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I find this to be humorous and also a legitimate issue. Recently I was at large training compound with multiple units there, basically a "mock up" of a FOB. So while in the latrine some soldiers, that must have been in one of the support units there were talking. They were complaining about the soldiers from the infantry unit calling them "POGs." And without missing a beat someone yells from a stall in the same building "Shut up POG." I couldn't help but to laugh.
I usually don't care what you do in the Army as long as you are doing your job and are maintaining your professionalism. These units that we were running into were far below the expectations of maintaining professionislism. There were so many uniform violations our CSM had to wear blinders where ever he walked so he could make it there without correcting every soldier on the way. If he did he would never make where ever he was going. I was just wearing ACUs. It was a bit chilly but I saw a soldier with the ECWCS gen III level 7 jacket, aka the marshmallow jacket. With some sort of toboggan cap that was not anything to do with the army. There was no uniformity and it seemed like no one in their unit cared.
I am not calling anyone a POG in this post. I have our support personnel in our unit that we view as peers. They were harder than anyone in that other unit. They act like soldiers just like we do.
What is your take on this? Do you think they are asking for it by they way they are? Should anyone be called a POG? Should they be expected to maintain the same standard as everyone else in the Army? And what is their CSM doing when this is happening?
I usually don't care what you do in the Army as long as you are doing your job and are maintaining your professionalism. These units that we were running into were far below the expectations of maintaining professionislism. There were so many uniform violations our CSM had to wear blinders where ever he walked so he could make it there without correcting every soldier on the way. If he did he would never make where ever he was going. I was just wearing ACUs. It was a bit chilly but I saw a soldier with the ECWCS gen III level 7 jacket, aka the marshmallow jacket. With some sort of toboggan cap that was not anything to do with the army. There was no uniformity and it seemed like no one in their unit cared.
I am not calling anyone a POG in this post. I have our support personnel in our unit that we view as peers. They were harder than anyone in that other unit. They act like soldiers just like we do.
What is your take on this? Do you think they are asking for it by they way they are? Should anyone be called a POG? Should they be expected to maintain the same standard as everyone else in the Army? And what is their CSM doing when this is happening?
Posted in these groups: 
Combat Arms
Support
Combat Arms Support
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 148
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We all have a job to do. As far as name calling...we all do it within the service. Whether we make fun of the Air Force for air condition and cable TV or the Marines for never getting new equipment or the ARNG for having beards and getting promoted based on who their uncle is....We fight together and that needs to be the focus. The more we get away from fighting others we will tease each other more until we go to wear and unite again.
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That's like a Tree asking to not be called a "Tree" because it is offended by the term "Tree"
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OMG lol... Is this for real?
Simple solution... If you're a POG, and you're offended, quit being a damn POG. If you're a POG, and you realize you're a POG, and you're NOT apart of this "PC, I feel good-You feel good" thing that's going on in the military right now that's absolutely destroying our ranks, then carry on.
Simple solution... If you're a POG, and you're offended, quit being a damn POG. If you're a POG, and you realize you're a POG, and you're NOT apart of this "PC, I feel good-You feel good" thing that's going on in the military right now that's absolutely destroying our ranks, then carry on.
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Samuel Nicholas broke Robert Mullan's balls for being a recruiter 239 years ago. The cave man who hunted mastodon no doubt talked shit on the caveman who sat in the cave sharpening sticks. This is the way of the world. If one does not want to be called a POG then by all means, be a grunt. This is not a difficult concept.
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How bout POM (people other than musicians) I can play the piano, trombone and trumpet, plus, I am still expert shot, or maybe POF (people other than finance)? Let a Soldiers pay get lost and see how much they love the fine folks in finance.
That all I got to say about that.
That all I got to say about that.
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CPT (Join to see)
LOL. I am a POM. I tried to play the Bass but I am tone death. I gave up quickly. I can do finance. I love numbers. I would be speechless if I was called that.
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Who cares? This is a traditional divide. Deal with it or get out. I don't mind being called a POG. At least I don't have to go out to the field for weeks at a time.
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SGT Criss M.
LT Salisbury, I looked at your profile......Maybe this isn't the place to bring this up, but I've been having trouble with a shooting pain that starts in my lower back, goes down my right arm and back up my arm, across my shoulders to my left arm, then back up, the. repeats on my legs. What do you think could be causing that? Oh, and I have these dizzy spells, too. (-:
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CPT (Join to see)
Has your heart been checked out? Maybe you are having a heart problem that comes with not drinking enough water. It could be alot of other things. Maybe it has something to do with your nervous system. I would need more information about it.
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SFC Walter Mack
Being a POG does have it's advantages. I haven't stunk up the house with field gear in years. I know my wife appreciates it.
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Those who insist on using the term make me sad. They cant see beyond that simplest of kool-aid. It doesnt make one better to be proud of not being a POG, it makes one bitter. No one likes a chip on the shoulder No one needs to kiss up to anyone, but good luck trying to win wars without POGs.
I mean, we get it already, move on.
I mean, we get it already, move on.
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By: Peter Sessum So there I was, in Afghanistan, no shit. I was in Khost Province on FOB Salerno and about to go on a mission. There was a part missing from my machine gun mount so I went into the ...
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CH (CPT) (Join to see)
"The problem is, most POGs don’t see it that way. They look down on 'dumb grunts' that don’t bring anything to the table." - From the article. That's a little ridiculous. An unsubstantiated claim.
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SGT Stephen George
I was a grunt ...and I used the determination and leadership skills I developed as a grunt while obtaining undergraduate, graduate and post graduate academic success in my post military life . Also, there's a reason you don't hear people telling POG Drone Pilot PTSD stories at the VFW ... .
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I've been on both sides of the fence on this. I spent a large portion of my career as an 11B and loved the job while I did it. I now, as an Electronic Warfare NCO fall into the definition of "POG". I do not have thin skin and am not offended by the word POG or having it directed at me. I take it to mean "person other than grunt" and technically this would be a correct statement since I am no longer an infantryman by job title. I agree with professionalism being an integral part of who we are and what we do, but have we as a Nation and a military become so sensitized to being politically correct that anything outside of being PC is considered unprofessional. They are not now nor will they ever have the same definition.
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PV2 Abbott Shaull
I think to point we may have. It one of the fall outs of being Politically Correct all of the time and having Zero Tolerance. I have said since both started taking root in the military they had no business being in the military. You have to be honest with people, and let them be who they are, and help them through their problems, not act like they don't exist, so to build a stronger team, and to make them stronger. Yet in PC Army there means to be honest, you can't cause stress upon your troops, and you can't yell at me or I will turn me or I will turn in. Shrug, if I screw up while I was in, and I got yelled at, well guess what, I deserve it, did I like, not one bit. Did I understand why, yeah, did I learn my lesson, yes. Did I make that mistake again, hell no.
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Also having been on both sides of the fence I have tried to have this conversation, it seems to be a constant game of one upsmanship that can escalate forever... I was Infantry but not Ranger Qualified or I was SF but not Delta blah blah blah. All jobs are there for a reason, what I didn't understand as an Infantryman is that most of us "Pog's" don't care, even though I did lose a friend when he went SF and couldn't stop belittling everyone who wasn't SF... Just live your life and do your best.
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SGM (Join to see)
Be happy with what you have Sir was my point, be proud of your Ranger tab, but dont be the Soldier wishing they were also SF, Sapper, etc.....it always amazes me when retirees introduce themselves they are always a "retired SF CSM"....some people retire as a SSG Mail Clerk....no need to regret your service.
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