Posted on Apr 5, 2015
Was choosing your branch of service everything you thought it would be? Did you expect more or less?
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I expected more discipline. I joined at 17 right out of high school. I thought it would be like the movies. I'd have impeccable military bearing. Everyone would respect the COC. You are ordered to do your job and held accountable when you didn't. Sometimes I look around and feel like "Are these really the people keeping terrorist at bay?"
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PO1 Shahida Marmol
Exactly I mean, we are the military, if my TONE of voice offends you, how do you think you will be able to deal with the enemies. I don't disrespect anyone, but I do expect you to do your job and act like an adult with common sense. In my division we have a guy who complains all the time and questions why. When I tell him the reason he goes, Oh you're just so first class (meaning PO1). But If I tell him I am a first class, and I am telling you to do it because I out rank you and it's a lawful order, then I hurt his feelings or I'm a bitc#. I can't deal with this new breed of sailors.
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SFC (Join to see)
The main idea here is the use of the term "Common" sense. I put it in quotations because if it was common, everyone would have it. The future of our military is not looking so good. There are good leaders who want to train and lead their soldiers, which is the job of the NCO. But the privates of yesterday that grew up and got promoted, decided that they way they were treated in Basic training was too rough and hurt their little feelings. So they decided to change it to make sure that everyone was treated fairly, even if they are not cut out for the military. I am sure it is the same way across all of the branches. As leaders, we should not have to justify why we tell a lower enlisted to do something, they should not ask why or come back with something their barracks lawyer told them about regulations. it is soldiers like this, and in your case, sailors, that use the regulations for their own benefit, but when you point out other regulation violations to them, it hurts their feelings or we are yelling at them. We train people to go to war, and to die if necessary. Do you honestly think the enemy cares if they hurt our feelings or not? or that they are offending someone by the tone of their voice? No, I don't think so. We need to instill the discipline into the new generation that we had when we were younger. teach them that we are the military and we are here to fight wars and die if necessary.
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SFC (Join to see)
If anyone gets hurt at the words I say, remember the old poem, sticks and stones..
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PO2 Charles Gaskill
I was in the Navy from 1983 to 1993, sea going fighter squadrons, first Gulf war veteran, and even then I would see pansy ass's complaining about this or that. I had a job to do, kept my mouth shut for the most part and my head on a swivel, had to on an Aircraft Carrier. As a PO3 became the night shift supervisor for a very small but important division of my squadron, TARPS. I knew more about that shop, maintenance, paperwork, and people management than the PO1 that was in charge of day shift, that's how I got my Navy Achievement Medal. Don't know that I would make it today's Navy, way TOO much PC bullshit.
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In the macro sense the AF was everything I thought it'd be. Planes taking off, bombs being dropped. Also had air conditioning and clean sheets most days. The coffee was routinely excellent and we have some beautiful golf courses and used to have nice bars (gone now I'm afraid). In the micro I wasn't able to really make that call and understand until I did some joint/combined work and saw how the different services and services of different nations approached their jobs. The only thing I dislike is that the USAF is constantly evolving and always fighting for "respect" from the other services. We drive ourselves crazy trying to outdo the others - we don't want to be seen as the "nerdy geekfest" tribe, we want to be seen as tough, dangerous people. Well, that would be the Marines. Airmen aren't Marines (yes, I know some of you will be astonished) and they aren't soldiers or sailors and they ought to be very proud of being in a tough outfit that took every mission since WW II. Troops in Afghanistan and Iraq have no doubt about how tough some of those pilots are who come into the fight, coming low and slow and putting that ordinance right where it's needed. Tough is sleeping outside in the dirt and the rain. Tough is also not letting people needing air support down.
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I didn't expect what I saw when I was actually in Basic all the way to when I left. I was saddened, angry, disappointed and was glad when I left. I guess my expectations were a little off
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I checked out the different branches and their missions. The Coast Guard's mission was the best fit for me!
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PO3 James Hughes
The Navy was good for me and i'm proud of my service but personally need more of something. I don't know what that something is but sometimes was missing. Now that that I'm older and I think about it, l should have joined the Marines. I think the Marines would have been a better fit for me.
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Upon graduation from high school (1971) a friend and I intended to join the Navy on what was then called the "buddy" something. Then somehow our ASVAB(?) scores were lost. My perception was that the Navy recruiters were acting like we had done something wrong. I told my friend, "We haven't even signed anything and they're treating us like crap. I ain't joining an outfit like that."
Five years later my experience with Air Force recruiters was a good deal more pleasant. I was, however, disappointed that the "guaranteed job" I signed up for, Fire Control, was not as in depth as the job description suggested. Flightline maintenance was basically "box slinging" with only rudimentary electronics training. Over the years I did get more in depth training but never at the electrical engineering level I eventually pursued via off duty education.
It was still a rewarding career, especially after I voluntarily cross-trained into Operational Intelligence. That was the best job I ever had. I would have stayed in over 20 but an MEB determined that I "could no longer do my job" so I was "allowed" to retire at 20 eventually receiving a 50% disability from the VA.
Five years later my experience with Air Force recruiters was a good deal more pleasant. I was, however, disappointed that the "guaranteed job" I signed up for, Fire Control, was not as in depth as the job description suggested. Flightline maintenance was basically "box slinging" with only rudimentary electronics training. Over the years I did get more in depth training but never at the electrical engineering level I eventually pursued via off duty education.
It was still a rewarding career, especially after I voluntarily cross-trained into Operational Intelligence. That was the best job I ever had. I would have stayed in over 20 but an MEB determined that I "could no longer do my job" so I was "allowed" to retire at 20 eventually receiving a 50% disability from the VA.
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I picked the Army I would be thrid generation Army. My Grampa and grandmother both served in the Army WWI father Army
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