Conference repair::reserve_forces

Not really a unit motto, but an interesting anecdote (well I think so ... :-)

A few years back I was acting as Umpire on some silly war games down in South 
Wales and we had a few "guest teams" including one from the SAS and one from 
the American green berets.

In the mess a few nights before the off the leaders of these two units got to
bragging, and the upshot was a small wager that I agreed to hold, as to who 
would first capture the orange force flag. The American 2nd. Lieutenant in 
charge said "we'll win, because we always play to win"

After the event the SAS appeared with the flag, and hence won the money, though
the American 2nd Lt. complained that the SAS had cheated by dressing up as 
umpires, ambushing the green beret squad as they trotted across the Beacons,
and held them prisoner whilst the other half of the SAS team went and captured
the flag.

The money was paid to the SAS who softened the blow by buying drinks all round.

The SAS sergeant was heard to remark as he lifted his pint - "we won, because we
don't play".

/. Ian .\

    I've shared this before but you swabbies in the conference will
    appreciate this:
    
    "The US Navy - 200 years of tradition unhindered by progress"
    
    Mark
    RMC USNR

    A popular motto useful in business, as well as military environments
    that is mostly seen in fighter squadrons:
    
             "Lead, Follow, or get the 'Heck' out of my way!"
    
     ['Heck' is the watered down, censored version for NOTES or the  
       easily offended self-righteous types who attend Officers Club
       functions]
    
    
    Or a somewhat sarcastic motto for USAF's Strategic Air Command:
    
             "Peace is Our Profession - War is Our Hobby"
           
     
    usually complemented by the SAC crew dogs' swan song when strapping
    on a 30 year old airplane:
    
             "You got to be tough to fly the Heavies!"
    
    
    Rodger
    
    NHANG/Pack 66

    re: .3
    
    Please help me understand your comment; "....self-righteous types
    who attend Officer Club functions....."
    
    I don't know how many such functions you have attended (if any), but
    I have attended many - both formal and informal.  My memory may be
    vague, but I cannot recall interacting with anyone whom I would
    class as self-righteous.  Indignant?  Maybe - I seem to recall the
    Base Commander at Clark walking into the JO Bar, and a Navy contingent
    singing him a 'Hymm'.  He shook his head and walked out.
    
    I also recall a group of AF pilots trying to Carrier Qual with us in
    the same Club.  Most couldn't do it.  If you haven't seen this, you
    wouldn't understand.
    
    At the expense of upsetting my favorite 'Notes-Chief', I caught more
    flak going into (invited & escorted) the 'Chiefs Club' than I did by 
    bringing EMs into the 'O-Club'
    
    Bottom line - I'm OK taking shots, as long as the shots are accurate.
    If you feel a need to water something down, do it for yourself, not for
    someone else.  Even Officers can read subtleties.
    
    Now, a couple more flying quotes:
    
    	"Helicopter Aerodynamics - like a bumble-bee, there ain't none."
    
    	"Aviation - Hours of boredom mixed with moments of utter panic."
    
    		Bill Tarmey
                                    

    
    re: my last
    
    I owe Major Burkley an apology - He probably has attended numerous
    'O-Club' functions and perhaps he has encountered some 'Self-Righteous'
    folks.  Maybe times have changed - I stand by my comments that I have
    not found that to be the case.
    
    	Humbly,
    
    		Bill Tarmey
    

    Re .4:
    
    No problem, Bill. Actually I never spent much time in the Chief's
    Club. The only one I went to was at the Portsmouth NSY and I went
    there in my greens (imagine a gator sailor among all those bubbleheads!
    :) :) :) ) In any event, it wasn't an especially friendly group
    (maybe because I couldn't talk "submarinese") so I cut out early.
    
    Most of the time when I went on liberty, it was with my fellow AMCC
    sailors (O's, CPO's, and raghats together). We spoke the same language,
    usually blended in with the natives pretty well wherever we were
    deployed, and didn't care much for the Fleet sailors anyway so a good time
    was generally was had by all.
    
    Gee, it might be a neat idea to get all the DECie Reserve (former, inactive,
    or otherwise) squids together some time for some liberty!?!
    
    Comments?
    
    Mark
    RMC USNR

    I've missed a lot of things in my life......Liberty Call ain't one of
    them!  Let me know where and when - unless there is a major
    catastrophe, I'll be there.
    
    By the way, and I shudder to admit this.  I don't know where I went
    wrong.  I am now learning 'submarinese'.  My eldest is a Submariner -
    some sort of Radioman (don't know the exact rate).  He does both the
    operation and repair.  His boat is in the yards at Portsmouth, so he
    makes it home to 'educate' the old man quite frequently.
    
    Don't know when Liberty will be called, but do know that I'm not in the
    Duty Section that day.
    
    	Bill T.
    
    

    Re .7:
    
    Ooops.....didn't know your son is a Submariner - sorry about the
    "Bubblehead" refs in .6!
    
    My old unit was a mix of Tin Can types and Submariners so you can
    imagine how well they got along! :) :) :)
    
    In any event, I work at MK01. We could probably find enough sailors
    around this notesfile and the VETS notesfile in the NH/MA area to
    make a pretty good liberty out of it. Maybe your son could join
    also....
    
    Let's talk it up and see what the response is.
    
    Mark
    RMC USNR

    RE .4 and subsequent comments, my 'rebuttal' with an intended
    humorous/sarcastic slant.
    
    Are you serious??!  First of all, I was really thinking about the
    members of the Officers' Wives Club and distinguished local/civilian
    leaders who attended many club functions at 'BASE X' when I made
    that quip.  I certainly wasn't thinking about us crewdog or grunt
    types.
    
    Who do you think runs most O'clubs anyways??  The wives do, or at least 
    they think they do at most Air Force Clubs.  And who do you think the 
    colonel's wife talks to at night?  Example?  Our Dining Ins had to be 
    'watered' down so as not to offend others who might be passing by and 
    notice our topless belle jumping out of a cake to light the smoking 
    lamp, posters, banners, mascots, etc.  Some clubs were lucky to have
    'casual/flight suit bars' in back (mostly at TAC and ATC bases), but
    even those got regulated.
   
    Also, as more women officers came through, activities, banners,
    slogans, beer busts, Happy Hour, Flight Suit parties, carrier landings,
    flicks, garden hosing, etc. all had to be sanitized in deference to 
    gender differences--i.e., sexist remarks, unfair physcial advantage,
    unnatural/offensive acts and so on.  And yes, the 'old man' and other 
    senior officers usually were right in on the feastivities in the good 
    ol' days. 
    
    Of course, the various clubs' atmosphere depended on the base.  Lot's
    of junior officers in flight school--lot's of fun.  Lot's of colonels
    and generals w/ambitions and headquarters around--not so fun (better to
    get yourself invited to the NCO club on Friday nights).  
    
    I still remember my wife who was a Captain nurse AND member of the O'club 
    trying to hold child-birth classes at the Barksdale club for officers' 
    wives when I was still active duty.  Some colonel happened to peak in 
    one of the event rooms and got offended seeing couples practicing breathing
    exercises (he said they were 'panting' on the floor) and got them bounced--
    politely, of course.  So there's no set pattern of whose nose you can
    get out of joint these days since the 'all volunteer force' and changing 
    times.  And I'm not making any judgements one way or the other...
    
      In all seriousness, though, I'll be sure to limit or qualify any 
    snide/joking remarks so as not stir up an unintentional 'controversy'.
    I guess I need to learn the right -)) code!.    
    
    Rodger
    
    PS...I'll let you know how the Howard AFB O'club is if I have an
         occasion to visit it in the near future.
                                                            

    Re Howard AFB O-Club:
    
    Rodger -
    
    Given the events of this morning, you may get a chance sooner than
    you think! :) :) :)
    
    Mark
    RMC USNR

Apropos of the foregoing: I tend to find many (though not all) officers' messes
to be a tad stuffy.

I also find the NCOs club usually more fun.

However when visiting friends at Pease AFB I was invited to the NCOs club (my
friend is an NCO cook) and did observe a couple of raised eyebrows when I
signed the guest book --- still at least I wasn't in uniform. (Come to that the
guard who issued me my pass to the base gave me an odd look as it was made out 
to visit my friend's wife ... (my wife is his wife's cousin...))

Perhaps it is about time we democratised the off duty amenities...

/. Ian .\

    BACK TO THE ORIGINAL QUESTION, QUOTES.
    
    "information is like eggs, the fresher the better."
                                 General G.S. Patton
    
    
    
    
    
    
    R S SCHWARTZ

    " Never share a fox hole with someone crazyer than you."
    "military intelligence is a contridition in terms."
    
    
    

    Some more to add to .12:
    
    "Murphy was a grunt."
    Tracers work both ways.
    The enemy fient that you are ignoring is the main assault.
    Friendly fire isn't.
    Suppressive fire dosen't.
    If you can't remember the claymore is pointing at you.
    If the enemy is in range...so are you.
    Arguing with a grunt is like wrestling with a pig...you both get dirty
    and the pig loves it. (I've never understood that one myself)
    
    others-
    
    Helicopter pilots don't fly--they beat the air into submission.
    
    No offense to any navy personnel:
    
    Join the Navy.  Go out 100 men strong and come back 50 couples.
    
    
    No offense to any Marines:
    
    MARINES is an acronym meaning "Muscles Are Required, Intelligence Not
    Essential.
    
    Sorry, 
    
    Ted 
    2lt, TC
    

    
      "after seeing the true events that took place I could not help but
    think that jesus christ himself was an Airborne Ranger before he
    decided to save mankind."