Posted on Dec 2, 2013
What confuses you most about "sister services?"
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<p>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! </p>
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Military Career
Military Career
Edited 10 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 78
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I have a hard time understanding the Air Force's rules concerning studying for a promotion test. In the Army if you have soldiers coming up for a promotion board you make it a priority to enforce group study and to drill the study material with your subordinates. I always conduct at least two mock boards and more if the soldier performs poorly. I drill questions and answers, etiquette, creeds, and bios all day long throughout the workday until my soldiers are blue in the face. But they always succeed with flying colors and that comes back to reflect on me.
I was stationed in Afghanistan with three airmen attached to provide SNAP terminal support. Two of them were supposed to start studying for the SSgt test so I proceeded to procure study materials and enforce study times. Just as if they were my soldiers I went ahead and studied over their materials and would quiz them throughout the work day. Well one day an Air Force Chief Master Sergeant comes by to check on the morale of these orphaned Airmen and I brief him on their study progress... Needless to say he was infuriated and threatening all kinds of UCMJ. I had to get my CSM to talk to him because I hadn't a clue what was going on and seriously thought I had been providing textbook leadership.
Come to find out in the Air Force there is no such thing as a team when it comes to promotions. The system seems designed to succeed or fail entirely on your own. I can almost admire the need to be self sufficient and to have a personal drive to study on your own but it went against everything we do in the Army.
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MSgt (Join to see)
It is highly discouraged to prevent test compromise.
I wish it wasn't so. I would love to study with peers or subordinates to help them prepare for promotion, but alas, it is forbidden.
I wish it wasn't so. I would love to study with peers or subordinates to help them prepare for promotion, but alas, it is forbidden.
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MSgt (Join to see)
The Air Force considers group-study or supervisor-assisted study to be a form of test compromise. Those two tests the Airmen take are technically the only point in the promotion system where each Airman is directly competing with their peers.
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I was active duty army. In the army you select your mos at the recruiting station etc. Go to BCT then go to your mos training. When I deployed we had navy attached to our unit. It really puzzled me that the navy doesn't do a career field pick like that from my understanding. I could be wrong on that subject however I just thought that was odd. And their officer ranks although I am sure that dates back to the days of old involving that subject.
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MCPO (Join to see)
It's easy, Sir... but, first, we need to fix a minor problem. Navy (and Coast Guard) enlisted folks don't have "rank" - they have "rate". Only Officers have "rank".
If you only see stripes, don't bother using titles - they are E-1 thru E-3. If you see upside-down chevrons with a bird above them, just call them "Petty Officer". If you see an arch above the chevrons, call them "Master Chief". If you get an E-7 or E-8, you are wrong, but you are addressing them with the E-9 title... and they won't be upset. If you call an E-8 or E-9 "Chief", they may well go off on you.
And, yes, even though you have a pretty silver leaf on your collar - they'll go off on you.
If you see collar devices, just keep your eyes peeled. Birds and upside-down chevrons = Petty Officers, while Anchors = Master Chiefs.
Once you get good at spotting this stuff, you can start looking for stars on those anchors. No stars, the person is a Chief Petty Officer - addressed as "Chief." When they grow up, they get a star and are advanced (not promoted!!) to Senior Chief Petty Officer - addressed as "Senior Chief" (people that know them well may be able to address them as "Senior"). Once they get old and crusty, they MAY be advanced to Master Chief Petty Officer and get two stars - and can ONLY be addressed as "Master Chief."
Just remember, nothing/birds/anchors (or arch over chevrons) and you'll be golden.
Just don't get pissed off when they address you as "Commander"!!! ;-)
If you only see stripes, don't bother using titles - they are E-1 thru E-3. If you see upside-down chevrons with a bird above them, just call them "Petty Officer". If you see an arch above the chevrons, call them "Master Chief". If you get an E-7 or E-8, you are wrong, but you are addressing them with the E-9 title... and they won't be upset. If you call an E-8 or E-9 "Chief", they may well go off on you.
And, yes, even though you have a pretty silver leaf on your collar - they'll go off on you.
If you see collar devices, just keep your eyes peeled. Birds and upside-down chevrons = Petty Officers, while Anchors = Master Chiefs.
Once you get good at spotting this stuff, you can start looking for stars on those anchors. No stars, the person is a Chief Petty Officer - addressed as "Chief." When they grow up, they get a star and are advanced (not promoted!!) to Senior Chief Petty Officer - addressed as "Senior Chief" (people that know them well may be able to address them as "Senior"). Once they get old and crusty, they MAY be advanced to Master Chief Petty Officer and get two stars - and can ONLY be addressed as "Master Chief."
Just remember, nothing/birds/anchors (or arch over chevrons) and you'll be golden.
Just don't get pissed off when they address you as "Commander"!!! ;-)
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LTC Paul Labrador
<p>Thanks....I think.... I'm even more confused now... ;o)</p><p><br></p><p>And "Commander" has a nice ring to it....</p>
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SPC David Solotky
When I deployed to balad on CRAM we had navy attached to us. The enlisted rank was pretty easy to pick up on the officer rank not so much. It was funny though a lot of the enlisted navy had not seen a "sham shield" before and would salute at first.
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LTC Paul Labrador
I can do one better than that: When I was with 3ACR during OIF1, we were based out of Al Asad. The Navy and Marines were RIP/TOAing with us for OIF2. From a distance, their PO3 (E-4) rank look a lot like O-6 rank. You had a bunch of Army folks saluting an E-4 until we figured it out...
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I have to say what boggles my mind about the Marines is that they are so proficient at Small Unit Tactics but do not "play well with others", meaning almost as a position of pride they do not like working joint service ops. I know that with this being said people are going to point out a thousand joint operations where they did work well together. This was just my experience in OEF.
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SSG(P) (Join to see)
My Dad (LTC, ret.) was a Transportation Officer who worked many joint LOTS (Logistics Over The Shore) exercises. He said that when working with Marines, you had to learn a new language-- grunts, growls, and guttural noises!
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Why the different times for raising and lowering colors.
Sunrise/1700
0800/Sunset
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MCPO (Join to see)
Master Chief Kelly, the best I've got is from the standard workday for the various services. At sea, the workday starts at dawn - and winds down at 1700. MOST of the calmest seas are in the evening-time, so that's when they are "off".
Ashore, it's all about the "workable" day. They get the general crap done first (PT, S/S/S, meals), and THEN start the workday... ending when the sun goes down. The workdays are the same length, it's all about WHEN they work.
This is not based on fact... it's a best guess from a guy that likes military history and trivia... and it sounds good.
Ashore, it's all about the "workable" day. They get the general crap done first (PT, S/S/S, meals), and THEN start the workday... ending when the sun goes down. The workdays are the same length, it's all about WHEN they work.
This is not based on fact... it's a best guess from a guy that likes military history and trivia... and it sounds good.
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MCPO Robert Kelley
Thanks for the reply, but.... while at sea colors never come down. It isn't till the ship ties up (or at anchor) and colors are shifted that they are raised and lowered and that is 0800 and sunset.
I first noticed the difference at an Army base when they raised colors at sunrise and lowered them at 1700.
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1SG Frank Rocha
If I had to guess I would say its partly because you always want the sun to shine on the colors while it is waving (if its night time a light has to shine on it), the other part (the song) I would say goes back to the day where there was a bugle call for everything. Taps played when it was time to go to sleep. retreat sounds when its down time, reveille sounds when its time to get up, etc etc. So the colors would then stay flying while we are fighting or working. just a guess though.
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MAJ (Join to see)
Ever been stationed in Alaska? If you had to wait for sunrise you would be raising the flag at 1100 and lowering it a couple of hours later.
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"Sister services"?-I'm still trying to figure out how the Army I was in did things the way they did!
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I always wondered why the army came up with the unofficial rank specialist promotable. As a SPC(P) you are expected to act like an nco and demonstrate your leadership abilities. But that's pretty much what is expected of a corporal which is also an e4. The other nco's want the spc(p) to act like an nco but they don't really have any real authority but then they also still get treated like regular specialist.
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In order to promote maximum participation and continued discussion, here are just a few related topics for your consideration; thank you for all that you do, and... see you all in the discussion threads!
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Col (Join to see)
At Fort Drum, the driver of the vehicle stays in the vehicle while passengers are to get out and salute. In other posts traffic stops. Why the double standard for such a "uniform" military, and on suc...
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PO1 (Join to see)
I've never worn my cover indoors. It's the ceremonial stuff where the stuff gets hazy and we do things that are out of the every day norm.
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