Today I feel really sad and offended about some of the things said by other people who have since left the industry. I wish they wouldn’t keep perpetrating these myths about our lifestyle.

Earlier I was cleaning my garrote wire (protip: use bleach first, then polish!) and listening to the news, and I heard a report about the alleged high rates of PTSD in combat veterans and former private security personnel returning from war zones.
First of all, they only talked to “former” personnel – they’re not in the industry any more, so surely they have no right to comment on it.
Secondly, not everyone gets maimed, killed or severely injured, or gets PTSD – personally, I love my job, and by talking about the perceived problems with the industry, these people are erasing and invalidating my experience.

Then they started making all the usual exclusionary, radical points about conscription, child soldiers and “economic coercion” where the only employment is either in the military or with mercenary groups, which again is offensive. There is nothing to stop them from setting up their own small business, or moving to another city or country where they could find a job they’d prefer, you can book plane tickets and apply for start-up loans from your smartphone quite easily. I could have done any of those things, but instead, after I graduated university, I chose to become an extreme breath play specialist. To claim that we didn’t have a real choice is invalidating us and denying our agency! And agencies are very important in this job: before I went freelance I used to work for one and it was perfectly nice until our boss upset some of the local loan sharks and they sent Big Dave round to smash his kneecaps with a clawhammer and made me watch the whole thing. (No hard feelings, Dave! Are we still on for brunch next week? Leave the Black&Decker at home this time, what are you like??? ^_- )