In The Eyes of Soldiers, Everything Sucks

MSG(P) Rafael Aguilera — Tue, 03 May 2016 16:12:56 -0400

It has been said that if a soldier is not complaining to you, then your soldiers do not trust you. So many people think that “everything sucks” for them. Today’s soldiers focus on everything they don’t have instead of everything they are privileged to have. I am currently deployed on my fifth combat tour as the Provost Sergeant in Bagram, Afghanistan. The biggest complaints that I have heard in recent weeks are how sub-standard the living conditions are, how slow the internet is, and how junky the non-tactical vehicles are.

During my last tour, I slept in a tent with seven other soldiers. Some of them snored so loud that they drowned out the noise of the air conditioner; other soldiers were labeled as the stinky kids, and others needed company so desperately that they would knock on the door constantly to see what people were doing. And, without fail, the wind would pound against the tent, night or day, for 100 days at a time.

Currently, I live in quarters that are makeshift storage containers (connex boxes); these buildings compete for quality with low-income, stateside apartments. My bed is a standard-size, twin bed with the same frame that my son sleeps on; I get to use linens just like he does. Now I have a hard structure to sleep in, with only one roommate; my junior soldiers only have three people to a room, max. There are indoor restrooms within three doors of all rooms, regardless of where you are on base - that sure beats walking in flip flops through sand or rocks in the middle of the night.

Even with all the improvements to living conditions, “everything sucks” for soldiers.

In 2007 or 2008, I was forced to stand in line outside a trailer for 30 minutes in order to use the phone or check my email. I remember phone conversations with my family; after I spoke, my wife would hear the words two minutes later. There were often nineteen other soldiers in the same trailer trying to talk on the phone at the same time. Often, we found ourselves shoulder to shoulder or back to back, jockeying for position. I remember soldiers would complain back then because of the lines being so long; however, in today’s operational environment, soldiers are walking around with cell phones in the middle of a war. They get the opportunity to FaceTime, Skype, or instant message anyone and everyone back home. Yet, there are still the complaints of how slow the internet speed is. Looking back at how conditions were only a decade ago, these complaints are truly mind boggling.

Having junky Non Tactical Vehicles (NTVs) is another complaint heard through the base. A NTV is a basic car - basically anything other than a military vehicle. There are thousands of NTVs located on post for general transportation. Yes, it is far to walk if you travel to the opposite side of the base; however, most people are placed within 400 meters from where they work to where their barracks are. There are dining facilities located within walking distance from any point, yet still people insist on the need to drive everywhere. They drive the 400 meters to work, and then they drive down the street to go eat. It’s insanity.

There has been a weight problem in the military for a few years now - perhaps people will start putting two and two together and realize that all the driving is an issue. During my initial four tours, I walked everywhere I went; NTVs were not even an option. Now, military police are responding to minor traffic accidents and pedestrians being struck by vehicles. All of these vehicles are just serving to convenience laziness.

We’ve been at war for over a decade, nine months at a time. There have been great leaps and bounds in technology that have improved the quality of life while forward deployed. Consider for a second that you can fly across the United States in six hours! How many weeks did it take our ancestors? Or even our parents? And still, the plane seats are uncomfortable and the Wi-Fi doesn’t work. Complain, complain, complain. In order to combat the “everything sucks” mentality, leaders need to lead from their position with an attitude of gratitude. Soldiers don’t know what they don’t know.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made May 3 at 2016 4:31 PM

Sgt Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 03 May 2016 16:31:55 -0400

MSG(P) Rafael Aguilera Excellent post. Vietnam was bad, but we endured. Folks in the military should appreciate all that they do have. if nothing else, they should be thankful for their fellow brothers and sisters.

Response by Capt Tom Brown made May 3 at 2016 4:37 PM

Capt Tom Brown — Tue, 03 May 2016 16:37:51 -0400

MSG(P) Rafael Aguilera Sadly what you say is true, no data on how widespread these entitlement-type attitudes are or where they came from, but it is sad to see this in our warriors who are over there willing to die for our ideals or in support of the mission, sink so low as we complain about the soft ice cream machine is broken. Offer them a power bar and maybe they'll be happy for a short while.

Response by SGT Philip Roncari made May 3 at 2016 4:54 PM

SGT Philip Roncari — Tue, 03 May 2016 16:54:18 -0400

Boy and I thought we had it bad when we could not get jungle fatigues or socks,ours were rotting off,not having a good internet connection that's bad,I'm kind of feeling these are rear area gripes.Soldiers are not happy unless they can bitch about something I know we did

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 3 at 2016 5:03 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 03 May 2016 17:03:22 -0400

Great post 1SGT. I look back on my tenure in the Army and sometimes wish that I was still serving. I was thankful for everything I was taught and had all the experiences to include serving in RVN. These are the things we carry everyday of the rest of our lives, your soldier should be thankful for what they have.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 3 at 2016 5:15 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 03 May 2016 17:15:33 -0400

MSG(P) Rafael Aguilera , I will say this.....When I was in Iraq.....I was just stoked happy as all get out that I had the ability to have internet. I was even more stoked when my team was finally given a vehicle to use for our missions. I'm happy as a clam with what I have. Could I have more to do more, certainly.....but I make do with what I have when I don't have that little extra amenity.

Response by CPT Joseph K Murdock made May 3 at 2016 5:18 PM

CPT Joseph K Murdock — Tue, 03 May 2016 17:18:50 -0400

If anyone should complain it will George Washington's soldiers. They had no tents for the winters, no shoes for some, no pay, and very little to eat. What is the MOS of these complainers?

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 3 at 2016 6:14 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 03 May 2016 18:14:32 -0400

i'll say it embrace the suck

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made May 3 at 2016 6:33 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 03 May 2016 18:33:57 -0400

Both of my Iraq deployments I had an "ntv", it was called a bicycle! It was either that or walk unless you wanted to wait for a bus....if you had time to wait at all.

Response by SN Greg Wright made May 3 at 2016 11:11 PM

SN Greg Wright — Tue, 03 May 2016 23:11:42 -0400

As trident-bearing Sailors are fond of saying...Embrace the suck.

Response by SPC Kenneth Koerperich made May 4 at 2016 3:50 AM

SPC Kenneth Koerperich — Wed, 04 May 2016 03:50:57 -0400

It's because most Junior Soldiers are born after 1990 are self entitled sh*ts. So they think it should be just like it is back home. Sorry, no, I'm not PC. From what I see of most of todays soldiers, they would have been beaten/killed back in my day. We had nothing. Op Just Cause, only reason we got to call home, a benefactor, ie. rich Panamanian, whose building we holed up in for the day, let us use his phone. Otherwise we got SQUAT! These soldiers need to STFU, sit down, and appreciate how easy they have it....

Response by MSG(P) Rafael Aguilera made May 4 at 2016 7:54 AM

MSG(P) Rafael Aguilera — Wed, 04 May 2016 07:54:43 -0400

Over the last few years it has become very clear to me: Soldiers hate change. And the only thing they hate more than change is the way things are right now.

Response by SGT William Howell made May 4 at 2016 8:12 AM

SGT William Howell — Wed, 04 May 2016 08:12:59 -0400

I remember those days too. The good part is that I know I can live anywhere with anybody and be OK.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made May 4 at 2016 10:04 AM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 04 May 2016 10:04:46 -0400

Actually, I think it's a good thing. No matter what year you use as your start point, it always seems that things were tougher then than they are today. For you, you started with 30 minute lines to call home or email, compared to cell phones today. To someone starting 20 years before you, the idea of being able to call or email from a warzone is unbelievable, and you would look spoiled.

Or take field rations, from C-rats, to LRRPS, to early MREs to today's food. If troops weren't constantly bitching about the chow, would as much effort ever have been put in to make it better? If troops didn't bitch about sleeping in tents, would you have ever received the better accomodations you have now? I don't think a troop bitching and complaining means they aren't tough or can't hang when they need to. I'd heard the saying "if the troops ain't bitchin, the troops ain't happy" since I came in in the late 70s. And I remember how the old timers in the unit would talk about how easy the troops had it then and how soft everybody was. Now I read this forum and people refer to the 90s as the "old school, tough days" and I chuckle inside. It's sort of like how everyone thinks they went to the last hard Ranger School Class.

Response by SSG Michael Hartsfield made May 4 at 2016 10:58 AM

SSG Michael Hartsfield — Wed, 04 May 2016 10:58:04 -0400

MSG(P) Rafael Aguilera As I was told as a young Paratrooper, "If a Soldier ain't complaining, he ain't happy." It's been my experience that the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines I served with complain as a way to cope with not being home. For many it was an icebreaker, a way for strangers to related when they had next to nothing in common or were the FNG.
In all honesty, no one can stop Joe from complaining about anything. It's not about being entitled because we all, and I suspect you have as well MSG(P) Rafael Aguilera, have complained about something and ended up laughing about it or coming together because of it. Now, if you KEEP complaining about something, then you need to get snatched up and checked.

Response by Kim Bolen RN CCM ACM made May 4 at 2016 9:07 PM

Kim Bolen RN CCM ACM — Wed, 04 May 2016 21:07:09 -0400

Thank you Sir for the clarity of perspective. Great thoughts here.

Response by SFC David Pratt made May 4 at 2016 9:20 PM

SFC David Pratt — Wed, 04 May 2016 21:20:45 -0400

In all honesty, the things that suck the most make the best memories.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 9 at 2016 11:55 AM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 09 May 2016 11:55:41 -0400

I believe this falls under the people are at their best when things are worst etc. When we first rolled in country the conditions were as you'd expect ... austere. But the troops focused on the mission and life went one. The cries of "this sucks" were usually followed by another repeating the lines of one of my favorite cartoons, "I like the way this sucks" and of course "I wish it would suck more". Morale was great! Team cohesion awesome!

It wasn't until we started getting those circus tents with the crazy strong AC and other luxuries that the jocular "this sucks" started to be followed by "ya what the f***?!?!"

On my second tour, all the luxuries and amenities were in place from the get go. I can't say as I ever felt the camaraderie on that second time that was achieved the first time.

Response by SFC Jeff Couch made May 11 at 2016 8:24 PM

SFC Jeff Couch — Wed, 11 May 2016 20:24:16 -0400

If it don't suck then the job is not getting done and your not having fun nothing like walking a couple hundred feet in the sand and rocks with camel biters in flip flops to use the porta potty you gotta love it

Response by Capt Seid Waddell made May 14 at 2016 10:11 PM

Capt Seid Waddell — Sat, 14 May 2016 22:11:44 -0400

My 1SGT said that if the men ain't bitchin they ain't happy.

Response by Maj John Bell made May 14 at 2016 10:29 PM

Maj John Bell — Sat, 14 May 2016 22:29:07 -0400

A SgtMaj once told me that if you took all the Marines on active duty, promoted them two pay grades, sent them home, and mailed them checks for the rest of their lives, 90% would be mad as hell because you didn't put them on direct deposit. The other 10% would want to know why they only got promoted two pay grades.

Response by MAJ Andrew Ready made May 16 at 2016 8:13 PM

MAJ Andrew Ready — Mon, 16 May 2016 20:13:59 -0400

this is a great post. When Soldiers are quiet, you have a problem. As a squad leader in the 101st, my Soldiers often complained about trivial things. What i learned is that if I listened, I could get a good feel of the pulse of the squad. Quiet and disconnected usually equaled major issues that nobody wanted to talk about.

Response by CPL Patrick Brewbaker made May 24 at 2016 3:03 PM

CPL Patrick Brewbaker — Tue, 24 May 2016 15:03:34 -0400

I always remember Gunny Blake saying a bitching Marine, is a happy Marine.. OORAH!!

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 2 at 2016 7:38 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 02 Jun 2016 19:38:12 -0400

I like this post and concur. While at the old the Rhein Main, we were in old dorms that were falling apart, but the smell of cheeseburgers, AFN TV in an old day room were the days. It felt like reality and yet, these conditions were prime real estates to those in the fields or the tents my dad had in Korea, Thailand and Vietnam. MSG(P) Rafael Aguilera

Response by SPC Sheila Lewis made Jun 7 at 2016 5:47 PM

SPC Sheila Lewis — Tue, 07 Jun 2016 17:47:34 -0400

There is usually a shortage of positive character amongst the new Soldiers.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 13 at 2016 5:35 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 13 Jun 2016 17:35:00 -0400

You haven't embraced the suck until you've got so tired of your own Body odor that you've stripped down, broke ice during blowing snow and plunged into a mountain stream. Jumped out soaped up and jumped back in to rinse off then jumped back out dried off as best you could and got dressed again. All in less than 10 minutes. BTDT! As the man said; "You make do with what you got."

Response by SGT C Mendez made Jul 15 at 2016 4:39 PM

SGT C Mendez — Fri, 15 Jul 2016 16:39:31 -0400

Wow...you had A/C? I never did when I was in. But I sure as hell remember the stinky kids. It was during the time when the Platoon Sergeant ordered us to take him to the shower blivet and hose him down. SFC David Pratt said it perfect. "The things that suck the most make the best memories." I didn't have email access or cell phones in the field and it was ok with me. It gave me time to bond with my brothers (some more than others). But no regrets there. The part I loved the most about training and deployments was getting back to a time where we would deal with the "What if?" What if we didn't have electricity or access to anything internet related (one in the same). What would we do? Well, to those soldiers that say that everything sucks remember this: You were not forced to raise your hand and serve your country. You did this on your own. The different branches of the military train different, deploy different and provide certain amenities to their service members. You are not required to have your phone or internet access. That is a privilege. When you think you have it bad, there is always someone that has it worse than you.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 16 at 2016 7:26 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 16 Jul 2016 19:26:27 -0400

Ah, hell, there is always something to complain about from somebody's point of view. It's just a matter of making sure they keep things in perspective. I long for "old school" Army. At least if they are bitching about bullshit stuff, that means the important stuff is squared away.

I'm out of the Army, been out for 8 years, and I still bitch about stuff that sucks for the ones that are in now.

Response by 1SG Al Brown made Aug 18 at 2016 5:38 PM

1SG Al Brown — Thu, 18 Aug 2016 17:38:21 -0400

Yep, I lived at Kabul Compound (AKA Camp Eggers) in 04,05,07 and 08. The facility was wonderful in my eyes, because (a) I wasn't a Private on an endless guard roster and (b) I have also experienced a much greater level of suck on other deployments. I'll bet the Soldier's thought Valley Forge was cold and it sucked too.

Response by LCpl Donald Faucett made Apr 28 at 2017 2:02 PM

LCpl Donald Faucett — Fri, 28 Apr 2017 14:02:51 -0400

Marines don't complain, they ask for more or can we do it again, Sir! A difference between soldier and Marine