Posted on May 13, 2018
What habit(s) have you been unable to break after leaving the military?
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Just to start the conversation, I still make sure that my 'gig' line is straight every single time I get dressed.
Training
Basic Training
Boot Camp
Military service
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 209
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Being 15 minutes early for everything. Being 10 minutes early is 5 minutes late.
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SGT Paul Richardson
That's is my hang up. Can't be late. Always way to early and it drives mt family nuts.
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SrA (Join to see)
I was just talking about this with a co worker. He used to be navy and i was air force. We are the only two that show up 15-20 minutes early
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#1 Being on time. OMG I work for a company where you schedule a 1300 (yup that's #2, still go by 24 hour time) meeting and people don't show up until 1305. This is especially annoying when AV is involved and it takes another 10 minutes to get the graphics up or the web conference going. Now you've just wasted 20 minutes and the meeting still hasn't started yet.
#3 Spelling everything phonetically you should see me text, Oscar Mike Golf!
#4 The gig line. I so hate when it ain't straight!
#5 Calling, "At Ease" to quiet down a room.
#3 Spelling everything phonetically you should see me text, Oscar Mike Golf!
#4 The gig line. I so hate when it ain't straight!
#5 Calling, "At Ease" to quiet down a room.
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SPC Paul Weegar
CPO William A. Bullard Jr. - Try living with a Pilipino. They don't know the meaning of being on time, esp. with other Filipinos. Drives me crazy.
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PO1 Robert George
SPC Paul Weegar - I feel your pain! 2nd ex is Filipino. Time is a 'foreign' concept! She also learned real quick about Credit Cards...just never got that thing about paying the bill!
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PO1 Robert George
24 hour clock...phonetic alphabet...using the head(latrine for you Army guys!)...gig line...uncover in a building...had to stop and think about it. 20 years of 24/7/365 'indoctrination' becomes ingrained. Don't even realize until family points something out or goes...'Huh?'
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PO1 Sanford Snyder
PO2 William Simpson - When I went thru the Police Academy, they used a different Phonetic Alphabet, it was peoples names, Adam, Ben, William etc, whereas I uses Alpha, Bravo, Whisky etc.
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CW4 Craig Urban
SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth when it sits all day it gets rough when all the troops are on police call
Pt etc and I was doing the work of 20 people.
Pt etc and I was doing the work of 20 people.
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SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth
CW4 Craig Urban by the end of the day my coffee doubles as blacktop filler.
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SGT Daniel Myers
True story; my first sgt. hated the fact that I got a pass on jump school because I had a talent the Army wanted so we arrived at a "deal" that didn't include me jumping out of planes which pushed him off.
Anyway, I was working armor duty on the weekend midnight shift and part of my job was cleaning the co's office, the 1st sgt.s office and making the coffee.
This was a 100 cup coffee urn and I'm just a kid so what did I know about making coffee?
I saw a line in the basket and figured that's where to fill the coffee up to.
It took almost three pounds to get to the line but I got the coffee going.
About an hour later, I heard the 1st Sgt shout out; "who made this coffee?" I figured he liked it and it was my time to get on his good side! So I shouted out; I did 1st Sgt! He said; come here; son; yes 1st Sgt?; if I ever catch you making coffee again on this installation I'll see to it that you are thrown in the brig have I made myself clear? Yes 1st Sgt!
I didn't make coffee in any form after that for nearly 5 years.
Anyway, I was working armor duty on the weekend midnight shift and part of my job was cleaning the co's office, the 1st sgt.s office and making the coffee.
This was a 100 cup coffee urn and I'm just a kid so what did I know about making coffee?
I saw a line in the basket and figured that's where to fill the coffee up to.
It took almost three pounds to get to the line but I got the coffee going.
About an hour later, I heard the 1st Sgt shout out; "who made this coffee?" I figured he liked it and it was my time to get on his good side! So I shouted out; I did 1st Sgt! He said; come here; son; yes 1st Sgt?; if I ever catch you making coffee again on this installation I'll see to it that you are thrown in the brig have I made myself clear? Yes 1st Sgt!
I didn't make coffee in any form after that for nearly 5 years.
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32
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Gig line.
Keeping my right hand empty when in public, especially on base.
Responding "Yes sir, No sir"
Stepping off on the left foot.
Probably some I don't even realize.
Keeping my right hand empty when in public, especially on base.
Responding "Yes sir, No sir"
Stepping off on the left foot.
Probably some I don't even realize.
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SSG Robert Perrotto
this is soo true - my wife comments all the time that when we walk together we walk "in step" or when I am in a line - my hands automatically go to parade rest - so many small things that are ingrained in us now that we don't even notice
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1LT Kurt Mccarthy
Yes!, Exactly, what I can't stop doing! It's pretty offensive to civilians with tiny hearts it seems.
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Here's the one that people close to me comment about.
25 years later, I still turn to at 03:30, and do a perimeter check and head count.
I Don't need an alarm clock. I can tell myself when I want wake up and I'll hit that time give or take 5 minutes.
If I'm not where I'm supposed to be within 15 minutes of H-hour... I'm "late."
Knife hands when I really want someone to listen VERY carefully, so I don't have to say it AGAIN.
I uncover when I come inside.
I have a clearing barrel on my front porch.
Field day Thursday night, determines whether or not there is liberty on Friday night, Saturday and Sunday.
I still call a three day weekend a "72."
If you smoke on my property; you will smoke in the designated smoking area, you will field strip your cigarette and you will pocket the filter, or you will not smoke on my property again.
When I go to anywhere with my wife, daughter, grand kids, and dogs; I do a head count whenever we arrive or depart a location. Everybody but the dogs has a number and sounds off by number.
Humans don't eat until animals are fed and watered. No one gets any food or drink until the next echelon below has a full-ration. I get mine last. 7 people six steaks... I eat hot dogs.
All gear from the previous activity will be properly accounted for, serviced and stowed before beginning a new activity.
25 years later, I still turn to at 03:30, and do a perimeter check and head count.
I Don't need an alarm clock. I can tell myself when I want wake up and I'll hit that time give or take 5 minutes.
If I'm not where I'm supposed to be within 15 minutes of H-hour... I'm "late."
Knife hands when I really want someone to listen VERY carefully, so I don't have to say it AGAIN.
I uncover when I come inside.
I have a clearing barrel on my front porch.
Field day Thursday night, determines whether or not there is liberty on Friday night, Saturday and Sunday.
I still call a three day weekend a "72."
If you smoke on my property; you will smoke in the designated smoking area, you will field strip your cigarette and you will pocket the filter, or you will not smoke on my property again.
When I go to anywhere with my wife, daughter, grand kids, and dogs; I do a head count whenever we arrive or depart a location. Everybody but the dogs has a number and sounds off by number.
Humans don't eat until animals are fed and watered. No one gets any food or drink until the next echelon below has a full-ration. I get mine last. 7 people six steaks... I eat hot dogs.
All gear from the previous activity will be properly accounted for, serviced and stowed before beginning a new activity.
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Maj John Bell
SGT Carl Blas - I don't tie mine either. The livestock guardian dogs never leave the flock except I have a 1/4 acre fenced kennel they go in if I need to work the goat herd with my working dogs. Even at night they are secured with the herd. The guardians would kill the working dogs, they just see them as wolves.
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Maj John Bell
PO3 Bob McCord - Learned that one from my Dad. Went on the second camping trip. No tent, no sleeping bag, no fishing poles or tackle boxes, no camp stove. That was what I was supposed to put away on the first trip. We still camped for the whole ten day excursion. You can bet I put everything away I was supposed to the next time, and I made sure my older brother and sister put their tasked items away.
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MAJ (Join to see)
Sgt Wayne Wood I bought a new pair of shoes just last week. Made sure the laces were left over right, just like they taught me in boot camp!
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Gig line,highly shined shoes(Kiwi polish) eating too fast, being obsessed with early arrivals,(airports,social gatherings) buttons buttoned ,no leaning on walls or posts,holy crap I’ve been out since 1968 and still act like a bloody private E nothing ,but it makes me feel better that I’m not alone out here reading this post,thanks.
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SGT Daniel Myers
Reading through everyone's posts I'm reminded of all the things I didn't list that I still do to this date that are just second nature.
1. Eating to fast. Always told my kids, especially when we were working, eat it now, taste it later!
2. Cannot believe how many jobs I got in trouble for being early (15 minutes) they cry when you're late and early! Lol!
3. Knife hand to drive home or make a point
4. Never sit anywhere with my back to a door
5. Always sweep the room with my eyes before entering checking for enemy combatants, exits, etc
6. Head is always on a swivel
7. Shoes are always shined (Kiwi of course!)
8. Always doing head counts and taking care of my guests (family) first, me last
9. I'm always on guard duty because I trust my 6
10. I always do two parameter checks before hitting the rack and still sleep with my weapon.
1. Eating to fast. Always told my kids, especially when we were working, eat it now, taste it later!
2. Cannot believe how many jobs I got in trouble for being early (15 minutes) they cry when you're late and early! Lol!
3. Knife hand to drive home or make a point
4. Never sit anywhere with my back to a door
5. Always sweep the room with my eyes before entering checking for enemy combatants, exits, etc
6. Head is always on a swivel
7. Shoes are always shined (Kiwi of course!)
8. Always doing head counts and taking care of my guests (family) first, me last
9. I'm always on guard duty because I trust my 6
10. I always do two parameter checks before hitting the rack and still sleep with my weapon.
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I shower in about 4 minutes, eat too fast, walk with a very military bearing and still maintain my gig line. I have no desire to change my bearing or lose the gig line. I could take a little time to enjoy both my food and shower
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CDR Dan Cunningham
I can spend half an hour in a nice hot shower, not having to worry about the rattling pipes signaling the next slug of steam making it's way toward me.
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PO1 Robert George
dont do navy showers anymore but still tend to keep it short. and absolutely refuse to take a cold shower!
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