Hello all

[okikuma]

And the truth is, I understand why folks would join the other services. Not everyone has what it takes to be a Marine.

USMC - Uncle Sam's Misguided Children
ARMY - Are you Ready to be a Marine Yet

Wayne

 

[Tyger]

My favorite interservices joke goes like this, although it's somewhat a visual joke:
As you know, some equipment is common to all the services, but they are given different nicknames.
For example, the Army calls helicopters "choppers". I am told that sailors call them "whirlybirds". And then the Air Force calls them "helos".
In the Marines they call them [pointing a finger upward toward the horizon], "Oook! Oook!"

 

[Mayfield]

My favorite interservices joke goes like this, although it's somewhat a visual joke:
As you know, some equipment is common to all the services, but they are given different nicknames.
For example, the Army calls helicopters "choppers". I am told that sailors call them "whirlybirds". And then the Air Force calls them "helos".
In the Marines they call them [pointing a finger upward toward the horizon], "Oook! Oook!"

That's exactly what we called them, usually punctuated with an excited foot shuffle

 

[okikuma]

Most people don't know but the foundation of US Army Aviation Helicopter Combat Operations and Doctrine came indirectly from the USMC. I say "indirectly" because during the 1954-56 time period, the USMC was RIFing a number of Marine Aviators. Many of those aviators went over to the US Army and took appointments as Aviation Warrant Officers with the promise to be commissioned back at their original commissioned rank after two years. It was these "Marines" who helped develop the US Army Helicopter Combat Operations that was used and refined in VIetnam.

Wayne

 

[Sv.grainne]

I had the pleasure of working at the Joint Service Test Activity - Huachuca for several years. Really enjoyed the joking and ribbing that went on between the various service members, nice to hear this stuff again!

 

[okikuma]

I'm bilingual. I can speak ARMY and USAF. I still have trouble with the NAVY alphabet soup.

Wayne

 

[BEN S]

Hell, this is just inter-service...we havent even broached the intra-service put downs!
"I wanted to be a seal but my asvabs were too high"

 

[BEN S]

EOD onsite...oh wow your an Engineer? Really? Awesome, black with two sugars and a jelly dougnut. Thx.

 

[Tyger]

My all-time favorite remark was from an E7 who said, "That LT couldn't lead a troop of Boy Scouts to 7-11 on free slurpee day"

 

[MikeBoyette]

USMC - Uncle Sam's Misguided Children
ARMY - Are you Ready to be a Marine Yet

Way

Hell, this is just inter-service...we havent even broached the intra-service put downs!
"I wanted to be a seal but my asvabs were too high"

Two things fall out of the sky birdshit and stupid people airborne all the way.

 

[Mayfield]

My all-time favorite remark was from an E7 who said, "That LT couldn't lead a troop of Boy Scouts to 7-11 on free slurpee day"

Or counselling I received early.........and late, in my career: Lots of initiative Mr. Mayfield; poor judgement!

 

[Tyger]

Or counselling I received early.........and late, in my career: Lots of initiative Mr. Mayfield; poor judgement!

Oh, every leader gets told that at some point, I think. If you don't take initiative, you are not leading. But of course sometimes you make the wrong judgement call (in others' eyes, or in hindsight). That just goes with the territory.
But as we always used to say, "It is usually better to ask for forgiveness than permission."

 

[Mayfield]

Oh, every leader gets told that at some point, I think. If you don't take initiative, you are not leading. But of course sometimes you make the wrong judgement call (in others' eyes, or in hindsight). That just goes with the territory.
But as we always used to say, "It is usually better to ask for forgiveness than permission."

That is so darn true. Some risk, but, in hindsight, usually worth it.

 

[WaspAir]

Thank you all for the good taste shown in leaving the Coast Guard out of the fray.

 

[DonBishop]

Thank you all for the good taste shown in leaving the Coast Guard out of the fray.

Well ... we were talking about the military, sooo ...

Truthfully, I have mad respect for the Coast Guard. I was fishing commercially in my youth and in the worst possible weather imaginable, the packing around our propeller gave out and the vessel started sinking. The weather already had me freaked out, and now we were sinking?!! The Captain made a call to the Coast Guard who responded and found us very fast, in a magnificent vessel that towed us into harbor from about 10 miles out. On the way, the water that had come in via the propeller shaft was expelled back out the propeller shaft, thanks to the speed we were making being towed.

 

[Mayfield]

Thank you all for the good taste shown in leaving the Coast Guard out of the fray.

Well, although the Coast Guard has law enforcement and military obligations, they are best known to most of us as life savers. They are in almost constant combat against natural forces and put themselves in harm's way daily.

 

[okikuma]

Our "Puddle Pirate" friends are very important within the structure of our National Security and Derfense.

Many Americans just do not know that:

The Coast Guard manages six major operational mission programs: The operational mission programs oversee 11 Missions codified in the Homeland Security Act of 2002. That act delineates the 11 missions as “homeland security” or “non-homeland security” missions.

• Ports, Waterways & Coastal Security
• Drug Interdiction
• Aids to Navigation (ATON: including maintaining the nation's lighthouses, buoys & VTS; also legacy ATON missions including lightships & LORAN)
• Search & Rescue (SAR)
• Living Marine Resources
• Marine Safety
• Defense Readiness (National Security & Military Preparedness)
• Migrant Interdiction
• Maritime Environmental Protection
• Polar, Ice & Alaska Operations (including the International Ice Patrol)
• Law Enforcement (including Prohibition Enforcement History)

Homeland Security Missions: Ports, Waterways, and Coastal Security; Drug Interdiction; Migrant Interdiction; Defense Readiness; and Other Law Enforcement

Non-Homeland Security Missions: Marine Safety; Search and Rescue; Aids to Navigation; Living Marine Resources; Marine Environmental Protection; and Ice Operations

It is also more difficult to join the U.S. Coast Guard. Across the board, prospective enlistees must possess higher Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) scores than for any other branch of service. Officer selection criteria is also greater. Yes, some of it is because the USCG is one of the smallest Armed Forces (U.S. Space Force is currently the smallest). Approximately 47,100 (41,000 Active, 6,100 Reserve) "Coasties" total. The main reason is they need quality individuals to perform those eleven statutory missions.

I've worked alongside the USCG. Very well trained, high quality members of our National Security and Defense. I have total respect for them.

Wayne

 

[Sv.grainne]

After being boat based for about 12 years, nothing bad to say about the Coasties. Plus, my neighbor, the one with the machine shop, is retired from the Coast Guard!

Bobby

 

[okikuma]

The Space Force Unveils Semper Supra

When it was announced on 20 DEC 2019 about the establishment of the U.S. Space Force, I immediately tried to join. I figured I was a good fit since I've been a Space Cadet all my life! LOL

Bada boom.

Wayne

 

[WaspAir]

Good ole Tom Corbett