Do interservice rivalrys exist among seasoned vets.

[reed11b]

"BFT2-JCR class"

Ex-Marine: "In my old LAV unit we didn't have that problem with the BFT"

Me: "That's because you never figured out how to turn them on. "
Reed

 

[JohnBender]

On this subject, as I was getting out of the Corps, a Vet told me: "All service is commendable, but not equal"

Going to Grad school showed me that while that is true, the division lines are non-existent if not relatively faint. The division between the Intra-branch Officer Corps and the E-Dogs (a phrase I was enlightened to from a former Marine Officer) is a little deeper than the branch rivalry itself. What I found to be strange is, as Veterans, officers from one branch have little-to-no division with enlisted from a different branches, but the O-E divide within a branch have a bigger divide. Saying I was a grunt Marine Corporal to a former Army O-3 is met with "That's fucking awesome" where as saying the same thing to a former Marine O-3 is often met with "oh". That's not even a common thing though, because typically anyone who served is happy to find others that served. We are all just fundamentally different than the population at large, thus the lines of division are faint.

We are all friends and we rag on each other mercilessly. The Army guys are made fun of for being self-important and prioritized, the Navy guys are made fun of for being nerds and homo-erotic, the Air Force guys are made fun of for being pampered and pussified, and the Marines are made fun of for having extra chromosomes, finding new ways to be gay, and jerking each other off about how much better we are than everyone else when we find another Marine. The Coasties are probably subject to some form of jokes, but no one has seen any, ever, so they're more myth than fact.

I still get a kick out of telling my 0-4 Navy counterpart in the program what it was like for my day-to-day life. He acts as if I just got back from the trenches of World War 1. I tell him it sounds like he enjoyed life in as a Aristocratic Noble. Yet we still share the tab for beers.

Last thing I'll say: Marines are definitely the most offensive of the lot. I got some pretty dour looks when I said the local strip club lets you lick the Tuesday Night special's C-Section scars for a buck an inch. The only guys that laughed were the Marines and the Army dudes, but the Army dudes said "that's fucked up". The Marines counted their singles.

 

[R.Caerbannog]

On this subject, as I was getting out of the Corps, a Vet told me: "All service is commendable, but not equal"

Going to Grad school showed me that while that is true, the division lines are non-existent if not relatively faint. The division between the Intra-branch Officer Corps and the E-Dogs (a phrase I was enlightened to from a former Marine Officer) is a little deeper than the branch rivalry itself. What I found to be strange is, as Veterans, officers from one branch have little-to-no division with enlisted from a different branches, but the O-E divide within a branch have a bigger divide. Saying I was a grunt Marine Corporal to a former Army O-3 is met with "That's fucking awesome" where as saying the same thing to a former Marine O-3 is often met with "oh". That's not even a common thing though, because typically anyone who served is happy to find others that served. We are all just fundamentally different than the population at large, thus the lines of division are faint.

We are all friends and we rag on each other mercilessly. The Army guys are made fun of for being self-important and prioritized, the Navy guys are made fun of for being nerds and homo-erotic, the Air Force guys are made fun of for being pampered and pussified, and the Marines are made fun of for having extra chromosomes, finding new ways to be gay, and jerking each other off about how much better we are than everyone else when we find another Marine. The Coasties are probably subject to some form of jokes, but no one has seen any, ever, so they're more myth than fact.

I still get a kick out of telling my 0-4 Navy counterpart in the program what it was like for my day-to-day life. He acts as if I just got back from the trenches of World War 1. I tell him it sounds like he enjoyed life in as a Aristocratic Noble. Yet we still share the tab for beers.

Last thing I'll say: Marines are definitely the most offensive of the lot. I got some pretty dour looks when I said the local strip club lets you lick the Tuesday Night special's C-Section scars for a buck an inch. The only guys that laughed were the Marines and the Army dudes, but the Army dudes said "that's fucked up". The Marines counted their singles.

Huh...A dollar seems kindof steep. At Mickey's the girls will motorboat you for a buck.

 

[reed11b]

Going to Grad school showed me that while that is true, the division lines are non-existent if not relatively faint. The division between the Intra-branch Officer Corps and the E-Dogs (a phrase I was enlightened to from a former Marine Officer) is a little deeper than the branch rivalry itself.

Along similar but different lines, when I took my last Police PT test, the large group immediately split between prior service and non-prior service, and then down by branch. The exception was the infantry guys. Both the Army and Marine infantry split from there branch group and hung out together and helped each other out through the test. Meaning? No idea, but an interesting observation.
Reed

 

[Gunz]

Along similar but different lines, when I took my last Police PT test, the large group immediately split between prior service and non-prior service, and then down by branch. The exception was the infantry guys. Both the Army and Marine infantry split from there branch group and hung out together and helped each other out through the test. Meaning? No idea, but an interesting observation.
Reed

The teamwork mentality is the same for trigger-pullers in both branches. We're trained to work together to lessen the odds of some of us dying.

 

[Gunz]

Here's an example of teamwork:

 

[Devildoc]

On this subject, as I was getting out of the Corps, a Vet told me: "All service is commendable, but not equal"

Going to Grad school showed me that while that is true, the division lines are non-existent if not relatively faint. The division between the Intra-branch Officer Corps and the E-Dogs (a phrase I was enlightened to from a former Marine Officer) is a little deeper than the branch rivalry itself. What I found to be strange is, as Veterans, officers from one branch have little-to-no division with enlisted from a different branches, but the O-E divide within a branch have a bigger divide. Saying I was a grunt Marine Corporal to a former Army O-3 is met with "That's fucking awesome" where as saying the same thing to a former Marine O-3 is often met with "oh". That's not even a common thing though, because typically anyone who served is happy to find others that served. We are all just fundamentally different than the population at large, thus the lines of division are faint.

We are all friends and we rag on each other mercilessly. The Army guys are made fun of for being self-important and prioritized, the Navy guys are made fun of for being nerds and homo-erotic, the Air Force guys are made fun of for being pampered and pussified, and the Marines are made fun of for having extra chromosomes, finding new ways to be gay, and jerking each other off about how much better we are than everyone else when we find another Marine. The Coasties are probably subject to some form of jokes, but no one has seen any, ever, so they're more myth than fact.

I still get a kick out of telling my 0-4 Navy counterpart in the program what it was like for my day-to-day life. He acts as if I just got back from the trenches of World War 1. I tell him it sounds like he enjoyed life in as a Aristocratic Noble. Yet we still share the tab for beers.

Last thing I'll say: Marines are definitely the most offensive of the lot. I got some pretty dour looks when I said the local strip club lets you lick the Tuesday Night special's C-Section scars for a buck an inch. The only guys that laughed were the Marines and the Army dudes, but the Army dudes said "that's fucked up". The Marines counted their singles.

Going E to O is almost as bad, even in the same branch. The 'real' officers, you know, the ones who drink tea with their pinky fingers semi-extended, casted some very dubious and distrustful looks.

 

[JohnBender]

Here's an example of teamwork:

View attachment 17981

I had to question whether that was a picture I took or not. Telling?

Going E to O is almost as bad, even in the same branch. The 'real' officers, you know, the ones who drink tea with their pinky fingers semi-extended, casted some very dubious and distrustful looks.

When we heard an Officer was a prior enlisted guy, we knew we were either in for pure hell or a pure bro. That being said, I found that just like anywhere else, Officer's are no different than the rest of the service: You take a 3 block section of New York City and you throw it in uniform - there is a little bit of everyone in there. Culture does change people, but it's a reflection of what's on the inside in many ways.

Along similar but different lines, when I took my last Police PT test, the large group immediately split between prior service and non-prior service, and then down by branch. The exception was the infantry guys. Both the Army and Marine infantry split from there branch group and hung out together and helped each other out through the test. Meaning? No idea, but an interesting observation.
Reed

I see that here too. There are many vets, but the ones that hang out for beers the most are: Me (E-Marine grunt), two Army Infantry Officers ( one being prior E-dog), the E-dog elite SF guy and the Army Log Officer who was prior E-Cav Scout.

I'm sure someone has ssometing bad to say about Cav Scouts, but I have no fucking clue what they really are. It's like when I hear two Navy guys going in on Surface War vs Submarine War being better. Yeah, cool? But I just have blank stares cause I giveth not a shite.

 

[Gunz]

...I'm sure someone has ssometing bad to say about Cav Scouts, but I have no fucking clue what they really are...

Just because.

 

[Marauder06]

Not only do inter service rivalries exist, it took a literal act of Congress to try to make them play nice with each other.

 

[Gunz]

Marines traditionally have always like swabb...er, sailors...and have always gone out of our way to compliment them on their bell bottoms and jaunty little hats. Especially when enjoying iced beverages at the nearest slopchute.

 

[Devildoc]

When we heard an Officer was a prior enlisted guy, we knew we were either in for pure hell or a pure bro. That being said, I found that just like anywhere else, Officer's are no different than the rest of the service: You take a 3 block section of New York City and you throw it in uniform - there is a little bit of everyone in there. Culture does change people, but it's a reflection of what's on the inside in many ways.

When I became an officer I had been a corpsman with the Marines for over a decade. I had far more in common with E-dogs and grunts than "real" sailors who are haze gray and underway ("A ship? What is 'a ship'?"). The caste system in Navy officerdom is different than the other branches, and far worse about enforcing rigid hierarchies. As an enlisted man and as an officer I had the privilege to attend joint schools and being on joint deployments, and although three of the four branches have quirks in their officer corps (I never saw it in the AF), the Navy was the worse.

When I was in officer school we had a Navy Chief and a Marine DI. When we wore our service uniform the first time I omitted my ribbons and enlisted warfare device. I did not have the Navy Cross, but I also did not want to draw undue attention to myself. When they found out I was a Mustang, they made me read aloud the uniform reg about displaying ribbons and awards. When I attached my bling and the DI saw my FMF device, it was on like Donkey Kong. He rode me so hard I could not see straight, but at the end of the day I appreciated the lesson. At the end of school he told me he did it because he knew I was better than the others (because I have been a corpsman) and I would set the example of putting out 100% yadda yadda yadda. Anywho, just a small recollection. I have a pic with me and the Gunny...if I can find it I will post it.

 

[Devildoc]

Marines traditionally have always like swabb...er, sailors...and have always gone out of our way to compliment them on their bell bottoms and jaunty little hats. Especially when enjoying iced beverages at the nearest slopchute.

"Bell bottoms." You are dating yourself, Brother.... :)

 

[Totentanz]

"Bell bottoms." You are dating yourself, Brother.... :)

'Tis the way of the world... Marines date themselves, Sailors date other dudes... Soldiers date women.

 

[Devildoc]

'Tis the way of the world... Marines date themselves, Sailors date other dudes... Soldiers date women.

Fuck if I didn't walk into that one mouth open....

Well played, Sir....well played...

 

[JohnBender]

When I became an officer I had been a corpsman with the Marines for over a decade. I had far more in common with E-dogs and grunts than "real" sailors who are haze gray and underway ("A ship? What is 'a ship'?"). The caste system in Navy officerdom is different than the other branches, and far worse about enforcing rigid hierarchies. As an enlisted man and as an officer I had the privilege to attend joint schools and being on joint deployments, and although three of the four branches have quirks in their officer corps (I never saw it in the AF), the Navy was the worse.

When I was in officer school we had a Navy Chief and a Marine DI. When we wore our service uniform the first time I omitted my ribbons and enlisted warfare device. I did not have the Navy Cross, but I also did not want to draw undue attention to myself. When they found out I was a Mustang, they made me read aloud the uniform reg about displaying ribbons and awards. When I attached my bling and the DI saw my FMF device, it was on like Donkey Kong. He rode me so hard I could not see straight, but at the end of the day I appreciated the lesson. At the end of school he told me he did it because he knew I was better than the others (because I have been a corpsman) and I would set the example of putting out 100% yadda yadda yadda. Anywho, just a small recollection. I have a pic with me and the Gunny...if I can find it I will post it.

That's what I hear - that the US Navy is the last real Aristocracy of America.

Oh man, I can imagine that he just lazered in on you like an Eagle spotting prey in the open. I always hear that priors going through anything tend to have it rougher, but because they are held to a higher standard and can usually meet or exceed it, so this sounds par for the course...Though I bet it was about as fun as eating a glass dipped dick, so I'm sure it was only a pride point afterwards haha!

Fuck if I didn't walk into that one mouth open....

Well played, Sir....well played...

Honestly, I'm surprised no one mentioned the "He rode me so hard I could not see straight" line. That, as a sailor, is just asking for it. You know, like...like most sailors do?