The Black Vault

What was your bad experience Joker?

I lost my passport the day before departure and I had a run in with Airline officials from American Airlines and Immigration and the associated bureaucracy which led to me being almost arrested. But the Airport Police were really good and actually helped me get the matter sorted out with immigration and got the ball rolling on an what is called an "uplift" from the Australian government via the Australian Consulate in L.A.

The issue was that as clear as I was about the situation at hand the Airline and Immigration officials were not listening, it was only after The Airport Police got involved did they listen.

The best thing of it all was that I was able to depart on my scheduled flight.

Essentially an "Uplift" is the authority to travel without a passport back to Australia in my case.

The heroes of the day were in my view the two Airport Police officers even though their original intention was to arrest me. What surprised me was that they apologized for the mix up and said that they could understand how I was feeling and that was really nice of them.

I havn't flown in an airplane in so long they were biplanes back then. My son flies all the time, and since 911 its a real pain in the ass with security matters. When ever you are dealing with a government entity, be it airport security or whatever, they invent new rules of stupidy as they go. Sounds like someone ended up helping in the end. I would think losing your passport would scare anyone, in any country. Last thing you need is to think you are getting arrested in a strange country. Imagine doing it in a real hostile place.

This was post 9-11. I can't say I was fearful of being arrested, I was more annoyed than anything that the Airline staff and Immigration personnel lied.

When the Police found out I was (at the time) an O4 in the Military they began to listen and then went about fixing the mess the Airline and Immigration had made.

The only thing the Airline had to do after I had spoken to the consulate was to call the Australian Consulate and ask for the Authority to uplift and give them their fax number.

Instead the Airline and Immigration caused the Australian Government to generate so much paper a small forrest no longer existed.

In my original response to you Greeney2 I said it was American Airlines I meant to say United. I was distracted sorry American Airlines.

These days when I travel my passport is very closely guarded when traveling as a civilian and I never have any problems at point of entry or exit form any country I travel to and from as my passport now has my salutation as my Commissioned Rank on it instead of Mr.

sandra wrote::lol:

raaaaaaaaaaaaaath. lmao!

What ... you making fun of me again Sandra.

greeney2 wrote:I have to say Rath you have many preconcieved wrong ideas about the USA and your preception of how things are in this country, its impossible to convince you otherwise. Curious Joker, if you have ever came to the USA and seen it first hand, Rath has not. Rath seems something on Youtube and assumes this represents all of the USA, like the Utah police insodent, or police chases in the USA, racism.

Rath has definate ideas about the role of US forces in the Pacific, and the role Austrialia played in the WW1 and WW2. I can;t imagine all of Austrailia shares his views about the USA with regards to the Pacific battles and US forces. Even when proven wrong, he still will not concede being wrong. I'm pretty darn sure Raths view of us, are not even close to the views most Austrialians have of America.

& you have many preconcieved ideas about my preconcieved ideas Greeny2.

All wrong aswell my friend.

But the fact still stands ...... The usa was not involved in the bulk of ww1 because they where fighting the Mexicans over Corn.

& you have many preconcieved ideas about my preconcieved ideas Greeny2.

No I don't, I respond to what you say in posts. And you were proven wrong about WW1 and WW2.

greeney2 wrote:

& you have many preconcieved ideas about my preconcieved ideas Greeny2.

No I don't, I respond to what you say in posts. And you were proven wrong about WW1 and WW2.

HAHA good one. i just choked on my lunch.

And you were proven wrong about WW1 and WW2

So, How do you work that out.




viewtopic.php?f=6&t=4255

rath wrote:Southwestranger ......... Greeney.

Youes mob' claim over 4.5 million US troops served in world war one & saved the rest off us from the AxIS of evil that was wiping us from the face of the earth.

I claim that view is RUBBISH, & that the USA did much less than the USA claims credit for.

So ...... Riddle me this.

rath wrote:ww1 went from 1914 - 1918

World war one started on july 28 1914 and ended november 11 1918.

the USA only declared war .... not even entered war .... but just declared war
on April 6, 1917 .......

The US armed forces were not fully engaged till the May, Spring offensive of 1918 thanks to General Pershing's rightful opposition to employ the troops as they arrived in the combat zones, intermingled with French units and under French command.

World war one started on july 28 1914 and ended november 11 1918.

Australia entered world war 1 on July 28 1914 & stayed until Germany was defeated, on november 11 1918.

The US armed forces did not declear war or fight in world war one until may 1918.


That is only 5 months before Germany' surrendered after they lost at the hindenburg line to Australian Troops.

rath wrote:Q.

If world war one went from 1914-1918,

World war one started on july 28 1914 and ended november 11 1918.

& the USA only declared war .... not even entered war .... but just declared war
on April 6, 1917 .......

Just 28 weeks before world war one ended,

& only after Australia .... the UK & their Alies had already forced Germany's surrender on almost all fronts & in All theaters of the war.

For example on the easten front .... & in Africa & the Mid East.

The US armed forces were not fully engaged till the May, Spring offensive of 1918 thanks to General Pershing's rightful opposition to employ the troops as they arrived in the combat zones, intermingled with French units and under French command.


& if world war one ended november 11 1918, After Germany surrendered after Australia took the hindenburg line.

How is it that if by may 1918 the USA only had 1 million troops in Europe & were still getting around to sending US troops to Africa & the Mid East when the war there was already over .......

Just Where do you get this over 4 million US troops served in world war one from ........

greeney2 wrote:This is a partial list of the statistics references below, that confirm my correction of your figures. I spent over an hour reading Austrailan and other history about WW1 by the way, as well as USA. You are in dire need of an attitude change Rath, and your personal opinions of what you precieve to be the truth. Yours dates and assumptions, and you immflamatory opinions, are not accurate. These statistics and what I found are accurate numbers. They reflect the total numbers of uniformed people over the course of the war, and not at any one time. Austrailia total of 421,000 (approx.), and the death toll were confirmed in many places, and the fact only 92,000 were dedicated to the western front. The death tolls of many of the main battles in WW1 occured in large numbers during the entire war, but in the last year of the war accounted for the highest numbers. You need to get your facts straight, when you conclude the Doughboys, were an unarmed useless entity. When they were ready for combat, under Pershing in France American forces totaled 1,000,000 under Pershings command, and were arriving at a rate of 10,000 per day everyday. History tells what the importance of Pershings forces were, and what a formitable force US troops were. Austrailia was not in the trenches until 1916 and in total numbers, a very small fraction of the millions from other Nations.

Red & Purple = /

rath wrote:By summer 1918, a million American soldiers, or "doughboys" as they were often called, of the American Expeditionary Force were in Europe under the command of John J. Pershing, with 25,000 more arriving every week.

Coz you got me fooled.

world war one

World War I (1917–1918) American Expeditionary Forces
The United States originally wished to remain neutral when World War I broke out in August 1914. However, it insisted on its right as a neutral party to immunity from German submarine attack. The ships carried food and raw materials to Britain. In 1917 the Germans resumed submarine attacks, knowing that it would lead to American entry. However the U.S. had deliberately kept its army small and mobilization took a year. Meanwhile the U.S. sent more supplies and money to Britain and France, and started the first peacetime draft. Economic mobilization was much slower than expected, so the decision was made to send divisions to Europe without their equipment, relying instead on British and French supplies.

By summer 1918, a million American soldiers, or "doughboys" as they were often called, of the American Expeditionary Force were in Europe under the command of John J. Pershing, with 25,000 more arriving every week. The failure of Germany's spring offensive meant they had exhausted their manpower reserves and were unable to launch attacks or even defend their lines. Meanwhile, the German home front revolted and a new German government signed a conditional surrender, the Armistice, ending the war on November 11, 1918.

So again i ask .......

Just Where do you get this over 4 million US troops served in world war one from ........

rath wrote:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_J._Pershing

greeney2 wrote:Or maybe he is just embarrased by a fellow Austrailian. I think Joker is doing just fine, and if he was someone from the past, who cares, Joker hasn;t broken any rules.

O i agree Greeny2 thats why i not creating a thread asking for him to be banned .......

Bcause that would just be silly.

However ...... like i said it is a bit strange that Jokers first action a new member hear at the blackvault, was to bring up events that happened long before he joined the Blackvault & his second was to start this thread for myself to be banned.

Like you say Greeny2 ...... who Joker really is ........ is of no consaquence either way.

But it does bring up the matter of his integrity, & weather what he seys can be trusted or not.

I must have struck another nerve Rat, I mean Rath. Your typing faster than your brain works, so your spelling is even worse than mine. Calm down, being wrong once in a while is good for the soul. A fellow countryman is just trying to tell the same thing