OP
Army captain sees the light: Update in post #41
- Thread starter Muley Gil
- Start date
During WWII, my Dad was in the navy in the south Pacific. His brother-in-law was with the 4th marine division. I heard this banter for 30 years. Dad's ship had UDT teams on board so he always told Uncle Joe that the navy was on the beach first. Uncle Joe was in some ugly places, Tinian, SaiPan, Roi Namur and Iwo Jima . He was wounded on Iwo,and dad's ship was ferrying wounded ..they just missed each other. Dad's ship took a kamikaze thru the bow a bit later and barely made it to port.
Miss them both. Would have loved to hear what they would have had to say about my son joining the army . And my son would have loved to hear more about their experience after his deployments.
Miss them both. Would have loved to hear what they would have had to say about my son joining the army . And my son would have loved to hear more about their experience after his deployments.
charlie sherrill
Member
I was Navy. Ya'll had to have somebody to get you from point A to point B and then patch you up after you got there...and after getting you out of there. I admired every one of you guys.
AJ
US Veteran
Last I had heard they had stopped the Contract promotions. I know the Corps and the Navy had stopped them as it was screwing up the normal promotion process.
I don't know about these, but my son enlisted in the Florida National Guard and because had an MBA, he went thru basic as an E4. Of course he took a little grief from the DIs over it. They nicknamed him "Dictionary" and made him introduce a new word to the platoon on a regular basis.
He tells me about being on the firing range with the Beretta, and it was hitting to the left. He asked the sergeant if he could adjust the sights, and the sergeant said, "Just shoot that pistol soldier." So son adjusted his point of aim. Then someone from the pit looked at his target and yelled back to the sergeant, " We got someone doing surgery over here!" Son is a good shot.
He enlisted instead of OCS because the loan repayment for enlisted was better that for officer candidates. He is still in the guard, he's an E6. Did two tours, one in East Africa and the other as a door gunner on a Chinook in Iraq.
Telecaster
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"He entered the service as a transportation corps officer and left as a logistician." No wonder he didn't feel fulfilled. 
He gave up officer pay for enlisted pay? So, he's a trust fund kid, or what? Who does that, really?
Something just seems off about this. Since when does the military care how fulfilled you feel?
He gave up officer pay for enlisted pay? So, he's a trust fund kid, or what? Who does that, really?
Something just seems off about this. Since when does the military care how fulfilled you feel?
Ivan the Butcher
Member
"He entered the service as a transportation corps officer and left as a logistician." No wonder he didn't feel fulfilled.
He gave up officer pay for enlisted pay? So, he's a trust fund kid, or what? Who does that, really?
Something just seems off about this. Since when does the military care how fulfilled you feel?
Not everyone has a pile of debt to pay off, or a wife that spends it faster than you can make.
My two sons found out the big difference in Marine and Army enlisted pay: The Army son got a uniform voucher every year, the Marine son paid for his uniforms from his slim pay!
Ivan
Sistema1927
US Veteran
I went through BCT as an E-4, the result of 4 years of HS ROTC and 3 semesters of military science in college. And yes, I caught grief for it, almost daily.
One time I was passing through the area of another company, and the First Shirt saw me and wondered why a recruit would be wearing Spec 4 insignia. He made me take them off. I complied, and as I entered my company area my DS told me that I was out of uniform. I pinned them back on, and told him what had happened.
I guess there was some bad blood between the two companies, because 30 minutes later I was called to the CO's office. Standing there with my CO, 1st Sgt, and DS was the 1st Sgt from the other company and his CO. He was then forced to apologize to me for not recognizing my rank (
). Trust me when I say that I never went anywhere near that other company my remaining time at Ft. Dix.
One time I was passing through the area of another company, and the First Shirt saw me and wondered why a recruit would be wearing Spec 4 insignia. He made me take them off. I complied, and as I entered my company area my DS told me that I was out of uniform. I pinned them back on, and told him what had happened.
I guess there was some bad blood between the two companies, because 30 minutes later I was called to the CO's office. Standing there with my CO, 1st Sgt, and DS was the 1st Sgt from the other company and his CO. He was then forced to apologize to me for not recognizing my rank (
). Trust me when I say that I never went anywhere near that other company my remaining time at Ft. Dix.
I never hear of a Marine wearing rank in boot camp. We had 8 guys including the company honor man make PFC, they never got the stripe until graduation day
The real reason the captain joined the Marine Corps is for the lady killer dress blues
The real reason the captain joined the Marine Corps is for the lady killer dress blues
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I guess it was because you are a Boot until you graduate and then the DI calls you a Marine.
Made my day.
You are right about the Blues, my GF, then wife, loved to see me in mine.
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Jeff423
US Veteran
Back during the SE Asia conflict I was trying to decide which branch of the service to join. The Airforce had a waiting list, the Army offered me OCS but I didn't like the lifespan of a 2nd Lieutenant. The Marine Corps recruiter made boot camp sound like a health club: "They have specialists who will build up every muscle in your body". I picked the Navy. FWIW: We all came out of boot camp as E2's and most were E3's in a few months. I was E5 after 3 yrs.
That reminds me - one day I was in line at Costco, and the guy in front of me was wearing an Army veteran cap. We started chatting, and I mentioned to him that I served in the Air Force. He said "Air Force - is that a branch of the military?" I replied without pause "Oh yeah, it's a branch of the military, it's like the Army but it's for smart people". He got quite the chuckle out of that. Who doesn't enjoy the friendly inter-service rivalry.
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If they put nukes on satellites it could be considered combat arms.
When I got to Army helicopter flight school we were all E-5s, for pay purposes ONLY. We need the extra money for...well we just needed extra money.
When I got to Army helicopter flight school we were all E-5s, for pay purposes ONLY. We need the extra money for...well we just needed extra money.
Came from a Air Force family.
When I enlisted in '74 some of my friends went Air Force and some went Marines.
We all gave each other grief about our choices.
Just went with the territory.
But in the end we were all Brothers.
Always thought that the Marines stood for My *** Rides In Navy Equipment Sir.
When I enlisted in '74 some of my friends went Air Force and some went Marines.
We all gave each other grief about our choices.
Just went with the territory.
But in the end we were all Brothers.
Always thought that the Marines stood for My *** Rides In Navy Equipment Sir.
MaxKimber
US Veteran
Attachments
The thing about this is really boils down to the nuts and bolts of his time in training and beyond really...As an Army Captain, more will be required of him beyond a regular recruit and at some point when he acclimates well, it will help him.
It reminds me of a story a friend told about a quiet guy that joined the army around 1980. He was prior service Vietnam, but that was common among E8's and officers at the time that had stayed in.
When he graduated at Fort Benning, he pinned his prior service rack on his uniform and had four rows of ribbons with two bronze stars, (one with "V"), two Vietnam tours, one ARCOM, one Legion of Merit and a host of other decorations. The other recruits' jaws dropped and the DI's were amazed as well that he kept his mouth shut the whole time.
His reasoning was that peacetime DI's might be a little threatened by him during his most vulnerable point...Getting through initial training without being singled out as "you aughta know better.." I thought the story was funny.
It reminds me of a story a friend told about a quiet guy that joined the army around 1980. He was prior service Vietnam, but that was common among E8's and officers at the time that had stayed in.
When he graduated at Fort Benning, he pinned his prior service rack on his uniform and had four rows of ribbons with two bronze stars, (one with "V"), two Vietnam tours, one ARCOM, one Legion of Merit and a host of other decorations. The other recruits' jaws dropped and the DI's were amazed as well that he kept his mouth shut the whole time.
His reasoning was that peacetime DI's might be a little threatened by him during his most vulnerable point...Getting through initial training without being singled out as "you aughta know better.." I thought the story was funny.
AJ
US Veteran
The Corps and the Navy had stopped the Contract E-4 Program before I retired. The non contract folks had no real respect for them as NCO as they had no knowledge or experience to go behind their rank. We called them "Contract Cpls." and the Navy called the "Push Button Petty Officers". neither term was meant as respectfully.
I would have encouraged OCS if my son had an MBA...That's wasted talent being enlisted from the bottom. I would do enlisted for a while and then immediately went OCS...
He would have breezed through it and at the end of the day, his retirement $ would be far better.
OP
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