Softball with AugustusMasonicus: Season II

You think you’re a tough guy? Really? Just sitting there in mommy’s basement playing Call of Duty while she feeds you Hot Pockets? We hear you, keyboard warrior-ing is tough work, hell, you may end up with a bad case of carpal tunnel syndrome and who knows how you’d find all the Easter eggs then.

Our next guest spent a little time beta testing the real deal in places that have more sand then the California coastline at low tide. They also had a few more bad hombres than California as well. So in honor ouf the 4th of July please give it up for ProjectVXN.

AM: What made you want to join the military? Patriot, high school half ass or they just did a real good job selling it at the recruiting station?

PV: I wanted the training and experience. I knew there could be risks, but it was an experience worth having.

AM: As someone who worked on and flew in choppers how many crashes were you in and how many were you responsible for?

PV: I’ve been in 1 hard landing (euphemism for crash) and it is what cause the injury that eventually put me out of the Army. I have not caused any crashes despite wanting to on more than one occasion, pilots can be infuriating.

AM: Did you prefer to dispense freedom one trigger pull at a time or did you like to spray and pray it?

PV: I prefer accurate, controlled fire.

AM: Dumbest thing you’ve seen someone do in combat?

PV: I once had the Lithuanian Special Forces try to call our bird back because they were too stoned to walk 800 meters to their objective. Worst group of idiots I’ve ever had the misfortune of playing soldier with.

AM: What kind of tunes did you listen to over there when heading out? Was it cliché 60’s music, Battle of the Valkyries or did you guys mix it up?

PV: VNV Nation kept me going.

AM: Afghanistan; total shizz hole or worth helping?

PV: Afghanistan is simultaneously the most beautiful country I’ve ever been to and the worst #hole I’ve ever seen. Are the people there worth helping? Sure, but not more than anyone else.

AM: What can the government and/or civilians do more of to help our veterans?

PV: Government can give veterans choices as far as care is concerned and stop locking us into the VA system that is woefully inefficient, understaffed in many cases, and in others-simply callous. Civilians don’t owe me or any other veteran anything. The only thing I would ask is that civilians stop buying into the Hollywood caricature of what a soldier is and what we do. It creates false stereotypes (like we’re all insane killers waiting to Rambo it up), that # gets old quickly.

AM: The only veteran’s charity we should even be thinking about donating to?

PV: Not a god-damned one of them. Look for local charities if you feel so inclined. MANY of the national charities are in it for the fleecing of donations to line their pockets.

AM: The most believable government conspiracy?

PV: I’m not a conspiracy theorist, despite some of my experiences. I do, however, believe that the conspiracy of incompetence is probably the most pervasive and most likely to be true.

AM: Is your rifle REALLY just for fighting?

PV: Yes. I don’t hunt, I don’t plink. I train for combat and every weapon I own or was ever issued is for the sole purpose of poking holes in meatbags who were dumb enough to think I was an easy target.

AM: Alright, let's get those Softballs out of the way. Greatest TV show ever?

PV: I am partial to sci-fi. Right now the best show out there is probably The Expanse. EVER? I don’t have an EVER TV show. If I had to pick one show that was the greatest of all time I would say Star Trek: Deep Space 9.

AM: Best war movie and why?

PV: I don’t watch war movies for two reasons: 1st they are hardly ever accurate, from the way uniforms are shown(messed up badges and insignia, improperly worn, etc.), the 2nd reason is the reminders of contemporary war movies of just how skewed soldiers are viewed by the civilian population.

AM: Favorite thing to eat besides MREs?

PV: There’s other stuff to eat besides MREs?

If I had to pick something outside of MREs I would pick Japanese food. Sushi, rice balls, seaweed omelets, and so much more.

AM: Who’s your top sports team?

PV: I don’t have one. Unless you consider hunting ISIS a sport (I do). In which case, my two top favorite teams are SAS and USSOC.

AM: Are you enjoying the dollar beers at the VFW?

PV: I don’t drink. If they were offering dollar doobies, that would be a different story.

AM: Best advice you could give someone thinking about
joining the military?

PV: If you’re hell bent on joining the military find an MOS(Military Occupational Specialty) that is transferable to the civilian world. Go into IT, aviation, communications, mechanics, and so on. It’s cool to want to do the infantry thing and be that guy; Lord knows we need the infantry. However, you will eventually get out. Everyone gets out eventually and you’re going to need to know more and have more skills than being able to maneuver on the battlefield. That’s good enough to get you a security guard job. If that’s still the route you want to take then GO TO SCHOOL. Go to school while you’re in, and when you get out use that GI Bill. It’s part of your compensation package and it’s worth using.



Projectvxn spends his time on top of mountains observing the world around him and wondering how the hell we screwed this all up so bad. He's taking a job as a biomedical device engineering technician and is in school for electronics engineering. When he's not wondering how this all went wrong, he's wondering how he's ever going to unearth himself from the tons of equations he's buried under.

In the interim, he fills his days with the joy and laughter of loud gunfire and explosives. He's currently trying to build a capacitor-bank of at least 100Farads to power a railgun in case the aliens invade. No, he's not talking about illegals from Mexico. He's talking illegals from Klendathu.

Service guarantees citizenship. Join the Space Force Now!

This wraps up another session of your least favorite interview series, not that you have many choices. Today we got to learn what soliders do; they listen to EBM/Alt Rock, eat cruddy food and then blow the be-Jesus out of the bad guys. Sound like fun? Then join up you apes, you wanna live forever?

Project, as one of my personal favorite posters on ATS, thanks for joining us today. You parting gift is a propmotion to Corporal, you're it, until you're dead or I find someone better. Thanks again and enjoy the 4th everyone. Until next time.

WOW.
I just want to say: Thank you for your service!

...you, too, ProjectVXN!

Great interview, guys.

a reply to: IAMTAT


Alright, one of the few time's I actually LOL'd.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

Was wondering if you would get to PVXN! One of ATS's knowledge bins to be sure.



Thanks gents (yes I'm using that term loosely)

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

Civilians don’t owe me or any other veteran anything

Well, I think I owe you a thank you for your service, not everyone is built for that.
Thanks for doing the interview and thanks Augustus for getting it together.

Uh, can you put your shoes back on now?

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

PV: I don’t watch war movies for two reasons: 1st they are hardly ever accurate, from the way uniforms are shown(messed up badges and insignia, improperly worn, etc.), the 2nd reason is the reminders of contemporary war movies of just how skewed soldiers are viewed by the civilian population.

I love to point out all the mistakes. I was Naval aviation so Top Gun is one of my favorites to pick on even though so many people love that damn movie.



It's full of inaccurate crap. Even the premise is full of Great Balls of Bull Shat.



Another great interview!

Great choice for todays interview! Thanks for your service ProjectVXN! I may not comment in many threads, but I do read and have always enjoyed your posts!

Thanks Mason for another great interview!

originally posted by: IAMTAT
WOW.
I just want to say: Thank you for your service!

...you, too, ProjectVXN!

Great interview, guys.

a reply to: JinMI

Was wondering if you would get to PVXN!

His "people" called my "people".

One of ATS's knowledge bins to be sure.

In fact it is where most of it is thrown out! I'm a knowledge reclamation plant, Rick!

Thanks gents (yes I'm using that term loosely)

Thank Jesus(my neighbor, not the diety), I was afraid I'd have to be a civilized person.

a reply to: FauxMulder

The worst representation I've seen of what my career was like was the TV series Valor

It was just awful in every way possible and even most non-military people hated this garbage show. Ran for a whole 3 months ending in January of this year.

Here's a look at it if you haven't seen this pile of #:

OMG projectvxn is intimidating. And interesting.

I used to be OBSESSED with this one VNV Nation song:



After listening to it again I can safely say that I still am, LOL.
I love that kind of music, emotional and beautiful.

Thanks for another awesome interview!
Nice to meet you projectvxn!

Love,
Lou.

a reply to: geezlouise

OMG projectvxn is intimidating.

I do not try intimidate anyone on ATS or in real life.

My apologies if that's how I come off sometimes.

a reply to: projectvxn

No need to apologize (to me anyhow)!

It's just the way it is.

And also... I guess I actually like being intimidated, lol. You know like when it's natural and unintended like when the person is just being themselves and they are cool af. It's good and delicious.

I need a cigarette right now...

...and I don't even smoke.

a reply to: IAMTAT

Lol, why?

originally posted by: geezlouise
a reply to: IAMTAT

Lol, why?

Never you mind, Missy.

a reply to: IAMTAT

Lol.

Ok Mister.

originally posted by: geezlouise
a reply to: IAMTAT

Lol, why?

It sounds like DB just left

a reply to: projectvxn

I saw the preview and couldn't bring my self to watch it.

Glad it got canned