So true. And I imagine the logistics in this wonderful tale are getting a wee complicated. Thank you CCG. This is my go to for a bit of peace!
Story Market Day
- Thread starter ComCamGuy
- Start date
Griz3752
Retired, practising Curmudgeon
I'd recommend VISIO or some project mgt tool to keep track of things, going forward. Warning! You'll need a large format printer if you want output but, if you do print it, you should be able to paper a decent size gun room.
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ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
After a couple weeks of frantic work, both at work and at home, Sabine came to a couple realizations. The first one was she could do something about a worry bothering Andrea and Paige. Several nights they had expressed concerns while sitting around the campfire in the evening about whether their retirements would cover the rent here. With Silas’ message about retirement coming probably five years earlier than projected, they were worried about their next jobs, what to do when they retired, where they would live and so forth.
With this in mind, Sabine came up with a solution. She knew it would work as long as she was able to pull it off without telling them right away. She would work it on her trip to town this weekend. She also wanted to swing by the music store and talk to the guy there about mischarging her for the guitar.
The other problems she was working was Christmas gifts and barter items. With all these secretive errands, she needed to go to town alone. She didn’t want to panic people with her worrying about barter stuff. She also needed to go to the bank. She wanted her stuff out of the safety deposit box.
Saturday came and Sabine slipped out early for her errands. She went to the bank first. It was a short errand, just checking the balance and emptying her safety deposit box of the items she was worried about being found. In here was some of her most precious possessions like the KIA bracelet with her brothers name, the dog tag chain she used to wear, the balance book for her overseas account with all her deployment money and the money she got from her brother’s insurance, and a few other small items. Most of this went into her pockets except the bracelet and the dog tag set. Those she put on. She stopped and looked at the dog tag set for a moment. She had worn this set on her deployments.It originally was her brother’s, returned after his death. On it then were two tags and a ring. The two tags were her brother’s and his fiancé’s, both killed in the same IED blast. The ring was his custom wedding band he would wear for the first time at their wedding. To this chain, she added her own tag for her deployments. She would now add her new tag with her new identity. She felt better with it in place.
With the money she had available to her, she came to a decision about her earlier plan.
Sabine showed up at the house of the owner of their house. They have never met. She got right to business.
“Sir, I would like to purchase your rental property at” she red the address off of the paper in front of her as if she didn’t know it by heart. “And I have a fair offer.”
“I’m not looking to sell.” The offer took him off guard.
“Look. Right now, all you pay for on it is the taxes, you collect rent, you don’t improve it, and you have no interest in it to live there. Correct?”
He was taken back by her blunt assessment of the situation again.
“Correct”
“Here is my offer” She handed him a slip of paper with a number on it. “This is more than the land value and is probably the best offer you will get in the next five years.”
He looked at the number. “This place is worth more than this.”
“Let’s be honest sir, you owe nothing on it, taxes will be due at the end of the year, and in six months, when they announce the base is closing, you won’t be able to rent it for enough to even pay those taxes, much less any up keep. This offer is pure profit for you. Hell, your tax attorney can show this as a loss for you and save you money as well. If you reject my offer, I'll come back in a year and offer you a quarter of what I am offering you today.”
They went back and forth for about thirty minutes. At the end of their discussion, they came to an agreement. She would have her agent come finish the paperwork. Sabine would now own their house through an intermediate company. She wouldn’t tell the rest right now. She would just have the management company inform the group that the rent was changing, only for the better. All of the money they paid would just go to the household repair and improvement fund.
She went to the realtor she had chosen and laid out her needs. Not long after that, she was out the door to her next errand.
With this in mind, Sabine came up with a solution. She knew it would work as long as she was able to pull it off without telling them right away. She would work it on her trip to town this weekend. She also wanted to swing by the music store and talk to the guy there about mischarging her for the guitar.
The other problems she was working was Christmas gifts and barter items. With all these secretive errands, she needed to go to town alone. She didn’t want to panic people with her worrying about barter stuff. She also needed to go to the bank. She wanted her stuff out of the safety deposit box.
Saturday came and Sabine slipped out early for her errands. She went to the bank first. It was a short errand, just checking the balance and emptying her safety deposit box of the items she was worried about being found. In here was some of her most precious possessions like the KIA bracelet with her brothers name, the dog tag chain she used to wear, the balance book for her overseas account with all her deployment money and the money she got from her brother’s insurance, and a few other small items. Most of this went into her pockets except the bracelet and the dog tag set. Those she put on. She stopped and looked at the dog tag set for a moment. She had worn this set on her deployments.It originally was her brother’s, returned after his death. On it then were two tags and a ring. The two tags were her brother’s and his fiancé’s, both killed in the same IED blast. The ring was his custom wedding band he would wear for the first time at their wedding. To this chain, she added her own tag for her deployments. She would now add her new tag with her new identity. She felt better with it in place.
With the money she had available to her, she came to a decision about her earlier plan.
Sabine showed up at the house of the owner of their house. They have never met. She got right to business.
“Sir, I would like to purchase your rental property at” she red the address off of the paper in front of her as if she didn’t know it by heart. “And I have a fair offer.”
“I’m not looking to sell.” The offer took him off guard.
“Look. Right now, all you pay for on it is the taxes, you collect rent, you don’t improve it, and you have no interest in it to live there. Correct?”
He was taken back by her blunt assessment of the situation again.
“Correct”
“Here is my offer” She handed him a slip of paper with a number on it. “This is more than the land value and is probably the best offer you will get in the next five years.”
He looked at the number. “This place is worth more than this.”
“Let’s be honest sir, you owe nothing on it, taxes will be due at the end of the year, and in six months, when they announce the base is closing, you won’t be able to rent it for enough to even pay those taxes, much less any up keep. This offer is pure profit for you. Hell, your tax attorney can show this as a loss for you and save you money as well. If you reject my offer, I'll come back in a year and offer you a quarter of what I am offering you today.”
They went back and forth for about thirty minutes. At the end of their discussion, they came to an agreement. She would have her agent come finish the paperwork. Sabine would now own their house through an intermediate company. She wouldn’t tell the rest right now. She would just have the management company inform the group that the rent was changing, only for the better. All of the money they paid would just go to the household repair and improvement fund.
She went to the realtor she had chosen and laid out her needs. Not long after that, she was out the door to her next errand.
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ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
Sabine was looking for her barter material next. She went store to store, truck stop to truck stop, and buying Zippo lighters. She figured they were cheap, but fire could become important. They don’t cost much, and she could get a bunch, and the small cans of fluid and some flints, Bundle these together and they would be a good package to trade. They would also not be really usable against them like trading bullets or guns would be.
The other item she was buying was Swiss Army Knives. She could buy some cheap and trade them later and not lose money. These took a couple hours. After doing this, she was worn out. She figured she needed to recharge some and relax before her drive back. Her next stop would be the music store.
Sabine drove into the parking lot and immediately knew something was wrong. The neon sign was dark, as was the open sign above the door. The lights were off and the grate was pulled across the opening. Sabine parked and walked up to the door. In the middle of the glass was a piece of paper taped up to the inside. She saw a picture at the top of the paper of the man behind the counter
Funeral Notice
After many long years of fighting Cancer, Mr Gambaldi finally lost his fight. The community has lost its musician, it’s spirit and it’s lifeblood. He leaves behind no relatives but a host of friends.
A Master Luithier, a phenomenal player of almost any instrument he touched, His touch extended far beyond what he laid his hands upon. He touched the world with every person he taught to play, every instrument he fixed and every note he sung. He will be greatly missed.
Sabine looked at the date for his service. It was last weekend. She sat in the SUV and cried.
The other item she was buying was Swiss Army Knives. She could buy some cheap and trade them later and not lose money. These took a couple hours. After doing this, she was worn out. She figured she needed to recharge some and relax before her drive back. Her next stop would be the music store.
Sabine drove into the parking lot and immediately knew something was wrong. The neon sign was dark, as was the open sign above the door. The lights were off and the grate was pulled across the opening. Sabine parked and walked up to the door. In the middle of the glass was a piece of paper taped up to the inside. She saw a picture at the top of the paper of the man behind the counter
Funeral Notice
After many long years of fighting Cancer, Mr Gambaldi finally lost his fight. The community has lost its musician, it’s spirit and it’s lifeblood. He leaves behind no relatives but a host of friends.
A Master Luithier, a phenomenal player of almost any instrument he touched, His touch extended far beyond what he laid his hands upon. He touched the world with every person he taught to play, every instrument he fixed and every note he sung. He will be greatly missed.
Sabine looked at the date for his service. It was last weekend. She sat in the SUV and cried.
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Sportsman
Veteran Member
Two chapters to start the week. Thank you.
That explains the "gift" guitar. Perhaps he was staying alive just to find the right person to pass it on to, that happens. And now we know there are some hidden resources that will serve them well if they use them wisely, which I suspect they will.
That explains the "gift" guitar. Perhaps he was staying alive just to find the right person to pass it on to, that happens. And now we know there are some hidden resources that will serve them well if they use them wisely, which I suspect they will.
sssarawolf
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Thank you very much, nice.
Shotgun Willy
Contributing Member
I hadn't thought of a Zippo as a trade item, great idea.
Griz3752
Retired, practising Curmudgeon
...w/ flints and fuel.
If some R# t5wadXcFtYU%$X hadn't outlawed strike anywhere matches.....sorry but that saving us from ourselves mentality is a direct lead to doing away w/ cash and firearms...
Oooppps! Felt a rant coming on....sorry.
ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
Sunday evening Paige got a phone call.
“Paige, we need you to come down to the airport in town.” Then the phone hung up.
Paige recognized the voice. It was one of the sergeants working with her on the rifle program. He wouldn’t have called if it wasn’t important. She hopped into her Cherokee with Henrik and headed towards town. On the way there, they two of them went back and forth trying to figure out what it was all about.
When they got to the little municipal airport in town, the place was a hub of activity. Normally closed at dusk and only used by small private aircraft, tonight there were several trucks out on the ramp and at least forty people in uniform, along with a pile of cases and bags.
The guard at the access gate waved them in. Paige and Henrik walked up to a group of guys Paige recognized.
“So I guess you guys are out of here.”
“Yeah, we got the call this morning and we couldn’t tell you till now. They wanted all of us bac to our units. There is something brewing they won’t tell us about right now. They also told us to bring any operational spares you had stored here for us. “
At this, Paige bristled. They took stuff from her inventory?
“What did you guys take!?” Her voice was loud and harsh. She was instantly animated as well.
“Relax. We only took the stuff the last unit left for us to fall in on for this class. We didn’t take anything from the racks. That is the way I interpreted the order, regardless of what they actually wanted us to do. I wasn’t going to clean you out in the middle of the night. I even left you a present. Did Sabine come with you?”
“No, Why?”
The medics wanted to say good bye. They also wanted to talk to you as well.” He called the two medics over to them.
Paige didn’t recognize them other than familiar faces wandering at the unit, but they knew her.
“Paige, we are so glad to see how well you recovered. You wouldn’t know it, but the two of us were the ones who helped Sabine work on you that day in the Arms Room.”
At this, Paige got a little pale. These guys helped save her life. She quickly stepped up to them and wrapped her arms around them in a tight embrace.
“I don’t know how to thank you guys.”
Henrik stood awkwardly to the side watching. He knew he owed them for what they did, but didn’t know what to say.
The knot of people started to break up some when they heard a whining whistling sound in the air. The ramp lights went out all of a sudden. Not long after, the sound changed pitch. All the military on the ramp recognized it, but it wasn’t expected here.
A guy with some chemlites in his hands was at the edge of the taxiway. A large dark shape slid into view in the darkness. It looked far too big to fit on the ramp. Shoot, it looked far too large for the runway. It was like watching a dolphin swimming in a hot tub.
The C-17 swung onto the ramp and continued to pivot until the tail was facing the crowd, the clamshells in the back already open. When it slid to a stop, the Loadmasters were at work right away, marshalling the guys in the ground to carry the pile of gear onto the aircraft.
Paige gave all of them another hug, then they were gone, dragging stuff onto the aircraft. It was only about ten minutes later the tail closed, the engines spooled up, and the giant grey shark disappeared into the darkness. The sound increased and it was gone.
“Paige, we need you to come down to the airport in town.” Then the phone hung up.
Paige recognized the voice. It was one of the sergeants working with her on the rifle program. He wouldn’t have called if it wasn’t important. She hopped into her Cherokee with Henrik and headed towards town. On the way there, they two of them went back and forth trying to figure out what it was all about.
When they got to the little municipal airport in town, the place was a hub of activity. Normally closed at dusk and only used by small private aircraft, tonight there were several trucks out on the ramp and at least forty people in uniform, along with a pile of cases and bags.
The guard at the access gate waved them in. Paige and Henrik walked up to a group of guys Paige recognized.
“So I guess you guys are out of here.”
“Yeah, we got the call this morning and we couldn’t tell you till now. They wanted all of us bac to our units. There is something brewing they won’t tell us about right now. They also told us to bring any operational spares you had stored here for us. “
At this, Paige bristled. They took stuff from her inventory?
“What did you guys take!?” Her voice was loud and harsh. She was instantly animated as well.
“Relax. We only took the stuff the last unit left for us to fall in on for this class. We didn’t take anything from the racks. That is the way I interpreted the order, regardless of what they actually wanted us to do. I wasn’t going to clean you out in the middle of the night. I even left you a present. Did Sabine come with you?”
“No, Why?”
The medics wanted to say good bye. They also wanted to talk to you as well.” He called the two medics over to them.
Paige didn’t recognize them other than familiar faces wandering at the unit, but they knew her.
“Paige, we are so glad to see how well you recovered. You wouldn’t know it, but the two of us were the ones who helped Sabine work on you that day in the Arms Room.”
At this, Paige got a little pale. These guys helped save her life. She quickly stepped up to them and wrapped her arms around them in a tight embrace.
“I don’t know how to thank you guys.”
Henrik stood awkwardly to the side watching. He knew he owed them for what they did, but didn’t know what to say.
The knot of people started to break up some when they heard a whining whistling sound in the air. The ramp lights went out all of a sudden. Not long after, the sound changed pitch. All the military on the ramp recognized it, but it wasn’t expected here.
A guy with some chemlites in his hands was at the edge of the taxiway. A large dark shape slid into view in the darkness. It looked far too big to fit on the ramp. Shoot, it looked far too large for the runway. It was like watching a dolphin swimming in a hot tub.
The C-17 swung onto the ramp and continued to pivot until the tail was facing the crowd, the clamshells in the back already open. When it slid to a stop, the Loadmasters were at work right away, marshalling the guys in the ground to carry the pile of gear onto the aircraft.
Paige gave all of them another hug, then they were gone, dragging stuff onto the aircraft. It was only about ten minutes later the tail closed, the engines spooled up, and the giant grey shark disappeared into the darkness. The sound increased and it was gone.
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sssarawolf
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Thank you 
.
.
ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
Monday morning, Paige stood in her arms room looking at a big box in the middle of the floor. It was the shipping case for the rifles from Company One. She saw a folder with papers on top. Opening the folder, she discovered something she wasn’t expecting. A DD 1149 Shipping document listed the crate and contents, complete with the shipping date of when it ‘went’ back to the company, dated three days before the quake. There was also a handwritten note.
“Take care of yourself. Trouble is coming. Share as you see fit. If you need us, you have our email. If we can help, we will.”
There was a separate slip of paper with several unofficial email addresses.
She popped open the case. It was full. All the Company One weapons were in there, along with the un-redacted copy of her report. A redacted version with all the dates of tests removes as in there along with a notation stating the re-dated one was the one submitted since the weapons were ‘shipped out’.
Paige quickly closed the case. She would talk to the Sergeant Major about this. This was too big a thing to just handle herself.
“Take care of yourself. Trouble is coming. Share as you see fit. If you need us, you have our email. If we can help, we will.”
There was a separate slip of paper with several unofficial email addresses.
She popped open the case. It was full. All the Company One weapons were in there, along with the un-redacted copy of her report. A redacted version with all the dates of tests removes as in there along with a notation stating the re-dated one was the one submitted since the weapons were ‘shipped out’.
Paige quickly closed the case. She would talk to the Sergeant Major about this. This was too big a thing to just handle herself.
ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
There was a mass meeting at the unit. The Commander briefed the unit on all the latest things coming down the pike. He would go repeat the briefing at the other units on base next. All of the things the Sergeant Major warned them of came to pass. Fifteen year retirements were in play, bases were being selected to close, PCSs were frozen, and there were more rumors coming down the chain. He promised to brief everyone as soon as he had any official word.
2T2-Crash
Contributing Member
It’s hard to explain because you get pretty immune to it. They come in low and slow and are pretty quiet for what they are, till they are in front of you and sitting idle. I would wager I have tens of thousands of hours sitting behind or working inside them, I can hear the effects in my ears all day every day.
The C5 is twice as big
ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
the real scary thing is , during the lull in capability with the retirement of the C141 and before the C17 was fully qualified for the Special Operations Low Level mission, the C5 was the stand in. This timeframe coincided with the start of the war in Afghanistan. Some of the very first missions into Afghanistan, before the regime was overthrown, were low level, through the mountains, at night on night vision goggles within two wingspans of the ground and or the sides of the mountains..
ted
Veteran Member
My last base had F4 Phantoms...With those it is what you don't hear afterwards. Stone deaf at a certain frequency plus the constant ringing.
Lake Lili
Veteran Member
Once upon a time between the bases at Gander and at Stephenville, and our local airport, we saw just about every plane that flew. What had been dying a slow death started by the 2008 economic crash, has been almost completely killed by Covid-19 Today, there are often fewer than 3 commercial flights a day that come though. With only the odd life flight from Labrador, or Lockheed C-130 Hurcules, or the Canadair CL-415 Superscooper waterbomber for forest fire fighting, our skies are pretty empty. The skies used to be full of contrails but even those are few and far between now. Our world has become very small and very local.
2T2-Crash
Contributing Member
Yep, I know how that is. Not from the F4 but the 15’s, 18’s and the Harriers. The Harriers were the worst.
CCG: The first time I saw a 130 combat land I thought she was burning in, the first time I was on a C5 during a combat landing I thought the pilot was trying To figure out why we were making such abrupt turns. Such a different approach to it.
I
The C5: that’s a love/hate relationship for me. LOL
The last 141 I was on was the POW/MIA one on her way home to retirement. The bulkheads will leave an impression on your soul.
ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
After the 15 year retirement eligibility was announced, fully a third of the remaining people on base submitted their paperwork, most of which were looking to leave California for cheaper and less restrictive environments. The food was getting more and more difficult to find. The selection was reduced as well.
The impending base closure list was lost in the frantic news cycles dealing with the continued devastation all along the west coast, the shortages in the urban areas and the widespread riots it led to. The fixed income and subsidized populous were screaming about the meteoric rise in food prices without a rise in benefits in conjunction with it.
The south was trying to recover from the storms, the west was devastated, and people were now becoming aware of how much came into the country through the seaports along the coast. From food to clothes to electronics, most things were shipped in. The alternative of shipping to the east coast would take time and require a much longer sea route around some very bad weather choke points. This required months to shift and change the process. This also required a change in the distribution infrastructure. All of these things take time. Time the country didn’t have.
The impending base closure list was lost in the frantic news cycles dealing with the continued devastation all along the west coast, the shortages in the urban areas and the widespread riots it led to. The fixed income and subsidized populous were screaming about the meteoric rise in food prices without a rise in benefits in conjunction with it.
The south was trying to recover from the storms, the west was devastated, and people were now becoming aware of how much came into the country through the seaports along the coast. From food to clothes to electronics, most things were shipped in. The alternative of shipping to the east coast would take time and require a much longer sea route around some very bad weather choke points. This required months to shift and change the process. This also required a change in the distribution infrastructure. All of these things take time. Time the country didn’t have.
ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
The Sergeant Major was surprised by Paige’s gift. They went for a drive in the UTV out ‘to inspect one of the storage containers’ so they could talk away from witnesses and electronics. He confided to her there were probably more drastic things coming down the pike. He was anticipating the base closing faster than five years. Much faster. The country was hemorrhaging money and resources trying to regain control.
The Sergeant Major was blunt and frank.
“I don’t know how fast and how far this is going to go. We just lost a third of our manpower in the last two weeks. I don’t see us staying open for long. By this time next year, I expect the gates to be locked. I need you to do three things. One, ID everything that is off the books. Two; move as much stuff off the books as you can. Three; Start looking for what you want to do next. From what I hear, they will not be moving any of us. Over ten years, you get retirement early. Under ten, you get an early separation bonus and a pat on the head. Pass this on to your housemates. Once you get your list of what's left as far as arms and ammo, let me know when we take another drive out here. This is not to be discussed in the office or really, on base if we need to discuss a lot.”
The drive back to the shop was a quiet one.
The Sergeant Major was blunt and frank.
“I don’t know how fast and how far this is going to go. We just lost a third of our manpower in the last two weeks. I don’t see us staying open for long. By this time next year, I expect the gates to be locked. I need you to do three things. One, ID everything that is off the books. Two; move as much stuff off the books as you can. Three; Start looking for what you want to do next. From what I hear, they will not be moving any of us. Over ten years, you get retirement early. Under ten, you get an early separation bonus and a pat on the head. Pass this on to your housemates. Once you get your list of what's left as far as arms and ammo, let me know when we take another drive out here. This is not to be discussed in the office or really, on base if we need to discuss a lot.”
The drive back to the shop was a quiet one.
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sssarawolf
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Thank you.
ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
The party was Andrea’s idea. She figured a get together to blow off some steam would help things. Everyone had been so tense the past weeks. She borrowed an idea from one of her first supervisors and approached everyone about doing a Guy Fawkes party. Get some people together, chill, have food and some drinks, and relax.
Her first boss used to have them. He got started on them on a trip to Bosnia. He got invited to a Guy Fawkes party at the British Embassy there in Sarajevo. He basically mimicked it on a smaller scale. When she laid out the idea to Sabine, Paige and Henrik, they loved the idea. The first thought was who to invite to give them an idea of scale for their preparations.
They wanted it to be big enough to be fun, but small enough to be manageable. The list ended up being about twelve people counting the four of them. With the scale determined, they started divvying up the tasks. Henrik and Paige would work on tables, seating, beverages and the effigy. Sabine would cook and Andrea would help cook and work the invitations. As Andrea approached each invitee, they were all excited about the upcoming event.
Her first boss used to have them. He got started on them on a trip to Bosnia. He got invited to a Guy Fawkes party at the British Embassy there in Sarajevo. He basically mimicked it on a smaller scale. When she laid out the idea to Sabine, Paige and Henrik, they loved the idea. The first thought was who to invite to give them an idea of scale for their preparations.
They wanted it to be big enough to be fun, but small enough to be manageable. The list ended up being about twelve people counting the four of them. With the scale determined, they started divvying up the tasks. Henrik and Paige would work on tables, seating, beverages and the effigy. Sabine would cook and Andrea would help cook and work the invitations. As Andrea approached each invitee, they were all excited about the upcoming event.
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beaglemama
Contributing Member
Minor nitpick - it's Guy Fawkes named after the guy who tried to blow up parliment
Love the story, though
Love the story, though