Posted on Jun 28, 2017
As an infantryman I have heard people talk about other soldiers as not being "real" soldiers. What does it mean to be a "real" soldier?
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I used to hear similar remarks in the Marines........"he's not a "real" Marine......usually made in reference to someone who had never served in combat (of which I was one who didn't). As was explained to me in stark terms by one of my drill instructors (it's detailed in my book God Bless Chesty).......once you become a Marine, the Marine Corps owns your ass and will send you where they need you......your job is to follow orders and accomplish whatever mission you are given. Some were given combat missions, some were needed elsewhere......it wasn't our own choice. So I always felt that everyone who earned the right to the title........was a "real" one, regardless of what assignment they received. You wear the uniform, you are real.
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PVT Michael Davis
LtCol George Carlson Yessir! Someone In logistics [REAL SOLDIERS!], had to let the Mission Commander what was really feasible and what was drama!
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SPC Vonnie Jones
So glad you said it...my son just told someone how frustrated I get when people ask did you see action? Thank God during my time it was a little shake but for the most part peace. I came in right after Vietnam and got out right before Panama....but you are right I went where I was needed
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CPO Kurt Baschab
I Proudly tell them YES,
I have Seen Action in Both the Gulf of Mexico & the Gulf of Alaska , I have assisted in over 9,000 SAR CASES ,(Search and Rescue) in the Gulf Of Mexico, Gulf of Alaska, The Bering Strait. the Atlantic,& Pacific Oceans , Artic Circle, the Caribbean & Barren Sea . most likely did the same number, maybe more AS A LEPO. (Law Enforcement Petty Officer)
on the old Coast Guard 41ft UTB ( Utility Boat )
(CG 44-foot motor lifeboat), the New (CG 47-foot MLB ) THAT REPLACED the old 44
and I was part of the CG Team that help oversea the Design and Construction of the new (CG 45- RB-M. ) Response Boat Medium Search and rescue VSL, That Replaced the CG 41FT UTB.
I have traveled up into the Artic circle on the old Wind class Ice Breakers ,
I was station on the CGC Northwind, a 282 Ice Breaker.
for Environmental Research, Ice Patrols, and Search and Rescue, ETC, along with resupplying Research Teams , and was part of the team that dropped off over 36 plus musk oxen in Greenland in the mid 1980 ,
While station on the CGC Nunivak, a 110 patrol boat, I did SAR search and rescue, & Law enforcement and environmental clean up of oil spills, from Alaska to the South of Mexico in the pacific oceans off the coast of Puerto Rico & IN The Mona Passage, IT IS A (Spanish:to south of mexico Canal de la Mona) is a strait that separates the islands of Hispaniola and Puerto Rico.
The Mona Passage connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Caribbean Sea and is an important shipping route between the Atlantic and the Panama Canal.. I also assisted in the training of multi FOREIGN CG and navy personal. though the Caribbean Sea.
Motor Life Boat, seen action in the Gulf of Mexico , where I did search and Rescue, Law Enforcement, patrols, and Environmental , I was also part of the team and many different CG vsl, that responded to the Haitian Migration of the 1990. to l responding to Hurricane Katrina along with may other Hurricanes.
my point is this.
we all VOLUNTEERED TO SERVE, the United States Military, in order to protect this nation citizens.
WE DID NOT HIDE.
THE UNITED STATES GOV SENT US WHERE THEY NEEDED US TO SERVE. AND WE WENT AND DID THE JOB WE WERE ASSIIGNED & COMPLETED THE JOB we were Assigned .
many citizens who never served do not understand the Military has many Different jobs ,
& we simply cannot leave these position empty,
or that it takes up to five or more men to supply one man on the front line, in order to keep the Service Member alive & Healthy someone has to ensure the service member has the proper weapons & Ammo , has the proper medical supplies, Clothing, Food & water Fuel, life saving Equipment ET. in order to keep THE Service Member alive and in fighting condition.
I have Seen Action in Both the Gulf of Mexico & the Gulf of Alaska , I have assisted in over 9,000 SAR CASES ,(Search and Rescue) in the Gulf Of Mexico, Gulf of Alaska, The Bering Strait. the Atlantic,& Pacific Oceans , Artic Circle, the Caribbean & Barren Sea . most likely did the same number, maybe more AS A LEPO. (Law Enforcement Petty Officer)
on the old Coast Guard 41ft UTB ( Utility Boat )
(CG 44-foot motor lifeboat), the New (CG 47-foot MLB ) THAT REPLACED the old 44
and I was part of the CG Team that help oversea the Design and Construction of the new (CG 45- RB-M. ) Response Boat Medium Search and rescue VSL, That Replaced the CG 41FT UTB.
I have traveled up into the Artic circle on the old Wind class Ice Breakers ,
I was station on the CGC Northwind, a 282 Ice Breaker.
for Environmental Research, Ice Patrols, and Search and Rescue, ETC, along with resupplying Research Teams , and was part of the team that dropped off over 36 plus musk oxen in Greenland in the mid 1980 ,
While station on the CGC Nunivak, a 110 patrol boat, I did SAR search and rescue, & Law enforcement and environmental clean up of oil spills, from Alaska to the South of Mexico in the pacific oceans off the coast of Puerto Rico & IN The Mona Passage, IT IS A (Spanish:to south of mexico Canal de la Mona) is a strait that separates the islands of Hispaniola and Puerto Rico.
The Mona Passage connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Caribbean Sea and is an important shipping route between the Atlantic and the Panama Canal.. I also assisted in the training of multi FOREIGN CG and navy personal. though the Caribbean Sea.
Motor Life Boat, seen action in the Gulf of Mexico , where I did search and Rescue, Law Enforcement, patrols, and Environmental , I was also part of the team and many different CG vsl, that responded to the Haitian Migration of the 1990. to l responding to Hurricane Katrina along with may other Hurricanes.
my point is this.
we all VOLUNTEERED TO SERVE, the United States Military, in order to protect this nation citizens.
WE DID NOT HIDE.
THE UNITED STATES GOV SENT US WHERE THEY NEEDED US TO SERVE. AND WE WENT AND DID THE JOB WE WERE ASSIIGNED & COMPLETED THE JOB we were Assigned .
many citizens who never served do not understand the Military has many Different jobs ,
& we simply cannot leave these position empty,
or that it takes up to five or more men to supply one man on the front line, in order to keep the Service Member alive & Healthy someone has to ensure the service member has the proper weapons & Ammo , has the proper medical supplies, Clothing, Food & water Fuel, life saving Equipment ET. in order to keep THE Service Member alive and in fighting condition.
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As an infantryman myself I'd like to ask those people how far they think they would get without all those other soldiers doing their jobs. They'd run out of ammo/fuel/water/food/etc. pretty quickly. Not to mention they wouldn't get their CIB/medals/pay/insurance/etc. It's just stupid really.
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SFC Joseph Behmke
It takes at least 7-8 "Non-Combat Support Troops" to get you where your going(fuel), feed you, provide your mail, medical support, ammo, batteries, Arty Spt or anything else you might need. Be thankful those real soldiers do their job well also.
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I tend to not listen to people like that. They usually have no clue what they're talking about. A soldier is a soldier. I don't know how one can be more "real" than another. Do we have imaginary soldiers running around the Army or something?
I've heard it too - it's usually combat arms telling support soldiers they aren't "real" soldiers.
My first deployment - I was a SPC. It was just me and my LT in the S2. The CSM's PSD PSG used to give me so much crap about being a "fobbit" and I didn't know what was going on outside the wire so how I could do any intel reports, etc. One day he comes in and he wants the SIGACTs for the day. I said "Nope sorry." (I think he was a SSG). He said "Why not?" I said "Well I'm just a fobbit. I don't know what is really going on so I can't give you anything that will help, can I?"
He kind of glared at me and I did give him the information but still - I got tired of it. Yes I was a fobbit. I was on the FOB. Omg I must not have ever been a real soldier during both my deployments. I went out on as many patrols as I could. My LT wouldn't let me go out very much. (Who would do the work?). Everyone can't be outside the FOBs. Sorry.
If someone wants to act like they are big crap they can. Usually the ones who boast the most didn't really do much at all during their time.
I've heard it too - it's usually combat arms telling support soldiers they aren't "real" soldiers.
My first deployment - I was a SPC. It was just me and my LT in the S2. The CSM's PSD PSG used to give me so much crap about being a "fobbit" and I didn't know what was going on outside the wire so how I could do any intel reports, etc. One day he comes in and he wants the SIGACTs for the day. I said "Nope sorry." (I think he was a SSG). He said "Why not?" I said "Well I'm just a fobbit. I don't know what is really going on so I can't give you anything that will help, can I?"
He kind of glared at me and I did give him the information but still - I got tired of it. Yes I was a fobbit. I was on the FOB. Omg I must not have ever been a real soldier during both my deployments. I went out on as many patrols as I could. My LT wouldn't let me go out very much. (Who would do the work?). Everyone can't be outside the FOBs. Sorry.
If someone wants to act like they are big crap they can. Usually the ones who boast the most didn't really do much at all during their time.
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Sgt Alex Casqueira
I completely agree with SFC, it's always the stolen Valor types that are running around throwing out terms like fobbit, or POG, I'm an infantryman to my core and I always thank the men and women who bring the chow or bullets out to me in the field, or if they just kick a pallet out of a 74 helo with a shute on it even, I still thank the guys when I get back to the flightline. The infantry might be where the rubber meets the road in war but there are 2 other men or women working behind each 1 infantryman making their mission even possible to begin with. It's always funny seeing those guys who are always making fun of the ones who are stuck inside the wire all the time, when the shit hits the fan and the fob is taking indirect fire from 120s or something, it's always the guys stuck inside the wire who rise up and get shit done when It counts. So I say to those guys who always mess with everyone stuck inside the wire, how many wars can you win by yourself without the 3 Bs being provided to you? Beans, bullets, and bandages. Semper Fi gents, keep your heads down.
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PO2 Joan MacNeill
LCpl Glenn Kellar - Having been in Viernam, but not trading bullets, it seemed just part of the job, so in my case "Vietnam Vet", although true, doesn't really carry the assumed glory. Yes, I have the pride, but I keep it in proportion. A soldier serving next to the Iron Curtain or South Korea, or certain airmen or sailors elsewhere could in those days have had as many harrowing experiences as many of his brothers in the jungles, yet not be a "Vietnam Vet". I can't begin to praise the Coast Guard as much as they deserve for their valorous and dangerous duty all over the world.
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SGT William Jackson
I was a Combat Grunt in Vietnam, 101st ABN I Corps mostly Ashau Valley. Let me tell you, most of us Grunts after a while, would take any rear job we could, soldiers are soldiers, we all had jobs to do, yes some were more dangerous than others, but that does not mean the non combat soldiers were not real. As long as one does their job they have value, their job is just as important as any other. Yea I used the term remf when I was there, but we all knew we needed the other guys also. I mean we were always glad to see a hot meal brought our to us after days of eating C-Rats. We were always glad to get our mail, and ice and cokes and beer. Believe me we all in the bush knew that the guys in the rear were important and were soldiers just as important as any other.
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Sgt Francis (Gene) Kennedy
SGT William Jackson - Can't say it any better. I was an 19yr old Sgt, AF Combat Controller also in the Ash, a little dump called LZ Sally. The only gripe I had was the way the Army sees combat. When they had "other options" than having to use "manpower" they chose sending troops in anyway. I can say, I stopped one such action, by bringing hellfire from the skies to light up an entire ridge line...took bigtime flack from the Army Major in charge. No worries, I didn't work for or answer to him. One of his platoons were REALLY happy that I did. MY BELIEF, if you put on the UNIFORM of any branch of service, doing ANY job~~YOU ARE IMPORTANT TO THE MISSION!!
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