Shipboard Service Is Harsh.

longknife

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Sep 21, 2012
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The Navy Isn’t Preparing Recruits For This Reality

After reading this piece, it's clear the author is blaming the navy for sailors who can't cut it and go bonkers. As if the military is somehow supposed to "fix" the shortcomings of individual upbringing.

Male bovine excrement!

Individuals like that shouldn't be allowed to enter the military in the first place. We have recruits undergo extensive aptitude testing, why not social skills testing at the same time? How much "awards for participation" indoctrination have they received that limits their ability to actually take part in working as a team.

A team. That's what the military is. First and foremost. If you can't be part of a team you have no business being in the military. Period.

It’s a floating prison.” This is how a sailor described serving aboard USS Shiloh, and the sentiment seemed to be shared by many of the crewmembers. The Shiloh made headlines when a crewmember Petty Officer 3rd Class Peter Mims went missing while underway, spurring a massive search by the crew for a comrade who, it turns out, who was hiding in an engineering space the whole time.

Not just sad but disgusting.

More of this ridiculous essay @ Shipboard Service Is Harsh, And The Navy Isn't Preparing Recruits For It
 
A fellow I grew up with joined the Navy a few months before I joined the Marines. Many years later when we sat talking in a bar and he lamented about his Navy experience it occurred to me that what he'd endured was psychologically more demanding and difficult than my experience in the Corps, which was pretty damn rough at times -- especially during boot camp. He talked about extreme confinement, constant cleaning, paint scraping, a tiny sleeping space, and a lot more -- things I don't think I could have put up with. Interestingly, he said he didn't join the Marines because what he'd heard about it was beyond his tolerance level. But the things he told me painted a different picture.

I was in FMF (Fleet Marine Force) so I spent a fair amount of time on APAs. We didn't have much contact with the sailors so I couldn't determine much about their average daily experience, but it did seem to involve a lot of repetitive physical work. The only ones who appeared to have it relatively easy were the medics, especially the ones who trained with us. The "docs" were virtual Marines. They wore Marine Corps fatigues and casual uniforms but with Navy insignia and they lived in our barracks.

PS: I hate being on ships. I don't like anything about it and I get sea-sick, which is utter misery.
 
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The shipboard life definitely sucks. I had it relatively easy as an avionics technician on a carrier. I worked 12 hour days and an occasional 4 hour roving watches. A lot of the flight deck crews were working 20 hour days when flight ops were heavy. E-1 through E-5 were generally berthed in compartments with maybe 100 - 150 men stacked 3 high. Virtually no privacy. It wasn't all bad though. The guys you work with become like brothers and you could get in on some marathon card games. I'd do it all over again. The experience was worth it.
 
The shipboard life definitely sucks

But then there's that shore leave...

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I had two experiences aboard troop ships going to Europe and coming back to CONUS. I hated them. The sailors were merchant seamen and appeared to have it a whole lot easier than what I've heard about naval types.

Any vets on here think the current generation is going to be able to deal with military life? Even if they are volunteers?
 
I had two experiences aboard troop ships going to Europe and coming back to CONUS. I hated them. The sailors were merchant seamen and appeared to have it a whole lot easier than what I've heard about naval types.

Any vets on here think the current generation is going to be able to deal with military life? Even if they are volunteers?
I don’t see why they wouldn’t. Everyone I served with was just ordinary folks. There’s always a few people that can’t hack it, but they’re just a small minority.
 
I don’t see why they wouldn’t. Everyone I served with was just ordinary folks. There’s always a few people that can’t hack it, but they’re just a small minority.
At age 81 I have recollection of the 30's, 40's, and 50's generations, and based on what I see in and hear from the present generation I am conscious of significant differences in attitude and general disposition. I believe suspension of the draft has contributed substantially to the physical and personal softening of a major percentage of American men.
 
I was on 4 Gator ships [ amphibs ] 2 LSTs, an LPH and LHA when I was in the USMC
the LHA was newer and had ''good berthing''
now they are all decommissioned !!

we were never on ship for more than 6 months......the 6 months went pretty fast...we had a lot of port calls....the sailors did have much more duty than we had.....we would work out, take classes, and chow--that was about it.....we did have duty--but not everyday
.....we were off Beirut for about 30 days straight one time...it didn't bother me because it was my first time on ship

how long do the sailors stay on the ship?? do they switch to shore housing when the ship is in home port/etc??
 
I've always loved the feeling of the wind in my face, and the spray of the sea. Maybe it's my Viking lineage.
We could not have won WWII if the Navy was full of the whimps and pansies they have now.
 
I was on 4 Gator ships [ amphibs ] 2 LSTs, an LPH and LHA when I was in the USMC
the LHA was newer and had ''good berthing''
now they are all decommissioned !!

we were never on ship for more than 6 months......the 6 months went pretty fast...we had a lot of port calls....the sailors did have much more duty than we had.....we would work out, take classes, and chow--that was about it.....we did have duty--but not everyday
.....we were off Beirut for about 30 days straight one time...it didn't bother me because it was my first time on ship

how long do the sailors stay on the ship?? do they switch to shore housing when the ship is in home port/etc??

You live on the ship unless you are married and/or have quarters ashore. When I was enlisted and unmarried, I lived on the ship throughout my assignment.
 
The Navy Isn’t Preparing Recruits For This Reality

After reading this piece, it's clear the author is blaming the navy for sailors who can't cut it and go bonkers. As if the military is somehow supposed to "fix" the shortcomings of individual upbringing.

Male bovine excrement!

Individuals like that shouldn't be allowed to enter the military in the first place. We have recruits undergo extensive aptitude testing, why not social skills testing at the same time? How much "awards for participation" indoctrination have they received that limits their ability to actually take part in working as a team.

A team. That's what the military is. First and foremost. If you can't be part of a team you have no business being in the military. Period.

It’s a floating prison.” This is how a sailor described serving aboard USS Shiloh, and the sentiment seemed to be shared by many of the crewmembers. The Shiloh made headlines when a crewmember Petty Officer 3rd Class Peter Mims went missing while underway, spurring a massive search by the crew for a comrade who, it turns out, who was hiding in an engineering space the whole time.

Not just sad but disgusting.

More of this ridiculous essay @ Shipboard Service Is Harsh, And The Navy Isn't Preparing Recruits For It
When you serve in the military, it doesn't matter the branch, some people just aren't fit.

When I served, I gave a hundred percent. I felt it was my duty. You do that and you are a credit to your family, to yourself and to the military and country.

But there were guys who left the service with a less than honorable discharge but not dishonorable. They just couldn't take it. They weren't cut out for it.

One guy thought about his wife and kids all the time so much they had to send him home. He put his hand through a window and would talk about himself in the third person. He was a nice guy, but he just couldn't handle the military.

There were some guys who just couldn't handle being ordered around. They would fight back like little kids.

Some on drugs.

One guy got a GI party because of his stanky nasty ass. He wouldn't wash and wouldn't do his laundry. He learned.

A couple of guys got caught stealing and breaking into vending machines. How stupid.

I was on a base with 22,000 soldiers. The vast majority were a credit to the country, but with that many soldiers, there were a few bad apples.
 
Funny, I was talking to a guy I know who was in the Navy for years. He said they would spend six months at sea. I asked him if some guys had a 'special' friend. He said that he knew guys that had a 'special' friend. So I ask him the name of his 'special' friend. For a second, I thought he was going to give me a name. but then he said he never had a 'special' friend. I thought it was hilarious.
 
I don’t see why they wouldn’t. Everyone I served with was just ordinary folks. There’s always a few people that can’t hack it, but they’re just a small minority.
At age 81 I have recollection of the 30's, 40's, and 50's generations, and based on what I see in and hear from the present generation I am conscious of significant differences in attitude and general disposition. I believe suspension of the draft has contributed substantially to the physical and personal softening of a major percentage of American men.

I truly believe that ending the Draft has had a very negative effect on our culture. Honor Duty Country is only understood by a minority of Americans. USMC Vietnam 67-68.
 
I don’t see why they wouldn’t. Everyone I served with was just ordinary folks. There’s always a few people that can’t hack it, but they’re just a small minority.
At age 81 I have recollection of the 30's, 40's, and 50's generations, and based on what I see in and hear from the present generation I am conscious of significant differences in attitude and general disposition. I believe suspension of the draft has contributed substantially to the physical and personal softening of a major percentage of American men.

I truly believe that ending the Draft has had a very negative effect on our culture. Honor Duty Country is only understood by a minority of Americans. USMC Vietnam 67-68.


No one in the military wants the derelicts, criminals, and no-loads that are produced by the draft.
 
No one in the military wants the derelicts, criminals, and no-loads that are produced by the draft.

I was drafted for Vietnam and did my 2 years Army 1970-71

Contrary to what Admiral dickwad says, the vast majority of draftees were just regular kids fresh out of high school from all over the nation. Although most weren't happy to have been drafted. We did our part and received honorable discharges when the 2 years ended. .... :cool:
 
No one in the military wants the derelicts, criminals, and no-loads that are produced by the draft.

I was drafted for Vietnam and did my 2 years Army 1970-71

Contrary to what Admiral dickwad says, the vast majority of draftees were just regular kids fresh out of high school from all over the nation. Although most weren't happy to have been drafted. We did our part and received honorable discharges when the 2 years ended. .... :cool:

The vast majority of draftees were fuck-ups who were simply too stupid to be able to find a way to dodge the draft. Many were given a choice of jail or the Army.

There were some righteous individuals who went voluntarily after being drafted, but that was not generally the case.
 
The vast majority of draftees were fuck-ups who were simply too stupid to be able to find a way to dodge the draft. Many were given a choice of jail or the Army.
There were some righteous individuals who went voluntarily after being drafted, but that was not generally the case.
Exactly how would you know this retard?

People weren't drafted into the Navy, so obviously you didn't serve with draftees.

You are just posting more idiotic BS as usual. ..... :cuckoo:
 
When I was drafted and I went thru a line, a navy guy was standing there with a stamp and took my hand and stamped "Navy" on it. The last thing I wanted was navy and I had to talk an ensign out my future navy career. The ensign finally had me stamped "Army" and I was ready to go to war.
 
When I was drafted and I went thru a line, a navy guy was standing there with a stamp and took my hand and stamped "Navy" on it. The last thing I wanted was navy and I had to talk an ensign out my future navy career. The ensign finally had me stamped "Army" and I was ready to go to war.
You obviously are talking about WW-II, during which an uncle of mine was drafted into the Navy. But I believe that option ended right after the War and the Navy became all-volunteer.
 

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