does the Vale connection with the military strike a bit thin as a reason for being at this meeting.  Their very presence would certainly raise much speculation about their relationship with NOT... and why would they just happen to be at a NOT meeting to be represented for this application.  It's a great idea to use retired military, but can the mining industry absorb 4000/year, not that all would look to mining for placement.  I wasn't at the meeting thus I don't have a sense of the subtle nuances, so I hope you'll forgive this exercise, the mind is just having fun.  And bye the bye, HSS doesn't seem to believe that Vale will be a bed mate for NOT based on his sources.