Since I am lazy and do not feal like re-typing along farewell letter, I am copying my letter to my squad from my Freebirds BBS message. I know it is long, but I have been flying OL flight sims for almost a decade with this squad and many of you, and feel like I have earned a few lines. If you take the time to read it, you may see the person behind the name. You may see, yourself. >>S<< all!!:aok
Well guys...... what I am about to say is going to be almost unbelievable to some, as it is to myself.
I joined the Freebirds in 1997 in the game Air Warrior. Our uniform at that time was a $ sign at the end of our callsign. My name was Raptor$. Dred was Dred$. We were the Freebird$. The CO and A/CO was Reng$ and Den$. Father and son. I was but just a newbie in the flight sim gaming arenas. I found myself enjoying the feeling of online war flight sims as well as the comradery that I saw within the game. I met Dred and a few others who said I could fly with them and they would help me learn the game. They said they were the Freebirds Squad. I appreciated the offer to help me learn and quickly joined their squad. We flew mostly P-51 Mustang raids and I found myself wanting to learn more and more as I grew to be ....well....addicted to the gaming community. Oh yeah, BTW, we were on the Az side. Back then, there were Az, Bz, and Cz, sides. I started to find myself making actual friends out of people I had never met.
These guys were great!! Many of us had much in common, I learned that the Freebirds, even back then, had a certain feel about them, a certain caring for each other, and love for the game. I.....became.....A Freebird! A year, maybe two, went by and during that time, Reng and Den left the squad and relinquished the command over to Dred. I think it was that year that Dred bacame a father. He was so proud of his little girl. I remember the day she was born. I know, it seems odd, but that is the way we were, a very close nit group of men sharing our spare time together and sharing words and tales of our real lifes with each other. At some time after that, Air Warrior closed its doors. To the ones of us that were truly dedicated, not necesarily to the flight sim game, but to our online friends and family, we decided that even though AW had died, we were not ready to give up what we had together and the team we were. We decided to find a new home.
Many, many squadrons died the day AW went away. In fact, the FB's had quite a time keeping it together as some went to Aces High, Some to Warbirds, some to Fighter Ace, and many to WWII Online. We flew together as what was left of the squad in each of these for a short time trying them out. We decided to make Warbirds our home. Many stayed in other games with no hard feeling and some long time friendships coming to an end. We flew in Warbirds, well, the ones that had so far survived all of the moving for several months. The WB decided to raise the cost to $25 per month. A few more went to the wayside at that time. The ones who stayed wondered around the other games for a brief time trying to find us a new home. We found it, In Aces High. We found that many of the old Air Warrior people had landed here as well. This became our new home, and we adopted the FB uniform at that time. We exchanged Raptor$ for FBRaptor. There were only a handfull of us left. A few names that come to mind are Falcon, Pat, Zrat, Dred, Raptor, and Doom. I am sure there was others, but many of you would not remeber them. We began to learn a new game, we began to grow. We made new friends, we made new squadmates. Throughout the years we have been here, many have come and gone. Some for a short time, so I do not remember their names. Many are still Freebirds. Babies were born, parents have died, divorces have happened, members have had health problems, friends have passed away, and in one case, a squad mate, friend, was murdered.
Life has happened behind the scenes of our OL Game, and many of us have shared it with each other. We have shared Much, over this time. I have shared much with my friends. Some of the current FB are just passing through, many have passed through, many have returned. In my time with this squad, I have known at least 100 people by first name. Some of you reading this I have never met, but feel like you are close friends who would help me if i had a need you could provide. Never forget, we are not just an online flight sim squad, we are friends, we care about each other. That is what the Freebirds have always been about. That is one of the reasons this squad has survived, even prospered, while many others have failed and fallen away.
We are a squad who have NEVER been much for recruiting openly or aggresivly, and we have NEVER, been short of members. People want what we have, the strength, the comradery, the friendships, and the honor, that we represent. When I am 99 years old, if I see that much life, I will always remember the friends, and fellow men I have grown to know in this squad, and this game. Many have left, many have formed other squads, and many have returned realizing that what we have is not just an online fluff squad, but a true group of friends and support group of each other.
Ok, that all being said, here is the point of my message to you.
I must leave the game, and therefore the squad, for a period of time. I do not know how long. I doubt it could be forever. I am sure I will return someday. I cannot tell you how heavy this is for my heart. I feel I am not just leaving a game, a squad, but a group of friends that I have known for years.
I have found myself realizing that I have spent many hours hanging out with my friends here, having fun, that I owed to my children, my wife, and myself. I will miss you guys and this game terribly, but, my family desrves more of my time than I have given them over the last couple of years.
My family lately have cried out in many ways for more of my time. I feel I should be drawing, watching TV, teaching, playing with, listening to music, and so much more with my kids. I feel I should take my wife out, have fun, watch movies, make love, and so much more with my wife. I feel that I must make a choice. And I must chose my family. I know you guys understand. I have not been on much lately, because I have been doing these things. And I realize, that they are the most important thing to me, and that God, expects me to be the driving force in my home.
I will be on here and there for a short time longer, just long enough to spend all of my perks can you say 262Tiger heavan!!!???
December will be my last month to have my card charged. I hope to see all of you at least one time, to fly with friends and to be part of the best squad in the game. Please do not let my decision be a negative one for anyone. Please do not let my leaving the game hurt this squad in any way. I expect to find you guys strong, when I return. I will leave the squad site posted and the BBS running for a very long time. Do not worry about losing either one. I will check in on the BBS often just to keep up with what is going on and to say HI once in a while. Anyways, sorry for the long post, but I felt the need to say everything I have said here. I will see you guys up this weekend, get your jets ready
Once I close my account, I will give a final farewell. I promise to make it short and sweet.
PS, oh yeah, very important, I would like to immedietly relinquish my CO#2 position to FBabob. He has more than earned it, and he is more than capable of carrying the weight that comes with it. Abob, please accept this and help Dred in keeping this squad what it is, and has been, for almost a decade!!!!
>>S<< My friends!!! Raptor (Tom Black)
