Bragging rights?

iceman2018

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There have been threads where a graduate of a certain SA would think themselves as better than other SAs.
What's the usual perception between branches excluding commandant's trophy football affiliation or bell ringing at KP.
"SA is not military" or "who came first" or "who's the best?"
Delta Force? Rangers? SEALS? Pararescue? Etc.
Army? Navy? AF? Marines? USCGS?
How do active/retired servicemen/women view men/women in uniform other than their own?
Is there friendly banter or animosity?
Professional jealousy or deep rooted differences?
 
There have been threads where a graduate of a certain SA would think themselves as better than other SAs.
What's the usual perception between branches excluding commandant's trophy football affiliation or bell ringing at KP.
"SA is not military" or "who came first" or "who's the best?"
Delta Force? Rangers? SEALS? Pararescue? Etc.
Army? Navy? AF? Marines? USCGS?
How do active/retired servicemen/women view men/women in uniform other than their own?
Is there friendly banter or animosity?
Professional jealousy or deep rooted differences?

At USMA, USNA, USAFA and USCGA cadets and midshipmen are technically active duty. They can use exchanges, they have Tricare coverage, etc etc etc. That said, most cadets and midshipmen would admit that they don't feel like they're part of their actual services until the graduate. Certainly a number of enlisted service members don't know how to receive cadets and midshipmen... do they salute (no, they shouldn't), are they sirs/ma'ams (yes, but...).

Who came first? USMA. Second: USNA. Third: USCGA. Fourth:USMMA. Fifth: USAFA.

Who is the best? That's up to each cadet/midshipman. I would hope you go to the place you think is the best. Obviously, for me that would be USCGA. I don't expect a USNA midshipman to agree. Of the other academies, I respect West Point the most.

How do people view other service members? Probably the same way you do when you see someone else in cloths. There's probably rush judgements if someone is sloppy in uniform, but really, it's just different. I didn't think too differently about other service members. As we've mentioned in other threads, each service is different and approached things differently, so maybe that's in the back of your mind. Some places have a great deal of overlap.... DC is a rainbow of uniforms, not just U.S. but allies too. Other places, there's no interaction between services.

Friendly banter or animosity....professional jealousy or deep rooted difference?

Certainly a good portion of the banter is friendly, at least in the real world. There is a point where it goes beyond "friendly" but that is dependent on the situation. The relationship between the Navy and Marines at GTMO is interesting. Some times, banter+alcohol= investigations.

I don't think it's often "professional jealousy". Each service has they way of doing things. There is some very deep rooted differences, but that's to be expected. If you join the Navy, your experience will be different than joining the Air Force. It's not only because of ships v. big planes but also the culture of the services. The Coast Guard culture is different from the Navy culture. The Army culture is different from the Marine Corps culture.

I can tell you what used to get on my nerves. I participated in a number of joint programs and never had an issue with the fun banter between services. Marines would take shots at Air Force, Navy shots at Coast Guard, Army shots at Marines... etc. As far as I was concerned, each person (in uniform) had earned the right to "talk #$%". What DID get on my nerves is when people (non-vet civilians, and yes, I include family members) felt the need to get in on the banter. I had one in an old job go on a speal of how the Marine Corps was the best branch. She was blown away when she learned I didn't agree. Her claim in USMC fame? She had been a contractor with a USMC foundation for a short time. If a Marine wants to debate the merits of the Marine Corps, outstanding. If someone who watched a movie about Marines or spent a few weeks hanging out with one wants to debate it, I'm far less willing. Go through boot camp, an academy or ROTC it you want in on the banter.
 
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Wow - Happy to say on this one, I too feel LITS hit the nail on the head with a sledgehammer.
 
I'll agree with Jasperdog so I don't have to agree with LITS. Okay, fine. I agree with LITS. :wink: :thumb:

My first exposure to inter-service attitudes was as a plebe sitting between two USMC Captains at some event. I believe the exact phrase I uttered was "The Marines are just part of the Navy". I still shudder remembering the icy stares.

Fast Forward 10+ years later and I am working for the USMC in an office where about 80% of the employees are either active duty or retired Marines. I very much enjoyed referring to them as just more Navy staff weenies ... Supply CORPS, Nurse CORPS, Marine CORPS. Good times.:shake:
 
The best bragging rights is coming home safe and sound mentally and physically.
 
This may be off topic but...

Could someone elaborate on the "culture differences" LITS mentioned? I have heard from a couple people that there is a different "mindset" to each service, that each service appeals to a different sort of person, etc. but nothing specific.
 
Come on; this is the easist question.

1. On the battle field, we are ALL brothers and sisters
2. Everywhere else; Air Force is the best at everything.

See; now, was that hard???

:thumb: Hee hee. Sorry, but somebody had to. LOL
 
Come on; this is the easist question.

1. On the battle field, we are ALL brothers and sisters
2. Everywhere else; Air Force is the best at everything.

See; now, was that hard???

:thumb: Hee hee. Sorry, but somebody had to. LOL
First shot fired!::tomcat:
Air supremacy:thumb:
 
First shot fired!::tomcat:
Air supremacy:thumb:

:tank1:
:usa:
:tank:
:guns4:
:beer1:

Excuse me, just had to.

We are all brothers/sisters in arms. Cultures are definitely different, but that is a good thing. In my staff college, the different services bring different and sometimes better ways of thinking about problems.
 
Could someone elaborate on the "culture differences" LITS mentioned? I have heard from a couple people that there is a different "mindset" to each service, that each service appeals to a different sort of person, etc. but nothing specific.

Army – Harder, not Smarter.
Air Force – What’s your handicap?
USMC – Adapt and overcome. If in doubt, adapt and overcome anyway.
Coast Guard – No lifeboats needed … we walk back to shore.
Navy – Haze Grey and underway!
 
Army – Harder, not Smarter.
Air Force – What’s your handicap?
USMC – Adapt and overcome. If in doubt, adapt and overcome anyway.
Coast Guard – No lifeboats needed … we walk back to shore.
Navy – Haze Grey and underway!

Army – Harder, not Smarter.
Air Force – What’s your handicap? Let's just play from the women's tee
USMC – Adapt and learn to read. But probably just look at the pictures.
Coast Guard – No lifeboats needed … we walk back to shore (unless there's a riptide, then ride it out and swim parallel to the shore).
Navy – where the molestache never went out of style.
 
I'll agree with Jasperdog so I don't have to agree with LITS. Okay, fine. I agree with LITS. :wink: :thumb:

My first exposure to inter-service attitudes was as a plebe sitting between two USMC Captains at some event. I believe the exact phrase I uttered was "The Marines are just part of the Navy". I still shudder remembering the icy stares.

Fast Forward 10+ years later and I am working for the USMC in an office where about 80% of the employees are either active duty or retired Marines. I very much enjoyed referring to them as just more Navy staff weenies ... Supply CORPS, Nurse CORPS, Marine CORPS. Good times.:shake:

Did those Captains mention that yes we are part of the Navy, the better part?
I know we are under the Department of the Navy, "the Men's Department". Haha. Just a little interservice banter.
 
My dad's story thought it would fit here. Go ARMY!

My dad in WWII served on a transport ship in the Pacific. He was Navy Semaphore. On the way from Hawaii to the island they were about to invade the Marines on board would rib him to no end. He had no duties other than practicing with his flags. The Marines would call them his pom-poms and you can guess where it went from there. On the way to the beach all the Marines were tucked down behind the walls of the landing craft, as shells were dropping all around them and machine gun fire was hitting the sides, shaking and just being a “little” scared. While they were down there, my dad was standing up tall with his back to the beach shaking his pom-poms with clean pants (as he would say). The landing craft land exactly where it was suppose to and all the Marines on his craft made it past the first hour. When he picked up the same Marines after the battle to take back to the transport they still called his flags pom-poms but with whole lot of reverence in their voices and he was welcome to sit with them anytime on the way to the next island.
As someone said early in this thread we are all brothers in battle and I will add and after.
 
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