Out of Pod Experience

The concept desighn we had was to filter potential fragments while directing the force upwards. 2 metal layers with a shock absorber gel anchored onto a reinforced concrete block in the ground to keep it all anchored. Open base form this to a concrete outer layer with a baffled air gap to let the force bleed off with as much of the fragments internalized.

Dunno if it will come to anything or not, fair few explosive bins on the market already it seems but they didn't look to be street bins more than ones for disposing of bombs found.

While I thank you, Anya can not fly the mighty and beautiful Abaddon. :(

In large organized events, trashbins are removed from the streets and replaced with transparent plastic bags. It's cheaper than invest in sophisticate explosive-proof bins that can be bypassed by merely leaving the bomb outside of them.

In case you wonder, i live in a country where terrorists used even wallet bombs. Not kidding.

Spain.

Wasn't that developed in WW2 as part of the plan to eliminate the jews?

Yep. They had a period where they had a very ingenuous bomb maker. Would rig a wallet with a little explosive, drop it in a hidden place, then someone would see it, grab it, and boom. They maimed a couple persons this way.

Nope, they've done it all. I'm aware in some other countries they may have a "freedom-fighter" sort of image, but they even car-bombed a shopping center, killing 21 civilians, and injuring another 45.

ETA called these sort of actions "socializing the pain" that Basques allegedly have to endure for being part of Spain. Go figure.

Man's ingenuity in being inhumane is an endless source of wonder and disgust.

The United States as been so successful for so long in preventing internal attacks - though social, technical, intelligence, and law enforcement methods, that we are largely naive to the feel of the pain. May we remain so... Though that naivete means we strike out much harder in reaction to much smaller hurts.

Our success creates victims not only in ourselves, but in anyone we see as might be responsible as well.

ok I know you can fly one of these~

(I hocked the Abaddon for it. also fully fitted with a republic fleet honor tank. contract in Jita!)

---

there's a chance I don't need to say this, and I've been debating it for the
last day and a half... and then I realized the only thing at risk is that I might
look like an emo fool for blabbering about something that doesn't need to
be said. but I am ok with that, so I've decided to say it.

I want to share my feelings over this event with you now that I've collected them.

as an Army medic who knows what you experienced. (you can't write fiction or
country songs to rival what I've been through)

---

This is aside from the deep tragedy that so many families are affected by,
who I hope will recover to the greatest extent possible. The rest of us are
truly fortunate.

---

the sentiment I want to share is simple. it's my conscience.

Among the reasons I decided to serve, there was always a sense that
unless I did something selfless for my country, I would not feel free to
pursue selfish endeavors later in life. I am proud that I joined the service a
year prior to 9/11, and continued to serve eight years more. There was a
few years' hiatus in the middle, but I was led back in after discovering I still
had that "itch."

it wasn't until my third deployment that I understood just how much was at
risk, including all the work that was put into my upbringing by my family. my
parents, siblings, relatives.

Too much for the sake of adventure.

I was there to shut down Iraq. I lost my innocence in Afghanistan. I gave
my country its share of my life "off the top," 18 to 29, and felt absolved of my
civic responsibilities.

I think it can be said those of us who are naturally inclined to handle the
burden of service have a greater portion of that responsibility.

so now the thought that bothers me is whether my commitment is in fact
done, and if I can continue living the life of a civilian with a clear conscience.
despite what I've already done.

I'm waiting to see how this plays out, and if my conscience will tell me
it's time to sacrifice more.

and so I know it is not a foregone conclusion that because it is your chosen
profession, that it is easy to do what you have done and what you will do.
most never get the chance to discover what lies dormant. of those who do,
the fortunate ones discover something to be proud of.

but even for them, it can be hard to sleep at night.

even by the standards expected of a medic, that your legs moved and your body
functioned when the time came is proof of your worth.

I hope you remain proud. it's easier said than done, to compartmentalize your
pride, your humility, your empathy over this experience... from other areas of
your life.

what happened is locked in history now. you found yourself to possess fortitude
and courage amidst tragedy and chaos. that cannot be changed. no one can
take that from you, though people might try, or fail to appreciate it. out of ignorance.

you might grow uneasy without quite feeling like people can relate. maybe they
don't comprehend the gravity of it, never experienced it, something... and you're
left feeling wishy-washy for saying anything about it. to family, other Marines,
people whose profession it is to help you understand these things, even.

I think it comes down to the fact that no one knows you better than you do.

[and the publicity... ]

I found myself alone to handle it, and the best filter was simply an appreciation for
the broader perspective I gained. I believe I find peace and stability are much,
much sweeter than most people can appreciate.

most importantly, over time, it will become easier to see that the guilt for the
tragedy that struck so many people that day is not yours to bear. you do not lack
humanity for letting it go.

only hold onto the good that is yours to hold.

---

I hope you enjoy the Sleipnir. a small gift. just two days ago 6639 trained into
a perfect Sleipnir, and I'm in the middle of fitting it.

I considered pimping the Sleipnir before contracting it to you, but I had a
feeling if it was too extravagant, that you would not accept it. but I hope you
will, and let me do something nice for you.

(what, you've never let someone buy you a beer for what you do? )

your sig became part of your post, silens

//I forgot to mention (this is so dumb that I forgot)

your situation reminds me of what my former platoon sergeant (at fort hood)
told me happened at the shooting there in 2009. he was the only combat
medic who happened to be on site.

he was not in uniform, and so he did not have a tourniquet on his person

he was the medic who treated the female officer who received wounds to
the inguinal area while engaging the shooter.

he had only his belt to use as a tourniquet, and he just couldn't get the
bleeding under complete control without a way to crank down on the belt. I'm
sure it still bugs him that he did not have a tourniquet that day, but the officer
survived and his treatment was sound.

your treatment was sound. it's what you had on hand.

I've shared this story with Graygor: when it comes to being short of medical
supplies for a situation, there is one mission that comes to mind. our Bn CO
and his security detail (myself included) took two blackhawks to mediate a
Peshmerga and Iraqi army meeting at an outpost that was once occupied by
us. it was a 45 minute ride by blackhawk, and ground extraction was at least
a day away.

the blackhawks returned to base and did not linger.

lots of IA and Pesh forces there, who just a week prior were hitting each others'
convoys with IEDs. and there was our LTC and our platoon in the middle of it.

not being able to carry whole blood, and after conferring with one of our MDs,
I took just one transfusion kit as a provision for blood loss. most of our platoon
was the same blood type as our CO, and I forgot to ask who arranged that, but
it was brilliant, I think.

I'm sure dustoff would have made good on their reputation, and we knew the
lay of the buildings (having lived there for a few months ourselves), but I'm glad
I didn't find myself gravity feeding my platoon.

there was an Apache and 2 F16s that loitered, but it still would have been the
worst wait and 500 yards to an LZ ever