Norwood

I had an Uber driver not long ago – he was a translator and worked with the Marines, as well as USSF. He spent nearly ten years working on a war footing.

It’s such a small club that on the walls of my old team room, on the staircase leading up from our storage hanger to our team room, are the names of every member that’s ever served on the team. Can you do that in your division at GE?

To the average American this should be unconscionable. Many made their social profile pictures a French flag after one of the tragedies that occurred within that nation. Meanwhile, Syria remains a hell on earth where far more die, in far worse ways.

Iraqis quietly expressed their concern to me that Iran was taking over Iraq, and no one was doing anything about it. The distrust of their comrades ran so deep that some would stop talking to me the second another soldier entered the room, regardless if the other one was a friend.

It’s reasonable to assume hiring managers prefer a candidate who was referred to them by someone in the company. It’s equally reasonable to say a certain perceived tier of degree quality plays a role, as well. Regardless of the individual. It’s just the way it is. Sometimes it’s rigged. But there are people from the community trying to rig it for us too.

While this program is not exclusively for Special Operators, I feel comfortable saying this might be uniquely suited for ex-SOF. But, there are no special places, there are special people, and the application pool is filled with high performers.

The point is, though, I wasn’t fully-formed and ready to jump on a team. The thing is some teams are undermanned, and you could show up and need to lead. That sounds like a challenge, but if you’re young and new – you don’t know what you don’t know.

It’s not that the training was difficult for everyone else and it should be for future generations. It’s that you don’t get a stress card option in combat.

Abroad, things can go awry, and an immature theatre is the future of warfare. Whether Syria, Africa or elsewhere – medics might have to practice extended care with limited supplies in austere conditions.

To fuel the emotion of others to get things done requires a presence, emotional intelligence, and language skills. These can win battles.

Russia has made a significant observation: the U.S. is not guaranteed to take action in the light of a post Cold War Russia, that changes their foreign policy and political calculus.

If you’re an intelligence officer and captured abroad. Let’s hope it’s between the working hours of nine to five, Monday through Friday. You’re better off finding yourself in trouble during business hours because that’s when the personnel recovery offices and the state Department are open for business.