Posted on Mar 15, 2014
What are your thoughts on mos's that don't deploy to "combat areas" without choice? What about referring to soldiers as "pogs"?
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I see many different mos's referring to others as "pogs", now personally it doesn't bother me in a way, but we as the military have many mos's that don't do the same training nor missions. The hazing derives from the lack of knowledge of knowing that not everyone will be kicking in doors or not airborne. Not everyone knows exactly what they're getting themselves into when enlisting. Some will laugh that others don't know how to shoot weapons with expertise, or how to prepare to jump out of a plane. However if you place an infantry man in an artillery mos, will they know how to operate? Probably not! Each mos is unique, no matter what we might say. 92G's are some of the hardest working soldiers with crazy hours, but they are most made fun of. I myself don't get called out on high risk missions, but not by choice! I personally would be honored to spend a couple weeks with each mos, to get a feel of what all aspects of the army does on a daily basis. If I got called to go to Afghanistan, I'd go! My mos doesn't go there though. I'd be all for doing all those crazy missions that others get to do, I'd replace someone that doesn't want to go in a heartbeat. I was literally interviewed by a CSM to deploy with another unit that's not my mos related, and got turned down bc why? I didn't score above a 32 on my m16.
What are your thoughts on mos's that don't deploy to "combat areas" without choice? What about referring to soldiers as "pogs"? Do people believe that it's a soldiers personal choice where their unit deploys to?
What are your thoughts on mos's that don't deploy to "combat areas" without choice? What about referring to soldiers as "pogs"? Do people believe that it's a soldiers personal choice where their unit deploys to?
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 33
<div style="background-color: rgb(248, 248, 248);">Infantry can't win it alone. They need to be transported, fed, paid, sometimes protected... they also need supplies, maintenance, communications, and they need medical care when they are wounded, etc. Combat arms can't win complex and large scale wars on their own.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(248, 248, 248);"><br></div><div style="background-color: rgb(248, 248, 248);">I think the Marine Corps has a much more healthy outlook on this issue. Everyone is taught that the infantryman (even more specifically, a rifleman) is the most important MOS in the Marine Corps. Either you are a rifleman, or you support a rifleman. That's all there is to it, and you take great pride in whichever role you have, and each side respects the other for it. The Army sometimes suffers a bit too much from an "us" versus "them" mentality, which is not productive.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(248, 248, 248);"><br></div><div style="background-color: rgb(248, 248, 248);">When it comes to individuals, I try to look at the performance of the individual. I have a Supply Sergeant who is worth his weight in gold, and I would say he is one of the most important members of our Special Forces Company. </div><div style="background-color: rgb(248, 248, 248);"><br></div><div style="background-color: rgb(248, 248, 248);">Those who look down upon others just because they are not the same MOS or don't have a badge, in my opinion, don't have a good appreciation for what being part of a team actually means.</div>
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CW3 (Join to see)
MAJ Weiss,
The last sentence in your second paragraph and your last paragraph, I'm completely on board with, and they are the reason I will never go Airborne or Air Assault.
The last sentence in your second paragraph and your last paragraph, I'm completely on board with, and they are the reason I will never go Airborne or Air Assault.
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SSG Mike Angelo
While on a MAAG in Cairo, just months before that incident with Somalia, I was sitting at the hotel lounge area when this SNCO came in with his uniform on. I picked him out right away...SF and 75 ranger tabs, pathfinder, airborne, and master jump wings with a star, air assault badge, etc etc...he was staring at our team while we were in civilian clothes..
No one on the team had even one of his tabs...we had a brief staring down event. He knew about us being new in the area, after all the ice breaking introductions, he seemed a bit worried though. I asked him what was wrong, he said his only weakness was Filipino girls. lol...
I told him "we were America's best for this mission and we will take care of business." I did not stutter either... He replied, "I hope so" and he gave me a folded piece a paper (which i never opened) to give to the OMC Commander at the US Embassy. I never saw the SNCO again. Oh...we did our job and it took all of the six months to do.
In 2011, 19 years later I saw on CNN one of my former students during the Arab Spring outside the Tahir Square, Cairo, Egypt. That was cool to see him on his M1A2 120 mm Abrams Tank.
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CW4 (Join to see)
We all want to think that our specific branches are the single most contributor to winning battles. I am no different. As a Signal Warrant Officer I have always felt you cannot win without communication, but, I will say, that the soldiers I am seeing coming out of Basic, and AIT, are lacking the skills, and discipline that was instilled in many of us as when we joined. I never understood why I had to roll my socks and underwear when I was having to do it, but 16 years later, when I still find myself doing this, I realized that it was a matter of instilling discipline and order into my life. These small lessons have carried major weight throughout my entire career, both civilian, and military. I think that ANY soldier can learn what needs to be done, what takes time is instilling the proper discipline, values, and skills that will enable him or her to make the right decisions at the right times that influence positive outcomes. This goes for garrison or theater environments.
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We are "persons other than grunts." Is it offensive? If you let it be. Are you an Infantry grunt? I'm not and could truly care less what someone else thinks of me and what I do. In all actuality if it came down to 42As and 92Gs conducting infantry combat operations our Army would be in pretty bad shape. Yes, we are all valuable parts of the team and each of us make the Army move but we aren't grunts.
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MAJ (Join to see)
Well put SFC Rapach,
I love this becoming the victim. I have served with Support, Infantry and SF units. In most they realize that they cant do the jobs me and my Soldiers do or they wouldn't have us. most of the time just doing the best job you can and the problem will correct itself.
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SSG(P) (Join to see)
SFC Rapach:
I did hear of support personnel being used as Infantry. It was a unit of the 10th Mountain Division. All the Infantry types were already out on mission, and a crucial area needed to be secured. So they gathered up all the support personnel, outfitted them with full combat loads, and a CONEX full of gear and supplies, and dropped them into the contested area for 3 days. From what I heard, those support Soldiers did an amazing job securing and holding the area. Let's not prejudge people just because of their MOS.
I did hear of support personnel being used as Infantry. It was a unit of the 10th Mountain Division. All the Infantry types were already out on mission, and a crucial area needed to be secured. So they gathered up all the support personnel, outfitted them with full combat loads, and a CONEX full of gear and supplies, and dropped them into the contested area for 3 days. From what I heard, those support Soldiers did an amazing job securing and holding the area. Let's not prejudge people just because of their MOS.
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SFC (Join to see)
I'm sure there are multiple cases of where support personnel are conducting combat operations throughout history. I'm saying that it isn't the norm. I am also not stating they can't do the mission or being prejudice.
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