Random thought of the moment.

NeverSayDie · Post by **NeverSayDie** » May 4th, 2011, 7:05 am

Ranger Baseplate,

Permission to speak freely?

KW Driver · Post by **KW Driver** » May 4th, 2011, 8:35 am

NeverSayDie wrote:Ranger Baseplate,

Permission to speak freely?

say what you have to say, however you want to say it. be prepared to defend your position. got your feelings hurt by his statement? take a second to evaluate why he said what he said, and how he said what he said. then figure out if you are contributing to or correcting a stereotype/perspective/position when you reply. are you going to improve or discredit the Officer Corps /fill in the blank?

are you going to mentor/inform/change someone, or are you going to descend into a name calling-pissing contest.

and finally, there is a saying that you should do what your career and conscience can afford. this is a general statement on my part, not just directed at this exchange. if you're going to have a professionally based discussion, think about what you are going to say and how you are going to act.

leading with your face hurts eventually. all of us have done it to one extent or another.

rgrwest · Post by **rgrwest** » May 4th, 2011, 9:16 am

KW Driver wrote:
NeverSayDie wrote:Ranger Baseplate,

Permission to speak freely?
say what you have to say, however you want to say it. be prepared to defend your position. got your feelings hurt by his statement? take a second to evaluate why he said what he said, and how he said what he said. then figure out if you are contributing to or correcting a stereotype/perspective/position when you reply. are you going to improve or discredit the Officer Corps /fill in the blank?

are you going to mentor/inform/change someone, or are you going to descend into a name calling-pissing contest.

and finally, there is a saying that you should do what your career and conscience can afford. this is a general statement on my part, not just directed at this exchange. if you're going to have a professionally based discussion, think about what you are going to say and how you are going to act.

leading with your face hurts eventually. all of us have done it to one extent or another.

X2 well said KW.

NeverSayDie · Post by **NeverSayDie** » May 5th, 2011, 2:49 pm

Ranger KW Driver,

Roger

Ranger Baseplate,

One of the best Cadets at our school cuaght a thorn bush in his eye at that same FTX and now may not be able to commission due to an injury that could have been easily preventable. I understand the notion that eyepro along with other gadgets this generation of soldiers has been graced with may seem like creatur comforts to those that served before and did just fine without them. However if I'm a pussy fine, but I'm a pussy with 20/20 and I'm gonna keep it that way.

anything new is going to catch critisism. I fully understood and concured with this argument when it was based on something as delicate as GPS. When talking about everything new however, the logic gets lost on me. Radios break down. Does that mean we should do away with RTO's?

K.Ingraham · Post by **K.Ingraham** » May 5th, 2011, 6:03 pm

KW: Good mentoring.

Baseplate:
I have to back my mentee on this one for his common sense.
The biggest, baddest Chuck Norris/Arnold character with a stick in his eye is as blind as the weakest pussy. Did I miss the chapter in the PT manual where you do "eyeball-ups" or "cornea crunches" to toughen up those facial bags of water?

Because the institution takes better care of the current gen than it did ours doesn't make them any less tough. Are the Rangers hitting the obj tonight any less for all that hi-tech body armor than the VN Rangers in their cotton tigerstripes?

-----------------
NSD: Since that run time is still sucking this far into spring, by 1630 Friday (as in tomorrow), let me know how long it took you to run from the Manleys at Main & Walnut to the JC arch & back.

KW Driver · Post by **KW Driver** » May 5th, 2011, 7:45 pm

Well, everything said is all fair and true. But here's where I back up Baseplate a bit. We all learned pretty early how to walk the woods efficiently and effectively. We even learned how to fuck with the guys behind us at night too. It's called field craft.

I don't expect cadets to pick up much if any in ROTC. you're not likely to pick up much at all until you spend time in he field and In a light unit for that matter.

And it's a dying art. We've got mid-career soldiers who've never lived it probably. Deployed on a COP/FOB, back home into a reset, to a deployment.

cams · Post by **cams** » May 10th, 2011, 11:53 am

KW Driver wrote:Well, everything said is all fair and true. But here's where I back up Baseplate a bit. We all learned pretty early how to walk the woods efficiently and effectively. We even learned how to fuck with the guys behind us at night too. It's called field craft. I don't expect cadets to pick up much if any in ROTC. you're not likely to pick up much at all until you spend time in he field and In a light unit for that matter.

And it's a dying art. We've got mid-career soldiers who've never lived it probably. Deployed on a COP/FOB, back home into a reset, to a deployment.

Concure. These are things that are taught and learned after many many times walking with experienced men. Simple things that stick with you every time you step into the woods.

While we were issued Gargoyles during company issue back in my day, they weren't new, they were all scratched and didn't always fit. We hardly ever wore them.

I remember doing night land nav at Lewis as a new Private. Trying to force my way thru wait-a-minute vines and brush so thick in the black PNW forest it was like getting caught in a fishing net.

A little branch about the thickness of a pencil actually stuck in the corner of my right eye and snapped off as I pushed thru it, leaving about a 4" piece sticking out from the corner and under the skin. didn't hurt too much, pulled it out, poured some water on it and kept pushing thru brush trying to make time with one eye now.

It wasn't until later and asking how to stop from getting caught up every third step by trying to push your way thru that one of our Sgt's took us out and taught us how to move slowly and easily, peeling your way thru quietly, and easing thru the vegetation like you belong there.

What a difference a teacher makes. What a difference experience and patience and knowledge makes. I guess my point is that yes, cool gear is cool and it definitely benefits today's warriors, but being taught how to live and work without it, should it fail or break, is even cooler.

Jim · Post by **Jim** » May 10th, 2011, 12:01 pm

cams wrote:What a difference a teacher makes. I guess my point is that yes, cool gear is cool and it definitely benefits today's warriors, but knowing how to live and work without it, should it fail or break, is even cooler.

That's why I never wear sunglasses. Wore glasses all my life (since about age six) and have ben glad to have the eye protection. Jeff, your point is well taken. Years ago, we all knew how to use morse -- at least five words a minute. Have not even heard a "dit" or a "dah" for many years.

Rabbit · Post by **Rabbit** » May 11th, 2011, 10:13 pm

NSD, what Regiment did you get?
PM me

K.Ingraham · Post by **K.Ingraham** » May 12th, 2011, 9:04 am

cams wrote:what a difference a teacher makes. What a difference experience and patience and knowledge makes. I guess my point is that yes, cool gear is cool and it definitely benefits today's warriors, but being taught how to live and work without it, should it fail or break, is even cooler.

Perfectly said.

rgrwest · Post by **rgrwest** » May 13th, 2011, 5:50 am

How important is Spell Check?

This important.

CloakAndDagger · Post by **CloakAndDagger** » May 24th, 2011, 1:49 pm

It's been 11 days since someone last had a random thought. New record??

swagger · Post by **swagger** » May 24th, 2011, 2:04 pm

That is all

RangerX · Post by **RangerX** » May 24th, 2011, 2:05 pm

swagger wrote:

That is all

Chive on

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