To the Ex Military Among us - Does that background make living here easier?

[BoonToong]

On 3/23/2019 at 7:06 PM, billd766 said:

I did 25 years in the RAF with tours in Bahrain, Singapore and Germany with detachments to Norway, Libya, Germany, Gibraltar and Sardinia which was fairly easy as I was with mates all the time.

 

After that I had 7 years in the UK, married with a son, followed by 4 years on the road for the company building mobile phone base stations usually working in a team of 2, then over 10 years offshore in South America, the Arab Gulf, South Africa, Dubai/Abu Dhabi, Qatar, Angola and Kuwait. Thailand, Indonesia, Brunei in teams of 2 or more.

 

Eventually I quit the company and did jobs in France, Belgium, Holland and Germany. Back to Thailand then Pakistan, Bangladesh, Papua New Guinea then New Zealand as my last job before I retired home to Thailand and my wife and son.

 

I just got used to being moved around and after I retired in 2009 I have only flown once to Nakhon Si Thammarat, driven around Thailand a bit but don't like to travel far any more.

 

When you move to a new country it takes a short while to adapt and settle in and quite a few years to meld into the community but it can be done and enjoyed if you try.

So are the hotels here as good as the ones you stayed in when you were deployed? ????

[BoonToong]

I lived and schooled in Singapore when my old man was in the RN. Then, in my own Service time (17 years RN), I travelled a lot and lived in some other countries, so I was certainly used to travelling and adapting to different cultures from an early age.

 

As far as how my military background makes my living here easier:

 

1. I'm used to being f****d over - same as LOS
2. I'm used to being kept in the dark - same as LOS
3. I don't have to 'prove' anything to myself or to anyone else - no need for any conversations about the colour of the boathouse door at Hereford
4. I know how to spot an ahole quickly 
5. I know when to keep my mouth shut - very handy in LOS
6. I'm used to wearing the same as everyone else - shorts, flip-flops, Singha Beer simmet
7. I have no problem with being 'too hot', 'too uncomfortable', etc etc etc
8. I don't need a lot to keep me 'entertained' ????

Edited March 25, 2019 by BoonToong

[Rc2702]

1 hour ago, oldrunner said:

APO will close Oct 1019. Was never duty free.

even those who work in JUSMAG will have to get a local address. Major pain in the ass but Thai postal is reasonable and timely. US Government just another "screw the GI" program, more money for radical moslims in US Congress/Senate.

 

In the UK they have a service and one of them is called scanmypost 

 

So they open and scan all documents and mail to your account.

 

40 scanned pages a month is £10

 

The ability to download them is also available. Also rhry can send them onwards for additional fees.

 

Surely similar svcs in USA.

 

 

[SpokaneAl]

In the UK they have a service and one of them is called scanmypost 
 
So they open and scan all documents and mail to your account.
 
40 scanned pages a month is £10
 
The ability to download them is also available. Also rhry can send them onwards for additional fees.
 
Surely similar svcs in USA.
 
 

Yes, I use a pretty much identical US based service. It is very popular for Americans who live in their RVs and travel full time throughout the US, and perhaps adjacent countries.


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[billd766]

1 hour ago, BoonToong said:

So are the hotels here as good as the ones you stayed in when you were deployed? ????

IIRC the only times I stayed in a hotel was 1 week in Labuan and a few days in Sardinia

 

The rest of the deployments were in barrack blocks or in Germany on deployment where I shared a 12 man tent with 11 other guys. The last one of those I was the only in the tent who knew how to put the tent together.

 

While the newbies were falling out of their camp beds I was comfy on my airbed. I also volunteered to work with the cooks cleaning up all the pots and pans. If that sounds silly I never went hungry in the 2 week detachment, all the cooks went ashore every night for a good shower and a few beers in the NAAFI plus I never did a guard duty.

[The Theory]

On 3/23/2019 at 4:12 PM, Pilotman said:

Does it help or hinder? 

It definitely does, especially when you leave your room. The battle field streets, riding a motorcycle, driving a car, taking a taxi or waiting in cashier line with bunch of Chinese tourists. ????????????

 

[emptypockets]

6 hours ago, marcusarelus said:

Do some research I have already posted a photo of my bona fides.  

Photo of your bona? 

Eeeeeeewwwww!!!

Save that for the bar girls please! 

 

[emptypockets]

2 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

The only thing the military gave me was a distaste for the military. Too many bullies, which was why I left it.

I moved to LOS because I was nursing in Saudi and LOS was the closest place to have fun. After many, many holidays there I decided that was where I wanted to retire, but that was back in the 90s when LOS was indeed the land of sanuk. Not so much now, I fear.

Did it help me live in LOS- not at all. Livin' back "home" is harder. Livin' in LOS is easy.

So why did you leave? 

[emptypockets]

2 hours ago, Bogbrush said:

I think the military background helps considerably, here and anywhere; here’s some attributes that you learn and become ingrained for life, in no particular order:

 

1.   Keep your quarters and yourself clean.

2.   Present yourself out of doors in good order.

3.   Wipe your eating spanners before a meal.

4.   Don’t whinge.

5.   Don’t engage without a 3 to 1 superiority.

6.   Be proud of your past, and show it; stomach in, chest out, shoulders back, neck in the back of the collar.

7.   Take your hat off before <removed>

8.   In romantic situations always cock, hook and look before you ease springs.

Most of those skills can be acquired during a lengthy jail sentence also. 

 

[emptypockets]

44 minutes ago, billd766 said:

IIRC the only times I stayed in a hotel was 1 week in Labuan and a few days in Sardinia

 

The rest of the deployments were in barrack blocks or in Germany on deployment where I shared a 12 man tent with 11 other guys. The last one of those I was the only in the tent who knew how to put the tent together.

 

While the newbies were falling out of their camp beds I was comfy on my airbed. I also volunteered to work with the cooks cleaning up all the pots and pans. If that sounds silly I never went hungry in the 2 week detachment, all the cooks went ashore every night for a good shower and a few beers in the NAAFI plus I never did a guard duty.

NAAFI as my ex father in law proudly told me stands for No Ambition And.... @$*k all Interest. 

[ThaiBunny]

Just now, emptypockets said:

NAAFI as my ex father in law proudly told me stands for No Ambition And.... @$*k all Interest. 

I've heard that "SAS" stands for "Saturdays & Sundays"

[soalbundy]

Only if you are going to apply for a job as night watchman

[gamini]

I have three close friends in Thailand and they were are all majors in the army. I always notice that the Thais give them a lot of respect. 

[Tongjaw]

14 minutes ago, gamini said:

I have three close friends in Thailand and they were are all majors in the army. I always notice that the Thais give them a lot of respect. 

Do they walk around in there old uniforms? lol 

[LawrenceN]

I first came to Thailand in 1977 with the US Peace Corps. I was an agriculture teacher, so was expected to speak Thai in my job. English teachers could get by without learning Thai, but many of them learned anyway and did very well with it. The training was excellent. We were taught to read and write Thai right from the start, which is a huge advantage living here.

 

I see your point about aspects of military service as preparation, but it can't compare to the experience I had living "off-base" and working side by side with host country nationals. I still keep in touch with people I taught with over 40 years ago, some of whom don't speak a word of English.

[maxcorrigan]

8 hours ago, vogie said:

With or without your woggle.

Yes i imagine it would be frightening to find yourself woggleless, but you could always fall back on your whistle though!

[Leaver]

Many ex-servicemen have posted of their experiences in foreign countries, which I agree, means you can adapt more easily to another foreign country (Thailand) than perhaps someone less traveled, however, ex-servicemen remain regimented long after they have left the services. 

 

Of course, this is understandable, but I am sure their partners, and the locals, would notice this mannerism as well. 

 

So, being ex-services can help, and also hinder.  One must self assess if all that regimentation is affecting those around them.

[Tomahawk21]

On 3/23/2019 at 7:06 PM, billd766 said:

I did 25 years in the RAF with tours in Bahrain, Singapore and Germany with detachments to Norway, Libya, Germany, Gibraltar and Sardinia which was fairly easy as I was with mates all the time.

 

After that I had 7 years in the UK, married with a son, followed by 4 years on the road for the company building mobile phone base stations usually working in a team of 2, then over 10 years offshore in South America, the Arab Gulf, South Africa, Dubai/Abu Dhabi, Qatar, Angola and Kuwait. Thailand, Indonesia, Brunei in teams of 2 or more.

 

Eventually I quit the company and did jobs in France, Belgium, Holland and Germany. Back to Thailand then Pakistan, Bangladesh, Papua New Guinea then New Zealand as my last job before I retired home to Thailand and my wife and son.

 

I just got used to being moved around and after I retired in 2009 I have only flown once to Nakhon Si Thammarat, driven around Thailand a bit but don't like to travel far any more.

 

When you move to a new country it takes a short while to adapt and settle in and quite a few years to meld into the community but it can be done and enjoyed if you try.

I did 25 years in the RAF with tours in Bahrain, Singapore and Germany with detachments to Norway, Libya, Germany, Gibraltar and Sardinia which was fairly easy as I was with mates all the time.

 

i did 17 years with a English wife in the UK that was enough to prepare me for anything here. ????

[Letseng]

On 3/23/2019 at 5:59 PM, brokenbone said:

a friend that is an US ex military said he could set up

a P.O box and get mail to it without custom checks.

i havnt had the opportunity to talk with him lately about how it went

I set up a post box and I'm not ex military. Sometimes parcels have no customs checks, sometimes they get checked.

I don't see why a non-Thai military career should give one any perks in Thailand?

[SpokaneAl]

I set up a post box and I'm not ex military. Sometimes parcels have no customs checks, sometimes they get checked.
I don't see why a non-Thai military career should give one any perks in Thailand?

He is referring to a US government APO mail box for US embassy workers etc that was available to retired US military as well. This service is ending on October 1, 2019.


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[BTB1977]

Just keep telling yourself all that military training has made you a social conversational wizard. Above the rest of the normal world that most people live. Military people that I have seen have tried to join many different groups only to find the group is not to their liking because it may not have the strict rules , or not run to their liking. Living your life telling others how this should be or that run is not the normal live of the world. Only the military world. Don't even get my going about the Thai women that refuse to date seriously a  military men due the controlling nature of a military man. May be good for money and gifts but soon get bored or tired of the control . 

[SpokaneAl]

Just keep telling yourself all that military training has made you a social conversational wizard. Above the rest of the normal world that most people live. Military people that I have seen have tried to join many different groups only to find the group is not to their liking because it may not have the strict rules , or not run to their liking. Living your life telling others how this should be or that run is not the normal live of the world. Only the military world. Don't even get my going about the Thai women that refuse to date seriously a  military men due the controlling nature of a military man. May be good for money and gifts but soon get bored or tired of the control . 

A lot of generalizations and opinions here with few facts.


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[thaibeachlovers]

22 hours ago, emptypockets said:

So why did you leave? 

Leave what?

I left the military because of the bullies and I left Saudi because of the Mutawa ( religious bullies ) and I left LOS because I married the wrong woman with the wrong family.

[Pferdlkrantz]

On 3/25/2019 at 10:01 AM, mamypoko said:

Made it very easy to live abroad. Thinking it also made it impossible to live back 'home'.

Anyone else feeling that?

Ex-scaley here.

Exactly.  School HK, Singapore, Malaya, Germany.

Service in Germany, and with the Navy round the Far East.

Since then visited/lived various countries from The Gambia the the US

Came back to the UK, spent some years wondering what I was doing.  Ended up getting a contract in Germany and essentially stayed there ever since.  Every time I had to go back to the UK it was like "What is this country doing?"

Moving around gives you IMO also the ability to pare down what you REALLY need when you decided to move.

Also, I never think of the UK as 'home'.

Edited March 26, 2019 by Pferdlkrantz
Additional comment

[donim]

On 3/23/2019 at 6:47 PM, Rc2702 said:

Definitely, cubs and Scouts.  All those badges have prepared me for almost anything.

And free go with bangkok busses.

[thaibeachlovers]

21 hours ago, Pferdlkrantz said:

Every time I had to go back to the UK it was like "What is this country doing?"

Shame what happened to the UK since WW2. The rot started when they backed down on Suez because the Americans didn't like it. Gave away the eastern seaboard of Arabia with all that oil, wasted North Sea oil, run down the military till now, when they couldn't even repeat the Falklands rescue.

Britain used to rule half the world, and look at it now- can't even leave Europe because it's run by a bunch of losers, not to forget that when it joined the original European economic organisation, it stabbed a few commonwealth countries in the back. It made a complete hash of the Indian independence, left Kashmir to the wolves, set  up the Rohinga for the present atrocities and ran away from Palestine leading to that fiasco. 

Not a very edifying spectacle for the empire on which the sun never set.

To cap it all off, there are probably less English in London than foreigners.

[evadgib]

The 'off topic' brigade might not agree but this link from HMG is of peripheral interest to British veterans/War pension recipients as well as being of general interest to Allied veterans:

 

New programme launched for armed forces personnel seriously wounded in conflict

 

(Unfortunately UK is not in the same league as the US when it comes to looking after it's veterans but they are slowly getting better lol)

 

Edited March 30, 2019 by evadgib

[mike787]

Adaption, not really, I was born a gypsy.  

As for treatment here, NO difference.  Thais don't know, don't understand, don't care.  Doesn't help me with opening a bank account easier, or dealing with immigration BS.  SAME-SAME.

[Daveyh]

I think if you are exmilitary it's bound to help you settle in quickly anywhere you choose. I chose Thailand because as long as you keep your visa current no one messes with you. I do find even the 90 reporting a chore these days, but a small price to pay for complete freedom. I was here during 1964 & even then I knew it was a place to retire, hence I just sold everything in the UK & been here ever since.