Military question, help me answer a liberal

[Randjuke]

Sorry for the personal post, but I have a question that hopefully some active duty or recent military can help me with. My wife has a very liberal friend who has a son currently in the Army stationed in North Korea. At every opportunity she complains of how the Army is mistreating her son, requiring him to pay for his own food, uniforms and even ammunition.

I was active duty Air Force in Desert Storm (stateside the whole time) and while I vaguely remember buying my own uniforms and meals, I also remember getting a uniform allowance and food expenses were also figured in somehow. On the issue of ammo, though, the only time I fired a weapon was in training and I certainly didn't pay for the ammo.

So my question is what truth, if any, is there to her claims? Maybe she is talking about people who decide to go out to the firing range on their own? Thanks for any clarification.

[masadaman]

As an opener, I don't expect that the U.S. Army has any troops in NORTH Korea.

[HiJinx]

Dittos.

If he's buying ammo, it's Chinese, perhaps?

The story you're being told is a whopper, hold the mayo, extra baloney!

[Randjuke]

As an opener, I don't expect that the U.S. Army has any troops in NORTH Korea.

Actually it's a super-secret mission organized by John Kerry and the CIA (oops I meant South Korea).

[Chummy]

"...a very liberal friend who has a son currently in the Army stationed in North Korea...."


"Very liberal"? I'll say. Those are communists in the North Korean Army.

[skikvt]

Man, I remember having to buy my own TOW missiles. At $180,000 a pop it really puts a damper on the extra spending cash...

[CitadelArmyJag]

I'll never forget my first aircraft carrier. I saved for years to buy it, but it was worth every hour I spent bagging groceries at the Piggly Wiggly during high school.

[Jo5329]

My wife has a very liberal friend who has a son currently in the Army stationed in North Do you mean South? Korea. At every opportunity she complains of how the Army is mistreating her son, requiring him to pay for his own food, uniforms and even ammunition.

Soliders are provided a basic issue of uniforms out of basic training. Every year they are giving a Clothing Allowence (amount determined by rank) to replinish this initial issue. Food is provided 3 times a day in situations where the solider cannot go to the mess hall. (ie: MREs) Yes, you have to pay for the food in the mess hall, but it's a cheap. As for the ammunition issue, that's a lie that solider is making up to make it sound worse than it really is.

To back up my information - my husband is a 1SG in the US Army.

[dinasour]

My son is in South Korea and he does have to by his own uniform and meals.

The Army is a job, just like any other. I have to by my clothes and meals too.

If he were in combat, he would be supplied more, but when you are stationed on base, it just like a job.

[maine-iac7]

At every opportunity she complains of how the Army is mistreating her son, requiring him to pay for his own food, uniforms and even ammunition.

let's say, for the sake of arguent that he's in SOUTH K - sounds like maybe he may be pulling a scam on mummie - and mummie mails him money to make up for it...hehe

he take the money and snickers at gullible mummie

[sandviper]

If you don’t live in barracks you are paid for food and you must pay back the cost of the meal to the service if you eat in the mess hall. Every enlistment you are issued new clothing. There is no ammo buying.

If this guy is living in a barracks he pays for NOTHING !!! If he’s living in a hooch someplace he’s paying for more then food

[Jo5329]

You are not issued now clothing on reenlistment in the Army -- you are given a clothing allowence yearly - amount to be determined by rank.

Again, to back up my information, I'm married to an Army 1SG.

[Elephino]

"I'll never forget my first aircraft carrier. I saved for years to buy it, but it was worth every hour I spent bagging groceries at the Piggly Wiggly during high school."

Good one!