TOM SKARDA
Welcome to My Site
ABOUT ME
I solve problems by systemizing the issue involved. Capacity building, meditative/yogic practice, medicine, learning a language, SCUBA, driving a car, cooking a meal and killing drug traffickers are all the result of taking concrete steps one after another that result in a given outcome. While the science may be a little sketchy, taking a process driven engineering based approach to problem solving works every time. And I look damn good doing it.
MY EXPERIENCE
Selected Work Experience
Combined Forces Special Operations Component Command Afghanistan Title X Manager
July 2011 - January 2012
Performed equipping and supply for Afghan Local Police (ALP) program in Kabul, Afghanistan. Kitted out over 7,000 Afghan personnel over a six month period.
USSC Jerusalem Movement Officer
February 2010-August 2010
Primary movement LNO for Palestinian National Security Forces personnel transiting out of the West Bank into Jordan. Performed liaison with coalition, Israeli, Jordanian, Palestinian and US government officials. Oversaw the successful movement of over 3300 personnel without incident.
Iraq Survey Group DOMEX Director
April to September 2004
Document and media exploitation director for Iraq Survey Group. Performed outside the wire collection of documents and media pursuant to the former regime. Supervised a staff of 54 personnel (4 military and 50 contract).
United Nations Truce Supervision Organization Deputy Information Office Director
January 2003 to April 2004
UNTSO deputy Political Advisor and Information Office Director during height of 2nd Intifada. Experience in Syria, the West Bank and the Sinai.
United States Southern Air Forces CENTAM Desk Officer
April 1998 to December 2002
CENTAM desk officer. Covered all of Central America and the Andes. Counter-narcotics experience in South America. Part of original United States Air Force Foreign Area Officer program.
EDUCATION
What I’ve Learned
United State Air Force Academy
Class of 1994
Bachelors of Science: General Engineering and Military History
Virginia University of
Integrative Medicine
Class of 2019
Masters of Science: Traditional Oriental Medicine
MY SKILLS
What I Do
Defining Culture
Culture is the combination of language, religion, and the unwritten "rules of the road" governing a society. If you can figure out another man's culture, you can figure out what he is going to do next. I'm good at this.
Identifying Problem Areas
Systematically identifying sticking points and fault lines is critical to any project. I did this professionally for over two years as a part of the USAF CRRA, and it was so successful USAF leadership killed it. You have to be prepared for uncomfortable answers to your problems or you are better off paying for someone else.
Cross Cultural Cluster Fixing
People are not the same beyond some basic biology. They speak different languages, adhere to different governing rules and generally distrust outsiders. I've worked on three different continents in over a dozen countries. I can work with anyone and by extension keep any project from hitting a brick wall. No matter how challenging the partners involved.
"A true man among men. Just make sure he splits the cab fare."
Wang Da Hong
"He was really nice when he spent the night, but when I woke up I found he had eaten all of the hot dogs in my refrigerator."
Xiao Jie
"I hate pretentious recommendations. If they were true, LinkedIn would cure cancer."
Tom Skarda
NEWS SOURCES
Tsarizm.com : An interesting not quite libertarian not quite conservative definitely not MSN site. Part of the creativedestructionmedia.com crew.
Polosbastards.com : An infrequently updated site of unpublished stringer articles. You can meet some interesting people on their forums.
Slate.com : If you want to know what the MSM and "woke" crowd are up to this is a fairly typical source. Coastal "right think" is clearly on display.
Reason.com : The libertarian leader. Find out what the "you can't tell me what to do" crowd is up to.
4chan.org : The home of the internet's leading evil geniuses, master trolls or really bored anime enthusiasts. Nevertheless, antagonize this bunch of slightly Aspy nerds and you'll get the Shia LeBeouf treatment.
Foxnews.com : All things center right.
Breitbart.com : Conservative right news. If you care to know what half of the country is thinking this is where you'll find it.
Linkedin.com : A careful reading of blog posts can give some very organic insight into the issues of the day. You can also waste Facebook like hours easily.
Vimeo.com : Background information on virtually anything can be found here. If you are looking for contacts or documentaries that Cannes would burn in hell before hosting, they are available here at reasonable rates.