w00t go commo!

31C

 

I couldn't agree more!! I know I wouldn't want to trust my life to someone who is bitter about having to be where they don't want to be. Think back to when you were a kid and your folks made you do something you didn't want to do...did you do the job well, with enthusiasm or did you do what you had to to get it done, cutting corners and slacking whenever you could. Don't say I did everything well, kids just don't, it's part of being a kid. That being said, you take an 18 year old kid and put them in a uniform and hand him a weapon and tell him this is what he has to do, how many do you think will cut corners and slack whenever they have the opportunity? I'm not saying that a stint in the military wouldn't be a real eye opener for a lot of spoiled or punky kids, but not at the cost of lives of the people who are doing the job because they love it.

 

Gotta agree with him. I'm a SSG (E-6) with the U.S. Army, serving as an 11B.

For the person that said they should just be shoved into the infantry slots, because we grunts don't require much training or technical expertise... Well, I'm biased, but I beg to differ.

I have worked with various other branches of the military, and their respective units. By far, the infantry were the most professional, squared away, tactically and technically proficient soldiers I ever had the honor of meeting. Think we just walk forward and shoot? I challenge you to show me a job more physically strenuous or mentally challenging then engaging the enemy in close combat; a situation that is entirely fluid, without rules, governed by split second decisions of a thousand variations.

It is far more then pulling a trigger. And I have both participated, and sent soldiers to, technical courses of varying complexity and differing fields, as part of a constant struggle to increase the lethality of the individual combat soldier. For the most part, those highly-disciplined, motivated, mission-oriented infantrymen complete the courses ahead of the non-combat MOS servicemembers. You know, the guys who scored better then a 110, so they didn't have to bother with "trigger pulling."

I'll get off my high horse. I do not support the draft. There are people in the military now that don't want to be here as it is; they are a big enough waste financially, and I won't even go into morale. And if they decide to bring back the draft...well, it would be a serious mistake to toss them all into the infantry. Let them pull some other POG job.

Do not take the above to mean that I in any way do not appreciate the POG soldiers; the Army is a team, and we all benefit from and are successful based on all supporting units. Every soldier has the ability to contribute vastly in his respective MOS, and the Army is the stronger for it.

Just put the draftees somewhere where they won't get us door-kickers killed.

 

I knew, after reading my comment that someone would believe I slighted the Infantryman with my comment- and I agree, it could be taken that way; but it was not what I intended to convey.

Background: Truth is, I'd written a nicely worded paragraph, clicked submit- and it just sat there, then I go "Page cannot be displayed" I back clicked, and there it was, a blank reply box. I didn't feel like re-typing all of that, so I gave the abridged version...
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Now that the background info is in place, let me assure you that I have nothing BUT respect for the Infantryman and the combat arms guys. It's you guys that actually do the job the Army & Marines were made for. We support you guys; hence the term Combat Support.

In my role, (31L, OJT 36M then MSE 31D) I was always out front (Even though I was a commo guy) supporting Infantry Brigades in Desert Storm, Germany and at Ft. Hood, and Field Artillery in Korea. My shelter was 100 feet from the brigade TOC, so if some BS had gone down, I'd have been "pulling my trigger" right next to you guys.

The point I was making, with regard to slotting those persons (Draftees) into the roles I mentioned, is because the combat arms AIT's are usually much shorter than other MOS's. My First AIT (31L) was 9 weeks, and my second (31D) was 15 weeks. My 11B buddies had OSUT, (Basic & AIT, same post) was through with both in 16 weeks. Training never ends, but my point is, if you take a 2-year guys, give him 8 weeks of basic, then 12-36 weeks of Commo AIT, and up to a year in some intelligence jobs- he'll only have a little over 1 year or less, of service left; whereas in other MOS's with less training up front, you could almost get 2 years out of them.

Let's not forget, the intent is not to build up a long-term career soldier, it is to strengthen the military to meet our expanding global obligations... Recruiting isn't gonna do it. (A scared potential volunteer will not come in right now; they'll wait until things cool down; this is why recruitment is down) I could tell some stories about how some "volunteer" guys & gals really punked out coming up to DS. (Writing senators, becoming conscientious objectors, gay, were getting knocked up by anyone, becoming Muslim, etc.. it was an embarrassing display.)
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One last note: Don't think a volunteer soldier in a foxhole is less likely to "nut-up" in a firefight. "I didn't sign-up for this *****", was a common theme during preparation for Desert Storm. No one wants to die; but- I believe when you put someone in a "Him or Me" situation, the one that wants to live the most will take the fight to the enemy; not the one that's bitter about being there. Darn near everyone is bitter about being there, but it's a job that must be done. You don't have to like it, you just have to do it.

Hooah!

 

Not to diminish your physical problem in anyway, I'd like to point out to anyone reading this that if you want to enlist, but don't think they will take you, waivers are given to those that can convince them to do so. I have the flattest feet known to man. When I was going through the pre-enlistment physical exam, one of the doctors started explaining to me why I wouldn't be able to endure the physical stresses required for military service... blah, blah, blah... I just told him that I've been participating, and excelling, in organized sports, year round, since I was 10 years old without any problems. (Basketball, football, track, and baseball.) He removed the notation he had made in my folder and allowed me to enlist. Basic training was a cakewalk compared to "3 a day" practices during the summer for football, and the 2 hours of sprinting for basketball and track. I would still be in the service to this day, if not for the **** poor compensation. It was even worse then, than it is now.

 

No worries, CIA. I tend to get a little "high and mighty" as soon as I even think someone is making fun of us grunts. Happens alot, and it's a shame. People always ask me when I'm home on leave, "what do you do?" I tell them I'm infantry and they're like, "why didn't you do something harder or more useful?"

Anyway, I see what you were saying... Sorry for coming off like I did. You make complete sense with what you're saying, and are absolutely right about the amount of training involved. Good point.