5 Things the Military Should Ban Forever

RallyPoint Team — Mon, 27 Apr 2015 22:00:59 -0400

We all know our military protects our nation as well as many others. They serve as a global superpower, ensuring the safety and wellbeing of those around the world. Despite it all, there are some things the US military still needs to work on...

Check them out!: https://www.rallypoint.com/static_pages/5_military_things

Anything you'd add to the list?

Response by SPC Christian Ziegler made Apr 27 at 2015 10:29 PM

SPC Christian Ziegler — Mon, 27 Apr 2015 22:29:23 -0400

I fully agree. LoL power point.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 27 at 2015 10:37 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 27 Apr 2015 22:37:35 -0400

There is nothing wrong with powerpoint when used correctly. The problem is in the presentation. Having someone (audience member or instructor) read off slides for you over and over and over (and over) is a problem. Trying to put too much info into a slide is another problem.

Response by MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca made Apr 27 at 2015 10:37 PM

MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca — Mon, 27 Apr 2015 22:37:41 -0400

POTUS visits, anywhere
Staff calls
Mandatory fun activities
Pass in reviews
Fun runs above the Battalion level
Field grade sniveling

Response by MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca made Apr 27 at 2015 10:38 PM

MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca — Mon, 27 Apr 2015 22:38:18 -0400

2LTs saluting 1LTs

Sorry CPT Private RallyPoint Member, had to beat you to the punch line!! :-D

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 28 at 2015 4:00 AM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 28 Apr 2015 04:00:12 -0400

Deducting 15 minutes from the hit time as it progresses through each echelon would be on eI would add. I'm sure everyone remembers standing somewhere for 2 hours waiting for the senior leadership to arrive.

Response by Cpl Jeff N. made Apr 28 at 2015 6:24 AM

Cpl Jeff N. — Tue, 28 Apr 2015 06:24:04 -0400

We didn't have PT belts back in the day...We all survived, they need to go.
Blue camo...has to go
Navy Diver shorts. Eh, they have some history and gravitas to them, they can stay
Marine Corps silkies...We used to wear the red ones. That was a hoot. No one liked them
Powerpoint is a tool, it can be overused, used incorrectly etc. Many hide behind it so they do not have to remember anything, just read the slides,, pack as many words on them as possible. Mattis is right, Powerpoint makes us stupid (as it is used today).

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Apr 28 at 2015 8:58 AM

Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS — Tue, 28 Apr 2015 08:58:29 -0400

As a counterpoint.

1) Navy's Blue Cammies. So much better than Dungarees. I'm not sure who remembers these. Not the last version, but the square pocket version before those. These at least look sort of military.

2) PT Belts. Yah, it's overdone. But when you make a black PT uniform that is non reflective... maybe this needs to happen.

3) UDT. Screw you. You can take these over my cold dead body!!! Have you ever worn "silkies" to swim qual? or into the ocean? Be thankful we have these!

4) Silkies. Still one of the most comfortable running shorts out there, and this is after putting several Marathons, and more 1/2's than I can count under my belt. "Good" running shorts cost $30-50 (Retail). Love my silkies. See comments about UDT's about taking them away.

5) Powerpoint. People have forgot that the PPT is not the presentation, YOU are the presentation, and it is an aid to the presentation. Great tool, poor usage.

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Apr 29 at 2015 3:42 PM

CAPT Kevin B. — Wed, 29 Apr 2015 15:42:45 -0400

The C-Rat maple bar that somehow snuck into MREs.

Response by TSgt David Holman made Apr 29 at 2015 3:47 PM

TSgt David Holman — Wed, 29 Apr 2015 15:47:02 -0400

#5 was a bit off. I don't think the problem is powerpoint, which can be a very valuable tool, it is the overuse of it. It seems like everyone has to have a powerpoint presentation for every little issue. When you have briefings where numbers/analysis are involved, then it can help the audience see what you are talking about (the visual vs auditory learner), but most briefings could do without.

Response by CW2 John Brookins made May 8 at 2015 7:08 PM

CW2 John Brookins — Fri, 08 May 2015 19:08:08 -0400

Navy camo no opinion. Although I thought the Blue work shirts and dungarees were pretty useful.

Pt belts get rid of them

People who don't like silkies don't actually run. UDT's well there probably should be an age limit but keep them.

Powerpoint Limit to 5 slides. If you can't make your point in 5 slides you don't know what the hell you're talking about.

All in fun....

Response by PO3 Jonathan Cooper made May 10 at 2015 2:36 AM

PO3 Jonathan Cooper — Sun, 10 May 2015 02:36:11 -0400

Some humor and a little serious.

1: Navy Blue Cammies. I'm currently wearing the new coveralls and they are amazing! But I can't turn them into a flotation device like old utilities, so either way I'm not planning on falling overboard.

2: Any verbage making part of your job sounding like it's suppose to be "morale boosting/team building" ie: stripping and waxing/field days/fun runs/mandatory fun days/etc. (I'm not saying we need to stop doing these things, we just need to stop pretending it's a "great thing for the team")

3: Senior Enlisted Marines need to stop with anything along the lines of "What would Chester Pulley...?" Thanks Terminal Lance, I heard a Gunny say it onboard one day and fought hard to not laugh.

4: Junior officers saluting each other. Come up with a kick-ass handshake and end it!!!!

5: Hurry up and wait. I thought we got taught time management between K-12 grade. Just saying.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made May 10 at 2015 9:06 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 10 May 2015 21:06:55 -0400

Mandatory training on the same stuff annually, where disinterested NCOs teach us about equal opportunity, don't drink and drive, cold weather gives you frostbite, etc.
A vast and useless time waster, if you ask me.

Response by PFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 10 at 2015 10:11 PM

PFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 10 May 2015 22:11:13 -0400

Safety briefs every weekend I know what I can and can't do or shouldn't do if someone is going to get in trouble they will regardless of the amt of safety briefs they've attended

Response by PO2 Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2015 1:04 AM

PO2 Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 11 May 2015 01:04:24 -0400

As a diver I have come to love UDT's // Silkies. If you come up with something better that is still low drag let me know.

Response by HA Rex Brown made May 11 at 2015 6:12 PM

HA Rex Brown — Mon, 11 May 2015 18:12:11 -0400

Command safety stand down meetings the day of the holiday routine start date. That's right marine's I'm talking too y'all lmfao.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2015 8:01 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 11 May 2015 20:01:38 -0400

Political correctness( nothing like getting soldiers ready to run for office)

The gray ACU( ain't nothing like blending into a environment when you are the only gray thing in it hehehe)

PT Reflective belt( I mean what are the chances you get hit by a car in the gym)

Mandatory fun days. ( I have more fun days on my days off lol)

Formation runs ( nothing scares the enemy more that soldiers running towards them in gray shirts and black shorts)

Response by SSgt Charles Edwards made May 12 at 2015 1:04 PM

SSgt Charles Edwards — Tue, 12 May 2015 13:04:57 -0400

I agree with the thoughts behind PowerPoint. After all, the "death by PowerPoint" training can be really ineffective....unless you're suffering from insomnia.

The blue navy uniform reminds me of the blue prototype BDU/ABU the Air Force experimented with in the mid-2000s. Just awful. It even had the AF logo scattered throughout the uniform. Glad the idea was scrapped before it got started.

Reflective belts make sense for PT if the PT is taking place on or near a road. This would make sense for formation runs or individuals running along the road, but inside a gym, no reason to have them.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made May 12 at 2015 1:41 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 12 May 2015 13:41:23 -0400

The Air Force PT gear should be added to this. The shirts are fine, but the shorts? They are basically plastic short shorts. WTH? Both the shorts and the shirt have reflective gear on them, not a bad idea I guess, but we are still required to wear a reflective belt with them? Seriously? Just makes them more expensive to purchase.

I am starting to think I am the only one who likes the Navy's blue camo. I agree the camo is pointless, but honestly if you are on a ship, you do not need to blend in with the ship. They are targeting the ship and the planes on it. Maybe they should paint the planes and ships with the blue camo to blend in with the water and then the uniform would make more sense. :P

Response by PVT Private RallyPoint Member made May 12 at 2015 1:46 PM

PVT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 12 May 2015 13:46:44 -0400

At least if a sailor goes overboard, the sharks won't be able to see him!

Response by Capt Richard I P. made May 12 at 2015 2:49 PM

Capt Richard I P. — Tue, 12 May 2015 14:49:02 -0400

Non-concur.... slikies and UDTs rock!

And the silkies have been banned for use in unit PT, have been for years actually.

Response by CPL Private RallyPoint Member made May 12 at 2015 5:26 PM

CPL Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 12 May 2015 17:26:13 -0400

Fuck power points and fuck a pt belt

Response by CMSgt Michael Thomas made May 14 at 2015 12:22 PM

CMSgt Michael Thomas — Thu, 14 May 2015 12:22:42 -0400

Any rank above E-6 enlisted and O-3 officer for noncombat positions. AKA.... paper pushers!

Response by PFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 15 at 2015 9:35 AM

PFC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 15 May 2015 09:35:50 -0400

When it's all said and done, when the army finally lets us wear that new camo, things are gonna get hot! Lol well maybe not for me in Alaska lol..

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made May 15 at 2015 10:07 AM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 15 May 2015 10:07:52 -0400

"Big Boy Rules" saying. Treat us like kids then say big boy rules...yeah right.
Last but not least toxic leadership doubt that will ever happen though.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made May 15 at 2015 1:25 PM

Sgt Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 15 May 2015 13:25:18 -0400

I love silkes, the best.

Response by LTC Bink Romanick made May 18 at 2015 10:14 AM

LTC Bink Romanick — Mon, 18 May 2015 10:14:39 -0400

They ought to ban coerced prayer and proselytizing.

Response by CW2 Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 3 at 2015 9:22 PM

CW2 Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 03 Oct 2015 21:22:51 -0400

1. PT Belts- Yes I know that having reflective clothing/PT belts can be safe in certain situations like running in the dark on open roads. If I am running on the track, any kind of trail, or closed road then it should not be required. This also goes for PT conducted in the unit area.

2. Hands in Pockets- maybe it is just professionalism and tradition but I personally do not see anything wrong with it.

3. the PRT program in my opinion needs to be reevaluated. some stuff is just plain stupid. When we get done with preparatory drills, I think to myself "did I just do stretch or warm up at all". You never want to stretch cold muscles. if you want to do static stretches then warm up with a light run first or something similar. (Yes I do know some will say, if you do the PRT program correctly then it will greatly improve your fitness level) When that happens I may change my opinion, but until then I stand where I am on the topic.

4. All of the computer based training we have to do repeatedly. I think an initial for some training is sufficient enough. Everyone clicks through training until complete just to have a certificate. nobody is learning anything anyways (not saying all of them because I know some are important).

5. the Molle ruck sack. I hate rucking with it and would take my ALICE anyday. You can fit more in it buts about it. It creeks and makes noises constantly like it needs WD-40