This question arises from an old issue of the National Geographic I was leafing through the other day, and I'd like to pose to you the same question that was asked of the soldiers, sailors and airmen in that ten-year-old article.
You are approached one day by a senior Officer, let's say a Colonel. If you're retired he comes to your house, if you're serving he catches you during a quiet five minutes on base.
He tells you that he's looked at your files and that he'd like to, with your permission, put your contact details down in his notebook in case he needs someone with your qualities to take part in a little off-the-books, provate military work in the future; all strictly hush hush, but you'd get paid £/$ 10k for a weeks' work no questions asked...a one-off mercenary mission basically, perhaps years from now.
You know he is being genuine.
What would you, personally, do? Give him your details? Say no, thanks, and walk away....or report him to the MPs?
2007-12-19 03:30:53 · 23 answers · asked by Monty 1 in Politics & Government ➔ Military
*OK let's add a context to clear things up, purely based on fiction.
A New Zealand pilot (I've just picked a random, allied nation) crashed in Sudan and is being held in a Sudanese jail awaiting the firing squad. You're being paid to be part of the team that's going to bust him out. Regular forces can't be used as it'd spark a diplomatic storm, and the media don't even know the guy's missing*
2007-12-19 04:15:19 · update #1
I'd say: " For Christs sake, are you a loony? I'm over 50 years old now my fighting days are over - and your files are out of date!"
2007-12-19 07:03:22 · answer #1 · answered by taffsandy 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Even with your clarifications, there is no such thing as a off-the-books private military job. If they want you to go in as a outsider, it would be the CIA approaching you, not some random Colonel. I'd report him for recruiting me, but that's because of my job involvement.
The whole thing sounds more than shady if it's someone asking without an official authorization to do so.
2007-12-19 04:23:13 · answer #2 · answered by promethius9594 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'd ask him very politely if he thought I looked like a total fruitcake then inform him, very politely as befits rank (if I'm still serving at that point, anyway!) to get stuffed.
If he's a serving officer, I'd have no hesitation in calling the relevant military police unit.
If he's a retired bloke, what he does is up to him.
2007-12-19 21:26:03 · answer #3 · answered by Beastie 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There were a few overtures made near the termination of my service,of which i will mention one--I received a letter offering me a term of engagement with a middle eastern Air Force with the rank of Captain and commensurate pay,it was a lot of money and a very good offer,these opportunities were widely taken up by the more adventurous.
2007-12-19 03:42:24 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
KNOWING he is genuine, he should have those contact details already.
I was approached in the late 1990's by a middle-east Navy seeking (with US approval) ASW specialists to teach their Navy due to concerns with another middle-east Navy who had purchased several Soviet/Russian diesel submarines.
It was a LARGE amount of money, but as I had JUST finished 4 back-to-back WestPac cruises as a divorced, "floating" ASW guy who did those cruises to save money... I just couldn't see spending another year away from the USA.
2007-12-19 04:03:06 · answer #5 · answered by mariner31 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would tell him I MAY be willing to perform such work, depending on what the details of the work were. If it was for something illegal or what I consider immoral, I probably wouldn't do it. But if it was completely legal, I would consider it if I felt my skills would fit the work.
*EDIT* - With the scenario you outline, I would decline. I don't have the skill sets for such a mission, unless they were looking for someone to operate a ship's weapon system (I was a Fire Controlman in the U.S. Navy).
2007-12-19 03:45:27 · answer #6 · answered by Mutt 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
If he was looking for someone to do things like that he would go to the socom commander. That's what we got paid to do and i loved it. You never know if you will come back when you leave on a mission like that. You have to be a special person to be able to be in a special ops unit. I miss it alot.
2007-12-19 04:34:49 · answer #7 · answered by specialopsvet 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If it legal and moral (not hurting innocent people), authorized from the President and Congress, and withing the UCMJ and Geneva Convention and I am provided with some sort of orders , I would do it for my country.
2007-12-19 03:46:37 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
I really don't understand what he has done wrong that would require a call to authorities? Say yes or no based on whether or not you want the work but I see nothing wrong nor immoral in it...........yet
2007-12-19 04:41:22 · answer #9 · answered by Lou 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'd pull out a pen if I agreed with the conditions of the mission!
2007-12-19 03:45:04 · answer #10 · answered by MadMaxx 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋