Posted on Dec 2, 2013

What confuses you most about "sister services?"

40.2K

901

333

At one point or another we've all thought about it...  something about our sister services that we just can't seem to "wrap our minds around." So, what's that one thing that just seems to defy reason--from your perspective--and makes you wonder... "why do they do it that way?" The intent is to provide a fun, interesting, and thought provoking way to promote inter-service discussion. There's only one very simple rule here.. remember to display respect for all members from all services, of all ranks, and in all statuses. This should be a lively and thoroughly interesting discussion, and we'll all learn a thing or two about our sister services and each other in the process; now, pull up a keyboard, and let's get this thing started; thank you for all that you do, and... see you all in the discussion threads!

Posted in these groups: Images

Military Career

Edited 10 y ago

Posted >1 y ago

Follow this discussion

Responses: 78

Show most popular responses

SSG(P) (Join to see)

Posted >1 y ago

Most confusing to me:

US Air Force Enlisted Rank Insignia and titles of rank.

The USAF came from the Army, but never saw anything in the Army like USAF insignia!

(2)

Comment

(0)

MCPO (Join to see)

>1 y

Sergeant - just call almost everybody "Sergeant" and you'll be golden. If they have "three up and three down," address them as "Chief" and you will never have a problem.

If they are E-1 to E-4, you are giving them a verbal promotion (like calling a Specialist, "Sergeant"). All of their NCO ranks except for E-9 are addressed as "Sergeant", so all is groovy. The only ones that get pissy about mixed up titles are the Chief Master Sergeants... kinda like Sergeants Major.

And don't be surprised when an E-7/8/9 tells you to call them by their first name... it's VERY common!

(1)

(0)

MSgt (Join to see)

>1 y

3 or less stripes (E-1 - E-4) Address as "Airman"4 to 7 Stripes (E-5 - E-7) Address as "Sergeant"8 Stripes (E-9) Address as "Chief"I spent nearly 23 years in the Air Force and never told anyone higher or lower in rank to address me by my first name.  At times my Commanders would use my first name, my closest buddies in a 'private' setting, would also.  I was always addressed by my rank and addressed others by their rank.  The use of first names is the exception not the rule, at least in my experience.

(2)

(0)

SSG(P) (Join to see)

>1 y

Thanks MSgt Koss! That kinda clears it up. Or at least makes it easier!

(1)

(0)

SSG Shawn M.

Posted >1 y ago

This could just be hearsay but does the Air Force really get a Sub-Standard living allowance for living on another branches installation?

(2)

Comment

(0)

SSG(P) (Join to see)

>1 y

Yes. While at AIT at Fort Eustis (May-Sep '07) for learning how to maintain the CH-47, there were USAF Airmen there also learning the CH-47 as the HH-47 was supposed to be their new CSAR bird. They stayed in the exact same type of barracks across the street from us, and one of them told me they got $200 extra per month for "substandard living accommodations allowance"

(3)

(0)

CW3 Michael Danberry

Posted >1 y ago

I assist people of all branches of the military with assistance installing the software needed to use their CAC on thier personal computer. The Marines, Navy, and Coast Guard all require their personnel to login to their portal [with their CAC] to be able to download the required ActivClient middleware.

The Air Force opened up a small part of thier portal for username / password finally. But it took a year or so for them to do this. The Army is the only branch this entire time that allowed its personnel to login with username and password to AKO to be able to download the needed program. Now with Windows 7 and 8, the need is not as great, but anyone who is still using Vista, or XP, or Army users who need an update to ActivClient, will still need the baseline software.

So, why would the Navy, Marines, & Coast Guard think their people could log in with their CAC, when they are there to get the software to be able to login with their CAC. This blows my mind in the common sense test. Kind of a cart before the horse deal. :)

I am also very curious why the DoD help desks try their best to ignore Mac users. Their main answer is usually that the DoD doesn't have Macs, so, they seem to feel "I dont' have to support them." This was the same mentality when Vista was released, then Windows 7, now Windows 8 to the general public. The DoD help desks go with what they feel is "comfortable" for them. They seem unwilling to learn what is already out in the open.

Interent Explorer 11 has been out since October 2013 with the release of Windows 8.1. This browser changes the view of Outlook Web Access. NETCOMs answer was uninstall IE 11 and go back to IE 10. If they had investigated, they would have found out that Windows 8.1 users cannot do this. The OWA server owners could update their servers and save this headache for all of its people, but, evidently them fixing a few hundred or less servers is harder than millions of users having to tweak their web browser settings just to read their email.

All of this kind of information can be found on https://MilitaryCAC.com

(2)

Comment

(0)

SPC Daniel Drennan

Posted >1 y ago

While serving on active duty, I rarely ever met members of the other branches. Now I'm attending college at a University with a strong veterans organization and I converse with people from all branches very regularly and I have to say the biggest confusions I've experienced come from subtle differences in our lingo. For instance, Marines and Naval personnel commonly refer to standing watch, using the head, and they describe the front passenger of a vehicle as an "A Driver." In the Army these were referred to as standing guard, the latrine, and a TC (Truck Commander). For the most part these differences in lingo don't create much confusion, but they are fascinating.

(2)

Comment

(0)

LCDR Ray Trygstad

>1 y

My Dad--a career Marine--had a buddy who was senior NCO in a barracks bay at an Army service school. On Friday before cutting folks loose for the weekend, he briefed them as to what they needed to to ensure everything was shipshape: swab all the decks; scrub down the head, especially the bulkheads; sweep down all the ladderwells; and scrub out the scuttlebutt. When he came back an hour later, most of the stuff he had mentioned had not been done, and when he asked why the hell not, one of the soldiers replied "Because, Sergeant, we don't have any idea what the hell you said."

(2)

(0)

MAJ (Join to see)

Posted >1 y ago

Interesting question Sir and a great one as well. This is why I love Joint Duty, you learn so much from he other services. Here is my list of confusing "Other" service stuff:

1- Air force AFC badges: At first I thought they were airborne wings then I was told that they were badges to signify MOS

2- Air force Command Stars: Seems like a rip-off of the Navy....

3- Why the Air force has such better living standards? Same things goes with Army Aviation, but I still don't get it.

4- Navy Officer rank: In Kakis they look like ours, but in the dress uniform they have stripes? European Navy/Air Force use strips all the time. (Consistencies) It is why when a Navy CAPT is in a joint job they get called Colonel....

5- Navy Rate System: Boatswain Mate 1st Class? Why not just say Petty Officer 1st Class? Only service that does it.....

6- Navy Badges: Surface Warfare, Submariner, Supply Corps they all have different badges. Gold for officers and silver for enlisted? To many badges all for the same thing. Surface Warfare should all be the same.....

7- Army Warrant Officers: Why do our warrants have different ranks than the other services (Navy/Marines)?

8- Army NCO Ranks: I HATE calling a SSG/SFC/MSG "Sergeant" It is so stupid. The Marines got this one right. Wish we would fix it.....

9- Army Warrant Officer W1,2,3,4,5: They need to re-name the Warrant Ranks. Who came up with Chief 1-2-3-4-5?

(2)

Comment

(0)

show previous comments

1SG(P) (Join to see)

>1 y

I agree that there's generally too many ribbons throughout DoD. The Army may be the least offender, but could use some house cleaning as well. As for badges, without researching, I suspect the USMC actually has fewer than the Army. Case in point is the Air Assault badge. I don't deny it may be a good course. But I doubt we need a badge for it. Some of the best courses in the Army don't award a badge.

(2)

(0)

SSG Matt Murphy

>1 y

...again....I believe all this silly fruit salad would stop if wearing of awards were voluntary......let everyone "pick" only that which they want to wear out of all they have earned......the "focus" of their selection will be an obvious measure of the man......less is more....

(1)

(0)

SSG Matt Murphy

>1 y

...I certainly had interesting conversations with this displayed while in the Army & Marine Corps..the Army Jump wings and RVN Campaign Ribbon would have sufficed for me....

(1)

(0)

PO1 (Join to see)

10 y

Sir,

For the Navy warfare devices, there is a difference between the enlisted and officer qualifications. Yes, we always like to distinguish the difference between Es and Os, but the qualifications themselves are in fact different though based on the same platforms. As for calling something by their rate, it simply tells me what they do. In my opinion, it's actually much simpler. Hey BM1, well I know exactly what that guy does. Hey SSG, could be a pencil pusher, could be a tank guy, I don't know, now I have to waste my time and ask what his MOS is.

(1)

(0)

CPT (Join to see)

Posted >1 y ago

I would also say the Coast Guard in general. Are they a sister service or like a step sister service?

(2)

Comment

(0)

show previous comments

LTC Paul Labrador

>1 y

They were the original Navy.... ;)

They are a weird beast, them Coasties. Naval service that has law enforcement powers.

(2)

(0)

LTC Jason Mackay

10 y

Title 14

(1)

(0)

CPT (Join to see)

10 y

I don't even know what that means. It only adds to the mystery of what they really are. They are the Pat of the military.

(1)

(0)

LTC Jason Mackay

10 y

The Army, Navy, Airforce, and Marines fall under Title 10 of US Federal Code. This gives us our authority to provide for the defense of the nation. The Coast Guard is provisioned under Title 14, which gives then LE authority. The Coast Guard is actually part of Homeland Security vice DOD. They are OPCON to the Navy in a war. So the answer is yes, with caveats. http://www.uscg.mil/top/about/

USCG: About Us - Overview

The U.S. Coast Guard is one of the five armed forces of the United States and the only military organization within the Department of Homeland Security. Since 1790 the Coast Guard has safeguarded our Nation's maritime interests and environment around the world. The Coast Guard is an adaptable, responsive military force of maritime professionals whose broad legal authorities, capable assets, geographic diversity and expansive partnerships...

(2)

(0)

Cpl Ray Fernandez

Posted >1 y ago

I think it's more of a "language" and "cultural barrier" than any major difference. I look around the posts here on RallyPoiint and still find it odd that so many in other branches mention their pay grade instead of their rank, which is almost foreign to Marines. Also unit patches for the Army, and ship/command rockers on Navy uniforms seem odd, our utilities (camouflage uniforms) are rather plain compared to the Army's. So that covers the cultural side.

The language side seems more like each branch wants to confuse outsiders from learning their ways.

(2)

Comment

(0)

MCPO (Join to see)

>1 y

Continuing with the "language" thing - Navy and Coast Guard enlisted personnel don't have "rank" - we have "rate". Chief Petty Officer is a rate. Only Officers in the Nav/CG have "rank".

Then, of course, you throw "rating" in there, which is our career field, and EVERYONE gets confused. That Chief may be an Electrician's Mate or a Yeoman...

Yeah, that language thing gets confusing.

(1)

(0)

WO1 (Join to see)

Posted >1 y ago

The Navy’s segregation policies; Chief’s Mess, Officer’s
Mess etc. Always found it weird.

(2)

Comment

(0)

show previous comments

CPO (Join to see)

>1 y

We don't consider it segregation SSG, we call it tradition.

(4)

(0)

CMDCM Gene Treants

>1 y

And yet you do not find it strange that other services have Top 4 Clubs (E-6 and Above) or even Top 5, Officer's Clubs, or Enlisted Clubs?

In the Navy, we do have the top enlisted leadership at the E-7, 8, and 9 level or Chief Petty Officers. Navy Ships through ages have had messes, places where gun crews, sail watches, boat crews (Ships carry Boats), medical teams, and officers mess - ie Ward Room. When the navies created the Chief Petty Officer, this Mess grew out of necessity as just another peer mess.

And no - like Chief Campbell said not Segregation , Tradition. Since you are Army, I would expect you to understand Tradition, whereas Air Force is just about past the Rumor stage.

(3)

(0)

GySgt (Join to see)

>1 y

Say no to fraternization! Not sure if anybody remembers, but many chow halls, dining facilities, or whatever you want to call where you eat would be segregated for junior enlisted, NCO's, and a spot for SNCO's and Officers. You most commonly see heads and showers that are designated as SNCO's and Officers only.

(2)

(0)

SSG V. Michelle Woods

>1 y

Designated showers? I really wish we had that. Nothing more awkward than seeing your company commander naked in the showers. I'm sure she thought it was awkward too.

(4)

(0)

TSgt (Join to see)

Posted >1 y ago

"At Ease" meaning 'Attention' for an NCO entering.

(1)

Comment

(0)

PO2 Maxwell Jones

Posted 10 y ago

I think ranks of the other branches was the thing I had the most trouble with in the Navy. Being on a submarine, it was even like going to a foreign land to go onto a surface ship because they actually cared about rank way more than a submarine crew did.

(1)

Comment

(0)

What confuses you most about "sister services?"

Join nearly 2 million former and current members of the US military, just like you.