Posted on 07/29/2007 4:24:57 PM PDT by Red6
Video on CBS link about the DoD and "gang violence".
If the link doesn't work, use CBS: http://www.cbsnews.com
On the right, half way down, look for the link to "Gang warfare in the Military."
The DoD in the past, especially during the drawdown years ago, could be overly picky with whom they took. This went so far that a young man with more than two traffic violations in the last six months could not enter service. Do three speeding tickets make a young man a “bad guy?” He needed a "moral waiver" to get in! Tattoo's which nearly 30% of all young men and women between the ages of 25 and 34 have if visible disqualified a person from service. Of course CBS took the loosening of some of these restrictions to mean that the Army is now intentionally recruiting gang members; that the standards have dropped because “moral waivers” are given for a Celtic or Mickey Mouse tattoo that is barely visible while in uniform.
We understand that the "Recruiting shortfall” stories no longer have any traction and have been sunk with facts, so I guess the new angle is the "Army of criminals", which BTW is another old stereotype from years past. Other military stories on their site: Pat Tillman and the never ending cover-up. I was surprised not to see anything referencing Abu Gahrib.
Time to change the channel.
Source: http://www4.army.mil/ocpa/read.php?story_id_key=8692
The way it use to be (I joined in 96), a woman that had brows tattooed on her face technically was in violation! does that make sense? No.
Hey, I resembled that remark once years ago.
Especially if they have a compass.
Me, too. Back in my day, it took two years to swap the butter bar out for a silver bar. It didn't start clicking for me until I flunked my first ARTEP...looking back on my mistakes, it was like a big light came on. I was fine after that. Especially if they have a compass.
That shouldn't be a problem anymore...I thought a GPS device was now standard issue. If it isn't, it should be!
Didn't need a compass or map where I was stationed at in Germany. After about two weeks, I knew where my primary and secondary positions were. It took me about four weeks to know where the best gasthauses und bacherei were in the closest towns.
Damn, I loved being a platoon leader! Whenever the Air Force had their alerts, battalion (and group) had to leave us alone, as we came under the direct command of the Wing Cdr. With the possible exception of a routine visit from the USAFE/NATO evaluators, Tac Evals were pretty close to being a 4 day camping trip. Of course, we caught hell when it was over, as we had to make up the Army requirements.
A few years later, as Battalion S-4, I used that knowledge to lay out a sophisticated scenario for my logistical briefings during our Battalion ARTEP. After my first briefing, the Group S-3 asked me "how the heck did you come up with that BS?". I simply replied, "Colonel, I've lived here for four years, and spent thousands of hours getting to know this area, and its people. I applied that knowledge with my boss' demands to be imaginative and innovative, and I believe I met his challenge."
The "Old Man" had a big grin on his face...later, I worked for him for another two years back at Fort Bliss.
There is an old movie titled "The Reluctant Hero" about a young lieutenant in the Korean war. That was the closest rendition of "that feeling" I've ever seen.
You do grow out of it, thank God.
Even if they aren’t extremist or racist, a tattoo on the back of the neck doesn’t exactly show professionalism. It sort of makes the Army look tacky. I’ve seen some pretty fantastic tattoos on soldiers, but none that could be seen while in a Class A. And there is a reason for that: While in uniform you represent America, and you want to represent her well.
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