Thursday, January 7, 2021

Join the Army--Get an Education (The Conclusion)

 

A guest post by Sergeant Erik Tolley

There are also some other trades that you could join, like the Military Police, Intelligence (I still can't get any answers as to why they call it that . . .), Logistics (nobody will tell me what they do, either . . .), Medics, Marching Band, Cook, etc.
Unfortunately, I've never seen anybody from these trades, so I can't elaborate on what they do.
Not that anyone in the Combat Arms does much, either.
After selecting your preferred trade, you will be given several pounds of forms to fill out, a medical examination (thank goodness the doctor didn't need a rubber glove), and an aptitude test.
This all finds out if you are in good health, or if you need to come back when you look less like an overstuffed sofa.
Now, when that's all over and done with, you will be told whether you qualify for your preferred trade or not.
If you do, you will be given another annoying pamphlet with an attractive picture and a catchy slogan, which will describe in detail what you will learn to do in Basic Training.
Here is a list of some of the things that it will tell you:
Marksmanship
Fieldcraft
Discipline
Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Defence
Rifle Drill
Navigation
First Aid
Rank Structure
Battlecraft
Communications
Everything Else

Strangely, this annoying pamphlet doesn't list any of the other things that you will learn while on your Basic Training course.
These other things are just as important to military life as the things listed above.
To correct this, I have added a few of my own ideas of what should be placed on future annoying pamphlets:
Swearing
Dirty Jokes
More Swearing
Female Anatomy
Male Anatomy
Alcohol Abuse
Vomiting
Washing Vomit Out of Your Clothing
Dragging Drunken Comrades Back to Base
Standing At Attention When Your Blood Alcohol Content is 0.25
Scaring Civilians
Who says the Army isn't educational?

4 comments:

  1. Ha Ha, standing at attention when y0ur blood alcohol level is at 0.25.
    That's so true, my first husband learned that one and could function completely normally while being drunk.

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  2. Well, in so many ways you described what it takes to be a mechanic. At least the way it was in the good old days...

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  3. Some other things you didn't mention, but: how to shine shoes using only spit and a cotton ball. How to fold your socks and underwear and drive spouse crazy with demands that said garments be folded properly. Get together with fellow soldiers and have a shoe shining party. (My husband actually did that). And, yes, those other things. Diane, give Erik his own blog, and that's an order!

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  4. Heeheehee! Yep, this sounds about right.

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