Comments on: What Happened to the Sergeants http://jarheadonline.com/2008/10/20/what-happened-to-the-sergeants/ Because Jarheads are everywhere Fri, 02 Jul 2010 21:21:17 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Sean http://jarheadonline.com/2008/10/20/what-happened-to-the-sergeants/comment-page-1/#comment-1347 Sean Mon, 13 Jul 2009 13:04:59 +0000 http://jarheadonline.com/?p=278#comment-1347 Reading this Article actually scares me. After my first deployment to Mosul with the Army, we returned and had a new pool of Joes. After talking with them, we realized that "Basic Training", which I now call "Summer Camp", no longer instilled any discipline or many "suck-factors" anymore. I was also a Recruiter for the Army in from 2005-2007 and got out of the Army. During my stint, I saw enlistment standards drop like crazy, and saw a lot of people get put in that I wouldn't trust with a club. After one year of being out, I was drafted back in, and was I ever amazed at what the Army turned in to. Just seven years ago did I first initially enter, and it is a totally different Army. The Army is just HANDING out Sergeant like candy on Halloween! I was recalled with 22 other infantrymen, and I think only 6 of us didn't get promoted to SSG or SGT (all it takes, apparently, in the Army Reserve to get promoted is handing in some paperwork) I chose not to get promoted because I didn't feel like I knew as much as a Sergent should, but the unit I had been recalled to literally had WAY more sergeants than lower enlisted, and most of them didn't know jack. Your article has me worried because when I talk to young kids who want to join the Military, I try to drive them towards the Marines, mainly because that branch is the only branch that still has some Military in it. I've actually talked 2 kids out of joining, haha. Don't get me wrong, I do believe we need a military, but the Government wants such a huge military, it almost isn't worth having one because it becomes a big cesspool of wasted money and ineffective Service Members. OK, sorry, I rambled on forever, it's just rare I come across an article like this, haha. I'm writing many letters to Congress about going back to a smaller, more professional military. I honestly would rather have a platoon with great training and nice equipment than a company with some training and alright equipment. Reading this Article actually scares me.

After my first deployment to Mosul with the Army, we returned and had a new pool of Joes. After talking with them, we realized that “Basic Training”, which I now call “Summer Camp”, no longer instilled any discipline or many “suck-factors” anymore.

I was also a Recruiter for the Army in from 2005-2007 and got out of the Army. During my stint, I saw enlistment standards drop like crazy, and saw a lot of people get put in that I wouldn’t trust with a club.

After one year of being out, I was drafted back in, and was I ever amazed at what the Army turned in to. Just seven years ago did I first initially enter, and it is a totally different Army. The Army is just HANDING out Sergeant like candy on Halloween! I was recalled with 22 other infantrymen, and I think only 6 of us didn’t get promoted to SSG or SGT (all it takes, apparently, in the Army Reserve to get promoted is handing in some paperwork) I chose not to get promoted because I didn’t feel like I knew as much as a Sergent should, but the unit I had been recalled to literally had WAY more sergeants than lower enlisted, and most of them didn’t know jack.

Your article has me worried because when I talk to young kids who want to join the Military, I try to drive them towards the Marines, mainly because that branch is the only branch that still has some Military in it. I’ve actually talked 2 kids out of joining, haha. Don’t get me wrong, I do believe we need a military, but the Government wants such a huge military, it almost isn’t worth having one because it becomes a big cesspool of wasted money and ineffective Service Members.

OK, sorry, I rambled on forever, it’s just rare I come across an article like this, haha. I’m writing many letters to Congress about going back to a smaller, more professional military. I honestly would rather have a platoon with great training and nice equipment than a company with some training and alright equipment.

]]> By: Jarhead http://jarheadonline.com/2008/10/20/what-happened-to-the-sergeants/comment-page-1/#comment-1035 Jarhead Thu, 08 Jan 2009 03:07:31 +0000 http://jarheadonline.com/?p=278#comment-1035 Forgot I am going to have to agree with you 100%. Now I agree that hazing is not a thing that belongs in the Marine Corps the restrictions that have been put on the leadership makes it difficult to deal with many Marines. Forgot

I am going to have to agree with you 100%. Now I agree that hazing is not a thing that belongs in the Marine Corps the restrictions that have been put on the leadership makes it difficult to deal with many Marines.

]]> By: Forgot http://jarheadonline.com/2008/10/20/what-happened-to-the-sergeants/comment-page-1/#comment-1033 Forgot Wed, 07 Jan 2009 12:27:21 +0000 http://jarheadonline.com/?p=278#comment-1033 I picked up Sergeant in 2 years and 5 months..... as an infantryman (0341). And it's groups like "Mothers of America" and a lot of the higher-ups that are taking the power away from us. A lot of the junior Marines do respect us, but how are they going to fear us when all we can do to them these days is write paperwork on them. That's all because of the top dogs and M.O.A. Thanks..................... I picked up Sergeant in 2 years and 5 months….. as an infantryman (0341). And it’s groups like “Mothers of America” and a lot of the higher-ups that are taking the power away from us. A lot of the junior Marines do respect us, but how are they going to fear us when all we can do to them these days is write paperwork on them. That’s all because of the top dogs and M.O.A. Thanks…………………

]]> By: Jarhead http://jarheadonline.com/2008/10/20/what-happened-to-the-sergeants/comment-page-1/#comment-517 Jarhead Wed, 19 Nov 2008 04:00:04 +0000 http://jarheadonline.com/?p=278#comment-517 Eric I agree with you 100%. Marines need to be mentored and brought up in the Corps the right way. If my peers (SNCO's) would get out from behind a computer and talk to the NCO's as well as the troops and teach them right they will come up the right way. Eric
I agree with you 100%. Marines need to be mentored and brought up in the Corps the right way. If my peers (SNCO’s) would get out from behind a computer and talk to the NCO’s as well as the troops and teach them right they will come up the right way.

]]> By: eric http://jarheadonline.com/2008/10/20/what-happened-to-the-sergeants/comment-page-1/#comment-504 eric Tue, 18 Nov 2008 14:29:36 +0000 http://jarheadonline.com/?p=278#comment-504 I will tell you what happened. Marines that are sitting at SSgt and up have failed our prior generation. They failed to educate them, teach them the history of our core, they failed to train them. Your right, Marines are getting promoted too fast and they do not have the experience to deal with situations. I was one of those Marines. I was promoted in 3 years to Sgt and put in the highest billets. Great, right? NO, I was busted down after a year and a half because I hit one of my Marines because I didn't know how to deal with a situation. I have been promoted since and won a couple boards on the way but that NJP opened my eyes on how and why we need to train our Marines. It is shame that we have Marines that run around and scream all day and they only care about how he can punish their Marines or make life hell for them, then the SNCO's think he's squared away. That is a joke what part of running around, screaming, belittling, and embarrassing Marines is squared away. I believe that would make you an idiot. How about we try to educate them, be mentors, be professional, and get them ready for life after the corp. Your right about the sergeants, they are not doing there job! I am a sergeant and I am appalled by the way sergeants present themselves. They are immature, lacking education, and they need to have a foot but up their butt. We need to concentrate on bringing the younger Marines up as good Sergeants and ensure we don't fail those Marines like we have failed this generation of Sergeants. I will tell you what happened. Marines that are sitting at SSgt and up have failed our prior generation. They failed to educate them, teach them the history of our core, they failed to train them. Your right, Marines are getting promoted too fast and they do not have the experience to deal with situations. I was one of those Marines. I was promoted in 3 years to Sgt and put in the highest billets. Great, right? NO, I was busted down after a year and a half because I hit one of my Marines because I didn’t know how to deal with a situation. I have been promoted since and won a couple boards on the way but that NJP opened my eyes on how and why we need to train our Marines. It is shame that we have Marines that run around and scream all day and they only care about how he can punish their Marines or make life hell for them, then the SNCO’s think he’s squared away. That is a joke what part of running around, screaming, belittling, and embarrassing Marines is squared away. I believe that would make you an idiot. How about we try to educate them, be mentors, be professional, and get them ready for life after the corp. Your right about the sergeants, they are not doing there job! I am a sergeant and I am appalled by the way sergeants present themselves. They are immature, lacking education, and they need to have a foot but up their butt. We need to concentrate on bringing the younger Marines up as good Sergeants and ensure we don’t fail those Marines like we have failed this generation of Sergeants.

]]> By: Jarhead http://jarheadonline.com/2008/10/20/what-happened-to-the-sergeants/comment-page-1/#comment-399 Jarhead Sun, 02 Nov 2008 23:26:30 +0000 http://jarheadonline.com/?p=278#comment-399 Aki I agree with you 100%. Hell if you look at my career even I picked up SSgt too soon. I was selected for SSgt 23 months after being promoted to Sgt. It took me quite awhile to actually pin it on and I went to school right after that making me very inexperienced as a SSgt. I think that might have had an impact on getting passed for Gunny this past board due to the fact that I had low fitreps for the first couple years. The Jarhead Aki

I agree with you 100%. Hell if you look at my career even I picked up SSgt too soon. I was selected for SSgt 23 months after being promoted to Sgt. It took me quite awhile to actually pin it on and I went to school right after that making me very inexperienced as a SSgt. I think that might have had an impact on getting passed for Gunny this past board due to the fact that I had low fitreps for the first couple years.

The Jarhead

]]> By: akinoluna - a female Marine http://jarheadonline.com/2008/10/20/what-happened-to-the-sergeants/comment-page-1/#comment-398 akinoluna - a female Marine Sun, 02 Nov 2008 22:31:53 +0000 http://jarheadonline.com/?p=278#comment-398 Part of the problem is that those sergeants are also being promoted to SSgt when they shouldn't even have picked up Sgt in first place. Four and five-year SSgts are scary! Part of the problem is that those sergeants are also being promoted to SSgt when they shouldn’t even have picked up Sgt in first place. Four and five-year SSgts are scary!

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