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Interservice rivalry gone wrong
We have all made jokes about the other branches of the military at some time or another. Be it the "chair force", "Muscles Are Required Intelligence Not Essential", "Army of One" (We did that to ourselves) and "Puddle Pirates"*. While it can be fun to mess with the other branches and having a friendly rivalry if kept in good humor can improve moral and the team dynamic in a joint environment. When I was working with the Marines in Ramadi back in 2007 it was a running joke that our call sign was Army Strong / Army of One which was great to say over a Marine net. However I seen this rivalry go in a direction in which they saw the other branches of service as being incompetent or irrelevant. While these individuals were few and far between should we as current, future and former Leaders modify our rivalries so to ensure that people don't mistake friendly jokes for actual weaknesses? Or should we just start changing our culture to remove this rivalry?
While this has little bearing on this subject about this idiot who actually killed someone over this... While I know this is an extreme case and has entered the land of stupidity it is a case of interservice rivalry gone wrong.
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/08/05/montana-man-throat-slashed-in-argument-over-which-military-branch-is-better/
*I repeated jokes I have heard about each branch for fairness.
We have all made jokes about the other branches of the military at some time or another. Be it the "chair force", "Muscles Are Required Intelligence Not Essential", "Army of One" (We did that to ourselves) and "Puddle Pirates"*. While it can be fun to mess with the other branches and having a friendly rivalry if kept in good humor can improve moral and the team dynamic in a joint environment. When I was working with the Marines in Ramadi back in 2007 it was a running joke that our call sign was Army Strong / Army of One which was great to say over a Marine net. However I seen this rivalry go in a direction in which they saw the other branches of service as being incompetent or irrelevant. While these individuals were few and far between should we as current, future and former Leaders modify our rivalries so to ensure that people don't mistake friendly jokes for actual weaknesses? Or should we just start changing our culture to remove this rivalry?
While this has little bearing on this subject about this idiot who actually killed someone over this... While I know this is an extreme case and has entered the land of stupidity it is a case of interservice rivalry gone wrong.
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/08/05/montana-man-throat-slashed-in-argument-over-which-military-branch-is-better/
*I repeated jokes I have heard about each branch for fairness.
Posted in these groups: 
Inter-Service
Inter-Service
Posted 10 y ago
Responses: 12
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If one can't handle the good-natured ribbing from our sister services, then one shouldn't have joined the military... just saying
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Hmmm, I do not like any of these choices. I would say that friendly rivalry and well meaning trash talk has a place and a time. Namely over drinks & ribs after the mission, between those who have shared the mission or at least have had some interaction where the brotherly affectation will have been lubricated enough to be funny.
However, overzealous and pointedly acidic remarks have no place when used to demean or degrade. These kinds of situations are the cause of those legendary bar clearing brawls. Interestingly enough, I think that bar clearing brawls lead to brotherly affectation.
Regardless, we all tend to stretch our truths and our accomplishments and our opinions when we get together, and spinning a good tale has been the hallmark of fighting people (notably Navy Chiefs) for a very long time. That is how and where we should maintain the trash talk.
However, overzealous and pointedly acidic remarks have no place when used to demean or degrade. These kinds of situations are the cause of those legendary bar clearing brawls. Interestingly enough, I think that bar clearing brawls lead to brotherly affectation.
Regardless, we all tend to stretch our truths and our accomplishments and our opinions when we get together, and spinning a good tale has been the hallmark of fighting people (notably Navy Chiefs) for a very long time. That is how and where we should maintain the trash talk.
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SSG Maurice P.
OLD SCHOOL MARINES OKINAWA 1975-1977 ERA DO YOU REMEMBER THESE TWO LADIES OF THE BAR (SPEEDY MARIA)&(CHEESEBURGER)............
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SSG Maurice P.
LAST BAR CLEARING I EVER WAS IN WAS AT THE CAMP SCHWAB OKINAWA ENLISTED CLUB HONOKO WHERE WE FOUGHT AUSTRALIAN SAILORS IN 1976................
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How can you not make these jokes? We understand it's all in good fun. As long as you realize there's a time for joking, and there's a time for working hand-in-hand with the other branches, I don't see the problem.
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