The last month or so has been an enlightening experience:

1:  Ooy, the Sergeant Major, is no longer infectious with TB, I have continued to test negative for it, and I am now able to come back to my apartment to enjoy the luxuries of hot water, a stove, a sit-down toilet, air conditioning, and TV that is in ENGLISH.  I slept in my own bed for the first time since she got sick, and LOVED IT.  Not to mention that I don't have to get my ARFCOM fix on my cellphone, and not be able to post.

2:  I have been on standby for 2 weeks, bags packed and ready to go, to take care of an assignment in Pakistan.  My friend Les is currently in Dubai, as his hotel room got blown up by a VBIED about a minute after he left the Marriott the other day in Karachi.  No joke.  After the President completes his visit to Pakistan, he will be going back in with the Royal Thai SWAT guys to complete the business that was interrupted by the very loud noise.

3:  I had a meeting the other night with a fellow who runs a nice security training site in the North of Thailand.  He has stated that he would like me to be the head firearms instructor.  We are talking MP-5s, M-16s, UMPS, and 1911s.  If it comes through, I will be sitting pretty.

4:  If #3 does NOT come through, I am also in discussions with doing another Force Protection gig with the US government in the sandbox.  NOT Iraq.  Problem is, if I can find a gig here in Thailand that makes US$1000 per month, I WILL TAKE IT.  I do NOT want to go back to The Land Of No Pork if I can help it.  Thailand is the best place I have ever lived.  Think "KID" and "CANDY STORE".

5:  We may be in for a little excitement here in Thailand, as there are orchestrated protests on a daily basis calling for the ouster of the Prime Minister.  He has stated he will retire in April, but that apparently is not good enough for the Communists and anarchists, who have called for a boycott of the election the first week of April.  Stay tuned, things could get a little bumpy.

6:  I have not fired one round since my qualification phase for the gig in Kosovo a year and a half ago!  I'M JONESIN', MAN!!!!

I would like to thank all the people that have written to me to support me since I left STL, and please know that even though I haven't been able to download images or post in the last month, you guys have kept me going.

SEMPER EFFIN' FI!

Ken

Quoted: DUDE..............you always got crazy shit going on

Well, it could be worse:  I could still be answering alarm calls by myself in East St. Louis for 12 bucks an hour...  THAT was dangerous!

Confucious say:  Man running too fast, going to Bangkok.

Quoted: Whats a VBIED??? probably something obvious but i can figure it out???? thanks

Vehicle
Borne
Improvised
Explosive
Device

AKA:  Car bomb (A term we are supposed to avoid speaking, in this business).   I don't know if you guys caught it in the news, but there was a US diplomat killed in the parking lot of the Marriott Hotel in Karachi, Pakistan just a bit ago.  My partner was staying in the hotel, and had just left about a minute before.  He is now back in Pakistan.

As far as do I regret coming here?  The answer is no.  If I am going to be unemployed or sick, it is much cheaper to live here than in STL!  Plus, the life is much better, as well.  I just want to keep things going.  My new girlfriend has made it worthwhile for me.  There are some people I miss, but there are people all over the world that I know and miss, too.

Thanks for the support, guys.

My new girlfriend has made it worthwhile for me.

After all, he IS in Bankok.

Yes!  Two bad puns in one thread!  I'm on a roll people.

It's good to hear from you, Ken.  You were my FIRST Missouri friend.  


Take care, Brother.  

Well, I have been online trying to find a gig in the Sandbox.  Kosovo is to the Sandbox as La Due is to Ferguson, but I hope someone will see fit to let me put the Kevlar on.  I would MUCH rather stay here in Thailand, but my side job has laid me off, and I am still waiting for my first assignment from the firm that asked me to come here ASAP 6 months ago.  Oh well.  I'm glad I came.

At any rate, it looks like I am going to have to move in with my young lady, so I can kiss the A/C, flush toilet, and WiFi goodbye.  The benefits, I will leave to your imagination

I will attempt to stay in touch, and will be following the goings-on on ARFCOM Lite.

Semper Fi!

Ken