Chicken$#!+

Spc 1 J W. — Fri, 06 Dec 2013 21:12:56 -0500

While reading Stephen Ambrose book, "Band of Brothers" years ago I came across a quote. Ambrose quotes Paul Fussel writing in Fussel's book "Wartime", the quote is as follows:

"Chickenshit refers to behavior that makes military life worse than it need be: petty harassment of the weak by the strong; open scrimmage for power and authority and prestige; sadism thinly disguised as necessary discipline; a constant 'paying off of old scores'; and insistence on the letter rather than the spirit of ordinances. Chickenshit is so called--instead of horse- or bull- or elephant shit -- because it is small-minded and ignoble and takes the trivial seriously."

Do these types of folks exist in today's wartime military? Are they in positions of power and authority? Are they deployed or at home station?

Response by CW2 Joseph Evans made Dec 6 at 2013 9:26 PM

CW2 Joseph Evans — Fri, 06 Dec 2013 21:26:56 -0500

They exist, and in spades...

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made May 3 at 2014 8:46 PM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 03 May 2014 20:46:01 -0400

They absolutely exist..........they've always existed......sometimes in power, sometimes pursuing power. Not sure which is worse.

Response by SFC William Swartz Jr made May 3 at 2014 8:48 PM

SFC William Swartz Jr — Sat, 03 May 2014 20:48:23 -0400

Yup, there be more than a few that I ran across over the course of my career...easy to forget once you are away from them, but sucked when working with/for them.

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made May 3 at 2014 8:52 PM

PO1 William "Chip" Nagel — Sat, 03 May 2014 20:52:25 -0400

They were still around when I retired in 97.

Response by SPC Charles Brown made May 3 at 2014 9:16 PM

SPC Charles Brown — Sat, 03 May 2014 21:16:17 -0400

Funny thing about that little white speck on top of the pile of chicken shit. That speck is chicken shit too. Yes it still exists and it only seems to be getting worse as time goes on.