Deson gets a strange job

I'm an Iraqi ... or an Afghan.....

OK, an explaination is in order.
I've recently been hired for the Civilians on the Battlefield program at a local Army base. My job is to wear typical clothing and hang around in a mock village as convoys of trainees drive through and interact with us. Sometimes we are friendly sometimes we raise Hell (Riots, ambushes etc). With 40 weapons and suicide vests filled with baby powder. I sorta view this a Live Action Role Playing (LARP) for pay. The only part that I've been blowing my brain out on is studying 15 Phrases in Arabic, Dari and Poshta. The nearest that I can figure is that the Most common usage for the Phrases involve checkpoints (May I see you Identification card, Let me search your vehicle, etc.) My basic goal is to create as realistic situation as possible for the troops so that there aren't any surprises when they are deployed to Either Iraq or Afghanistan. I so far have undergon two days of training and I can say 3 of things about it. One, avoid all pyrotechnic devices due to the fact that they can go off at any time. Two, watch out for Bears (deficating or not) in the woods. Three, High resolution computer images do nothing for making pallatable an image of trench foot.

This reminds me, I could use some help. I need a small progam made but I don't know how to program it. What I need is the equivelant of Flash cards made. What I'm looking for is a progam that will show on the screen Some phrases in Arabic, Dari and Pashto and the english translation . As long as it can be run on Windows XP or Win 98 that'll be coool with me. As I either click the mouse or press the space button I want it to flash a diffrent phrase and translation. At the moment I'm using 3 by 5 cards for this purpose but a electronic version would be better. Please note that the Phrases in Arabic, Dari and Pashto are going to be in a English lettering and Phonetic spelling. I can provide those. Can someone help?

reply to post by Deson

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There is something like that called iflash, but i think it's only for mac...

iflash

It is only for mac, but it might link to something else... Hmm I had it a while back on demo, look as though it's been updated ALOT!!

Cheers Dude, you've just given me an idea!!

Job sounds cool and a lot of fun!

MonKey

reply to post by Deson

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Don't know if you've saved an old copy, but Windows 'Cardfile' is probably around somewhere on the 'Net.

Here's a site that talks about similar apps and gives the platform upon which they will work. Win Millenium and Windows98 had cardfile on the supplementary CD...

HTH.

These are the Phrases that I need to memorise.

Note that (A)= Arbabic. (D)=Dari and (P)=Pashto

SHOW ME YOUR IDENTIFICATION CARD
(A) RAWEENEE HAWEETAK
(D) TAZKERA DAAREE
(P) TAZKERA DAY WOODRA VA

DO YOU UNDERSTAND?
(A) DATIFTEHIM?
(D) MEY FAAMEE?
(P) AYA POYEE SHWAY?

ARE YOU IN POSSESSION OF WEAPONS?
(A) INTA SHAYEL SLAH WIYAK?
(D) ASLIHA DAAREE?
(P) AYA SALAA LAA REY?

DROP YOUR WEAPONS!
(A) DHIBU ESLAHKUM!
(D) SALAWHE-TA PARTO!
(P) SALAA DAY WAACHA RA!

YOU CAN LEAVE
(A) TIGAR TROOH
(D) TOO MEYTAANEE BIREE
(P) TUT LAYEE SHEY

EXCUSE ME/I'M SORRY
(A) IL 'AFU / ANEE MIT-ASIF
(D) MEY BAKHSHEE
(P) WO BAHA MA ZI RAT WARUM

HANDS UP!
(A) ERFA-U AIDKUM!
(D) DAST-HAW BAWLAW!
(P) LAASUNA POOL TAA KRAA!

WHAT DIRECTION?
(A) IB-AY ITEEJAH?
(D) KODAWM TARAF?
(P) KOOHM WHAA?

DO YOU NEED MEDICAL ATTENTION?
(A) TREED MOOSA'DAH TABBIYA?
(D) AAYAA BA KOMEKE DOKTAR ZA ROORAT DAAREED?
(P) AYA TA DAA WAY TAA ZAROO RAT LAA REY?

LET ME SEARCH YOUR CAR
(A) ANEE FETISH SAYARATIK
(D) BEGZAAR KAY MOTAR SHUMMAA RAA TALASHEE KONEEM
(P) EH JAA ZAA RAA KRAA CHI MOO TAR DE WA LA TA WOOM

PUT YOUR WEAPON DOWN!
(A) THIB SLAAHAK!
(D) SALAWHE-TA PARTO!
(P) SALAA DE PERZ MAKA KEGDA!

STOP
(A) OGAF!
(D) ESTWADA SHO!
(P) WA DA REY GA!

STOP YOUR VEHICLE
(A) OGAF SAYARATIK
(D) MOTAR TAANRAA TAWAQAF BEDAHEED
(P) MOTAR DAY WOODRA RA

WHAT IS YOUR NAME?
(A) SHISMEK?
(D) NAAMAT CHEST?
(P) STA NOOM SEDAY?

DO YOU NEED HELP?
(A) TEHTAAJOON MUSA'ADA?
(D) SHOMA BE KOMAK ZARAROOT DAWRAYN?
(P) AYA KOMAK TA ZA OO RAT LA REY?

What I'm thinking of is something that'll generate a random number and then based on that number flash the appropraite phrase with translation onto the screen. "If number = 1 then print "Show me your identification card, Reweenee hawetak" If number =2 the then print ..... To a maximum of 45 possible (15 phrases 3 langauges)

You get the idea.




[edit on 13-3-2008 by Deson]

Why not just create jpg cards that you can use in any viewer



The answers would be on the second card in the sequence.




I used Microsoft Word to print the text, then I used ScreenPrint 32 to capture the image and make the jpg cards. You can keep them all in a separate folder sequentially, but flash through them randomly to test yourself. The answers will always follow on the next mouse click.

I know it may not be exactly what your looking for, but it seems a workable solution.



EDIT: And no, I don't think I have the time to make up all the cards you need, sorry.



[edit on 13/3/2008 by anxietydisorder]

I have no suggestions for you, but wow what an incredible job. You could apply for that show "Worlds most unusual jobs" or is it Worlds most dirty jobs?
Anyway does it pay good? What are the requirements and how did you find out about this very different job?

Best of luck to you and your unique position. Is there a possibility that it could lead into other NWO jobs in the near future?

Well, I decided to try the manual way and manufacture some flash cards using 3x5 cards. That's seems to be doing the trick.

Concerning the job, I've found out that we are getting the "Newbies" stright out of Basic so a lot of errors can be expected. This makes things all the more fun at times. The pay is $13.00 per hour and I figure that after taxes I'll be getting around $10.00 per hour. In all honesty, I'd almost pay to have this since it's a lot of fun. I'm going to take the liberty of including a few "Incidents" of what's been going on.

(1) Snowfall the prior day and we are in a mock village where the buildings just consist of 3 walls and no roof. We get bored....

The scenario: The troops are supposed to spot a fake IED in the area. A tire with a fake IED (Soda bottle with car wires) is placed in the right hand lane of the road.

Preston gets an idea.....
He proceeds to make an object and place it in the right lane a few feet in front of the tire. Convoy arrives and stops a few feet in front of the object. I heard the following radio exchange fron the front vehicle.

"We've got a snowman."
"A little snowman."
"With twigs for arms."
"In the surrender position."

After a consultation ith their superior they proceed to drive AROUND the little snowman. Yes they did spot the fake IED in the tire.

(2) later on we get shifted to another village where we are a unfriendly village. 2 of the buildings have ladders leading up to a hatch in the roof. 2 snowmen appear on one of the roofs. Between the A.K. fire and the S.A.W. along with the pyrotechnics I suspect the snowmen weren't even noticed.

(3) scenario: Search for a weapons cache
In a building I am there with a fake A.K. 47 (Rubber duck) Troops find my rubber duck. They then confiscate it. They proceed to place it into one of the humvees. Approached by one of the OC's (Observer Controller who serves and both Judge and game master) told me to raise a little hell because my protection was being taken away from my family.

(Me) "MY A.K.!!"
(LIEUT) "You'll get it back after you sign for it later on."
(Me) "Want A.K. NOW!!"
(O.C. speaking to Lieut) "In country they are authorised a A.K. for every family. You never take the A.K. out of sight of them. I've seen situations where ther are 20-30 A.K.'s sitting on the sidewalks with nothing more than 2 guards at either end guarding them."
(Lieut after having a private get the A.K. out of the Humvee) "O.K. what I'll do is Place your A.K. right here and THEY (pointing at a Humvee with a S.A.W. gunner manning the turret) will gurad it and you so mothing happens.
I smile.
After a few minutes and the main bunch go to another building a Private cursing under his breath ( who apparently hadn't heard of this rule.) runs over to grab the A.K.
(Me) "MY A.K.!! MY A.K.!! YOU no touch!! Me no touch!! THEY guard!! (pointing to the Humvee then points towhere the A.K. was)
"DOWN!! DOWN!! DOWN!!"
(Private looks in the direction of his officer who apparently motions that it's ok.)
Scenario suddenly called due to the fact that while the troops were busy with me 80% of the villagers left again by way of the MIDDLE of the village and walk over to the other side of the road where they are "no longer in play". One of them leaves with a mortar round slung over his shoulder.




[edit on 31-3-2008 by Deson]

[edit on 31-3-2008 by Deson]

Thank you for the wishes. As far as the requirements go there isn't really all that much. Passing a background check and being able to physically walk (and occasionally run in mock terror). There is also (optional) wht is called OP-4 training. It's a 3 hour class that allows you to fire a AK-47 that fires blanks in your job. Great for "Drive by shootings". Also a lot of fun. I haven't had the OP-4 class yet due to prior commitments but I plan on doing so. No extra pay but should liven things up. For the most part we sit around (a folding chair is a must) and wait for the O.C.s (Observer Controlers or Game Masters as I think of them) to call out on the radio what scenario they want to run. They use a number designation for the scenarios since they don't want the troops to know what to expect. At times there's a lot of noise. Pyrotechnics, AK fire, grenade simulaters, smoke grenades etc.

As far as other Jobs? I have no idea but I kinda doubt it. There are some people here who have done this job for the last 4 years or so. The length of the time for having the job depends on the contract. It's at least through September although I've been hearing about October/November.
How I found out about it? I'm in a homeless veterans shelter. I heard about it when it was posted on one of our message board. They also put out advertisements in the newspaper as well. Total recuitement for this job is suppossed to be about 250-300 people. I'm in the first 80 or so.

I thought that I'd bring people up to date on a few items that have happenned that you may find amusing at my employment at Ft. McCoy.

We have a large variety of wildlife at the Fort. Mostly deer (whitetail), porcupine, and a black bear. Sometimes the results can be kinda fumnny at times.

For example, one of our workers (Bessie) is a amatuer nature photographer. She carries around a digital camera pretty much always. We had been putting in a long day and we coming back out of the woods when suddenly she yelled for the van to stop. There was a porcupine trundling don the road. Bessie hops out and starts franticly snapping pictures and chasing the thing!! The poor critter wanted nothing to do with her and went up a tree fleeing from this insane human. After snapping her pics she got back into the van. This little scenario was repeated 2 more times on the way back. Within the space of 20 minutes or so. 3 porcupines, 3 trees, 11 Deer. For the deer she snapped the pics of them by the side of the road without getting out of the van. Fortunate for the deer. Unfortunately for the deer they decided to go running off in the direction of the impact area for artillary. Luckly no artillary was being fired at the time. I hesitate to think of the results of a wrong place at wrong time.

A few days ago A black bear had been sighted on post. This was confirmed when a convoy encountered the Bear.... on a road. The convoy drove up to about 3 feet and tried Horns, M16s fireing blanks, and finally tried a siren loud enough to disperse a crowd of people. The bear didn't move. After about 30 minutes or so the bear left. They also found out why the bear didn't want to move. A cub. Yep a momma and her cub. 2 days ago I find myself in a mock village in the same area. With a van nearby to have possibe shelter (just in case). The military did something smart. After 4 hours they cancelled. War called on account of Bear. Yesterday myself and another guy were at a checkpoint acting like Iraqi police. We're kicking back relaxing and then noises come from a thicket.... loudly.....coming our way.... We got nervous waiting. Then another smallish form comes trundling out of the thicket. Another Bleeping porcupine!! After our blood pressure went down we had a good laugh about it. Geez work at times!