Military Clan, For All Things Military Options

[Suijen]

Greetings Ladies and Gents, this is a clan dedicated to our armed forces and armed forces veterans. The purpose of this clan is to work as a forum for military related affairs, whether it's about recruiting, military life/culture, weaponary or whatnot. Give opinions or suggestions for how you want the clan to be organized!

GROUND RULES:

1. No flaming or insulting remarks
2. Be respectful. That means keep out if you're just going to bad mouth the members or talk about baby killing.
3. This is not a penis contest. Please, don't be a dumb fanboy here.
4. This isn't really a political forum, so avoid politics. It's not about philosophy either. Think the military is evil? Great, but it has no place here. Go to the debate forum for that.
5. This clan is focused on general military affairs, so historical battles will probably be better served in their respective culture sections
   
   
   

Members:
Suijen
Tinman01
Aardvark


I'll organize these by ranks sometime.


Helpful Links:
http://usmilitary.about.com/

This post has been edited by Suijen: Sep 1 2007, 02:30 PM

[tinman01]

Tinman reporting for duty sir...
Nice rules and thank you for the consideration
I will talk about the USN to start the ball rolling.
The Navy does in fact offer quite a few opprotunities for travel. I would venture to guess more than the other branches. On one Med deployment you may see as many as 10 different countries for a week at a time if your lucky.
Standard major deployment in my day was 7 months but as long as 9 months. I hear that they have reduced the time to a max of 7 months.
Food aint too bad, health care is pretty good. Work day on average at sea is 12 hours.
Feel free to ask questions..

[Suijen]

Hey Tinman, excluding that you have to be on call 24/7, what are the hours that soldiers usually work? Depend on MOS/CO?

[miss_merisha]

I read the book Jarhead.

Is that what military life is really like?

Does U.S have conscription?

[Looter]

I've been thinking about joining either the USMC or Army, but I've heard about a lot of discrimination against non-whites in the military, especially against Asians. If you guys have any input on the situation, I'd like to hear it.

[tinman01]

Working hours are varied based on job/mos. Shore based sailors often work civilian hours believe it or not. They pull a weekend duty once per month and maybe 1 duty day per week where you have to stay after hours.
No Jar head didn't reflect actual Marine corps life. It was a book written by someone disgruntled with the corp or the author had no clue. The Marine sniper is a disciplined warrior highly trained and motivated.
I knew a few and found them to be quite professional and equally stable.
Nope the US does not have a draft its all volunteer and they actually have the highest standards today than ever in our history. The Air force has the highest as far as base recruit and advancement. Discrimination in the military? Hmmmm Well it happens on occasion. When it comes out it is dealt with rather harshly.
Fact the guy in the foxhole next to you maybe the guy that saves your life... You depend on each other much more than any other job. In the military trust means everything. Its lives that are on the line including while training.
Example. I may not like Joe as a person, hell I may not like Italians in general. I am in a fire fight, do you think I have time to wonder about Italians? Nope I worry about my flank and its Joe covering it. Tomorrow I may be covering his. That's why the military steps on racism hard when it raises its ugly head.
All great questions.

This post has been edited by tinman01: Apr 12 2007, 06:08 PM

[Suijen]

How flexible is the military contract? For example, if I wanted to serve 5 years, but decided I liked it and wanted to serve another 3, can I do so?

[tinman01]

Military rules of conduct. ( U.S. Military)
The law of the military is called the UCMJ or uniform code of military justice.
It is a no nonsence rule book. It is not plaqued with loopholes as is civilian law. I found it to be profoundly fair and understandable.
Example. No one can be compelled to commit an unlawful act or follow an unlawful order.
What that means is Pettyofficer tinman orders you to rape that civilian woman. You have the right to say no.
Further more you are expected to say no and report the violation. Harsh analogy i know.
P.O. Tinman has ordered you to help him do something that seems wrong to you. You can request explanation of said order, if you still find it to be questionable follow the chain of command. P.O tinman may be wrong or misunderstood the order himself.
The down side is there is no such thing as double jeopardy. No need for search warrants etc.

[Looter]

What's the difference between a marksman and a sniper? I know it has something to do with squads but I've never really known.

[tinman01]

How flexible is the military contract? For example, if I wanted to serve 5 years, but decided I liked it and wanted to serve another 3, can I do so?

That is called an extension. Yes you can do it, I did it. Normally done towards the end of an enlistment.
You must have an acceptable evaluation and job history. For many there are reenlistment bonus involved. My job was 24,000 for a 5 year reup.
For you Suijen I would anticipate you as an officer. That is called a commision and those rules I am not familiar with.

[Suijen]

^ Yeah that tends to be conveniently overlooked in the media. I know soldiers have to swear that in too. It's orders from the top brass so it's an order.

[tinman01]

What's the difference between a marksman and a sniper? I know it has something to do with squads but I've never really known.

Marksman is a level of qualification..
Sniper is an MOS a job title and the skill level difference is huge. A sniper is a hunter of men... Very demanding and it takes a lot of training

[hakseng]

for the mainland Im ready to server sir !

[Suijen]

What's the difference between a marksman and a sniper? I know it has something to do with squads but I've never really known.

A marksmen deploys with his squad. Basically he's like a rifleman, but he usually carries a semi-automatic rifle designed not for stealth, but to extend the range of his squad. He's not a sniper per sé, just a guy who knows how to use a long ranged rifle very well.

A sniper deploys in the company (or higher) level. He doesn't work with a squad, and aside from a spotter, he does his objective. It might be to kill an officer, scout, etc. but he's no Rambo who goes around killing squads of men at a long distance. He usually carries a bolt action rifle, significantly slower than a marksman's rifle but more precise.

Snipers require a lot of patience and lying on his stomach doing nothing. A marksmen moves with his infantry squad.

[tinman01]

^ Yeah that tends to be conveniently overlooked in the media. I know soldiers have to swear that in too. It's orders from the top brass so it's an order.

I myself refused orders based on questionable reasons given by those issueing the order.
Thats not to say if we are facing an armed mob that is shooting at me and I am ordered to return fire that I can decline. That would be a lawful order. I would be court martialed for failing to follow a LAWFUL order.

[Suijen]

I myself refused orders based on questionable reasons given by those issueing the order.
Thats not to say if we are facing an armed mob that is shooting at me and I am ordered to return fire that I can decline. That would be a lawful order. I would be court martialed for failing to follow a LAWFUL order.

Yeah, those soldiers who pleaded they were "following orders" (Abu Gharib) are boned.

[Looter]

If I'm planning on becoming a G.I., what would the be difference between the Army or Marine Corps?

btw: sorry for so many questions, but I'm seriously considering enlisting and I want to find out more before I do it.

[tinman01]

A marksmen deploys with his squad. Basically he's like a rifleman, but he usually carries a semi-automatic rifle designed not for stealth, but to extend the range of his squad. He's not a sniper per sé, just a guy who knows how to use a long ranged rifle very well.

A sniper deploys in the company (or higher) level. He doesn't work with a squad, and aside from a spotter, he does his objective. It might be to kill an officer, scout, etc. but he's no Rambo who goes around killing squads of men at a long distance. He usually carries a bolt action rifle, significantly slower than a marksman's rifle but more precise.

Snipers require a lot of patience and lying on his stomach doing nothing. A marksmen moves with his infantry squad.

well said.... Snipers also work with a spotter. They prefer to work on their own with just that 1 partner. They tend to be a bit anti social and dont form bonds outside of their units easily.

If I'm planning on becoming a G.I., what would the be difference between the Army or Marine Corps?

btw: sorry for so many questions, but I'm seriously considering enlisting and I want to find out more before I do it.

No need to say your sorry..
G I stands for government issue.... LOL and when you join you become gov property in a way.
The army and Marines have a different mission. Often they overlap.
Marines are first in, called by some the presidents own. The prez doesnt need to ask congress first before sending the marines into action.
The army is a bit more relaxed than the corp but still highly trained.
1 thing to remember once a marine always a marine it is a true brotherhood. Short of special forces nothing else exists like it.

[Suijen]

If I'm planning on becoming a G.I., what would the be difference between the Army or Marine Corps?

btw: sorry for so many questions, but I'm seriously considering enlisting and I want to find out more before I do it.

Me too.

Army and Marine Corps are considered the most "combat" of the military forces.

The Marines are considered more gung ho, and their basic training reflects that. They train 13 months compared to the army's 9 months. The saying goes that all Marines are rifleman before their MOS.

Is that to say that Army soldiers are all 2nd class fighters? Not at all. If you're up to the challenge, you can apply into Army Infantry/Army Rangers/Special Forces. They're gung ho also.

Interesting enough, the Marines Corp, starting 2003, has their own special forces now: Marine Expeditionary Unit.


In general, in the Marines you will be more combat ready than an Army soldier if you both take non-combat MOS's. However, the Army has more MOS options than the Marines. If you're really gung ho, in all honesty, either branch will do.

[tinman01]

Yeah, those soldiers who pleaded they were "following orders" (Abu Gharib) are boned.

They knew what they were doing was wrong..... They did it anyway, not only that but they were so thrilled with it that they took pictures... Dumb asses.LOL They could have said no I will not commit a crime and take it up the chain of command. They would have won. Nobody could have forced me to do what they did. What I hated most was how the chain of command melted and started pointing fingers. They disgraced themselves.
Leave spook work to the spooks.