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jcd,
No offence taken my friend I understand completely. I was offended being one! lol. Well there is more to it than that...I spoke a little arabic, had EOD IED training in IRAQ and I knew the msr like the back of my hand I have personally found two IED's and survived two blasts, there were a few things, I had armed k9 experience as well..HOWEVER I will say this.
Truth is I fealt the same way! I felt Id have been a great team member.....not the leader of a team. There were not many questions asked, and when you are trying to break into the buisiness you just take the job and go. There were other things but my point is that I did not feel qualified... I can Lead a group of 20 men while rolling, I have many times, once when I thought my legs were blown off..I KNOW iraq and am a team player but team leader? that means different things to different companies. I personally feel personality and vigilance are the most important qualities to have there. by personality I mean the ability to motivate, take control (Calmly) and an all for one one for all mentality. Those are my best qualities and I feel they a valuable asset to any group of men, specifically there and with a new group who has never been in country, or sadly, when a member is killed. A person is born with those qualities I feel and not trained. I would be there now had they not threw the LEADER word in. Being the new guy I dont know what would have been expected of me. I did not take it but I regret it now. I want to get back somehow..So you see, you CAN get there with no prior millitary, wich is the whole point of this post.
Let me say one more thing... I have seen millitary panic MANY times, I have shook my head because of it.. Is it important and valuable? Absolutely! you will be surrounded buy the millitary and in some positions live with them (as I did) go through hell with them and possibly be killed along side them.. But If you leave? then expect to hear the " PRIOR MILITARY" question.... I so wish I could go back in time and change that, but I cant. I Really hate the prior law enforcement too! I have seen so many get jobs that I would not hire as a mechanic.. It is not easy to be dismissed so easily when you know your better than the guy whose only there because he was part of a group but has never truely been under fire or lived in that place.
To guys like me we only have our experiences to rely on. I dont know what high speed is... But I can save a mans ass in that place and I have.. I belong there with men like me.
That said I would go to a psd course but i have a family and not the funds to sit around and hope for a miricle again. Its a shame really, I would have been a good one.
So now I am going to take the International UXO tech I course at texas a&m... Its $7000...mayby that will take me around the world again.. I would take a PSD course then when I can afford it. but I cant afford to spend the money for a psd course and not get work.. I'm looking long term... If I get back to Iraq, they wont be able to pry me out of there with a crow bar!..lol
Anyways..I appologise for the long windedness of this post but there are lessons and value in what I've written...It will be of value to the thousands who want to go. Many ask the same question.
I have my e-mail set on full-auto and I will continue today..That is the only way to get over there without the pme or ple. Best of luck to everyone and stay safe.
Dvldg
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