Why I joined the Cavalry

[Navy Moose]

I got you beat! I got promoted to E-5 3 times in 7 years.

A friend of my father's was a like that in WWII, except he made E-7 three times when he was in the Army. When I met Gino, I commented to my father that Gino would have been a good CPO...is when I learned he was an E-7...three times.

 

[devo86]

I got you beat! I got promoted to E-5 3 times in 7 years.

I used to always hear you're not a good NCO until you've had your rank taken at least once

 

[Skysoldier]

Kim, we KNOW you have a habit of telling it like it is, we just did not know you were the same way in the service!

Yeah well, I had to learn a lot of lessons when I was in the Army.

For example: Don't hit the Lieutenant up side the head with your rifle stock, on Saturday morning, in formation in front of the whole Company!

 

[M60]

Yeah well, I had to learn a lot of lessons when I was in the Army.

For example: Don't hit the Lieutenant up side the head with your rifle stock, on Saturday morning, in formation in front of the whole Company!

What? Saturday morning what? Can you really get busted for Thrashing a lowly Lt. on a Saturday morning ?

 

[garandman]

For example: Don't hit the Lieutenant up side the head with your rifle stock, on Saturday morning, in formation in front of the whole Company!

We had a name for this in the Cav.

We called it a "Non Career Enhancing Event."

 

[fitzknny]

We used to pretend that new Lts., In country (RVN), Without their bars were just new ( shower shoes ) replacements , and xxxx with them a little. . . Usually gunny would put a stop to it really quick !

 

[garandman]

We used to pretend that new Lts., In country (RVN), Without their bars were just new ( shower shoes ) replacements , and xxxx with them a little. . . Usually gunny would put a stop to it really quick !

I was a prior service LT. After being dropped for push-ups for trying to **** with me a few times, they wised up.

Not to mention that the first fieldex we did the Scout Section Leader put his track on the wrong terrain feature, as pointed out to him on a map by his "new" LT. NCO's are not as infallible as the Union says.....

 

[fitzknny]

I was a prior service LT. After being dropped for push-ups for trying to **** with me a few times, they wised up.

Not to mention that the first fieldex we did the Scout Section Leader put his track on the wrong terrain feature, as pointed out to him on a map by his "new" LT. NCO's are not as infallible as the Union says.....

Good on ya, I did fail to mention that the price one could pay for this could be anything from stink eye to filling sandbags, burning shxxxxxx,security ,work party's , etc. Further, it was not attempted very often, when it was however ,it would quickly attain legendary status, for BOTH the officer and the perp !

 

[garandman]

Good on ya, I did fail to mention that the price one could pay for this could be anything from stink eye to filling sandbags, burning shxxxxxx,security ,work party's , etc. Further, it was not attempted very often, when it was however ,it would quickly attain legendary status, for BOTH the officer and the perp !

Actual conversation concerning a field day softball tournament between the troops when we were stood down.

"We want officers to be umpires."
"We've arranged for Platoon Sergeants to be umpires."
"They'll cheat."

 

[fitzknny]

Hey now wait a minute, . . Next you'll say "officers sweat and Enlisted men perspire" , when we all know the NCO's run the Marine Corps ! ! !

 

[garandman]

I made a pact with my section sergeants: if the flag dropped we were going to draw straws to see who fragged the Plt Sgt......

 

[fitzknny]

Word was that someone actually did drop a frag in our Bn. Mess sgt's. Bunker, (I think he slept in an above ground hooch). A pointed warning no doubt. . . I don't remember anyone getting caught for it. A damp shame ,it was a really good bunker ! !

 

[Nickle]

I was an enlisted 11B and that kind of shit made me crazy. Fast forward (we still had M113's in 3-7 Cav) and when I was Platton Leader we checked the lubes, track, weapons, sensitive items, and rolled. I wanted functional, didn't spend a millisecond on pretty.

Ledward. I used to be in 3/7 ADA over on Conn, 79-83. Our BOC (Battalion Operations Center) used to be behind Ledward, the little radar site up there.

I used to always hear you're not a good NCO until you've had your rank taken at least once

Then I must have been a pretty good one, was an E-6 3 times (from E-7 twice). Retired as E-7 (Army Guard, highest rank held at least 2 years) even though I was an E-6 when I did retire, got back in to the State Guard (not National Guard) in 2014. Currently a 2LT, from Master Sergeant (E-8). I'm just a staff puke, Maintenance Officer.

Considering I retired from 3/172 Mountain Infantry (real mountain troops, not just name like 10th), no offense taken over calling someone a pogue. Our company may have been the support company, but we had the best shooters in the battalion, and they freely admitted it. We were accepted by the 11B's. We even did the same training they did.

 

[garandman]

Ledward. I used to be in 3/7 ADA over on Conn, 79-83. Our BOC (Battalion Operations Center) used to be behind Ledward, the little radar site up there.

I remember it, used to take my platoon back there for PT instead of the same-old. There was an obstacle course there and I made copies of some German too maps and we'd have our own Orienteering courses.

 

[frenchman]

Hey now wait a minute, . . Next you'll say "officers sweat and Enlisted men perspire" , when we all know the NCO's run the Marine Corps ! ! !

 

[fitzknny]

View attachment 159764

+1 . . . However, I do remember being run into the ground by a few Officers and Staff NCO's on "we don't know who did it, so everyone pays" runs ! On Sat. Mornings ! Then off to Oceanside to grumble.

 

[Skysoldier]

I remember a shit-head LT once asking me "why I had a problem with authority?" I told him " I don't Sir, authority has a problem with me!"

 

[Nickle]

Having been on both sides of that fence, I can't say I disagree that some officers are idiots and jerks.

I went to 2LT the hard way, from Master Sergeant. State Guard now though, so no pay, no loss or gain.

I also learned to get the hell out the way of the working troops, and never be afraid to lend a helping hand. It stayed their detail though, even when I was an E-6, E-7, E-8 or now as an O-1.

 

[mark056]

Having been on both sides of that fence, I can't say I disagree that some officers are idiots and jerks. I went to 2LT the hard way, from Master Sergeant. State Guard now though, so no pay, no loss or gain. I also learned to get the hell out the way of the working troops, and never be afraid to lend a helping hand. It stayed their detail though, even when I was an E-6, E-7, E-8 or now as an O-1.

I'd agree, but I've also been on both sides of the fence and I've worked with some poor NCOs too.

 

[Nickle]

I'd agree, but I've also been on both sides of the fence and I've worked with some poor NCOs too.

So have I.

My point is, there's good and bad in each group, warrant, commissioned, noncommissioned or enlisted.

And, I almost went the warrant route. Our Chief of Staff talked me out of it, or rather into the commissioned route. It changes the positions I can hold.

 

[mark056]

So have I. My point is, there's good and bad in each group, warrant, commissioned, noncommissioned or enlisted. And, I almost went the warrant route. Our Chief of Staff talked me out of it, or rather into the commissioned route. It changes the positions I can hold.

Yes and no, all Army Warrant Officers are Commissioned Officers and have been since 1991. Originally it was CW2 and above, my understanding it has been extended to WO1s. By regulation and statute an Army Warrant Officer today has the same authority including the right of command as any other commissioned officer.

The real reason was money because the post Cold War Army needed company grade officers to do all those additional duties that warrant officers were exempt from and only commissioned officers could fill, serve on courts and boards, administer certain oaths, oversee disbursement of funds etc. By granting Commissions to warrant officers it widened the pool of eligible officers to perform these tasks and the Army got more bang for the buck.

Warrant Officers wear commissioned officer branch insignia and service cap insignia, no more Eagle Rising or "squashed bug" insignia, and recently all CW3 and above were authorized to wear scrambled eggs on the service cap like any field grade officer FWIW.

I don't know about State Guard appointments though.

 

[Nickle]

Yes and no, all Army Warrant Officers are Commissioned Officers and have been since 1991. Originally it was CW2 and above, my understanding it has been extended to WO1s. By regulation and statute an Army Warrant Officer today has the same authority including the right of command as any other commissioned officer.

This is true, I was very aware of this. Accession is different though, as we both know. So, we group them separate, though the authority is the same. UCMJ wise, disobeying a current warrant is violation of Article 90, I do believe. It used to be Artcle 91, same as disobeying an NCO.

The real reason was money because the post Cold War Army needed company grade officers to do all those additional duties that warrant officers were exempt from and only commissioned officers could fill, serve on courts and boards, administer certain oaths, oversee disbursement of funds etc. By granting Commissions to warrant officers it widened the pool of eligible officers to perform these tasks and the Army got more bang for the buck.

Some tasks they can perform, some they still can't. My ANCOC commander was a CSM. I've been a pay officer as an SFC (E-7).

The task I need to be able to do is be the G-4, Asst G-4 or Deputy G-4. I'm currently the Maintenance Officer in G-4, I was the Maintenance NCO. And, it goes up from there. The end goal is probably so I can eventually hold the Chief of Staff position, which is a BG (O-7).

Warrant Officers wear commissioned officer branch insignia and service cap insignia, no more Eagle Rising or "squashed bug" insignia, and recently all CW3 and above were authorized to wear scrambled eggs on the service cap like any field grade officer FWIW.

Yup.

I don't know about State Guard appointments though.

The rules pretty much mirror DA rules, though we aren't federally recognized, and we do tend to make odd changes. In the regulars (or Guard), I would practically never go from E-8 to O-1. I would go from E-8 to CW2 or CW3. Then up that chain, then over to O-4 or O-5 from CW4 or CW5 (or MW status). That's still not normally done, especially in my field (motor maintenance).

 

[mark056]

This is true, I was very aware of this. Accession is different though, as we both know. So, we group them separate, though the authority is the same. UCMJ wise, disobeying a current warrant is violation of Article 90, I do believe. It used to be Artcle 91, same as disobeying an NCO. Some tasks they can perform, some they still can't. My ANCOC commander was a CSM. I've been a pay officer as an SFC (E-7). The task I need to be able to do is be the G-4, Asst G-4 or Deputy G-4. I'm currently the Maintenance Officer in G-4, I was the Maintenance NCO. And, it goes up from there. The end goal is probably so I can eventually hold the Chief of Staff position, which is a BG (O-7). Yup. The rules pretty much mirror DA rules, though we aren't federally recognized, and we do tend to make odd changes. In the regulars (or Guard), I would practically never go from E-8 to O-1. I would go from E-8 to CW2 or CW3. Then up that chain, then over to O-4 or O-5 from CW4 or CW5 (or MW status). That's still not normally done, especially in my field (motor maintenance).

Makes sense if you have a shot at becoming a CofS or at least a G4. That's quite a bit of upward mobility opportunity. How long do you have to wait to make 1LT 24 mos?

 

[Nickle]

Makes sense if you have a shot at becoming a CofS or at least a G4. That's quite a bit of upward mobility opportunity. How long do you have to wait to make 1LT 24 mos?

15 months from October. And, becoming the G4 is pretty much a given.