Question for active and recently discharged army and navy men/women.

[Silver Fox]

How is the esprit de corps in the army and navy today? Back when I was in service both branches were on a par with the marine's today.

[CincyCop]

How is the esprit de corps in the army and navy today? Back when I was in service both branches were on a par with the marine's today.

I was discharged from the Navy (active duty) in 1992 and then the Navy Reserve in 1998 so I don't know...but I will say that guys I have flown with at Delta who have (fairly) recently been discharged from the Army (not too many of those), Air Force, Coast Guard and Navy continue to have a high level of esprit de corps...but I would say that the Marine veterans that I fly with continually display the highest level of esprit de corps. The Marine veterans also seem to have the best jokes.

[Silver Fox]

I will say that guys I have flown with at Delta who have (fairly) recently been discharged from the Army (not too many of those), Air Force, Coast Guard and Navy continue to have a high level of esprit de corps...but I would say that the Marine veterans that I fly with continually display the highest level of esprit de corps. The Marine veterans also seem to have the best jokes.

That's what I've noticed too. And, I think it proves that there is something lacking in either the training, mind set or maybe the caliber of men in our military today, other than a Marine, who has had that Gung Ho spirit since WW-2 and probably before.

When I joined the Navy, the enlistment officer, just before swearing me in said. What branch of service do you want to join, the Army, Navy or the Marines? That question caught me by surprise and I came within an er and and an ah of replying the Marines, as I had always admired their dress blues as a kid. Since my dad and older brother were already in the Coast guard and I was brought up on the waters of eastern LI, I had fully intended to join the Navy when I went into NYC and enlisted. But, in that brief moment, I almost changed my mind and became a Marine instead.

[enforcer84]

Well I'm still active Army and to be honest alot has changed since I have joined. Not in a good way either. Seems to me its who you know now a days. I will have 10 years in when my second enlistment is up. Not so sure that I will be doing the other 10.

[Silver Fox]

Well I'm still active Army and to be honest alot has changed since I have joined. Not in a good way either. Seems to me its who you know now a days. I will have 10 years in when my second enlistment is up. Not so sure that I will be doing the other 10.

Sorry to hear this.

Just a little friendly advice.Take a lot of time and think it over carefully before you throw away 10 years, as the military has the best retirement system in the country.
If you retire at twenty years of service on the final pay retirement system, you receive 50% of your final months pay as your pension, and that percentage increases by 2.5% for each additional year of service. Plus the fact, you would receive health and other benefits and a COLA of about 3 to 3.5% (not too sure about this as it may be a lttle less now) each year. If a guy can take it for 40 years he would retire at 100% of his base pay.

[Sgt. Slaughter]

Current military retirement systems top out at 75% of base pay at the 30 year mark, not 100% for 40.

Honestly, getting out after 10 years in the military is crazy, IMO. That time can be bought for some other retirement systems, but it comes at a very high price. You're halfway to getting paid 50% of your base every month for the rest of your life so long as you continue to breathe. Put in the other 10 and then do whatever you want to do in retirement, even start a new career if you like. Take the last 10 years to get ready for retirement. This includes letting DANTES pay for a degree, saving money to buy a house (or motorhome if you decide you want to travel), or use your rank and experience to travel the world on the federal dime.

There are lots of oft-overlooked perks of military employment. I would implore you to stay in and finish out the 20.

[enforcer84]

I still have 3 years before I have to decide. Not happy with my current job I hold anymore. Looking into changing jobs and hopefully things will change for the better. Yes I agree you can't beat the retirement benefits and security behind them. I'm sure I will end up doing my full 20 years. I have a wife and two kids to think about as well. Guess becoming a police officer will just have to wait. Thanks to the both of you for your words of wisdom.

[Sgt. Slaughter]

Do you have enough time left to re-class? If I couldn't stomach my job and didn't worry about life and career aspirations, I'd work in the armory repairing and working on guns.

[enforcer84]

Thats the thing. This will be my one and only chance to do it. So whatever I pick I would have to stick with. Currently I am a helicopter mechanic on the OH-58D(R) Kiowa Warrior. Considering go to Blackhawks but I have also looked into MP. But they don't do much patrol anymore back at home station.

[I_Follow_ROE]

I miss the Army almost everyday. Everytime I see my class A's hanging in the back of the closet I get all messed up. It was something about the military that worked well for me. One thing I succeded at and fast paced. Plus, I loved my jobs.

Since being out (03/17/2009), it seems like everybody and their mom has joined the Army. Honestly, it makes me kind of sick and embarassed when I see a 5'6" 200 lbs 39 year old private on T.V. in iraq giving shout-outs. It just simply makes the Army look like crap. It's hard to feel the pride like when I was in. I say around 07/08 when the huge floods of people came is when it got wussified with a capital "P." I'm not a bigot, but I have never seen so many females in the service before and the blantent lack of standards they have. The standards are so low, I'm waiting for PT-TESTS to just be abolished. Everything is skill-crafted (You soldiers know what I'm talkin' about) in now-a-days. And, over weight people? Is it a requirement to have a double chin to pass basic these days? They serve mac and cheese a chow time now in basic?

Of course thats a whole other story.

Standards, Discpline, integrity, honor, where he hell did it go?

[Wolfman]

I got off of active Navy duty about 2 years ago and I have to say that the Navy Espirit de Corps is no where close to the Marine one (with the exception of the Navy SEALs).

I would honestly say that IMHO, the only time that the Espirit de Corps of the Army and Navy came close to that of the Marines was probably during the WWII time frame when the greatest generation all fought the good fight.

I have always been in awe of the love of Corps that Marines display and I truly wish that we could instill that same pride in our other services.

[nate1]

I think it proves that there is something lacking

It sure does, and that something would be manliness.

[tanksoldier]

I miss the Army a lot, but the Army I retired from in 2006 was not the Army I enlisted into in 1990.

Some things ARE better, but others (notably discipline) had slipped.

I would say morale is based more on the specific unit you are assigned rather than the Army as a whole.

[JoetheGI]

it proves that there is something lacking in either the training, mind set or maybe the caliber of men in our military today, other than a Marine, who has had that Gung Ho spirit since WW-2 and probably before.

Army morale is MUCH, much, MUCH more unit dependent than branch dependent, and morale will vary as a result. As a Ranger, I have much contempt for "the Army", as "the Army" has done damn near everything it could to lower our unit standards. Darn, those folks STOLE our gddamn headgear!!! About the only good thing I can say is that they funded us and our brothers in SOCOM.

While I did a stint with an Airborne Infantry Battalion, I was pissed at "the Army" for again lowering unit standards by sticking chicks and dirty nasty legs within the organization. WTF?!?

Lastly, as a crusty old non-com that got stuck in a dirty nasty leg unit, I am pissed at "the Army" for lowering recruitment standards that allowed me to get stuck with criminals in my formation that would NOT have been there 10 years ago!

So, yea, "Army" guys are going to have a different take on morale for a number of reasons.

The Marine Corps does an EXCELLENT job of indoctrinating their recruits and instilling pride in THEIR Corps. The Army doesn't, and whatever pride in "the Army" is soon stifled and lost for the fighting man by having to put up with non-fighting pogues and their limp wristed mind set.

When an Infantryman has to sit in a "sexual harassment" class in between missions clearing buildings in a combat theater, he tends to think "the Army" can go right ahead and pack sand up it's rear...

Edit: And DON'T get me started on "equal opportunity" as THAT is DIRECTLY responsible for that sorry POS muslim "officer" being able to shoot a bunch of unarmed soldiers on their OWN base.

[TSOC357]

Army morale is MUCH, much, MUCH more unit dependent than branch dependent, and morale will vary as a result. .

Correct in my opinion as well. I have been to units that were absolutely horrible morale. Go 3 doors down to another unit in the BN and it's the complete opposite.

****, those fuckers STOLE our gddamn headgear!!!

You want it? I'll give it back to you. I hate the damn thing. I'd much rather go back to a functional head gear called the Patrol Cap.