Support NeoGAF

[donkey show]

Welcome to the veteran life, bro! Thanks for serving. =)

And never forget to take advantage of what the VA has to offer you now that you're out, from the GI Bill to housing loans. As for the health care, hope that works out in the end for you man.

That, and grab his hat as often as humanly possible.

Also, stare at them while in the chow line.

And take all the sweets and soda you want.

 

[TheKaeptain]

Don't be mad guys. Being second and third place isn't bad. It's just not as good as being number 1, is all. Plus, you wear berets. Berets.


EDIT: Oh,yeah that shitting early advice is official. If you're smart, you'll take the last shift of firewatch so you can shit, and be awake instead of getting reveille'd up.

Sound advice. Nothing worse than keeping that shit stocked up while running.

 

[WanderingWind]

Also, I don't know if they have this in other services, but the "scribe" in boot camp holds the power over sleep. Get that job, if possible. Avoid all the rest of the billets. They don't do shit, and only get you fucked with if your squad/platoon fucks up.

 

[TacticalFox88]

What was your call sign?

 

[donkey show]

Sound advice. Nothing worse than keeping that shit stocked up while running.

It's the best when you're taking those 10-13 mile ruck marches fully loaded.

 

[WanderingWind]

We had a kid shit his pants during the Crucible. Funny stuff, especially since he had porta johns available. He just didn't want to walk down the hill to them. He got recycled, if I remember correctly.

 

[Brolic Gaoler]

What was your call sign?

More of a nick name, everyone has one.

Head.

I wear a 7 1/2 hat and am only 5 foot 8.

It's good to hear that you're almost through with it. I think that being at war is one of the worst things that can happen to a man, so when people go there voluntarily it's a) because they have a strong sense of purpose b) they don't understand how bad that can be c)they are just psychos or have balls of steel. Anyway I have mad respect for those who served their country (regardless of the country) right because they really have something inside that's very rare to find amongst people. Courage isn't a word that can describe it fully.

By the way how do you feel about war entertainment out there? Call of Duty games, MOH - can you play them? What do you think of Apocalypse Now, Jarhead and movies like that?

Also I was always interested in how people can spot a sniper if he's lying like two miles away in rocks or trees or something like that. Do you use some kind of special equipment for that?

2 miles?!? Jokes aside, I get you're meaning, and unless you're using a FLIR you really can't unless the "sniper" sucks and makes a mistake. It's hard enough to find them under 1k.

War entertainment is my main form of entertainment, it actually helps me cope.

Some people have to stay away from it, others gravitate towards it. I'm the second set.

Don't be mad guys. Being second and third place isn't bad. It's just not as good as being number 1, is all. Plus, you wear berets. Berets.


EDIT: Oh,yeah that shitting early advice is official. If you're smart, you'll take the last shift of firewatch so you can shit, and be awake instead of getting reveille'd up.

Someone's jealous of our funny hats Yam.

 

[Steelrain]

Congrats man! Hopefully you adjust better than I did when I got out.

I still have 2 years left on IRR and apparently NCO's are quietly being recalled. Two of my buddies have been recalled in the last 6 months so I'm kinda nervous about getting orders. I guess they don't make grunt NCO's like they used to.

 

[Brolic Gaoler]

Congrats man! Hopefully you adjust better than I did when I got out.

I still have 2 years left on IRR and apparently NCO's are quietly being recalled. Two of my buddies have been recalled in the last 6 months so I'm kinda nervous about getting orders. I guess they don't make grunt NCO's like they used to.

From my experience they definitely don't.

Being a combat Infantry NCO is something I will always be massively proud of.

 

[WanderingWind]

Congrats man! Hopefully you adjust better than I did when I got out.

I still have 2 years left on IRR and apparently NCO's are quietly being recalled. Two of my buddies have been recalled in the last 6 months so I'm kinda nervous about getting orders. I guess they don't make grunt NCO's like they used to.

That...that doesn't seem right. Right now the infantry and 01 fields are filled at 120 percent capacity. There would be zero reason for anybody to get recalled. Are you 100 percent they didn't go back to a PS recruiter?

 

[A Link to the Past]

NeoGAF doesn't typically troll soldiers unless they're stupid.

 

[Steelrain]

That...that doesn't seem right. Right now the infantry and 01 fields are filled at 120 percent capacity. There would be zero reason for anybody to get recalled. Are you 100 percent they didn't go back to a PS recruiter?

Yeah 100% sure. We were some disgruntled fucks when we left and these guys were doing way better than me on the outside. They were gutted when they found out. I don't know why people are still getting recalled but it is bullshit. They better not try to pull that green weenie shit on me again lol.

 

[Brolic Gaoler]

Yeah 100% sure. We were some disgruntled fucks when we left and these guys were doing way better than me on the outside. They were gutted when they found out. I don't know why people are still getting recalled but it is bullshit. They better not try to pull that green weenie shit on me again lol.

The green weenie is inevitable, just sometimes you get lube.

"I love the fuckin' Army, and the Army loves fuckin' me."

 

[nyong]

Yeah, anyone signing up for the military needs to be 100% aware that--no matter what your active duty time is--you actually owe eight years. Eight years. Your active contract time with the rest spent "inactive" reserves. No such thing as a guaranteed two-year enlistment.

Grats on getting out, btw. The new GI Bill is pretty ace so live it up for awhile.

 

[.GqueB.]

KR?

 

[Bernbaum]

I wanna see what the certificate for Dishonourable Discharge looks like.

 

[Masta_Killah]

Yeah, anyone signing up for the military needs to be 100% aware that--no matter what your active duty time is--you actually owe eight years. Eight years. Your active contract time with the rest spent "inactive" reserves. No such thing as a guaranteed two-year enlistment.

Grats on getting out, btw. The new GI Bill is pretty ace so live it up for awhile.

My recruiters made it a point that our contracts are for 8 years. They talked about it in detail for nearly 30 minutes just so that we understood it.

Also, thanks for your service and hope you can finally enjoy some freedom.

 

[WanderingWind]

I wanna see what the certificate for Dishonourable Discharge looks like.

It's Uncle Sam giving you the finger. "I want you...to fuck off."

 

[Masta_Killah]

It's Uncle Sam giving you the finger. "I want you...to fuck off."

Yup.

 

[Kite]

I'll be deploying in July or September, depending on the rotation. Yay combat pay + sep pay + bah while my wife lives with my mom rent free (stepdad will be deployed at the same time).

Make sure you do the SDP (Savings Deposit Program), 2.5% interest compounded quarterly for 12 months (up to 15 months if you leave it in when you get back) and you can put your monthly net pay (take home pay) up to $10,000. Unless you waste your money on stupid shit, you won't be using much of it downrange so you might as well take the opportunity to save up. Try getting those kind of rates guaranteed on the stockmarket~ So go visit your local friendly finance office 1 month after you get there

~ obligatory finance soldier spiel

 

[Kite]

Congrats, man.

Any advice for the people who are about to go in?

Make sure you are relatively in shape, do some running and fix any attitude problems or problems with authority before you go to basic. It'll make your life there easier.

 

[xelios]

Congratulations. Welcome back to the ungrateful civilian world.

 

[Jin]

Thank you and others in this thread for serving.

 

[Rorschach]

Call your Drill Sargent "Sir" for maximum Lulz.

Explain!

 

[Malleymal]

Congrats man... Proud of everything you did for our country..

 

[Mobius 1]

Haha, perfect!

Seriously, well done. One to be proud of and tell tales to the offspring. Thanks for putting your arse on the line for your people.

 

[Death Dealer]

If you get a "Dishonorable Discharge", do you still get one of those certificates, but with "Dishonorable" on it instead?

LOL, no.

They only give those certificates out for honorable discharges.

But no matter your discharge, it will be on your DD-214.

"Dishonorable" discharges are actually quite rare. They can only be given by a general courts martial. You have to do something really fucking bad to get one, rape, murder, armed robbery, cocaine kingpin that kind of thing. Basically you're not getting a dishonorable unless it's after some prison time at Leavenworth.

Yeah, I'm receiving benefits. Not "full" though.

The VA almost didn't believe the things I told them, luckily our unit made a year book for that 06-07 deployment, so everything I told them is documented.

It's really hard to get 100% disability. Although if you're TDIU you can get it without normally qualifying by a 100% rating, but if you get TDIU, you're not supposed to work.

But seriously FUCK THE VA. The raters are assholes. They have an agenda. They low ball everyone. Keep appealing until you get what you think you deserve.

I wish I had been more meticulous in my medical complaints on active duty. I had back pain off and on for over a year, they always gave me aspirin and brushed it off. Around 18 months after I was discharged, I required surgery for a herniated disc. When I found out that was what was causing the pain, I realized it had been herniated on active duty. I should have demanded an MRI.

I deserve an additional 10% rating for lumbar sacral sprain/arthritis. But I have no chance of winning that claim since there isn't enough documentation in my medical record and the presumptive period for an injury like that is 12 months after separation. I got fucked. I'm rated on some other stuff, but an extra 10% would have bumped me up to the next level (I'm sure you know about the VA's 'funny' math)

Although I've read they've changed the rules on PTSD. I don't remember the details, but you used to have to prove it, but now as long as you were in a combat theater, they have to take what you tell them as the truth. I was told PTSD is the only condition that can be rated based solely on your own testimony.

 

[Veins]

How well can you twirl a gun?

 

[celebi23]

Alienshogun, congrats & thank you for your service to this country. I can only imagine a fraction of what you saw & experienced.

 

[BattleMonkey]

Welcome back and glad you came out alright.

 

[crowphoenix]

Thank you for serving. You're a braver man than I.

 

[BAW]

So... will you get a pension for the rest of your life now? How much is it?

 

[darkiguana]

Thank your for your service.

 

[Brolic Gaoler]

Thanks guys.

So... will you get a pension for the rest of your life now? How much is it?

Nope.

 

[BigDug13]

4 years in the Army? What is that, like an E-7? Does anybody even join below E-4 these days?

Is this for real? Talk all the shit you want to about achieving a certain rank in a certain number of years. An E-6 with 16 years of service stationed in San Diego is making equivalent of $75k of civilian income. (figuring taxable income necessary to achieve the total income that they actually earn. (much of their pay like housing allowance is tax free))

I don't have too many friends making mid 70's in their 30's.

 

[Nekofrog]

Make sure you do the SDP (Savings Deposit Program), 2.5% interest compounded quarterly for 12 months (up to 15 months if you leave it in when you get back) and you can put your monthly net pay (take home pay) up to $10,000. Unless you waste your money on stupid shit, you won't be using much of it downrange so you might as well take the opportunity to save up. Try getting those kind of rates guaranteed on the stockmarket~ So go visit your local friendly finance office 1 month after you get there

~ obligatory finance soldier spiel

Unfortunately every single cent of what I make for the next few years is earmarked for an outrageous student loan debt.

 

[Masta_Killah]

Is this for real? Talk all the shit you want to about achieving a certain rank in a certain number of years. An E-6 with 16 years of service stationed in San Diego is making equivalent of $75k of civilian income. (figuring taxable income necessary to achieve the total income that they actually earn. (much of their pay like housing allowance is tax free))

I don't have too many friends making mid 70's in their 30's.

He was joking. Probably the perception that the Army promotes people with ease, while other branches is a lot harder to move up.

 

[WanderingWind]

Is this for real? Talk all the shit you want to about achieving a certain rank in a certain number of years. An E-6 with 16 years of service stationed in San Diego is making equivalent of $75k of civilian income. (figuring taxable income necessary to achieve the total income that they actually earn. (much of their pay like housing allowance is tax free))

I don't have too many friends making mid 70's in their 30's.

Lol. Read the thread next time, bud.

 

[TheKaeptain]

Explain!

A Sergeant is an enlisted non-commissioned officer. They do all the real work while Officers that are commissioned handle all the paper work and business side of the military. So in the enlisted world NCO's do the work. "Sir' is a title exclusively held for Officers so NCO's take it out as a sign of disrespect when you call them "Sir."

"Because they work for a living"



A drill Sergeant is enlisted personal, so calling them sir is like a slap in the face.

 

[Nakazato]

OT: dont they have the right to call you back before 4 years are up ??

But Congrats man and thanks a lot for your hard work and dedication

 

[Brolic Gaoler]

OT: dont they have the right to call you back before 4 years are up ??

But Congrats man and thanks a lot for your hard work and dedication

No, my 8 year obligation is over.