Wonder why we have a recruitment problem…

I'll be honest these last few years the army has pretty much let anyone in.... and its gonna end badly if we have to fight another big war. Most soldiers im getting nowadays have no motivation to work or put in any effort. They want to sit around and get paid, brag to people about being Airborne Infantry and turn around and cry when its time to train.... but hey im in my final year and getting out! im just glad i trained enough competent and confidant NCOs to replace me and carry on the torch! Airborne, All The Way
 
airbornedaddy said:
I'll be honest these last few years the army has pretty much let anyone in.... and its gonna end badly if we have to fight another big war. Most soldiers im getting nowadays have no motivation to work or put in any effort. They want to sit around and get paid, brag to people about being Airborne Infantry and turn around and cry when its time to train.... but hey im in my final year and getting out! im just glad i trained enough competent and confidant NCOs to replace me and carry on the torch! Airborne, All The Way
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Retirement or just had enough?
 
Ampatriot said:
All seriousness because I trained for 6 months before going into the Army for basic training....
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Same here although certainly not as hard as you probably did. I raised my hand on my 18th birthday in 1974. Went in on the delayed entry program. I used the time between Dec. and June to lift weights, run around the neighborhood and eat a lot of steak. I was 118 pounds when I raised my hand in Dec and 135 when I reported to boot camp in late June.

Terry
 
giowash said:
The entire reason i picked marines over any branch was due to every other branches recruiter looking like this in my city.
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And the Marines have the best dresses uniform off all the services, hands down.

I can see why some would choose simply because of that.
 
specops56 said:
Looks like only one to me. Must be my old eyes and the corneal scarring from old surgery. Either way my point remains the same.

Terry
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Here’s a pic when he checked on board, quite a few LBs ago… definitely a 2nd class PO

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specops56 said:
Same here although certainly not as hard as you probably did. I raised my hand on my 18th birthday in 1974. Went in on the delayed entry program. I used the time between Dec. and June to lift weights, run around the neighborhood and eat a lot of steak. I was 118 pounds when I raised my hand in Dec and 135 when I reported to boot camp in late June.

Terry
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I bet it helped you alot by doing that too. I was already in decent shape before recruitment because I was in martial arts and I played sports and worked out a lot. But I didn't run as much as I would be in the military so my recruiter helping me with the information and physical training I would need to get a leg up helped me a lot and gave me far more endurance than I would have had if I didn't have those 6 months to train. That with my attitude and determination I think is what made me qualify for special forces and I can't ever put a price value on that training and experience that I earned in the military.
 
Physically navy boot camp was easy. Especially in the winter when you couldn't go anywhere and run. When I went everyone who was on a special contract (SEAL, Navy diver, SAR, a handful of others) would get up at 0300 and meet at the pool and do an hour and a half of swimming and PT, and go to the hanger to run because no one else is using it.
 
Derek8404 said:
If this is the type of sloppy shitbags they have representing the Navy it’s no wonder no one wants to join. Hell I wouldn’t want anything to do with it if I walked into a recruiting office and saw this heinous creature greeting me as the face of the Navy.. this turd couldn’t even shave his disgusting face before this pic. He better thank whoever it is he prays to I’m not his Chief, as he would absolutely be hating his life right now.


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We are one step closer to Wall-e coming true!

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Derek8404 said:
Jesus H Christ, I don’t know that I’ve ever seen a more punchable face than that thing.
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I know what you mean. I can't believe the shit you can get by with these days in the military. When I was in the military the last thing you wanted to do is bring that type of attention to yourself or the military uniform itself. I take pride in my military service and I'm a diehard patriot but that thing in a military uniform pisses me off and that shit has no place in the military at all.
 
Ampatriot said:
I know what you mean. I can't believe the shit you can get by with these days in the military. When I was in the military the last thing you wanted to do is bring that type of attention to yourself or the military uniform itself. I take pride in my military service and I'm a diehard patriot but that thing in a military uniform pisses me off and that shit has no place in the military at all.
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Yup, I couldn’t agree more and I’m so much looking forward to retiring and being done with the circus this military is becoming.
 
One other element to think about.

Social media and the "broken toy"

Think about this, you are 16-20 years old, fully able and in shape enough. If you think FPS games are cool, odds are you follow some Instagram accts that talks about veterans. Many SOF channels post, re-post from personal SIF pages and show some cool images. "I follow some myself"

Now, if you see this SEAL, or GB or CCT stud who did the gig for real and you read about his suicide anniversary or even better, you go do the WOD in remembrance of this stud.

Don't you think this negatively impacts the mission of recruiting?

Sure, let's go do a gig that as soon as I quit, be it in 4 or 20years from now, I get to be on drugs and blow my brains out.

Hell of a career choice!
 
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JBoyette said:
One other element to think about.

Social media and the "broken toy"

Think about this, you are 16-20 years old, fully able and in shape enough. If you think FPS games are cool, odds are you follow some Instagram accts that talks about veterans. Many SOF channels post, re-post from personal SIF pages and show some cool images. "I follow some myself"

Now, if you see this SEAL, or GB or CCT stud who did the gig for real and you read about his suicide anniversary or even better, you go do the WOD in remembrance of this stud.

Don't you think this negatively impacts the mission of recruiting?

Sure, let's go do a gig that as soon as I quit, be it in 4 or 20years from now, I get to be on drugs and blow my brains out.

Hell of a career choice!
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This is true, but these guys are also balanced by LAV, Shrek Mcphee, Pat Mac, etc.

I do think it's multifaceted, rarely just "one" thing.
When I was growing up, the guys I looked to were largely world War II and Korea vets, my dad was in Vietnam. Today's kids see the legacy of the Vietnam generation, plus a government that actively espouses policy contrary to good and strong national defense, plus unable to meet standard (be it from weight, drug use, too stupid, whatever), plus the understanding they can make more money in the civilian market with far less risk, etc.

Also used to be a lot more people had joined the military so there was more family connection. I think a lot of that has gone away, a lot of people don't know anyone who has been in the service.
 
Chuckman said:
I do think it's multifaceted, rarely just "one" thing.
When I was growing up, the guys I looked to were largely world War II and Korea vets, my dad was in Vietnam.
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Here is my thoughts on your edited above quote.

If you and I could of seen behind the curtain of the WWII, Korean and Vietnam vets like the current generation can see of the GWOT, I am not so sure I would of been so idealistic of them.

John
 
I can't imagine anyone who realizes they'll be nothing more than enforcers for big business, globohomopedo and the elites actually signing up and that knowledge is finally spread far and wide in a very real and understandable form for the kids to see.
 
JBoyette said:
Here is my thoughts on your edited above quote.

If you and I could of seen behind the curtain of the WWII, Korean and Vietnam vets like the current generation can see of the GWOT, I am not so sure I would of been so idealistic of them.

John
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I think there's merit in that. That didn't happen for a bunch of reasons: No social media, TV, big book deals, blogs, etc. Also those men seemed to be much more guarded in what they talked about than our peers in GWOT. Also, WW2 vets especially, were media darlings.
 
NCLivingBrit said:
I can't imagine anyone who realizes they'll be nothing more than enforcers for big business, globohomopedo and the elites actually signing up and that knowledge is finally spread far and wide in a very real and understandable form for the kids to see.
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I don't think that's the case. There are many, many intelligent adults who can't/won't/don't see it. Kids surely can't. Unless, of course, they are being steered by adults who are aware. This can definitely be the case.
 
Chuckman said:
I don't think that's the case. There are many, many intelligent adults who can't/won't/don't see it. Kids surely can't. Unless, of course, they are being steered by adults who are aware. This can definitely be the case.
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It's definitely more prevalent than it was, but our media do their damnedest to hide the truth these days.
 
RetiredUSNChief said:
What the *checks where thread is posted* frickin' Corpsman said.

I enlisted in the Navy through their nuclear propulsion program. When I graduated boot camp I was an E-3 and got back pay for it for the time I spent in boot camp. (Everybody is an E-1 in boot camp.)

When I completed ET-A School a few months earlier, I was promoted to E-4 (Third Class Petty Officer) as part of the program. So in less than a year, I made E-4. If I recall, about 8 months, give or take.

When I took the first E-5 exam the following year (a soon as I met the time in rate requirements), I passed with a high enough score to be advanced to E-5 (Second Class). Less than 2 years in and with no time at sea.

Likewise, I took the first E-6 exam I was eligible for and made it first time up. I wanna say just under 5 years.

It's a lot like the civilian world in many aspects. If you've for the education and/or skill sets that are more highly prized, you'll go further and faster than those who do not. Or if your in a field that's not a desired by others and had a hard time getting and keeping people.

Now, it took me quite a while before I made Chief. The requirements are different and I went through quite a lot (personally and professionally) before I "got it"...but when I DID get it, it didn't take long afterwards. Still, it was just before my 17 year point when my anchors were pointed on.
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I turned down NUC program for Aviation. like you was E1/E3 in boot went to AV-A school left there and took E4 exam made 1st try a year later made E5 1st try a little under 2 1/2 years.
after the required 3 years as a AT2 took E6 exam Cut a raw test score or 73 out of 80 (80 was a perfect score) did not get promoted due to the navy combining AT, AQ, and AX ratings which reduced the need for PO1s
Spent 9 years as a E5 before I made E6 and if it was not for the difference in money I much preferred to be the senior E5 in the command. You are high enough to miss the crap coming from the bottom and low enough to miss it rolling down from the top. My chance of making CPO went away when they Decomed all the A6 squadrons I am the white shirt in the back of the 1st picture launching a KA-6D (VA 34) pic 2 is working on a A6E and pic 3 is my desktop at work

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@vaskeet , we've talked a bit about this before.

I flew aboard in the Ike to teach some classes (2008ish), flew aboard/off via COD, loved every second. When I wasn't teaching or sleeping, I was on vulture's row or on the deck by the island just watching. Since I was AC qualified and assigned as enroute care RN with Marine med batt, I did have my flight suit so I could eat in the dirty shirt wardroom.

I love the A-6. My fave AC, I recall them at Cherry Point. I had given a minute of thought coming out of college about being a NFO (BN) was told that all the cool AC were going away (A-6, F-14).
 
Chuckman said:
@vaskeet , we've talked a bit about this before.

I flew aboard in the Ike to teach some classes (2008ish), flew aboard/off via COD, loved every second. When I wasn't teaching or sleeping, I was on vulture's row or on the deck by the island just watching. Since I was AC qualified and assigned as enroute care RN with Marine med batt, I did have my flight suit so I could eat in the dirty shirt wardroom.

I love the A-6. My fave AC, I recall them at Cherry Point. I had given a minute of thought coming out of college about being a NFO (BN) was told that all the cool AC were going away (A-6, F-14).
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here is another launch pic I am the white shirt on the left side of the picture you can see me by looking under the aircraft at the tail I have a f18 launching behind me

intruder 34.jpg
 
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vaskeet said:
Spent 9 years as a E5 before I made E6 and if it was not for the difference in money I much preferred to be the senior E5 in the command. You are high enough to miss the crap coming from the bottom and low enough to miss it rolling down from the top.
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Senior Second (E-5) is the sweet spot in several ways.

It doesn't take much to make E-5, for one. You're not among the most junior, so you miss a lot of the BS that the most junior get. You're qualified senior in-rate. You're generally at the workcenter supervisor level with respect to collateral duties. A lot of opportunities for E-6 perks are available (for nukes, this generally means you can pursue EWS/EDPO qualifications, for example). You don't have the responsibilities and expectations which generally go along with E-6. If you know your $#!t, you more easily have the respect of more senior people.

I disliked slackers who b*tched at this level who didn't realize how good they had it. Get off your keister and make something of yourself.
 
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