Wussified military good or bad???

[Epidemic]

I have watched the military go from foul mouthed gruffff drill sargents who said they were not your momma to the kinder softer drill sargents who act like your mother.

Somehow I think the old way were they kicked your butt if you mouthed off and stressed you out a bit during boot camp was probably a better method then the kinder nicer military of today.

Go head and pound those wings into my chest, make me crawl through slime when I cross the med. Those trials and tribulations are what made you brothers at arms.

Now we are fast moving toward the army of 500,000 ones and I can't help but think that this is not a good path.

Being able to take your company commander screaming in your face and getting punched in the shoulder are part of the weeding process. If you cant take that kind of abuse how the hell are you going to deal with your LT telling you to run up against that pillbox.

[Warthog]

I don't agree whatsoever with hazing so I didn't vote. But I think about everybody knows where I stand when it comes to wussies...my basic t. was challenging enough but I know full well what others are like from guys I met during airborne school.

Whether anyone like's it or not, there are pieces of garbage in the military just like the civilian world. I'd get into it more if I had time right now...

Warthog

[sharder8]

I voted "I don't know!"

I went to basic back in '75, when it was the "Old Army" way of training. I watched it go REALLY soft, and then toughen up some. Finally, it made it's way to where it is now.

I want to say it's more "wussiefied" now, but in many respects, we have a much better force today.

Harder

[Epidemic]

Technology makes for our better force. I am still not too sure how we would do in a serious ground war or beach landing.

Even on patrol in enemy territory.

Perhaps I make too much of it. However, the army survives as a team. I am not too sure you become as effective a team unless you have the collective trials created over hundreds of years. Even the hazing AFAIAC is part of it. Of course hazing can get out of control and needs to have rules.

I think everything from blindly obeying a drill sergeant you hate (because he gets in your face) to hazing all go together to make for a team with a collective experience. A team, which means nearly as much or more than life itself when crunch time, comes.

A group of people who would die for each other is essential to a great army

[shahani]

Technology makes for our better force.

Nothing beats shooting your enemy from the comfort of a plane 20,000 feet up.

Dunno if that makes a better force, though.

Epidemic,
Your command of the English language never ceases to appall me.

[Epidemic]

Mod thread crapper alert


PS I have a pretty dam good command of the english language. My keyboard just won't put down what I am thinking.

[Toadman]

I never liked the US Army's new slogan, "An Army of One". It's the antithesis for teamwork, camaraderie, and unit cohesiveness. So much for "Brothers in Arms" when it's all about "ME".

[shahani]

Originally posted by surreal
Epidemic,
Your command of the English language never ceases to appall me.

You ain't noticed his spelling.

[osprey4]

Hey, I've gone through basic training and let me tell you, it was hell!! I can't tell you how many legs I broke.

Once I got past that training level, I enjoyed America's Army a whole lot more.