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.
And you make it sound like I mean a soldier can just wander up to battalion and hang out with the Colonel. I think you know that I meant no such thing. But in the Army, you are in contact and commanded by your Lieutenant on a regular basis. He asks you questions and talks idly with you as a way to get to know you so that he can better command you. This doesn't mean you hang out together or go lay around the barracks at lunch time. But if I were walking along post for example, and was lost, if I saw a Major walking along I wouldn't think "oh sh!t! He's a MAJOR! I better not ask him". Rather I would salute him and say "Excuse me, Sir? I'm not from here- is the (2/15 battalion HQ for ex) down this way?" NOthing whatsoever wrong with a soldier asking a question like that. Now, granted, I gave a "time of day" question for example earlier. In all truth, if you were to ask a Seargent Major for the time of day he would probably send you on a survey to see what kind of watch every person in a 10 mile radius was wearing and you'd have to go see him later and tell him about it. But technically speaking- there is no rule that says you can't ask that question as long as you did it with the proper military bearing.
Also, I've had officers come up to me and ask my opinion on books and other things. If you develop a rapport with an officer on a particular subject why shouldn't you be able to speak to him in between things? What about classes? I've taken college classes with officers present- am I supposed to pretend he's not there or ask his permission before I answer the teacher or just treat him like a normal student as long as I don't disrespect him? These are all situations a soldier would run across in the course of his career and I just can't see your taboo about not speaking to the "Better People/Higher Ups" as being realistic. If it's like that in the Marines, fair enough, I won't be joining. But the Marines don't employ the basic tools of warfare any better than the Army. You give me a mortar and I'll go head to head with anybody you got because I'm just as good, just as deadly as any Marine.
Another point about soldier on the board. He went on to have a good career and he never had to give a female soldier an order (except in PLDC where he was forced to serve alongside them in a teaching environment) and he said he would've quit had the infantry been opened to females. I believed him. I would have too. I signed up for a combat MOS for a reason. My GT score qualified me for everything and my DLAB score made me a good candidate for translator. I wouldn't having any of that. I would've went nuts if I had to serve alongside the wimps that Hack describes in this article. I still believe that Hack is harping on the worst case here and getting paid to do so and not pointing out the positive side of our military- which is- it kicks major booty.
And the Army Song is still better ;-)
Which is why Hospital Corpmen are always writing on the toilet stall walls of every head they visit:
Here I sit on this latrine,
Giving birth to a new.....
;-)