Veterans Independent Living Operation

Gumwars, The location of the operation area is about 80 miles north of Elko NV, 40 miles south of the NV, ID boarder and about 160 miles west of the NV, UT boarder. Geez that was a long way to say that it is near the little town of Mountain City NV, which is almost a ghost town.

I have never been as happy or at peace with myself as I am when I am up in "the country of the Gods" as I call it. The closest ranch is 5 miles from my claim, and the first time my brother (Boyd) and I dropped into the canyon I knew I had found my spot.

Its about 9 hours from "The land of the Tragic Kingdom" (O.C.). I will look forward to your E-mail have a good 'un Sir.

My bad, I was raised old school and find myself calling most people Sir or Miss, even friends. Won't happen again, promise. You would not bielive the troble I had in Basic Training with the same issue! :-) Hope your sails are clear and the winds at your back my friend.

Tom,

I welcome any veteran with open arms no matter if they served for a day or a decade, I would be glad to accept any thoughts or comments from you my "brother in arms" Please feel free to view anything thats posted and I thank you for all of your kind and funny comments today.

Mahalo

Thanks Pamela,

I have just recently notice the little vote arrow and was oblivious for the first few days here. I still forget about it and feel real funny voting for something I wrote. :)

( I did not notice I neglected voting for this whole thread, thanks again for the reminder )

Mahalo

Thanks I got that felling, I just never asked. I hope your evening is a good one.

Cheers:)

Thanks yasmin,

I am not up on all the regs for disabled rehab but I do know that allot of mining procedures are well within the capability of many who might not at first think so, like so many other cases I think it comes down to access and planning. Any input is good input. :)

Mahalo

I have been working on this for about a year now full time, talking to political offices, county(Orange County CA), state(CA, and NV), and Federal. Not much traction in that direction and I have looked into alternative funding for the past couple of months. I will be presenting the program to the local VFW and American Legion this month, with hopes of filling the open board seats.

This has been a one man rowboat for too long, and I have no fund-raising or managerial experience nor do I want any, just the honor of directing field operations and implementing the pillars of the vision. Heck I'm just an old rostabout and the halls of power are not too friendly.

If nothing has moved after my next actions by the end of Sept., I will relocate to the claim and build what infrastructure I can, until winter hits hard, I still think it could be set-up for trainees by early June '09 but that is worse case, my best case is I get to support of one of the organizations I'm presenting too and all site-prep completed and additional claims acquisition done by mid Nov. and a winter cadre training course could be run.

I am very glad that your husband returned to you, please extend my warmest regards to him. If you have any other questions feel free to ask.

Mahalo

Steve9001,

I have addressed this in another venue, and I appreciate the opportunity to address it here. Yes a "Strike" is rare but what is a "Strike"? In a small to mid sized placer operation maybe 20-40 oz a day is considered a rich deposit but a small scale prospector can realistically pull 2-5 oz. a week working with hand equipment in a well researched gold rich area, back when I started as a hobbyist prospector gold was around 350.00 USD and now gold is hovering between 850.00 and 1000.00 an oz.

Do the math and remember that it is all about numbers, how much material can a particular method process, and it's capability to "filter the values" from the tailings. How much effort that is expended in the location of a mining claim will be directly proportional in the eventual gross yield of mineral wealth extracted from the claim. Most of the 49'er never got rich but if you look back the average "take" for a 49'er was about 1oz a day, they where just robbed in town by the hyper-inflated cost of goods and services and in their day an oz. of gold was 27.00USD.

I also believe that the homeless veteran will be better-off reconnecting with other veterans in an environment that nurtures the skills that have been repressed by society and I have even begun to talk with a few small commercial operators in the gold fields to feel them out about taking on new hires from the program if the trainee wants to find a mining job instead of the independent prospecting path.

Thank you very much for asking a very valid question and I hope that my answer was satisfactory.

Aloha

Hey Robert,

Yeah 1500.00/oz. is what I predicted by may 09, bad market equals higher commodity prices. Thank you for checking out the program. I have an idea for alternative funding that should provide seed funds for a spring start, something that does not involve the getting government funds or asking for strait donations from people (two things I'm loath to do) but it will be an adventure.

As soon as I work out the details I will post an article about it. I will say that the idea upholds my belief in individualism, and personal responsibility.

Aloha

psdervards,

Thank you for reading and commenting on this piece, I have read that India is becoming a true world player in the mineral and gem industry. I don't know where in your fine country the main thrust of this growth is but I am sure there is an article or two there.:)

I hope you have a bright and sunny day,

Aloha

Hi psdevards,

I am so glad that you dropped in, I was offline for a while and during my time away the Mumbai attack happened.  I heard about it only last week, I the first thing I thought about was you and I hoped that you and your family were OK when I learned of this crime. 

In regards to mining and the limits of a particular tract of land to produce mineral wealth, my attitude is once a claim has been "played out" the operation will rehab the area then strike camp and move on to the next prospect.  The necessities of life, ei water, food, shelter in a wilderness environment are minor challenges that I and most other veterans are more than capable planning for and supplying with little trouble.  I like to think that it is another skill to be passed on to the trainees, Camp Management and Planning.

The part of the United States that I have chosen for the initial WOLF Camp is in the NE section of Nevada, about 80 miles North of Elko NV and in Elko there are all the services and supply houses that would be found in any major desert town, the little village of Mountain City NV, is close to my gold claim and though there are people living there (mostly retirees) it is not much more than a modern ghost town, there is a post office there but not much else.

I hope that everything is alright for you and yours my friend, and know that many good thoughts and prayers are being sent to the people of India from not only the US, but the rest of the world.

Take care and stay safe,

Aloha

The biggest mistake this nation committed was removing itself from a gold/silver standard, the second, starting Social Security IMHO, but try telling that to anyone born after 1945 who has not taken the time to read a little bit about the subject. Friggin ridiculous I tellz ya!

Steve,

Mahalo for your very nice compliment, I will let you know as things progress.

Have a great day,

Aloha

Usff,

Why thank you again, my friend.  I will be working on the VIL-OP organization defining document over the next week or so (This is the training book), the app. for non-profit paper work was not acceptable to the IRS, to many TBD entries.  I must get up to Carson City NV sometime in the next few months and do a lot of paper work and then reapply for N.P. status.  By the Gods I hate paperwork and bureaucrats.

I really believe that this organization can and will be self supporting after the first couple of years, so I am not going for the NonProfit status for the purpose of seeking donations from the puplic, rather I want to be able to access the Defence Reutilization and Management Office (DRMO) surplus train, the program would have pick and choose rights to any surplus goods before it hits the public governmental auctions.  That means that Duece and ahalfs and 5 tons, Hemmets, Humvies, Feild Gear, Excavation Equipment and anything else that hits the surplus train is available for minimal capital outlay and shipping.

I am playin with the idea of offering a paid membership track for fundraising purposes, and with membership comes benifits, like a Rod and Gun Club (no cost transfer of firearms and discounts with outfitters), week long stays at a WOLF Camp with use of all mining equipment (not in use for a training evolution), group discounts for health and welfare services, ect.

I have to get going it's almost 08:00, crap I am going to be late.

Talk to you later, I will drop you a note when I get back.

Take care, have a good'un

Aloha

Usff,

No worries, I will be working on this for a while yet, I have made a connection with a retired MSG, and he will be giving me some good feedback and insite on training issues.

I hope you have a great evening, and a supper weekend, my friend

Aloha

Thanks Goldminor,

I am actually in the process of reworking the program, I still think that it has merit for the few homeless veterans who are willing to take personal responsibility for their lives, but the past year has been enlightening for me about the true ingrained mindset of most people veterans included. I must have talked to 100 homeless folks who claim to be veterans over the past year and of those I have only found two who wanted to know when I was going to start, everyone else either thought it sounded like a lot of work, or wanted to know how much I was paying, or were offended by the regimented camp schedule.

So after taking a couple of weeks off of the computer and a few days camping with my dogs up in the Santa Ana Mountains, also a session with my VA counselor, I am scaling back the scope of the initial program goals. I will still help those veterans that want help but I will no longer pursue gov. backing nor financing and I will help anyone get out in the woods and away from the city.

My plan currently is to be up on the claim in mid-later April (first spring thaw) and start building the camp infrastructure, and really explore the surrounding territory.

Thanks again for checking it out (friend request OTW), if you would like to b.s. about pulling gold out of the ground, feel free to give me a call. 714-321-2916

Have a good'un,

Aloha

Hey Raymond,

I swear that I posted a responce to your comment days ago, oh well. Thanks my friend for your continued support of my idea, I will move forward on this, just taking baby steps (By the gods I detest baby steps!)

Take'r easy,

Aloha

Hi Hyper Active,

You are most welcome here, there is a seed on my column that outlines the 1872 mining law, and you are right about Idaho being a historic producer of placer gold.

Anything I can do to help a fledgling prospector get started, I will do. You are more than welcome to come down and learn how to stake a claim in a legal manner when spring hits. If you would like to BS about mining or any other thing, here is my number: 714-321-2916

Take care and come again soon! X^)

Aloha

Hi jwc,

Thank you very much for your kind words.  Stay tuned, more on the camp build-up to come in the spring!  :^)

All my best,

Aloha

Hey Bigbugy,

My stupid conversation tracker is real funky lately, I usually respond to comments in a more timely manner.

The potential drug and alcohol problems of trainees, is something that has brought up to me before. I have no training with dealing with those problems (I am just a field engineer) and it would be in the best interest of the trainee if they have treatment in a basic fashion, before embarking on a training evolution, at least to the "suck it up" level of ability in dealing with their personal demons.

I will be setting up the camp in the spring, and anyone who would like come up to the operation area and lend a hand are more than welcome. Details are still being worked out, so I will post an article in the near future outlining the "action plan".

Thanks so much for your support, and have a great day! :^)

Aloha

Good-to-Go!

Hey Dan,

Thanks for dropping in and contributing to the ongoing conversation about this idea. I totally understand were you are coming from and you raise a few good points. I think the best way to address them is to just list my answers in order of your queries.

The idea that our nation contains vast natural resources while veterans that would make use of those resources in a very ecological way (since you dont' $%^& where you eat.) is ludecrous.

1. The environment is very important to me personally and to the future of all who enjoy the wild spaces. Modern placer mining is very envro. friendly and actually has a overall possitive impact on the streams, creeks and rivers were the technologies are used (the removal of lead and mercury from the waterway bed structures, left there by the first and second wave of oldtime prospectors).

This also offers other options. How many times do you hear arguments over issues concerning endangered species? One reason is it happens to be very hard to track, count, and map endangered animals. How many ecological treasures are lost because we dont even know where they are? I see the possibility of programs like this evolving into dozens of other programs focusing on forest and wildlife mapping, historical lifestyle preservation, parks care and managment, wilderness rescue and public safety, etc...

2. I see no reason why WOLF Camp should not assist Fish and Game with wildlife observations and census work, very nice suggestion. Any wilderness occupational tracks should be judged for it's value to the veteran as well as it's value to the community. I have made contact with the county sheriff (Under-sheriff) about putting together a curriculum for the Search and Rescue community service training.

One reason many veterans become homeless is not due to mental illness, but instead difficulty in adjusting to the social hirarchy system of capitalism. Often there is a significant difference of opinion between veterans, with their "honor first" mindset, and civilians, with their "money first", that leads veterans to friction in the workplace. While this may seem like an excuse to many whom have not served our country, every veteran knows what I mean.

3. I have written some other personal articles here on the vine that speak around this issue, and I have posted a conversation with a friend of mine, in that conversation I speak directly about my last experience in the civil workplace here:

http://robertlyn.podbean.com/

So I know exactly what you mean.

You will be hard pressed to find a veteran that will not happily live in field conditions rather than take a bed from a homeless family or untrained civilian homeless person. The main obsticle is a PLACE. You can't simply move into the "woods".

4. I am hopeful that as the camp comes together this spring we can get a few hardy souls interested in filling out the cadre slots. The cost of staking the claim is really not steep in Nevada, 171.00 to the feds, 46.00 to the county to file the claim with their County Recorder, and 50.00 to the State for property taxes (flat rate in NV for mining claims. The real cost comes with running a remote encampment, but I believe that the VA may actually come through with some kind of $$ help eventually. Also it is in the plan for VIL-OP/WOLF Camp to help establish the "graduates" on their first claim and supply them with the basic prospecting tools to be independent if that is the path they chose, otherwise they have the option of working within WOLF Camp to help other veterans for a while, and aquire and save a larger persentage of the mineral samples recovered during WOLF Camp operations.

Thanks again, friend request sent.

Have a good'un brother,

Aloha

Hey Kenyon,

My dad was an arresting gear chief on the USS Valley Forge during Korea, first Aircraft Carrier on station and to launch jet aircraft into combat. Flight deck ops are very dangerous, thank you for doing your job back then.

I think that even if someone is pulling an once a week from a creek while living on their own claim (no rent or mortgage) will allow the opportunity for real wealth building with a good lifestyle as opposed to sitting on a corner in some god forsaken city stewing about all that is wrong with their life.

Come spring thaw I'm putting every bit of my considerable energy on making this a real and tangible thing, not just an abstract idea.

Thanks so much for your support and friendship

Aloha brother