Wheres the pride in your branch?

MSG Martinis Butler — Sun, 16 Feb 2014 00:57:26 -0500

When people ask which branch is the most disciplined, the response is always the Marines and then the Army and then debates on the Navy and Airforce as a strong third. We are all suppose to be an elite force so why is the standard watered down for some branches whereas others are held to a higher standard? Truthfully, why don't you consider your branch #1?

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 16 at 2014 1:03 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 16 Feb 2014 01:03:13 -0500

I consider Army #1

Response by PO2 Pete Haga made Feb 16 at 2014 1:39 AM

PO2 Pete Haga — Sun, 16 Feb 2014 01:39:04 -0500

<p>I have always held that the Navy is most disciplined each member is responsible for a very critical job of defending our shores and our allies shores. Transporting troops and equipment all over the globe. Plays a vital  role in air defense. Has the top elite special force of all the armed forces.</p>

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 16 at 2014 5:39 AM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 16 Feb 2014 05:39:23 -0500

Every branch is best in their own regard. There is a reason why we have different core competencies, and we all excel in them. I have had the honor to serve with a number of personnel from different branches and they were all good at their job!

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 16 at 2014 5:41 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 16 Feb 2014 05:41:56 -0500

The ARMY will always be number one in my heart and that is
100 percent bias due to the fact that, I am in the ARMY. I love being a 25U
(Commo) and I love the people I meet and have the pleasure to work with however;
The Military in whole has become in all due respect terrible. I do not know if
it is due to 13 years of war or because we have become too sensitive and
emotional. The United States Military did not become the most dominating force
in the world because of sensitivity so why are we so soft and fragile now? (I
will continue to serve and try to enforce the standards I was introduced to
during my upbringing)

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 16 at 2014 6:06 AM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 16 Feb 2014 06:06:38 -0500

SFC Butler, to cut down to the bone, I would say this. A little sibling rivalry is healthy.

The discipline needed for the Army and Marine Corps to lead troops under fire is much greater than in the AF and the Navy. On the whole, we have much fewer front line warfighters than the Army and MC. We don't ask most of our people to operate as a unit to maintain fire control measures, stay on line, advance or retrograde while underfire. And we tend to not have nearly as many people at FOBs, keeping our forces back at MOBs away from most imminent danger, so our support forces don't operate under that knowledge that they could become another rifleman at any moment. The strict discipline needed for that is not nearly so critical for AF and Navy forces, and so as a force we tend to be more relaxed in that aspect.

That is not to say we don't have immense pride in what we do and how we achieve our goals. We are all critical to the fight and have to be separate so we can achieve that objective in the way best suited to the mission. I would never ask a super sonic B1B bomber pilot to lead an infantry battalion, and I would not be happy having a combat engineer try to lead and manage my Space Operations folks. Oil and water.

We're all #1 when compared to the world view and compared to other forces within our special area of operations.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 16 at 2014 10:58 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 16 Feb 2014 10:58:35 -0500

Look at movies and t.v. shows both past and present and see which branch gets made fun of the most. I like the Army and what it stands for. I have pride in what I do, but it is hard to portray it to family and friends when all they see is CRAP like Army Wives, Enlisted etc. and not to mention all the movies that make us look like we are idiotic bumble F's that can't be professional or complete a mission. Other branches don't get that treatment. One could look at as "trying to take down #1", but that is reaching.

Response by GySgt Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 16 at 2014 11:06 AM

GySgt Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 16 Feb 2014 11:06:22 -0500

All the branches of service create their men in a certain way for a certain function. Every branch of service focuses on different things and the main focus of those services is what they are disciplined in.

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 16 at 2014 11:34 AM

SGM Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 16 Feb 2014 11:34:57 -0500

Of course I believe that the Army is number 1. That being said, I have worked with all branches. Here's why I respect all of them.

Navy: Great group of folks. They have water superiority over any nation in the world. Their air power is amazing and their special operations forces are outstanding.

Air Force: Again, great group of folks. They are smart. Have you ever seen or heard an AC 130…It's awesome! Additionally, most of my almost 200 jumps have been out of AF aircraft. There is no finer group of Airmen in the world.

Marines: Discipline, Discipline, Discipline. They receive the least amount of funds and do their job well. Their equipment and assets are the oldest but you never hear them complain. Their esprit de corps is truly spectacular. Additionally, across the board they are in amazing shape.

Army: We have the Rangers, the 82nd, the 101st, and SOF. Amazing forces that are more lethal than any other force in the world.

Competition breeds excellence. This same question will be debated till the end of time. The Army does a poor job in their marketing. The other services do a much better job which directly correlates to public opinion. If we had more commercials showing our Rangers, the 82nd/101st, and our SOF in action I believe that the opinion would change.

Response by MSG Mitch Dowler made Feb 16 at 2014 12:15 PM

MSG Mitch Dowler — Sun, 16 Feb 2014 12:15:23 -0500

It is a matter of having a different mission. Even within the Army itself the atmosphere varies between the Infantry and the Signal Corps. Some types of jobs involve facing down death as the primary component of the job while other MOS's need to have more creativity and the ability to solve new technical problems. All MOS's have a mix of both but the mix is different for each job and type of unit.

Response by MSG Martinis Butler made Feb 16 at 2014 7:34 PM

MSG Martinis Butler — Sun, 16 Feb 2014 19:34:11 -0500

Many have brought up great defenses especially for the branches they are in. I love the Army and feel as if we contribute just as much as any other branch, but truthfully when it comes to discipline hands down I have to say the Marines take the ribbon for it.
If the Marines kick a Marine out of the military he could potentially go to any other branch and continue his/her career but no other branch can kick someone out of their branch and send them to the Marines.When a group of individuals are walking together no other branch makes it mandatory to march together from place to place like the marines. When going out in public in their civilian attire the Marines ensure to look presentable before going out into a public establishment whereas I've seen individuals in other branches walk out in public with anything on ie ripped jeans, sandals, pajamas bottoms or even shirts with vulgar writing on them. I've seen males from other branches not shave on the weekend but you won't see that from a Marine and those are my points about being a disciplined branch and that has nothing to do with the jobs that are being done that's soely on the structure and foundation that the Marines are given, now that's what I call discipline!
Again I believe in Loyalty to my branch (ARMY) but I will never have my Integrity questioned because I wasn't honest.

Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made Feb 16 at 2014 7:50 PM

SFC Michael Hasbun — Sun, 16 Feb 2014 19:50:14 -0500

The Air Force is clearly number one! The amount of discipline it takes to maintain a cheating ring of that size and scope, for that long a time is clearly immense. I certainly couldn't have done it!  ;0)

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 19 at 2014 8:53 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 19 Feb 2014 08:53:48 -0500

It's good to stay humble about your service. Each one has it roles. Each also has it's own strengths and weaknesses. I work on a team with Army, Navy, and Air Force. Each is a member of an elite field within their branch and performs as such during each and every mission. Regardless of how I feel about their branches as a whole, on any given day that doesn't really matter when we put our lives in each others hands and continue to come back alive.

Response by CW2 Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 10 at 2014 11:03 PM

CW2 Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 10 Apr 2014 23:03:34 -0400

I've watched fat marines fall out of runs, I've seen them disrespecting NCOs, etc. I don't consider them any more disciplined than any other branch of service. As a matter of fact the only junior Soldier to have ever cussed me out as an NCO was a Marine at DLI.

They're a smaller force though. People see less of them, they do have high standards, but I don't think they are any better or worse.

For example. I see one old rarer but not great/expensive car in great condition. There aren't many of them. My impression as a human is immediately to think - wow, nice car. But I see 100 crappy Mercedes per day beat up and in disrepair. So maybe someone is conditioned to think, Mercedes ARE nice but darned if I don't see 100 crappy ones every day. Doesn't make the first car better or nicer.

Maybe that's a convoluted way to say it...but you get my drift.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 21 at 2014 7:04 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 21 Apr 2014 19:04:16 -0400

I feel that the majority of this issue is due to civilian eyes who don't know about the military ad eek as they think they do. I've heard civilians refer to the Army when they were taking about the military in general. Every branch things they're better. Civilian views are simply that. How can you make an educated statement about something that you've never been affiliated with our at the very least done some amount of research on the subject. They get there opinions based off movies which were made by other civilians.

Response by MSG Martinis Butler made May 4 at 2014 3:20 AM

MSG Martinis Butler — Sun, 04 May 2014 03:20:11 -0400

Do you find yourself being defensive when people talk about your branch of service when they are in another branch? If you don't you maybe that one that lack the pride in your branch. No one is saying start fights and degrade others but stick up for your branch because you put the uniform on for this branch and this is the branch that allows you to pay the bills and eat so why not take it personal?

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made May 4 at 2014 6:23 PM

PO1 William "Chip" Nagel — Sun, 04 May 2014 18:23:04 -0400

Interesting discussion, Discipline. Many types and definitions of Discipline. If I had to look to my Navy I would have to cite the Nuclear Community. I am a Navy Communicator, lot of creativity required in thinking and action but I have worked hand in hand with "Nukes" and they are downright Anal about how they do everything. It has to come out of the book and you have to do it exactly like the book or SOP says. I would suspect that among all branches that pretty much holds true. It depends on your job field if discipline is required or a hindrance.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made May 13 at 2014 8:53 PM

Sgt Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 13 May 2014 20:53:15 -0400

I think this is a loaded question/discussion when we talk about pride and discipline. "Not all branches are created equal", to put it into terms. Further, a lot of the answer depends on the personalities of the people who join and the reasons by which they join their respective branches.

A few other commenters already said this but, every branch has it's own function. The Air Force has it's disciplines in technology and proficiency, whereas the Marine Corps, is small and has its disciplines in accuracy and aggressive "warrior" culture (smaller branch is easier to enforce from a culture standpoint).
The Army is huge, and has many specialties in many fields. With that said, the Army's infantry and elite units are likely more disciplined in "warrior mentality" than the admin, medical and support functions. The Army, unlike the Marine Corps, doesn't exist solely to execute combat operations. Just as the AF and Navy don't.

The Navy has to be disciplined based on it's long, sometimes tedious and/or boring ship shifts (to name one thing). Navy life on a boat requires extensive work shifts, little down time and quite a few responsibilities outside of the sailor's rate/MOS. The Navy, however, doesn't have a "warrior culture" like the Marines or Army Combat units.

From my experience (as a Marine), the aggressive Marine Corps culture exists, and is enforced, even when out of uniform and, in some cases, even when not even in the service anymore.

I too have trained and operated with all other branches. Ultimately, they all did their jobs the way they were supposed to and by their own, or "our own collective" standards. Generally we would train together, so we knew what to expect out of each other and/or learned from each other.

To address your initial statement, the Marine Corps has a well cultured and aggressively enforced warrior culture of discipline and accuracy, steeped in tradition...which is often why the Corps is regarded on the top of that list.

Response by LCpl Cody Collins made Jun 12 at 2017 10:12 AM

LCpl Cody Collins — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 10:12:20 -0400

I still think the Marines are tthe most Discipline, outside of special Forces. I also give the edge to the Navy over the Army on discipline.

Response by SFC William Stephens A. Jr., 3 MSM, JSCM made Jun 12 at 2017 12:06 PM

SFC William Stephens A. Jr., 3 MSM, JSCM — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 12:06:48 -0400

Is the US ARMY the oldest 1775 with GEN George Washington to the first General Officer to lead the Republican ARMY. There's you answer! I fight with a little Molly Picture's Artillery as well.

Response by PO1 Barbara Matthews made Jan 15 at 2018 10:32 AM

PO1 Barbara Matthews — Mon, 15 Jan 2018 10:32:50 -0500

Everyone knows a Sailor on liberty on a payday had the most pride in service. That is if you can find him.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made May 30 at 2019 5:38 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Thu, 30 May 2019 17:38:28 -0400

Discipline is good, but it's what the branch brings to the fight that matters in the end. Unfortunately some folks are so myopic that they can not understand other branches contributions. Just to put things into perspective, the Army Airforce lost twice as many men as the Marines did in their mission to retake the Pacific om WWII.