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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Is the Army the only service that has organized PT in the morning with a specific uniform?
I always see other services just wear anything during their PT formations. Example the Navy has a PT uniform but in one formation everyone had on something different even brown t shirts. I thought that was hilarious.
I always see other services just wear anything during their PT formations. Example the Navy has a PT uniform but in one formation everyone had on something different even brown t shirts. I thought that was hilarious.
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SSgt Kevin Beckley
No set uniform, depending on weather had to run in fatigues and sneakers or tee shirt and shorts.
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TSgt (Join to see)
Command PT and the running of it was very much command specific and up to the current CO (as with many things in the Navy). As for uniforms, its worth mentioning that PT gear was not one of the official uniforms for the Navy until 2008. The brown t-shirts were likely Seabees, which do things a bit different than the rest of the Navy (to say the least).
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After spending three years on an Air Force base, I would have to say the use overwhelming use of first names.
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MCPO (Join to see)
And pharging everybody is named, "SIR"!!!! That KILLED me when I worked for them in a joint command.
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Dress Uniforms between the Air force and Coast Guard have too many similarities. From a distance it's not easy telling one service apart from the other. Most Coast Guard members have actually purchased dress blues from Air force bases because the Coast Guard uniform supply doesn't carry everything needed to maintain our dress blues or "trops". I personally always enjoyed guessing the branch of service based upon a uniform you see in the distance.
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Navy rank is confusing. For example, Navy Lt. wearing Captain's bars and Navy Captain wearing Bird Col. rank. The rest is even more confusing.
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TSgt Scott Hurley
The Navy Ranks for Enlisted can be confusing, because they say their rate instead of rank unless they are Chief petty officers on up. For the Officer ranks its easy. The only officer rank I have an issue with is calling a one star Rear Admiral (lower half according to the current rank structure). When historically, it is supposed to be Commodore.
Now for the Lt/Capt part. Yes I would agree with you on that. But, the Navy Lts. LOVE it when you call them Capt. Especially when you are from a sister service. And yes I did ask a Navy LT about being addressed as Capt instead of LT by us Air Force members.
Another thing about the being a Capt in the Navy. On very small boats, you do not have to have the Rank of Capt. to be a Captain of the boat. To command say a Cruiser or an Aircraft Carrier, Even the Battleships when they were in service, you have to have the Rank of Capt. If a Flag officer is on board, they are in charge of a group of ships. That is the only confusing thing with being a Capt. You can be a Lt Commander and be a Captain of a smaller vessel.
Now for the Lt/Capt part. Yes I would agree with you on that. But, the Navy Lts. LOVE it when you call them Capt. Especially when you are from a sister service. And yes I did ask a Navy LT about being addressed as Capt instead of LT by us Air Force members.
Another thing about the being a Capt in the Navy. On very small boats, you do not have to have the Rank of Capt. to be a Captain of the boat. To command say a Cruiser or an Aircraft Carrier, Even the Battleships when they were in service, you have to have the Rank of Capt. If a Flag officer is on board, they are in charge of a group of ships. That is the only confusing thing with being a Capt. You can be a Lt Commander and be a Captain of a smaller vessel.
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
I'm a Sailor and I understand completely where you are coming from, not only the ranks but titles. Capt is a Rank O-6 and a Title Senior Man in charge of a Vessel no matter his rank is Capt or Skipper. Looks like Top Sgt Hurley beat me to the punch line. Also we Use your Job Specialty as part of your rank. Yeah!
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Now here is a good one:
Now for you "OLD" Army guys. Explain the Army ranks. Especially the third and last rows. I have found more ranks that the US military has used over the years. And they are just as confusing.
Now for you "OLD" Army guys. Explain the Army ranks. Especially the third and last rows. I have found more ranks that the US military has used over the years. And they are just as confusing.
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1SG Frank Rocha
The third row, from what I understand, is the predecessor of the second row. All that remains of the second row, as the 1SG stated above, is Spec-4 (simply referred to as Specialist now since its all that remains).
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SFC (Join to see)
The third row of ranks were the old Specialist ranks...you had those rank that pertain to actual leadership and the specialist ranks for those who were proficient in their jobs back in the old days.
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MAJ Alvin B.
A quick general answer: The third and fourth row (4th row is WW II era for Technician grades) represent grades without the leadership authority of a Noncommissioned Officer (i.e. No official authority to issue orders, etc...) In essence the Specialist Nine grade (last one in row three) was outranked by the Corporal, the lowest NCO grade. In practice, most Specialist's transitioned to the NCO grades at Sergeant First Class. I knew only one Specialist Seven (Spec 7) in my early days in the Army. If memory serves, except for the Specialist Four, all Specialist grades were phased out in the late 1970s.
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MAJ (Join to see)
The last row was replaced by rhe 3rd row. I entered the army when they were transitioning from the 3rd row to our current configuration. I must say the army made a mistake in getting rid of the specialist ranks. These ranks were designed to differentiate combat arms and specialties, and closed a lot of options for promotion.
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Air Force rank....there appears to be lots of strips on the arms for the Enlisted rank.
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TSgt (Join to see)
I found the massive number confusing before I switched as well. But it got much clearer once I understood E-4s really aren't NCOs in the AF.
Then its a simple breakdown that doesn't require counting all of them:
a stripe around the star for each junior enlisted ranks,
then stripes under for NCO ranks,
then chevron over for each rank of Senior NCO.
I'm still working on the names :-)
Then its a simple breakdown that doesn't require counting all of them:
a stripe around the star for each junior enlisted ranks,
then stripes under for NCO ranks,
then chevron over for each rank of Senior NCO.
I'm still working on the names :-)
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After having been stationed at Shaw AFB and now on the Joint Staff, I have to ask: Are Air Force officers allergic to Kiwi shoe polish or is there a conspiracy against Corfram shoes? I have seen more "Hershey Bar and a brick" shine jobs in these past 2 assignments. What's the story? And don't get me started on flight suits/jackets...
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Maj Walter Kilar
Air Force officers tend to polish their shoes with Dove chocolate, not Hershey's. The reason: our dependapotamous spouses sit and home and sell 10 metric tons of Dove chocolate whenever they are not selling Mary Kay or Pampered Chef, so we always have excess chocolate. Hence, we use the chocolate to shine our shoes! Don't ask what we do with the excess Mary Kay and Pampered Chef.
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Based on a discussion I posted weeks ago about earrings in ACU, some people responded that the use of earrings distract from a military appearance. Now, for Air Force, Navy & Coast Guard the use of earrings with ABU, ODU, etc it is ok. I wish that Army could understand those parameters that the sister services used to determine that the use of earrings does not distract from a military appearance so the Army could use it too. This is just my personal opinion.
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I get the impression that the Marines hate Army folks. I used to get mercilessly ridiculed by Marine friends about how how the Marines are so much better than the Army. Is this true or just good natured ribbing?
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Col (Join to see)
PV2 Wilcox, I'm pretty sure it was just some good old fashioned inter-service ribbing, IMHO it's very likely that if they didn't like you... they wouldn't have taken the time to give you a hard time! lol
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SSG Timothy McCoy
PV2 Wilcox, I think you are incorrect about the Marines hate Army folks, In fact I think the Army hate the Marines. Look at the Army Navy football games.
When Marines are aboard ship they become Ocean Going Bell Hops, Holding the doors for the Flag mess.
Or What else would you put marinara sauce on but Squid.
But the biggest one thing that the Marines have going for them is that they are the Men’s Dept. of the USN.
All else aside, we rib each other just like any kids from any families so, fight tooth and nail with each other but let ANYONE else start in with any of our brother or sister in arms, Katy-Bar-The-Doors, a barn clearin' is a-fixin to start.
Kind of like grade school, if we didn't love 'em we wouldn't pick on 'em
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