army
An essential guide to all things army; explore the intricate structure of units, troops, ranks and roles that work together to keep our borders safe.
5 Challenges Females May Face in the Army
When I first joined the Army, I had very few ideas about what to expect. While I’m not the first in my family to enter the military, I am the first female. On top of this, the family that I did know who entered the military, went Navy, so obviously I couldn’t draw from their experiences.
By Jennifer White7 years ago in Serve
Sh!tting Tactically 101
Subscribe to my local Vocal page to get notifications on the latest postings to podcasts. So what do you do when nature calls and you are in a combat zone? In combat, you have to shit tactically. What I mean is... if you don't have to go... you need to force it and go. Any break you get... there a few things you have to ask yourself.
By Vagabond Bundy7 years ago in Serve
The Combat Glider
During the Second World War, many aircrafts, such as the P-38 Lightning, P-51 Mustang, F4U Corsair, British Spitfire, B-17 Flying Fortress, the German Messerschmitt, and the Japanese Zero were deployed into action. There was another type of aircraft used in World War II, and even though it was not prominent, it did play an important role in the war. This aircraft was the combat glider.
By James Killmer7 years ago in Serve
Kicking Pennies in the Rain. Top Story - May 2019.
The Corps probably has—it probably had long before I’d gotten there, too—I don’t know what punishments the cadets inflict upon themselves today, but in 2002 the approved method of masochism were area tours, colloquially referred to as “walking hours.” An Area Tour was the most common punishment for both minor and major infractions; the severity of punishment rose in accordance with the egregiousness of the crime. The punishment was to spend time, reflecting on your misdeeds, walking back and forth across the center of the campus. You hefted your rifle upon your shoulder, walked about one hundred paces, switched shoulders, faced about, and repeated the exercise for as many hours as your sins warranted. Being late to class garnered you five hours or so, or missing formation ten, or something like that (it seemed arbitrary to me at the time).
By Tim Brooks7 years ago in Serve
Memorial Day: A Misunderstood Federal Holiday
People have no problem celebrating Memorial Day, which falls on the last Monday in May every year. If you ask ten people what the federal holiday is all about, sadly nine of them will give you the wrong answer, incomplete answers, or no answer at all. Let's set the record straight with the right answers about Memorial Day.
By Margaret Minnicks7 years ago in Serve
Blood and Mud
Thud. Crack. Thud. The whistles and drones of the artillery whooshing overhead were nauseating. Whilst they had long ago become familiar sounds, they had never become comforting ones. Relatively new sounds to a battlefield, it was the power and quantity of these weapons that was unprecedented. Impacts that were detonating hundreds of metres beyond the wire were strong enough to shake the Earth into liquid sludge underneath the feet of the hundreds of men crammed into thin cutaways scaring the ground. The enemy returned the barrage with their own. These impacts buckled the knees of any lucky enough not to be caught in the concussive blasts. What little fauna remained in the churned up landscape fled. I wished I could flee with them.
By Simon Mcbride7 years ago in Serve
The Desert's for Startin' Over
I finally cheated on my diet. After about a month and a half of vigorously avoiding meat, the inevitable happened. Sadly, it wasn’t even something sexy, like most of us “Broccoli Heads” cheat with. In truth, I understand that if/when we cheat, it’s almost invariably with “pork butts," or as the family down south call it: “fat back.”
By Nefarious Darrius7 years ago in Serve
Iraqi Coffee
I often joked after my 12 months “In Country” that I was on the brink of diabetes, after a few months of back to back meetings with the Iraqi Army (IA), and IP’s. Fortunately, that was not the case; despite many a cup of chai quickly downed during the aforementioned meetings.
By Nefarious Darrius7 years ago in Serve
“When the Smoke Starts to Clear...”
Mission Critical SOP (Standard Operating Procedures) for besties (mejores amigos/amgias)- Code blue/Código Azul: Los amigos (o amigas). Friendship sustaining activities/chats. Ex. include: Lunch/coffee; "Recoil therapy"; and album listening parties. Code orange/naranja: *Life* sustaining chat needed (The Fray). Helpful Hint: Listen *actively* (Do NOT talk over your buddy; do ask pertinent questions; and definitely offer empathy/sympathy). Code red/Rojo: "No sh*t", this is "Real World"; NOT an "Exercise." Ex. include: SOS-"Save Our Ship" (not technically accurate); BHD- Bravo Hotel Delta (emergency "landing"), wherein QRF (Quick Reaction Force) may/may not be on standby; and/or supplies/morale critical (low on water/ammo/food). Code yellow/amarillo: Love interests are involved/desired (positive light). Ex. include: "I have dates for the two of us"; "I need a date"; and "I have a potential for you." Code white/blanco: There's finna be "a beautiful death." Bring your tools and let's team up to "hammer" this problem out. (Sidenote- Violence as an absolute LAST resort.) Code black/negro: New life. Code purple/morado: General kudos are in order. Ex. include: Graduations; initial properties; Freedom from Uncle Sam. Code green/verde: General reference to La familia. Ex. include: "The Fam's throwing something. Hope to see you there." Code sky blue/azul cielo: "We need to settle this like Grunts and roll in the grass til we have a 'mutual understanding.'" Spoiler Alert: King T'Challa never yielded. (Sidenote- Do NOT kill your bestie in "ritual combat." Make each other tougher, bond, and commit to better communication in the future. [Side, Sidenote: General guidelines to follow at another time. For now, NO ankle locks.]) If either party is unable/unwilling to physically fight, prudent alternatives are acceptable; preferably Chess (the only game that really matters). Code brown/marrón: "We've been sh*t on" and/or "It's time to serve some knuckle sandwiches." (Same sidenote as Code White/blanco.) Code pink/rosa: Variable/Audible/Contingency plan #1 (Plan Bravo/B). Ex. include: "Pop smoke! It's too many of them." Or, "Our position is compromised! Back to Rally Point #4!" Code gray/gris: Variable #2 (like Code Pink, though less cool).
By Nefarious Darrius7 years ago in Serve
