Chat, check-in, and hang out

[Paladin_141]

Pretty sure there are just horrible tentacle things here.

Drone Girl has gone back to her team’s accommodation and the horrible sick, shaky feeling has come back. I'm out for a walk because I just don't feel comfortable with the other guy in my billet just now. He is new and has no prrior military experience whatsoever. Fair enough, though I'm not sure why he got sent here, thar being the case. But....he keeps talking about how suicidal he is and how he is okay with dying.

Ok, I have bad days when I think about tapping out, but I do actually want to survive this. I do not want to do what we do with a guy behind me who isn't particularly fussed about seeing dinner time. We're not some rear echelon unit who can sit in the pub and wait for it all to blow over. He belongs in a field hospital or a supply depot or something, not doing the gnarly shit we do.

I get that he wants to 'remove the stigma' and all that, but this isn't just past attempts or ideation he's on about. It's bloody constant, too.

I think I need to speak to the Boss.

 

[Friday]

I think I need to speak to the Boss.

Agreed.

That’s not only the kind of suicidal that gets everyone around them killed, but it f*cks moral with a sandpaper condom.

 

[Friday]

Well, you get to swim with whales in the deep end! That’s a great perk!

I wish I spoke whale!

<whistling> just keep swimming, just keep swimming

 

[Paladin_141]

As of today the Boss is being transferred to another unit, our best guy is being taken for an instructor post, two are in hospital long term, one was RTU'd after a freak out and one is dead.

That leaves me, another guy, Suicide Guy and Drone Girl. This outfit is done as an independent entity and will probably be folded into one of the brigade's regular battalions while a new unit composed entirely of locals takes our place. That's why they took our best guy as an instructor; he's training our replacements.

Three of us are putting in for transfers to a another, fairly high profile unit that does the same job, but with better support and more autonomy. I met their Boss and a few of the guys in a bar a few months ago and we had a drink or six. He said if things ever went sideways I was to consider giving them a call. At the time I thanked him and laughed it off but, well, here we are...

Hopefully we all make it there together.

 

[Paladin_141]

Re. My last post: normally I wouldn't say that much for OPSEC reasons, but f*ck me if even my employers aren't just putting the whole f*cking war on Facebook. Not how we did things in my day, but there you go. Used to be you waited until it was all over then wrote a book about it.

 

[Dark.Green.Feathers]

Had the lens of my right eye replaced with an acrylic one today (aka "cataract surgery"). Totally wasn't expecting blues to be quite so vividly blue with the new one - they really need to work on that aspect of the sales job - so that's quite jarring when opening one of them then the other.

Also for the next two weeks my left eye needs glasses to see at Infinity and my right eye now doesn't. I'll have to let them fight it out and tell the driver licensing people the result.

I don’t have any prosthetic lenses or anything but one of my eyes is more blue-saturated than the other… or the other is more yellow saturated.. Warmer and colder vision in either eye. I wonder what’s making the difference and if it’s lens related like you, or something else!

 

[Rose White]

Warmer and colder vision in either eye

I noticed this about myself too at some point in my life. From my understanding it’s fairly normal but not usually noticeable. I can’t remember if it’s a feature (like how 3D glasses are red-blue) or just due to random subtle variations in rods and cones.

 

[Paladin_141]

Right. Last Post then I stop hogging this thing.

I'm going home for Christmas.

I had a chance meeting in a pizza place and was advised in the strongest possible terms to get my arse out of dodge. The future is not bright for what is left of my unit.

I've been offered a job, though, when I'm ready to come back.

 

[Rose White]

then I stop hogging this thing

I’d argue you brought some life back to it!

 

[Paladin_141]

Fair enough!

I'm looking forward to spending Christmas and a few months with my kids while I sort a few things out back home, but I don't think I can go back to the World forever.

I think I've found my place.

 

[parrotthepolly]

But....he keeps talking about how suicidal he is and how he is okay with dying.

Isn't this a must, maybe not but it's a good mindset to have since it could happen any time anyway?

I would speak to him first about transferring to field hospital or supply depot before speaking to higher ups.

 

[Paladin_141]

Isn't this a must, maybe not but it's a good mindset to have since it could happen any time anyway?

I would speak to him first about transferring to field hospital or supply depot before speaking to higher ups.

Pretty much anyone could die at any moment. I spent 20 years in the emergency services and saw people who died one their way through to the fridge.

I want people with me who will put effort into keeping us all alive.

As it is, I have given him and Drone Girl the heads-up and passed on the number I was given.