Libertarian623 wrote: Jt,Cowboy I think the military you see now the one mentioned in the article is the culmination of 25 years of almost continuous deployments. I spent a little over a decade in the Army. When I came home I could tell that w r where in it for the long haul as did all my buddies. We all raised our kids in a very spartan environment so they would have overwhelming skills. My first is going in this august, he already has the military skills that would rival most current NCO's. No bullshit. He knows pretty much everything that I knew when I left the service.All the guys I served with have done the same. The best is yet to come. They are smarter faster and stronger than we ever where. They come in with crazy diverse skills that we never dreamed of having. Yes I say this next Gen of soldiers will again redefine what good soldiering is.
1) I pray you are correct
2) What you are speaking of is individual skills and attitude, but the reality is its an Army and the bottom line is war fighters are but a tiny minority...Vietnam '65-'75, 10 years and about 2.55 Million soldiers deployed, but only 300,000 spent their time on the killing fields in the bloody arena.
And we are heading fast into a peace time Army and trust me it ain't pretty. Few hardened combat soldiers make it thru the ranks and to retirement. The military likes to weed out its combat* vets. In fact in the latter half of the 70's it was suggested I not wear my combat patchL because it told the other officers I was enlisted in Vietnam. Later on I wore it and most assumed I was a 2nd Lt in Vietnam.
I left TO&E units and bases in '85, I went to TRADOC HQ, 4 star command approx 2500 officers and less than 50 EM and almost all of them were in HQ&HQ Co. Almost all were LtC and Col, few Majors and a hanfull of wait staff...errr Capt's.
We went in about 8, took for lunch about 11-1330 and started heading out the door about 1600, M-F. I had never seen that since I came in. My world was one of going in before light, home by 2200 hrs and work 0600 -about 2000 hrs on Sat and Sun x 365.
There I met officers who had never had a overseas tour, been CONUS the whole time. DO NOT think this is only in the officer corp, the enlisted corp is worse. I personally knew of a 11bang who came in and as a Pfc got shipped over to the post Country Club to work at the golf courtse. Nothing unusual here we detailed lots of lower EM's to to thing like from the post pool to the Gym's. Usually its a 90 day detail. He buddied up with a GO out there on the golf couse as his caddy and lacky. GO has him moved to Div HQ, perm detailed the the golf course. GO PCS's and take him along to the Pentagon where he get assigned to on of the golf courses up there. 22 years later, never an overseas tour, he retirs as a E 8. He started a Golf club company and it gets bought out by some bigger golf club company. He builds multi-million buck home on Lake Travis outside of Austin and drives a Ferrari...
22 years playing with golf balls...I met him and he told me his story.
Common or rare? COMMON! Buddy of mine who was in Officers Basic with me, I bumped into years later as I was PCSing from Ft Hood my. He was now a Pers Officer, got out of Infantry completely. We met up for lunch and spent some hours talking about our careers. He thought the Inf was a waste of time and applied for a branch transfer into Pers. I was on the way to Korea, DMZ 1/9 Inf another hard assignment. He told me could divert me for an in-country soft assignment. And he had connections and could get me diverted from Korea if I did want to go. I declined both, but this led to a discussion of assignments. He flat out told me no shortage of Officers/EM never see a hardship assignment or combat tour.
Take away is that the Army for sure really does not honor its combat soldiers with much more than a boot out the door. Ohh a few will be paper heros, but they are already well on there way to making Col or Sgt Maj and they need that yo polish there record. So they get a plush assignment, Purple Heart and maybe a Bronze and Silver Star.
PH: More PH are awarded to non combatants than combat soldiers
BS/SS: Just like my buddy, Don, its easy, get on a chopper, fly out, spend the night, come back the next day and get your BS and SS if you are REALLY tight with your CO. He was and he has both displayed on his wall in his office.
The Army is changing, unlike it ever has. Now you will compete against quota promotions...yes its been there for many years for blacks, but now they will add in women, gays, lesbians and transgenders...glad I am gone
