Posted on Mar 31, 2016
What do you think is an archaic or traditional thing we still do in the military that is no longer necessary?
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There are some things we do in the military that was deemed appropriate for the time it was created or existed, but by today's technology and standard of living and expectations may seem overkill or unnecessary. I think its time that the military evolved itself into adulthood and get rid of some things. Formations are one.
(Let me clarify - not all formations are set to disseminate information. Face-to-face can be done out of formation [if you're not stuck behind your desk], and accountability is typically done before a formation - if someone is missing, you either will call them, knock on doors, or go to their house. There are circumstantial units that exist where formations don't happen; deployments are typically one of them. Most units don't do D&C or Manual of Arms these days. So what are we really doing in a non-event i.e. promotions, awards, or ceremonies that can't be done outside of a formation?)
(Let me clarify - not all formations are set to disseminate information. Face-to-face can be done out of formation [if you're not stuck behind your desk], and accountability is typically done before a formation - if someone is missing, you either will call them, knock on doors, or go to their house. There are circumstantial units that exist where formations don't happen; deployments are typically one of them. Most units don't do D&C or Manual of Arms these days. So what are we really doing in a non-event i.e. promotions, awards, or ceremonies that can't be done outside of a formation?)
Posted in these groups: 
Tradition
Military History
Tradition Military History
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 674
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Sounds like a Chinese fire drill. No formations? Operate the military w/ text messages? Let me know how it works.
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PO3 Michael Cienfuegos
SGT Mary G. - I wasn't a professional, just an enlisted sailor, but I had a job to do and I felt that I should do it to the best of my ability and take pride in what I did. Even a compartment cleaner or a sailor on mess duty should take pride in his/her work. That pride is what made me proud to be a sailor fifty years ago. These young people today should do the best they can in whatever their assignment is. Everyone wins when this happens.
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SGT Mary G.
That's right PO3 Michael Cienfuegos! Totally agree. However, it sounds like you were professional. Everyone doing the job he or she is tasked with doing as well as it can be done - for the benefit of the entire unit, command, service, military, nation, etc. - is what we learned was being professional about the work we do/did. Plus we all learned the same basic "soldering" skills to keep us and those we served with, alive - adjusted for the branch in which we served.
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emails or texts will never replace face to face communication. Sorry, formations are part of the military, and they should be.
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SGT Nathan Hanna
What is sad is that people who are hiring veterans are looking for information management and team leadership skills that are gained from having formations. It's not about just accountability or information dissemination but the ability to get a team to successfully accomplish disorganization into some semblance of organization and task accomplishment. When I teach my son about responsibility I don't just hand him a knife and expect him not to cut a bunch of stuff including himself and others. I give him building tasks such as keeping up with his crayons first. If he can't clean up after himself or take charge of something meaningless and stupid is he really ready for anything dangerous
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I am waiting for that first nuclear strike where the EMPs destroy the use of all technology and then we will know exactly how important that survival school training was and that we should have paid better attention to figuring out grid coordinates by hand.
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MSG Rod "Seaux" Larreau
Parenting by texts and emails isn't that successful, how will it work with military leadership?
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MSgt David Winstead
I agree with the Lt Col, most electrical items will useless with an EMP strike. Computers, cell phones, and Ipads are gone. You have to think like a caveman to survive.
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PVT Mark Whitcomb
do they even teach map reading anymore? we 11 bravos were all taught to read maps in AIT. down In FT POLK granted that was some 50 years ago
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