What was hardest?
- Thread starter Tank_Guy#3
- Start date
well, I can't speak for the US army, but in my case, the food was one of few positive surprises in the army. It was actually quite decent (not guide michelin worthy, but certainly ok).
Why would they have divisive exercises? Wouldn't it make more sense to have team building exercises?
Socialism and capitalism aside, I can't see as how a platoon where everyone hates each others guts would function very well.even your armies are socialist!
Anyway, I think there are limited free market opportunities for the rank-and-file, don't you agree?
AL_DA_GREAT
amour absinthe révolution
what exercises do they do at boot camp that are so bad?
My diet during my 4-year tour in the USMC was the best it ever was, in whole of my nearly 3-decade long life, thus far. And I try my best to eat right. I just can't cook enough to cover all the bases as well as the Marine Corps was able to feed me.
So, take it from somebody that never missed a meal at the chowhall... the food is not the 'most difficult part', whatsoever. Quite the contrary.
You mean 'good' as in 'tastes good', or as in 'nutritious'? The nutritious part would make sense, but might possibly lower the tastes good part (e.g. school lunches over here are nutritious but seldom tasty).
In fact, it would be insane to serve food with poor nutritional value, since that would negate most of the physical training.
You are chatting with a man that must surely be in the top 0.01 percentile, in terms of his accomplishments in taking maximum advantage of the mess hall. I prided myself on my ability to get many times more food from that facility, than I (or any other service member) rated to receive. I was the undisputed hero of the shop where I worked (ATC facility), and they always sent me --sometimes with an assistant or two, to help carry all the food-- on the chow run. My strategy and techniques for exploiting that place, were legendary.
I'd even bring back enough food for all the married guys (who didn't have meal cards) to regularly eat good lunches/dinners at work, so they didn't ever need to bring food with them. Plus, I prepared each 'to-go' box totally PACKED with a great variety of food, well organized. Often more than a couple dozen boxes, in total (EACH MEAL, the chowhall served)... all from a resource of only a few (5 to 8) meal cards, per visit.
My fridge was always packed with meals like veal parmesan and pasta, chicken breast w/ rice, a good ham & cheese omlet, etc. -- with all the sides of veggies, fresh fruit, desserts, and so on. Food was one thing I took very seriously. Why? Because I was 238 lbs of solid, lean muscle, and you need good food to build a body like that. (And thus the reason I can't get that big now... because no one is cooking for me)
ANYWAY... the reason I was such a massive over-achiever in this department, was not because the food "was just okay". I'm very picky when it comes to food. So bearing that in mind, and taking into account my massive exploitation of the chowhall facility, you can put 2 and 2 together and conclude that the food was pretty good. It 'built my body right', and yeah, I wolfed it down every 3-4 hours or so, and loved it.
It was good, seriously. It's really the best thing I have to say, about my Marine Corps experience. And btw, the food in boot camp... oh man, it was fantastic - probably the best of my whole service. This may seem counter-intuitive. But, you've got to remember this isn't prison - where they're just trying to keep you alive. No, here, they're training you... and working you hard. And as a valuable asset to the U.S. gov't Defense Dept., they have a strong interest in making sure you are healthy & strong. Thus, they feed you well.
It is possible to get a visitor's pass, and go visit a military base. You can indeed go into the mess halls, pay of course, and check out the food. So, you don't have to take my word for it.
Now, having said all this - is it "fine dining"? Not exactly. But whatever, it was good food. This idea that the just serve a bunch of slop in the military, is totally wrong.
And the best part is... getting more...
...enter, my patented 'Dessert Fox' tactics.Yes, exactly, that was what I was trying to get at. If an army fed its soldiers food with poor nutritional value, that would in a very cold sense be "wrecking valuable equipment" or at least mistreating it. The wouldn't skimp on the repair work in truck or tank engines either, I guess.. "Lets get the really cheap parts, and the really dodgy motor oil" [EDIT] The analogy might sound a bit cold, but hopefully it made some sense..
I went through Basic twice and it sucked both times. First time I was in the National Guard back in 95 followed with six months of AIT as an Avionics Mechanic. My basic was similar to MobBoss where I got to use the phone only on Sundays. Second time was in 98 when I went active duty as a M1A1 Tanker. The tanker MOS is a combination of basic/AIT mixed in together. It sucked going through it twice.
Hardest part about boot camp is always being tired and worn out. Just when you think you cant go any further your told you will. I got caught sneaking hot chocolate on my CQ duty, so got stuck with CQ duty for several weeks during the 2 to 4 am shift. That sucked. Learning to let the DIs yelling just roll over you is tough at first. If you let it get to you, you just make it harder.
NG service was fairly wasteful for me. Those two days a week the pilots were flying the choppers, so we didnt really do anything. Two years active service as a tank driver was boring. Theres not a whole lot to do in the rear (when your not in the field) with a tank. Constant maintenance and re-inventorying the inventory is also a waste. In the field wasnt bad, as we typically found stuff to do. I recall that we were in the field when Haley-Bopp passed overhead. At night we used to use the nightvision goggles to examine it.
My last year of active duty I got moved to HQ company, which was even worse. By the time I ETSed, I was wishing Id never join. I think had I stayed with Avionics it would have been different, but the MOS was locked at the time I went active, so I was unable too.
The military isnt bad and its something I honestly feel everyone should do, but be fully expected to spend a lot of time doing absolutely nothing, or waiting around so you can wait some more.
Hardest part about boot camp is always being tired and worn out. Just when you think you cant go any further your told you will. I got caught sneaking hot chocolate on my CQ duty, so got stuck with CQ duty for several weeks during the 2 to 4 am shift. That sucked. Learning to let the DIs yelling just roll over you is tough at first. If you let it get to you, you just make it harder.
NG service was fairly wasteful for me. Those two days a week the pilots were flying the choppers, so we didnt really do anything. Two years active service as a tank driver was boring. Theres not a whole lot to do in the rear (when your not in the field) with a tank. Constant maintenance and re-inventorying the inventory is also a waste. In the field wasnt bad, as we typically found stuff to do. I recall that we were in the field when Haley-Bopp passed overhead. At night we used to use the nightvision goggles to examine it.
My last year of active duty I got moved to HQ company, which was even worse. By the time I ETSed, I was wishing Id never join. I think had I stayed with Avionics it would have been different, but the MOS was locked at the time I went active, so I was unable too.
The military isnt bad and its something I honestly feel everyone should do, but be fully expected to spend a lot of time doing absolutely nothing, or waiting around so you can wait some more.
Shaihulud
Deity
The hardest for me is to be under the thumb of dumbass officers and sergeants, some people should never be given authority over people and it shows very well in the Army. Army food is bad, i lost muscles in a bad way, no 2nd helping even if you need it. Its boring and monotonous, the pay is good if you are career, but it doesn't teach you any skills that you could apply to normal jobs.
Your incorrect, or at least applying a general account to all jobs. It depends on your MOS. Had I stayed with Avionics I could have really used it in the real word. Tanks on the other hand, don't do diddly squat for me.
Some kind of heavy-equipment mechanic? Like tracked mining or farming vehicles?
MadScotsMan
The Ruler of Cattle
Tabasco sauce or salt work wonders on everything.
Im somewhat of a cook as is my girlfriend (she went to cooking school for 2 years) and i've been so accustomed to eating home-made pasta, home-made duck liver sausage, cream sauces, etc etc. quiches, omlettes, bacon grease basted cornish game hens, etc etc.
I did 4 measely years (though it seemed like an eternity at the time), and it set me up with an ATC (air traffic control) and airfield management career (I'm sort of both at the same time at the moment... but have good experience in each) on the outside, making real decent money -- and the potential to make much more in the future, if I stay in avaition, and persue higher education along those lines.
Btw, I joined 'open contract'. It was only because of my exceedingly high test scores (highest of the month, in my State... though maybe not saying much, if I specified which State) the recruiter at MEPS asked me... "What do you want to do - you qualify for anything". Well, I always wanted to be a fighter pilot, but I knew that wasn't happening at this point (or ever, I now realize), so I just asked for "something working around planes... would be good". I wasn't guaranteed anything. I just wound up in ATC... because that was where the military decided their asset (me) would be best used.
And now, I'm all set. Meanwhile I watch my brothers struggle through college, WORKING hard, making far less than I do. Even the one that's working on his doctorate (and he's a total academic whiz).
Conclusion: I cannot agree that they didn't teach me anything useful, careerwise. Now, if I was an infantryman... different story. -And that's exactly what I expected to be, when I joined the USMC. So, the stupid, naive 17 y/o kid has now 10 years later come quite a ways. Thus, I can't complain.
Granted if I'd had money, I wouldn't have had to do this. But, who knows where I'd be right now. The military improved my rationality, maturity and sensibility... via a process that was not enjoyable at the time. Though, it's worth it. When I compare myself to my brothers, I definitely would have to say so.
Btw, I joined 'open contract'. It was only because of my exceedingly high test scores (highest of the month, in my State... though maybe not saying much, if I specified which State) the recruiter at MEPS asked me... "What do you want to do - you qualify for anything". Well, I always wanted to be a fighter pilot, but I knew that wasn't happening at this point (or ever, I now realize), so I just asked for "something working around planes... would be good". I wasn't guaranteed anything. I just wound up in ATC... because that was where the military decided their asset (me) would be best used.
And now, I'm all set. Meanwhile I watch my brothers struggle through college, WORKING hard, making far less than I do. Even the one that's working on his doctorate (and he's a total academic whiz).
Conclusion: I cannot agree that they didn't teach me anything useful, careerwise. Now, if I was an infantryman... different story. -And that's exactly what I expected to be, when I joined the USMC. So, the stupid, naive 17 y/o kid has now 10 years later come quite a ways. Thus, I can't complain.
Granted if I'd had money, I wouldn't have had to do this. But, who knows where I'd be right now. The military improved my rationality, maturity and sensibility... via a process that was not enjoyable at the time. Though, it's worth it. When I compare myself to my brothers, I definitely would have to say so.
I agree with you. I didn't like the military and have no desire to ever go back, but I still honestly believe that everyone should experience it. It's a learning experience that you just can't get as a civilian.
BTW, for those who have been out a while, do you still have dreams about the military? I've been out since 98 and I still dream about it. Talk about not having a restful night.
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