Rules we all think are true, but not written anywhere?

I was with 2 VP Squadrons during my career in the Navy. It was a completely different world. They were the best Commands of my career.

Army aviation is not special just different....

... or to RED HORSE - take your average hot rocks fighter pilot, give him a few years, a slight paunch and a bulldozer instead of an F-16 - get the picture?

This is so true as I learned from my son after he joined Aviation.

MAJ Micah Duke, SMSgt Lawrence McCarter
I am a member of Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association/CVMA. One of my Brothers is a retired Brigadier General, Army type. I guess he also never got the memo that Officers don't ride Harleys (he does in fact ride a Harley), LOL...

SFC (Join to see) - I think it actually has more to do with the positions occupied by the officers. On a MTOE positions should always be designated as O2 positions (I think). None are designated as O1. Since they are doing the same jobs, O1s don't salute O2s or call them "Sir".

MAJ Micah Duke I’ve reported that comment. I know you’re just repeating someone else, but you’re just as guilty for spreading the hate!

CPT (Join to see) please get a life! Seriously

Yes, not true but is based on the old Royal Navy tradition of "wetting the swab". In this case, when a Lt made Master and Commander he was now allowed to put rank insignia on (I don't remember which shoulder). Lt's did not have insignia as it was their Uniform that let everyone know that they were not a Seaman, A Warrant Rank or Midshipman). They would do it again when they were granted the rank of Post Captain. In this case they transferred the insignia to the opposite shoulder. Then after a couple of years they wore the "Swab" on both shoulders. This later changed to all Post Captain's wore 2 "swabs".

I have had people try to sell me the line that I had to thank the people who helped me get here. Even though none of those A-clowns helped me get there. This only happened twice for me. At my first assignment, in ACC, the NCO org simply held a fundraiser beforehand and covered the cost of the SSgt announcement party (which I could not attend). Years later at AMC, they would hunt your ass down and try to charge you for the announcement party regardless of whether or not you were even there. I paid then because honestly I wanted my stripe and I feared losing it due to my what my hostile chain of command would do if they found out that I refused to pay. So I paid then. Now at AETC, no one has even asked me to pay for the announcement ceremony which I did not make. It was a complete no deal. I hope this is a sign that most of the AF does not or no longer does this crap. BTW, I did thank everyone that I could find that helped get me get my newest stripe, but not by buying a hundred random kiss-asses a drink.

My favorite was " You really need to support the NCO club or they may not be able to continue operating". Well, If I never go to the NCO club because I live off port, why do I care?

I don't participate and I encourage you not to as well ---

It is leadership, I wrote ACM's for E-4's and after I told the CSM downgrading would be a slap in my face. They all weren't ACM's but the Full Bird pined everyone I set up.

My son receive ACM this year and he's only an E-2. Maybe it's different by unit.

As an E-4 in Vietnam (Army) I received the Arcom when I left country. E-5 and above received a Bronze Star!!! (we were clerks)

Oh and Only CSM, COL and up get Legion of Merit, and then only for Retirement. As awards clerk, I found out how to get LOM approved for PCS awards. It was tricky, but it worked: ONE thing the person did that, by itself, impacted thousands of soldiers AND set precedents for future commands. Anything less than that, the award got downgraded to MSM. Yes, there is a story behind how I figured that out.

Add to but not take away, well let see can you get kicked out of the Army for not meeting unit standard of 4 miles in 36 min? Not be recommended for NCOES or other DA schools? Remember a few years back this was brought up and units had to stop attempting to fail soldiers in DA schools for not meeting unit standards. If I am not mistaken PLDC on some posts was the culprit.

AR 25-30 supplementation section.

I did not enlist until I was 22 years old. I was a 19E (Tanker) all the training spots were full with split trainers in high school so they kept me stationed at the recruiting station for a few days before I shipped to Ft Knox for OSUT. While I was there, I studied up on the 600-200. becuase I wanted to keep my mustache. The last time I had shaved before basic training was my high school graduation and wanted to keep the tash! They made me shave off as soon as I got there. They made me squad Leader since I was the "old man". (22 ha ha) About a week before graduation, I instructed my squad not to shave above the lip. When my DI saw this... well you can imagine! I barked off the regulation concerning facial hair, informing him it was within regulation. Well, he barked off that he didn't give a @3%! what the regulation said, Drill Sergeants supersede the 600-200... Needles to say I was no longer Squad Leader. lol

SFC (Join to see) the most up to date AR 670-1 states the following for shaving. "Facial hair. Males will keep their face clean-shaven when in uniform, or in civilian clothes on duty." On duty, not at all times, again changed in 2017 previously did state at all times.

Seems to me a whole of of you folks are not happy with your jobs or being in what ever branch of the military you are in. Suck it up or hook up at the end of your enlistment or resign.

MGS Fitz, I think you're missing the point of this.

Yeah Fitz... lighten up Francis

MSG Donald Fitzwater - I just don't like to follow stupid, hence becoming an officer so I can allow my good senior NCO's lead and trump those that are simply followers. And the common phrase shit rolls downhill - well I believe when things are wrong or being done wrong a good leader pushes some of that shit back uphill. So a comment of not being happy, based on saluting at a table indoors, when in general saluting indoors is not a thing, makes no sense. Carry on.

Huh? My basic training guide (Still have mine!) tells me to Salute commissioned officers and Medal of Honor recipients..

So how did that become a urban legend?

A. There is a church flag, at least in USN...we flew it when devin services were being held. May have only been for ships. B. In USN, a boson mate piping the side (using boson pipe to announce arrival or departure of someone entitled to side boys) is authorized by region to salute with left hand, while piping with right hand.

MSgt Frank Martin - it is a tradition that has turned into a "regulation" That said, if I ever meet aMoH recipient,I will salute although I've been out of uniform over 20 years. Had the MoH convention in my hometown years ago during a week I was overloaded with work, I wanted a chance to just see a MoH recipient.

SSG (Join to see) - and a CPT Major. It was worse when he was promoted too.

I remember that one when I went through training at Fort Dix before I deployed. If you were in any kind of Humvee or MRAP or similar you always had to have on your helmet.

It is in AR 385-10.

It became a regulation because of soldiers that died from rolling one over

Commander called us I to his office one morning. We were USAF at Ft Sam Houston and not given dining hall cards. Colonel said matter of factly. Now boys whoe there isn't anything against having a beer for breakfast if you are going to do this while walking to work could you at least put them in a paper bag? Cold pizza and warm beer is all you had available. Monday mornings

Man lucky back in the day. When I was in from starting in 07 they always preached that one was one to many if you planned on driving on base...

Two beer lunch, 3 on paydays. Extra half hour lunch on payday.

In Germany, the one beer could be the equivalent of two normal American beers.

The Marines actually specify in P1020 that we have to either use both straps or carry it by hand.

I think at one time one of the multitudes of ALARACTs on uniform wear did state that you could only wear a single strap with a backpack, and it had to be solid black. Or it could be hand carried. Someone was probably thinking about soft briefcases, lap top cases, or messenger type bags and not actual backpacks. Not allowing anyone to wear a green or camo ruck, or the camo assault packs in garrison was just silly.

Personally, I would have saluted the good MAJ Micah Duke and kept moving . as SGT Chester Beedle - pointed out, the AR does cover backpacks and how worn.. (1) Hand carried bags will be conservative and professional in appearance. Bags (to include civilian gym bags, civilian backpacks, or other similar civilian bags) must be carried only in the hand if they do not meet the criteria outlined in paragraph 3–7f(2). DA Pam 670–1 provides additional descriptions and wear occasions for handbags. (2) If Soldiers choose to wear a shoulder bag while in uniform, the bag must be black or match the camouflage pattern uniform being worn, and may not have any commercial logos. The contents of the bag may not be visible; therefore, see-through plastic or mesh bags are not authorized. Soldiers may carry authorized bags by hand, on one shoulder using a shoulder strap, or over both shoulders using both shoulder straps.
The backpack one is fairly recent though, last few years (maybe 5-6 at this point).
If the good MAJ's encounter was previous to the latest AR 670-1 or the message that announced the new policy, then the SGM would have been right (though I personally would not have wasted my time or the Maj's on that bit of nitpicking)

SGT Chester Beedle - It was one of the recent updates:
(2) If Soldiers choose to wear a shoulder bag while in uniform, the bag must be black or match the camouflage pattern uniform being worn, and may not have any commercial logos. The contents of the bag may not be visible;
therefore, see-through plastic or mesh bags are not authorized. Soldiers may carry authorized bags by hand, on one shoulder using a shoulder strap, or over both shoulders using both shoulder straps.