Military info!

Punu · Post by **Punu** » Sun Jul 09, 2006 9:24 pm

So who has served? and what branch. I am basically trying to aquire some info on the Coast Guard and the Navy. Any particular experiences that you can share that tell me which would benefit one more than the other? Boot camp info? Base locations? Treatment? etc.... thanx guys.

DESkins · Post by **DESkins** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 9:13 am

U.S. Army. Can't help you with Navy/Coast Guard, except to say that Navy eats better than any service other than Air Force.

1niksder · Post by **1niksder** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 10:31 am

DESkins wrote:U.S. Army. Can't help you with Navy/Coast Guard, except to say that Navy eats better than any service other than Air Force.

Same here served in the Army, best time I ever had was TDY @ Mountian Home AFB (Mess Hall was only closed two hours a day :lol:

). I'd think the USCG would serve less time away from the States than the USN.

skinsfan1 · Post by **skinsfan1** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 11:36 am

Air force here.

ii7-V7 · Post by **ii7-V7** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 4:11 pm

Army here! Four years between the two gulf wars.

Spent a lot of time on Air Force Bases and Lived near a Naval Air Station most of my life.

Here's my take.....being in the military is being in the military! That being said, the Air Force and the Navy have the best locations. They only seem to put Army and Marine Corp bases in the remote rural areas of the country.

Chad

ii7-V7 · Post by **ii7-V7** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 4:27 pm

Just thought of this. I don't know about the navy, but the Army's basic training has gotten much easuer in the last twenty years. It used to be that you could pretty well expect 8 weeks of terror and pain. When I went in it was much easier than in the 80's but right after I got out it started to get really easy.

Anyone know if the Navy does co-ed boot camp? Because that seems to have been the point at which the Army's got seriously....less serious!

Chad

skinz74 · Post by **skinz74** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 4:34 pm

Both Army and Navy. Was a Cav Scout (Armored Reconnaisance Specialist) in the Army and am currently an Air Traffic Control Facility Watch Supervisor for the Navy. It can be a difficult life...but life without challenges is dull and listless. Have to disagree about the Army having bad duty stations (If I interpreted that right.) I was stationed in Fulda, Germany and Schweinfurt, Germany for almost 4 years and had the kind of fun that would get a man thrown in jail for sheer jealousy alone.

Regarding the Navy in specifics...it starts with around 9 weeks of bootcamp. Due to media, complaints, etc., bootcamp has become increasingly sissified. Coming from Army Recon bootcamp (20 weeks of HELL), maybe I'm not one to ask about how tuff (fluff) Navy bootcamp is. It is at Great Lakes, Chicago. Jobs...try to stay away from boatswain mate, Hull technician, etc...unless you just like the espirit de corps and getting the crap kicked out of you everyday. Obviously the higher you score on the ASVAB, the better job selection you'll get.

Duty Stations...speaking for the aviation community, we have airfields all over the world. Japan, Italy, Sicily, Spain, Crete-Greece, Iceland, etc.

Stateside -- San Diego, Norfolk, Meridian-Mississippi, Jacksonville-FL, Whidby Island-Washington, just to name a few.

Feel free to email me any questions you might have as I can get UBER in depth if I know what your specifically interested in.

skinz74 · Post by **skinz74** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 4:39 pm

DESkins wrote:U.S. Army. Can't help you with Navy/Coast Guard, except to say that Navy eats better than any service other than Air Force.

Don't think I can agree with you on that one. MRE's seemed better than some of the chow they slopped on my plate during my last combat cruise. 5000+ sailors eating boiled hamburgers and triangle fish is not my idea of luxury. :roll:

DESkins · Post by **DESkins** » Fri Jul 14, 2006 8:27 am

Ah, but they didn't have MRE's when I was in (I'm an old fart). We were still eating C-rations and LRRP rations were just becoming available. The LRRP's were better tasting, but we quickly found that there was a trade-off, as it required half of a canteen of water to re-hydrate them. Not the greatest idea when you are wandering around in the jungle in Panama with limited quantities of water. And the mess hall wasn't that much better, I still remember watching the cooks at Ft. Jackson deep-frying bacon in the french fry machine in the morning.

Countertrey · Post by **Countertrey** » Fri Jul 14, 2006 8:44 am

The LRRP's were better tasting, but we quickly found that there was a trade-off, as it required half of a canteen of water to re-hydrate them.

Don't know about you, but they gave me gas, too (maybe it was because my favorite was the chili). I was a one man chemical warfare machine... clearly, a violation of multiple international agreements! :lol:

The dehydrated strawberries were great, though!

I did Navy and Army. If I had it to do again, I'd probably go Coast Guard... not because I believe they stay home (there are Coast Guard units in Iraq), but because they have so many "real" missions, with a "real" purpose. Most of the time in the other services is spent in training and waiting for the politicians to screw up (which results in "real" missions).

Punu · Post by **Punu** » Fri Jul 14, 2006 9:11 am

I did Navy and Army. If I had it to do again, I'd probably go Coast Guard... not because I believe they stay home (there are Coast Guard units in Iraq), but because they have so many "real" missions, with a "real" purpose. Most of the time in the other services is spent in training and waiting for the politicians to screw up (which results in "real" missions).

now that's what I wanted to hear... thanx

Countertrey · Post by **Countertrey** » Fri Jul 14, 2006 9:23 am

You're very welcome...

And, good luck in what every choice you make.

JansenFan · Post by **JansenFan** » Fri Jul 14, 2006 10:09 am

Uncle Sam's Misguided Children. We think that everyone else's bootcamp is easy.

tazlah · Post by **tazlah** » Fri Jul 14, 2006 11:08 am

Of course, our navy could use a few good men...

JansenFan · Post by **JansenFan** » Fri Jul 14, 2006 11:12 am

This can't be the Canadian Navy! Where's the Molson's, eh?

BossHog · Post by **BossHog** » Fri Jul 14, 2006 11:17 am

Duhhh ... it's on the other side of the boat buried in the snow to keep it cold.

And that isn't just any militia man... check out the helmet... that's our green beret.

ii7-V7 · Post by **ii7-V7** » Fri Jul 14, 2006 1:37 pm

skinz74 wrote: Have to disagree about the Army having bad duty stations (If I interpreted that right.) I was stationed in Fulda, Germany and Schweinfurt, Germany for almost 4 years and had the kind of fun that would get a man thrown in jail for sheer jealousy alone.

I spent most of my enlistment at Ft. Hood, Bliss, and Huachuca....guess its all about where you were. Its not that the Army doesn't have good locations its just that most of the major installations seem to be in pretty bland and dull locations...at least stateside. I mean, I did spend 14 months in Monterey, CA. But it seems that most of the stateside assignments suck; Ft. Polk, Bliss, Drum, Riley, etc. And the good bases are getting shut down, i.e. Ft. Ord.

I'm a hydrophile and I love being near the water. The Navy might have been a better choice for me, since you're pretty much guaranteed to be near the water.

Chad

BossHog · Post by **BossHog** » Fri Jul 14, 2006 2:35 pm

... here's the Canadian air force:

... and another shot of the navy:

So Punu... come to Canada and join the military.

JansenFan · Post by **JansenFan** » Fri Jul 14, 2006 2:37 pm

You should do it. The military makes the best spicy chicken snadwiches. :rock:

Punu · Post by **Punu** » Fri Jul 14, 2006 4:23 pm

JansenFan wrote:You should do it. The military makes the best spicy chicken snadwiches.

funny man.... :lol:

I'm still considering.... just considering...I know it will make me a better man. Not too sure what i'm gonna do, but just collecting information. I really do appriciate the info.

ps... those pics were hilarious

Deadskins · Post by **Deadskins** » Fri Jul 14, 2006 6:08 pm

I suppose your choice depends on if you want to go fight in Iraq. If so go Marines or Army.

Punu · Post by **Punu** » Fri Jul 14, 2006 6:17 pm

I wouldnt mind going over there... I mean I did join the Marines out of high school.... ended up backing out cuz of athritis in my back. Fortunately we now have medicine that relieves me of any pain. I can do whatever I want, but now, in this time of my life... I don't think I'd like to go over there. I wanna have a kid in the next 2 years ya know? Again, not saying I'm joining, but I must say it is always on my mind. I dont wanna be sitting in front of the televsion in 10 years saying, "I wish I took the plunge, I wish I would have pursued some of my dreams".

Redskin in Canada · Post by **Redskin in Canada** » Fri Jul 14, 2006 9:51 pm

Does peace-keeping work count? :oops:

Redskin in Canada · Post by **Redskin in Canada** » Fri Jul 14, 2006 9:56 pm

Punu wrote:I wouldnt mind going over there...

If you really want to do some interesting work, try one of these. :lol:

Or you may want to be timely, relevant and predictive. :shock:

1niksder · Post by **1niksder** » Sat Jul 15, 2006 12:00 am

Redskin in Canada wrote:Does peace-keeping work count?

If it DOESN'T fall under the UN