Should the military create a warrior class?

SPC David Glines and GRUNT means General Replacement UNTrained. Aka the new guys.

SSG (Join to see) - The CIB is handed out for nothing at times as well. I pretty sure over 20,000 CIBs were awarded during Desert Storm. "20,000+" lmao

I always told my guys that making a big deal about being better than everyone else just makes us look "needy" for attention. We conducted operations that not everyone was trained to do. We chose to do what we do. To be honest after 28 and half years in the Infantry, keeping your mouth shut and just taking care of the dude on your left and right is what separates the Infantry. Don't get me wrong your close friends who aren't in the Infantry will catch hell, but in the end everyone has a purpose. We can't get it done without everyone working towards a common goal.

Another attempt to divide the troops. If you take the oath and do your job, you are ok with me.

Very well spoken COL Jason Smallfield, we are one big team and it takes all of us working together to make it a well oiled machine.

Great words of wisdom, sir!

Cpl Evan Kikla - They could probably spell "paid" as well though. The Col here is spot on, and if anyone is doing this for accolades or respect, then they are the people who need to go ahead and move out. We all have a role to play, and our missions are hard fought and failed when the people tasked to carry them out are worrying about what other people doing and trying to convince themselves they could do it better. If you are doing someone else's job, than you are not doing your own.

PFC (Join to see) - Only boot grunts talk like that. Most of those pogues (not "POGs" could do your job at least half-assedly. But could you do their jobs AT ALL? Doubtful.

He has a valid point but, he doesn't realize we already do, it isn't new, just forgotten and seldom taught and rarely broadcast. The CIB, Infantry rope and other ribbons and medals do treat them in higher regard through recognition. There are several opinions running rampant on this topic with very weak support from those who only looked on the MOS from the outside and never carried that 100 lb backpack, M60 in full combat gear on weekly 25 mile forced road marches cat napping on rocks, sand and standing watch in mud fox holes for years, training for the day to be prepared to confront the enemy eye to eye, fight and win. What he really wants to say I believe is respect for those POA's. It is an unaware individual that compares combat downtime for such sacrifice to their routine support function and the physical and mental toll it takes. Take a look at the data on how many 20 yr+ retired combat 11B's there are and the resultant quality of life and life expectancy compared to support specialties. While we are amazed by the NFL linebacker who manages a 10 year active line career with a richly rewarded salary and then sympathize with his complications from the rigors it took on his body, we neglect our troops that do far more for far less. This I believe goes to the heart of what started this topic. The toll this POA has on the individual and lack of recognition in comparison to all other support cannot be understated. Knowingly or not, these individuals volunteered for the profession. I did for the college opportunity I was sold on. Other's, to get away from something worse. Extremely rare is the well educated volunteer who is willing to sacrifice oneself for God and Country. Expendable persons and combat fodder. When the SHTF, Combatant commanders don't get off easy either. They must decide who will risk death and who will be spared, until the next day. Who is willing to assume that task in good humane conscience? Divisiveness of specialties is not new and garners a certain competitiveness that is beneficial to a point. What has changed is the original, well thought out and understood and historical (Valley Forge) purpose for special regard of all types and ranks. In today's environment there is an assault that has been evolving from those times to now. Today's military personnel have been raised and conditioned in a warped society to believe everyone should get a trophy of equal value in any contest regardless of contribution or outcome. We fight to win wars and conflicts that seek to impose these and like ideologies in other weak societies yet, turn a blind eye on it in our own. Failure to unite as one educated, American military and society and to recognize what is really going on, death by a million cuts, will inevitably lead to destruction from within.

Not to rain on any 11Bravo's parade, but this 05Bravo has a CIB and carried a 80lb ruck, didn't have an M60, but a PRC25 and an M16. When not on the radio in a firefight I was on the line with the other riflemen. Ended up on more than most LP's and Ambush patrols since they all needed a radio so was in those patrols rotation more often. The 11Bravo's in my Company neither saw or treated me any differently than any other, we all went thru the Brigade Infantry school at BMB in Bien Hoa, even our 11B's and company of 75th Rangers had to go thru it. You just can't tell by the uniform in a firefight if you're fighting beside a bona fide 11B, and you really don't give a carp what their MOS is. Probably different nowadays, but I bet not much after 50 years.
On the plus side of the 05B''s, that 25lb brick of a PRC25 would absorb a hell of a lot more 7.62 and RPG shrapnel than the thin fatigues would, saved my hide more than once.

I agree with what you said for the most part. Well in the beginning at least. The ending is kind of a kick in the balls. I was infantry, and airborne for a majority of that time. But I had to do everything you just stated at the end. Every single one. Infantry in airborne units are way overworked, in my opinion. We drove and got the ammo, we even had to count and turn it in even if it wasn’t even ours. And our maintenance was us, we didn’t get anyone out there to help us fix anything. I even had to drive fuelers, and yeah we had to fill our own vehicles. The actual fuelers would either sit in the truck, or just wouldn't be there at all. But I think every job sucks and destroys your body. Jumping out of airplanes with 90lbs+ rucks, a weapon, ski’s and if you’re extra lucky an AT-4. The only time we actually got to do our job was when we were in Afghanistan. Even training events we were the first ones there and the last ones to leave. I feel you on the 120 days while others were there for only 90 and sometimes less days than that. But if everyone would just do their jobs it would make things easier for everyone. Doesn’t matter what your MOS is, just pitch in and stop b*thing about it so it gets done. That’s always what I always told me joes. The only people who had “easy” jobs were the warrants

1LT William Clardy
1-501 here! I can attest to this. “Free time” was not a thing. Getting smoked because you didn't know the max velocity of the 249 was a thing. Our privates always had a book on them and they were studying if we weren’t doing anything. Which really wasn’t often.
- 1-501 Geronimo baby!

Exactly sir. This was my first thought on the subject.

This is nothing more than a insecure self-serving notion that one segment of the military is better than the rest. So you would have us revert to feudal Japan? This guy is in TRADOC? REALLY?!?...I challenge you to tell a crew chief or an aviator that will get you in and out of a hot LZ; you deserve more respect than they? Or how about the guys in the TOC that coordinate an AWT to keep you alive when the enemy is knocking your dick in the dirt? Being in combat arms takes a special breed of man, but that in no way indicates that the infantry does all the heavy lifting. Get your head out of your ass and be thankful for the men and women beside you.

Nicely stated, Sir.

I wish I could up vote this more than once.

So why did they came up with the CAB since this is not anout respect or recognition, oh wait POG were crying about not getting enough recognition

SFC (Join to see) So if the CAB is not a big deal, then why are you crying about it? Are you just a little butt hurt?

Didnt know there were postal clerks..all i ever saw were broken grunts as mailmen..lol

Oh they are there. We went through train up with a plt of them at Steward. All I can say about that group was I hope they were really good at mail.

Don't forget a lot of famous generals were mainly staff officers. Patton saw no significant action before WW2. He saw minor fighting going after pancho villa, and was a staff officer in HQ in WW1. Not too many say Patton was a pussy.

I wholeheartedly agree. As they say, "amateurs think about tactics, professionals think about logistics."

It is utterly impossible to say one branch is more vital than another. They each have their vital WARFIGHTING function. All of us soldiers are warfighters, regardless of branch or MOS.

2LT Derrick Fiedler - I would agree, but we're not all soldiers. Some are Marines ;-) Semper Fi

General Marshall, arguably a greater administrator than even Ike, was Chief of Staff for the AEF in the First War and CSA in the Second. Oversaw the expansion of the Army from its pitiful prewar strength of about 120,000 (I believe) to millions in only a few years. He never saw combat and, when offered Ike's job as Supreme Commander of SHAEF, deferred the decision to Roosevelt instead of taking it. In my opinion one of the greatest general officers the Army ever produced.

that sounds like fun

LOL, ok..

I think my least favorite slogan was a supply section. They would chant "bullets don't fly without supply!". I didn't have the heart to tell them that ammunition is an Ordnance MOS =)

What about the Combat Engineers who clear your way, SFC? Or who get slammed with 49 days straight of missions because all the infantry elements are stuck on Force Protection in the towers and ECPs?? We're doing your job running patrols AND clearing routes! The only reason it was limited to 49 days before we had an off day was because our vehicles were so worn out and needed maintenance so we couldn't get green lighted until the next day. It seems like someone had a little too much infantry and needs some humility. There's something Combat Engineers often say that rings very true: "Engineers can Grunt, but Grunts can't Engineer."

MCPO Roger Collins - On a related note. If you have not done so I highly recommend seeing the USS Tang at the National WWII Museum in New Orleans.

I do not doubt anything you posted. My point is that if you lose 10% of a company or 100% is squad, who had the most casualties?

Also, I served six years on some of the oldest WWII diesel submarines as my first sea assignments in 1958. Very familiar with them. Then on Nuclear FBMs and Fast Attacks until retirement from the Navy.

SSG Mike Busovicki - Like I said, we all take a turn. Sooner of later, the losses come to us all and we can not discount the bravery or ability of all our armed forces. Heck, I've even come to accept that the shallow water sailors are pretty good. Don't tell the Coasties, a blue water sailor made that admission.

91B(63B back in the day), 42A (Postal) over two deployments in theatre so yes, support BDE and BN are key to victory. I myself have pulled 36-48 hour missions with 0 sleep and little to no recovery. And I will do it again when asked or ordered to without complaint. My team and myself, we do what needs to be done so "True Warriors and Operators" can do what needs to be done, to achieve absolute Victory over the enemy. One team, one fight.

You forgot to mention his tactical beard - those are a requirement these days for "operators" and mandatory to prove you've been there, done that and merit all manner of special consideration and respect.

Well put on the beard, Bwahaha!!

You shoud write for a living.

Outstanding.

This is the best response I've seen yet. Very well done!

2 MoH , 1 DSC , 9 Silver Stars, 18 Bronze Stars with 'V', 3 Bronze Stars, 37 ARCOMS with 'V' and 27 Purple Hearts and no CIB's lots of CAB's though.