Ask a soldier thread....

[Patroklos]

If a goverment started transforming America to a military state against your principles, would you take up your arms and use your military training to oppose it, even with force?

This is always a question civies waffle back and forth on. In reality whether or not I will be hung for it depends wholly upon whether the coup succeeds or not, not whether I was right or not.

Western democracies have struggled with the level of military involvement they want. As an example, the victors of WWI went through great efforts to remove military influence from German politics, something the German Army took to heart. The result was a German army in the 30s that did nothing (despite many senior officers disagreeing in their diaries of the time) when they could have easily stomped Nazism cold at several opportunities. So where is the balance?

Have you ever questioned a commanding officers order?

All the time, but respectfully of course. There is a time and a place. Disobeyed? No.

Have you fought in a war?

I deployed to the Gulf twice, and spent many months in Iraqi territory, but I never "fought."

If so, how do you deal with the fact that you have to kill? Do you try mentally to dehumanize the enemy?

I would imagine you don't have to dehumanize an enemy, them being an enemy is good enough. But I have never been faced with it. Naval combat in usually very "clean" as in not personal.

Does it bother you that so many veterans are homeless and/or mentally ill? What do you think is the solution to this problem (if any)?

No. Some poeple think that military service is some silver bullet to all of life's problems, that you just get a free meal card for the rest of your life. If you serve and then get out then that is it. You get the respect for your service people think you deserve, but that is based solely on social culture, you are not guaranteed respect.

You serve, are compensated while serving, and then you leave. After that you are a regular citizen unless you warrant some sort of retirement or pension which is no different than any other job. If you screw up your personal finances after that, why should you get some special consideration in that sphere over someone else just because your are a veteran?

Now if you are disabled because of your service then that is a different story, but in the grand scheme of things disabled veterans are a SMALL minority of former service members.

Do you keep in touch with your military brothers (and sisters?) who you trained/served with? (I guess this doesn't really apply for those who are still training/serving)

I am still in, but I keep in touch with many of those who have left the service all the way from college/OCS to my last ship.

 

[Rik Meleet]

thanks

2. Soldiers think for themselves.

Of course they do. Yes, there are requirements for them to meet, and yes, they get told often what needs to be done. But most good leaders do not micro-manage their troops - they leave it up for the troops themselves to find the solution to the problem at hand and to suceed in the mission. If their chosen course of action isnt successful, then lessons are learned from it in order to be more effective in the future.

In case of troops committing atrocities, this unclear distribution of responsibilities could lead to avoiding justice when both sides pointing at eachother for the blame. How is the guilt-question procedure set up ?

 

[MobBoss]

thanks
In case of troops committing atrocities, this unclear distribution of responsibilities could lead to avoiding justice when both sides pointing at eachother for the blame. How is the guilt-question procedure set up ?

Our investigative branch of the military is its own separate command and thus autonomous. Responsibility in such alledged atrocities start at the ground up and has ramifications all the way up the chain of command it occurs in.

 

[stormbind]

When overseas, what action does the military take to ensure its soldiers understand the political and cultural values of local populations?

 

[MobBoss]

If a man wasin a foxhole ahead of you, could you bring yourself to sneak up behind him, and do him right there in the hole?

Only in Ireland.

how's the food in the us army?

Depends on your cooks. Some are great and some just flat out suck. You can tell the good ones by how busy their messhall is.

How do you keep fit, since you generally just sit behind a desk?

Also can we have a picture of you in your uniform?

We are mandated to do an hour of exercise every day during the week, even the guys sitting behind desks. And no you may not.

Haven't read the whole thread so forgive me if this has been asked before (these goes for anyone who wants to answer them) :

1. Have you ever questioned a commanding officers order?

1. 
   
   Sure. As a senior NCO is part of my job to advise my boss, and disagree with him when I have a difference of opinion. But its also my job to back my boss up when a decision has been made - even if I dont agree with it.
   
   

   [*]Have you fought in a war?

   
   Having been in the military for 21 years I have yet to have been deployed during conflict. I came close during Panama, and also during the first Gulf War. And I may yet come up for deployment to Iraq.
   
   But even then I probably wouldnt be 'fighting' in that war in the way you mean it. As I am not a combat arms guy, even if I were in theater I would be working behind a desk in one of the established bases in Iraq. I wouldnt be pulling combat patrols or anything like that. My greatest risk would be getting hit by a stray mortar while walking across the quad.
   
   

   [*]If so, how do you deal with the fact that you have to kill? Do you try mentally to dehumanize the enemy?

   
   As has been stated, no one really knows this until they have to. Yes, we train at shooting man shaped targets enough so that the actual act of acquiring the target, and firing at it is a trained response - but afterwards not so much.
   
   

   [*]Does it bother you that so many veterans are homeless and/or mentally ill? What do you think is the solution to this problem (if any)?

   
   No, it doesnt bother me. Because I have seen some studies that indicate the opposite of what the common perception is. In that, military veterans are actually less likely to be homeless and/or have long term mental issues, and in all actuality, they tend to be more successful than your average person. True, there is a lot of emphasis on PTSD right now, but it is entirely treatable provided that it is spotted adequately. But I point out that PTSD had less emphasis in past wars such as WWII, Korea and Vietnam, and the veterans of those wars were not simply dismissed as being droves of homeless head cases unfit to integrate back into society.
   
   So, to sum up, it doesnt bother me as I see veterans much less likely to be homeless and/or mentally ill than your average person.
   
   

   [*]Do you keep in touch with your military brothers (and sisters?) who you trained/served with? (I guess this doesn't really apply for those who are still training/serving)

   
   Nope. AFAIK, I am probably the only one of my basic/AIT class that actually went career. But its the nature of the military that people come and go on a near constant basis and it can be very hard to establish real close friendships in that environment.
   
   

   [*]What are your top two military experiences/memories?

Wow. Thats really hard to say as I have so many. Going through basic at Fort Knox is something I will never forget. My trips all over the world, from Denmark to Spain to Japan are up there as well. I have seen and done so much, I cant really give you a top 2...let alone a top 10 or 20.

 

[MobBoss]

When overseas, what action does the military take to ensure its soldiers understand the political and cultural values of local populations?

Prior to deployment extensive briefings are done in regards to local customs and courtesies. Soldiers are given simple phrases and what they mean in the local language. They are also taught what 'not' to do that would be considered an insulting action in the local culture.

This type of briefing is done multiple times, both prior deployment and also while in country.

 

[stormbind]

Neat. What do you consider to be the single most valuable asset that you acquired through having participated in military service?

 

[MobBoss]

Neat. What do you consider to be the single most valuable asset that you acquired through having participated in military service?

Again, there are quite a few. Learning my profession via the military is one. The health care that was provided for me and my family over 20 years - all three of my kids were born in military hospitals and their health care provided by the military their entire lives to this day.

Those are probably the biggest two.

 

[Chazumi]

How do you keep fit, since you generally just sit behind a desk?

Also can we have a picture of you in your uniform?

I dont know about MobBoss and the others but I am infantry, we do PT 1-2 times a day. This morning we ran 4.5 miles in about 30 minutes. Then some pushups and pullups. Later this afternoon we are doing more PT but I don't know what we are doing, hopefully soccer or something. Good PT but it's fun.

This is Achmed...I think... I accidentally broke his wall it was hilarious.

Class A's.

What are your top two military experiences/memories?

The Gas Chamber at Ft. Benning, and landing in the Middle East for the first time.

Do you keep in touch with your military brothers (and sisters?) who you trained/served with? (I guess this doesn't really apply for those who are still training/serving)

Most of them. It's hard not to when you spend so much time together. My dad still has buddies from the 70's he sees once in awhile.

Does it bother you that so many veterans are homeless and/or mentally ill? What do you think is the solution to this problem (if any)?

It bothers me, but to be honest I haven't personally met any that are. I have met A LOT of Nam vets, they all come out to support us when we deploy and come home it's probably IMO the most gratifying thing to see before you go. As for a solution...I can't say, I don't really have a firm grasp on what the main problem is other than they are homeless and ill, Universal Health Care?

Have you fought in a war?

Yes. Went to Ramadi Iraq in Sep. 2006 (Al-Anbar province). Got to witness first hand the "Ramadi Awakening" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anbar_Awakening
I met Sheik Sattar many times, I remember the day he died it was a pretty big deal in the area.

If so, how do you deal with the fact that you have to kill? Do you try mentally to dehumanize the enemy?

Well this response would be different depending on who you ask. In most cases the enemy opens fire first (at least in Iraq), it's not a traditional war, just random guys shooting at you and blowing things up. So it's kind of a "they shot first so we shoot back", not really hard to deal with emotionally. I don't know too many people personally who have confirmed kills. I myself have been in more than enough firefights and returned fire, but I have never had the chance to go see if I hit my targets. I know they died of course, but with 4 people shooting at the same guy with everything from a rifle to a .50 cal, it's hard to see who got the first shot. It doesn't bother me that I am trained to kill to be honest, they brought it upon themselves (the ones that started shooting first).

Have you ever questioned a commanding officers order?

Not directly. If I did it was more of a suggestion to do it differently, and usually I don't speak up about it unless it's a big issue. I'm not really at the rank where I can run my mouth, but I am not afraid to correct an officer or make a suggestion, as long as I do it respectfully. Butterbars for example...

how's the food in the us army?

In Iraq it's not bad actually! Not 5 star resturaunt quality but it's pretty good. Lot of high fat foods but you sweat it off really easily. And there is plenty to go around in most areas provided they aren't blowing up convoys left and right. We had a gatorade shortage for like 3 months...that sucked I don't eat garrison food too much, MREs...are okay. I usually don't eat them if I can help it but some items in there aren't bad.

Neat. What do you consider to be the single most valuable asset that you acquired through having participated in military service?

The experience. I will never, ever complain about a civilian job again

 

[Dubai Vol]

Oh, sorry i wasn't here to contribute earlier. My experience is rather out of date as I was a soldier from 1984-1989. It's been almost 20 years since I got out and still I find myself muttering "civilians..."

I just read the whole thread at one go. My first thoughts: (non-military types just skip it, you wouldn't understand)

Basic at Fort Knox was cold? Please. I did basic at Fort Dix in December. Our field excercise went ahead at 9 below zero: at minus ten they would have cancelled it. All we had was rubber galoshes besides our boots to keep our feet from freezing. I got up that morning, stuffed my feet in my boots inside my galoshes, which felt a bit funny, but no time. Ran through the course where they shoot at you, all that stuff, and then marched ten miles back to camp, complete with simulated artillery attacks, got back, pulled off my boots to find that I had spent the whole day with my boots ON THE WRONG FEET!

That's cold, lad.

Co-ed basic? I don't care what anybody says, a co-ed Army is bad for readiness. Equal opportunity be damned, the goal of the military is to be prepared to fight, and having women in the military degrades that capability.

 

[Patroklos]

but I am not afraid to correct an officer or make a suggestion, as long as I do it respectfully. Butterbars for example...

Now I know your full of it

 

[MobBoss]

@Dubai Vol: Simply because its cold at Fort Dix doesnt mean it cant also be unseasonably cold at Fort Knox as well. And that year it was quite unseasonably cold at Knox for some reason. But yeah, 9 below zero would suck.

To this day people are astounded to find out that I got more snow and colder tempertures (sometimes single digit temps) in Northern Arkansas than I ever have living where I do now in Washington State.

 

[Dubai Vol]

Now I know your full of it

Oh please, the only difference between a 2LT and a PFC is that the PFC has been promoted twice. NOBODY pays any attention to a butterbar.

 

[Dubai Vol]

@Dubai Vol:

no matter how cold or how tough it was where you were, it was colder and tougher where I was. Rule one of telling stories: always go last!



PS: at Fort Knox, are those hills still called Agony, Misery, and Heartbreak?


Bloody luxury those hills are, I could run them in my sleep with a hangover!



See how it works?

 

[MobBoss]

no matter how cold or how tough it was where you were, it was colder and tougher where I was. Rule one of telling stories: always go last!

Yeah, thats standard in the military: The first damned liar never stands a chance....

PS: at Fort Knox, are those hills still called Agony, Misery, and Heartbreak?

Yup, thats what they are named, and they have earned it in spades. Makes for one hell of a tough road march.

 

[Patroklos]

Oh please, the only difference between a 2LT and a PFC is that the PFC has been promoted twice. NOBODY pays any attention to a butterbar.

Well, nobody worth a damn anyway. They paid attention to me. Now, they might have respectfully suggested a course of action, but I was never CORRECTED. And you know damn well you never did anything to your LT, because your Captain would have half your pay in a heartbeat (assuming you were alive once your seargent got through with you).

 

[Dubai Vol]

Yup, thats what they are named, and they have earned it in spades. Makes for one hell of a tough road march.

March? we used to RUN over them!

 

[Dubai Vol]

They paid attention to me. Now, they might have respectfully suggested a course of action, but I was never CORRECTED.

Yeah, keep right on thinking that LT, you weren't corrected because you weren't allowed to do anything your CPT hadn't already sorted out. LTs are like flies: not worth swatting.

 

[Patroklos]

Yeah, keep right on thinking that LT, you weren't corrected because you weren't allowed to do anything your CPT hadn't already sorted out. LTs are like flies: not worth swatting.

Thats funny, as a CPT (or LT for you nautically challenged types), my division officers are free to run their sailors as they see fit as long as what I ask for get done and done correctly. And that is exactly how my JOs run their divisions as well.

It is always the classist dream of junior ratings that they somehow have power of their officers. Be it know Dubai that nothing but restiction and loss of pay awaits any rating that as much as rolls his eyes at one my officers, and the paper work will be filled out and ready for me by a Chief who feels the same way before I even hear about it.

An equivalent punishment awaits any of my officers who refuse the intelligent and correct, but properly and respectfully offered, suggestions of his charges out of hand.

Respect goes both ways, and is enforced both ways.

 

[MobBoss]

Yeah, keep right on thinking that LT, you weren't corrected because you weren't allowed to do anything your CPT hadn't already sorted out. LTs are like flies: not worth swatting.

Uhm....you do realize that rank nomenclature is different from the Navy and the Army right? An O-3 in the Navy is still called a Lieutenant, while in the Army he would be a Captain...likewise a Captain in the navy would be a Colonel in the Army.

Also bear in mind that the other services have slightly different expectations of their enlisted. The Officer/enlisted barrier is slightly more fuzzy in the Army than that of the Navy.

The old running joke being if you screw up as an enlisted man in the army, you might get an Art 15...screw up in the Navy you get a pistol with 1 round in it....