Criticism from Non-Vets

Diamondback · Nov 17, 2016

What, that I want my students to experience as much of the Epic Suck of the Average Grunt Experience as safely possible?

Sgt Nambu · Nov 17, 2016

maddog said:
I don't know why, but a P38 reminds m of a Meal, Combat, Individual, Ham and Lima Beans. If you got past the smell and the taste, the after effects were terrible. It was a capital offense to eat a can of those on a tank crew!

Yeah! I never saw anybody fight over a can!

Ura-Ki · Nov 17, 2016

Oh, man do I remember those fondly, NOT

Suck is a good term for those! We had crates of that stuff that we had to get rid of in order to get the next gen rats! Know how we were expected to get rid of it? YUP, SUCKED!!!! We would have this sort of thing happen all the time with stuff, have to use it up first before getting the next thing! End of Fiscal year, all the "Old" crap would get brought out of storage and used up! Its the Military way!

Diamondback · Nov 17, 2016

Yeah, that was one of my Leadership Philosophies when I was trying to get into ROTC... whatever meal everybody hated most, as long as it wasn't something I was allergic to I intended to take myself. Kind of saying "I'll take the sh*t-jobs myself whenever I can, so when I need you guys to do something that sucks you'll know I'm either there with you or already have been."

Didn't even get to the physical or the paperwork before it turned out that severe seafood allergy, or allergies of any kind, is a DQ... (In my case, allergy = swift and violent expulsion, but relatives have died from it over the generations.)

Captain O · Nov 17, 2016

Ura-Ki said:
Oh, man do I remember those fondly, NOT Suck is a good term for those! We had crates of that stuff that we had to get rid of in order to get the next gen rats! Know how we were expected to get rid of it? YUP, SUCKED!!!! We would have this sort of thing happen all the time with stuff, have to use it up first before getting the next thing! End of Fiscal year, all the "Old" crap would get brought out of storage and used up! Its the Military way!

In Vietnam, many of the rations were left over from WW2. Does anyone remember that?

Captain O · Nov 17, 2016

Diamondback said:
Yeah, that was one of my Leadership Philosophies when I was trying to get into ROTC... whatever meal everybody hated most, as long as it wasn't something I was allergic to I intended to take myself. Kind of saying "I'll take the sh*t-jobs myself whenever I can, so when I need you guys to do something that sucks you'll know I'm either there with you or already have been."

Didn't even get to the physical or the paperwork before it turned out that severe seafood allergy, or allergies of any kind, is a DQ... (In my case, allergy = swift and violent expulsion, but relatives have died from it over the generations.)

Yep, that $#it will "getcha"!

Ura-Ki · Nov 17, 2016

We got the Last of the left overs from Vietnam, Very early 80's! The Next gen (Brown Pack) was only slightly better!

wired · Nov 17, 2016

We used to find C rat cans in the woods in Germany and pop them open on a bet and eat them. Good times in the field. My entire time in the Army was spent drinking heavily and chasing pussy so I don't bring it up much when I'm talking to real combat veterans.

Caveman Jim · Nov 17, 2016

RVTECH said:
However probably the 'best' BS busting question for any self-proclaimed 'vet' - 'Are you P-38 qualified'? - and I don't mean the airplane or gun.... - I recently got challenged on this by a customer - and answered correctly!

I sure am, I was 7 when I used one the first time although I needed my older brothers help for a while (mid 60's).

Sgt Nambu · Nov 17, 2016

Ura-Ki said:
Oh, man do I remember those fondly, NOT Suck is a good term for those! We had crates of that stuff that we had to get rid of in order to get the next gen rats! Know how we were expected to get rid of it? YUP, SUCKED!!!! We would have this sort of thing happen all the time with stuff, have to use it up first before getting the next thing! End of Fiscal year, all the "Old" crap would get brought out of storage and used up! Its the Military way!

While I tried to be a good soldier, my military way included a big dose of "what the higher ups don't know won't hurt 'em!"