NYH;
MSP ret is just being polite, and rightly so...since he was a Marine.
I was in the Army many years ago 50s and 60s...
At that time, basically the Army was men....sure there were WACs (Women's Army Corps)....but we didn't train with them, nor billet (live) with them. They had their jobs, primarily clerical, medical or other rear-eschelon jobs.
Now ; before I go on, I want to state that the Army has some premier troops, primarily in the combat arms. I can only offer great respect for the Rangers, Special forces etc.
The critical juncture occured a few years ago, when the various services had to (by pressure from politicians) choose whether they were going to go completely "politically correct" or not.
As far as I can see, the Marines are the only branch to eschew that "phony baloney" posture.
When I was in the "brown boot" Army ( boots changed from brown to black about 1958), we were treated brutally by today's standards...
We often were stood at attention in the hot sun until some of the soldiers fell flat on their face. I have been in "full gear" forced marches and we were led, yes LED by NCOs that kept driving us until there were only about 4 or 5 of us still marching(dragging)
I have seen troopers that were out of step continually, have the platoon Sgt. grab their M1 rifle near the handguard, pull it out about 10" to a foot and SLAM the rifle up along side the troops head, knocking him down and his steel pot rolling down the road!
Now, that last act, I NEVER would have done to a 'cruit when I was a DI...but that particular Platoon Sgt. had recently served in the Korean war and carried a bit of "imbalance".
There is a Mystique among soldiers and Marines that a civilian would have problems relating to.....
When you have been through such challenges, and you and just a few others are still standing...you may be beat, sick, dog-tired and ache all-over....but when the band starts playing and the flags flapping; your back straightens, your step gets snappy and you're so darn proud to be "one of the few"!
I have a nephew in the Army, a Sgt. in Engineers...just got back about a week ago from Iraq.
He is just biding his last year or two to retirement...
It seems that in today's PC Army, if an individual soldier is having a "hard day" and he/she doesn't want the Sgts. "chewing out", he/she has a "time-out" card that he/she can flash, and the platoon Sgt. has to "back off".
He had a female soldier back at Ft. Lewis Wa. a few years ago that was an "eight-ball" and trouble maker. One day he sat her down and talked somewhat sternly to her. When he finished, he figured they understood each other...
She went to the battalion commander and shed some tears...
My nephew was called in, and was threatened with an article #15...because he made a "soldier" cry!
Seems to me, a "soldier" that is easily inclined to cry, is in the wrong line of work!
Again; the Army has some absolutely top notch units/soldiers....but basic training is geared to the lowest denominator.
Since they train men and women together...from what I understand, the forced marches, rifle ranges etc, etc. are all less demanding than with the Marines.
My grandson placed top in his weight class, fighting with pugil sticks! If women and men were training together...how could troops be expected to go "full out" with pugil sticks?
If you drove a platoon until about 3/4 of the people fell (and I mean FELL) you would usually have only men left...not good for PC.
Yes, the Marines, being fewer in number, don't have certain schools of their own...tanks, for instance. They train in tanks, with the Army...I presume at Ft. Knox, where I trained in tanks many years ago..
To wrap it up; my grandson wanted to be one of "the few; the proud!".
Knowing the importance of TEAM in the military, the "Army of one" slogan immediately turned him off; It seemed to indicate selfishness...
I have to admit that with today's PC Army; I would probably do the same.
OK; you soldiers that are serving in today's Army...I may be "out of the loop"...correct me where I am wrong.