Why do members view the RP profiles of others members?

MAJ Bryan Zeski - Ahhhh Major. This is the first time I've disagreed with one of your posts. So much correlation is drawn between rank and brains...and it should not be. I'll give you a case in point that is going to seem self-serving, but actually happened to me.

I had occasion, once, to stand in front of my CO for a dumb decision I'd made. I was an e-3 at the time, he was an O-6. His (germane to this example) words to me were: "Wright, what the fuck are you doing? Your ASVABs are higher than mine."

You're probably going to scoff. How could a lowly enlisted score higher than the CO of a ship, right? It happens, though, because rank is in no way a quantifier of brains, or even life experience. MILITARY experience, yes. Life experience? Nope.

My point is not that I'm smarter than anyone, or that enlisted are smarter than O's, or any bullshit like that. My point is this: if you're writing off people's opinions based on their rank, you're doing yourself a disservice, sir. Not every PFC is going to have the experience that you're talking about...but some of them might...and that's not something you can judge solely on rank. Much better to judge each individual on their own merits.

SN Greg Wright - If I appeared to draw a correlation between rank and brain, that was not my intent - the intent was to draw a correlation between experience and informed opinion.

We are in agreement that rank has nothing to do with brains. I enlisted in 1997 as an Infantryman with a GT of 128. I guarantee my GT was higher than 95% of those in my Infantry company. BUT, my Commander, 1SG and Platoon Sergeant were all "smarter" than me in many ways because of their experience - and I was smart enough to know that. Numbers on a test really don't mean much.

I never write off opinions based on rank. I usually don't even look at rank when I reply to conversations. However, I will admit that if there is a PFC writing about military leadership and there is a General Officer writing about military leadership, I will give more.... weight? ... to the GO's opinion about military leadership because he has more experience in the field. But, if I'm talking to a PFC medical professional who is telling me about something medical related, I'm going to give that guy's opinion more weight than I would anyone outside that field.

I absolutely judge people based on their own merits - their opinions included. But, going in, I'm going to give people the benefit of the doubt based on their experience level. They either confirm that assumption through their words or they shoot it down. I've had discussions with many Officers here who sounded more like children and I've had discussions with many Privates who are much more intelligent than I am. However, I've also talked to Privates and NCOs who have no damned clue about the military or how it works.

I don't think we are really in disagreement here, just a matter of misunderstood words. But, even if we DO disagree, that's ok too!

MAJ Bryan Zeski - Nope, I think you cleared that up about as crystal as can be, Major. And, I think we're in agreement on the important things. My step mom used to have a saying that I hated, mostly because it was so true: 'book smart, life dumb'. Unfortunately, those two things are not mutually exclusive. More unfortunately, I think she was right, with regards to me, lol. (*Points to the fact that I was standing in front of the CO at all, for THAT argument!!*).

I also agree that as a baseline, it's probably safe to assume that someone with more years and higher rank is going to know better what they're talking about. How not, right? So it occurs to me that I am slightly hypocritical in that I, too, start from that baseline when talking to someone here. I most certainly would take your opinion on how to lead troops into account before some butter bar's.

I guess my point was, I wouldn't simply dismiss a butter bar because s/he was a butter bar. On the other hand, I WOULD dismiss a non-med Major over a butter-bar nurse for medical issues.

Hmm. Damn. Seems I've come around to your point after all! lol.

Capt Seid Waddell - Totally agree with you, that is why I do it mostly. The other reasons can be that someone has reported a profile and therefore I have to review it to see if any action needs to be taken against the member.

I got a chuckle out of that one.

You added nothing to this conversation so why respond. This wasn't a pissing contest for you to put that you did because you could. "Immaturity wasn't called for, young SGT.

Immaturity? SFC (Join to see) -- you asked a question, you got an answer. There is absolutely no need for you to put your own immaturity on display.


SSG Carlos Madden SFC Mark Merino SGT Ben Keen SSG James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4"

GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad - Point taken gunny.