

Thanks for that, it's very much appreciated. Your kung fu is better than my kung fu it seems and it will save me some awkward moments.

I don't have a yahoo account, but the wife does. I will ask her to add you to her buddies and send you the invite.

Cheers, mate.

I had joined for need of paying work. The initial sign-up in '77 (the boy part) was for a 5-year measure. As that was concluded, a girl was wearing a diamond chip on a finger, and feeling a little one twitching about in her. So on-wards I went. I don't regret a day of it.

Canada had good-sized units in the Lahr and Baden-Soelinger (sp?) areas for quite some time. The last of them were brought home, political moves and "cost savings" in '93, I believe. SO the chaps I knew, who had been to either or both locales, would've been there mostly in the early through mid 80's. And indeed, a number of them brought some delightful brides with them.

Himmel!

I was there from 98-99 so by then your lot had well departed. They have downsized our bases there over the past 10 years, but we have a few knocking about. It's the Imperialism in us, we just can't let go...

Delightful? Darn me, the one my mate Robbie is married to is six feet two and has more facial hair than me. Maybe Hanover has something in the water.

Seriously, apart from her 9she is bl**dy fierce) the others are lovely lasses.

I joined as it was either that or sign on at the time. I was expecting a bit of a dodge and suddenly a war loomed into view. Took me totally by surprise I can tell you!

Our incredibly shrinking military hasn't been actively in a "war" for quite some time. But as and when they are needed, in Afghanistan, Bosnia, etc, they continue to prove their worth. Not because of their political leaders, but in spite of them.

I am still occassionally amazed that the "average" height and other measures on your side of the waters is noticeably more than ours. I get by as an average chap, at a little of 5' 9". So I'd think that Germanic beauty would be a delight to slow-dance with.

And this coming from a lad who's family, (as little as 5 generations ago,) left Prussia for a new lad. Speaking German.

Sorry, but I don't understand the difference that you infer, from "joining" or "signing on". I do know that each country has their own terms ...

I seem to recall your lot had some troops stationed in Rwanda around the time of the genocides. I can't remember the name of the guy in charge but he was really pushing to get involved in what he saw as a rapidly approaching holocaust. Sadly, he was ordered to stand down by his superiors. UN red tape, I recall.

It's a shame he wasn't Jack, who apparently was there (though the rest of the British forces weren't- but they weren't needed as Jack is a one man army) doing his bit for Queen and Country.

Oh, she's great to dance with, apart from the fact that Robbie is 5'7" and quite a wiry little fellow. I once saw her lift him bodily out of a pub in Brecon and throw him in the back of a cab.

Apart from that, she's a lovely girl.

Apologies about the terminology. Signing on in this case means getting unemployment benefits from the government. The place I came from was quite impoverished due to many years of Tory supremacy.

Thanks for the "signing in" explanation. I have learned a lot of the differences and terms between our respective sides of the waters. And some common slang that I don't use, as it's good for a face-slapping.

General Romeo Dallaire is the one you're thinking of. He eventually retired, consumed with guilts and horrors. He's slowly recovering and making an unholy nuisance of himself with various federal levels here, and the UN in general.

So then, one more query, ... not understanding your armed forces structures as much as I'd like. Just how many levels closer to Her Majesty is Ultra-Soldier Jack than yourself? I'm sure he probably carries more levels of security clearance than I could have ever imagined.

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Not meaning to belittle anyone their personal tragedies, or disabilities, ... But persons confined at home, with no life, glamour or romance. Along comes swash-buckling Jack, who probably also acted as consultant for a lot of Ian Fleming's writings. I have known a lot of folks, either gender, who would willingly swallow any such trash, for that bit of excitement lived vicariously.

There'll be links out there somewhere for the Canadian Forces rank structure. At about 18 years, I finally made Master Corporal. In essence a working supervisor in most circumstances. And that was only because of a a couple of successful years of offering buy-out packages, and reducing the total-force-count. My lack of bilingualism, non-political nature, somewhat blunt at times, male, and not of a visible minority ... I was just this guy, ya know? And that isn't promoteable in today's PC forces.

Still, I never could have seen myself too far up the ladder, driving a desk. I like that bit of dirt under the nails, and the satisfaction of making sonething work that, by all rights, should not.

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I'm soon away from my work-place, but have another question for you. Will you time of service provide a measureable pension? Such as it was, mine is now providing about 550-pounds (equivalent) per month. And will catch up with the costs-of-living when I hit 60.

Will get around £85k cash and around £700 (by current standards) per calendar month.

We already bought a house which we rent out, so we have that worry out of the way.

Safe journey home to you, my friend.

By today's pay-scale of our forces, that pension seems a bit small. Though the "severance" pay-out is about right. Still, it is better than walking away with nothing, as so many traditional 'careers' will.

So long as either of us was still in the uniform, (milady served 8, as a cook) we chose to not buy a house. We'd known some that made out okay selling when they transferred. But we knew just as many who lost seriously. So we finally bought a 3-bedroom bungalow about a year and a half after I was fully employed. And we're quite happy with it. I've made some alterations, some improvements. Mostly cosmetic and to suit our taste.

We even paid for one thing to be done, ... ceramic flooring for the kitchen. All else, we've done ourselves. Including the latest thing, a new office, library and PC room in the basement.