US soldiers moving to Australia

Why? Because now every one of us is supposed to be afraid of China. Shades of "1984."

 

This might seem nit-picky to some, but to us in the Army and to those in the Marines, you said "soldiers" in your title, then later said "marines". There is a difference, and to us who are in, it is vast. To the outside, it doesn't make a difference, but to us it does.

 

This is an important first step in securing strategic assets and partners in a region that very likely will be the focus of the next major conflict.

This is an important thing. As for the aesthetics of the placement...they're Marines, they can handle it, they understand the assignment.

 

In America, we have 5 (should be only 4, but that's another discussion) branches of our military. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard. (Ok, back to the other discussion: The Coast Guard only counts since we are in a "time of war". Normally the Coast Guard is Dept of Transportation).

The Marines started out as Salty pointed out: the landing units of the Navy. However, they evolved into their own branch (even though their seal still says "A Dept of the Navy". They get mad when you point this out!)

Soldier is a term used to describe those in the Army (such as myself).

Sailor for Navy, Airman for Airforce. (Not sure what Coast Guard goes by, lol.)

One of the reasons there is so much contention about being called a Soldier vs a Marine is that our jobs very often overlap one another.

 

Great Point...

...however, even our POTUS dosen't know the difference between a a "corpse-man!" and a
Corpsman!

SEE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlKIfzoC8D0

Were you glad to be in the Army when that happened?

God bless you, at all times, and be safe. Your service to America is appreciated by myself, and so many others! You have demonstrated what so many before you demonstrated: the call to sacrifice, if need be, for the freedom of many! :applause::applause::applause:

 

The military has always been a part of ly life, so I agree with all this.

But I also think there should be more patience with ignorant civilians than is normally shown.

 

Oh, I am in no way offended. Being in the military, I feel a need to instruct those who don't quite understand the military, or military life. Unless one has actually been in the military you just don't understand the mindset. And National Guard and the Reserves don't count, unless they've been deployed. The military is a life, not just an occupation. But the NG and Reserves don't hold the same mindset. I was talking to some at a NG post in Arkansas before my deployment, and it blew me away how different they think. It's almost like a hobby to them.

 

Isn't the Coast Guard basically the Navy National Guard? I always wondered why it gets treated more separately while the other NG's don't.

(To answer your question, they are Seamen also. The ranks are either identical, or almost so, to the Navy).

So "landing forces" is how its put. I always did think it was funny, as the Marines are structured more like the Army, with Privates and Sergeants, an the officer ranks identical to the Army and Air Force. I figured it was the Navy's "army", and the Navy also has it's own "air force", it just hasn't become separate.

If you watch older movies, you'll see reflected the Air Force still being apart of the Army! It branched off on its own in 1947.

I imagine if there were ever a need for a Space Force (or whatever it would be called), it would branch off of the Air Force, and yet have ranks more like the Navy (Admirals, Captain as higher grade O-6, etc.)

 

It's actually nothing like the Navy's National Guard. National Guard are a part time military that serves basically the same utility that their active components due while deployed.

The Coast Guard is an active service that basically serves as law enforcement in international waters around the US.

One thing that I found funny (and almost offensive, if it weren't so ludicrous) was a line in wikipedia concerning the coast guard: "While most military services are either at war or training for war, the Coast Guard is deployed every day." I am in Afghanistan right now. Whoever would equate the law enforcement duties they have with me being gone from my family for a year and having terrorists constantly trying to kill me just simply doesn't understand a thing.

In the past 3 months that I've been out here, I've been shot at several times, had to stay several hours total (probably about 40ish) ina bunker due to incoming mortar/artillery, have seen 6 explosions destroy trucks in my convoy, have seen 11 other explosions destroy trucks in other convoys. I don't think the Coast Guard can even come close.

Don't get me wrong, they have their place. But that place is not standing alongside the Army, Navy, Air-Force and Marines. It is with homeland heroes, such as Firemen and Police.

 

In wartime, the Coast Guard falls under the authority of the DoD, which is why we had "Coasties" patrolling the waters in the Persian Gulf. I think they currently fall under Homeland Security, but historically have fallen under the Transportation department. There was a move earlier this year to place them within the DoD, but it appears to have died off.

Salty, Woody - AF calls its MOS "AFSC." During my time, I've been an 81150, 3P051, 33S3, and am now a 17D3 (first two are the same, just different redesignation; same with the second two).

Current PCS projection is May 2013; depending in the situation, may also be my retirement date.

LES is electronic these days. Should be able to access it through AKO; AF gets it through AF Portal.

 

While working in Interior Communications,, I got a buzz on the squak box from Combat Info Central.

"I.C., this is C.I.C., please acknowledge..."

answer

"C.I.C.,I.C., aye"

 

The Coast Guard existed before there was a US Constitution, maybe before there was a USA.

It would make my day if the ChiComs set up a base in Panama, maybe Mexico. Food for the goose, food for the gander.

 

We had C.G. students in Navy "C" schools in 1979-1980. I always wondered why they would need to learn long range missle radar...

In August, I went out to Great Lakes to see my little brother, C.W.O.4 Timothy Rathburn, retire after 30 years in the Navy. Full Military pomp & circumstance, a very moving ceremony.

Thanx for the years you gave us, Don.

 

My PMOS is 12B, Combat Engineer (hence the handle "sapper". My Joes call me SGT Woody, from my last name, Presswood). We never get utilized that way, lol. Instead we do Route Clearance and Convoy Escort. EOD has taken our job, not allowing us to BIP IEDs without them.

Ironically, my DEROS was up in May. I wasn't even eligible for deployment by about 8 days, but I attended SFAS, pushing my DEROS to June, allowing me to deploy. I go on R&R the end of Feb, we get 15 days BOG. Will have a total of 12 months in country this deployment, for a total of 24 in the past 4 years.