I just saw the most irritating Navy commercial

[Carl]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x2974527

margotb822  (385 posts)         Fri Mar-07-08 11:23 PM
Original message
I just saw the most irritating Navy commercial
   Advertisements [?]

They showed pictures of Tomahawks and unmanned vehicles, and then the super-manly, extra deep voice: "Working every day to unman the front lines. Navy."

WTF?!? Ok, what is their tactic? Are they not supporting the war? Are they trying to lure people in with the fact that they probably won't get killed? Are technological weapons somehow better than guns with people behind them? I'm totally confused.

And, I'm in the Navy, so I don't know how I feel about it. Every day, people are getting pulled from their non-front line jobs to go to Iraq. They are working there to free up Army and Marine Corps personnel to go to the front-front lines. So, I can say with certainty that they are working every day to send more people to the front lines.

This commercial sucks!

You volunteered dude.

Bigmack  (1000+ posts)         Fri Mar-07-08 11:47 PM
Response to Original message
1. A friend's son...
   was a Navy helo pilot. Then he got sent for infantry training in Kansas or someplace, and now he's in Afghanistan. Not flying helos.

"Join the Navy and see the world.... faaaaar from the water."

Of course, we all know that all recruiters might just stretch the truth a tad.
   

soup  (1000+ posts)        Sat Mar-08-08 07:07 AM
Response to Reply #1
5. "volunteers and voluntolds"
   is how a friend of my son put it when he came over last fall to say his goodbyes.

A Navy helicopter mechanic - also sent for infantry training - he's now serving in Afghanistan, too.

The op answers a question if they might be sent to Iraq.

margotb822  (385 posts)         Sat Mar-08-08 03:39 AM
Response to Reply #2
3. We all are
   They ask for people of every rank and rate. And when we give our inputs for orders, we also have to give our inputs for global war on terrorism duty (as in: I prefer Bahrain over Qatar over Afghanistan). It is better than the Army though. My friend is deploying for her second 15 month tour. I'm not upset about having gone to the Naval Academy, but I definitely don't think the administration is using the military effectively. People are so burned out and everyone is getting redirected into this quagmire. They are losing a lot of good people due to bad policies.

LibertyLover  (1000+ posts)        Sat Mar-08-08 10:31 AM
Response to Original message
9. My 24 year old stepson just joined the Naval Reserve
   and leaves for basic training in early April. He's been told that because of where he placed on the exams he could pick his specialty. He wants to be Shore Patrol. The problem is that he is 5 foot 4 inches, weighs approximately 110 pounds and has chronic back and shoulder problems, at least to hear him tell it. Not to mention a distinct lack of personal hygiene and a problem with authority. If he lasts, it might be the making of him, but frankly I'm worried that he won't make it into the SPs but will be retained as cannon fodder, with Iraq or Afghanistan his first trip ever overseas. There's nothing I can do of course, but still, every time I see a Navy commercial especially this kind, I think about the Navy personnel who far from water and ships, fighting the ground war.

Our military members can answer this but my guess is that if all this is true he will be sent home.

Then a priceless moment occurs...

abninf14 (1 posts)        Sat Mar-08-08 02:44 PM
Response to Original message
11. I joined DU to respond to this thread
   I lurk around here quite often and finally had to commit to making a comment.

First, I am an Active Duty Army Infantry Officer and would like to clear up the comments about people getting "infantry training" and deploying. The "simple basic soldier tasks" that your Navy friends receiving is not "Infantry" training. It is basic marksmanship and other COE training that Non-combat arms personnel receive (because they don't get it at flight school). And when they arrive in country, they are most likely NOT doing the Infantry's mission. Are they out on patrol with the Infantry? Probly. But they aren't kicking in doors. Unless they volunteer for a MTT.


Second, there is no cannon fodder in the USN. Yes, Corpsman serve with the Marine Corps, but they are beloved, as are all combat medics. Hardly cannon fodder. Yes, EOD personnel are running around out there, but hardly cannon fodder.

Lastly, as a USN Officer, you should be embarrassed that you put Bahrain and Qatar above A-stan and Iraq when there are some junior enlisted men and women who are on their 2nd or 3rd (maybe even 4th) tour to either theater. Way to lead from the from the front.

 

Suddenly the op has to admit the truth after he/she and several others up thread have said otherwise.

margotb822  (385 posts)         Sat Mar-08-08 03:33 PM
Response to Reply #11
12. I'm glad you responded
   I agree that people in the Navy are not getting sent out into combat situations (except in the very rare instances). My original post questioned the tactic of the Navy. What are they trying to sell? A "safer" branch of the military?

And regarding the Navy personnel sent to Iraq or Afghanistan, I said this in the original post: They are working there to free up Army and Marine Corps personnel to go to the front-front lines. So, I can say with certainty that they are working every day to send more people to the front lines.

While the sailor isn't clearing buildings, they are enabling more people to be sent there, so in fact, the Navy is working to man the front lines. So I think that the message that they are portraying isn't the truth. I guess recruiting videos never are.

As far as ranking locations, you probably know that those are the places where the Navy works out of in the gulf. Obviously, they are closer to the Pesian Gulf (the water). Iraq and Afghanistan duties are mostly joint opportunities for officers. And, I'f be lying if I said that I'd rather go to Iraq than Bahrain (most people would be). Obviously, people who join the Navy have different expectations of their military career than people who join the Army or Marine Corps. My best friend is in the Army and is going to Iraq for 15 months. I hate the thought of her (anyone) over there, in danger for something that, IMO, is crap. I'll do what they tell me to because I have to, but there is nothing that says I have to agree with, believe in or actively support terrible foreign policy.

DU....a haven for pretenders and liars.

[Airwolf]

I'm surprised TiT has yet to chime in about his time in A-stan.

[tuolumnejim]

I'm surprised TiT has yet to chime in about his time in A-stan.

It's still early, give him time.

[dandi]

They showed pictures of Tomahawks and unmanned vehicles, and then the super-manly, extra deep voice: "Working every day to unman the front lines. Navy."

WTF?!? Ok, what is their tactic? Are they not supporting the war? Are they trying to lure people in with the fact that they probably won't get killed? Are technological weapons somehow better than guns with people behind them? I'm totally confused.

It's real simple dumbass. The more stand-off weapons the Navy can deliver on target, the less face-to-face contact required from the foot soldier, and that saves lives on our side. Is that a problem?

And, I'm in the Navy, so I don't know how I feel about it.

Well that saddens me to know you're in my beloved fleet. I feel for your shipmates.

LibertyLover  (1000+ posts)        Sat Mar-08-08 10:31 AM
Response to Original message
9. My 24 year old stepson just joined the Naval Reserve
   and leaves for basic training in early April. He's been told that because of where he placed on the exams he could pick his specialty. He wants to be Shore Patrol. The problem is that he is 5 foot 4 inches, weighs approximately 110 pounds and has chronic back and shoulder problems, at least to hear him tell it. Not to mention a distinct lack of personal hygiene and a problem with authority.

He'll either resolve those problems post haste or he won't make it through boot camp.

And, I'f be lying if I said that I'd rather go to Iraq than Bahrain (most people would be). Obviously, people who join the Navy have different expectations of their military career than people who join the Army or Marine Corps.

You claim to be a commissioned officer in the U.S. Navy who attended the Naval Academy! No one wants war, but when it's on you should be actively seeking combat duty and experience! What kind of ****ing officer are you, anyway? Must be a damned finance officer or JAG or something. I can't imagine a line officer with that attitude.

 

[Uhhuh35]

OMG! People in the military being sent overseas to fight in wars? Say it ain't so!
It must be a huge BushCo conspiracy because that never happened before!

What a bunch of whining f**king dimwits.

[franksolich]

You know, with all due respect--of course!--to authentic military personnel, from this side and on Skins's island, I, a professional civilian, am finding it harder and harder to believe a primitive when a primitive alleges to be in, or has been in, the military.

The primitives just lie too damned much.

I'm sure that out of circa 4,500 primitives, perhaps two or three of them are a bona fide military personnel or military veteran, but because primitives lie so much, one tends to throw out the baby with the bath-water.

My apologies of course to those perhaps two or three primitives authentically military, but if one hangs out with known promiscuous liars and prevaricators, that reputation rubs off on him too.

So whenever a primitive makes such an allegation, the mind automatically rejects it.

 

[daveman]

DUmmies discussing the military are like ugly virgin prudes discussing sex:  No experience, no chance of getting any, and no interest in getting any. 

[TheSarge]

Bigmack  (1000+ posts)         Fri Mar-07-08 11:47 PM
Response to Original message
1. A friend's son...
   was a Navy helo pilot. Then he got sent for infantry training in Kansas or someplace, and now he's in Afghanistan. Not flying helos.

"Join the Navy and see the world.... faaaaar from the water."

Of course, we all know that all recruiters might just stretch the truth a tad.

Operation Blue To Green:

During this period of 'right sizing' the Air Force and Navy, the Army recognizes the need for our Armed Forces to retain highly qualified men and women in our ranks. Operation Blue to Green offers you an alternative to civilian life. Operation Blue to Green will allow you to continue to serve your country, to maintain the benefits of military service, and to expand your horizons by gaining new training and trying new things. It facilitates the transfer of qualified Air Force and Navy individuals to active duty in the Army, depending on your service's willingness to release you from your current active service obligation. Selected members of the United States Marine Corp or Coast Guard, who are otherwise qualified, may be eligible for opportunities in the Army. However, Marines and Coast Guard will be required to complete their current term of active service.


Enlisted:


E-1 through E-5 will retain their grade and same date of rank.
All E-5's and above will have grade and MOS determined by EIS IAW with para 5 above
(E5s will retain current rank, unless, current MOS is over strength and they refuse to retrain in an MOS that allows E5 entry level training).
Training - AFSCs or Rates that convert to Army Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) will only undergo the four week Warrior Transition Course (WTC). View the current MOS conversion tables for Air Force, Navy, or Marines. Retraining into other Army MOS may be possible based on individual's qualifications and training vacancies. Applicants enlisting for an MOS that requires One Station Unit Training (OSUT) will be inserted into OSUT after completion of the WTC.

Bonuses may be available for selected Military Occupational Specialties that convert from an AFSC or Rate.
Assignments - may be available for AFSC or Rate that convert to an Army MOS.

Air Force and Navy personnel will be required to attend the Warrior Transition Course. (The Army developed this course to include Basic Combat Skills. This course will substitute for the current nine-week course in use to train Airmen, Sailors, and Coast Guardsmen enlisting in the Army.)


Officer:

Officers will retain their grade and date of rank.
Officers will receive branch specific training as needed.

http://www.goarmy.com/btg/



The DUmmies can not fathom that someone who's service contract with one branch of service has ended or a soldier who's been RIF'd from one branch would want to sign up in another branch to continue serving....even if it meant going to the front lines.

They have ZERO understanding of the concept of selfless service.

[PatriotGame]

And, I'm in the Navy, so I don't know how I feel about it.

BULLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL Shit!

More like:

"While I have never been in the military and quite actually loath it, I do play a Naval officer on the DUmp.
Ask TiT, he taught me well."

[Attero Dominatus]

And, I'm in the Navy, so I don't know how I feel about it.

Unless you prove it, your claim is automatically bullshit.