00:13My name is Art Pendragon, that's not my real name, that's a pseudonym, and I use a pseudonym
00:19and prefer to remain in the shadows for the same reason that certain U.S. federal agents
00:27have to wear a mask now.
00:32I am head of security for a defense contracting company in Asia.
00:44I spent a number of years as a soldier and as an officer in the United States Army across
00:50many different military skills, specialties, conventional, non-conventional, mechanized,
00:59armor.
01:00I've been in Europe, East Asia, Middle East.
01:06I've spent a lot of time since I left the Army in Africa and the Caribbean and the Mediterranean.
01:17Shoveling shit at the horse farm next door.
01:24For quite a few years, I was blessed with being able to work in my own company with a business
01:32partner in Africa.
01:35We set our own schedule, we chose our own jobs, and we got to do some very interesting things.
01:43Much like being an Army officer, every day is a different day and a different job, so you never get
01:49bored.
01:49And we rode that trail as long as we could, and eventually that came to an end.
01:57But it was a good number of years.
02:00It took me to all kinds of places in East Africa and in the Caribbean and in the Middle East.
02:07And I miss it because I could use my creativity to solve peculiar situations for discerning folks.
02:20So I miss that.
02:22So what I do now is more, you know, I've got a boss who's got a boss who's got a
02:27boss.
02:28There's a hierarchy.
02:28It's almost a little bit like being in the Army again, except corporate.
02:32So it's not like those years where I was put loose and fancy-free to wander about the Earth.
02:45Well, you know, without having to kiss somebody's ass or without having to manipulate them,
02:53you can find common ground and pick your battles.
02:57And understand the difficult people, whether you want to call them a narcissist or not.
03:03That seems to be everybody loves that word now.
03:06I guess you have to look at the end state, the long-term goal.
03:13And even difficult people can teach you things.
03:17And, you know, I know that for many years we worked very, very closely.
03:24And I had to kind of assume the subordinate role was actually my job to be the number two.
03:34And, you know, pick and choose my battles.
03:39But there were long periods of time where we ended up having to work apart because, you know, difficult relationships
03:47take a toll.
03:49And you can't take, whether it's abusive or just domineering or just takes all the energy out of you.
04:00You can only do it for so long.
04:01And you have to go off and do other things.
04:03Recharge your batteries.
04:05Look at the world from a different perspective.
04:06Do stuff on your own.
04:08And then when the opportunity arises and you want to go and pursue a project together again, you do so.
04:15But, of course, you know what you're getting into.
04:22Odd family country.
04:27Sense of humor.
04:29Sense of humor can get you through just about everything.
04:32Even when you're down to your last three rounds and you're bleeding profusely, the two of you can look at
04:38each other and tell a joke.
04:42It may get you through to the end.
04:48Have a good day.
