Ex Military/Still Serving Thread
Discussion
yellowjack said:
the Crab Air 5 Star Holiday Club
Any idiot can be uncomfortable.Why does the Army wear its uncanny knack of making life cold, wet and, above all, miserable as some sort of badge of honour and mark of professionalism?
Never got that.
Edited by anonymous-user on Saturday 20th September 01:17
Crossflow Kid said:
yellowjack said:
the Crab Air 5 Star Holiday Club
Any idiot can be uncomfortable.Why does the Army wear its uncanny knack of making life cold, wet and above miserable as some sort of badge of honour and mark of professionalism?
Never got that.
And of course, a ground offensive can be prosecuted successfully by working strict 8 hour shifts and sitting beside a swimming pool between times? Who knew?
Why the buggering f
k did I live in my driving seat, eating the same crappy food day in, day out, wearing the same clothes for months at a time, and stay awake for more than 90 of the 100 hours that the ground war lasted, when all I needed to do was stick out a thumb and grab a lift in the Sherpa back to the 5 star Shah Oasis Hotel for steak and chips, a nice hot shower and forty winks? Silly old me, eh! 
I don't know whether you served or not, but from that little comment I'd suggest not, if your Spidey senses cannot detect a well-meant outbreak of (as far as I was taught, mandatory) inter-service banter. For all your shiny toys dropping crap on some poor bugger from a great height, wars are won, and gains secured, by boots on the ground. Boots filled with dirty, scruffy, and rather smelly men who don't have access to warm, dry and comfortable, but don't allow the facts to get in the way of a good yarn, as you polish the medals you 'won' guarding the gate at Northolt or Uxbridge, eh?
Yours sincerely,
A. Pongo
yellowjack said:
I don't know whether you served or not, but from that little comment I'd suggest not
2000+ hours on Chinooks would suggest otherwise.yellowjack said:
but don't allow the facts to get in the way of a good yarn, as you polish the medals you 'won' guarding the gate at Northolt or Uxbridge, eh?
Oooooh....you bh. Just you wait til I tell the rest of the chaps back in the mess at one of the most highly decorated units in the British military right now.Edited by anonymous-user on Saturday 20th September 03:30
yellowjack said:
Yeah. Right.
And of course, a ground offensive can be prosecuted successfully by working strict 8 hour shifts and sitting beside a swimming pool between times? Who knew?
Why the buggering fk did I live in my driving seat, eating the same crappy food day in, day out, wearing the same clothes for months at a time, and stay awake for more than 90 of the 100 hours that the ground war lasted, when all I needed to do was stick out a thumb and grab a lift in the Sherpa back to the 5 star Shah Oasis Hotel for steak and chips, a nice hot shower and forty winks? Silly old me, eh!
I don't know whether you served or not, but from that little comment I'd suggest not, if your Spidey senses cannot detect a well-meant outbreak of (as far as I was taught, mandatory) inter-service banter. For all your shiny toys dropping crap on some poor bugger from a great height, wars are won, and gains secured, by boots on the ground. Boots filled with dirty, scruffy, and rather smelly men who don't have access to warm, dry and comfortable, but don't allow the facts to get in the way of a good yarn, as you polish the medals you 'won' guarding the gate at Northolt or Uxbridge, eh?
Yours sincerely,
A. Pongo
Wow. I can't believe, with all that blood and guts heroism, that you weren't telling war stories in the SNCOs Mess years ago. If you had reached the rank, you might have understood how Air Power has a part to play in any successful ground war. The powers hat be explain how the other arms are involved if a) you are of sufficient rank or b) you have the grey matter to digest it.And of course, a ground offensive can be prosecuted successfully by working strict 8 hour shifts and sitting beside a swimming pool between times? Who knew?
Why the buggering f
k did I live in my driving seat, eating the same crappy food day in, day out, wearing the same clothes for months at a time, and stay awake for more than 90 of the 100 hours that the ground war lasted, when all I needed to do was stick out a thumb and grab a lift in the Sherpa back to the 5 star Shah Oasis Hotel for steak and chips, a nice hot shower and forty winks? Silly old me, eh! I don't know whether you served or not, but from that little comment I'd suggest not, if your Spidey senses cannot detect a well-meant outbreak of (as far as I was taught, mandatory) inter-service banter. For all your shiny toys dropping crap on some poor bugger from a great height, wars are won, and gains secured, by boots on the ground. Boots filled with dirty, scruffy, and rather smelly men who don't have access to warm, dry and comfortable, but don't allow the facts to get in the way of a good yarn, as you polish the medals you 'won' guarding the gate at Northolt or Uxbridge, eh?
Yours sincerely,
A. Pongo
But it's all just banter, isn't it?
Crossflow Kid said:
yellowjack said:
the Crab Air 5 Star Holiday Club
Any idiot can be uncomfortable.Why does the Army wear its uncanny knack of making life cold, wet and, above all, miserable as some sort of badge of honour and mark of professionalism?
Never got that.
Edited by Crossflow Kid on Saturday 20th September 01:17
That is the professionalism the Army prides itself on.*
The Army also prides itself on having footwear so shiny you can shave in the reflection, but that's to keep the Queen happy.
- And getting cold and wet and telling everyone how much fun it is shows how hard you are, which is vitally important.
Edited by matthias73 on Sunday 21st September 23:54
matthias73 said:
- And getting cold and wet and telling everyone how much fun it is shows how hard you are, which is vitally important.
matthias73 said:
The Army trains its soldiers to go into places where you might find yourself cold, wet and miserable and teaches them how to stay warm, dry and get the job done no matter what difficulties lay in the way.
That is the professionalism the Army prides itself on.
Hate to break it to you, but it's not just the Army that does that (although I suspect by the eloquence with which you put your view across you already know that)That is the professionalism the Army prides itself on.
Seems a shame a large proportion of the Army can't admit it though, and instead bash on about hotels, duvets and Battenberg cake (oh the hilarity......)
Edited by anonymous-user on Monday 22 September 01:06
ecain63 said:
Youve been rumbled Steve, emailing Andy to cover your tracks isnt cool.
Where did Steve go?Reminds me of a Bulls
tting salesman who worked for us; he was telling a customer how he was in the Falklands and his involvement in retaking Goose Green, from what direction they approached, blah blah blah. The customer listened politely before saying "you were never there Ed, were you." The salesman rather shamefaced just uttered the word no. It turns out the customer was a military historian with a keen interest in the Falklands campaign.Anyway my history
40 years flying RAF Typhoon Eurofighter, Vulcan bombers and Concorde's for 22 SAS regiment out of Chatham dockyard.
Boathouse, what boathouse?
selym said:
Wow. I can't believe, with all that blood and guts heroism, that you weren't telling war stories in the SNCOs Mess years ago. If you had reached the rank, you might have understood how Air Power has a part to play in any successful ground war. The powers hat be explain how the other arms are involved if a) you are of sufficient rank or b) you have the grey matter to digest it.
But it's all just banter, isn't it?
Ah. Good, good.But it's all just banter, isn't it?
List of postings and smattering of facts = blood and guts heroism?
Presumption that lack of promotion = thicko? Offensive, quite frankly.
Dropping a 'T' from 'that' whilst trying to lambaste a random internet user you've never met for "lacking the grey matter" to digest relatively simple tactical and strategic concepts? Sadly indicative of the many, many shockingly under educated SNCOs whose reports upon me were littered with spelling and syntax errors. I frequently had to proof read and correct important documents and reports for my line managers, some of whom, mercifully, recognised their own shortcomings. I always had a lot more respect for a thicko who realised he'd been promoted beyond his capabilities...
...but, yes, it's all just banter, after all.
And I can't believe that my opening gambit...
yellowjack said:
Far too many passengers and crew of the Grey Funnel Line, and members of the Crab Air 5 Star Holiday Club on here
...which was a trotting out of some relatively harmless, and much used clichés, has resulted in 'internet handbags' 
You all noticed the 'winking smilie', right?
Edited by yellowjack on Monday 22 September 09:04
yellowjack said:
selym said:
Wow. I can't believe, with all that blood and guts heroism, that you weren't telling war stories in the SNCOs Mess years ago. If you had reached the rank, you might have understood how Air Power has a part to play in any successful ground war. The powers hat be explain how the other arms are involved if a) you are of sufficient rank or b) you have the grey matter to digest it.
But it's all just banter, isn't it?
Ah. Good, good.But it's all just banter, isn't it?
List of postings and smattering of facts = blood and guts heroism?
Presumption that lack of promotion = thicko? Offensive, quite frankly.
Dropping a 'T' from 'that' whilst trying to lambaste a random internet user you've never met for "lacking the grey matter" to digest relatively simple tactical and strategic concepts? Sadly indicative of the many, many shockingly under educated SNCOs whose reports upon me were littered with spelling and syntax errors. I frequently had to proof read and correct important documents and reports for my line managers, some of whom, mercifully, recognised their own shortcomings. I always had a lot more respect for a thicko who realised he'd been promoted beyond his capabilities...
...but, yes, it's all just banter, after all.
And I can't believe that my opening gambit...
yellowjack said:
Far too many passengers and crew of the Grey Funnel Line, and members of the Crab Air 5 Star Holiday Club on here
...which was a trotting out of some relatively harmless, and much used clichés, has resulted in 'internet handbags' You all noticed the 'winking smilie', right?
Edited by yellowjack on Monday 22 September 09:04
BTW, I can't help it if the Army doesn't have suitable personnel to fill the SNCO rank. Believe me though when I tell you that I couldn't care less about the inter-service 'rivalry', it's just another job. I had jobs before I joined up, and I hope I'll have one after.
Selection of 'lambaste' was deliberate. 
Spelling of this verb is an either/or thing now, as the incorrect spelling without the 'e' has been used so often that it is now accepted as a variation.
Spelling of this verb is an either/or thing now, as the incorrect spelling without the 'e' has been used so often that it is now accepted as a variation.
Collins Dictionary and Thesaurus said:
lambaste or lambast vb.
...2. to reprimand or scold
I could have used, amongst others, the synonyms: criticize, castigate, chastise, or censure, but that wouldn't have drawn your correction of that which was not an error in the first place. But you'll tell us that you already knew that, and it's all just banter... ...2. to reprimand or scold
Edited by yellowjack on Monday 22 September 09:51
dai1983 said:
Nice to see the threads avoided turning into the typical PH stfest!
Most of you are all hats anyway!*
*banter
I'd rather have avoided it, but I've come under enemy fire. Albeit fairly ineffective fire, but I'm just concentrating on winning the firefight.tfest!Most of you are all hats anyway!*
*banter
And they're all 'hats' fella. It's just that some are green, or pink, instead of 'proper' blue ones
Crossflow Kid said:
matthias73 said:
- And getting cold and wet and telling everyone how much fun it is shows how hard you are, which is vitally important.
matthias73 said:
The Army trains its soldiers to go into places where you might find yourself cold, wet and miserable and teaches them how to stay warm, dry and get the job done no matter what difficulties lay in the way.
That is the professionalism the Army prides itself on.
Hate to break it to you, but it's not just the Army that does that (although I suspect by the eloquence with which you put your view across you already know that)That is the professionalism the Army prides itself on.
Seems a shame a large proportion of the Army can't admit it though, and instead bash on about hotels, duvets and Battenberg cake (oh the hilarity......)
Edited by Crossflow Kid on Monday 22 September 01:06
The other branches pride themselves on getting the job done no matter what difficulties lay in the way, it's the fact that the field Army has to stay warm and dry despite adverse conditions that give them the right to throw wildly aimed insults at the rest of the services
I've never met a soldier (bar a few PARA types) who have never genuinely appreciated what the other services do when asked genuinely, but the SOP is obviously to call everyone else names most of the time!
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