How to tell the differences between the forces...

[BlueCollar]

If you give the command "SECURE THE BUILDING", here is what the different services would do:

The NAVY would turn out the lights and lock the doors.

The ARMY would surround the building with defensive fortifications, tanks and concertina wire.

The MARINE CORPS would assault the building, using overlapping fields of fire from all appropriate points on the perimeter.





The AIR FORCE would take out a three-year lease with an option to buy the building.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

1. you missed a couple,

but mainly, we now have a new reality - Blackwater mercenaries, with an Iraqi force larger than the US military. How do they secure a building?

[BlueCollar]

2. Blackwater mercenaries

aren't going to secure a building. They'll wait for the lower paid members of active duty forces to do that

[sarge43]

3. Then steal everything that isn't nailed down. n/t

[BlueCollar]

6. and the active duty guys

get accused for the merc's doings, Sad but true

[BOSSHOG]

4. I've been retired almost five years

and I still tell my wife at the end of the day that I am going out to secure the vehicles and the garden tools and the garage. And on occasion she rejoins "roger that Shipmate." The language never gets old.

[BlueCollar]

5. I got out of the Navy in 83

and still call things bulkheads and decks etc...

I refer to port and starboard landing gear etc...drives the AF guys around the bend

Drives the civilians nuts and yesterday I asked to break a meeting so everyone could have a "Head call"...

a few of the ladies looked a little quizzical until a former Marine in the room explained it to them...

[TahitiNut]

7. "a former Marine in the room"???

I'm told there is no such thing as a "former" Marine.


:rofl: :rofl:

[BlueCollar]

8. they get really cranky if you call them

ex-marines....


so sometimes I do it on purpose...

:evilgrin:

My years in the service were the best decision I ever made...met some great people and worked for some great chiefs, senior-chiefs, and master-chiefs...

If it hadn't been for the U.S. Navy I probably wouldn't have the basic work ethic and pride in attention to detail I have today.

Thanks to all of you Navy petty officers and officers for everything you did.

:cheers:

[BOSSHOG]

9. Former Marine

is preferred to X-Marine. and it refers to their inactive status, (in other words no longer on active duty., not that the fact that they will always be a Marine.)

[Lowell]

10. That's pretty funny Bosshog

My kids just scratch their heads when I tell them to police up their cigarette butts. And "dress right and cover down" draws blank stares. Funny how there are some phrases we use that give us away. I can always recognize a vet after a few sentences, because something always slips into the conversation that is definately not civilian.

[TahitiNut]

11. When you tell 'em to "Two-block that fly" ...

... they really get puzzled. (So do most "sailors.") :evilgrin: