Military question

The #1 community for Gun Owners in Indiana

Member Benefits:

  • Fewer Ads!
  • Discuss all aspects of firearm ownership
  • Discuss anti-gun legislation
  • Buy, sell, and trade in the classified section
  • Chat with Local gun shops, ranges, trainers & other businesses
  • Discover free outdoor shooting areas
  • View up to date on firearm-related events
  • Share photos & video with other members
  • ...and so much more!
  • freekforge

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    12   0   0
    Jul 20, 2012
    2,732
    113
    marion
    For all you military guys i have what may be a silly question but im an outsider so i dont know any better. I have seen soldiers in theirs ACUs that had the big shoulder rank from the ASU on their sleeve. What is the purpose of this? is it to make that person more easily identified during training (like as an instructor) or are they in a leadership role, or...? Silly question number 2 why do special operations guys always have a big full color flag on their plate carrier? Is that regs or is it just like "America eff yeah!"? Again maybe stupid questions but these are the things that keep me up at night
     

    HoughMade

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Oct 24, 2012
    35,612
    149
    Valparaiso
    I was glad i got out before I had to look at everyone's chest to see whether I had to salute or not. Collars- they worked.

    ...but I digress.
     

    Trigger Time

    Air guitar master
    Rating - 98.6%
    204   3   0
    Aug 26, 2011
    40,112
    113
    SOUTH of Zombie city
    I was glad i got out before I had to look at everyone's chest to see whether I had to salute or not. Collars- they worked.

    ...but I digress.
    or name tapes on the back of marines pants so they know who they are ****ing in the ass. Hahahaha old inside joke. I miss ****ing with marines. They were so easy to sucker into fighting. Never ended well for them.
     

    KellyinAvon

    Blue-ID Mafia Consigliere
    Staff member
    Moderator
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    6   0   0
    Dec 22, 2012
    24,791
    150
    Avon
    Sounds like two different issues here. Rank insignia and morale patches
     

    freekforge

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    12   0   0
    Jul 20, 2012
    2,732
    113
    marion
    Join and you will find out.
    check some of my past posts i cannot join because i had a surgery on my upper left chest that left a fist sized hole that has not healed over right. I only wonder about this stuff as i see guys wearing the ranks on their sleeve when working at Atterbury.

    I was glad i got out before I had to look at everyone's chest to see whether I had to salute or not. Collars- they worked.
    The marine ranks on the woodland uniform are a pita trying to figure out how to address them and whether to salute or not. There is always a chunk of black behind the rank.

    Sounds like two different issues here. Rank insignia and morale patches
    Yes i should have worded it better. What is the purpose of the big full color ranks on the ACU sleeve (legitimate question). And then are the big full color American flags required by regs or are they just morale patches (just curious).
     

    Woobie

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Dec 19, 2014
    7,197
    63
    Losantville
    The rank you're talking about isn't the actual rank of the person wearing it. It signifies a trainee's leadership position. And those will change frequently. Some units used them down at Benning. Ours didn't. So E7 rank would be the student "Platoon Guide", E6 rank would be a squad leader.

    Those are just morale patches, most likely. SF guys generally only follow the rules they have to. They're actually very professional, but most of the time their CoC doesn't give them much grief on uniform type stuff.
     

    actaeon277

    Grandmaster
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    4   0   0
    Nov 20, 2011
    92,846
    113
    Merrillville
    I was "lucky".
    Subs are kinda lax on a lot of things.
    Oh, the Captain is still "Captain" to his face, and "the Old Man" behind his back.
    Executive Officer is still "XO" to his face and "Mother ****ing *******" behind his back.
    Third highest was the Chief Engineer, "Cheng". (ChEng)

    After that, it didn't matter.
    When I was a NUB (Non-Useable Body) I saluted a JO (Junior Officer).
    He pulled me to the side, and explained to salute the three listed above, and only them.
    Things on a sub are too busy, and officers work alongside enlisted. He's got too much to do to have to return salutes all day.
    And, if I saluted him again, he'd break my right arm before throwing me overboard.


    I fit in well.
     

    actaeon277

    Grandmaster
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    4   0   0
    Nov 20, 2011
    92,846
    113
    Merrillville
    The rank you're talking about isn't the actual rank of the person wearing it. It signifies a trainee's leadership position. And those will change frequently. Some units used them down at Benning. Ours didn't. So E7 rank would be the student "Platoon Guide", E6 rank would be a squad leader.

    Those are just morale patches, most likely. SF guys generally only follow the rules they have to. They're actually very professional, but most of the time their CoC doesn't give them much grief on uniform type stuff.

    Generally, smaller, more trained units, can be less "military".
    In a state of anger I stormed down the cruiser pier, hands in pockets, not saluting anybody. Looking for a fight.
    No one said anything, I had my submarine ballcap, and we're insane after all. Even had our own specialist psych docs.
    So, I talked to an officer, never saluted him, or called him sir... nothing.
    I thought, hey, these skimmer pukes (surface ship guys) aren't so bad.

    Then, some poor slob runs by the officer without rendering a salute.
    Officer calls him and and commences tirade.

    I said my goodbye and thought, what an *******. Glad I'm not a skimmer puke.
    I went back home to SubRon 6 pier where I was home, and all the admirals stayed away from, worried about catching cooties from the pigboats.
     

    actaeon277

    Grandmaster
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    4   0   0
    Nov 20, 2011
    92,846
    113
    Merrillville
    Damn where's all the marines? Seriously can't believe no one has gave me **** yet. It must be crayon eating contest day or something

    :rofl:


    Well, you have to harden your stool somehow. Yesrday I culdnt spll marine. Now I R one.
    :)


    Just kidding leathernecks.
    Oxygen deprivation stunted my mental growth.
     

    actaeon277

    Grandmaster
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    4   0   0
    Nov 20, 2011
    92,846
    113
    Merrillville
    TT. Don't even get me started on Army.
    Friggin Army Brass took a quick trip with us, to check out our "special missions capabilities" to see if they could join the SEALs.

    And the ****er had the nerve to ask about the Thresher, if what happened to it could happen to us.
    Well, you don't take apricots on a tracked vehicle, if I remember, and when underwater, you DON'T MENTION THE THRESHER!
    STUPID MOTHER ****ER.

    Kennedy era submarine that catches fire and acts like the jalopy from Beverly Hillbillies, you DON'T BORROW TROUBLE.
     

    KellyinAvon

    Blue-ID Mafia Consigliere
    Staff member
    Moderator
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    6   0   0
    Dec 22, 2012
    24,791
    150
    Avon
    check some of my past posts i cannot join because i had a surgery on my upper left chest that left a fist sized hole that has not healed over right. I only wonder about this stuff as i see guys wearing the ranks on their sleeve when working at Atterbury.


    The marine ranks on the woodland uniform are a pita trying to figure out how to address them and whether to salute or not. There is always a chunk of black behind the rank.


    Yes i should have worded it better. What is the purpose of the big full color ranks on the ACU sleeve (legitimate question). And then are the big full color American flags required by regs or are they just morale patches (just curious).

    I'm a bit out of the game since I've been retired almost 10 years. USAF was still wearing woodland camo BDUs and boots that actually required polish when I retired. The new camo (OEF Camo Pattern) looks to have a lot of velcro. I've seen USAF TACP (Tactical Air Control Party, enlisted guys who call in close air support) wearing rank insignia Velcroed to the sleeves. TACP, PJ (Para-rescue Jumper) and CCT (Combat Controller) will appear on velcro as well. You'll see blood type as well.

    The US Flag (with union always forward) was worn on the upper arm by the Army in Desert Camouflage Uniform (DCU) pre-ACU when I was in Qatar in 2005.

    Flight suits in the USAF see all kinds of patches. Major Command/AFCENT and name/etc on the front, Wing/Squadron or US Flag on the upper arm. Morale patches can push the edge of the envelope, the "bag-wearers" tend to get away with a lot more than most.
     

    freekforge

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    12   0   0
    Jul 20, 2012
    2,732
    113
    marion
    Thank you woobie That answers my questions.

    I was in the barracks with some marines that were really cool and loved to joke around and the whole time we just teased each other. I was going to a store off post and asked a lance corporal if he wanted anything and he said maybe something to snack on. So i grabbed a jumbo box of crayons (and some real food too) when i got back and gave the crayons to him and everyone laughed. The lance corporal went to the gunnery sergeants room and showed him and my heart dropped I thought i just signed my death warrant. The Gunnery sergeant Had tears in his eyes he was laughing so hard he said "dammit fish you forgot the glue how can i eat my crayons without glue". That was a really fun week my face hurt by the end of it from laughing so hard.
     

    Woobie

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Dec 19, 2014
    7,197
    63
    Losantville
    Thank you woobie That answers my questions.

    I was in the barracks with some marines that were really cool and loved to joke around and the whole time we just teased each other. I was going to a store off post and asked a lance corporal if he wanted anything and he said maybe something to snack on. So i grabbed a jumbo box of crayons (and some real food too) when i got back and gave the crayons to him and everyone laughed. The lance corporal went to the gunnery sergeants room and showed him and my heart dropped I thought i just signed my death warrant. The Gunnery sergeant Had tears in his eyes he was laughing so hard he said "dammit fish you forgot the glue how can i eat my crayons without glue". That was a really fun week my face hurt by the end of it from laughing so hard.

    I'm sorry you weren't able to join. You would have fit in great.
     

    freekforge

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    12   0   0
    Jul 20, 2012
    2,732
    113
    marion
    I'm sorry you weren't able to join

    Still trying. Figured the worst they can do is say no and the best thing they could do is change my life. Gonna give it a while and then hit up a recruiter again. Talked to a recruiter at the all ranks club a couple months ago and he was all amped up until i showed him my scar and told him the story and his response was "sorry bro you're effed keep doing what you're doing with the IGR and be the best you can be there"
     
    Top Bottom