Experiences with other militaries.

[J.]

Good Morning/Afternoon/Evening everyone,

With so many members of Shadowspear having military experience in multiple fields across the globe I wanted to discuss what your assessments, feedback and criticisms are of other countries militaries that you have worked with. Whether it be training, deployment or combat.

If you do not have military experience please do not comment, this discussion is meant to share information and experiences from people who have been there and done it.

 

[J.]

I worked with South Korea and Australia in Korea a few years ago. As my first training experience with another nation I was extremely impressed with both. The Koreans were some hard chargers. They constantly wanted to improve and learn. We watched a ROK Marine boot camp graduation which was awesome.

Interoperability with the Australians was great, (not just because they speak english). They integrated with us very well and the exchange of information was great. We did a lot of amphibious assault work and if it weren’t for their uniform you wouldn’t know the difference. They did cause us to lose all of our liberty on the back end when we were getting ready to leave but I don’t hold it against them.


I’ve had Royal Marines in support of my unit here during CONUS training but haven’t really interacted with them enough to have a real opinion. They did a lot of IDF for us and their performance was fast and hits were spot on. Otherwise my only observation is they do seem really fond of the Starbucks on main side.

 

[Devildoc]

I worked with the Royal Marines. They were awesome, loved every minute. I thought our Marines were a bunch of alcoholic pervs. But man, could they shoot. Great trigger guys, and treated me like one of them.

 

[Ooh-Rah]

I thought our Marines were a bunch of alcoholic pervs.

Well, yeah.

 

[Gunz]

South Vietnamese Regional Force Infantry//training and advisory
ROK Marines//shared company HQ compound
Royal Marines, amphibious assault and vertical envelopment ops, VA Beach
Argentinian Marines (COIM), amphib assaults, Vieques PR

A lot of American Vietnam veterans give ARVN a bad rap, but most of those guys never lived, worked and fought alongside South Vietnamese troops. It's largely an undeserved reputation. 300,000+ died fighting. Our counterparts, with a few exceptions, were dependable and fine troops if well-led.

ROK Marines were killers. It could be good...or it could be bad. ROE depended upon their mood at the time.

Royal Marines: I shamefully admit we were envious of their berets and relaxed hair regs.

Commando de la Infanteria Marina, Argentina: One of the things that initially surprised me about these guys was the number of towheads. I'm not saying they were offspring of Nazi fugitives or anything...

 

[Devildoc]

Well, yeah.

We/they are. But those guys are competitors.

In the barracks:

Me: "Hey, what are you watching?"
RM: "Gay porn."
Me: "Gay porn? Really? Ugh..."
RM: "I like it...."
Me: "You like it? Ugh...."
RM: "Hey, just because I like it doesn't mean I'm going to do it."

Then he sees a lizard skipping along the floor, he kills it, and eats it.

He was in the 50th percentile of the ones I knew. I loved partying and drinking with them, and in the field, they were stone-cold warriors.

 

[amlove21]

I worked with the Royal Marines. They were awesome, loved every minute. I thought our Marines were a bunch of alcoholic pervs. But man, could they shoot. Great trigger guys, and treated me like one of them.

We often jumped with the jump qualified RM guys; they're actually more insane than people here are making them out to be. No one better to be next to in the field, though.

I have spent a good amount of time with a lot of foreign militaries, but the most with the Norwegians. They're my favorite. Just straight hard ass dudes and extremely professional, both the ARSOF and NAVSOF guys. Can't say enough good things.

 

[Diamondback 2/2]

ICDC, Iraqi NG, Iraqi Army: they aren't worth a fuck, we had a couple of good troops, but the masses were stealing, selling off equipment and weapons (the exception being the commandos, those guys were locked the fuck on).

Black Watch Regiment, those dudes were well equipped, well trained and on point. Befriended a Scotsman who I spent more time asking "wait what, say that again but slower".

Australian EOD, a little bit out there, but to be expected for bomb techs got along great with them when they found our I was from Texas.

Princess Patricias Regiment, that was a crack unit, a little bit of verbal differences, but probably the closest thing I've seen to American light infantry unit.

South Africans, can't remember the unit, some kinda of "special" anyways, dudes were super confident, a bit cocky, and tended to be a bit more talk than I expected. Their equipment was shit, weapons were shit, but they were always bragging. I enjoyed bullshiting with them, but wouldn't be my first pick to walk on to a battle field with.

I've also met a ton of officers from all around the world, while I worked for the Joint Military Training and Rediness Center. It was a mix bag, but most seemed to have about the same basic skill sets. The only ones who stuck out was some Saudi's, as they were fucking rude and snobs.

 

[Marauder06]

I've worked extensively with many of our allied nations' militaries. I have enormous respect for all of them and I'm grateful we are all on the same side. Unfortunately, their abilities tend to trail off into negligibility after anything past the baseline tactical level. With few exceptions (in fact I can only thing of --maybe-- one), they need American intelligence, logistics (particularly lift) and/or airpower to do just about anything outside of their own countries, or more than standing watch on a peacekeeping mission.

 

[AWP]

The COmmonwealth nations, UK, Canada, AUS, NZ: Good folks, would work with them again. The majority have good personalities, almost all I've worked with knew their jobs. Good dudes. UK officers are a bit "stuffy" at first, but loosen up. Aussie and Canadian officers are pretty chill.

Royal Danish Air Force: Love those guys and gals.

Polish Army: Nope, nope, nope. I have almost no positive experiences with that rabble. YMMV.

Germans: Very stand-offish at first until they get to know you. Efficient, but politics at home and the spectre of WWII haunt them and prevent them from being their best.

 

[racing_kitty]

Got to work with Aussie and UK military guys, mainly EOD and intel. Had a Scotsman for a cartographer. Shit hot at what he did, but barely legible speech when sober. My liver has PTSD from that tasking.

I also got to work with the same IABDC company for two tours. As people, they weren’t bad in that one company. (“Madam! You got married!! Omar will be sad to hear that, but we wish you luck!”) Quite a few of them had that same kind of crazy, and they didn’t let a fear of death or lack of tools stop them; their improv game was strong. However, there were a few that just weren’t that bright. Doubt they’re alive to realize their stupidity

 

[Teufel]

How has no one mentioned the Royal Marine fascination with nudity in all manner of inappropriate times and places?

 

[Deleted member 12579]

I worked around the British Desert Rats during Desert Storm. I can't say enough good about them. Hard chargers and they kicked serious ass out there. You would have thought we had known them our entire lives, and they were very honest about everything we asked them about. They really went out of their way to get to know us. Their infantry did a very good job clearing trenches from what I noticed as our advance party team sort of drifted into their sector by accident.

The German army. Only a few of them really went out of their way to get to know us. I was very young so I admit I kept them at arm's length as well. I was under the impression that many of them did not really care for us which further influenced me not to really want to mix with them. I noticed they kept their guns spotless and they were extremely organized. They were also in transition as the Cold War had technically just ended. They were trying to consolidate two armies into one so they were also experiencing growing pains at that time.

 

[Devildoc]

How has no one mentioned the Royal Marine fascination with nudity in all manner of inappropriate times and places?

This is true. Especially their own.

 

[Devildoc]

Polish Army: Nope, nope, nope. I have almost no positive experiences with that rabble. YMMV.

Good friend of mine is retired now, was a SEAL (we were FMF docs together). He worked with the Poles SOF, had nothing but exemplary things to say about them. Unit/level dependent? I don't know anything about any of them.

 

[AWP]

Good friend of mine is retired now, was a SEAL (we were FMF docs together). He worked with the Poles SOF, had nothing but exemplary things to say about them. Unit/level dependent? I don't know anything about any of them.

I was around 4 different rotations that I can recall. If this is correct, the 12th, 6th, 21st, and 1st brigades around 2009-2011. Task Force White Eagle - Wikipedia

I've heard great things about their SOF soldiers and I'm sure those are true, but the airborne brigade and those infantry units ruined my perception of their army and country.

 

[amlove21]

How has no one mentioned the Royal Marine fascination with nudity in all manner of inappropriate times and places?

Or the lengths that they’ll go to for ‘gay chicken’ literally anywhere? I’m telling you- they’re the apex predator on the ‘fucked up stuff food chain’. It makes our own marines look like the Air Force in comparison...

 

[Deleted member 12579]

Or the lengths that they’ll go to for ‘gay chicken’ literally anywhere? I’m telling you- they’re the apex predator on the ‘fucked up stuff food chain’. It makes our own marines look like the Air Force in comparison...

Does their Para Regiment behave in the same manner? I've always had the deepest respect for the British and especially the Royal Marines and their Paras.

 

[Deleted member 12579]

I was around 4 different rotations that I can recall. If this is correct, the 12th, 6th, 21st, and 1st brigades around 2009-2011. Task Force White Eagle - Wikipedia

I've heard great things about their SOF soldiers and I'm sure those are true, but the airborne brigade and those infantry units ruined my perception of their army and country.

Were they able to keep their areas of responsibility secured? Looks like they suffered some casualties.

 

[Topkick]

The German army. Only a few of them really went out of their way to get to know us. I was very young so I admit I kept them at arm's length as well. I was under the impression that many of them did not really care for us

Might have something to do with us drinking their beer and stealing their Fraulein.