Thoughts on the Navy from an Army guy

I spent the past week doing work-related traveling. Most of it was spent in the heart of Navy-land, the Norfolk/Hampton/VA Beach area. A few thoughts...

1. Jets are stupid loud. Living under the DP routes from a Naval Air Station must be a miserable existence. You can't even hear yourself think on the ramp.

2. Norfolk Naval Station is massive. It's pretty cool to be driving across the Hampton Bridge/Tunnel and seeing all the ships in port. Lots of aircraft, too, though Navy helicopters aren't that interesting. We did see lots and lots of ships coming into port and going out. I'm amazed at how fast a frigate or destroyer can turn.

3. Navy rank is mystifying, and those uniforms...blue camo? Whose idea was that? I had to stop a sailor and ask her to explain why her nametapes/rank were gold and not silver. It seems backward to me, but at least I know now.

4. The Navy Exchange. Wow. The NEX at Norfolk is the largest in the world, and it rivals the nicer malls in Nashville for selection. We went there just to see it and ended up dropping serious cash. AAFES exchanges are AWFUL...but the NEX is a place I'd seriously shop. We ended up buying Apple computers, North face jackets, Brooks running shoes, and some Merrells...all discounted, plus tax free. You will never find brands like that at a PX/BX (though we don't call them that anymore, I guess). I don't know how the Army/Air Force went so wrong with AAFES....the NEX is legit.

5. Navy people.......are some great Americans. I got the chance to have dinner with my buddy, a USNA grad, who I met on a deployment when we did some joint work. Besides being a Rhodes Scholar, a swimmer, and an EOD officer, he's a downright great person. It was great to swap stories and share memories of dusty times in a faraway place over some top-notch seafood. That is one of the truly great things about serving your country...the people you meet.

I'm still glad to be a USMA grad and an Army officer...but the Navy is a neat organization with a lot of history, and some awesome toys and even better people.

If you like seafood...join a sea service. After the fish tacos I had this week, I can die a happy man.

Haha, some friends and I took a trip to San Diego this summer. One of my friends is enlisting in the Navy, and I'm applying to USNA with an eventual goal of Marine Aviation. We spent time on Coronado Beach, right in the (approach corridor, yes?) of the NAS there (is it NAS Coronado, San Diego, ...?). The jets flew by pretty often, caused quite a ruckus. Made me grin.

JettAirliner said:

Haha, some friends and I took a trip to San Diego this summer. One of my friends is enlisting in the Navy, and I'm applying to USNA with an eventual goal of Marine Aviation. We spent time on Coronado Beach, right in the (approach corridor, yes?) of the NAS there (is it NAS Coronado, San Diego, ...?). The jets flew by pretty often, caused quite a ruckus. Made me grin.

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It's Naval Amphibious Base (NAB) Coronado. The approach path is for NAS North Island..

scoutpilot said:

and those uniforms...blue camo?

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Yeah, I think that's to conceal yourself out in the waves and swells..

scoutpilot said:

Whose idea was that?

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My guess is the Office of Naval Intelligence..

deepdraft,

You can concel yourself even better by wearing coveralls.

jadler03 said:

deepdraft,

You can concel yourself even better by wearing coveralls.

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It maybe more appropriate to be wearing bell-bottom dungarees and chambray work shirts; especially if you find yourself on the wrong side of the ships rail.

Dear Scout Pilot,

Thank you for your kind missive on America's great Navy, you know, "our global force for good" (I gag every time I hear that recruiting ad!)

You'll be glad to know that we traditionalists do not understand the "digi-cam" thing either. As DD1 said, chambray and blue jeans scream "SAILOR"! An identifier that many of us are proud to be called. I'm sure that you saw the E-1 to E-6 working uniform that also looks suspiciously Marine. I'm convinced that some 3 star logistics yo-yo yearned to be a Marine, so he made the Navy look like wanna-be's.

As a squid that now works for the Army, I am equally as confused about your uniforms. Now that you are in the transition from "Greens" to "Blues" perhaps you could also do away with the frenchy french french beret thing! I believe another case of a 3 star POG that wanted to be SF. Please go back to the much more impressive frame hat and garrison hat. Leave the berets for the Rangers and SF's! (if they still want them)

What's the deal with spurs? We had a LTC here, who’s an engineer, that once served with the Air Cav, and now wears spurs with his dress uni. And how about all these guys that wear 101 and 82 shields that never jumped out of an airplane? Weird. Folks in the Navy that wear badging that wasn't earned, usually pay for it with a pounding.

Chow on a base facility is nothing compared to the cuisine afloat, especially in submarines. Sailors eat well! And, oh yeah, along with the three squares, we get a rack that goes where ever we go! No tent thingy’s or bags to sleep in. Real sheets and blankets! I could never understand the allure of sleeping on the ground in the rain and mud.

Our Helo's are just fine, thank you! They pick up the airdales when they do an oopsy and miss the deck! If you have a chance, go down the road and watch the muddy water Navy, with the Marines, pull off an amphibious operation. Really impressive.

By now, I'm sure you're considering a cross-service! Life is sweet on the briny deep!

SubSquid said:

Dear Scout Pilot,

Thank you for your kind missive on America's great Navy, you know, "our global force for good" (I gag every time I hear that recruiting ad!)

You'll be glad to know that we traditionalists do not understand the "digi-cam" thing either. As DD1 said, chambray and blue jeans scream "SAILOR"! An identifier that many of us are proud to be called. I'm sure that you saw the E-1 to E-6 working uniform that also looks suspiciously Marine. I'm convinced that some 3 star logistics yo-yo yearned to be a Marine, so he made the Navy look like wanna-be's.

As a squid that now works for the Army, I am equally as confused about your uniforms. Now that you are in the transition from "Greens" to "Blues" perhaps you could also do away with the frenchy french french beret thing! I believe another case of a 3 star POG that wanted to be SF. Please go back to the much more impressive frame hat and garrison hat. Leave the berets for the Rangers and SF's! (if they still want them)

What's the deal with spurs? We had a LTC here, who’s an engineer, that once served with the Air Cav, and now wears spurs with his dress uni. And how about all these guys that wear 101 and 82 shields that never jumped out of an airplane? Weird. Folks in the Navy that wear badging that wasn't earned, usually pay for it with a pounding.

Chow on a base facility is nothing compared to the cuisine afloat, especially in submarines. Sailors eat well! And, oh yeah, along with the three squares, we get a rack that goes where ever we go! No tent thingy’s or bags to sleep in. Real sheets and blankets! I could never understand the allure of sleeping on the ground in the rain and mud.

Our Helo's are just fine, thank you! They pick up the airdales when they do an oopsy and miss the deck! If you have a chance, go down the road and watch the muddy water Navy, with the Marines, pull off an amphibious operation. Really impressive.

By now, I'm sure you're considering a cross-service! Life is sweet on the briny deep!

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The beret is on its way out, honestly.

As for those 101st and 82nd patches, they are wearing them because they served in combat with those divisions. The 101st Airborne no longer jumps, as they are an Air Assault division now. The name is purely for heritage. Whether or not someone jumped with the unit is immaterial to whether they're authorized to wear the combat patch. Early in OIF many units from one division were attached to other divisions, so people earned some odd patches.

Spurs are sacred to cavalry units. Spurs are earned via a "spur ride" which is a 24-48 hour suckfest, usually extremely physical in nature. Patrolling, weapons, PT, marching, etc. Once earned, spurs may be worn forever. Those who have earned their spurs and then served with that unit in combat may wear gold spurs in lieu of the traditional silver.

I could be talked into a joint tour with the Navy. Some of your procedures are pretty foreign, like FACSFAC. But overall it's a near organization and I like the way you do business.

I still don't get the silver/gold thing.

Most of us like the Navy. It's the Air Force we can't stand.

scoutpilot said:

Most of us like the Navy. It's the Air Force we can't stand.

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I won't say a thing...I won't say a thing...I won't say a thing....
(repeat ad neaseum)

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83
(who REALLY dropped a lot coin at the NEX at both Pearl and Agana)

you have a point..

Why would you want to wear blue camo, especially if you fell into the water...they couldn't find you? Really, I like the Navy, we were attached to a Naval Hospital "Over -There".