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Yep. Got friends like that myself.

One was my super when I was in the AF and trained me in these actions. When some jerk would get under his skin he had a bud in Europe that he would send the guy's payroll jacket to. (Yes, I'm so old we still used paper pay jackets when I was in the AF) His bud would turn it around and send it right back of course. The thing is, a couple pay periods would have passed by the time all this was transacted. Holey joes traveling between squadron admin types don't move with the greatest of speed.

The lesson rarely had to be repeated.

I learned quickly that this circuitous route was the best manner to use when it was necessary to draw attention to various illegal/unethical activities. Especially if the suspect behavior involved persons of higher rank. Read: "Never talk to the IG or OSI on your own base."

And your point about those favors having to be repaid is also very true. If used properly it is used rarely and can be devastatingly effective.

Hey! I remember Holey joes! ....also when the entire 26.0.0.0/8 net was MILNET. :-) ...and when all USAF UNIX hosts had class A addresses! ....AND when RIP was exchanging routes (talking about a BOG) on the backbone! It all used to run on those beastly BBN C-75 (and later C-300) packet switches running a VERY proprietary protocol set on the backbone that only made us "think" we were using IP. It was IP on the endpoints, but something VERY different in the middle!

Actually (and I'll certainly date myself by writing this), but I remember "high speed" 600 baud modems that used a modulation scheme like NOTHING else on the planet (of course!)....Oh yeah....and they had big ole (hot!) vacuum tubes in them too! :-)...and PBXs and telephone switches that had relays....made a LOT of noise, consumed a LOT of power, and made a LOT of heat.

Well...anyway....yes I agree with you. Friends like we're talking about are invaluable, and there's a LOT more "value add" than going it alone. :-)