10 Habits From The Military That Stay With You Forever

[Cookie]

Hubby, a Viet Nam vet, still gets hinky in large crowds. The fireworks show last night was particularly worrisome since we were close enough to feel the concussion of the blasts both in front of us and echoing off a large building behind us. He handled it, though.

I noticed most military guys with field experience know to stand a little off to the side when observing a crowded activity.

Ever since I understood what "popping a corner" was all about, I have been more sensitive when grocery shopping with hubby.

 

[Mushroom]

I noticed most military guys with field experience know to stand a little off to the side when observing a crowded activity.

Ever since I understood what "popping a corner" was all about, I have been more sensitive when grocery shopping with hubby.

We are also almost constantly scanning everything. Years ago when I worked in a company that had the serious "Cube Life" down, there were times I was almost a basket case. People walking from behind out of my blind spot, hearing noises all around me that I could not see, drove me crazy. People often look at me at work crazy now, because we are in kind of "half cubes", with partitions thankfully at eye level when sitting. Every few minutes I always look around and scan the room (good thing I am a semi-touch typist).

Other things I can think of also include:

* Boots-shoes polished, even my biker boots.

* Calling everybody Sir-Ma'am-Miss (of course this is also possibly part of my generation, like standing when a lady enters-leaves the room).

* Falling into step with anybody I am walking next to.

* Having a 100 ounce coffee cup - and seeing nothing wrong with it.

* Drinking coffee at work out of a canteen cup.

* Shrugging at the thought of working a 24 hour shift, or working a month with no days off.

* Wishing that half of the civilians I work with were half as organized as some of the worst s**tbirds I served with.

 

[hortysir]

Military service can be a life-changing experience. As a thread on Reddit asked:

"What *subtle* habits do you still have, even years after leaving the military?"

This proves that military culture and training sticks with you

This is me -

Read more: 10 Habits From The Military - Business Insider

Attention to Detail

I still line up my "gig-line" when I get dressed

I still don't "bridge" my laces

Yes Sir, Yes Ma'am

"Outstanding" is used daily

 

[hortysir]

Yeah, guilty as charged. I still wake up at Oh Dark Thirty and start my day with a cup of hot coffee; I use the knife hands; I still put tabasco sause on my food; I still check the gig line before walking out the door; and the f-word is a noun, verb, adjective, pronoun, subverb, adverb and, at times, a dangling participle when it needs to be.

Damn str8!!

 

[ErikViking]

I find myself ruining many, what you call them "woolen jackets" winter garments, by punching holes for the thumbs and littlefinger in the cuffs.

 

[Borillar]

I still fall into step with people I'm walking with. I still check my gig line. I can sleep anywhere, thanks to berthing below the flight deck on a carrier. I wolf my food down ever since boot camp - I'm always done long before the rest of my family. I'm a coffee addict. I have to watch my fucking mouth. I still fold my clothes the Navy way.

 

[SteadyMercury]

I regularly cook creamed beef on toast for breakfast, and have converted my wife to appreciate it.

I also always notice rank insignia of anyone approaching, even if is is non-military like an airline pilot or cop.

 

[Borillar]

I regularly cook creamed beef on toast for breakfast, and have converted my wife to appreciate it.

I also always notice rank insignia of anyone approaching, even if is is non-military like an airline pilot or cop.

SOS? Man, you have it bad! Military food is something I was glad to put behind me. SOS, potato rocks, mystery meat with red death sauce, technicolor roast beast, and worst of all - ethnic night with chitlins and black eye peas (shudder).

 

[SFC Ollie]

I really did sort of enjoy eating breakfast in the mess hall. Of course after i was married I almost never did, until i became a Platoon Sergeant then I would eat at least one meal a week in the mess, just to show the troops that I was there for them... I doubt they noticed it was usually breakfast...... Though Mrs O did go with me for Thanksgiving dinner one year...Troops loved that.....

 

[Borillar]

I really did sort of enjoy eating breakfast in the mess hall. Of course after i was married I almost never did, until i became a Platoon Sergeant then I would eat at least one meal a week in the mess, just to show the troops that I was there for them... I doubt they noticed it was usually breakfast...... Though Mrs O did go with me for Thanksgiving dinner one year...Troops loved that.....

Well, I suppose that breakfast is probably the hardest to fuck up. Aboard ship, it was great to pull into port. That would mean we would get fresh eggs and milk for a time instead of the powdered crap. Of course we'd still get the bacon floating in a vat of grease and the overcooked hash browns or pasty oatmeal. At least we had geedunk to fall back on. Lots of that good Navy coffee too (beans that Juan Valdez rejected). Good times!

 

[birddog]

I spent a lot of time working at Lyster Army Hospital at ft. Rucker. The food was good, and the officers ate with the enlisted, although they had a special area. I can still remember drinking all the good cold milk I could hold. The breakfasts were great with super little sausages. When they served SOSs, I sometimes went back for seconds if I could.

I was the only heart technician in the hospital, so maybe that's why the cooks were extra nice to me.

 

[Borillar]

I spent a lot of time working at Lyster Army Hospital at ft. Rucker. The food was good, and the officers ate with the enlisted, although they had a special area. I can still remember drinking all the good cold milk I could hold. The breakfasts were great with super little sausages. When they served SOSs, I sometimes went back for seconds if I could.

I was the only heart technician in the hospital, so maybe that's why the cooks were extra nice to me.

Sounds like Army chow was much better than the stuff the Navy served aboard ship. The only really good meals I remember were when some visiting dignitary would come aboard. Then we'd get steak and lobster. Everything was segregated by rank aboard ship. The officers had their own mess. Chiefs (E7 - E9) had their own mess. PO1's (E6) had their own mess. E1 - E5 had the regular chow lines.

 

[9thIDdoc]

There is (thankfully) nothing that compares with C-Rats.

 

[SFC Ollie]

Oh hell, I was one of the best C-rats cooks in the entire Army....... I could make anything taste just like Tabasco....

 

[Mr Natural]

I still use the phrase "gear adrift" quite often.

 

[SFC Ollie]

I still use "operator head space".....

 

[Borillar]

I still use the acronyms "fubar" and "bohica".

 

[Mushroom]

I still use the acronyms "fubar" and "bohica".

When I first started to play Second Life, almost every name I could find was already in use, so I chose "Bohica", because it sounded like a name.

And I can still tell when somebody in there is/was military, because they immediately start to laugh when they see my name. And many times I have had to explain what it means to civilians.

 

[Trajan]

Still gotta have my boots right by the bed, with socks stuffed into them to keep out bugs.

I never leave a 'cover' or hat, head gear whatever, bowl up

 

[Trajan]

There is (thankfully) nothing that compares with C-Rats.

yea tell me about it..


I was still in when they did the change over to Meals Refused by Ethiopians....I was a grunt and well schooled in eating and cooking with C-rats....so we all asked what the fuck happened and who approved this shit etc.?

well, turns out the army has platoons they cycle thru (full of new guys) at Aberdeen were they test this shit. The moral being why the hell would you test this on guys that never had expedience with c-rats in the field where in you learn how to cook with everything in the box, incl. the box, heat tabs, using the cans as a stove , c-4 if you don't have heat tabs etc etc ...no wonder they picked the MRE's, they just didn't know any better...


Great pic doc... that a 113?