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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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I think the primary reason why I dislike the term is because it shows a lack of understanding. Sure, many "POGs" are stuck in offices, or inside the wire/fob/etc...yet, without these POGs -- nothing would get done.
The military lives and dies by the POGs. Too many combat arms think that the POGs do nothing...until that LOGPAC, chow, mail, maintenance, personnel work, medical (and the list goes on and on) is late/missing. If you can't supply/feed your military -- stuff ends very quickly.
Also, another major thing that I've noticed primarily in the military (civilian world too, but just seems more prevalent in the military) is the constant "I do more than you" bit. It seems all to often that service members are constantly trying to "prove" that they do more than someone who isn't a part of their squad/team/whatever.
The military lives and dies by the POGs. Too many combat arms think that the POGs do nothing...until that LOGPAC, chow, mail, maintenance, personnel work, medical (and the list goes on and on) is late/missing. If you can't supply/feed your military -- stuff ends very quickly.
Also, another major thing that I've noticed primarily in the military (civilian world too, but just seems more prevalent in the military) is the constant "I do more than you" bit. It seems all to often that service members are constantly trying to "prove" that they do more than someone who isn't a part of their squad/team/whatever.
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Well I wouldn't go as far as to say that the military lives and dies by POGs. CS and CSS are exactly that, Support. They have their role just as CA does. There are times where some do play the I am better than you game. Personally I don't care for such activities. I see it as foolish pride and we are all guilty of it a bit. But that is just the nature of the beast.
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I went from Infantry to POG. I embrace it, but at least I have an Infantry heritage. If it bothers you to be a POG, you can switch your MOS to Infantry just as easily as I switched to medical. If being a hard corps Infantry killer wasn't important to you when you joined, great. Stop being a crybaby about it and embrace whatever it is that you joined to do. Also, accept that if you're not a grunt, then you are a Personnel Other than Grunt (POG!). It doesn't make you less of a man..., or does it?
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I think to some degree the ribbing is justified. I've seen plenty of support units that brought the contempt levied upon themselves. Ultimately, I believe the term POG is indicative more of a difference in mentality more than competence or ability. I've gone to medical and training events outside of my formation in the past and wondered if we were in the same Army. In my opinion combat arms units tend to take everything more seriously because small mistakes cost lives. A small mistake in an S1 shop just means a troop doesn't get promoted on time. I think this why we all see that 88M on occasion who has one ammo pouch on his kit and it's full of sunflower seeds.
With that being said, I had a number of excellent transpo and maintenance NCOs attached to my Platoon when we deployed. I'd put them up against an Infantryman in leadership and discipline any day of the week. There are certainly some weaklings in combat arms who deserve the moniker POG as well. In an ideal world, all Soldiers would perform at the same level. I would love to see all Soldiers view themselves as warriors, not unlike the attitude of "Every Marine a rifleman." To accomplish this, I believe, would require some cultural change in the support world.
With that being said, I had a number of excellent transpo and maintenance NCOs attached to my Platoon when we deployed. I'd put them up against an Infantryman in leadership and discipline any day of the week. There are certainly some weaklings in combat arms who deserve the moniker POG as well. In an ideal world, all Soldiers would perform at the same level. I would love to see all Soldiers view themselves as warriors, not unlike the attitude of "Every Marine a rifleman." To accomplish this, I believe, would require some cultural change in the support world.
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I personally have low respect for POACMs
That's People Other than Airborne Combat Medics
It's pronounced "Pok-ums"
That's People Other than Airborne Combat Medics
It's pronounced "Pok-ums"
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POG. Let me see, as I was an Infantry man that meant, P(erson) O(ther than) G(runts). Are you Infantry I ask? No I'm an MP. Oh POG. Are you Infantry? No, I'm a M-1 driver. POG. Why is it offensive. If I use it in a derogatory way, I can see getting butt hurt about it. Most like the a fore mentioned uniform violations happen allot, and we call you POG's because if you where Infantry you would be spending the afternoon getting you butt smoked!
Now with that being said, it was derogatory if we called you a REMF!
Now with that being said, it was derogatory if we called you a REMF!
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Call me what you want - even grunts have to drive somewhere... And I know how to disable your armored vehicle...
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Trust me we need you. These things break all on their own also. I am telling you my heros in my unit are the Mechanics and the Cooks. Being in the Mech infantry you find an appreciation for them that you will never find in the light world.
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I was a POG and when ever I rolled into BIAP I could not help but shake my head at all the infantry units that were just hanging out at the big PX. As a POG I ran the roads every day while infantry occupied the FOBs. The days where the infantry is pushing forward and we stay in the rear are done. POGs hold your head high we are just as important.
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????? I am a bit lost by this. The infantry are pushing forward in Afghan and are in COPs. I know what happened in Iraq. I was there twice. I spent more time on the streets then most others. The only one that were out there as much as we were were the Tankers. They ere are ground. But in Afghan the Infantry are the ones that are out front. There are no roads were the Enemy hide. The infantry have to go there on foot.
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SGT William Howell
Sir, I can only speak for my 3 years in Afghanistan in the mountains near the Pakistan border in Khost, Gardez, and Ghanzi. I was with artillery, MPs, commo, and engineers. I was not in the military at this time, but was working for the Army and assigned to Army units as a contractor advising Afghan Police as well as patrols. The FOBs I worked out of were not infantry, but groups of people working together called PCATs.
My time in Iraq I was in the army and I was on patrol as much as 30 days at a time. I was there in 2004 as 1st ID and 101st were pulling out (since the war was won). All infantry was in Bagdad when I was there, but not in my AO. When we traveled to the land of the Big PX there were plenty of infantry patches running around. Not saying they were not out, but I was living the life of mechanized infantry and I was an MP. The POGs did stuff that was not in their wheel house in 2004-2005.
Maybe I am off base. I would like to hear from others if they had the same experiences.
My time in Iraq I was in the army and I was on patrol as much as 30 days at a time. I was there in 2004 as 1st ID and 101st were pulling out (since the war was won). All infantry was in Bagdad when I was there, but not in my AO. When we traveled to the land of the Big PX there were plenty of infantry patches running around. Not saying they were not out, but I was living the life of mechanized infantry and I was an MP. The POGs did stuff that was not in their wheel house in 2004-2005.
Maybe I am off base. I would like to hear from others if they had the same experiences.
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Lol pogs are everywhere. Be nice to everyone because you don't know who butters your bread
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I heart POGs. I am loving our Cooks right now were I am right. I thank him about everyday when I see him for doing a great job. He drastically improving morale out here.
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Well, let's see: I'm a POG (because I'm not 0300 or 11B); I'm a LEG, because I haven't jumped out of a perfectly good airplane; I'm a WOG because I've never crossed the equator and I'm a squid because I was never in the Army or the Marine Corps. I'm everybody's whipping boy!! For the most part they were all pretty cool, though. It was only the jerks, as with any group of people, I didn't care for.
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We used the term REMF when I was in, Rear Echelon Mother F**ker...similar concept...light hearted teasing...unit cohesion...are all fine...when it corrupts the ability of a unit to operate there's a big problem...btw, what size needle would you like?? :)
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