Author Topic: Question for Servicemen (and women) (Read 561 times)

Vudak · « **on:** January 09, 2007, 10:41:58 PM »

I always hear vets tell kids signing up, "Don't volunteer for ANYTHING."

Why is this?

Is it because they already stand a good chance of getting stuck with it anyway?

Or is it rooted in superstition? (The volunteer in the movies almost always bites it, I notice)

Or is it for other reasons?

Also, for those of you who've been Drill Instructors... What do you think of a kid when he actually does volunteer? Do you think he's an idiot who doesn't listen to advice? Or a suckup? Or is it a good thing in your eyes?

I was driving around and, for whatever reason, started wondering about this.

storch · « **Reply #1 on:** January 09, 2007, 10:48:19 PM »

I volunteered to serve in the United States Navy. I thought it was a branch of the armed services. here is what I discovered navy is actually an acronym

Never
Again
Volunteer
Yourself

yet I'm glad I served and I hope my son follows my lead. but I'll warn him.

don't volunteer for ANYTHING!!!

rpm · « **Reply #2 on:** January 09, 2007, 10:49:23 PM »

Because they only ask for volunteers for **** jobs or suicide missions.

DiabloTX · « **Reply #3 on:** January 09, 2007, 10:51:50 PM »

That's really odd.

I volunteered for active recall twice and didn't get activated either time.

So you can volunteer and have nothing whatsoever come from it.

bozon · « **Reply #4 on:** January 10, 2007, 05:41:46 AM »

never volunteer.
maybe its good maybe its bad but non of those that did ever came back to tell us...

Since most soldiers are familiar and abide this rule, whenever the sargent or lieutenant needed a man he asks some silly question like:

sarg: "which one of you speaks french?"
a private: "I do sir".
sarg: "ok, take this shovel and dig a trench over there".

bzek74 · « **Reply #5 on:** January 10, 2007, 06:08:02 AM »

We had a commander in my unit who would directly as for volunteers, 9 outta it was total crap jobs every now then he would be like ok you volunteered for a 4 day weekend off have fun.

90prf

Rikitic · « **Reply #6 on:** January 10, 2007, 08:14:07 AM »

Elite forces are almost always volunteer. Of course conscript or mediocre forces and thier personel would have a saying like this.

Thank God we have men and women in America that believe thier cause is important enough to volunteer. My oldest son just EAS'd out of the Navy with 2 stretchs to the gulf. My youngest son deployed Al Asad last week as a Marine.

I served as a Marine 20 some years ago. To all 3 of us the never volunteer phrase is just what I think it was origanally coined for. Its a nervous joke as you prepare to go about the business at hand,that nobody WANTS to do but needs to be done.

To all that volunteer in thier turn for me and mine. THANK YOU

Suave · « **Reply #7 on:** January 10, 2007, 08:31:01 AM »

Saying probably originated in the non professional military.
When you see some serviceman with a really kick bellybutton job like living at a 4 star hotel near the beach and blowing **** up during the day and sharing a beer with his supervisor at luch. Remember he volunteered for that duty.

Vudak · « **Reply #8 on:** January 10, 2007, 09:27:57 AM »

I realize that they all volunteered to be in the military.

I also realize that every single time I've ever seen a guy do that, others who have been in there have said "don't volunteer for anything [once you get in there]."

Just clearing that up since some people already seem to be gettin ancy

soda72 · « **Reply #9 on:** January 10, 2007, 09:48:14 AM »

U.S. ARMY

Uncle
Sam
Aint
Released
Me
Yet

"Don't be first" and "don't be last"

That is the best advice I can give for anyone going to basic training...

Maverick · « **Reply #10 on:** January 10, 2007, 12:10:03 PM »

I volunteered to serve. I then volunteered to go over seas. In both cases the experiance was certainly (IMO) worth it.

The bit about never volunteering desn't necessarily have a full basis in reality but is a "tradition" that has been carried on since the Romans had an Army. It ranks right up there with the phrase that "it's the nail that sticks that gets hammered". In some cases it's true and something bad can happen. In other cases it's an invitation to something that can enrich your life. Timing and knowing which situation is coming up is everything there.

Don't forget another military "truism". It's every soldiers right to gripe. When, where and to whom are critical considerations.......

BlkKnit · « **Reply #11 on:** January 10, 2007, 05:53:31 PM »

I was advised:

"If you make to the end of Boot and the DI has to ask your name, you did it right."

firbal · « **Reply #12 on:** January 10, 2007, 10:33:03 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Rikitic
My oldest son just EAS'd out of the Navy with 2 stretchs to the gulf. My youngest son deployed Al Asad last week as a Marine.

Hey Rikitic, what unit is your son with? My step son just over there this week with MAG 29.

Halo · « **Reply #13 on:** January 10, 2007, 11:31:22 PM »

The basic reason for the advice Never Volunteer seems to be that when the worst tasks come up, ranging from undesirable to potentially fatal, leaders can ask for volunteers both to give troops a chance to show their spirit and to somewhat reduce the effect on the leaders' consciences for making choices that could result in injuries or deaths.

Volunteers in any situation usually perform better than those who are drafted (in the large or small sense), so asking for volunteers is often a wise thing to do in many circumstances, good or bad.

Situations not being good times to ask for volunteers are any that would make the leader look ignorant (not knowing which of his troops do which tasks the best), indecisive, or cowardly.

jhookt · « **Reply #14 on:** January 11, 2007, 01:37:24 AM »

because volunteering in the marines will get u scrubbing toilets or scraping soul chicken crap off sidewalks. i volunteered enough to last a lifetime by signing up

Author Topic: Question for Servicemen (and women) (Read 561 times)

storch