Having a smart attitude in a world where a lot of people have not got it together, thanks largely to my Fathers influence.

All of the other accomplishments are a result of a person's attitude.

I want to say that I have always thought my greatest accomplishment was working for the PSP (Presidential Security Program) back in 2010. I worked in Washington DC and was responsible for protecting President Obama and congress during my time in the Army. It was a NORAD program that I was assigned to.

I am going to echo what others have said though, once I became a father, my 7 month old son is my greatest accomplishment and being a great father will be what takes over my life now. I also feel teaching has brought more joy to my life. Once we move back to the United States (My wife, son, and I), I will definitely pursue a teaching certificate (so I can teach in the states, simply having a degree is not enough) if I do not get a department of state job in the meantime. I am only 30 so, I feel like I am young enough to still do other things outside of just being a TEFLer/Army Veteran.

Congrats Freightdog. Something strange about being a father is that no matter what your child does (as an infant) is that you can never really get angry at them. They are just exploring the world and going through early childhood development.

phuketrichard wrote: ↑Thu Apr 18, 2019 8:32 pm so at 21 u were protecting the president?
wow, you must have been the youngest ever to be in the secret service...
As ONLY the secret service protects the president and first lady ..

as far as protecting congress, Congressmen and women, that job falls to the US capital police
certainly not NORAD

you seem to be a bit confused.

That's not true. A friend from high school ended up joining the Marine Corps and eventually got a position on Marine One protecting the president.

In reference to my claim, I can share a link.

https://www.dvidshub.net/news/33472/flo ... ty-mission

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Noble_Eagle

I was not some 20 year old Rambo secret service member. It was just a mission I was on that I felt was a unique enough of an experience to consider it my greatest accomplishment. I was a stinger/AVENGER crewman and had a lot of fun during the training leading up to the mission. The mission is still going on to this day and it began after 9/11. Maybe I should have been more specific, we were responsible for protecting them from air threats.

https://www.google.com/search?biw=1366& ... 9v3e7rqOSk

Hope that clears up any confusion.

CBEQ wrote: ↑Fri Apr 19, 2019 7:31 am

phuketrichard wrote: ↑Thu Apr 18, 2019 8:32 pm so at 21 u were protecting the president?
wow, you must have been the youngest ever to be in the secret service...
As ONLY the secret service protects the president and first lady ..

as far as protecting congress, Congressmen and women, that job falls to the US capital police
certainly not NORAD

you seem to be a bit confused.

That's not true. A friend from high school ended up joining the Marine Corps and eventually got a position on Marine One protecting the president.

In reference to my claim, I can share a link.

https://www.dvidshub.net/news/33472/flo ... ty-mission

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Noble_Eagle

I was not some 20 year old Rambo secret service member. It was just a mission I was on that I felt was a unique enough of an experience to consider it my greatest accomplishment. I was a stinger/AVENGER crewman and had a lot of fun during the training leading up to the mission. The mission is still going on to this day and it began after 9/11. Maybe I should have been more specific, we were responsible for protecting them from air threats.

https://www.google.com/search?biw=1366& ... 9v3e7rqOSk

Hope that clears up any confusion.

Good for you QBEQ!

Richard, why do you have to shoot holes in someones share? I would rather people feel safe to share and let the odd bit of fiction slip in than feel the need to take people down. If it raises an eyebrow, you don't have to make a fight out of it. That just slows the flow here.

Perhaps my achievements are still to come. For now the greatest are probably those times I continued moving forward into fear and accepted whatever waited for me on the other side.
The last time I did that was when I thought I was driving into a huge fire alone in rural Australia in a vehicle that was limping along. Turns out it was just a massive red dust storm with a small fire somewhere. Was still scary as fuck and totally exhilarating.

Most of us probably cant say we have achieved one great thing, as if everything else we have done is trivial.

One worthwhile thing I am doing is, assisting students from poor families get a university education. This is changing their lives. They can look forward to getting good jobs, instead of being trapped in the poverty cycle.

Making it home from the bar last Friday night. Epic achievement.