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Hello to All! I'm starting off with a quick shout out to all my military people, wherever you may be! All over the world! All branches! Representing! Stay safe! Stay sharp! Come home safe!Welcome to my website!
I'm doing this website just because I want to try. I'm no webber, or programmer. I am a retired U. S. Air Force veteran. I now live in the Philippines. I'm married to a local girl (a very pretty one!). We've been together for about fourteen years now. One son who is 16. It's a different kind of lifestyle, that's for sure! I'm a guy with the attitude that, if I haven't been there or done that, then it's about time I did! I'm an adventurer, and get a kick out of going to other countries and learning about new cultures. I believe it broadens the mind, and gives you a different perspective than your own. If you stay in one place and never go anywhere, that's all ok. Some people are home bodies. Nothing wrong with that. But, even if you admit to it or not, it gives you tunnel vision. You are only able to see things from your viewpoint, which is limited by scope. And you are led to believe what you see on TV, which is not always a true representation of the actual facts. How do you really know what other people think or how they view us, if you have never been there? You may not care. But that isn't going to make the world a better place, is it? In a few of the following pages, I'm going to talk a bit about the Philippines. If you have questions, I would be glad to answer them. And expect nothing but the truth from me. I won't sugarcoat anything. I will also talk about different subjects that I have personally experienced.
And, I won't be discussing Covid!
Of course, I have military brothers and sisters all over the world. Some are retired, like me, and some are still serving. Even tho I retired in 2000, I try to keep up with what's happening. I am originally from south Texas, a Cowboys, Longhorns, Rangers, and Spurs fan , and if you don't like that, then you can ---, well, fill in the blanks! I was in Desert Storm, Operation Southern Watch, Desert Strike, and many others, since I was mostly in tactical units. I was even Team Chief of a tactical world-wide deployable unit while stationed at Kadena, Okinawa for six years. It was fun, dangerous, rewarding, and you had to learn a lot fast. As you guys well know, when you deploy, you don't have to know only your job, but everybody elses too! There are too many of us that have been shot at, blown up, mined, RPG'd, booby trapped, lied to, and all the other stuff that goes with the job of protecting our country. You all know what you did it for. You know what you went there for! You know who you really fought for! You know you fought for the person right beside you! The public may not know what we go through, so they won't have to, but YOU know! Wear it proud inside and out! Don't let anybody drag you down! That's my speech for today!
I went back to Texas in Oct 2013 and then came back to the P.I. in Mar 2016. I went there to work in the oil fields for about three years, and try to make some money. I hadn't visited my Texas before that for about 15 years! It was pretty much exactly the same as when I left. I was working for a big equipment rental service that supplied all the generators, lights, tanks, water, and just about everything else, to the oil rigs. It's hard work, and a typical day was about 16 to 18 hours, six days a week. But lots of overtime. My main job was as a generator technician; the big ones! How I went from satellite comm to fixing and running generators, I don't know. But you do what you have to do! Then I went to work for John Deere for a year before coming back to the P.I. I was programming satellite telemetry for the big tractors, thrashers, etc. that ran on satellite info. That was cool. When I wasn't doing that, I had to work as a mechanic, fixing the tractors. The reason I'm telling you all this is to show my diversity on different subjects, and to show you the range of things a well-trained, well-disciplined military person can do! And, with your training in the military, you're already more capable than most!
As far as memories of the military, I try to remember the good times, and the good assignments, like everybody else. The times spent with friends in good places and even bad. You always think back to special occasions or events. But you never forget the bad ones, either, no matter how long or how hard you try. Maybe you shouldn't. It's a part of us, even if we like it or not. It haunts us sometimes, yes. But, no sugarcoating, if you're strong enough inside, then you'll make it anyway, no matter the obstacles, mentally or physically. Easy to say, not easy to do. That's why we are military.
Give me a shout if you feel like it. If you like what I'm saying, let's hear it. If you hate what I'm saying, let's hear it. And to all those still serving in nasty holes; remember that you're never alone. And you never will be! Stay safe, and God speed home!
CHANGING GEARS
In this website, I will talk about numerous subjects that I have experience with. I will try to stay away from talking about things I know nothing about. But I will put in my own personal outlook on some things. I will jump around a lot and talk about completely unrelated things, for the sake of having different topics to discuss. I could make this all about one thing; many websites are devoted to one major item, and that makes sense, of course. And maybe I should, since most of the website engines want you to discuss one thing in particular. But I'm not the usual kind of guy. I want this to be MY style of website. Meaning talking about whatever interests me and hopefully you too! As you look at the menu on the left, you will see that I try to cover a wide range of topics and skills. I've been around a while, and done quite a few things in my 59 years, and will try to share things I have learned with you. Hopefully some of what I write will be of help to you. If not, I hope it is at least entertaining!
This site will grow and grow as I think of new things to talk about. Some will be opinions only and some will be facts. Either way, I thank you for taking the time to look through it! If, overall, you like this site, please share it with friends and get me some hits! I'm not making anything off it, but I do have a few bets with friends on whether I can make a certain amount of hits. The bets do involve beer, so help me out on this! Especially you, my military peeps! Get me some hits!
CHANGING SUBJECT AGAIN - PHILIPPINES
About the Philippines; if you have any interest or questions, send them my way. I was stationed at Clark AB way back in 1983 to 1989, and have been coming and going for over 35 years! I currently live in Oriental Mindoro (Naujan), for those who know a bit more about the area. We builtour own home, nothing rich or fancy, but nice and comfortable. And I have a beautiful, smart wife. And yes, I can speak the local language fairly well.
It's a fairly poor country, as you may know. But it has come a long way since the 1980's. Right now the peso to the dollar is about 50 to 1. It fluctuates up and down a bit. When I first got here in the 80's, it was 7 to 1, so that might tell you something. Examples would be; 1)cigarettes - a pack of marlboros is about 80 pesos ($1.70), 2)beer - is about 17 pesos (less than 50 cents), 3) Coke - (the drinking kind) is about 50 pesos ($1 for 1.75 litre). It's an interesting life! And I complain every day about how much the price has gone up! That's what happens when you adjust to the local economy.
I've been to about 40 different countries, so I am not limited to talking about the P.I. Overall, if you wish to talk about the old times, or the new ones, or just about anything in general that I can help with, give me a shout out!
I'm going to add a lot more here, but I'm just getting started on this. There will be pictures, statements, and whatever else would be good to see or know. Check in from time to time, or give me suggestions if you want something in particular. That's it for now. Hope to hear from you soon!
There are a few pics later on that are just for support of topics I discuss.
Please read the segment entitled "My Personal Project" listed on the menu. Thanks for your time!
To the Air Force (my homies!) - Fly high! Dominate the skies as usual!
To the Army - Always strong! Needed everywhere!
To the Navy - You are the protectors of our borders! The seas are ours!
To the Marines (my fathers peeps) - The bravest and best! No one can stand against you!
(I started this website years ago! I just returned to it this June 2022, to do some updates)
Your Own-Free-Website.com team