Disappearing Operator

Hi,

I am not sure if this is the right thread to post this in, but I had a question for those familiar with special operators. I am trying to find out if this is normal or if I should worry. (Like I need something ELSE to worry about when the world is going to hell in a handbasket)

One of my coworkers has been involved with a lot of 'operations' in his life before coming to work in the business world. He was military, but also a contractor and his travels intersected a lot of historical events, whether as part of an 'official' operation or as a contractor.

He has been at things like evacuations of citizens in foreign countries prior to military actions, international hijackings, 'executive protection' gigs, etc.

For the last few years he has worked in private industry and seemed to be well-liked and a hard worker. I had become pretty good friends with him over the last few months, but a strange event happened this week that kind of bothers me.

I talked to him on Friday as normal. When I came in Monday his office was cleaned out, his nametag on the door was gone and none of his coworkers knew anything about where he went or what happened. There is scuttlebutt about a sudden resignation, but nothing verifiable.

I shot him an email and a couple of voice mails, with no response. Someone in his department said he told them he would be 'unavailable' for at least a week and would not be answering emails or phone calls.

My question is this - Would it be likely for someone who has been out of the special ops community for several years (he ain't no spring chicken) to be called out of the blue and 'disappear'?

It's just really weird. It's not like he was a low-level employee. He was a Director of the company and the head of Public Relations, so he has been the visible face of the company for many years.

Is it plausible he was called up for an assignment, or is it more likely he got ticked off and told them to shove it?

Thanks!

I have no real knowlege in this case, but I have an idea that there is a whole lot that goes on behind the scenes that most of the public doesn't see. If he was a sniper, he might have been a really good one and they need him for a job (from the movie sniper). I know for a fact that the millitary can and does call you back if they need you. As long as you are still in the window of inactive reserve. But they are the government. "they" can do watever they want. I wouldn't ask too many questions due to possible opsec problems. Just my opinion.
Have a nice day brother.

I suggest putting 2 and 2 together in this instance. He was an operator and was involved in spook stuff in the past and now he is a visible person working in PR. If he was involved in a covert OP that has for some reason gotten some light on it they would have to remove him from the public eye so no one could do a snatch and squeeze on him. When the source of the light on this exposed covert OP is removed or resettled what have you your friend might be able to come back into the light but if not he might have to go dark himself for a while.

That is my read on the situation.

reply to post by network dude



Thanks for the reply!

I think he may have been out of the military for long enough that it may not be them, but I do know he has a lot of contacts in the 'contracting' business.

He strikes me more as somebody who would be involved more with psyops or something rather than 'wet work'. (I am just using these stupid movie terms because I don't know what the real terms are.)

Anyway, I am sure he can take care of himself. He is a nice, easygoing guy but I still would not want to meet him in a dark alley.

You know what they say about guys who only own one gun. You shouldn't mess with them because it probably means the know what they are doing.

Oh well. Hopefully my questions haven't endangered anything he is doing.

reply to post by emsed1


you didn't give out his home address or social security number so I think it's fine. But this is the kind of stuff they make movies about. Kind of cool to see it in real life isn't it.

reply to post by network dude


It's interesting but worrisome.

If the company boned him and he quit it bothers me because he was so laid back and easygoing that it must have been a huge deal.

If he left due to some other reason it worries me because he has been telling me over and over for the last few months that I need to be thinking about my family and what we would do if the next big disaster happened.

He didn't seem paranoid, but had a lot of good resources for disaster preparedness, emergency supplies, etc.

I laughed it off as sort of a 'survivalist' mentality but he was really insistent on some of the stuff.

reply to post by emsed1


all you need to do is watch the news to get the chit scared out of you. I think if you are not prepared for a major catastrophe, you have been sleeping for some time. I am not a gloom and doom kind of guy, but I am more aware of events and more ready to jump then ever before. I have infomed all the family of an emergency plan and meeting location in case of emergency. If this guy was/is a spook, he probably does this sort of thing all the time but I admit I have all my knowlege from hollywood as well. I picked a location that had a lot of good things going for it as far as available supplies. Maybe I am paranoid, but if the SHTF, I wil feel better to know which direction to point the car. I will U2U you with the location in case you ever need a beer.

Depending on how deep or how high up he was in his military SpecOp carreer, they might call him back at anytime, especially if a project that he worked on at one point suddenly became relavant again.

Perhaps he worked some projects in the Cold War that are getting pulled out of the back of the filing cabinet due to current events. Thats what sprang to mind for me.

On the other hand, maybe he was just let in on a lucrative contract. Those government contractors make damn fine money if you can tolerate the work. If I was working on the other side of the house, I would be making roughly three times my yearly salary for doing a similar job- only I would spend 6 months in Iraq instead of 12-15. Not an unattractive concept if you don't mind the location. Three times the money in half the time. If he was part of some good-old-boys network in the contractor business, maybe he got in on some money that was too good to pass up. Some contractors work in secret just like the mil side as well. Not unlikely he might have to "disappear" for a little bit.

It seems more likely to me that he has been on a special operation for several years, and dropped you a hint. You may be standing in the middle of one.

You might consider taking some sudden vaction time!

People like that don't retire, they become retired, with a bullet.

Someone with too much knowledge becomes a liability if they are not constantly monitored. Better to keep them in play. I knew someone who monitored assetts. They do not get to just get up and go where they like, or talk to who they like, if they are so important that they survive retirement. No one is too important to receive their final retirement package.

[edit on 30-8-2008 by Cyberbian]

Originally posted by WhiteOneActual
Depending on how deep or how high up he was in his military SpecOp carreer, they might call him back at anytime, especially if a project that he worked on at one point suddenly became relavant again.

Perhaps he worked some projects in the Cold War that are getting pulled out of the back of the filing cabinet due to current events. Thats what sprang to mind for me.

On the other hand, maybe he was just let in on a lucrative contract. Those government contractors make damn fine money if you can tolerate the work. If I was working on the other side of the house, I would be making roughly three times my yearly salary for doing a similar job- only I would spend 6 months in Iraq instead of 12-15. Not an unattractive concept if you don't mind the location. Three times the money in half the time. If he was part of some good-old-boys network in the contractor business, maybe he got in on some money that was too good to pass up. Some contractors work in secret just like the mil side as well. Not unlikely he might have to "disappear" for a little bit.

Well I know money was a little tight for him lately, so that would make sense.

Some of the countries he has been to have very recently started to be back in the news.

Very interesting!

reply to post by Cyberbian


Wow... that's sort of scary.

It might even be probable, given the situation.

Somebody called the office yesterday looking for him. The receptionist said "He isn't here anymore" and the guy said he was supposed to meet him at his house but he wasn't answering his phone and could she get a message to him.

I hope it's nothing sinister. I love a good conspiracy but I would hate it if something happened to the guy.

If he was a sniper, he might have been a really good one and they need him for a job (from the movie sniper).

I just watched that movie the other day! I think it's called "Shooter" rather than Sniper but I could be wrong.

OP, are you in a large city? If so, his absense could go unnoticed by others for quite a long time. If you are in a small town, where people all know each other, and people are calling him at the office he used to work at because they can't reach him any other way, it might be just a matter of time before someone decides to report him missing.

Interesting story. I hope you keep us updated on what you learn about his sudden departure!

Jemison

reply to post by Jemison


Medium size city. Company has about 300 employees but everybody knew him since he was a director.

It may be most likely he got irritated and left, but the suddenness and mystery are pretty shocking.

It's also weird that everyone is so tight-lipped. It's probably my paranoia but when people leave this place it's almost like all trace of them is deleted.

The creepy thing is that they maintain tabs on all ex-employees, such as their facebook/linkedUp/email, etc. and maintain a database of their activities, like employers, addresses, etc.

It's creepy as hell.

reply to post by emsed1


You have just given us enough information about your friend that any person with reasonable computer skills could find out who he is.

This is why I don't believe your OP is anything but a hoax.

You have implied that your friend is a terrorist who kills for cash - see 'operator'

No one would endanger a friend the way you just have.

This is why I think you are lying.

Edit: "Wet Work" & "operator" - why don't you just call crimestoppers and collect the reward yourself? Murder is a crime.

Discussing Crimes is against the T&C's of this site.


[edit on 31-8-2008 by TruthTellist]

reply to post by TruthTellist


What in the world are you talking about?

I said none of those things.

I said that I am concerned about my friend who hasn't been at work this week.

What in the WORLD would be the point of hoaxing? I could give a damn whether anybody believes me. I am just trying to ask people who know about this stuff whether it is a common occurrence and whether I should worry about him.

Please take your paranoia elsewhere, it's annoying.

When you are in spec ops you make alot of enemy's around the world and they do know who you are.... he might have gotten some threatening news that some thing was going to happen to him so he ducked and covered.. or since he is a contractor he is down in Louisiana helping control the chaos with the hurricane with Blackwater.

Originally posted by Danman
When you are in spec ops you make alot of enemy's around the world and they do know who you are.... he might have gotten some threatening news that some thing was going to happen to him so he ducked and covered.. or since he is a contractor he is down in Louisiana helping control the chaos with the hurricane with Blackwater.

That is certainly possible too. I know some of his buddies were in NO after Katrina. They were mostly doing rescue and security work.

Semper Fi

What about the most likely scenario?

He was recruited away to a competing company, and that pissed off the current management.

In business, when high level employees depart for a competitor, the other company definitely "erases" the evidence very quickly. They want a clean break.

That competition might involve certain undisclosable contracts.

reply to post by mbkennel


but thats just a boring everyday kind of event. this was getting fun trying to hypothesize this man's whereabouts. And the movie i refered to earlier was in fact Shooter. Thanks for pointing that out Jemison. I do hope he is ok though.

reply to post by emsed1


just my munkie opinion - but his " sudden disaperance " would , indeed has drawn EXACTLY the attention that he should be trying to avoid at all costs

the entire ` rolercoaster ` from " secret operative " to public face of a company back to disappearing off the face of the earth is to be blunt RETARDED

if the facts of this case are true - the only rational explaination i can conciee is that hit is a ` honey pot ` operation , to identify those who investigate him and analyse thier methods and capabilities