Have I lost my mind?

[Fireguy]

Believe me, you do not want an MRE here. Atleast not after baking inside an armored vehicle in over 100 degree weather. I used to eat with the IPs, whatever they were having for thier meal. Can't do that anymore though:sad:

 

[HNcorpsman]

afflixion- you got me... im sure you have been in a lot longer than me... and your kinda right, i did deploy, but it was to do a humanitarian mission with MED BN... also was on the MEU for a while... i did volunteer to go to afghanistan on a Embedded Training Team (train the afghan national army) and they did put me on, but they made me a combat replacement because i was the lowest ranking corpsman (i was an HN at the time, they wanted HM3s and HM2s) (now im an HM3 haha) well anyways i went through all the pre deployment training... Mountain warfare training center in bridgeport, CA, and 29 Palms Mojave Viper, now im on call for 9 months in case one of the corpsman gets hurt ( last ETT had three corpsman get hurt, one died)

anyways i have talked to my guys extensively while they have been over there, and they said that some of the fobs that some of the teams are on are horrible!!! no internet, no gym, no real chow hall... etc... the reason they are so crappy is because it is only the 5 cycle of marines that have done this ETT... a couple of the FOBs only have two US mil (a marine Lt. and
a corpsman) and 30 or so Afghan national army soldiers, they actually eat sleep and live with the ANA!!! anyways i just wish i was there.. and when i hear someone talk about how cushy they wanna live i just think how my guys are, and how i would do anything to be over there right now, backing them up...


i think the MREs are better when they bake in an armored vic in 115 degree weather rather then being frozen, and then you can either eat a frozen piece of meat or use that damn heater...

 

[That_Guy]

The point is that USAF spends a lot of effort and money on supporting their troops while other branches less so, Navy least of all overall.
And compared to PJ's most of the rest of USAF ARE crybabies.

Have you ever met, or spoken with a TAC/P? a CCT? SpecOps Weather? Security Forces? Never once in my life speaking to Airmen in those AFSCs, have any of them ever "whined" about their job.

Well, Security Forces, a couple of 'em did, a little bit, because they felt they weren't "properly trained" to do convoy security... but only that select few.

Not all USAF Airmen are "Crybabies". just depends on the AFSC from what I've noticed.

Considering AF Medics are now being assigned to Army Line units. Even Marine Corps units. (without even having to go through the combat training courses Army Medics, and Navy Corpsmen go through) Camp Pendleton, and 29 Stumps (palms, but all my Marine, and HM buddies call it "29 Stumps") have a few AF Medics.

And no offense, HM, no disrespect, but, if you've ever seen an AF FOB, or seen pics of one, you'd mess your pants. Every AF FOB I've been given pictures of, all have a pool, and "arcade", a full on internet gaming center, a PX the size of a walmart. all you can eat buffets (ranging from Asian, to European, to American foods) Air Conditioning per tent is "standard". I had a Culinary Apprentice tell me he feels no different while deployed, than he does when he's not deployed.

If you think an Army FOB is "cozy" you'd crap your pants if you ever see an AF FOB, I'm actually tempted to post pics sent to me, but at the same time, I'm honestly afraid to, you may blow a hurnia.

But at the same not, PJs aren't the only "Hardcore" Airmen in the Air Force.

I know Soldiers, Marines, Airmen, and Sailors. It's all dependent on the job.

 

[JesseM515]

Have you ever met, or spoken with a TAC/P? a CCT? SpecOps Weather? Security Forces? Never once in my life speaking to Airmen in those AFSCs, have any of them ever "whined" about their job.

Well, Security Forces, a couple of 'em did, a little bit, because they felt they weren't "properly trained" to do convoy security... but only that select few.

Not all USAF Airmen are "Crybabies". just depends on the AFSC from what I've noticed.

Considering AF Medics are now being assigned to Army Line units. Even Marine Corps units. (without even having to go through the combat training courses Army Medics, and Navy Corpsmen go through) Camp Pendleton, and 29 Stumps (palms, but all my Marine, and HM buddies call it "29 Stumps") have a few AF Medics.

And no offense, HM, no disrespect, but, if you've ever seen an AF FOB, or seen pics of one, you'd mess your pants. Every AF FOB I've been given pictures of, all have a pool, and "arcade", a full on internet gaming center, a PX the size of a walmart. all you can eat buffets (ranging from Asian, to European, to American foods) Air Conditioning per tent is "standard". I had a Culinary Apprentice tell me he feels no different while deployed, than he does when he's not deployed.

If you think an Army FOB is "cozy" you'd crap your pants if you ever see an AF FOB, I'm actually tempted to post pics sent to me, but at the same time, I'm honestly afraid to, you may blow a hurnia.

But at the same not, PJs aren't the only "Hardcore" Airmen in the Air Force.

I know Soldiers, Marines, Airmen, and Sailors. It's all dependent on the job.

Thanks for stickin up for us so called "combat airmen." hahaha Im a JTAC (TACP) deployed to a :censored::censored::censored::censored:ty FOB in Iraq right now and let me tell you there are no whiners where I am at! We train/work/live with the army and I have to deal with the "air force guys are weak" mentality that the army has daily. Its the same for my buddies in afghanistan. We have to constantly prove our worth when we are right here suckin with the rest of the "joes". Ive never even seen an AF FOB if there actually is such a thing, but it all depends on where you are at and what the ops tempo is in each AO. There are some gorgeous medic chics out here though and I love going over to their CHU's for some "anatomy lessons" = P

 

[HNcorpsman]

ok, c'mon some people are taking this too seriously... i dont honestly think any of the services are better or worse than the other, we are all just biased... i respect each and every one of the services, although i might joke around, but everybody does..

anyways... i have never seen an AF FOB, but it sounds better than where i am at right now in japan... (camp hansen) haha... but im serious...

this is a link to an article about the ETT at the bottom there is a picture of a marine (okinawa based) embedded training team FOB. looks real cozy to me... NOT!
http://www.okinawa.usmc.mil/Public Affairs Info/Archive News Pages/2007/070831-ett.html

 

[spisco85]

Afflixion,
Thanks for the info, flight medic school sounds good though I would probably be just as happy with a shorter school and placement in a regular medic slot. Something about doing another MOS school as prior service just makes me want the fastest and least complicated school they can offer me. Though I heard there are no more Drill Sgt.'s for AIT students, AIT school's are still a thing to be avoided. As for the wings I already have mine

Flight medic school is an add on training after you become a medic and meet the prereqs listed on their website. Or at least thats what I would assume, afflixion any info on this?. I believe it is a four week course.

 

[Flight-LP]

Can't say I've ever seen an "Air Force FOB" either..........

To me the humor is that there is a belief that the FOB's were even built by the military. Most were actually constructed and currently operated by contractors, along with 3rd country and local nationals. THEY are the ones you should be thanking.

I find it even more humerous when I hear todays military b!tch about "comforts of living" while deployed. I've been to many FOB's in Iraq, including the sh!tt!est of them all; Camp Bucca. You guys have it made these days!

When I deployed to Camp Pleso back in 1994, I was thankful to have a sleeping bag with an intact zipper and a cot that wasn't below the hole in the GP medium.

Thanks for the laughs and the memories guys!

 

[JesseM515]

ok I have a correction to be made to my previous post... BALAD can be considered an AF FOB (even though now it is on par with a regular small sized air force base) since that is where most fighters are based out of besides the Deid and that place is ridiculous. It is a "joint service" base but still I cant believe places like that exist out here!They have a pool and A/C in every building there. The chow hall there is better than any army post Ive been to back in the states and their gym makes Golds or LA Fitness look like a high school PE caliber gym.

Anyway whatever the original topic was, I think it depends on what you are looking to do. If you wanna work in a med clinic or be a medic with a platoon that rolls out daily. There are alot of options and everyone Ive ran into that serves as a medic in the Army seem to love their jobs.

 

[Afflixion]

Flight medic school is an add on training after you become a medic and meet the prereqs listed on their website. Or at least thats what I would assume, afflixion any info on this?. I believe it is a four week course.

Anyone can get selected to goto F1 school thats a medic, Yes it is 4 weeks long at Ft Rucker. Usually if you cross rate to a medic in the NG your unit will put you through to F1 school if your aviation. Learn alot of cool things there I'm told. I haven't brought myself to do it, I just love being on the line too much but I'm thinking about it.

As to the Nice FOBs as opposed to the crappier FOBs it all depends on how long the FOB has been there and how important it will be. Camp Bucca isn't that bad at all I was there in 05. I'm just leaving COP Hunter, We got air conditioning before we got running water when it's 140 degrees outside it tends to get 160-170 in the tent fast without A/C. We now have running water (not hot but if you want hot water take a shower just take one during the day. We don't have a DFAC yet, we do have a small gym, no PX. It isn't too bad though. An AFB would be like COB Adder / Ali AB which has 3 DFACs, 3 Gyms, 1 PX and 2 24hr shoppettes, has Taco bell, Pizza Hut, Burger King, and 2 restaurants. There's the good and bad FOBs and if your in for more than a hot minute you'll be at both.

EDIT: Forgot It's kind of hard to take the Air Force serious when they wander around the FOBs and haven't even been issued a weapon, not that I'd trust them with one Anywho everyone has their mission and let's not forget that.

 

[mycrofft]

Ouch, but we have it coming.

Yeah I've been around AF combat folks from Vietnam and Desert Storm, Panama. There's tough buggers sprinkled in everywhere and the others hopefully use them as reference.

I feel this constant contact with home is detrimental. Wonder if the DOD is tracking % of troops with family problems after deployment to compare with stats from pre-cell phone and Internet wars? My dime wager is that more families break up after retun to CONUS nowadays than they did back in the day when the soldier did the soldiering, and the home-front did the home-fronting...:blush:...and the mail was slower and the phone calls less easy to make and more special.
If I'm in a war the last thing I need to do is worry about how my spouse is upset about the plumber or the kid isn't coming home on time, etc.

 

[HNcorpsman]

i was going to Kadena Air Force base with my 1stSgt to get something and when we went through the gate the airman that was on duty, had his safety off... my 1stSgt ripped him a new one... hahha it was pretty funny.

 

[citizensoldierny]

Yeah I've been around AF combat folks from Vietnam and Desert Storm, Panama. There's tough buggers sprinkled in everywhere and the others hopefully use them as reference.

I feel this constant contact with home is detrimental. Wonder if the DOD is tracking % of troops with family problems after deployment to compare with stats from pre-cell phone and Internet wars? My dime wager is that more families break up after retun to CONUS nowadays than they did back in the day when the soldier did the soldiering, and the home-front did the home-fronting...:blush:...and the mail was slower and the phone calls less easy to make and more special.
If I'm in a war the last thing I need to do is worry about how my spouse is upset about the plumber or the kid isn't coming home on time, etc.

I agree somewhat with your statement, I've had terrible days made more terrible by talking with wife, she somehow always seemed to get stressed by my stress which just led to more stress for the both of us. Others got real bad news over the phone i.e. wife telling them not to come home they found a replacement, girlfriend telling you she is four months pregnant while you've been gone for 6, you do the math type a thing. Some other times though it was a definite spirit lifter like being able to call my mom on the last Christmas she was alive and still really with us and assure her I was o.k.. I would have been willing to take twice the stress I took over the phone just to be able to make that one. But it definitely cuts both ways.

I'm pretty sure the Army would have a ridiculous divorce rate phones or not though. One year plus deployments, short time between deployments, young wife's, constant stress for both parties, PTSD, guys trained and experienced in the use of violence, and the list goes on and it all adds up to a recipe for marital disaster.

 

[citizensoldierny]

Afflixion,
That's why the Air Force surrounds themselves with Army Besides weapons are dangerous , studies show that issuing weapons leads to accidental discharges, weapons left in crappers , DFACS, etc. better to just not issue them at all and minimize risk. Have to admit though I love those rare occasions PT, going on leave etc. when I didn't have to carry a weapon. Makes you feel like your getting over on the system.

 

[Afflixion]

Afflixion,
That's why the Air Force surrounds themselves with Army Besides weapons are dangerous , studies show that issuing weapons leads to accidental discharges, weapons left in crappers , DFACS, etc. better to just not issue them at all and minimize risk. Have to admit though I love those rare occasions PT, going on leave etc. when I didn't have to carry a weapon. Makes you feel like your getting over on the system.

Lol, this is true except on Ali AB theres like 3 airmen to every soldier, kind of hard for force protection , But hey they signed up for the cushy factor (the AF acctually gets a "substandard living allowance" while deployed...) and we signed up for the rough and dirty factor. Hell after being out on mission for weeks kind of makes you wonder "why didn't I become a pilot?"

 

[bunkie]

The army does not have it easy. Not in the box, not out of it. We're treated the worst, gone the longest, suffer the worst conditions. Sorry but when it comes to the military, my superiority complex tends to shine. I've been a navy granddaughter, a marine daughter an air force step daughter and an army wife. I've seen it all. When my husband was on his second Iraq tour they were on JSS's that didn't have running water, hot meals or electricity half the time. They were back to the FOB for showers, hot meals and phone calls to family about once every five to six weeks. Phone calls lasted five minutes before they were out on another 72 hour mission with three hours of sleep.
There is a huge difference in not only treatment between branches but treatment of combat arms. So unless you've been combat arms active duty army, don't say they've got it easy. You have no idea.

 

[Afflixion]

The army does not have it easy. Not in the box, not out of it. We're treated the worst, gone the longest, suffer the worst conditions. Sorry but when it comes to the military, my superiority complex tends to shine. I've been a navy granddaughter, a marine daughter an air force step daughter and an army wife. I've seen it all. When my husband was on his second Iraq tour they were on JSS's that didn't have running water, hot meals or electricity half the time. They were back to the FOB for showers, hot meals and phone calls to family about once every five to six weeks. Phone calls lasted five minutes before they were out on another 72 hour mission with three hours of sleep.
There is a huge difference in not only treatment between branches but treatment of combat arms. So unless you've been combat arms active duty army, don't say they've got it easy. You have no idea.

sorry hate to say it but unless you your self have served in the military you will never truly understand. as for combat arms, im currently in a air assault infantry unit, prior to that was a cave scout unit and prior to that was field artillery. Iraq now is nothing like it was a 2 or 3 years ago. you can always get access to a phone and internet over there if your willing to pay the price tag. the marines get treated just as bad as the army.

 

[bunkie]

And why was I absolutely sure someone would fire something back at me like that. It is extremely irritating to assume that I have no understanding of what anyone in the military goes through because *I* myself do not serve. News flash. Can't get into the military, been there, done that. Wasted a lot of years with ROTC and preparing myself to join the military. Just because I am not in it, doesn't mean I dont see and understand what others suffer in it. Yes, all branches get treated badly, but I will argue to the end of times that overall, the army is treated the worst in all departments.

 

[bunkie]

Did I specify the point of time I was speaking about in Iraq? Did I say it was 2009. I did not. You assumed. What do they say about assumptions?

 

[spisco85]

Afflixion--Cave scouts? I was a cav scout and searched caves but never called a cave scout. I like it. haha

I don't think the Army gets treated the worst. We had decent enough equipment to get the job done. You can't judge how well you are treated based off of deployment length or access to phones or internet. My platoon acted extremely independent and made things work for ourselves. We got a satellite internet hook up that we payed for ourselves and made the best of every situation. The marine's I knew when I was in Ramadi had it pretty bad. I'd go as far as saying worse than us.

 

[HNcorpsman]

so just because you KNEW someone in the Marines, Navy, Air Force, Army you know what its like? give me a break!

sure all the service have their ups and downs but none get treated better or worse than the other... they all do different things...

you said "so unless you have been combat arms active duty army, don't say they've got it easy. you have no idea"
so why are you talking? you have never been combat arms active duty... so YOU have no idea!