The Difference Between The Services

[reddevil1111]

Most of the other branches of the Military resent the Marines a lot. They look at what we do in thier view and they think they can do the same for less money and get a bigger budget.
We live on a shoe string budget as it is. In the first Gulf war we stole ammo, rifles and our trucks were from the Korean war era. I have a lot to thank the Army and Air Force for. We would not have had a chance to resupply and brother we needed it bad!
We were issued socks that were stamped reject us army or navy. Substandard issue but it was all the Marines could afford. Table scraps.
We give and take all kinds of jabs at each other. None of it was never more than a poke in the ribs or jealousy.
So maybe say thanks next time. The real joke is on the guy who thinks you had it easy and he didnt. Mostly he spent days dreaming of the luxuries most of the other services had that he/she didnt have.
I never doubted anyones benifit of thier service. It all matters in the end. A Marine cant get there without support from the navy. he cant fly around the world without help from either the army or airforce and if he does ride in an army plane it drinks fuel from an airforce plane.
Most P/J's I ever met were real snake eaters. No doubt about that. But the other 99% is different. And while your bases are in nice places like Germany and Italy. We Marines play in most of the shitholes.
No one is out to bust your balls. Not the intent and no one in here is putting you or what you did down. It's just a joke. your service is not a joke. We know the difference.
Personally, I have eaten in an air force mess and you guys have MUCH better food, nicer equiptment and quarters and we were very jealous. Stand proud and take it for what it really is --Envy.
BTW? I dont want to hold hands now either thanks :)

 

[Wagon]

I don't know Dan. I think the Navy and Marines look at each other and mutually say "f*ck That". Different life styles. And no we don't have beer. That's every other Navy in the world, not the US. Although we could take a crack at bilge wine, if you managed to find some fruit and steal some bakers yeast from the galley. But the galley was usually guarded by a Marine. And nobody wanted to make friends with the cooks. Not how they made food. They stuck to themselves. We had some desperate people who drank aftershave.

Not sure if you know it but Marines on ships guard the Engine Room hatches with shotguns. If you take a hit below the waterline or there is a fire, the hatches do not open.....period. They stay down there to save the ship. Or they get shot. We have a special relationship to say the least. And for gods sake I don't want to hold your hand. You'd probably shoot me. lmao.

 

[reddevil1111]

Wagon, I know about the engine hatch. I also know about one other location that if you enter a second door unvetted, that shotgun goes off as well.
I also know you dont have beer, that comment was aimed at all navies not just yours. I hope you get some sleep. -Dan

 

[Wagon]

Thanks Brother,

Sad realities. We drank together ashore. On the bridge we were in charge of keeping track of Post 9 nuclear weapons security. We had a deal, always logged the time they asked for. No use hanging someone over 20 seconds. But you know, when push comes to shove..... duty is always duty. Don't know why. Don't have to deal with it now thankfully.

 

[reddevil1111]

I had a good friend who spent 4 years guarding a shore based magazine with cruse missles and other devices in it.
He hated his duty and got out after his 4 years and never had a good word about the Marines afterwards. I can't say I blame him. 4 years guarding something would drive me batty.

 

[Wagon]

I think our Marines did 2 year tour. Not sure. When we were getting decommissioned they got choice of duty station. Many were quite happy. Walking Dead? Cali I don't know other places. It was supposed to be special to be on a Battleship.....But that was probably bullshit to sell a crap billet.

My Sea/Shore rotation was 5 years on.....18 months ashore. So if you were fool enough to re-enlist, you just got another ship. Of course it is the stupid Navy. What the hell else are you going to do.

 

[reddevil1111]

He was on a shore based armory not the ships. I was TAD from the 2nd Marine intel division to mostly working with the 26MEB and the 2/7 Marines. I spent time with Force recon, 2BTN recon and I was loaned out 2 times to "others"
Most of my deployments lasted 2 weeks to 4 months.
Of course the Gulf war was very different from that. 2 1/2 years in the gulf with a total of 8 days off for a funeral.
The average Marine is deployed 6-7 months, home for 6 and then back out. Or thats how it was way back in the good old days....
I was lucky/unlucky to have a MOS 0231 that allowed my command to punk me out a lot. I never did a complete float like most Marines. My job required more mobility as it was more of a specialty not just being a grunt.
I could not live on a ship like you. I would have jumped the first port and never looked back. I still dont understand how you managed. My hat's off to you.

 

[Wagon]

Quite frankly I have a hard time understanding it myself. I think back and think, "Holy Shit!!!" quite a bit.

Some people did jump, some got out through self inflicted wounds, some ended up in a padded room. One time 20 guys sat under a Gun turret and smoked hash in a big pow wow..............They smiled all the way through punishment and then got out. I envied them. But it wasn't my way.

Needless to say we had a terrible morale problem. A ship with bad morale is pretty much hell on earth. I've been on 2. One in the Navy, One in the Merchant Marines.

 

[Jimmy1]

Mate, any unit no matter what service it is in, does not function well when morale is down.

I remember in the 80's we got a new Major. We were on an exercise and had the opportunity to go to town. The CO said if all the OC's(Majors) of all the squadron agreed, then we could go. Well this Major said no.
Three days later while doing a night move, someone came up to him in the pitch black and said 'Is that you Major .....', when he said 'Yes', he got knocked out. The next morning, the Major had the best black eye, and although the whole unit got punished, morale was on the up.

 

[Wagon]

During our deployment our Captain's Marine Orderly stuck to him like white on rice. Barely saw the guy before. Probably all the death threats to him and the XO. And you never saw an Officer on deck at night. Murder and mutiny was in the air.

 

[Misera1013]

I've only ever worked directly with the Air Force, and they were always wonderful!!!

The 1st time was when I was in phase 1 of my AIT training at Ft. Sam Houston and was a damn hold over. I got put on a duty that sent me out to Camp Bullis where all the PAs went and did their final field training. It was cool. This was in late Nov early Dec and I got sick out there. The one Air Force guy let me use his camel bak to stay hydrated, and let me ride up front in the heat. He made sure I got into sick call, and all kinds of things. I wish I remembered his name, and found him later on. He was so nice to me.

My other time was when I was being evaced out of Afghanistan and Germany. The medical Air Force people took such good care of me. I was really touched by their concern. My last flight out of Bethesda, as soon as we lifted off the run way I got sick, and wouldn't stop. Some smart ass made the comment to me, "First time on a C130?!" No.....What a dick. Well, the first stop we made the nurse made calls to get approval to get me all kinds of meds.

So, I am grateful to the Air Force. I know we rag on each other, but don't let an outsider try that kind of crap to a service member.

 

[BV101]

Joking apart, I think the any arm of service anywhere for any country is the same. They are all doing "their bit" voluntarily or not. But that doesn't mean you can't take the piss. When we would rotate out of our positions the unit taking over from us would wolf whistle and stuff. Its normal. Our little unit was great. Everybody else was and still is, a c*nt. Thats pretty much fact. In our minds.