The Anatomy of a skeptic

A short autobiography of my early life and my search to make sense of our mental world.

For the sake of my children, I thought it important to add this to the “art of living” section of my book on bacon. One day they can read it and hopefully glean some perspective from it. Much of it revolves around my time in the army or immediately after it. Read this short account at https://theanatomyofaskeptic.com/. On this page a share some of my army photos that my brother Andre or I took.

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At Alpha Company we were instructors for the junior leaders. My good friend, Johan Mulder was Company 2IS and De Wet Geldenhuis Company Commander. AO1 Raubenheimer was company sargent major.

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Platoon commanders and their corporals with the company commander, his 2IC and Sargent Major. My corporal is on my right, 4th from left to right, second row. I am 5th. He passed away this year. His passing was a big shock for me and as SA approach the 4th wave, it motivates me to get these things done. Life is short!

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Scene at Army Battle School

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Scene at Army Battle School

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RSM Genis – a true soldier! A man who immensely influenced my life.

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Corps Director – can’t remember his name. Wal it Col Tirion? Lieutenant colonel von Brandes behind him. Lieutenant Williams saluted the VIP’s coming down the podium on the far side. He was commander of C company.

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Vasbyt. Selection for Junior Leaders

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Vasbyt. Selection for Junior Leaders.

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Vasbyt . . . his buddy’s could no longer carry their rifles. He was part of a group of policemen who transferred to the army and they had a tough time!

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Braam Genis with, was that Middelton? Think he was a major then.

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The evening on Vasbyt.

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Think this is one of Andre’s photos. Is it Oudtshoorn or possibly Kimberley?

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Vatbyt. Selection for Junior Leaders.

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Vatbyt. Selection for Junior Leaders.

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Vatbyt. Selection for Junior Leaders.

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Braam genis, Major Middelton and Captain Franz Viljoen. Franz and I also became good friends. Franz het diep spore in die MP’s getrap oor die jare!

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School OC – Lieutenant-Colonel Wiesse

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Vasbyt – Pieter Landman lending a hand!

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Lieutenant-Colonel Wiesse during the production of a training video

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Vasbyt. Selection for Junior Leaders.

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Vasbyt. Selection for Junior Leaders.

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Army Battle School.

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Then Brig Gert Opperman at the passing out parade of our students. He retired as a General. I learned a lot from this man!

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Major Dewet Geldenhuys. I think it’s Pieter Landman sitting with his back to the camera. Planning session at Army Battle School.

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The Chaplin arriving with AO2 Olley -? Is that you Simon?

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Yours truly speaking to one of the troops. 🙂

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At Army Battle School.

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At Army Battle School.

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Glen Mueller – think Glen became a C.A.

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To infinity and beyond! ;-))

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Mortar assault with the famous “white road” in the centre of the pic. I wonder whose graves that is and if we woke the dead! 🙂

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Army Battle School demonstration.

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Army Battle School

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One of our students is being evaluated for “order group” by RSM Genis. Think the student was Candidate Officer Anderson.

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After Theo Bodenstein and my disastrous night exercise. The morning after. Look at his lip. If I remember correctly, four or five of our platoon ended up in hospital. We did not have permission to do the exercise but thought it would be “fun”. Waking De Wet Geldenhuis, our OC in his tent in the early hours of the morning to tell him what happened was not very easy! 🙂

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Olifant Tank – Lohatla (Army Battle School)

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Rooikat – Lohatla

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Anti Aircraft – Lohatla

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Lohatla (Army Battle School) – G6 canon

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G5 Canon – Lohatla

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Receiving the colours – think this was a practice at the School before the real event at the Vootrekkerhoogte sports fields.

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G6 Canon – Army Battle School

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Is that an Olifant tank approaching? Lohatla.

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Search procedures – Lohatla (Army battle School)

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Lohatla (Army Battle School)

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Voortrekkerhooge – Capt Anker as company commander in the centre and I’m to his left (right in the pic) as company 2 IC. Gerry passed away recently. At the time there was just about not a single thing I liked about him. As I got older, I developed a great respect for him and realised that he had a huge impact on my life.

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Forgot his name, but he joined us when he was doing a camp in Lohatla

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One of the guys from Special Forces joined us for training.