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I've been a huge fan of Michael Yon's for years. I still read his posts every day, even though he's been pissing his life away in Thailand the last few years.

by swamp40 13y ago

I've been a huge fan of Michael Yon's for years. I still read his posts every day, even though he's been pissing his life away in Thailand the last few years. His posts and pictures from Iraq and Afghanistan were so poignant and heartfelt that...dunno, I can't even finish the sentence. I would compare him to Ernie Pyle, but that just seems like a disservice to both. I didn't see his original post linked anywhere - where he explains his naming of the Kopp-Etchells effect, so here it is: http://www.michaelyon-online.com/the-kopp-etchells-effect/page-2.htm http://www.michaelyon-online.com/the-kopp-etchells-effect/pa...

rdl 13y ago
For Afghanistan, Tim Lynch, who ran a contracting company "Free Range International" out of the "Jalalabad Guest House" (which at MIT Fab Lab and others, and the only bar in Jalalabad) also had a great blog: http://freerangeinternational.com/blog/ http://freerangeinternational.com/blog/ -- the most recent entries are some kind of story, but the early ones were great.
scrrr 13y ago
Just curious: Why is Thailand bad? It seems that this guy still produces good work, so how is he pissing his life away?
- swamp40 13y ago
  I dunno, maybe I just expect too much? I suppose when you're at the top, it is just down in all directions from there. He is writing another book - The Bomb Boys. And his daily output of articles, etc. is impressive (even if there is a sense of glory days about lots of them). 1) It seems like lots of ex-pats wander into Thailand and fade into the sunset. 2) He keeps talking about going back into the action (Korea, Syria, Libya back to Afghanistan, etc.), but never quite gets there. Maybe I'm wrong? Who am I to judge?
waterlesscloud 13y ago
I came across Yon years ago by way of his "Gates Of Fire" blog entry. His account of combat (which he was personally drawn into in this case) is the most gripping I've ever read. Well worth a read to get a sense of the chaos and terror of urban combat. How fast it goes and how little time there is to make any kind of decision. You can see why training matters so much. http://www.michaelyon-online.com/gates-of-fire.htm http://www.michaelyon-online.com/gates-of-fire.htm

by swamp40 13y ago

rdl 13y ago

For Afghanistan, Tim Lynch, who ran a contracting company "Free Range International" out of the "Jalalabad Guest House" (which at MIT Fab Lab and others, and the only bar in Jalalabad) also had a great blog: http://freerangeinternational.com/blog/ http://freerangeinternational.com/blog/ -- the most recent entries are some kind of story, but the early ones were great.

scrrr 13y ago

Just curious: Why is Thailand bad? It seems that this guy still produces good work, so how is he pissing his life away?

swamp40 13y ago
I dunno, maybe I just expect too much? I suppose when you're at the top, it is just down in all directions from there. He is writing another book - The Bomb Boys. And his daily output of articles, etc. is impressive (even if there is a sense of glory days about lots of them). 1) It seems like lots of ex-pats wander into Thailand and fade into the sunset. 2) He keeps talking about going back into the action (Korea, Syria, Libya back to Afghanistan, etc.), but never quite gets there. Maybe I'm wrong? Who am I to judge?

waterlesscloud 13y ago

I came across Yon years ago by way of his "Gates Of Fire" blog entry. His account of combat (which he was personally drawn into in this case) is the most gripping I've ever read. Well worth a read to get a sense of the chaos and terror of urban combat. How fast it goes and how little time there is to make any kind of decision. You can see why training matters so much. http://www.michaelyon-online.com/gates-of-fire.htm http://www.michaelyon-online.com/gates-of-fire.htm