Belittling the USAF

[Dad2-4]

I know that from way back some other service members have put down the USAF as being lazy, unprofessional, coddled, etc.
Maybe this posting is a bit of a rant brought on by my older brother's continued comments. He's not a military veteran, but has 2 sons that were in the Army and Marines. I'm a former USAF Security Policeman from the Cold War era. His view is that the USAF is just a bunch of wanna-bes, while the Army and Marines are the "real" military. He also holds a dim view of CAP although he knows almost nothing about us.
Any suggestions, articles, etc that you think might be helpful?
(end of rant)

[PHall]

You're not gonna change this guy's opinion. So save yourself some frustration and don't even try.

[coudano]

google search for "the old corps"

[bosshawk]

Or old corpse.

I happen to have served in the Army for slightly more than 30 years, but I still have high regards for the AF.

[NIN]

google search for "the old corps"

^^ This.

A) Someone who was never in the military has little or no idea what it is about. I have friends and family members who are in law enforcement.  Does not make me an expert on being a cop. Bottom line, no.

B) My son goes to Catholic school.  Does that make me an expert on Catholicism?  Negative, Ghostrider.

C) There is a fair amount of ribbing that goes on between services. I hassle my Marine buddies, I give crap to my AF pals, and I utterly loathe you Navy pukes.  And I lay a little pity in front of the Puddle Pirates, just cuz they get left out all the time.  But let me tell you: Someone from outside the fraternity decides to pick on my brother in the crackerjack suit? Its on like DONKEY KONG, baby!

D) There is a psychological component to the whole "my experience is better than your experience." The so-called "old Corps" joke.  But since he didn't serve, I'm not 100% sure where he's getting his "Old Corps"-ness from.

(the short version:  The very first Marine recruiter was the manager of the Tun Tavern in Philadelphia.  One fine day in November 1775, he's recruiting Marines by using the old "Sign up now, and you'll get a mug of beer" trick (apparently, 240 years of tradition is not lost on the Marine Corps..)  So one guy signs up, and he sends the fellow to the bar to enjoy his mug. The next recruit, a lad somewhat the junior of the first guy, takes more convincing and cajoling, and eventually Mr. Mullan promises him two mugs of ale for his enlistment.  Delighted in his good fortune, the lad settles into the bar next to the first guy, a mug in each hand, and proclaims "I think this Marine Corps thing is SWELL!"   The first guy shakes his head and mutters "I  liked the Old Corps better...")

[Devil Doc]

I have nothing against any branch of service.  I was NAVY served with the MARINES, Medevaced by the ARMY, Taken care of by the Air Force, I tell you what them AF Medics Chicks were hot, and not just Iraq Hot. Also, i have worked with the CG, there a great asset also. The whole which branch is better has been a battle for ages.

[rframe]

Any suggestions, articles, etc that you think might be helpful?

Why do you care what he thinks?  Stuff like this is so stupid "my team is better than your team".... sure buddy, whatever.  Put your concerns and efforts into something that actually matters in this life.

[a2capt]

Vintage Ken L Ration Commercial - Dog Contest

[Stonewall]

I'm prior Army and current Air Guard.  I have an opinion, just like your older brother, and regardless of what my opinion is, shouldn't matter, nor should your brother's.

Having served in both branches and deployed with both branches, I will say this: I thought the Army was messed up in some ways and disagreed with some things. But at the end of the day I genuinely looked up to my leaders (NCO & Officer), and felt like they had my best interests at heart, even though the job often sucked.  After 6 years in the Air Guard, I have little respect for my leadership as I don't consider them leaders like I did in the Army.  I also don't feel that they have my best interest at heart.  So yeah, in my opinion, based on my experiences, I'd rather be back in the Army.  Unfortunately, I'm beyond the point of being able to revert back.

That said, I know someone who is former AF and current Army, and he seems to have the complete opposite opinion of mine.  BTW, he too is a former cadet and current SM.  Perhaps it has to do with how/where you were raised in the military.

[a2capt]

He's just stonewalling your argument .. don't mind him

[Private Investigator]

You're not gonna change this guy's opinion. So save yourself some frustration and don't even try.

+1

You might as well as him who has a better truck, Chevy or Toyota   

[cap235629]

You're not gonna change this guy's opinion. So save yourself some frustration and don't even try.

+1

You might as well as him who has a better truck, Chevy or Toyota   

Ford and Dodge

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

Coke or Pepsi.

I always tell those who belittle the AF to go down to their friendly AFB, ARB or ANGB and find an E-9 CMSgt and tell it to him/her.

Or, if they're in proximity to Lackland, go find a Blue Rope MTI and tell it to him/her.

Having said that, the first time my Army vet dad saw me in my blues he said, "I never thought I would end up raising a son to be a bus driver!).  Nonetheless, he was proud.

I think stuff like that was what Canada tried to eliminate when they unified their forces into a single service with a single green uniform and rank structure in 1968.   It didn't work, because infantry/armour, naval personnel and air personnel still all gravitated toward each other.

There has always been (semi)friendly joking between the services.

My mother lived in Norfolk, Virginia for a while back in the 1950s.  She said some of the local eateries had signs saying "NO DOGS OR SOLDIERS ALLOWED."

The British Royal Navy calls members of the Royal Air Force "crabs" (think about it).

One joke I heard from an Army recruiter:

Q: What's the difference between a platoon of Marines and a troop of Boy Scouts?
A: The Scouts have adult supervision.

I had family members who served in all the services (active and National Guard) except the Coast Guard, so I learnt healthy respect for all of them.  I learnt my respect for the CG during several years as an Auxiliarist.

When someone holds a "dim view" of something they don't have any knowledge of, I direct them to Steve Martin's "Grandma's Song" from the Let's Get Small album:

"Criticise things you don't know about; GO INTO A CLOSET AND SUCK EGGS!"

[Garibaldi]

Sometimes inter-service rivalry goes a bit too far. I've heard the AF called "air scouts", MARINE=muscles are required, intelligence not essential, etc. etc. Is it healthy? Dunno.

[Private Investigator]

You're not gonna change this guy's opinion. So save yourself some frustration and don't even try.

+1

You might as well as him who has a better truck, Chevy or Toyota   

Ford and Dodge

1965 Chevy truck on my first date 

[SarDragon]

Sometimes inter-service rivalry goes a bit too far. I've heard the AF called "air scouts", MARINE=muscles are required, intelligence not essential, etc. etc. Is it healthy? Dunno.

Meh. My father-in-law is a retired Marine colonel. He has laughed at every Marine joke I've thrown at him, and has thrown some zinger Navy jokes back at me.

Much of the inter-service rivalry I've been involved in has been done with a lot of respect in the background. After all, we're all on the same team.

[lordmonar]

I know that from way back some other service members have put down the USAF as being lazy, unprofessional, coddled, etc.
Maybe this posting is a bit of a rant brought on by my older brother's continued comments. He's not a military veteran, but has 2 sons that were in the Army and Marines. I'm a former USAF Security Policeman from the Cold War era. His view is that the USAF is just a bunch of wanna-bes, while the Army and Marines are the "real" military. He also holds a dim view of CAP although he knows almost nothing about us.
Any suggestions, articles, etc that you think might be helpful?
(end of rant)

They are just haters because they picked services with not sense of humor and no sense of keeping their people happy.

If it makes them feel better that us USAF wing-dings are wanna-be loosers.....okay.  Suckers. 

[Майор Хаткевич]

I always noticed that it was "future soldier/marine/sailor/airman", or cadets (CAP, JROTC, ROTC, etc), or REALLY young and fresh troops that talk nonsense. When you get into the older ages, past the mid 20s, most Soldiers/Marines/Sailors/Airmen I've met have cracked jokes about other services, but always followed up by praise as well.

[PHall]

I always noticed that it was "future soldier/marine/sailor/airman", or cadets (CAP, JROTC, ROTC, etc), or REALLY young and fresh troops that talk nonsense. When you get into the older ages, past the mid 20s, most Soldiers/Marines/Sailors/Airmen I've met have cracked jokes about other services, but always followed up by praise as well.

Basic training opens your eyes to many, many things.

And your first deployment completes the job!

[Devil Doc]

Yep, the "BOOTS" or "SHOWERSHOE" what we called them, there all Gung Ho about there branch of service which is fine. Once you go on a deployment, and you are working with all the branches you start to appreciate them. Like it is stated "Someone has to do the Job" you never know what branch of service someone is in when needing help. You think ARMY and MARINES complain one bit, when another branch helps them, heck no, it means they may get an extra few hours of sleep.