First Sergeant-ism's - Page 2

Callmecur · 08-03-2007, 03:20 AM

Academy Sergeant Major Huggins at RMA Sandhurst in the late 60's and 70's would greet the new officer cadets "Whilst you are at Sandhurst I will call you Sir and you will call me Sir, the only difference is you will mean it".

Bluesman · 08-03-2007, 03:51 AM

My Training Instructor, the unbelievable Master Sergeant Burrow, told our Basic Training Flight (his last class before he retired) upon graduation that we were all now members of the Brotherhood of Arms.

And then in a MUCH louder voice, he reminded us all that he was a Big Sergeant Brother, and we were all Little Airmen Brothers.

A supervisor once told me that I could do whatever I thought my career could handle. I used that one a LOT with my own 'kids'.

Bluesman · 08-03-2007, 03:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sappersgt

My company had one Sergeant, an American and a former Marine Gunnery Sergeant from Duncan, Oklahoma. His speech was peppered with "Okieisms". Often we had to translate for the Afrikaners as to what polecats (smelling worse than), a junebug (quicker than a chicken on a), chiggers (y'all itch my ass like a bunch of) and cottonmouths (meaner than) were. The more complicated ones were sometimes a visual, like sh**tin in tall cotton or stickin yer p*cker in a nest a mud daubers.

His description of the weather was always interesting. It rained like a cow pissing on a flat rock. It was hotter than Georgia asphalt. Hotter than a June bride in a feather bed was pretty creative, as was my favorite, "Hotter than two rats fu(king in a wool sock". That one took a little imagination.

I can remember the Sergeant yelling, "I am old enough to be your father, as a matter of fact I might BE your father!". He then said we were what happens when first cousins marry and proof that Darwin was wrong about advancement of the species.

The Sergeant could and would give an absolutely world class ass chewing. When I became company Sergeant I unashamedly borrowed much of his material, I had learned from the best.

My old re-enactment outfit in Germany (the 7th Georgia Cavalry; 60 Bavarians and ME) had some guys that were just crazy over things like those folksy sayings, and I'd entertain the hell out of 'em at the company cookfire, sitting around drinking beer and schnapps and teaching them 'Southern'.

The one that came to be dam' near the company motto was 'Hotter than two-dollars whores on a Saturday night with the regiment on town-pass.' They LOVED that one.

sappersgt · 08-03-2007, 13:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gunnut

What would happen if some smart ass start to omit the word "sir" in his replies?

"Do you understand that?"

"Yes."

"Yes WHAT?"

"Yes Sarge."

"You will say 'yes sir' in all your replies."

"But didn't you say you're not a 'sir' you work for a living?"

There's a reason why I never joined the military.

Thers is no right answer. The point of all the abuse is to condition you to obey orders without question.

In much the same manner the physical torment the troops are put through is not just to physically condition them. Marching in the freezing rain and 115 degree desert heat is done primarily to make you miserable. If you do enough of it you start to become innured to the physical discomfort. After a while you just don't give a damn. This pays dividends. Being shot at becomes just another irritation, just like the mosquitos, the heat, being thirsty, tired and listening to that ass*ole Sergeant.

sappersgt · 08-03-2007, 13:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bluesman

My old re-enactment outfit in Germany (the 7th Georgia Cavalry; 60 Bavarians and ME) had some guys that were just crazy over things like those folksy sayings, and I'd entertain the hell out of 'em at the company cookfire, sitting around drinking beer and schnapps and teaching them 'Southern'.

The one that came to be dam' near the company motto was 'Hotter than two-dollars whores on a Saturday night with the regiment on town-pass.' They LOVED that one.

I liked the wind "Blowin hard enough to pluck the feathers off a live turkey." or "Y'all look so tired, I'll bet you couldn't pull a sick whore off a piss pot". One that was hard to translate into Afrikaans was, "So dumb he couldn't pour piss from a boot with instructions printed on the heel.".

gunnut · 08-03-2007, 16:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sappersgt

Thers is no right answer. The point of all the abuse is to condition you to obey orders without question.

In much the same manner the physical torment the troops are put through is not just to condition them. Marching in the freezing rain and 115 degree desert heat is done primarily to make you miserable. If you do enough of it you start to become innured to the physical discomfort. After a while you just don't give a damn. This pays dividends. The fear of being shot at becomes just another irritation, just like the mosquitos, the heat, being thirsty, tired and listening to that ass*ole Sergeant.

I'm always amazed at the training methods employed by the DI. They demean you yet don't use any cuss words. They scream at you and act really angry yet they aren't.

Another reason why I won't last long in any military service will probably be due to over-analysing the methodology of the training itself. I have this habit of analysing the psychology of people's interactions, especially in rehearsed conditions. I don't see much if people are just hanging out. But during a formal process, like interviews or training, I tend to dissect the methods being used.

RustyBattleship · 08-03-2007, 23:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gunnut

I'm always amazed at the training methods employed by the DI. They demean you yet don't use any cuss words. They scream at you and act really angry yet they aren't.

Another reason why I won't last long in any military service will probably be due to over-analysing the methodology of the training itself. I have this habit of analysing the psychology of people's interactions, especially in rehearsed conditions. I don't see much if people are just hanging out. But during a formal process, like interviews or training, I tend to dissect the methods being used.

Join the Marines. Within three days you will standing ramrod straight, on aching muscles and will have forgotten how to spell "methodology".

In ten days you will react automatically to orders and in twenty days respond instinctively.

We don't need that much in the way of brains in most military billets. Just grunts who can shoot straight and quickly.

So, if you actually live up to your screen name and can shoot,

I WANT YOU

glyn · 08-04-2007, 04:17 AM

It's rude to point!

taygone · 08-04-2007, 11:43 AM

Smart Alec Airmen responses.

Sgt: Your uniform looks terrible. You've got summer creases. Some are here some are there.
Amn: I love my fellow airmen so much I've put a crease in my uniform for everyone of them.

Sgt: Looks like you polished your boots with a Hershey bar.
Amn: You know what they say, Melts in your mouth not your hands.

Sgt: When I give the command fall in, what position do you fall in at?
Amn: Missionary.

Gun Grape · 08-04-2007, 14:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gunnut

I'm always amazed at the training methods employed by the DI. They demean you yet don't use any cuss words. They scream at you and act really angry yet they aren't.

Its easy, you know there are worse things that they can do to you than yelling and cussing.

They can have you make sugar cookies. Trust me, it doesn't get much worse than that.

And even that teaches a valuable lesson

Gun Grape · 08-04-2007, 17:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gun Grape

Its easy, you know there are worse things that they can do to you than yelling and cussing.

They can have you make sugar cookies. Trust me, it doesn't get much worse than that.

And even that teaches a valuable lesson

Just so you all don't think there is a baking class in Marine Corps boot camp, let me define "Suger Cookie".

How to make a "Suger Cookie".

Drill Instructor marches the platoon to the motivation (sand) pit.

For approx 15 min he will have recruits conduct calisthenics until a nice coat of sweat covers them.

Then DI will have recruits roll around in sand. Then lay on their backs and throw sand in the air. Sometimes called "Making it rain."

Then you are well covered with sand and have a "Sugar Cookie" look.

Try marching around all day like that. Every pivot point on you body, your neck and various "Other" places look and feel like you hit them with a belt sander.

Doesn't get much better than that.

glyn · 08-04-2007, 17:54 PM

If that story was widely known the recruiting offices wouldn't be able to cope with the flood of masochists beating at their doors!

Gun Grape · 08-04-2007, 22:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by glyn

If that story was widely known the recruiting offices wouldn't be able to cope with the flood of masochists beating at their doors!

Then I'll keep the stories about what you can do to a Marine with a canteen of water to myself

bugs · 08-04-2007, 22:37 PM

how heavy is the canteen ?

wabpilot · 08-06-2007, 00:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gunnut

What would happen if some smart ass start to omit the word "sir" in his replies?

At OCS the proper reply is "Yes rating". Rating being different from rate. Thus, if your DI was an Avaition Boatswain's Mate, the correct response would be "Yes Boatswain's Mate." It would be incorrect to respond with his rate, Master Chief.

08-03-2007, 03:51 AM	#17 (permalink)
Bluesman WAB Bartender *Defense Professional* *Military Professional* Join Date: 11-24-04 Location: Vacaville, CA. Posts: 7,350 Country:	My Training Instructor, the unbelievable Master Sergeant Burrow, told our Basic Training Flight (his last class before he retired) upon graduation that we were all now members of the Brotherhood of Arms. And then in a MUCH louder voice, he reminded us all that he was a Big Sergeant Brother, and we were all Little Airmen Brothers. A supervisor once told me that I could do whatever I thought my career could handle. I used that one a LOT with my own 'kids'. __________________ "The quickest way of ending a war is to lose it, and if one finds the prospect of a long war intolerable, it is natural to disbelieve in the possibility of victory." - George Orwell

08-04-2007, 04:17 AM	#23 (permalink)
glyn *Military Professional* Join Date: 09-15-06 Location: Penzance, Cornwall UK Posts: 6,356	It's rude to point! __________________ Semper in excretum. Solum profunda variat.

08-04-2007, 22:37 PM	#29 (permalink)
bugs Patron Join Date: 07-19-07 Location: 29°43'34.48"N 95°32'47.97"W Posts: 230 Country:	how heavy is the canteen ? __________________ Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.

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08-03-2007, 03:20 AM	#16 (permalink)
Callmecur *Military Professional* Join Date: 01-09-07 Location: Eastern England Posts: 225 Country:	Academy Sergeant Major Huggins at RMA Sandhurst in the late 60's and 70's would greet the new officer cadets "Whilst you are at Sandhurst I will call you Sir and you will call me Sir, the only difference is you will mean it".

08-04-2007, 11:43 AM	#24 (permalink)
taygone Regular Join Date: 06-20-07 Location: Texas Posts: 106 Country:	Smart Alec Airmen responses. Sgt: Your uniform looks terrible. You've got summer creases. Some are here some are there. Amn: I love my fellow airmen so much I've put a crease in my uniform for everyone of them. Sgt: Looks like you polished your boots with a Hershey bar. Amn: You know what they say, Melts in your mouth not your hands. Sgt: When I give the command fall in, what position do you fall in at? Amn: Missionary.

08-04-2007, 17:54 PM	#27 (permalink)
glyn *Military Professional* Join Date: 09-15-06 Location: Penzance, Cornwall UK Posts: 6,356	If that story was widely known the recruiting offices wouldn't be able to cope with the flood of masochists beating at their doors!

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