Glad to be of help. 

 I need to correct something I miswrote: Colorful Neighborhoods is only intended to be lively neighborhoods.  I have been working rotationg shifts and I wrote that at the begining of a dull morning while no one was around.  No racism is present, just a clumsy writer

  You mentioned wanting military manuals.  The same manuals are available to the public.  They may be old versions, but should do for most civillian uses.  What are you specifically wanting to know about.  In many cases, the military manuals are not the best references.

  I would generally caution against going into millitary service.  Geopolitically, the US (and evryone else) is entering a time of constant bush war/skirmishing.  If you go in, odds arethat unless your job specialty is a critical need, you can and will be reasigned to whatever is needed.  Currently they seem to want their infantry to be very highly trained, cannon fodder per say is not likely at the moment.  You may however be shunted into a specialty of mechanically supporting the heavy weapons our millitaries usually rely on.

  Also, there is the not so small, but rarely talked about reality that you essentially lose all your rights as sson as you enlist.  If you have a superior gets it in for you, you have no real recourse.  Even getting another job isn't an option for you at that point.  I know a man who was kicked out of the Navy after Nonjudicial Punishment because a Lieutanent in another comand had a bad day and picked a fight with him at Petty Officer 2nd class.  This was decided to be the P.O 2's fault because he was junior.  I know this guy and used to work with him, he didn't deserve that.  I also know of a case where a man was busted in rank one grade and fined about two months pay and confined to base after the sub docked for; telling the truth that a manual salinity reader was too corroded to be be read on a desalinator feeding the power plant (including the reactor) when an alarm sounded that it gotten too high.  Everyone else on this station lied and said they took the manual reading when in fact they read the electronic one because no one could read the float, it was too corroded.  He admitted the truth and was punished in my opinion very unfairly.  It would not surprise me if 15 years later this sub has still not replaced that float.  This is a sample and should give you a little of the cons about millitary service.  In one of the schools I went to, one guy wasa essentially coerced into confessing to drinking under age among other things.  There is the option of requesting an actual court martial, but the consensus is that they will rubber stamp whatever injustice the command is doing 90% of the time and screw you worse to boot. 

 Some people benefit from it.  You mentioned you were looking for a direction, some people in your boat find it beneficial to join for 2-4 years.  You may.  I would recomend against it based on things I have seen while there.

  How to do mindscan:  I was "taught" by an alien as I've written.  This would be tough to impossible to replicate.  However in studying this for a while and looking up things on the internet and the few books that are worthwhile, I think I can give a little advise.  You need to learn to both meditate and concentrate.  This may be a skill you will need to learn (requiring practice, no magic wands, sorry) Then when you are attempting to influence someone, let your energy enter into them with whatever intent you have.  You will need to have a very clear intent.  You will want to train yourself at various energy projections.  It is also possible to project your energy into an area or object so it radiates in the same way as the direct influence. This often works largely because most people do not recognise the possiblity that not all of their thoughts are their own.  This is very abreviated primer but should get you started if you want to go there.  Be cautious about what you do with it.  While Karma and Three Fold Return as usually written and warned about are largely bunk, there is are consequenses to what you do, sometimes in subtle ways.  Example: a woman projects and gets her neighbors to do her cleaning and cooking.  She eventually overreaches herself and gets in serious trouble. There is also a group subconscious that will determine if you are worth it or not. What you do will change you and this will eventually determine what you get out of life.  Choose wisely

  Hope this helps.