Military backgroud

[AmazingAmanda253]

Mr. Robson
You said you are in the Military,what is the Military like?

[Mark Robson]

How to sum up 21 years of my life in a few words? Fun, hard work, challenging and exciting would describe parts ... boring, terrifying, depressing and dull would describe others. I lived and breathed the military for so long that it became a part of who I was. Now that I have left, it is as if a part of me has died. However, leaving the military life behind has allowed new growth elsewhere. My life as a pilot focused very much on scientific things, whilst being an author is all about the arts and creativity. Both are exciting in their own way.

Being a pilot was not what I imagined it would be when I joined. Don't get me wrong - I loved flying and the people I worked with were fantastic. More than anything else, the things I miss about being a member of the RAF are the people and the cameraderie. The armed forces tend to be very close-knit communities. However, to have the chance to take on a second career at this point in time has revitalised my whole outlook on life. I was beginning to become quite cynical about world politics and the role that the military was being asked to perform. I think I managed to leave before that budding cynicism turned to bitterness, which leaves me with little but good memories of my time as a pilot.

[AmazingAmanda253]

I always thought that being a pilot would be Frightening, not knowing if you might live or die, or loseing some on you knew. Were you ever under fire? Is being a pilot safer then the marines?

[Mark Robson]

Amanda, there were times when I flew into hostile territory - which was an uncomfortable feeling when sitting on about 70 tons of fuel and having nothing to shoot back with! However, it was a lot safer than the sort of work the guys on the ground were doing. I was more than happy to be where I was in comparison to your example of the marines.

[Brown Rat]

My nephew has signed up for the U.S. Navy. They've promised to give him a job as a cook. If they keep that promise (if, I say), do you know whether he's likely to be put often in harm's way when (notice that I no longer say if) he's deployed to the Middle East?

[Joel007]

If he's a cook on a submarine he'll probably be fine

[BookStop]

Originally Posted by Brown Rat

My nephew has signed up for the U.S. Navy. They've promised to give him a job as a cook. If they keep that promise (if, I say), do you know whether he's likely to be put often in harm's way when (notice that I no longer say if) he's deployed to the Middle East?

Hey there Brown Rat. My husband is in the military, and I've got a cousin in the Navy. There is really no way of knowing this early if your nephew will be often deployed. My cousin did about 6mths out to 1 year land for the first few years he was in. Now he mostly stays on land. Cooks are needed everywhere so your nephew really could go anywhere at this point. I've had Navy buddies that have never been anywhere near any sort of conflict. Hope this sets your mind a little at ease. Let us know how his career shapes.

[Joel007]

I have a friend who was an administrator in the navy. He joined to see the world, and spent the next 3 years underwater

Navy work is allegedly less hazardous day to day than in the army. I don't remember of any ships being attacked recently.

[AmazingAmanda253]

I really find spy/millitary stories intresting, Does anyone have any good ones? reading stuff about the CIA and spys is kind of a hobby, thats one of the reasons I read the Imperial Spy, the other is that I heard it was a really good book.

[Brown Rat]

Thank you for the reassurances, Joel007 and BookStop.

[danny]

Originally Posted by AmazingAmanda253

I really find spy/millitary stories intresting, Does anyone have any good ones? reading stuff about the CIA and spys is kind of a hobby, thats one of the reasons I read the Imperial Spy, the other is that I heard it was a really good book.

For military books try Warpath series, my favourite one was Behind enemy lines.

[Mark Robson]

Originally Posted by Brown Rat

My nephew has signed up for the U.S. Navy. They've promised to give him a job as a cook. If they keep that promise (if, I say), do you know whether he's likely to be put often in harm's way when (notice that I no longer say if) he's deployed to the Middle East?

Sorry, Brown Rat, I did notice this post some time ago and forgot to respond. My experience of the chef's trade is that whilst they do get to go just about everywhere, I've never heard of one getting hurt. I guess that's as good a reassurance as I can give.

[Adasunshine]

Originally Posted by AmazingAmanda253

I really find spy/millitary stories intresting, Does anyone have any good ones? reading stuff about the CIA and spys is kind of a hobby, thats one of the reasons I read the Imperial Spy, the other is that I heard it was a really good book.

I don't know if it's what you're looking for as it's an autobiography but Ken Lukowiak's Marijuana Time is a very entertaining read. I'll type the blurb so you don't waste your money...

"Anyone can survive a war - all you have to do is not get shot. But how is a soldier supposed to survive the peace? Ken Lukowiak could handle Good Green and Wireless Ridge: it was the life after that seemed so hard - so low, so repetitive, so absurd. But then Belize came to his rescue, or rather Belize's number one product, marijuana. Smoked in industrial quantities, it can make military life seem almost bearable. And what better way could there be of seeing out service in this last armpit of empire than through a dizzy haze of pungent, potent dope smoke?"

The Observer's critique probably sums it up best...

"If you never inhaled, you might amble pleasurably enough through these pages... if you did inhale, maybe you still do, you will love this book. Marijuana Time confirms Lukowiak as a writer ablet o do light as well as heavy and to do it with wit and honest verve"

Even though from that you kind of deduce it's just a rambling story of him getting stoned, it's much more than that, it's actually quite sad in places and gives an insight to what it's like in the army, but it is also extremely funny... I think I might re-visit it actually...

If this doesn't float your boat then I believe Mr Lukowiak has written many other accounts of army life. Here is a link to search results on Amazon.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/search/re...s=Ken+Lukowiak

xx

[EDIT] Oops, sorry Mark, I didn't realise this was in your forum, the disadvantage of being in a rush! I won't be offended if you delete this post!

[Mark Robson]

Originally Posted by Adasunshine

[EDIT] Oops, sorry Mark, I didn't realise this was in your forum, the disadvantage of being in a rush! I won't be offended if you delete this post!

Not at all, Adasunshine. I have no objections to other authors getting plugs here. I'm forever extolling the virtues of other writers - that's what this place is all about.

[Adasunshine]

Thanks Mark.

I forgot to mention Sven Hassel's books. My partner is a fan of his stuff.

You can find out more about him at www.svenhassel.net

xx