What are some of the biggest lies that were told to you while you were in or since you have been in the military?

It was a long time ago, but I inquired at DIA where I had many acquantances before separating from the Air Force when I was stationed at Ramstein, and they told me that I could fill any number of GS-12 positions they had open that required TS/SCI. They also said there were GS-12 positions open at NSA that I was qualified for that I could also apply for and would probably get. At the same time I was offered a contractor position to stay at Ramstein supporting intel users at the COIC so I took that instead.

In 2001 I applied for a GS-14 position at CIA and was accepted, but had to wait for them to do a complete re-investigation In the mean time, I was offered a GS-13 position at DISA and took that. A year later I was a GS-14, and a year after that a GS-15. I finally was contacted by CIA that my clearance was approved but since I was already a GS-15, I didn't take that GS-14 job.

Having a TS/SCI security clearance made it easy for me to get all those jobs. Being good at what I do was the main reason, but the clearance made it an easy decision for them.

Mainly seize the initiative and work, yes Work, to find the outfit you want to work for! It is up to you not Them!

SSG Elizabeth Koss Again WORK to find your dream job. No one will do this for you!

SSgt GG-15 RET Jim Lint YES!

On the sunburn issue, I call you out. I was threatened with an Article 15 for a sunburn I got on leave when I took a fishing trip in the Gulf of Mexico. I was told that if I went to sick call and put on quarters for that sunburn I WOULD get an Article 15. One of the airman who took that same fishing charter with me did in fact get an Article 15 because his sunburn was severe, was put on quarters and then later had to be hospitalized at Wilford Hall Medical Center.

Sgt Stephen Chiles - Two problems with your story...

1) You don't state (and probably don't know) what charge your friend was given the Art 15 under. If either of you actually faced an Art 15 it would have been for violation of Article 115 (Malingering), not Article 108 (Loss, Damage, Destruction, or Wrongful Disposition of US Government Property)

2) Because Article 15 is a non-judicial process there are actually no standards of proof if you accept the Article 15. You could receive an Art 15 for "being too tall" or any other made-up offense. So, yes you could be threatened with an Art 15 over a nonsense charge and if you were stupid enough to accept, it would be legal.

MSG Thomas Currie - First of all, my fellow airman was not charged with malingering. In fact, he was given the Art 15 AFTER he left Wilford Hall Medical Center smf yjrtrgptr due to hospitalization could not be charged with malingering due to being admitted for the severity of his sunburn. That I know for sure. Plus, since he was hospitalized, he was therefore transferred temporarily to the hospital command while he was admitted and not under the purvue of our commander. He was charged after he was discharged and immediately returned to duty. I know about the being temporarily transferred when hospitalized because i had to be hospitalized about a year later for a kidney stone/surgery. Nonetheless, the airman was charged with destruction of government property and he appealed with the Judge Advocate Generals office and eventually won. I was not a part of that proceeding so you are correct that I do not know the details if there were anything more to it than I was told.

As for myself, my burn was not as severe as my fellow airman and did return to duty after returning from leave. My CO would have never known except that my office was just a floor down from his and did a walkthough of the CBPO that day and saw my burn. His threat to me was made in front of all in my shop. Now maybe he thought I didn't know better and tried to put the fear of God in me. Maybe not. Fact is, I was an EMT before I entered service and knew how to treat myself and had no intention of going to sick call anyway.

I would add that my CO wasn't one of my favorites because he liked to threaten people all of the time but other than the sunburn issue, he and I got along pretty well. I blew off the threat after a while as maybe he had a lot of airman getting bad burns that year and got fed up with it. He was relieved of command about a year later for unknown reasons to me but I seriously doubt it had anything to do with us and it was never mentioned at Commanders Call from the new commander. We were only told he wa relieved of duty.

CSM John Mead - That is sad Cmd Sgt Maj., and, likely, the product of witting or unwitting psy-ops at a broad level. People look to see if something has been "fact checked", rather than fact check it through their own research, people they know or reasoned debate with others they respect. We, as a society, become physically, mentally and emotionally lazy, and, as a result, far less capable in almost every metric. A potential positive: many of us still possess the will to fight and are relatively unconcerned with the damage that will cause us personally. All enemies foreign or domestic is not a suggestion. It is who many of us are. Thank you for your comment CSM.

So true about awards and rank. I deployed to Iraq with the Army as an E4. Just received an AAM. However, our more Sr ranks were put in for Bronze Stars, even though they stayed on base and never left the wire.

"The Army encourages and appreciates candor."
"The Army encourages and appreciates creative thinkers."

I hate to have to say it, but this is very true in the corporate and union worlds too. I remember people complaining about BS "politics" and "curtain climbers" when I was on active duty... or saying how people would do anything to get a little medal or ribbon

After 37 years in the corporate world, in both hourly and salaried positions, I can say with 100% certainty that the military does not hold a candle to the corporate world or union BS!

If you think that military members would do anything for a ribbon or medal, WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT THEY DO IN THE CORPORATE WORLD WHEN THE END RESULT IS MORE MONEY... ESPECIALLY IN MANAGEMENT AND EXECUTIVE ROLES?

I've known many former managers who stepped away from management because they were tired of "lying to their subordinates", or refused to "stab their subordinates in the back"... the ones who rise to the top are usually the most ruthless backstabbers out there,

They tell you that they "encourage innovation", but when you try to innovate, you are usually shot down for it. I've come up with MANY innovations to improve my training materials, which became VERY popular with my colleagues, some of whom recommended me for awards... yet management tells me that the my innovations are a waste of time, or unacceptable. Then again, I've had managers go ahead and present my innovations as THEIR IDEA.

Unions aren't any better. When I first got out of the military, I was a flightline tech for Rockwell International on the B-1B Production Flight Test. It was a "closed shop", so membership in the UAW was MANDATORY. I can say firsthand that union politics are beyond reprehensible. You can work your ass off, but at the next pay raise you get the same amount that lazy, worthless workers get. Don't you dare try to change anything, or you will be blacklisted.

I can go on for hours about this issue!

TSgt John Brody - My wife was an E-5 and was passed over 2 times when she did some extraordinary things. She got nothing while an officer who needed the medal, each time, got the credit who had nothing to do with what was done.

I was an E-6 on my final deployment to AFG and had an outstanding E-4 as one of my troops. I asked my Army CAV battalion to put her in for an Army Commendation and they were very excited to recognize her for efforts during an attack. I had to FIGHT my Air Force chain of command that were telling me that she didn't qualify for an ARCOM and have them downgrade it to an Achievement award. I told them to pound sand.