National Guard VS USMC

bradster76 · Oct 12, 2008

Reading this post told me that I was not wrong when I said a few years back that there are too many chicken sh*ts joining MY Army; I joined for the thrill of battle, the knowing I was (well, back then...) doing good for our country, and the honor of putting on my BDUs and gripping my balls in one hand and my M249 SAW in the other.

That's changed a lot now. Now, it's about benefits, college, chicks, partying, using the branches to get your stuff paid for, having a free ride, but not giving a drop of blood back in return. And THAT pisses me off because in my time and generation that is NOT what you considered joining for. This is back when scars are badges of well earned honor, my broken bones and bad joints are painful today, but I honor them from zip lining out of a Blackhawk a kazillion times. My stab wounds are because of handtohand, smacking people with the back of my elbow, etc. This is when MEN were MEN. Knowing that even if you join the Coast Guard, you are going to see action, and knowing and facing eminant danger EVERYDAY of your life, and being proud of it and standing tall.

My ex's brother now has this huge ego. He joined the Corp a few years ago, and now is a S.E.A.L. He is doing everything to avoid getting deployed. He told me (I knew for years he was a ball-less chicken maggot), he was going into an IT MOS to stay out of combat. I simply replied in obvious sarcasm: "That's noble". Now he's continuing his "career" of avoidance by taking college course after college course to avoid deployment. Exuse my attitude if I offend: But I'm sick of all these young pu**ies wanting a free ride from the Military. So he maybe a SEAL, blah, blah, blah. But the main thing is is when he gets out, and everyone asks what he did, all he can say is "I got an A in math!" No character, no scars, no blood drawn, not one barrel to look down and take a shot at an enemy, no honor.

My friends, there are honorless Marines (like that puppy tossing SOB maggot), Soldiers, and Flyboys. However, the authorities recognize them and will choose who will defend when the turd hits the fan. And I only consider people like him G.I.'s. Nothing more.

Joves · Oct 12, 2008

Nice rant!

Paul M · Oct 12, 2008

In the words of John F. Kennedy:
"And so my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country"

and it was:

"Let every nation know... that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty." not with any restrictions of going overseas or possibly getting hurt or killed.

anubis404 · Oct 12, 2008

My opinion on the military is that its not for me. Not because of the danger or the physical aspect of it, but because of the narrow mindedness (to put it bluntly). In the military, the philosophy is mostly "do what your CO says, don't ask questions". Well, I'm a thinking kind of person. I think about it too much and chances are one of my COs are going to be an idiot (if I join). It goes against my principles to mindlessly follow an idiot, which I will be forced to do. Also, there's no guarantee I'll be able to do what I want. They might tell my I'm going to be cooking in a cafeteria my whole military career, or they might give me a gun and tell me to go kill someone I don't even know.

On the other hand, if the military wasn't like this, I would be enlisting in the Air Force as a pilot. I have had a fascination with aviation all my life, and have ridden in multiple types of aircraft. If flying an F-16 (or I guess a JSF or an F-22 the way things are going) is a little too much for me, I would be satisfied with flying a larger aircraft. Becoming a fighter pilot is something I wanted to do all my life though. I'm not worried about the danger, just the motion sickness

.

Dmitri · Oct 12, 2008

anubis404 said:
I think about it too much and chances are one of my COs are going to be an idiot (if I join). It goes against my principles to mindlessly follow an idiot, which I will be forced to do.

That's not really true. Your CO will just be following orders from his uppers, and so on all the way up to the top - The President and Commander in Chief..

Oh, I see your point. Nevermind!

Pugs · Oct 12, 2008

For the love of all, PLEASE LOCK THIS FOOKIN' THREAD!!

anubis404 · Oct 12, 2008

Dmitri said:
That's not really true. Your CO will just be following orders from his uppers, and so on all the way up to the top - The President and Commander in Chief..

Oh, I see your point. Nevermind!

Lol. A CO is not just a human megaphone though. He (or she if we want to be politically correct) interprets those orders, and supervises his subordinates and gives them orders of his own.

Dmitri · Oct 12, 2008

anubis404 said:
Lol. A CO is not just a human megaphone though. He (or she if we want to be politically correct) interprets those orders, and supervises his subordinates and gives them orders of his own.

ok, I'm just having some fun, adding some levity into an otherwise way-too-serious thread.

eacemrgreen:

anubis404 · Oct 12, 2008

Yea lol this thread did degenerate into a flame war pretty quick.

Hawaii Five-O · Oct 12, 2008

There are a lot of civilian jobs you can do in the military. But if you really want to join, your better off going to college first and then go right into officer training.

The only thing with the National guard is they don't get as much training as the full time military people who are there day in and day out. The NG only train every few weeks don't they?

bradster76 · Oct 13, 2008

anubis404 said:
My opinion on the military is that its not for me. Not because of the danger or the physical aspect of it, but because of the narrow mindedness (to put it bluntly). In the military, the philosophy is mostly "do what your CO says, don't ask questions". Well, I'm a thinking kind of person. I think about it too much and chances are one of my COs are going to be an idiot (if I join). It goes against my principles to mindlessly follow an idiot, which I will be forced to do. Also, there's no guarantee I'll be able to do what I want. They might tell my I'm going to be cooking in a cafeteria my whole military career, or they might give me a gun and tell me to go kill someone I don't even know.

On the other hand, if the military wasn't like this, I would be enlisting in the Air Force as a pilot. I have had a fascination with aviation all my life, and have ridden in multiple types of aircraft. If flying an F-16 (or I guess a JSF or an F-22 the way things are going) is a little too much for me, I would be satisfied with flying a larger aircraft. Becoming a fighter pilot is something I wanted to do all my life though. I'm not worried about the danger, just the motion sickness .

They don't pay you to think. They pay you to take orders in a strict manner due to war demanding it. In such a strong, and organized structure of the hierarchy, you need your enlisted to follow orders. Period. No questions asked. That leaves no room for fu*k ups, or men dying because a PFC wanted to "think creatively". It's not narrow mindedness, it's a special career with a very special responsiblity that does not need soldiers to be 'free thinkers'. That is not your job.

If your CC told you in battle to hold a position and you run off 55 meters somewhere else 'thinking' it would be slightly better, and that same CC comes by 2 hours later with a dead platoon due to your 'thinking', you're in DEEEEPPPP sh*t.

I think people who have never set foot near a military base, have no clue how we roll, calling our structure "narrow minded" are well....narrow minded.

Your welcome for your freedom.
---a narrow minded Army vet.