During the process of the settling of the US, people moved for a chance at a better life. There was money and riches to be had, or a better life for the family and kids. But at the same time, there was a lot of focus on improving things for the country as a whole and its future. These weren't just things like setting aside lands for the national parks, they were things like the Louisiana Purchase, Lewis and Clark's journey to the Oregon Territory, the creation of the national railway and highway infrastructure, and NACA/NASA's quest for aerospace excellence. These all were (and still are in many cases) things that we as a nation pay for that benefits us in many ways, some intangeble to the common citizen.

Over the last couple of decades however, the focus has shifted. It's not about the US Nation any more; it's about the US economy. No longer is the US about the sanctity of the individual; corporations have demanded and are getting more rights than the common citizen who provides much of the funds for the infrastructure the corporation exists in. Rarely anymore do you hear stories espousing about how great America is or what makes us great. America has problems, but by just reporting those in the nightly news you disconnect people with the fact that we have probably succeeded beyond our ancestors wildest dreams. We HAVE the good life; we HAVE a great nation.

Americans still can think about the future and doing what's right out of moral obligation and the sake of future generations; our willingness to send our troops to foreign lands to aid in policing actions is proof of that. But for the most part we don't see that; we only focus on the bottom line and what we can buy this week. WHat have you done recently to help others? Do you only help friends and family or do you do things that benefits random people you may not even know? So much is spoken about the bottom line and big government and not wasting money that people forget that you can't always quantify things and that sometimes the money you spend now won't make a difference until twenty years in the future.

Issac Newton, a brilliant scientist who laid the foundation for much of what we know about classical mechanics, once stated, "If I have been able to see further, it was only because I stood on the shoulders of giants". I am where I am today because of the work of past people. I profess to be no giant, but if even one life is saved because some young man or woman read my page and learned something that allowed them to make a smart military or police decision, I have made a difference and have positively affected us all.

Specwarnet.com exists because I have received the benefits of people helping others without thought to "making something out of it" or gaining recognition or advancement from it. Specwarnet is a free "service." We do it to help our community and advance our society. It will continue to remain free, that is a commitment I made long ago. I hope that you use it to learn about special forces (and I mean that in the generic sense); so that now and in the future you can gauge information that you see and hear independently of what the media or your Uncle Bob spouts off they next time there's a military crisis and some soldier or unit is called into question. My goal is to show that the members of these units are highly trained and motivated professionals, and not cold-blooded baby killers.

We do specwarnet as a benefits to everyone, not just ourselves. Too many companies are trying to turn the net into a commerce-driven money maker. It was originally a medium for the eexchangeof information and learning and we are dedicated to holding true to that vision. We thank you for your attention, it's been a great ride. Sometimes it's not about turning a profit.