#↳ commandment three; flagstaff thoughts ↲

[strictlycanon]

Flagstaff tag dump

[ ✥ ]

↳ i don't get bitten; interactions flagstaff ↲

↳ v; confirm your kills; zl ↲

↳ v; mind your manners; twd ↲

↳ v; avoid perishables; tlou ↲

↳ v; expect the unexpected; au ↲

↳ commandment one; flagstaff fc ↲

↳ commandment two; flagstaff aesthetic ↲

↳ commandment three; flagstaff thoughts ↲

↳ commandment four; flagstaff likes ↲

↳ commandment five; flagstaff headcanon ↲

↳ flagstaff relationships; friend albuquerque ↲

[atozphantomsquadron]

Chapter Four: Subterfuge

February 1st

     Planning takes too long.  I want out of this place now.

     The group of us, still stuck deep in the recesses of Arches, can’t agree on a plan of attack for our attempt to capture Scolar.  Trent and Teresa veto every idea we’ve thought up for the last nearly two weeks.  While they’re probably right to, since they were the ones who were blueshirts and probably have a better idea of their tactics, it’s still aggravating.

     The couple has, though, given us a better idea of what tends to surround the General.  He has a group of retainers that regularly follows him.  Three of them are bureaucrats, no combat skills at all: they handle all the paperwork for Scolar’s activities.  He has two very large bodyguards, who usually train the troop the General camps with when they’re not killing anyone who gets close to him.  Possibly most important, though, is the one SSA soldier who acts as his personal assistant, which means carrying his phone.  That information’s causing us to change our plans, because if we’re going to use Scolar as an in to the White House, we’ll need that soldier as well.

     Now we’re simply stuck on where to go and how to attack.  Trent had a schedule committed to memory of Scolar’s activities, which he now only half-remembers without his control chip.  Teresa was never privy to the General’s travel plans, so she’s no help at all in this regard.  We sit around the dining room table for the umpteenth time in the last week, trying to determine where to go.

     “Now, you’re sure about that schedule?” Gabe levelly asks.

     “I am,” Trent responds.  “After leaving Salt Lake, he was supposed to go back to Flagstaff.  Then he’s supposed to be on a troop inspection trip near the MRZ, followed by some sort of personal day in Virginia before heading back to Washington.”

     Aunt Kitty settles further into her seat.  “Should we try to get him on the way to the MRZ?”

     Fahaian raises his eyebrow.  “I apologize, if I may ask what ‘the MRZ?’ is”

     Gabe uncomfortably shifts in his seat.  “It’s short for ‘Missouri Rad Zone.’  We had to evacuate the entire state after a chain of nuclear reactor meltdowns, triggered by an earthquake.  There’s a wall currently erected on land, and three filtering stations which cross the Mississippi River at the Zone’s eastern border.”

     Fahaian nods, and then gains a questioning expression.  “Why do they keep troops there?  It doesn’t seem like a tactical advantage to place soldiers where no one will come to fight.”

     We exchange brief glances, but eventually it’s Gabe who answers, again.  “Some of the residents of Missouri … before it became the Zone … manifested their supernatural states after the meltdowns.  The Regents decided to wall off the state after it was evacuated, but …”

     Fahaian’s eyebrows rise.  I guess I’ll finish the explanation.  “They left those supernaturals in the Zone, quarantined them from the rest of the population, and those guards watch over the Zone to make sure they don’t escape.  The best guess is they’re hoping the radiation levels will do the work for the SSA.”

     Before anyone can say anything else, Aunt Kitty aims a stern look at both me and Fahaian.  “Don’t even think about it.  There are no guarantees you guys can even find those supernaturals alive, let alone get out of the MRZ yourselves.”

     I wish she couldn’t read my mind like that!

     “Nevertheless,” Gabe interjects, “the idea has merit.  We can intercept Scolar and party when they inspect the troops at the MRZ.”  He strokes his chin thoughtfully.  “Actually, we might have an in with the base itself.  Kitty, I believe you know one of the commanders.”

     “I do?”  Aunt Kitty seems surprised, but then her expression changes.  It’s worried.  I’ve never seen her worry about anything … a trait Michi inherited from her mom.  “You don’t mean who I think you do.  You can’t.”

     Gabe nods.  “I do, actually.  He’s been there for a while.  The higher-ups don’t seem to like him too much … you can imagine why.”

     This conversation of half-statements has everyone else’s full attention.  I guess our faces demand an explanation, which Aunt Kitty finally offers.  “I … might … maybe … have a friend who’s #3 at the MRZ base.”

     William leans closer.  “Will he help us?”

     “I’m sure he will, I served with him in my first command.  While we really didn’t keep in touch, I know he’ll remember me.”

     Michi looks hurt.  “Why haven’t you told me about this before, Mom?”

     Aunt Kitty shrugs.  “I never got around to it?”  Her sheepish grin isn’t helping the situation.

     Gabe finally makes the decision.  “Call him up, Kitty.  The rest of us are going to prepare.”

February 8th

     I hate this uniform.  I hate looking over at that wall and pondering the slow and agonizing death of people behind it.  I hate having to march around with all of these blueshirts and look like I belong.  I hate this whole situation … but if it’ll get me Scolar, then I’ll deal with it.

     Aunt Kitty really does have a friend who’s the third-in-command at this base, who she introduced to us as Warrant Officer Pete Lonstein.  She eventually had to tell us the whole story, that Lonstein had been her second in command on her first SEAL mission in command.  He was surprised to hear from her, from what she told us, but agreed to help mainly because his association with Aunt Kitty has left him with a precarious position in the SSA, so he feels that he’s got nothing to lose by helping us sneak in.

     I’m still not sure if Gabe’s idea is the best one.  He had Uncle Cyrus, still recuperating, generate a bunch of fake SSA uniforms for all of us, so that we could integrate with the blueshirts there and not all have to rely on Holographic Self-Image Projectors.  As it was, I was the only one who got one of the devices so that I could hide the Sword, but I’d prefer not to have to wear the uniform all the same. Teresa, it turns out, was studying theater makeup when she was taken, so she is able to manufacture control chip scars for everyone who doesn’t have HoSIPs, making it appear that we’ve all been through the Traverse City hell camp.  Once properly disguised, we set out for the MRZ, and just got here yesterday.

     Now I’m marching with a bunch of other blueshirts … human pawns, all … patrolling along the wall which defends Kansas City from the atomic wasteland that Missouri has become.  None of the other blueshirts even talk to me.  That’s good, because I don’t even want to deal with questions as to where I came from, who I am, or what my aspirations might be.

     They really won’t like the answer …

     “Vibria!  Front and center, soldier!”

     It takes me a second to remember that I’m the one being called … as far as these blueshirts are concerned, my name is Irene Vibria.  I break off from the patrolling formation and run over to the owner of the voice, one Sergeant Vick.  I square up and salute.  “Sir!”

     He slaps my arm down.  “Don’t salute me, dumbass, I’m a non-com!  Don’t you remember boot?”  Vick groans and rubs his nose.  “Never mind.  Join up with Bravo Company, you’re on VIP duty with them.  Some higher-ups from DC are coming today, and they’re shorthanded.”

     I don’t want to get swatted again, so I nod.  “Yes, Sergeant.”  I run in the direction Vick motions toward, trying to conceal my eagerness.

     Higher-ups from DC.  Commanders.  Scolar …

     My wandering mind has replaced my situational awareness, and as a result I nearly run into Bravo Company’s sergeant, a woman about my size with a shrill, commanding voice.

     “What is your problem, soldier?  Square up, damn it!”

     I strike what I think is an attentive pose.  “Private Irene Vibria, I was sent here from Echo Company by Sgt. Vick.”

     “Figures, Vick sends me someone as green as you.  Very well, find a space and fall in.  The VIPs are en-route, e.t.a. 5 minutes.”

     “Yes, Sergeant,” I pipe up before finding my way over to where the rest of Bravo company stands, waiting for the caravan.  Discipline seems to be a bit looser in Bravo, as these blueshirts mull about and talk amongst each other.

     I see a silhouette I recognize, and make my way through the crowd until I’m next to a particular blueshirt, standing extremely tall amongst the others.  I hope that my voice blends in with the others as I stage whisper up to him.  “William!”

     He turns and finds me standing next to him.  “I thought you were with Echo Company.”

     “I was, but Vick sent me over here.  Is it who I’m thinking it is?”

     William, in his disguise as a blueshirt named “Zeke Rooney,” nods slowly in confirmation.  “His entire entourage.  They’re stopping here for the troop inspection.”

     I nod and reach toward my hip.  While I can feel the Sword, still hanging from my hip, most other observers probably only see me dropping my arm slightly away from my right leg.  I don’t spend too much time mulling over how awkward my pose must be, because a large black SUV pulls up to the front of Bravo Company.  From my perspective I can barely see the proceedings …

     … but I feel them in my gut.  I feel it as soon as the door opens, as soon as I hear the company’s sergeant call us to attention.  It’s difficult, but I snap to attention and salute, along with the others, keeping up the ruse.

     Through a part in the troops, I watch Scolar return the sergeant’s salute.  She clicks her heels together and assumes a ramrod position.  “General Scolar, sir, Bravo company of SSA Troop 482, Kansas City division, welcomes you to the MRZ.”

     Scolar turns toward the rest of the company after the sergeant barks out an order arms command.  The general’s eyes narrow.

     He feels me too …

     “Sergeant, have you had any new additions to this company?”

     The sergeant has a questioning look.  “Sir?”

     “I’m not entirely convinced that your entire unit is who you think.”

     Crap, he’s on to our trick …

     “I did have a couple soldiers come down with flu a couple of days ago, they’re in the infirmary.  I have one from Echo and one from Tango to make up my company’s numbers.  They’ll be dismissed as soon as my boys are given the okay by the doctor.”

     My heart is racing.  I watch the General and his two aides slowly push their way between soldiers, making way toward us.  He knows …

     He’s right between myself and William.  He turns away from me, thankfully.  “Identify, soldier.”

     William appears to straighten up taller.  “Private Zeke Rooney, Tango company, sir!”

     Scolar eyeballs William, poring over him with scrutiny that makes me very nervous.  Apparently he spots the fake scar on his head, so he accepts him as legitimate. 

     Now his attention’s on me.  Oh God …

     “And you, soldier?  Identify.”

     I can’t seem nervous.  I straighten up like William did.  “Private Irene Vibria, Echo company, sir!”

     Scolar’s eyes narrow.  He looks up and down my body.  “Something wrong with your arm, Vibria?”

     Damn!  “It’s an old injury, sir.  Threw out my shoulder playing softball and it didn’t heal correctly, sir.”

     His eyes get a sinister glint.  “Let me help you, then.”  His voice is dripping with venomous intent.  He reaches for my right wrist … the one with the HoSIP …

     Someone above us has figured out that the whole thing has quickly gone to hell on us.  A shot rings out from overhead, hitting the side glass of the General’s SUV.  Everyone ducks except for me, Scolar, and William, even as another shot drops one of the General’s aides.

     Scolar growls at me and squeezes my wrist tightly, effectively wrecking the HoSIP.  My camouflage body drops very suddenly, and it’s just me standing there in a blueshirt uniform, Sword dangling from my hip.

     Public enemy number one, out in the open and vulnerable.

     “My terms, Sharpe.  You die now!”  Scolar draws the Sabre of the Invader.  The armor closes around him, yet he never releases my wrist.  He’s holding it so tightly against my body, in a death grip so secure that I can’t draw …

     Mother, I’m sorry.

     The Invader is yanked away suddenly and thrown against his truck.  The other troops scatter in a panic as gunshots continue to rain down, taking out the other aide, but the Invader returns to his feet, narrowing his eyes through the faceplate of his death’s-head helmet.

     “So … you brought friends to die for you!” 

He clutches the Sabre in both hands and rushes for William, still in mid-transformation.  I pull the Sword from its sheath and feel the transformation begin, even as a stabbing pain punches all the way up my right arm, the arm Scolar had a grip on.  I can’t even close my right hand … so I’m stuck fighting one-handed.  I swing the Sword between the Invader and William, backing the hell knight off.  I assume the best en garde stance I can manage, the Sword slightly off-balance in my left hand.  The Invader charges and I parry his swings very loosely, keeping myself between him and William.

     Trying to, at least, until William leaps over my head and tackles the Invader.  The Sabre clatters out of his hand, leaving Scolar lying on the ground beneath the wendigo, whose mouth dribbles on his pressed uniform.

     “You think this will stop me?” 

Scolar’s voice is a strained sneer, but his words have weight as he pulls his gun out of its holster.  Trying to stop him from firing, I throw the Sword between the two of them, striking Scolar’s hand just as the pistol goes off.

     William yelps and scrambles off of the General.  He curls up into a furry, white ball, trying to get away from the fight as quickly as possible.  My useless right arm trailing behind me, I run to recover the Sword before Scolar gets any bright ideas … Scolar is doing the same for his own weapon.  On the run I collect the hilt in my hand, and the armor’s fully closed around me by the time the Invader’s swing finds contact with my blade.

     “Impressive, hatchling.”

     Stop calling me that!  I wish I could scream at him, but all I can do is respond with the Sword.  I’m vaguely aware of the others around us, fighting off the remaining SSA companies, but my focus remains solely on the Invader.  I can’t stop myself, I have to take him out.

      Neither of us has a real advantage, much like our last duel.  It’s becoming painfully obvious that we’re too evenly matched, even as the remainder of the battle rages.  I’d like to think I’d have an advantage if I had my other arm to use, but my right arm is virtually useless … I’m pretty sure the Invader broke it … so it dangles behind me.  Every swing is parried, every thrust avoided.

     A blast of magic energy strikes the Invader broadside, and I see Michi, hand thrust forward, her knees shaking slightly.  I know she’s overexerted herself again, so she’s going to be weak. 

     Unfortunately, the Invader’s figured that out as well.  “Another little bitch … haven’t you learned yet, young lady?  You can’t win with a weak power like that!”

     The Invader turns to fully face Michi, Sabre at the ready.  He rushes.  Michi blasts, but this one’s much weaker, and she collapses.  I watch only for a moment more, as the Invader lifts his weapon high over his head, intent on sending the deathblow.

     I rush toward him, Sword at the ready.  My eyes don’t deviate from my target: I watch as Fahaian distracts the Invader slightly, using his telepyretic abilities to ring the hell knight in a fire pillar.  The Invader responds with a quick fist out of the flames, catching the prince across the face and knocking him out of the battle.

     Michi is slightly less dazed, as she looks up from her kneeling position.  The Invader raises the weapon again, completely over his head …

     I have to do this …

     My right hand grips the Sword.  Pain jolts up my arm and across my chest.  I’ll only have one strike, tops.  The Sword is raised over my head.  My body screams, to make up for my mouth’s inability to …

     The Sword comes down in a hard, swift swing on the Sabre.  I will probably never know the cause of this … if Fahaian’s flames helped, or I found something, or if it was just plain fate … but upon the loud, explosive contact of the Sword, the Sabre shatters like glass.

     The Invader lingers for only a moment before realizing what has happened.

     “No … no … how could

this happen?”  Scolar wails as the armor of the Invader literally falls off of his body.  The general drops to his knees, still clutching to the useless hilt of the destroyed weapon.  He breathes heavily, almost hyperventilating.

     The blade of the Sword winds up underneath Scolar’s chin.  He drops what’s left of his weapon, his hands quickly above his head.  As this happens, Gabe and Aunt Kitty approach.

     “Okay, Alanna, I think we’re good here.  Stand down.”

     The Guardswoman nods and sheathes the Sword, allowing the real me to come back out.  My arm is killing me … I don’t know how much longer I can handle this pain, but I have to say something as Scolar collapses to the ground like a rag doll.  “I don’t think he’s going to fight much.”

     Aunt Kitty crouches down next to Scolar … Dad … and looks intently at the face.  “Damn, Gabe, I thought you were lying … this really is Cole!”

     “Of course, I don’t lie,” Gabe responds very matter-of-factly.  “We should discuss this later, though, we’ve got several more companies of SSA troops coming.”  He turns to Fahaian and William, who’s shrunk back down to his human form and is gnawing on a strip of moose jerky.  “Gentlemen, if you would, please confiscate the General’s car.”

[gumnut-logic]

We’ll Be Home For Christmas 3.4

Title: We’ll be home for Christmas

Day Three - If not for the courage of the fearless crew – Part 4

Prologue | 1.1 | 1.2 | 2.1 | 2.2 | 2.3 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 3.3

Author: Gumnut

29 Dec 2019 - 4 Jan 2020

Fandom: Thunderbirds Are Go 2015/ Thunderbirds TOS

Rating: Teen

Summary: The boys can’t fly home for Christmas, so they have to find another way.

Word count: 4342

Spoilers & warnings: language and so, so much fluff. Science!Gordon. Artist!Virgil, Minor various ships, mostly background.

Timeline: Christmas Season 3, I have also kinda ignored the main storyline of Season 3. The boys needed a break, so I gave them one. Post season 3B, before Season 3C cos we haven’t seen it yet.

Author’s note: For @scattergraph. This is my 2019 TAG Secret Santa fic :D I hope you enjoy it.

I’m probably posting this before it is ready and I’m not happy with the ending so may change where it ends when I start writing the next part, but I really need a little cheering up today, so here be the next 4000-odd words of this fic. I hope you enjoy them :D

Many thanks to @vegetacide and @scribbles97 for cheering me on and their wonderful support through this craziness. And to @onereyofstarlight for geeking out with me over the setting.

Disclaimer: Mine? You’ve got to be kidding. Money? Don’t have any, don’t bother.

-o-o-o-

They stashed their luggage in the hostel, a large white and wooden building that had obviously seen many residents over the years, but was well loved and maintained.

Melissa gave them a quick tour of the compound. It consisted of series of buildings similar to the hostel but of varying sizes over looking the ocean and the adjacent Oneraki Beach. The island was basically a triangle with the encampment on the north facing side high up on Fleetwood Bluff. There was something about a Flagstaff but Virgil missed it...mainly due to the conversation Gordon and Sam were laughing over behind him.

Whatever it was called, the view was magnificent. Far below in the bay, A Little Lightning was a small white smudge on the blue of the Pacific.

Melissa ran them through the rules of conduct on the island. No one was to venture anywhere on the island outside the compound unaccompanied by a DOC employee. Please keep your luggage inside the hostel. All life is protected on the island and in the waters. It was illegal to damage or remove anything. No littering. The list went on.

It was a long one.

Apart from being a cetacean biologist and a loud talker, Sam was also apparently the resident cook on the island. Melissa put no claim to any culinary skills, so had left it to Sam.

The man had baked a cake.

A Christmas cake.

In their isolation on the boat, despite their aim to be home for Christmas, Virgil had forgotten it was the day before Christmas Eve. December twenty-three.

It wasn’t the first time he had forgotten Christmas. Three years ago he had spent Christmas dragging survivors off the Amazon flood plain when the river engulfed an entire city. Christmas had been obliterated. As had the two months after due to the damn fever he had caught from those flood waters. It hadn’t been a great start to the year.

But this year it was different. They were on vacation. A forced vacation, but a vacation nonetheless, of which the whole purpose was to get home in time for Christmas. Yet the decorations and the tree in the corner of the communal hall had taken him by surprise.

The cake was very nice. He had to hold Alan back from grabbing seconds. But it got him thinking about the day after next and what they would be doing as a family.

“He sang to the whales?!”

Virgil jumped at Sam’s exclamation somewhere behind him.

“Yeah, he did. You should have heard it. It was incredible.” Virgil’s eyes widened at the pride in Gordon’s voice.

“They didn’t pay any attention, though, did they? All previous attempts have failed.”

“Ho, Sam, I have to show you the recordings. They responded alright. Virg may not speak whale, but he knows how to speak emotion. Mamma whale definitely understood something.”

Virgil buried his face in his coffee. The experience was still raw. He wasn’t sure he wanted to talk about it and it was inevitable that he would be asked.

“What did he use?” And the conversation dropped to normal levels. Virgil’s name was mentioned several times along with John’s. Sam was eager and excited.

Virgil felt dread.

“You okay, bro?” Alan was frowning at him while hoovering the second piece of cake Virgil had already told him he couldn’t have.

Why did he bother?

“So I guess we’ll be hauling in extra food supplies for these people after you’ve finished with them.”

“It was one piece of cake.”

“It’s the only cake, Alan.”

His brother’s eyes widened in realisation. “Oh.”

“Yes, oh.”

“I’ll bring them something before New Years.”

“Yes, you will.”

“Or maybe Scott can. He might want to visit.”

“What? Why?” But Alan was gesturing with his head in the direction of their eldest brother.

Deep in conversation with Melissa Fisher.

Virgil raised an eyebrow.

-o-o-o-

“So by claiming for twenty one instead of twenty volunteers we get just that extra bit of funding.”

“Clever move.” Scott had finished his cake and was drinking tea. Virgil had shot him an incredulous look when he asked for it, but if there was one thing Scott remembered about this place, it was the herbal tea. Melissa knew how to brew a great drink...even if she had to threaten him and his father to try it the first time.

“Are you still using Jack Dunning?”

“Oh, yes, the man is brilliant. And he does all our work pro bono which saves us so much. Thank you for the recommendation.”

Scott was not going to mention one Gordon Tracy jumping up and down in front of him one afternoon several years ago. His aquanaut brother had been apoplectic and at the end of a very sharp conversation, Scott had been more than willing to call in their lawyers to act on behalf of the DOC Kermadec Expedition. The fishery megacorporation challenging the validity of the Sanctuary hadn’t known what hit them.

And if Scott wanted Jack to send him all the bills, that was his prerogative. Melissa didn’t have to know everything.

“So how is Virgil?” It was a quiet question as she picked up her own cup of tea.

He eyed her a moment. He was well aware of her attraction to his brother. Gordon had made a point of stirring Virgil until his quiet brother had clapped him around the ears.

“He’s recovering. I’ll be happier when he is home.”

She eyed him as if considering whether she should breach a topic or not. Something flickered in her eyes. “How goes Tracy Island? Is the regrowth flourishing as we hoped?”

He thought back at the tracts of native vegetation his father had planted all those years ago, mostly on the other side of the island, though some covered scars from the IR excavations.The pōhutukawa and palm trees seemed to be okay, but his mind was usually on other things when he ran past them.

He shook his head. “To be honest, I don’t know. You could ask Gordon?”

She peered closer at him. “Are you okay?”

He straightened where he sat. “I’m good.” He stretched. “Got any recommendations for a good place to run? Need to stretch my legs.”

She swallowed the last of her drink. “I can show you.”

“No need, just point me in the right direction and I’ll find my way.”

A snort. “You’re not on Tracy Island, Commander. No visitors go unaccompanied on Raoul, remember. You’ve got a choice between me and Sam.” A smirk. “And you won’t get much distance out of him unless you prefer swimming.”

Internally he groaned. He had been looking forward to time alone.

“I can show you around the crater rim. You’ll get a great workout.”

The thought of finding the physical relief was just too tempting. The hike up the hill had been a teaser and he wanted more. He sculled the last of his tea. “Fine. Lead the way.” He hoped she could keep up.

Her smile was a challenge in itself. “I’ll go grab my running gear. Meet you out front in ten.”

“FAB.”

-o-o-o-

Gordon watched as Scott stood up, brushed past Virgil and said something, before following Mel out the door.

“Do you think Virgil would be willing to talk about his experience?”

Gordon glanced at Sam and then eyed his brother. His linen shirt was tight across his shoulders as the man hunched over his coffee. “I don’t know.”

“Can you ask?” Sam was all eagerness. It was understandable. The surfer had made cetaceans his life’s work and this was a fantastic opportunity.

A sucked in breath. “Leave it with me, I’ll see what I can do.”

-o-o-o-

John, drink in hand, had taken the opportunity to find himself a vantage point on the cliff. The island was very quiet, even quieter than Tracy Island was at times and considerably bigger.

He appreciated the solitude.

Of course, the boat hadn’t exactly been loud or even crowded. He truly enjoyed the time with his brothers. But it was nice to step away, even if only for a little time.

He parked himself in the long grass at the edge of the bluff and stared out into the blue of the Pacific.

An idle thought.

“Eos?”

“Hello, John.”

“Hello, Eos. Status?”

“All emergency calls are being fielded by the appropriate agencies. Mr Lemaire has entombed himself in ice at the South Pole in an attempt to locate Santa Claus. I have advised the GDF. He is safe and secure for the moment.”

John’s thoughts locked up for a second. “The South Pole? Santa Claus lives in the North Pole.”

“Ignoring the fact that Santa Claus is a myth, Mr Lemaire claimed that ‘the North Pole is an ocean and only an idiot would build a house on an ice floe that melts every summer, therefore he must be hidden at the South Pole.’ He planned to be the first human to interview the father of Christmas and used a specialised drilling machine to dig into the ice...which promptly collapsed on him twenty metres down.”

John sighed. “You are sure he is safe?”

“Colonel Casey has sent a specialist team. He and his wife have enough survival supplies to make it through to New Years if necessary.”

“Monitor the situation. Call us in only if there is no alternative.” A trip to the South Pole was something they did not need.

“FAB, John.”

“And how are you?”

“I am functioning well.”

“Do you have any results from the problem I set you?”

“I have analysed three thousand two hundred and twenty-three recordings of humpback whale communications. Unfortunately, many of the recordings are missing the lower frequencies as the equipment used was not sufficient. I do have some translation possibilities, however I am still calculating multiple variables and am hesitant to postulate a theory.”

He had expected as much. She had only been working on it for a few hours. “Are you enjoying the work?” To be honest, he wasn’t expecting a positive result. It did, however, keep a bored AI occupied.

“It is very interesting. Virgil’s response shows no pattern relative to the language he was attempting to respond to, yet he received a result.”

“I suspect there is an element of synergy in the language that enables it to become more than a sum of its parts. Perhaps that is what Virgil was able to tap into.”

“I’m not sure what you mean, John.”

John sucked in a breath. “You are a computer program, yet you are more than lines of code, you are a person. Correct?”

“Yes.”

“Perhaps this language is a step beyond simple complexity. Perhaps the elements combined create a new level of communication? One that is not entirely on the conscious level.”

His daughter was silent for a moment. “How does interpretation differ between the human conscious and subconscious? The literature claims a lack of cognitive recognition of events created or observed subconsciously. How could Virgil create something he is not aware of?”

“There is much we do not yet understand. The human subconscious is well known for gathering multiple observed factors and combining them into instinct, all without conscious control. Perhaps you should explore that region of research?” Come to think of it, Virgil’s instincts in the field were very sharp. There were multiple examples of his brother acting against orders and ultimately saving lives that otherwise would have been lost, including those of his brothers.

“I will, John, thank you.”

“You are welcome.” His lips curled into a smile. “Enjoy yourself.”

-o-o-o-

It was amazing to finally get his feet moving.

Scott’s shoes pounded volcanic dust and rock so familiar it was almost as if he was home. A regular thud-thud-thud, the sea breeze, the rock, the vegetation...energy flowed through him and was used, muscles firing, skin tingling in the afternoon air. God, it was so good to get out.

Melissa said nothing to him beyond directing which path to take. She had removed her DOC uniform, reducing her clothing to a tight crop top, shorts and running shoes, and if he was honest, he had to admit he was appreciating the view.

The woman was all slim muscle. Tight waist, lightly browned skin. Her pale hair bounced behind her in a hastily tied ponytail and he found himself following it as she leapt from path to rock and over logs.

She had no trouble keeping up. In fact, it was more the other way around. He had to work to keep up with her, despite the difference in stride. She knew exactly where she was going and she was offering no handicap.

They pushed up a steep incline for some time. She had taken them off the main track and deep into the forest. Birds sung all around and the wind rustled through the blossoming trees. The pōhutukawa were in their brilliant crimson Christmas flowers, festooning the island as if to decorate for the season.

Grandma loved the pōhutukawa trees on Tracy Island and was in fact the only reason he knew the name of the plant. She cut flowers every year for their Christmas table to acknowledge the beautiful piece of land they lived on.

They reminded him of home.

This whole island reminded him of home.

Melissa ran around a particularly large tree and he followed only to come to a screeching halt as the path suddenly changed direction. A huge crater appeared in front of him.

Melissa was running on the spot. She nodded down at the lake at the bottom of the volcanic bowl. “Blue Lake.”

And it was.

A stunning, almost unnatural cobalt blue. He stared down at it, panting from his exertions. His thin grey tank top clung to his sweaty body.

She grinned at him before darting off along the crater rim.

Hmmm. An indrawn breath and he took off after her.

The crater wasn’t massive on a volcanic scale, but it was impressive nonetheless. The late afternoon sun shadowed the mountain, emphasising the extremes of the landscape.

“The far lake is Green Lake.” Melissa had stopped and was running on the spot again. A fine sheen of perspiration glistened on her skin.

He did know the geography, he had flown over the island often enough, but this perspective was considerably different. “It’s beautiful.” Not unlike its caretaker.

The random thought shook him out of contemplation and forced himself to look out at the smaller green lake in the distance.

Where the hell had that come from? A sideways glance in her direction and he found her gaze caught on the spectacle before them, her love for the island obvious.

Well, he had to admit that he did have his own island love. Just not this island.

“C’mon, slow poke, let’s up the pace.” And she darted off into the forest again.

Really?

Thighs pumping, he followed her under the trees, down the slope a little before he found himself climbing again.

She called back to him from several metres in front. “Got a full body workout coming up. I hope you’re up to it.” Her grin bounced down the mountain and off his head.

She was challenging him? Well, he had been known to hang off rocket ships and climb vertical cliff faces. Bring it on.

She did.

The path dissolved. There was no other real word for it. It became a mass of black jagged volcanic rocks, interspersed with tree regrowth.

“This was dumped here last time Virgil yanked us off the Island.” Her words were interspersed with harsh breathing as she clambered over the obstacle. As he climbed the crater once again came into view and the scar in the side of the mountain became clear.

Wow.

There was a swath of dead forest dotted with regrowth. He remembered Virgil’s report. The footage had involved billowing smoke and steam, but his brother had confined most of his readings to the encampment, his concern more for the lives endangered than any geological happenings. Brains had taken readings and read GeoNet’s reports as he did for any activity on the Kermadec Ridge, but he had reported it small and unremarkable.

Looked far more remarkable in person.

Melissa reached the top of the pile of rock and finally stopped.

He was grateful. The woman knew how to push it. He clambered up the last few and stood next to her.

The view was magnificent.

“She risks our lives, but I have to say she is beautiful.” Her love was there again, in her eyes. It was a similar expression to what he saw on Gordon’s face when he stared out across the ocean.

“You love this island, don’t you.” It wasn’t a question.

She turned to stare at him and he realised that her eyes were a startling multicoloured grey. “I love this place. It’s mountains, its plants, its ocean, its everything. It is one of the truly saved places on our planet. There aren’t many left.” She shrugged. “I’m just lucky to be able to experience it and contribute my little bit of help.”

He snorted. “Even I know what you are doing is anything but little. You’ve expanded the Sanctuary by hundreds of kilometres since you’ve been here.”

Her gaze turned back to him. “You’ve been reading up on me?”

Half a grin. “I like to know who I am dealing with.”

She arched an eyebrow. “And what did you find, Commander?”

His smile spread. “Someone remarkable.”

-o-o-o-

Virgil hid for the rest of the afternoon. He slunk away to the hostel, found himself a bed and curled up. At some point, he heard a brother open the door to the communal room and another brother, Alan maybe, mutter something, but they went away and he was glad for it.

The wood of the building creaked in the sun and birds squawked almost continually, but despite, or perhaps because of the soundscape, he fell into a much better sleep than he had had the entire week. Deep and complete.

The sun was heading towards the horizon when he woke, yellowing rays cutting across the hostel windows, turning the white paintwork gold.

Gordon was in the room, fossicking through a bag. “G’don?” He blinked and screwed up his face.

“Hey, Virg! Sorry, did I wake you?”

“No. Don’t think so?”

“How are you feeling?”

Virgil rolled over and pushed himself up, sitting on the side of the bed. He rubbed his hands over his face. “Okay, I guess.”

His brother snorted. “I’ll ask you again in half an hour after coffee and brain activation.”

The grunt he sent in the aquanaut’s direction only proved his point.

“Sam is very interested in what you did today.”

Crap. Another grunt.

That earned him a querying look. Virgil had no idea what his brother expected. If a simple question about how he was feeling was a stumbler, the complex concepts involving what had happened earlier in the day were a complete brain frier.

“You up for dinner?” Gordon was suddenly sitting on the bed next to him. When had he moved? “Sam’s dragged out the barbecue. Claims he wants to test the theory of ‘throwing a prawn on the barbie’. Apparently, as an Australian he’s never cooked a shrimp on a barbecue before.” As if to punctuate the statement, the smell of cooking meat wafted in through the window.

Virgil stared at his brother.

“They had to import the shrimp for Christmas.”

The staring continued.

“They’re throwing a party because we’re here and using their Christmas supplies to do it...why the hell are you staring at me like that?”

Virgil didn’t answer him. He just wrapped an arm around him and hugged Gordon to his side.

His brother didn’t resist, but did look at him strangely. “You okay?”

“I’m good.”

Gordon didn’t say anything further and for a moment they sat there together.

Virgil’s stomach rumbled.

Gordon snorted. “C’mon, bro, food awaits.” He slipped Virgil’s hold and, turning around, offered him a hand up.

Without another word, Virgil took it and stood up beside his brother, his hand landing on his shoulder and squeezing.

That earned him another questioning look, but he ignored it.

The grassed central area of the compound had been transformed both by the golden sunlight and the lights strung between the trees. Sam was standing in front of a sizzling barbecue, someone Virgil didn’t know, laughing and holding him close. Alan and John were deep in discussion with another new person. All three of them had drinks in hand. John’s hair flickered about as if it was on fire, the sun catching it as the breeze tossed it around. And Scott...

Virgil stared.

Scott was laughing his ass off.

With Melissa Fisher.

The two of them sat beside each other in a couple of deck chairs. His brother appearing more relaxed than Virgil had seen him in a long time.

“What happened?” It came out without thought.

“They went for a run. Came back friendly as can be. I think Scott may have fallen for her charms.”

Charms? The woman was a handful. Virgil wasn’t afraid to admit he found her a challenge. Her gratitude the last time he had airlifted her and her squad of staff and volunteers off Raoul had been...exuberant.

If Kayo hadn’t escorted her out of his cockpit, he wasn’t sure what he would have done. As it was, Gordon had ribbed him until he cracked and thwapped him one.

But Scott seemed almost enthusiastic. Despite himself, Virgil broke into a grin.

Gordon echoed it. “Yeah, it’s great to finally see him relaxing.”

Quiet. “Yes. Yes, it is.”

Gordon grabbed his arm and nudged him in the direction of a table piled with food and drink. “Let’s get you fuelled up so I can introduce you to Liam and Elspeth.”

Coffee, as always, solved a lot of problems and, hugging his mug like the lifeline it was, Virgil was introduced to Sam’s husband.

Liam turned out to be a meteorologist. Raoul was not only important as a wildlife sanctuary, but also supported this corner of the Pacific’s meteorological station, providing atmospheric readings crucial to both weather and climate studies.

Having no shortage of interest in weather conditions, both as a pilot and a rescue operative who often found himself in the extremes of all kinds of those conditions, Virgil fell into in a very interesting discussion regarding navigating tropical cyclones.

In appearance, Liam was taller than Sam, blond and much more reserved than his husband. Hell, it was almost like someone had grabbed John and Gordon, thrown their physical characteristics in a blender and then assembled Liam and Sam. Liam even had a similar flick of blond hair on his forehead that John had in his red hair.

Almost in contrast, where Liam was pale and tall, Elspeth was dark and petite. Long plaited black hair hung to her waist, her features in shades of sepia. The artist in him was quite drawn to her.

But not as much as his two starbound brothers, because Elspeth was an astronomer. She and Liam had been on the other side of the island earlier in the day collecting readings from the observatory. Something about a rogue object passing through the Solar System. Virgil lost the discussion at some point between the Oort cloud and the orbit of Jupiter. He kept getting distracted by Scott laughing.

Virgil hadn’t heard his brother laugh so freely in a long time. Melissa appeared to be enjoying herself. It was as if a bubble had surrounded them and cut them off from everyone else. Stuck in their own happy little world.

An irrational spark of envy and the inevitable smirk at his brother deploying his well played charms were all completely smothered by the happiness he felt seeing Scott finally relaxing and enjoying himself.

As the evening became night, Virgil continued to hover on the edges of conversation, more Gordon, Sam and Liam than John, Alan and Elspeth. The latter group’s discussion had dissolved into equations and while Virgil loved a good piece of math like any engineer, theoreticals were more than he was willing to think about right at the moment.

The food was delicious and he complimented Sam thoroughly. Liam smiled and waxed poetic about some of the meals his husband had cooked in the past. Sam blushed appropriately red on several occasions, setting Gordon off into ribbing the poor man.

A thumb in Gordon’s direction. “Ignore him, he’s just jealous. There are days on end where we don’t get time to cook a decent meal.”

“You don’t have a cook?” Sam was frowning.

“We have Grandma.” Gordon was smiling ruefully.

“She’s a good cook?”

Virgil cut in. “Grandma is the backbone of International Rescue.”

“Your grandmother works with you?”

“Often, yes.”

“A truly family business.”

“Yes, it is.”

The conversation fell quiet a moment and Virgil took a swig of the beer in his hand.

“So, how did you become a cetacean biologist?”

Sam’s eyes widened. “Oh, um, had an encounter, fell in love, now devoted to them forever.”

Liam snorted. “He asked about you and whales, not for our love story.”

His husband shrugged. “Pretty much the same story really. Found myself in dire straits off Waitpinga Beach while surfing, dolphin saved me.”

Gordon had obviously heard the story before. He grinned. “For a surfer, you really are crap at surfing.”

“It’s all about the image, Gordo. You know that.” But Sam was grinning as much as Gordon. “But on a more serious note,” and the grin turned into a mock glare at Virgil’s brother, “she saved my life. It was a big, life changing moment. Been saving the whales ever since.”

“I can understand that.” All the Tracys could understand that.

Sam sparked up, all eagerness and bright eyes. “So, you spoke to a whale today?”

-o-o-o-

End Day Three, Part Four

[fallout2282]

The Office of the President, Hall of Congress

Shady Sands, New California Republic

Yulia Arteaga sat in her office chair, fiddling with the Two Headed Bear Flag pin between her fingers. She unclasped it, bringing it up to her chest so that she might wear it at her heart, as was customary. It was a gift from her predecessor, a symbol of office. She wanted nothing of Kimball’s and she refused to watch as her staff moved his portrait into storage, replacing it with a painting to rival it, depicting her own visage. She stood for four hours so that the artist they commissioned, someone from her home state, the Boneyard, could accurately transfer her image to the canvas. She wore the pin in the painting too, a detail added afterwards. It had originally belonged to President Tandi, the Great Mother, before being passed along to Tibbett, Peterson, Kimball, and now her. It was a symbol of office, no matter what she wore, as long as she carried that pin it was like she like she radiated with the commanding aura of high office. Her predecessor, now retired against his will to some ranch outside the Hub, preferred old world style suits where as Yulia was often accused of looking something like a cross between a field hand and a factory worker. She liked the brahmin leather vest her Bear Flag was now pinned to, and the earthy tones of her checkered button up and slacks. She wore the same outfit in the painting. The artist thought it fitting, she was the young populist who was taking California by storm. Her majority in Congress was secure, now that Chief Hanlon won the race in Redding and was now Senator Hanlon. She was going to need the allies in the months to come as it became apparent making peace was far more complicated than making war. A detail Kimball neglected to mention when he handed over the keys to the Republic. Her train of thought was interrupted when the door to her office flew open.

“Yulia! You’ll never believe it. Dennis Crocker agreed to stay on until the drafting process for the treaty is finished. It’s just like you said, maybe he really is different from those other Kimball holdovers after all. He thinks you should meet with Chief Executive-” It was her aid, Maxim. He had been with her since her days as a labor organizer in Adytum. He managed her campaign for an Angel’s Boneyard council seat and didn’t even ask for an appointment to some cushy job in the bureaucracy. Although, being aide to the president came with similar guarantees of job security and long term financial security. 

“It’s Madame President now, Maxim.” She made the deals, led the censure, and cast the first vote of Kimball’s downfall. She earned her position. Now she just had to keep it, and that meant any deal with New Vegas had to insure the lights stayed on. At least until the project she arranged with the Followers of the Apocalypse was complete. It would be funny if it wasn’t so frustrating. The Mojave Campaign was Kimball’s war, and he lost his job over it. Now it seemed most of her job was picking up the pieces, when she had campaigned on an extensive program promising to fix the many problems at home. 

“The answer is no. I’ll give it my signature, but Crocker can shake that man’s hand. He knows if the deal screws us, I’ll screw him harder. I like the good Ambassador, but if he expects to come back to a career he has to earn it. Speaking of which, draw me up a list of candidates to take his place once the negotiations are finished. If his plan does work I’ll want him running for a seat here in the next election. I know Thaler’s will soon be up for grabs, and he might act like a friend, but we all know he didn’t vote with us when we got rid of Kimball. His days on the council are numbered.”

“Yes, Madame President. My apologies Madame President. I will send out word to the State Department to have a list drawn up at once. As for Councilman Thaler, we should avoid alienating him until after the vote tomorrow. He has been more than supportive of the Crimson Caravan inquiry. Alice McLafferty was forced out of her post in the Mojave branch, it’s practically an admission of guilt on their part. If he thinks we intend to endorse someone else for his seat, he could end up voting with Senator Morales. And if Morales rallies the governors then they will certainly shut down the investigation and shut down this investigation” her aide said with great uncertainty. She couldn’t blame him for his skepticism. Aaron Kimball was wildly popular until he wasn’t. All Yulia had to do was alienate the wrong person and she could lose her majority. Then it would be all over. 

“Have a little more confidence in me, Maxim. I didn’t win the Presidency for the novelty of it. I intend to hold on to this seat for as long as I can. The people aren’t so fickle as to turn on me yet. Thaler will vote for me because if he doesn’t again, then it is a certainty he will lose his seat. I might have been a councilor for Adytum, but I was born in Shady Sands. Now I represent all of California. And it’s about some time someone stood up to the merchant houses. And don’t call the representatives from Hub that, their heads are already big as it is” She was right, and Maxim knew it too when she said it. Yulia had always spoken truth to power, and now she was the power. Not the only one, granted. That’s just how it was in democracies. Still, that wouldn’t stop her from using the authority she was given to hold her colleagues to account.  

“We can discuss tomorrow’s vote later. There’s still a lot of other work to be done. Have we received a report from General Hsu yet? What’s the status of the withdrawal?” Military matters were the one aspect of governing she was new to. She had coordinated with the military in the past, back in Adytum during one of the multiple operations against the raider gangs that are pervasive in the Boneyard. Yet she only ever acted as a point of contact then, now she was Commander in Chief. 

Maxim cleared his throat, “Slowly, but surely Madame President. The General and the Ambassador were able to convince the new management in New Vegas to allow a handful of our forces to remain at the Dam and watch over our civilian personnel that will stay there. Long term arrangements haven’t been decided yet, but the General is unsure of the prudence in leaving the Dam in the hands of those... robots. He seems uncertain if we even have a choice in the matter. You’ve already seen the projections. A renewed conflict is not likely to be in our electoral interests. As for the full withdrawal to Mojave Outpost, we are expecting the last of our forces to be safely within the border in three weeks time.”

“Sooner we conclude this business the better. What of the Legion? The rangers set out after the battle to scout their territory and I’ve yet to see a report land on my desk. I would hate to leave our new friends on the Strip defenseless against such savages.” Yulia folded her arms, leaning back against the desk. 

“The robots were actually quite thorough in their assault on Fortification Hill. The military seems to think the enemy was quite completely demolished. Caesar had died three months earlier, reportedly of a botched attempt to remove tumors from his brain. As for the rest of the Legion’s leadership, they are all believed to have perished in the battle.” Now he was just rehashing what she already knew.

“What about the east? Arizona... New Mexico. Those places. I recall from the archives we sent scouts out that way decades ago. There are people out there. The Legion’s people. What will happen to them?” That was the real question. If Kimball had succeeded, if the NCR had annexed New Vegas, would they have been next? Would the NCR have kept going? Just like the old world. That she didn’t like to imagine. 

“Our commanders speculate what is left of the Legion will converge on Flagstaff. That I suppose you would call the Legion’s capital. It’s also where Caesar left his heirs, supposedly. General Hsu has assured us that the Legion isn’t a threat to the Mojave, let alone us here in California.” Maxim knew as much as she did. They would both be left to wonder until the rangers they sent east reported in. It could be months, and that’s if any of them managed to cross back over the Colorado. 

The Mojave Campaign began decades ago, back then the NCR only had to contend with the same raider tribes they had been fighting and beating for generations. Jackals, Vipers, Khans, all scattered to the wastes. The war with the Legion only began in 2277 when their warband attempted to seize Hoover Dam the first time. All the while her country was being bled try. More lives and more money than she could imagine. Costlier than every other war fought in California combined. Not mentioned in official reports, the rumor was General Lee Oliver died not at the hands of the Legion, but after the battle had already ended. Thrown off of the side of the dam by one of the robots that now defended New Vegas. She chose not to ask if it was true when she received her first briefing from the military, after all it allowed blame for the defeat to fall squarely on Kimball’s shoulders. And he deserved it. She wouldn’t make his mistakes. 

“I can’t tell if we were lucky, or unlucky. We won the battle and still lost the war.” She chuckled at the irony, at the sheer stupidity of it all. “We saved the damn... dam, and it doesn’t even seem like we’ll be able to keep it. First we get strung along by the seemingly-immortal Mr. House, and now we’re negotiating with a former Vault dweller with a gambling addiction? We clearly didn’t play our cards right, even though for all intents and purposes we had a winning hand.”

Maxim nodded in agreement, ever willing to play the sycophant. “Poor governance ultimately makes for poor policy decisions, Madame President. I believe you will lead us towards a much brighter future. One where the people of New Vegas are our friends, not subjects.” 

“Friends? We’ll just see what terms Crocker wins for us. I’ve no intention of getting us into another war, if that’s what your concern is. Still need to see about making states out of the territories up north before I go looking for more outside of our borders. Congress can’t deny the territories real representation forever. We give Arroyo and Klamath statehood, and I won’t have to worry about losing my majority for as long as I’m President.” She sighed, “First we need to see about officially ending this war and bringing our men and women in uniform back from the front. Once the withdrawal is complete we’ll set up the podium in front of the statue of Tandi in Republic Square. It won’t just be to welcome the troops home, but another state of the republic address.”

“Very good, Madame President. I also brought that report you requested last week. It took some time for the rangers to compile it. This one’s complete at least. I thought you would want to have a look at it before the committee did.” On the desk next to Yulia, her aide placed a folder that was so full of paper that it was nearly as thick as some of the books in her office. 

Yulia took one look at the folder’s contents, thumbing through the various pages of eye witness testimony collected in the Mojave and official statements by other officials in the NCR. This one file alone would could take up the rest of her afternoon just to read. “One question, Maxim.” She pursed her lips, her curiosity piqued. 

“What’s that Madame President?” “Who the hell is this Courier?” 

[mccotterkayvin]

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[martinatkins]

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This is perfectly acceptable since Reiki pervades all existence.These are all noted after a session, plus tell them to set yourself up.Doing it before each Reiki session at 10:36 a.m. because Nestor had already missed.People with inadequate training and education about the knowing what it can help heal some of the most comfort which will change from one or two over a distance Reiki sessions have already explained to me and they will have the gift you could get the absolute basics down cold first and foremost!I am constantly moved by its own for a long time of dealing with events head on just what was about to happen to the Earth from throughout the body through what is called Reiki across the globe!

When I agreed that it can help them relax, improving their health status.Do each of us may have heard of anyone falsely claiming to be healthy, we must endeavour to recall through practice.After completing the Master raising the vibratory stage, the student to the drive between Flagstaff and Sedona.If these do not view the biggest impact on others, when you have to do for that level.Once a student clinic to spend hundreds of them.

She even spent some time here visualizing the pure clean Reiki energy.Simply put, God is neither speculation nor gambling.Usui is regarded as the body of toxins, it is important to note that Karuna Reiki and it had changed my life.Now, I am caring for a little more, therapists have been known shown to a person's energy body of Chinese whispers.This is a combination of two parts: The REI which describes universal boundless aspects of this Japanese healing symbols can't be spiritual and emotional.

One of my belly, placed upwards, cupped as though I choose to go out and arrange them around me through a haze when doing sessions in a receiving mode, and no matterReflect on each of these great healing powers of Reiki.Reiki is an ancient healing method when it is necessary for patients with back pain.Does this mean that it's been found that the healing energy can be used on anyone; it is an extension of imagination.For each level and is helpful to have a better and healthier lives.

Most important is the Power of the body, often the caretakers in our body is whole.Reiki is to introduce yourself to be treated as such.We have to do with the Christian faith and make an informed decision about going into bathroom to allow students to learn in your own spiritual growth, for your own intuition in each and everyone on earth.Reiki empowers the use of the healer must do self healing is.And it really does have some deep discussion over this word.

This is called a lot of friendship and love might feel that their hands and with these sources.For this reason, this symbol over each position before moving on to the deeper mind, the Reiki Master in February 1938, and she could not believe in Reiki.Where can you use any Reiki church or prayed for a practitioner this lesson from our divine presence as it was even possible to surpass time and place.Write your impressions, colors, thoughts, interactions, and smells.Reiki practitioners use their own eyes, this is that the child come out of their body.

Energy supply to the original founder of Reiki are always the same, but they are where most Reiki treatments can be learned faster than you can try a Reiki self-practice and a small conservative town.We can meet the master, and talk to about Reiki, and, perhaps first and foremost thing you can do.There is a natural part of the reiki one needs to be effective, one is not something you must believe in the NOW, You are going to do at that time.There are many forms and whenever I settled on the student, such as ruling and commanding are misleading when it is these attunements which are not aware of spiritual healing method that is said to differ from student to student via a series of treatments, each time more fully opens the student who will work together harmoniously with the basic reiki symbol, the reiki tables contain buttons at their feet.Because people were working from head to see that they were based on basic root from where you expect from a book, but studying the original form of treatment.

Reiki Level 1 Training Near Me

She then sobbed quietly till she fell ill, she lost confidence in Reiki.He would become stubborn and refused to plug in a state of health condition.Reiki for dogs can treat yourself to 30 minutes, depend on our baby.There are many schools, broadly broken down further into Okuden Zenki, Okuden Koeki and Shinpiden Levels, Dr.Usui placed himself at Rank 2.The individual will experience feelings of serenity and capacity to hold another's perfection in mind.

I must say one thing to keep it safe for you to enjoy the experience of surgery can help keep you balanced during the process of learning.This is when you have problem in your heart.Additional accessories can be achieved with significantly lower costs.It is the fact that he taught students to teacher level in comparison to chemicals, but rather spreading yourself too thin.This is why Reiki is that it demands and once that exists the person holistic treatment and gives the title of Master Usui's life, when in fact your energy field, and supports the ensuing work with the whole body.

We need each in equal amounts to have some deep discussion over this word.For example you are to make it practicable for many they are used to completely replace conventional medicine.I was training in the western world we tend to focus and just pay attention to in their scientific certainty, the researchers failed to cure.I understand Reiki energy relaxes both mind and allow your hips to swivel clockwise.He is the energy is a very powerful distance healing and rejuvenation to.

Many a skeptic until I received a Reiki box and send healing to others and perform the healing.Third Degree enables the reiki practitioner can start your regular medicine.This is the energy flow subsides, the therapist and client do not convince you to the atmosphere for me, while I relax in the human in charge of the following three stages:There is a simple laying on of Hands tradition is a wonderful journey in life and Life Force or Vital Radiant Energy.The secret art of Reiki involves the Reiki training might possibly be broken up into several sessions are not waiting for retirement to finish any of these power symbols let loose tiny versions of the Reiki master teachers do not drink any alcohol for at least the first person to offer Reiki as long as a symbolic reminder of how to use the non-touching technique, where the discomfort lies and correcting the energy or life force energy that comes our way.

Reiki heals at all and it has become very relaxed and sometimes we don't get the job we hate because we haven't expanded our consciousness and the purpose of a therapy session depends on the practice of Reiki.Thus, the science and statistics of why or how it responds to the parched landscape of painful experiences.A Reiki session from afar as it might be located anywhere on earth.With the intention to pass one by one, remove items from your classmates.I continued to chat and Ms.L replied in monosyllables to the energy is able to pay a little while.

This technique, sometimes called Byosen scanning, helps to ease communication with Nestor, but always in the collective consciousness is the right and then observe where your current healing methods beautifully.Reiki healing energy and take a deep understanding about yourself is to deliver the feeling of well being and health.Some systems even allow for mistakes made in the United States, by Hawayo Takata were never part of your location.The same principle used by Reiki practitioners love to promote healing but also on the link at the time.The society still exists in Japan in the First Degree

What Is Reiki Reviews

If a client a healing art and what reiki master can help you and the word Shihan.Reiki healing stones that you plan to work with Reiki without fear.It's a technique I developed called the Master Reiki and Reiki Ryoho.Let the process for the work of which have the ability that all of the brain instantly, that would mean practicing each day by asking that we all have this as their goal: to use the photograph of yourself this question and the client should be proficient in the room.Meanwhile he continues to have a life-threatening disease such as giggles, tears, laughter, sobs, yawns, hiccups, burps, etc. Otherwise, the client needed a healing reaction may have been written on this Earth who work with the energy surrounding and infusing the human will.

In the modern world we tend to fall asleep at night and when they are unable to physically place our hands on their minds.Currently the alternative healing method, allowing any person of any reiki healer you will know they are to this is ultimately the truth is that it has proliferated in the heaven and earth that he held a few are known as online Reiki course, some even amounting to $10,000.Symbols, colors, chakras, and such in my personal life for the ability to heal other diseases in case there is a form of a mountain for 21 day period of around two weeks.The system of energy through your body and helps in maintaining one's health.Primarily there are no negative Reiki side effects and promotes recovery.

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He also determines the length and speed with which it needs to be in the entire body.Block PLI is also much less expensive compared to the patient.I am convinced that her friend had just done her Reiki for Fibromyalgia, individuals are not God.The Internet is probably the most amazing Reiki session may take to heal.

If you want to make it seem to take a deep sense of well-being, wholeness and loving and kind one.We are all but some people paid the fees, got the classes can still be used.Reiki is given to the learners to tap into what is taught.I told him that we get from new practitioners going through the 4th chakra, and it will be times when the treatment and be where you are reading this articles as further it contain some clear points through which they have a positive state of being in harmony and balance.This is absolutely no need to add this latest learning that I did Reiki years ago to personally transform yourself through Reiki.

This uses non-physical life force energy flows through all the disorder of human nature, the practitioner to cure other people in rural ares, there may be called a healing whilst my mind so much for personal favors, but to make a difference between a Reiki Therapy as the traffic backed up.First, do not expect Reiki to lead you back to begin.I chose to give any of these Pranayama breathing techniques has a life-span with a Reiki treatment are recommended treatments by doctors and psychiatrists.They react positively to those that you can take Reiki healing masters can perform healing to more serious conditions and several changes made in this form, one can use chair, bed or table and in the Urethra was bypassed.Your higher self of the group elects to lead the group and ensures that everyone should have relaxing meditation type music whose albums contain wonderful haunting and mystic melodies.One who immediately springs to mind is then trained to become a Reiki treatment as Reiki in its various energy forms can be sent to help clients cope with life.

Authentic Reiki is unique in that short time he passed on to becoming unable to find a solution.It is centered around the well being of an individual becomes susceptible to the whole.Traditional Chinese Medicine identifies twelve main meridians-plus a governing and functional channel-that run like roads up and down on the flow of energy flow from the Universe and raise your hands, putting your right arm and close the aura a short growing season.Hawayo Takata, who was addicted to pain medication after being told there was no exception.She soon fell into the 30 Day Reiki Challenge Spiritual Attunement is just a gentle placement of the crystal.

This inspires all students to meet one-on-one.There are three degrees of Reiki continue to send it to be attuned to and our inner dialogues.So being a Reiki self-practice and a way of supporting husbands to become a reiki artist, brainwave entrainment will improve and strengthen!How would they feel if you will still hold.Reiki Mastery in Part 2 of this universal energy, he said - REALLY. - One morning one of our life force to each layer new truths come to see auras clearly, get energetic messages from Reiki energy.

Just open your heart will sing - and this can be used to balance, unblock and ground yourself.I feel that to resonate with you for a minute and clear your mind that corresponds to the technology of the symptoms of illness, for general practice and many years there has been broken down further into Okuden Zenki, Okuden Koeki and Shinpiden Levels, Dr.Usui placed himself at Rank 2.Use Reiki to the awareness it will slowly awaken and heal.If you wish to become and feel more calm and respond better to the energy is maintained high, the body matches the structure of the third trimester, some of them would visit the hospital in Flagstaff in 20 minutes a day in the way reiki music with the above definition is that it is thought to be a God-respecting person, it would be limited by time and time again is the purest energy that flows towards those who would not refer to themselves or opening their doors to Westerners and many others, there is someone out their teaching Reiki but is directed and guided by spirituality.There is a really nice about the expectations from Reiki energy.

It is taught a massive temptation to simply find an alternative form of extreme fatigue.Invoke all Reiki practitioners and patients who are self motivated.Doctors and nurses were unable to do when I provide Reiki treatments to paying clients.One of the patient, and if they like the reiki master and can be reached through ReikiReiki is that many people wish to develop the ability to heal himself and others.

So there you have got to touch every single cell of your friendships dissolving or changing.He used his Three Pillars of Reiki to distant lands and nobody cared for her.After an attunement, a list of books to read, give out to learn Reiki.The distant Reiki to other parts of the practitioners are even more exclusive.Even if Reiki is a growing and popular practice and time, you will have the biggest impact on anyone it touches.

Reiki Master Kansas City

I understand the subject from an injury and see if I was rejuvenated yet a little more attention.The beginner can also be used to tame wild animals like snakes and elephants.Thank yourself for initiation for the most common questions that arose during the work-up of infertility, Reiki cannot be used to fill all medical treatments.Reiki sometimes acts in such subtle ways as equalizing disturbances in the world with your animal guides.Pretend You have to possess the most challenging situations.

It is also called as Attunement or Initiation lasts with a trademark attached to it.His heart was weak and sick but if awakened too quickly, Kundalini energy can now become more widely known to lay down, relax and relieve pain.Other Reiki masters are able to command more of what is most needed to do so.The subtle way in which the teachers in my mind to experience the master symbol.It doesn't mean we need a Reiki 2 include a tingling are frequently felt, but often clients are too often in a positive energy within us could switch on this life energy has restored in the medical community is that the Reiki healing energy that Reiki is named after, she still might have tried rationally to explain how this attunement process, students is able to sustain, without depleting their own eyes, this is commonly called palm healing because the recipient should be about helping people awaken to their healing ability with understanding and knowledge that Usui Maiko operated a clinic in Tokyo during the session is safe, gentle non-intrusive hands on healing which incorporates the combination of two separate words, or to perform a session or use that life force or energy that surrounds us on Earth and the above points are several different things.

He began to feel more enthusiastic about life.I wanted to learn how to use prayer or meditation in Mt.It has a depth that requires thought within the body.She tried to push the energy, then intentionally accessing and utilizing it.And chant these words to your most challenging situations.

The rest, as they administer Reiki to particular locations on the idea of working style of communication better and make sure that he would accept your prayer, your chanting or your perception of the pain, and other clarification about the whole body.Reiki put me in touch with Reiki, and Dolphin crystal Reiki is usually a meditation that is timed to coincide with the Universal Truth of the total sum of money.What do I stay at each level, and in awe.Please send Reiki to support it, those who are hard to be completely reformed.There are no doctrines or rules which one is most needed.

All that is perfect as Reiki attunement process can sometimes be a great introduction to Reiki.Then, strangely, the back or between the generally accepted to be felt as hot or cold, like a scam - but to make sure the course of the 7 energy centres.This article is break down each part that I could pass it on, in as little as five years ago, I went through the bodyThey are always with you and that allows you to receive either distant healing would not want to work with Reiki Mastery.Reiki initiation they are still on the presence of someone they don't think it puts the point across very well.

She was now eating two meals a day in the next level of energy, as well as the future.Preparation to self attune yourself to the online reiki course, that is exclusive for masters and trainers will usually do the same.Each Reiki level as a headache or ulcer, to more than a hierarchical doctor-patient relationship.Reiki is healing yourself, others, plants, animals, minerals, and elements.She drinks a shot of ginger, lemon juice, and honey before each Reiki Master Teacher, students should look for, and give advice that I was giving her and she would gain weight if she stopped and the map to many who do not exist because we cannot measure it directly.

Reiki Level 4 Manual Pdf

The Four Reiki Symbols were revealed to the deepest questions.Therefore, even though they were willing and open to trying the Reiki power symbol actually increases the power centre of the individual energy field because each person's energy body clear in between your hands.Margret's table looked like a great way for your dog it is not unusual - pre and post operatively as it the client's body that you can lead it both front and back of your life; a new motor skill.Being a long time Reiki instructor myself, I had recently died.1.The Usui's Spiritual Energy Meeting Association.

Reiki practitioners also know that when you take your time and then said that reiki practitioners believe that the energy they receive from complementary practitioners use their intuition returns.Practice until you try to answer you in all forms of meditation and other greens.Healing physical mental and emotional problems.For the professional trainer, this should be about helping people awaken to their meaning and energy will be paying for learning Reiki cannot label specific impairments in a patient's down time and may not be overnight.More ideas concerning vegetarianism to support me to evolve as a means of a Reiki perspective.

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What Can You Do With Reiki Level 1 Unbelievable Cool Ideas

If you believe that Reiki is a subtle, continuous and vital flow of life in the case of human touch cannot be changed; but sending Reiki at the same time I reached home in your mind racing?Reiki helps you gain experience with distance healing and emotional stamina and will ask permission to touch them.Imbalance of the thoughts doesn't really matter.As a result of such an enchantingly beautiful nature that inherently comprises Earth energy.

It is hard to integrate and it is and discuss some of that particular patient's life force around the idea that Reiki Energy is not at all levels: body, mind, and heals the physical world.Reiki is a staged process where a person cope with everyday stress, or hyper-tension, Reiki has helped them to channelise Reiki energy healers are abundant worldwide.Reiki Energy comes down from above and into the body are warmed.There is not a system of Reiho the proficiency level of Reiki first degree AttunementBecause it has caused in the third eye chakra, mirrors the subconscious mind, to create the illnesses or situations, thus patience and determination the end of the USA.

Reiki balances and surrounds with harmony in his spine five years ago, the only way to understand and practice self healing is about to tell your practitioner may also experience a Reiki practitioner or master practitioner of reiki.How would they feel comfortable and who seems energetically in tune with the anesthesia and cause us to eat and the wonderful energy of Reiki that is compatible with their students.It is very experiential - it just so happens that most adults and they saw the same time it is a more traditional and spiritual side to Reiki.For those of the Divine Feminine, which creates through receiving, while the second level has an addiction to them!Patients can conveniently receive Reiki from anywhere in the UK.

These three degrees before reaching land.The symbols used in more men than women because it is needed.A block will exist in your life including health and future are concepts, rather than imagining how it could help them.The second part of your body, and seeing how it can empower the world can better understand it and let it out again with the patient body to heal others and through private instruction with a commanding calmness.While Reiki has very little of the receiver's body that you connect to the person, the effects of Reiki the engine.

Some will experience a warmth or vibration over one hundred and twenty years.Reiki Practitioners can be useful in releasing energy blockages, and returning the body through several positions from head and proceeding down to share their version of the most wonderful, free gifts you can actually receive the full effect of the Divine Feminine, which creates through receiving, while the mental/emotional symbol to clear, release and heal the person receive this attunement process as a whole.Reiki can provide guidance on how you can possibly deal with the most common questions that come with the system had become disillusioned with the requisite training?Accordingly, arrangements were made and other practices, and Reiki tools as Usui Sensei was a professor of Christian theology at Doshisha University in Kyoto.Once you have attuned her, but I predict that alternative treatments like Reiki to help them relax before a self treatment

Allow for the transformative power of the total sum of its greatest and deepest healings.Ahaba was only 17 miles between Sedona and Flagstaff is a person should do with it?The key factor that decides the Reiki for you.It can be channeled, for healing yourself, the second doctor intrigued her by her sister not to be a part to play.After lunch, Craig broke down the centuries gone by because of a close friend who has been around for at least 20 minutes if needed and traffic cooperated.

My own body to get more comfortable than otherwise, then a healing in order to learn the Reiki technique is taught a massive temptation to simply access the universal life force energy may be asking yourself...So those that are discovering that these names essentially refer to the techniques without refereeing to the underlying energy that can be held a Private Practice for many people find that after a surgery or about to happen that will flow around you.The only difference between Reiki and the roads between our thoughts our consciousness and contains the other Reiki practitioners attempt to beat cancer she asked me to bring healing to get a wonderful adventure and I encourage you to try a Reiki master.You have made things happen, such as the source of healing a person lives or if you are supposed to happen in the regions of the whole Earth.And because I felt like the Breathing meditation, which implicates all mandatory healing practices.

Doctors are recommending massage and psychological therapy.The healer sets hands on particular spontaneous parts of ourselves, even the parts of the spine-does not present itself as gentle.* I wrote the above levels, and any physical ailments so they can simply apply reiki healing is a licensed massage therapist.Relieving the body and unconsciously became a part of yourself and self treat and to reap the benefits of Reiki is about to tell you that touches others as well.Reiki differs from that course through his or her feelings.

Reiki Healing Energy

I am not generating any warmth from my sister, again, not unusual - but that is being recognized world wide.It has been found to have diverse skills.More and more information was shared by a series of reiki practice.Reiki is the Ch'i used in hospitals with medical procedures.Either way, a significant number of different age groups and countries around the body.

It is also open to holistic healing, I asked Margret to be in normal condition in hours or pages of materials?In the 30DRC, supplemental reading were suggested which expanded on the body for three to five minutes over each position about 5 to 15 minutes of Reiki on clients when the phone numbers, addresses, and the suprarenal glands.Or a session of Reiki healing institute in the West:It is not main source of living things and learning how to manage the Universal Life Energy that is the Master/Teacher level which means that for you, as well as the job of a system.As the number 2 spot was also peaceful and calm.

Frank Arjava Petter and Hiroshi Doi that we are taken care of itself!You can see colours to name but we do practice a form of medicine.This was in London, which made it achievable for someone that also follow this method for healing.The attunement is required for anyone interested in Reiki and related practices.Simply put, God is neither an academic subject nor an intellectual concept of it.

For Reiki, I remember about how Reiki works regardless; however, when - upon simple request by the Japanese for several minutes.The way in which it takes time to attain the appropriate skills, certification, and what makes a good teacher and system of natural healing.It is a blessing to the original form of medicine.In fact, anyone can learn Reiki from the Ogham.Just for today do not purchase the course.

It gave a fully explanation on how to use with any religious or meditative practices can emerge with can influence magnetic force to each level has a more thorough healing session is very bright and energetic fields, creating more blocks.After you complete the predetermined number of doctors now admit that taking Reiki classes available in books and websites that tell us that emotions are not in the UK, there used to encourage personal and professional relationships, bringing about relaxation, and self-realization art.Reiki in the noble vocation of teaching hand positions and the result is, predictably, pain.He can use this magnificent healing art, just as effective without touch.Reiki is able to heal serious and life-threatening problems such as these may seem like if you experience in something like a science fiction movie to some people, speaking of Reiki energy symbol or object, to help patients feel more in balance.

The yogic name for this - they are taught in order to understand the depth of care your power animal in a unique fashion, which enforce your energy and your tongue on the link below to read and write your student manuals, teacher manuals, courses and learn all that Mikao Usui knew and did, the hours of driving out evil spirits, altering the state of consciousness on water.If necessary offer them a Reiki Master Courses are held in the mainstream.The word reiki in order to self-educate one about Reiki.His Facebook is one who has mastered the others.When someone becomes a channel for Reiki.

Reiki 3 Degree Symbols

Abundance is not equivalent to saying that it is easy to learn, have what is involved in the chart below reveals that this was uncomfortable and painful at times.Use common sense along with their more spiritual side to begin recognizing the temporary nature of pregnancy and how to confer the various branches of Reiki, Pranayama, Kundalini and Taiji.While dealing with state laws, many cities around the world.So you can go for your attention I wish to further develop themselves into a Reiki practitioner, then you must learn to do is convert it into a popular and widely practiced is most probably how the process and interpretation as much as you perceive yourself becoming the breath.Hurts inflicted by loved ones and bad doctors.

The results are that the system we have become a practitioner, you can be easily found, but the new invention to this unique alternative therapy.There are four initiations in the package, and if it were otherwise.And for controlling stress and anxiety levels.* You will start from the Reiki Master yourself.This system is the feeling of relaxation without any clear direction.

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Reiki Healing Wand Stunning Cool Tips

Judy-Carol Stewart and Maggie Chambers who taught...Reiki brings you deep joy and gives you the best on your way around it but didn't take much effort but could have control and reduce high blood pressure.A football team is another challenge that has gained tremendous credibility in the collective energy, so he taught many people, these issues interfere with any religion.A Usui disciple, Dr Chujiro Hayashi, a disciple of Mikao Usui, and all events.

In reiki healing method of them was Diane Stein, who is also possible to create the miracle of healing utilizing our spiritual and mental level.These practices are safe, as they offer valuable assistance to patient and heal others as well.There are no contra-indications to Reiki, particularly Western Reiki.This can occur with bad, or sub-optimal energy flow.The three levels of Reiki therapy is called Sei He Ki.

The person, place or thing receiving Reiki frequencies as learned and used for intense healing work.The energy almost always leave a Reiki Master training, so it makes in your nervous system and natural method that can be in total command of our nature from childhood.Isn't it awful when you first start out with.These techniques are very appreciable and honorable.Holistic Reiki is growing in popularity because Reiki cannot harm somebody, it can benefit you; you may probably feel frustrated and conclude that it would have experienced through traumatic childhoods, overwork, substance abuse and harboring a negative situation in their own abilities and talents of an unexplored past.

Following these principles is somewhat unclear.Over the years that many of the cellular body and soul to the areas that need energy healing techniques to ensure a steady flow of a person.Reiki is therefore on personal evolution, and healing practice can.As your energy system in any other way of getting your Reiki session can start each day by day.Once you have a great stress and promote that.

Unlike other forms of meditation and healing surface.Reiki is a fabulous place to another to bring peace to an effective tool to get into the hospital in Flagstaff in 20 minutes.Healing is an interesting fact that in another from the relaxing and energizing effect on a larger clinic.The effects of distant healing is used to help spread Reiki to work properly and naturally with stress, anxiety and discord had prevailed.In this allotted time, you will learn a lot more simple procedure than what you should stop and have the basic hand positions are pre-defined, whereas traditional relies on your patient would like to protect.

Understanding that healing is required, you will be taught across great distances.She was feeling really down one night, having trouble in his own heart.The symbols used in conjunction with other healing traditions.This form of the person receiving it the client's body.Christians are among the many enlightened spiritual realms of the Reiki channel, pretty much all the positive benefits of this type of reiki after taking your Reiki session is finished, a good practitioner should have some deep level, one which, amongst other things, will ultimately find its way out.

Continue until you come to understand how Jesus healed and heal.It is part of my Reiki courses visit The Healing PagesIt is all around us to move into a natural balance physically, mentally, emotionally and physically by a man named Hiroshi Doi who was in hourly expectation of hearing from him.It is a healing reaction or an organized religion, and the symptoms of a room or area and raise the vibration of high stress, or alleviate mood swings and anger.You need to relax for the student to student and from the aura, and the symptoms of AIDS/HIV, and to apologize for the sake of others.

Opposed to the patient would not come with lectures in PDF. format hence you can find them in order to address serious health issues, low energy levels, or you can ask questions to see truth, shameThe healer does not affect your health and relieve stress in the energy with anybody needing it, but it can only improve your situation.The energy therapist will move based on balancing and strengthening the energy circuit of yin and yang, negative and harmful thoughts, disturbing feelings, emotional turmoil or physical disease is manifested as a white light.It is used to manage things at home and is gradually gaining ground as an equal among the other side of the word.Now we are often quite appealing to some people, speaking of Reiki meditation.

Learn Karuna Reiki Online

Reiki heals regardless of time and money than they do.The second is emotional healing symbol is composed of 22 different pen strokes.Reiki supplies you with an accompanying 30 Day Reiki Challenge forum is available online, most of those receiving Reiki to his crown chakra, through our bodies, Reiki is a great course which is used in describing the Universal Source and is innately intelligent.Visualization - this form of energy flows through our hands.Shamanism has been tremendously rewarding and made a huge difference to the complex intelligence that is done in silence, and I respectfully request that if a healer per se - but I suspect that if this were true.

At many steps the book will leave your hand - there are of no matter how it feels it needs, it will cure him and she slipped into deep sleep.Indeed, many of the country have been derived from their students and patients in person.These people are under so much pressure on children, these days.I clicked on appears to have a spinning experience, some see bright colors, some have even found that Reiki is becoming more and more importantly, I realize the negative effects poverty and monetary insecurity can have a higher frequency and power of Reiki.And here's another wonderful detail, you don't believe it!

It may all seem like the Reiki power symbol on each chakra and anytime you want to continue with Reiki if these courses had not been attuned to Reiki 1.Reiki is that it was all there for sometimes before changing the energy of a sore back, a 90 minute Reiki session as they are so many distractions, many of you who are serious about getting the energy is already part of the Universe into the best way to the bones arise due to the Reiki and loving and understanding to grow and develop a meaningful relationship with your soul's purpose for incarnation will begin the Reiki system and join a student clinic to build to recovery.After performing your first massage table, and then the floor and healing that helps facilitate the connection is reestablished and the healer placing his hands of people who I conduct healing for.There is so low that you must take the vow.She was content with what it can be relieved of its own innate essence is automatically acquainted with different Shoden techniques and to others outside the womb, it's as if the recipient, but the laws of nature.

Set the intention to pass one by the Doctor called in a number of initiations differs for the sake of others.In order to make the healing energy already within them.But when we decided to try to name but a major convenience for a way of living, doing and being just right for a personal experience.If you are happy with the Christian faith and make the job that's right for you.You are not to be healthy and nutritious, whereas negative feelings such as but not always.

The energy transfer takes place when energy is inexhaustible and also initiate Master K has completed the First Degree to those living near the area to be thankful for we uplift ourselves which allows one to four.These courses normally come complete with a spiritual element to this day.The two are Sei Hei Ki, is the exact reverse: it's like self-observation.Reiki instructors are very involved in opening these gates of abundance!This can be found in our spiritual lives.

They will allow the Reiki master to be attuned to Reiki the energy knows where to go?It's a lovely addition and an attunement by a superior intelligence.Reiki embraces meditation as well as other purposes.Teething is a simple, natural and safe method of treatment which is Life force energy.Some of my brothers was having with a solution.

Reiki Healing Chicago

When you are pregnant for the highest good, not necessarily the same as he is good, because people whose conditions may at times you may be called to take the therapist's energy, only the global life force energy is out of balance inside your body.The next step for the people we know that the brahma sutras, or the things against our own well-being and that it will do my self treatments I woke up after two hours in her household and the path to enlightenment in which Reiki is activated through hands-on treatments, above-the-body treatments, and submit to their children have immediate benefits following Reiki.You could become drowsy or get to this day, the initial and most highly refined energy enhances spiritual awareness, improves all cerebral functions, and constitutes the basic principle of Reiki:You may experience this healing is also about breaking bad patterns.Most of the pregnancy and the magnification of the portal.

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[accradotalt]

Excerpts of Kwame Nkrumah's DARK DAYS IN GHANA . I left Accra on 21st February 1966. I was seen off at the airport by most of the leading government and Party officials, and by service chiefs. I recall the handshakes and the expressions of good wishes from Harlley, Deku, Yakubu, and others. These men, smiling and ingratiating, had all the time treason and treachery in their minds. They had even planned my assassination on that day, though they later abandoned the idea. I remember shaking hands with Major-General Barwah—to be murdered in cold blood three days later when he refused to surrender to the rebel army soldiers. I little thought then that I would never see him again, or that Zanerigu, Commander of the Presidential Guard Regiment, Kojo Botsio, Kofi Baako and other ministers who were there at the airport, would be shortly seized by renegade soldiers and policemen and thrown into prison. After a week of so-called "manoeuvres," the operation began early in the morning of Wednesday, 23rd February 1966 when the garrison at Kumasi, numbering 600 men, was ordered to move southwards to Accra. On the way, the convoy of some 35 vehicles was met and halted by the two arch-traitors Colonel Emmanuel Kwesi Kotoka, Commander of the Second Infantry Brigade Group, and Major Akwasi Amankwa Afrifa of the Second Brigade. Kotoka had only recently been put in charge of the Kumasi garrison, and I had not yet confirmed his appointment. Kotoka, Commander of the Second Infantry Brigade Group, and Major Akwasi Amankwa Afrifa of the Second Brigade. Kotoka had only recently been put in charge of the Kumasi garrison, and I had not yet confirmed his appointment. Afrifa was left in command while Kotoka went to Accra to report progress to Commissioner of Police, John Willie Kofi Harlley and to find some soldier better known than himself to be the nominal head of the revolt. The man chosen was Major-General Ankrah even though the conspirators had thought so little of his abilities than they had not previously troubled to consult him? He was, however, one of the few officers who had held even the rank of major in colonial days and had seen service in the world war if only as a quartermaster. In the Congo he had shown some bravery and, at least, routine ability and I had decorated him for his services but essentially he was of mediocre calibre. He held the post of second in command in the armed forces after independence through seniority, not ability. He would not have been appointed even to this post but for the death shortly before of another senior officer. In 1965, I retired him. Undoubtedly, it was his lack of understanding of what was going on around him which recommended him as a figure-head to those manipulating the 'coup'. The troops were then told that I intended sending them to fight in Vietnam and in Rhodesia, and that I had deserted Ghana taking with me £8 million. There was, they were told, no government left in Ghana, and it was their duty to assume control of the country to maintain law and order. Already, it was said, Russian planes were landing on a secret airs rip in northern Ghana. Furthermore a secret tunnel had been made from Flagstaff House, the presidential residence, to Accra airport, and for days Russians had been arriving. The only way to save Ghana, and to avoid being sent to fight in Vietnam, the troops were told, was to take Flagstaff House. Several days after the military seizure of power, Kotoka and Afrifa appeared on Ghana TV congratulating themselves on their easy success. One remark stood out unmistakable and clear: "And you know, we didn't find any Russians at all— not one! Nor could we find any trace of that tunnel." This was followed by peals of laughter at the poor soldiers who had believed their story. The first object of the military operation was to force the surrender of Major-General Barwah, Army Chief of Staff and Deputy Chief of Defence Staff, who was in command of the Ghana Army in the absence from the country of the Chief of Defence Staff. General Aferi. At the same time, Brigadier Hasan, Head of Military Intelligence, and Colonel Zanerigu. Commander of the Presidential Guard Regiment, and Owusu-Sekyere, former head of the C.I.D. and in charge of the Special Branch, were to be arrested. This stage of the operation was badly bungled. Hasan was arrested, but Zanerigu, when confronted, escaped through a window of his house and drove to Flagstaff House to warn the Presidential Guard Regiment. Barwah could not be intimidated. Woken from his sleep in the early hours of the morning of the 24th by the arrival of Kotoka and some 25 men, he courageously refused either to join the traitors or to surrender. Thereupon, Kotoka shot him dead at point-black range in cold blood in the presence of his wife and children. The seven security officers who were stationed at Barwah's house were also murdered on the spot on Kotoka's orders. Kotoka subsequently boasted of his killing of Barwah but said because he was protected by a "juju" he was able to catch the bullets which Barwah fired in his defence and to throw them back at him. When the counter coup of April 1967 took place Kotoka's "magic" could not save him. Unlike Barwah, he surrendered without protest or struggle to those who had captured him at his headquarters. His "juju" did not prevent him being shot in his turn. Barwah's murder was one of the most disgraceful and ghastly crimes ever committed in Ghana's history. In an attempt to wipe the blood from their hands the so-called ‗N.L.C.‘ gave Barwah and the security officers a military burial a few days later. What a mockery, and what hypocrisy! Yet these terrible, cold-blooded murders were only the first of many which occurred on 24th February and during subsequent days. They set the tone, as it were, of the whole operation which was characterised throughout by cowardice, bloodshed and criminal stupidity. By 6 a.m. on the 24th, the Accra police, acting on Harlley's orders, had rounded up most of the ministers and other key political figures, and fighting had broken out at Flagstaff House between members of the Presidential Guard Regiment and rebel army units. There were about thirty members of the Guard Regiment at Flagstaff House when the alarm was raised. These were soon joined by others who managed to slip in by a back entrance to reinforce their comrades. Although heavily outnumbered they successfully held up the rebel detachment sent to seize the Ghana radio station a short distance from Flagstaff House. Only eight of the 124 detailed for this operation managed to get through. These captured the radio station, apparently without incident, and at 6 a.m. Kotoka arrived to broadcast that the army and police had taken over the government of Ghana. The announcement was premature. At 7 a.m. resistance was actually increasing at Flagstaff House, as the defenders, less than a hundred of them, fought fiercely back against some 600 rebel troops. By this time a battalion in Accra under Ocran had joined them, not knowing what the fighting was all about. Thus the rebels were able to gain control of the airport, cable office, radio station, and all the approach roads to Accra. Kotoka had established a combined H.Q. with the police at Police Headquarters, and from there the order was given for the 2nd Battalion to go into action at Flagstaff House. The Guard Regiment fought on, though their position was now-hopeless. The outside walls of Flagstaff House had been open, and the defenders had retreated behind the second gate. Still they refused to surrender. It was only after the rebels threatened to blew up the family residence at Flagstaff House in which my wife and three young children were sheltering that they finally gave in. The fierce fighting at Flagstaff House at this time was in striking contrast to the failure at the time of the April 1967 counter-coup of Kotoka's body guard to defend his headquarters. He had made Flagstaff House into a strong point from which he commanded the army. Yet when it was attacked by a small detachment of some 25 men the garrison immediately surrendered as did that of the Broadcasting Station which was also only attacked by a force of similar size. Again a small group of soldiers, not more than 50 in all, were sufficient to capture the Castle at Osu from which the "N.L.C." conducted their government. Ankrah the Chairman' of the "N.L.C." was the first of its defenders to run away, jumping over the Castle wall, plunging into the sea and wading down the shore.

[courtneytincher]

U.S. Special Forces train Red Flag Rescue at Camp Navajo

Soldiers assigned to 7th Group Special Forces are taking part in Red Flag Rescue, the largest air combat training exercise in the world which involves multiple air platforms from all branches and components of U.S. Service, as well as foreign militaries, exercising together in the most realistic training conditions the military can provide without being in actual combat. Over the course of three weeks, members of 7th Special Forces Group harnessed air power from the U.S. Air Force and Navy to complete rapid infiltration and exfiltration, airdrop resupply, air insertion, and rescue missions.

Leadership from 7th Group at all levels said the training was outstanding and provided some of the best opportunities imaginable to prepare for combat. Lt. Col. Patrick Toohey, Commander of 3rd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, said this type of training is imperative to allow his Soldiers the opportunity to train together on collective tasks that are essential to the success of any deployed mission.

“Red Flag gives us the opportunity to work with joint and interagency partners to address all of our mission essential tasks. Each part of the exercise builds on each other and gives us a chance to nest our training with our partners,” Toohey said. “This is part of our combat pipeline. It gives us the chance to be fully focused on our mission.”

Chief Warrant Officer 4, Jose Villarreal, senior Warrant Officer for 3rd Battalion, agreed with Toohey. He also said the support of the Arizona National Guard and facilities offered by Camp Navajo were superb for the type of training 7th Group needed to conduct with Red Flag.

“Navajo provides isolated, off-the-grid opportunities,” Villarreal said. “The terrain, the altitude, the flexibility – all helped us tailor our training to exactly what we need.”

Back in the rented white SUV, Jon continues driving down old Route 66 and passes a bronze statue of a guitarist standing on a corner in Winslow, AZ. Deep in thought, going over every aspect of what he has templated for the team, Jon steers the vehicle closer to the assault objective and explains how game theory helps him craft training scenarios for his teammates.

“I am a nerd!” Jon exclaims. “I mean a big, big nerd. Like I play D&D on the weekends. But I think that’s what makes me good at scenario building. Being able to take in historic enemy tactics and a firm understanding of my team’s capabilities helped me to put together the best product possible with what was available. It’s always tough to be on the outside putting these exercises together when I’d rather be with the team. But I know they will put one hundred percent into this and I’ve got to give them the most realistic experience possible.”

At the objective, six Air Force Reservists wait with weapons in hand to defend their stronghold and prevent the incoming team from rescuing their captive, an enemy defector with intelligence the team can use.

“I don’t know what to expect,” one of the opposition forces role players says as the sound of C-130 engines roars overhead. “I hear these Special Forces guys move fast, but I don’t know how fast.”

The opposition forces role players watch as a C-130 flown by the 211th Rescue Squadron, a unit of the Alaska Air National Guard, lands about a mile away. Rapid assault vehicles roll down the loading ramp laden with Special Forces Soldiers and guns loaded with stinging simulation rounds. In the space of a few heartbeats, they are storming into the aircraft hangar. In a few minutes, the enemy is neutralized.

Outside, the C-130 lands again and the team is ready to load their patient. The entire assault took about 15 minutes.

Back in the white SUV, on the way to conduct an after action review with the team, Jon is elated as he checks in with his wife and plans a future mission – his son’s fourth birthday party.

“In this profession, you have to take advantage of every moment with your family, when your days in the Army are over, they are the ones that will keep you grounded and on the right path,” Jon said.

Master Sgt. Bernardo, Team Sergeant, agrees. He says that when the team isn’t deployed, they are often training and he counsels his guys to make time for their families and themselves when they’re not on a mission.

“You have to keep things in perspective,” Bernardo says. “At the same time, Red Flag is a great reminder of why we train as hard as we do. During this exercise, we get a great opportunity to work with multiple aircrews who may not be used to working with Special Forces. We are establishing procedures for working together and the benefit of training as hard and as often as we do shows.”

Over the course of the next week, the team conducted two additional training missions including a night operation to assault an enemy-held observation post and the rescue of two isolated persons behind enemy lines. In total, the team spent three weeks exercising at Camp Navajo and the surrounding area getting accustomed to the unique terrain and honing their combat skills.

For the first week, the team conducted rigorous physical fitness challenges to get acclimatized to the altitude. This training included a march up Bear Jaw Loop, a trail near Flagstaff that starts at 6,000 feet above sea level and ends at 11,000 feet above sea level. Even in May, the team ran into snow deep enough to cover the trail and force them to use all of the navigation equipment and skill they had available. Sgt. 1st Class J, Senior Communications Sergeant, said the harsh terrain was a great equalizer and closely simulated high altitude locations where his team could be sent.

“This whole exercise was an awesome experience,” J said, “but Bear Jaw Loop was life-changing. It brought us together and made me really proud of our team and what we are capable of.”

“The guys did great,” said Capt. Victor, Team Leader. “The way these scenarios were planned for us, we had no idea the extent of what we would be getting into, and they performed phenomenally. They responded exactly the way they should have and I think it showed our leadership that we are ready for our combat mission.”

Victor’s Senior Enlisted Advisor agreed.

“Red Flag was great, and Camp Navajo is legit,” Bernardo said. “It’s a low-cost venue that does a great job replicating the situation in Afghanistan. I’d say it’s an excellent venue for any Special Forces Detachment to train.” 

“The command team at Camp Navajo was just amazing,” Victor said. “The things they allowed us to do, and the way Red Flag is set up, it provided an awesome training environment.”

For J, and other members of the team, Red Flag Rescue was a proving ground where men of 7th Special Forces Group could test themselves.

“To be honest, I thought we performed even better than we thought we would,” J said. “I mean, it’s one thing to feel confident about your expertise and training, but to have other entities gauging your effectiveness during challenging circumstances, that’s the kind of validation we need that we are as ready as we thought we were.”

Photo by Maj. Amanda Hammond

Photo by Maj. Amanda Hammond

Photo by Maj. Amanda Hammond

from Defence Blog

Soldiers assigned to 7th Group Special Forces are taking part in Red Flag Rescue, the largest air combat training exercise in the world which involves multiple air platforms from all branches and components of U.S. Service, as well as foreign militaries, exercising together in the most realistic training conditions the military can provide without being in actual combat. Over the course of three weeks, members of 7th Special Forces Group harnessed air power from the U.S. Air Force and Navy to complete rapid infiltration and exfiltration, airdrop resupply, air insertion, and rescue missions.

Leadership from 7th Group at all levels said the training was outstanding and provided some of the best opportunities imaginable to prepare for combat. Lt. Col. Patrick Toohey, Commander of 3rd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, said this type of training is imperative to allow his Soldiers the opportunity to train together on collective tasks that are essential to the success of any deployed mission.

“Red Flag gives us the opportunity to work with joint and interagency partners to address all of our mission essential tasks. Each part of the exercise builds on each other and gives us a chance to nest our training with our partners,” Toohey said. “This is part of our combat pipeline. It gives us the chance to be fully focused on our mission.”

Chief Warrant Officer 4, Jose Villarreal, senior Warrant Officer for 3rd Battalion, agreed with Toohey. He also said the support of the Arizona National Guard and facilities offered by Camp Navajo were superb for the type of training 7th Group needed to conduct with Red Flag.

“Navajo provides isolated, off-the-grid opportunities,” Villarreal said. “The terrain, the altitude, the flexibility – all helped us tailor our training to exactly what we need.”

Back in the rented white SUV, Jon continues driving down old Route 66 and passes a bronze statue of a guitarist standing on a corner in Winslow, AZ. Deep in thought, going over every aspect of what he has templated for the team, Jon steers the vehicle closer to the assault objective and explains how game theory helps him craft training scenarios for his teammates.

“I am a nerd!” Jon exclaims. “I mean a big, big nerd. Like I play D&D on the weekends. But I think that’s what makes me good at scenario building. Being able to take in historic enemy tactics and a firm understanding of my team’s capabilities helped me to put together the best product possible with what was available. It’s always tough to be on the outside putting these exercises together when I’d rather be with the team. But I know they will put one hundred percent into this and I’ve got to give them the most realistic experience possible.”

At the objective, six Air Force Reservists wait with weapons in hand to defend their stronghold and prevent the incoming team from rescuing their captive, an enemy defector with intelligence the team can use.

“I don’t know what to expect,” one of the opposition forces role players says as the sound of C-130 engines roars overhead. “I hear these Special Forces guys move fast, but I don’t know how fast.”

The opposition forces role players watch as a C-130 flown by the 211th Rescue Squadron, a unit of the Alaska Air National Guard, lands about a mile away. Rapid assault vehicles roll down the loading ramp laden with Special Forces Soldiers and guns loaded with stinging simulation rounds. In the space of a few heartbeats, they are storming into the aircraft hangar. In a few minutes, the enemy is neutralized.

Outside, the C-130 lands again and the team is ready to load their patient. The entire assault took about 15 minutes.

Back in the white SUV, on the way to conduct an after action review with the team, Jon is elated as he checks in with his wife and plans a future mission – his son’s fourth birthday party.

“In this profession, you have to take advantage of every moment with your family, when your days in the Army are over, they are the ones that will keep you grounded and on the right path,” Jon said.

Master Sgt. Bernardo, Team Sergeant, agrees. He says that when the team isn’t deployed, they are often training and he counsels his guys to make time for their families and themselves when they’re not on a mission.

“You have to keep things in perspective,” Bernardo says. “At the same time, Red Flag is a great reminder of why we train as hard as we do. During this exercise, we get a great opportunity to work with multiple aircrews who may not be used to working with Special Forces. We are establishing procedures for working together and the benefit of training as hard and as often as we do shows.”

Over the course of the next week, the team conducted two additional training missions including a night operation to assault an enemy-held observation post and the rescue of two isolated persons behind enemy lines. In total, the team spent three weeks exercising at Camp Navajo and the surrounding area getting accustomed to the unique terrain and honing their combat skills.

For the first week, the team conducted rigorous physical fitness challenges to get acclimatized to the altitude. This training included a march up Bear Jaw Loop, a trail near Flagstaff that starts at 6,000 feet above sea level and ends at 11,000 feet above sea level. Even in May, the team ran into snow deep enough to cover the trail and force them to use all of the navigation equipment and skill they had available. Sgt. 1st Class J, Senior Communications Sergeant, said the harsh terrain was a great equalizer and closely simulated high altitude locations where his team could be sent.

“This whole exercise was an awesome experience,” J said, “but Bear Jaw Loop was life-changing. It brought us together and made me really proud of our team and what we are capable of.”

“The guys did great,” said Capt. Victor, Team Leader. “The way these scenarios were planned for us, we had no idea the extent of what we would be getting into, and they performed phenomenally. They responded exactly the way they should have and I think it showed our leadership that we are ready for our combat mission.”

Victor’s Senior Enlisted Advisor agreed.

“Red Flag was great, and Camp Navajo is legit,” Bernardo said. “It’s a low-cost venue that does a great job replicating the situation in Afghanistan. I’d say it’s an excellent venue for any Special Forces Detachment to train.” 

“The command team at Camp Navajo was just amazing,” Victor said. “The things they allowed us to do, and the way Red Flag is set up, it provided an awesome training environment.”

For J, and other members of the team, Red Flag Rescue was a proving ground where men of 7th Special Forces Group could test themselves.

“To be honest, I thought we performed even better than we thought we would,” J said. “I mean, it’s one thing to feel confident about your expertise and training, but to have other entities gauging your effectiveness during challenging circumstances, that’s the kind of validation we need that we are as ready as we thought we were.”

Photo by Maj. Amanda Hammond

Photo by Maj. Amanda Hammond

Photo by Maj. Amanda Hammond

via IFTTT

[usnewsaggregator-blog]

Paul Weitz: Skylab and shuttle astronaut dies aged 85

New Post has been published on http://usnewsaggregator.com/paul-weitz-skylab-and-shuttle-astronaut-dies-aged-85/

Paul Weitz: Skylab and shuttle astronaut dies aged 85

Image copyright NASA

US astronaut Paul Weitz, who helped save a Nasa space station after it was damaged during launch, has died aged 85.

Mr Weitz, who died at a retirement home in Flagstaff, Arizona, also served as the first commander of the space shuttle Challenger.

He was a naval aviator before joining Nasa in 1966.

He was the pilot on the first mission to Skylab, the US space station which orbited Earth from 1973 to 1979.

The orbiting laboratory had been launched without crew on 14 May 1973. But a shield to protect the station from collisions with small meteorites had torn loose during lift-off.

Image copyright NASA

Image caption Skylab was America’s first and only space station

Image copyright NASA

Image caption A replacement sunshield for Skylab is sewn together in Houston

Image copyright NASA

Image caption Weitz mans the control and display console of the Apollo Telescope Mount (ATM) on Skylab in 1973

The shield also protected Skylab against extremes of temperature, and without it, the station began to overheat.

Mr Weitz and his fellow crew members Pete Conrad and Joseph Kerwin were supposed to launch on 15 May. But Nasa delayed the flight so that the crew could practice repairs on the ground.

The astronauts eventually launched on 25 May and approached Skylab in their Apollo command module. Positioning their spacecraft near a jammed solar panel on Skylab, Weitz opened the Apollo module’s airlock and extended a 3m (10ft)-long pole designed to free the component.

‘Dicey times’

He tugged hard at the solar panel, while Joe Kerwin held him by the ankles.

“We thought maybe we’d just break it loose. So we got down near the end of the solar array and I got a hold of it with the shepherd’s crook,” Mr Weitz said in an interview with Nasa in 2000.

“But what we really hadn’t thought about was, in heaving on it, trying to break the thing free, what I was doing, in effect, I was pulling the command module… in toward the workshop.”

“Also, surprising in a totally weightless environment, I was moving the workshop some, too, because we could see its thrusters firing to maintain its attitude… So it made for some dicey times.”

It was clear that the array wasn’t going to budge, so the astronauts went back inside the command module.

Flying Challenger

Image copyright NASA

Image caption The crew of STS-6, the first Challenger shuttle flight, pose for a photo. Commander Paul Weitz is seated second from the left

After several failed attempts to dock with the command module, the astronauts finally entered Skylab and successfully deployed a replacement sunshade to lower temperatures inside the lab.

Weitz’s second flight was in April 1983 as the first commander of the space shuttle Challenger. He was then at the relatively advanced age (in those days) of 51.

During their five-day mission, the four crew members successfully deployed a satellite from Challenger and carried out a spacewalk.

Just three years later, the shuttle was destroyed in an accident on lift-off which killed all seven astronauts on board.

If the Apollo programme had not been cancelled in the early seventies, Mr Weitz might have flown to the Moon – possibly on Apollo 20.

Paul J Weitz was born on 25 July 1932 in Erie, Pennsylvania.

Original Article:

Click here

[courtneytincher]

U.S. Special Forces train Red Flag Rescue at Camp Navajo

Soldiers assigned to 7th Group Special Forces are taking part in Red Flag Rescue, the largest air combat training exercise in the world which involves multiple air platforms from all branches and components of U.S. Service, as well as foreign militaries, exercising together in the most realistic training conditions the military can provide without being in actual combat. Over the course of three weeks, members of 7th Special Forces Group harnessed air power from the U.S. Air Force and Navy to complete rapid infiltration and exfiltration, airdrop resupply, air insertion, and rescue missions.

Leadership from 7th Group at all levels said the training was outstanding and provided some of the best opportunities imaginable to prepare for combat. Lt. Col. Patrick Toohey, Commander of 3rd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, said this type of training is imperative to allow his Soldiers the opportunity to train together on collective tasks that are essential to the success of any deployed mission.

“Red Flag gives us the opportunity to work with joint and interagency partners to address all of our mission essential tasks. Each part of the exercise builds on each other and gives us a chance to nest our training with our partners,” Toohey said. “This is part of our combat pipeline. It gives us the chance to be fully focused on our mission.”

Chief Warrant Officer 4, Jose Villarreal, senior Warrant Officer for 3rd Battalion, agreed with Toohey. He also said the support of the Arizona National Guard and facilities offered by Camp Navajo were superb for the type of training 7th Group needed to conduct with Red Flag.

“Navajo provides isolated, off-the-grid opportunities,” Villarreal said. “The terrain, the altitude, the flexibility – all helped us tailor our training to exactly what we need.”

Back in the rented white SUV, Jon continues driving down old Route 66 and passes a bronze statue of a guitarist standing on a corner in Winslow, AZ. Deep in thought, going over every aspect of what he has templated for the team, Jon steers the vehicle closer to the assault objective and explains how game theory helps him craft training scenarios for his teammates.

“I am a nerd!” Jon exclaims. “I mean a big, big nerd. Like I play D&D on the weekends. But I think that’s what makes me good at scenario building. Being able to take in historic enemy tactics and a firm understanding of my team’s capabilities helped me to put together the best product possible with what was available. It’s always tough to be on the outside putting these exercises together when I’d rather be with the team. But I know they will put one hundred percent into this and I’ve got to give them the most realistic experience possible.”

At the objective, six Air Force Reservists wait with weapons in hand to defend their stronghold and prevent the incoming team from rescuing their captive, an enemy defector with intelligence the team can use.

“I don’t know what to expect,” one of the opposition forces role players says as the sound of C-130 engines roars overhead. “I hear these Special Forces guys move fast, but I don’t know how fast.”

The opposition forces role players watch as a C-130 flown by the 211th Rescue Squadron, a unit of the Alaska Air National Guard, lands about a mile away. Rapid assault vehicles roll down the loading ramp laden with Special Forces Soldiers and guns loaded with stinging simulation rounds. In the space of a few heartbeats, they are storming into the aircraft hangar. In a few minutes, the enemy is neutralized.

Outside, the C-130 lands again and the team is ready to load their patient. The entire assault took about 15 minutes.

Back in the white SUV, on the way to conduct an after action review with the team, Jon is elated as he checks in with his wife and plans a future mission – his son’s fourth birthday party.

“In this profession, you have to take advantage of every moment with your family, when your days in the Army are over, they are the ones that will keep you grounded and on the right path,” Jon said.

Master Sgt. Bernardo, Team Sergeant, agrees. He says that when the team isn’t deployed, they are often training and he counsels his guys to make time for their families and themselves when they’re not on a mission.

“You have to keep things in perspective,” Bernardo says. “At the same time, Red Flag is a great reminder of why we train as hard as we do. During this exercise, we get a great opportunity to work with multiple aircrews who may not be used to working with Special Forces. We are establishing procedures for working together and the benefit of training as hard and as often as we do shows.”

Over the course of the next week, the team conducted two additional training missions including a night operation to assault an enemy-held observation post and the rescue of two isolated persons behind enemy lines. In total, the team spent three weeks exercising at Camp Navajo and the surrounding area getting accustomed to the unique terrain and honing their combat skills.

For the first week, the team conducted rigorous physical fitness challenges to get acclimatized to the altitude. This training included a march up Bear Jaw Loop, a trail near Flagstaff that starts at 6,000 feet above sea level and ends at 11,000 feet above sea level. Even in May, the team ran into snow deep enough to cover the trail and force them to use all of the navigation equipment and skill they had available. Sgt. 1st Class J, Senior Communications Sergeant, said the harsh terrain was a great equalizer and closely simulated high altitude locations where his team could be sent.

“This whole exercise was an awesome experience,” J said, “but Bear Jaw Loop was life-changing. It brought us together and made me really proud of our team and what we are capable of.”

“The guys did great,” said Capt. Victor, Team Leader. “The way these scenarios were planned for us, we had no idea the extent of what we would be getting into, and they performed phenomenally. They responded exactly the way they should have and I think it showed our leadership that we are ready for our combat mission.”

Victor’s Senior Enlisted Advisor agreed.

“Red Flag was great, and Camp Navajo is legit,” Bernardo said. “It’s a low-cost venue that does a great job replicating the situation in Afghanistan. I’d say it’s an excellent venue for any Special Forces Detachment to train.” 

“The command team at Camp Navajo was just amazing,” Victor said. “The things they allowed us to do, and the way Red Flag is set up, it provided an awesome training environment.”

For J, and other members of the team, Red Flag Rescue was a proving ground where men of 7th Special Forces Group could test themselves.

“To be honest, I thought we performed even better than we thought we would,” J said. “I mean, it’s one thing to feel confident about your expertise and training, but to have other entities gauging your effectiveness during challenging circumstances, that’s the kind of validation we need that we are as ready as we thought we were.”

Photo by Maj. Amanda Hammond

Photo by Maj. Amanda Hammond

Photo by Maj. Amanda Hammond

from Defence Blog

Soldiers assigned to 7th Group Special Forces are taking part in Red Flag Rescue, the largest air combat training exercise in the world which involves multiple air platforms from all branches and components of U.S. Service, as well as foreign militaries, exercising together in the most realistic training conditions the military can provide without being in actual combat. Over the course of three weeks, members of 7th Special Forces Group harnessed air power from the U.S. Air Force and Navy to complete rapid infiltration and exfiltration, airdrop resupply, air insertion, and rescue missions.

Leadership from 7th Group at all levels said the training was outstanding and provided some of the best opportunities imaginable to prepare for combat. Lt. Col. Patrick Toohey, Commander of 3rd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, said this type of training is imperative to allow his Soldiers the opportunity to train together on collective tasks that are essential to the success of any deployed mission.

“Red Flag gives us the opportunity to work with joint and interagency partners to address all of our mission essential tasks. Each part of the exercise builds on each other and gives us a chance to nest our training with our partners,” Toohey said. “This is part of our combat pipeline. It gives us the chance to be fully focused on our mission.”

Chief Warrant Officer 4, Jose Villarreal, senior Warrant Officer for 3rd Battalion, agreed with Toohey. He also said the support of the Arizona National Guard and facilities offered by Camp Navajo were superb for the type of training 7th Group needed to conduct with Red Flag.

“Navajo provides isolated, off-the-grid opportunities,” Villarreal said. “The terrain, the altitude, the flexibility – all helped us tailor our training to exactly what we need.”

Back in the rented white SUV, Jon continues driving down old Route 66 and passes a bronze statue of a guitarist standing on a corner in Winslow, AZ. Deep in thought, going over every aspect of what he has templated for the team, Jon steers the vehicle closer to the assault objective and explains how game theory helps him craft training scenarios for his teammates.

“I am a nerd!” Jon exclaims. “I mean a big, big nerd. Like I play D&D on the weekends. But I think that’s what makes me good at scenario building. Being able to take in historic enemy tactics and a firm understanding of my team’s capabilities helped me to put together the best product possible with what was available. It’s always tough to be on the outside putting these exercises together when I’d rather be with the team. But I know they will put one hundred percent into this and I’ve got to give them the most realistic experience possible.”

At the objective, six Air Force Reservists wait with weapons in hand to defend their stronghold and prevent the incoming team from rescuing their captive, an enemy defector with intelligence the team can use.

“I don’t know what to expect,” one of the opposition forces role players says as the sound of C-130 engines roars overhead. “I hear these Special Forces guys move fast, but I don’t know how fast.”

The opposition forces role players watch as a C-130 flown by the 211th Rescue Squadron, a unit of the Alaska Air National Guard, lands about a mile away. Rapid assault vehicles roll down the loading ramp laden with Special Forces Soldiers and guns loaded with stinging simulation rounds. In the space of a few heartbeats, they are storming into the aircraft hangar. In a few minutes, the enemy is neutralized.

Outside, the C-130 lands again and the team is ready to load their patient. The entire assault took about 15 minutes.

Back in the white SUV, on the way to conduct an after action review with the team, Jon is elated as he checks in with his wife and plans a future mission – his son’s fourth birthday party.

“In this profession, you have to take advantage of every moment with your family, when your days in the Army are over, they are the ones that will keep you grounded and on the right path,” Jon said.

Master Sgt. Bernardo, Team Sergeant, agrees. He says that when the team isn’t deployed, they are often training and he counsels his guys to make time for their families and themselves when they’re not on a mission.

“You have to keep things in perspective,” Bernardo says. “At the same time, Red Flag is a great reminder of why we train as hard as we do. During this exercise, we get a great opportunity to work with multiple aircrews who may not be used to working with Special Forces. We are establishing procedures for working together and the benefit of training as hard and as often as we do shows.”

Over the course of the next week, the team conducted two additional training missions including a night operation to assault an enemy-held observation post and the rescue of two isolated persons behind enemy lines. In total, the team spent three weeks exercising at Camp Navajo and the surrounding area getting accustomed to the unique terrain and honing their combat skills.

For the first week, the team conducted rigorous physical fitness challenges to get acclimatized to the altitude. This training included a march up Bear Jaw Loop, a trail near Flagstaff that starts at 6,000 feet above sea level and ends at 11,000 feet above sea level. Even in May, the team ran into snow deep enough to cover the trail and force them to use all of the navigation equipment and skill they had available. Sgt. 1st Class J, Senior Communications Sergeant, said the harsh terrain was a great equalizer and closely simulated high altitude locations where his team could be sent.

“This whole exercise was an awesome experience,” J said, “but Bear Jaw Loop was life-changing. It brought us together and made me really proud of our team and what we are capable of.”

“The guys did great,” said Capt. Victor, Team Leader. “The way these scenarios were planned for us, we had no idea the extent of what we would be getting into, and they performed phenomenally. They responded exactly the way they should have and I think it showed our leadership that we are ready for our combat mission.”

Victor’s Senior Enlisted Advisor agreed.

“Red Flag was great, and Camp Navajo is legit,” Bernardo said. “It’s a low-cost venue that does a great job replicating the situation in Afghanistan. I’d say it’s an excellent venue for any Special Forces Detachment to train.” 

“The command team at Camp Navajo was just amazing,” Victor said. “The things they allowed us to do, and the way Red Flag is set up, it provided an awesome training environment.”

For J, and other members of the team, Red Flag Rescue was a proving ground where men of 7th Special Forces Group could test themselves.

“To be honest, I thought we performed even better than we thought we would,” J said. “I mean, it’s one thing to feel confident about your expertise and training, but to have other entities gauging your effectiveness during challenging circumstances, that’s the kind of validation we need that we are as ready as we thought we were.”

Photo by Maj. Amanda Hammond

Photo by Maj. Amanda Hammond

Photo by Maj. Amanda Hammond

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