"Its all about timing"

[LJ_602]

I've heard that if you’re an Infantry officer you get your tab and your golden, without it and your career is in jeopardy.

Well the thing is it seems now that you need a tab, combat patch and CIB. Maybe it isn't that way but looking around at everyone I went to college and IOBC with I'm standing there without a deployment under my belt. The number of Ranger qualified NCOs and Officers keeps shrinking due to the mentality that you get your bookend patches and CIB/CAB and you don't need it. Soldiers feel that without a tab they did just as well if not better than guys with a tab.

So here I sit with no CIB, no Combat Patch, and no deployments on the horizon. Here at 505 PIR we are on GRF waiting for the phone to ring and be called to duty. We had PL only meeting with the BC and everyone expressed frustration with the current situation because we are all in the same boat. His response was "It's all about timing." When you join and when and where you get assigned. It won't affect our career not to worry. I personally don't want to see anyone in my platoon hurt or worse, but I can't help but feel I'm not meeting the new standard.

And we all know how it works in the Army, 10 years from now or something I'm up for promotion or they are forcing officers out because of downsizing, and there I stand with my peers and no combat experience. "Why didn't you deploy?" "Well it was the timing; I was in a unit on GRF and never got the chance." That won't matter, no matter what it looks like I shamed out and dodged deployment.

Do my concerns sound legit or blown out of proportion? I'm seriously considering RASP 2, SFAS, or just a branch change. I plan on staying for the long haul and I just want my career to be safe.

[K.Ingraham]

You are going to deploy. Maybe later rather than sooner. I wouldn't sweat it - this just means that you will have that much more time to prepare,to become a better leader and to gain more confidence - and for your troops to gain more confidence in you (or not).

[Lefty]

(sigh) For centuries it has always been thus - the young and ambitious have sought fame at the bubble of the cannon's mouth, only to learn the harsh lessons of death, dismemberment, and permanent scarring, whether physical or psychological. Do not fret, young man, stay the course and in time you will have your moment of truth.
Do you seek to advance? Then in all things be technically and tactically proficient. Know how to please your superior officers and know how to learn from your NCOs. You may be surprised to learn how the outward appearance of badges and patches will sometimes fail the apparent leaders and how the knaves and bozos thrive. I saw, and continue to see, how the good men go to the wall and many of the substandard rise. It is all networking and politics.
Does this mean you cannot succeed? No, I am merely telling you that justice does not always prevail.
Be true to yourself and true to your men. Remember that loyalty is a two way street. Patches, badges, and medals do not always mean entry to advancement.
If you can look every man, officer or enlisted, square in the eye and mean every word you say, you are doing the right thing. If you can look yourself in the mirror and say to yourself "I used my best judgement and did the the absolute best that I could", then it doesn't matter what medals or badges or patches you received.
Do not be so impatient - as GEN Patton once said, it is good that war is so terrible, lest we grow too fond of it.

[LJ_602]

(sigh) For centuries it has always been thus - the young and ambitious have sought fame at the bubble of the cannon's mouth, only to learn the harsh lessons of death, dismemberment, and permanent scarring, whether physical or psychological. Do not fret, young man, stay the course and in time you will have your moment of truth.
Do you seek to advance? Then in all things be technically and tactically proficient. Know how to please your superior officers and know how to learn from your NCOs. You may be surprised to learn how the outward appearance of badges and patches will sometimes fail the apparent leaders and how the knaves and bozos thrive. I saw, and continue to see, how the good men go to the wall and many of the substandard rise. It is all networking and politics.
Does this mean you cannot succeed? No, I am merely telling you that justice does not always prevail.
Be true to yourself and true to your men. Remember that loyalty is a two way street. Patches, badges, and medals do not always mean entry to advancement.
If you can look every man, officer or enlisted, square in the eye and mean every word you say, you are doing the right thing. If you can look yourself in the mirror and say to yourself "I used my best judgement and did the the absolute best that I could", then it doesn't matter what medals or badges or patches you received.
Do not be so impatient - as GEN Patton once said, it is good that war is so terrible, lest we grow too fond of it.

Well said, Thanks

[rgrokelley]

Take the time you are not under fire to train. Train hard. Train realistically. Cover every situation you can think of.

Though you may not remember all of your time in a combat zone, you will remember each and every man who dies. Train hard and there will be less of them.

[Jim]

Check out the CG of the 2nd Infantry Division--MG Michael Tucker. His picture in the 2IDA Newsletter shows an EIB and Jump Wings. Not many officers are able to command an Infantry Division so he obviously has had a successful career.

Same thing for McCrystal. EIB. Timing is everything.

[mortar_guy78]

It's all about timing, sir. I wouldn't worry about it because most people understand that.

When I was in BNCOC, a couple of guys from the 82nd were giving me shit about my mustard stain, talking about how I stole their jump, so on and so forth. I just said, "Man, I was standing in the right formation at the right time. That's all." All of the gee whiz combat badges just boil down to the same thing. Standing in the right formation at the right time.

The other day I was actually considering starting to wear my EIB rather than my CIB. Seems to me right now just about everyone has the CIB and there's nothing distinctive about it, while not many people have an EIB anymore due to deployments. Again, I feel like I earned my EIB and the CIB was just "right place, right time".

Just my .02

[Baseplate]

"He'll have his CIB and fuck like me" said Ralph the Airborne Ranger

[KW Driver]

I watched Panama go down on TV and realized my NG LRS unit wasn't going to get the call.

I sat through Desert Storm, while every other god damned Guard unit in TX went to the show, even thought we were the III Corps LRS-U. they left us home.

I was in RIP when B Co executed their first mission in Somalia. I was on CQ the night the fight went down. 10pm 4 Oct (local) I was on the bird over. other than catching a mortar round as a welcoming present we sat around for three weeks just doing log runs. then we came home.

on 9-11-01 I was a pilot and due to being victimized by Transition, while spending my entire career in MTOE'd FORSCOM units mind you, I didn't get to fight in the GWOT until Jun 07.

it is what it is. you'll get yours. you can slew things in your favor. get to the Regt, go SF, take a long walk, or just wait if all you want is RA infantry. you'll get yours. after your first tour is over, see how hungry you still are for more.

[rgrwest]

I watched Panama go down on TV and realized my NG LRS unit wasn't going to get the call.

I sat through Desert Storm, while every other god damned Guard unit in TX went to the show, even thought we were the III Crops LRS-U. they left us home.

I was in RIP when B Co executed their first mission in Somalia. I was on CQ the night the fight went down. 10pm 4 Oct (local) I was on the bird over. other than catching a mortar round as a welcoming present we sat around for three weeks just doing log runs. then we came home.

on 9-11-01 I was a pilot and due to being victimized by Transition, while spending my entire career in MTOE'd FORSCOM units mind you, I didn't get to fight in the GWOT until Jun 07.

it is what it is. you'll get yours. you can slew things in your favor. get to the Regt, go SF, or just wait if all you want is RA infantry. you'll get yours. after your first tour is over, see how hungry you still are for more.

Same same.....

I was in C Co, 1-504 PIR (yeah, I know, not a real combat unit for most of you guys) from 83-89, then served as the S-3 Air NCO for last 6 months, personally planned, prepared and developed the EDRE plan to Panama (required BDE operations for each battalion Air section), then signed out on 8 DEC 89 after putting the last vehicle in the LACC and headed to Dahlonega. Was at Fort Benning on the 20th in-processing for RTB, staying at a CPTs house, he woke me up and said both of our battalions just jumped into Panama. I was sick to my stomach, to have served their for 6 years and the closest we came to combat was Operation golden Pheasant in Honduras after the Sandanistans crossed the border.

Was an RI for Desert Shield/Storm with 11 other NCOs who had 4187s in to deploy. Finally after 20 Years of Service, deployed to Iraq and then again at the 22 year mark.