That's the same in the Army. That's why I reacted to the post in the first place. From my perspective, a Marine was taking one event and extropolating this onto the Army as a whole. My original assertions stand. If the Army got rid of all our support battalions and such that the Marines don't have, we'd be comparable. If you had the baggage units the Army has, you'd have some of these same problems. The way this is referred to in the Army is "combat unit or everything else" A combat unit isn't anything like an "everything else" unit. I wouldn't have a clue what it's like to serve alongside someone who was a woman or who didn't devote most of their training to fighting. Nor would I want to serve alongside such.
Had a buddy who at his promotion board was asked a question about the regulations regarding the length of a female soldier's skirt. He told the First Seargent that he didn't know and that he didn't give a flying f%ck. He aced the board! I would bet aside from this fear of talking to officers that you wouldn't notice that much difference between being in the Army or the Marines.
The biggest difference I've ever really noticed is you guys roll your sleeves differently. And we have a better song.
Except for medical, dental and chaplain corps, the Marine Corps is self-supporting. We have our own chow-halls, admin offices, motor transports, logistic units, and the like. When a MEU or MEB or MEF deploys, it is self-supporting for 30 days, 60 days or indefinitely respectfully. The big difference with the Corps is attitude. We believe every Marine is a rifle man. Every last one of us. My Marine might drive a truck when he isn't engaging the enemy, but he is a Marine rifle man first and foremost.
Had a buddy who at his promotion board was asked a question about the regulations regarding the length of a female soldier's skirt. He told the First Sergeant that he didn't know and that he didn't give a flying f%ck. He aced the board!
True story. When I was a young LCpl I was on a meritorious promotion board for Cpl. I was asked if Marines were authorized to carry umbrellas during inclement weather while in uniform. I say no. The 1stSgt said I was wrong as woman Marines are authorized to carry umbrellas in uniform during inclement weather. I replied, "1stSgt, you said Marines, not women Marines." I was chewed out and kicked off the board, like I would have done to your buddy. Being a leader means you lead all not just the ones you want to. How can he lead a female soldier (cause as an NCO you are a leader not just a leader of males) if he doesn't give a flying f%ck about their regulations.
I enjoy inter service rivalry as well as the next guy and constantly harass our corpsman just for the hell of it, but I believe you are doing the army a disservice by suggesting that a PFC can casually ask a Bn Cmdr bs questions and you see nothing wrong with it or that a soldier can be unprofessional on a board and admit he only cares about a portion of the soldiers under his charge and that is a good thing.
That's the same in the Army.
You suggested in the one post that it was okay for this dim bulb of an Army private to approach the Bn CO without consideration of the chain of command. So now you are changing your tune.
Walt