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Keep the Peace and Be of Good Behavior
Group: Past PNET Supporter
Last Login: 9/8/2008 3:06 PM
Posts: 1,662,
Visits: 729
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quote:
VoTrooper99-
I was there as well, but with a whacko NATO unit in Durres, then after June up in Kukes. Went to Rinas airfield 2-3 times a week...That straight sucked, man. First knee-deep mud, then a month or so later 100+ degree dead a$$ heat. You had to be scratchin' your head asking WTF...
I hated that country. What a sh*t hole.
No S! Especially considering when we got there they tossed us a GP medium in a bag and said "here, go set it up" while the AF was living with showers and PX and all the comforts of home just a mile or two across the airfield! That place was a freaking filth pit.
The funniest thing was that Kosovo, after a decade or so of sporadic fighting, was in 10x better shape than Albania, the armpit of Europe.
The only good thing about that country was that if you gave ten 8 year olds 3 cokes you stole from the AF, they would fill sandbags and load them on the trucks for hours. Tough little bastards they were.[ ]
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Seasoned Vet
 
Group: Past PNET Supporter
Last Login: 9/7/2005 7:22 PM
Posts: 6,666,
Visits: 289
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quote:
Originally posted by Tom
Now I will weigh in. I think that the idea of putting soldiers on notice that they will be trained and expected to be able to get it on is an excellent idea. As said before, this type of topic does not generally go over well with the soldiers who frequent this board. I don't necessarily want to get into a dick matching contest with everyone, but, I have to say that I think this type of action is just what the doctor ordered. I have done the basic skills testing for soldiers who were just out of boot camp who couldn't identify 50% of the components on an M-16. I have run several types of ranges for them where ~30-50% of the soldiers had no idea of what to do to even zero a weapon. I know that the majority of troopers on this board could probably tell me what the "dope" on their weapon was in basic training. But, unfortunately you don't comprise the population that is actually being addressed. Having served with both of these groups, I would take a Marine who has graduated "boot" and MCT over a soldier who graduated "basic" any day of the week. That is the importance of it. I am referring to a basically trained soldier/Marine before any MOS training. We NCOs who deal with non combat or support units need to own up to the fact that our soldiers are not trained as well as basic non combat or support Marines and start doing something about it. The debate on this point is us as NCO's just making excuses. The good portion of the Army is not the 82nd or 101st or 5th SFG or <insert high speed unit>. These are excellent units who have the "skills", but the large portion of OUR Army could care two cents less about this kill, kill, kill mentality that we need to have. I know that I may have to rely on a unit like the trans BN or some other support unit someday. I would surely like to see them trained to be warriors.
I agree Tom. Army Basic Training for non combat arms MOS's is a joke IMO. It has been for quite a while. This needs to change.
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Regular Joe
Group: Past PNET Supporter
Last Login: 12/15/2008 9:04 PM
Posts: 271,
Visits: 56
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I took ANCOC Common Core with a room full of 71Ls (clerk typists) when we were discussing some topic one of them turned to me and said " Well, thats the difference you are a trained killer and we aren't". That was when I came back with just about my best one liner ever. " Did you graduate from BCT? Yeah, then you are a trained killer. Just not a well trained killer!" I never understood why someone would not strive to be the best in every thing that they do. And if you are in the Army that obviously means preparing to engage the enemy and kill him at any distance with or without any weapon. When I was in division our BN had the best pass rate in Ranger school, all MOSs, until the Turzai thing but that is another story. Our BCs and SMAJs knew that that training would be invaluable to our companies and platoons. But take advantage of any opportunity to train. That is where too many times the Army falls short. Other mandatory events take precidence over tough, realistic training.
   <rgr>
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