Topic: What is happening to my Army?
started by: Liberal
Posted by Liberal on Jun. 19 2015,2:10 am
QUOTE
You earn it, you keep it, you wear it. That's how many soldiers value their combat patches, badges and insignia that display who they are and what they've done.
But while in the field, the commander of Fort Carson's 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team wants soldiers' uniforms to be bare to the bone, only showing name, rank, American flag, U.S. Army tape and the unit's 4th Infantry Division insignia.
The purpose is to promote a unified Army culture, Col. David Hodne recently told the Colorado Springs Gazette.
Hodne also wants to boost morale by making newcomers feel welcome.
"While we are all proud of our individual accomplishments, when training in the field, we're building a team and do not need to focus, or be distracted, by our own or others' individual accomplishments," said Maj. Kevin Boyd, spokesman for the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team.
Hodne could not be reached for further comment.
< http://www.armytimes.com/story...8927601 >
This is crazy, you work your ass off to get combat badges. It was a brutal 2 weeks of Air Assault school to earn my Air Assault wings. To graduate you had to run 10 miles, with a 70lb rucksack, wearing a steel helmet and carrying a rubber M16 that weighed exactly what a real one weighed. You had 2 hours and 10 mins to make it and if you didnt make it you ran it again the next week.
And 6 weeks in Panama with 4 of those in the jungle to earn my Jungle Expert badge was the hardest thing I've ever done.To graduate you had to complete a 20 kilometer land navigation course through the jungle with an 8 man squad using a map, compass, machetes, ropes and bayonets.
About 6 weeks after jungle school 1985 I was a member of an Honor Guard casket team for the Gander disaster and they made us remove our Jungle Expert badges. They made up some BS reason why we couldn't wear them but I think it was because the Jungle Expert badge was in a pvc sleeve and it would have caused reflections in photos. We were furious then and I'm still pissed about it to this day.
Your patches aren't just about vanity they also show others what military skills you possess.
Posted by Expatriate on Jun. 19 2015,6:50 am
I think the key phase here is in the field, ( simulating actual combat conditions ) , while I don’t buy the promote a unified Army culture bull, a plain uniform is less of a target.
Posted by Botto 82 on Jun. 19 2015,10:09 am
Corporate culture is permeating the military. Phugging Phabulous... 
Posted by grassman on Jun. 19 2015,10:52 pm
< http://www.militaryfactory.com/military_pay_scale.asp >
Posted by Common Citizen on Jun. 20 2015,1:16 am
That's bs. Reminds me of youth sports these days. Everyone gets a ribbon...even when you lose. Since not everyone can wear jump wings then no one can. It's the new "feel good" army. "We're concerned about the inferiority complex you may be experiencing." Pfft...
When were you in Panama? I was there in 1991.
Posted by irisheyes on Jun. 20 2015,4:04 pm
^Were you in the same jungle school down there as Liberal?Most know that I was never in the service, but I remember hearing stories from the Vietnam Veterans about the jungle. They'd get back and a year or so later still be treating jungle rot.
Posted by Liberal on Jun. 20 2015,6:46 pm
I was there in Oct and Nov of 85 I got stuck being the babysitter for the advance team, so I spent my first two weeks walking around the school grounds during the day, and feeding the slot machine at the NCO club at night.And why do we want the FNG feeling welcome? If I got a dirtbag squad member with no motivation I want him feeling so unwelcome that he either squares himself away, or finds a way out of my squad.
Posted by grassman on Jun. 20 2015,6:53 pm
Not to change the subject but that is pretty much how we were at Wilson's. Maybe that is why SB only lasted six months. 
Posted by Expatriate on Jun. 20 2015,7:58 pm
six months on the sick, lame and lazy gang before the company canned his lazy ass, that's why he hates the union, because they couldn't get his job back because he never owned one.life is tough when you're a buttercup
Posted by Self-Banished on Jun. 20 2015,8:02 pm
^^ I'll refrain from any comments on this thread.
Posted by Common Citizen on Jun. 20 2015,8:16 pm
(irisheyes @ Jun. 20 2015,4:04 pm)
QUOTE
^Were you in the same jungle school down there as Liberal?
Most know that I was never in the service, but I remember hearing stories from the Vietnam Veterans about the jungle. They'd get back and a year or so later still be treating jungle rot.
Most know that I was never in the service, but I remember hearing stories from the Vietnam Veterans about the jungle. They'd get back and a year or so later still be treating jungle rot.
Thankfully no. I was down there for a training mission and it didn't involve the jungle. Tip of the hat to liberal. That's not an easy school to pass.
Believe it or not there are a fair amount of U.S. Citizens that retire down there because of the cost of living.
Posted by Liberal on Jun. 26 2015,10:30 pm
A 25 year old Infantry soldier died in Air Assault school last week. He died on the first day of training during a 6 mile run with a 30lb rucksack on his back. I don't think it's a very common occurrence they usually weed out the people physically unable to complete the course on day 0. You run two miles then go through an obstacle course and it is exhausting.< http://www.armytimes.com/story...9288273 >