Wow, I wouldn't have guessed so many never finished high school. Interesting. I was hard on the drugs till 10th grade when I knew if I didn't quit and
get straightened out I was going to be dead or in prison. So, I quit and went to work framing condos here in Florida it was hot hellish work.
Convinced me I surely didn't want a life of labor. I went back and graduated on the honor roll. Went straight to college that summer instead of
waiting till fall. I got an associates degree and got the brilliant idea to join the Army. I say brilliant sarcastically. I went into the Military
Police and had some background running weapons from high school days believe it or not. I also had a relative that was Army Intelligence during WWII,
then went into the OSS. For those that don't know that was the Office of Security Services and they did the dirty deeds, done dirt cheap (always think
of that AC/DC song). Then he was called on to help start the NSA where he finally retired. Not before he decided I needed 'help' in my career
guidance. I got selected out of the Army and in a special Intelligence unit. That is what I call the real college of reality and the ways of this
world. How things were done. Ugly things. I worked in there for about 10 years before I managed to get myself in some deep stuff that ended up
threatening my life and my families. Stuff the government didn't like being involved in but had their hands all over. They didn't like me knowing
either. My family member was in a position to see me able to walk away. However my background is continually erased every 2 to 4 years. Not sure why
the time difference, but it made my life hard explaining to every employer why I didn't exist. Big corporations hired detectives, and other agencies
trying to find out. I even had my divorce judge try to find out because of something my wife was making an accusation of concerning the safety of my
children being around me because of where I worked. She was told she could not find out either.
I was in IT for some time and finally in 2004 I got my Bachelors Degree in Computer Science. However soon after I burned out and got my state license
in Real Estate. I did that for about 10 years and got bored with that too after 10 years. I haven't worked the last year and a half and don't know
what to do. Everything is boring to me compared to what I used to do. I am too shot up and broke up to do anything like that any more. I was offered a
job as a sniper on a fugitive apprehension team, under one condition. I had to get off the pain meds. I couldn't do it. My pain is so bad that is
drives my blood pressure to stroke levels quickly if I don't keep the pain at moderate levels. Sometimes I think about going back to school to get a
masters or a doctorate. Maybe that would lead to an enticing job.
Having no background is a problem though. I went to open a bank account and I filled out the paperwork went home and the next day got a call from the
bank manager. She asked if I could come in and see her. I went in and she asked me if I gave her the right information. I said of course and she had
this disgusted look on her face and pulled out this piece of paper. It was my background she said they run on all account holders. It has 17
background inquiries. I looked and it said 1) DL is of legal issue in the state of Florida. No other information available. Not even my name was on it
even though she had a copy of my DL. 2) MY SS# was of legal issue in the State of Florida. No other information Available. That was it. The rest of
the 17 items all said No Information Available.
You can imagine what goes through peoples minds. I worked for AT&T, Winn Dixie, AOL, and other major corporations. Their security departments all
freaked out as I was hired before background investigations were completed back then. I can't tell them anything much except I worked for a deep cover
intelligence unit and it is all highly classified. That is all I can tell you. I could tell them the agency, but they will neither confirm or deny I
ever worked there.
So, I had quite an education, none of which the schools taught me. However, to do that kind of thing on my own would be insane to say the least. I
could make plenty of money at it, but it literally makes you insane to carry on like that. I don't expect it would last long. I sort of feel like
people with no or insufficient education in that finding employment especially today with the background checks they do almost impossible. I feel like
I am in a flat spin, out of control, nowhere to get out, nowhere to go, and it is closing in on my life and mind. My family tries to help but can not
help in these matters. I keep going back to the Army motto FIDO (F It Drive On), but I am fast getting to the end of the rope. I have a close 35 year
friend that helps me psychologically with some things, but even he is off in the weeds on this one. So, those who determine education being years
spent listening to lectures in school, or degrees it is not the true education one gets living life. There is nothing like living life that will teach
you things you truly need to know to survive in this world, unless you are going to be a Doctor, Lawyer, etc.. Even then what you learn in real life
makes or breaks you in those careers.
So, the motto of this story is, don't judge people or abilities by documents framed on a wall. That can be the most deceiving thing there is.
FIDO Friends!
edit on 12/3/16 by spirit_horse because: typos