risner

TO be honest, a majority of the strait outta OCS 2nd LT were nervous around me, as a CPL, when they came through my shop needing something.

Now 1st have been around for 2+ years and its a different story. not too much though.

Theres no one more scary then an old *** 1stSgt pissed off.

Lancer033

For the ABUs go here
http://www.uspatriotstore.com/

as far as the way Airmen act. It's not uncommon for younger guys right out of tech school to act like that. I've always thought it's kind of funny. They get used to it us pretty quick and if your just a butter bar, that won't happen very often.

Splitz

iTrader: (1)

You aren't really comparing USAF deployements to USMC deployments are you?

If you make a damn comparison, at least compare APPLES to APPLES instead of APPLES to ORANGES.

Some USAF deployments are that way, doens't make the deployment ANY LESS "difficult".

Get your high horse of being a MARINE and in Iraq, it's all the same effort.

blackhawk_02

iTrader: (10)

Scared around officers??? Why? They are human beings just like myself. All they have is some more rank than me, whoopydefreakindo.. lol.

BigT2002

iTrader: (2)

this is going to get interesting. Sadly, I see it a lot working at 9AF and working with other branches equivelant. I do find it to be very unfair for any branch to compare themselves to another though. I give everyone I meet who was "deployed" to Qatar or Manas crap because its not under hostile fire. I give people to the Deid the most because they are allowed to go off base and just play around like its normal world. But the Deid is a VITAL base to the fight in Iraq, and even Afghan. I think a lot of people forget that in the light of who is a ground pounder, who can take apart a M16A2 in 40 seconds and spout off everything about it...but remember who is working behind the desk making sure you have CAS missions scheduled while your on missions. The Air Force having a ton of ribbons is pretty pathetic, but we also don't have our TIS on our sleeves, nor marksmanship badges, or Combat Action Badges. Everything we have is in ribbon form to what you receive other decorations.

djfeezy

Don't forget that there are also AF members on the ground in Iraq. I'll be there soon on a ILO tasking with the army. Hell, I'll even be wearing ACU's.

Pipelayaz

iTrader: (2)

ALL Air Force bases are vital. i.e. Incirlik in Turkey... I was deployed there last year. 80% of all cargo that goes to Iraq transits threw that base.

Manas? I was deployed there as well in 03. Since the base in Uzbekistan is closed Kyrgzstan is a major hub for OEF in the transit of army troops in and out of the AOR not to mention the fighters and tankers that support missions as well. You think its not under ostile fire and thats ok... I still got the hostile fire pay... we had one guy that blew himself up when he tried to throw a granade over the hesco barrier to destroy our fuel bladders... a suicide team was busted in downtown Bishkek... so and so fourth.

Anyway I'm not tryen to get into a pissing match. I just don't think anyone should be under any **** for where they are deployed.

Splitz

iTrader: (1)

WEll, I participated in Northern AND Southern watch:

Prince Sultan AB Twice (4 months each)
Insirlik TWICE (4 months each)
Qatar ONCE (5 months).

Doesn't make MY deployments any less vital than the troops that are on the street in Baghdad or Afganistan.

An I supported the F-15C and F-15E missions....does that make my deployment LESS important than yours?

Espeically since the F-15E is Air to GROUD and respond to close air support missions....but whatever.

bballr4567

iTrader: (5)

We have a few AF EOD guys here at our Army FOB and for the most part they wear ACUs. Only two of the new guys have the ABUs on. Its weird to see the ABU guys mixed in with the ACU ones. They do FAR FAR more missions then any of the infantry plattoons in our area so they get props from me.

As far as getting nervous, I used to straight out of school. Now its just damn annoying to be around officers for the most part. I work with an O5 everyday and he is nothing special. Just been in a for a long time and is a doctor. Now our 2LT is a different story. He used to be enlisted for 3 years got out and got his degree and came back in commisioned. It pisses me off when he tries to act like he is still enlisted when he obviously isnt.

sgt0704

iTrader: (3)

that's what i was going to say. True, the AF does get a lot of ribbons, but they keep their **** centrally located instead of spreading it across the uniform like we do.

sgt0704

iTrader: (3)

but you gotta think, a set of blue and silver hash marks would look cool on those jackets. hahahah.a

Malicious

iTrader: (1)

I won't even say where my 1 and only deployment so far has been because it was more of a vacation than anything. Nothing but props for anyone who spends time in the AOR. I'll end up there eventually, just got lucky on a deployment with a fighter squadron that was being deactivated with the rest of the fighter wing that wanted a bad *** last deployment

69Nova355

To me an officer is no different than any other human....we bleed the same, we both eat, sleep, ****...

When I first came in I was paranoid around Sra's and higher due to BMT pretty much teaching us what they do, now I'm not so paranoid. But I will still address an officer as "sir" but unless I'm in the CC's office getting my butt reamed for something, no I'm not scared shitless.

REDHOtTransAM

iTrader: (3)

why are some of the Airman getting so defensive all of a sudden?????

He never said his deployment was more important (although I guarantee it's a lot more dangerous). His argument was that other services give too many awards for their deployments than the Marine Corps. In all reality, if you aren't in any serious danger, the awards probably shouldn't be given out like candy. I really doubt any Marine will tell you they care because no Marine does anything for a medal...they do what they do for the Marine standing by their side.

by the way, my wife was in the Air Force and has deployed as well. She says and I quote, "air force deployments are a joke, we had a swimming pool for God's sake"

Being married to a Marine, she knows what Marines go through. What the Air Force does is important and I tell her that all the time. But I wouldn't go around making a habit of trying to tell a Marine to that you have seen the same **** he has in your deployments. Your deployment was important, or else they wouldn't have sent you right? Just telling that to a Marine who has had good friends blood on his uniform isn't going to make him give a damn.

REDHOtTransAM

iTrader: (3)

oh yeah as for Officers....I know a 2nd LT that is very unsure of himself and nervous around all of the Sergeants in my Platoon. I think it's a boot thing to be nervous around Officers. If anything, I would be nervous around a SgtMaj or 1st Sgt on a monday morning.

BigT2002

iTrader: (2)

Technically that is supposed to go away. My TACP buddies were told they were required to wear our ABU's instead of the ACU's. Most were pretty pist about it too.

BigT2002

iTrader: (2)

I will say this though, and I'm pretty sure 100% of the people on here can agree with me. No one can touch the Marine's Class A's. Those things are just **** hot looking.

BigT2002

iTrader: (2)

They need to decide what they want to do. We are having budget issues and they want to make a WWII era style Service Dress that is costing millions to produce....yet they still won't get rid of the longevity ribbon and let us put the hashes on the sleeves. I would rather have the hashes.

BigT2002

iTrader: (2)

Hey I had a swimming pool at Al Asad and thats a Marine base

BigT2002

iTrader: (2)

I feared ya'lls SgtMaj's more than I did any officer while I was deployed with you guys. They were just scary looking