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I think on the whole, people tend to have to learn to relax, and not let the little things in life bother them :dontpanic:
Coming from me, that's fairly hypocritical, as I am fairly anal about certain things, but a slam about being gentlemanly via upbringing rather than by being presented a scroll is pretty tame, and doesn't merit a huff. As mentioned, things like that have been said since Centurion was a rank, not a tank (another classic line.....). NCO's (NCM is sooooo lame.... probably one of the biggest reason's non-officers (to be more specific) have started to lose their sense of identity...... I hate hearing "Junior (or senior) NCM" to describe a person.... a Cpl with 20 years in rank could be called a senior NCM, but not a Sr NCO, and a Sgt with only 5 years in could be called a junior NCM, but not a Jr NCO..... it's all about the semantics, people!!!!) have always, and always will, make fun of officers, either good naturedly, or even with malice. Nothing will stop it, not even holding your breath until your face turns blue.
A good officer will accept the ribbing (as long as it is good natured and within the right forum) as part of the way things are, and if they chose to make a stink of it, so much the better: they are then open season for all manner of ridicule and practical jokes. It's like telling somebody that you don't like a certain nickname: that seals the deal, and makes the nickname permanent. Juvenile, yes.
Of course, belittling an officer, or making fun of them in public, while fun, is not professional, and shouldn't be done in front of the troops. But I have seen groups of Sr NCO's and officers joking around with each other (in confined quarters, without soldiers there) and I think that it shows both groups, that at the end of the day, that they are both human. A piece of paper (or some stripes) doesn't make one better or smarter, it just shows knowledge and/or experience and training. Humans need little badges and scraps of paper to feel good about themselves.....
As for the original comment, I suspect that it was meant as a compliment, but turned into a backhanded compliment ("You don't sweat much for a fat-f*ck...."). When I was younger (and had more time on my hands), I decided to do some good ol' book readin', and decided to tackle Tolstoy's War and Peace while I was a loader on a tank during some course or another here in Gagetown. The course officer was looking for me, and when informed that I was in my tank reading War and Peace, he laughed. Sure enough, he found me reading said novel, and stammered out something like "They said you were reading that, but I thought they were kidding.....". I of course launched into him with "Why, because I'm a Corporal?!?!? I'm too stupid to read a book that doesn't have pictures, or begin with 'Dear Penthouse, I never thought it would happen to me.....'?!?!?!?". He sputtered "No, of course not......". I gave him the gears for a while, as it bugged me somewhat, but I should have been used to that type of mentality, as it is cultural and institutionalized into us. My buddy back home a bunch of years ago said "You're too smart to be in the Army", which is kind of true, but yet untrue, because if I was smart I wouldn't be [in the Army], but can't be true, because I am ;D
I have met a lot of very smart NCO's, some with degree's, some with partial degree's, some just street smart, or self taught. I have also met some very smart officers, in military matters, book smart, common sense, the works. But, I have also met pompous, stunned-ass officers, who can barely function, and the only thing going for them is a few framed pieces of paper (commisioning scroll, degree) and some bars on their slip-ons, and usually a hatred for the "men", probably because of our ability to see through their pathetic attempts at "leadership" or our realization that a few years in the halls of an institute of higher learning doesn't always equate true intelligence or smarts. My schooling has been in the University of Life, and tuition hasn't been cheap.....
Anyway, there are a lot of smart people who respond on this forum, and while we might all drink in different messes, we all have a part to play within in the CF, and hopefully some of what is said here actually helps to make changes for the better.
Al
Coming from me, that's fairly hypocritical, as I am fairly anal about certain things, but a slam about being gentlemanly via upbringing rather than by being presented a scroll is pretty tame, and doesn't merit a huff. As mentioned, things like that have been said since Centurion was a rank, not a tank (another classic line.....). NCO's (NCM is sooooo lame.... probably one of the biggest reason's non-officers (to be more specific) have started to lose their sense of identity...... I hate hearing "Junior (or senior) NCM" to describe a person.... a Cpl with 20 years in rank could be called a senior NCM, but not a Sr NCO, and a Sgt with only 5 years in could be called a junior NCM, but not a Jr NCO..... it's all about the semantics, people!!!!) have always, and always will, make fun of officers, either good naturedly, or even with malice. Nothing will stop it, not even holding your breath until your face turns blue.
A good officer will accept the ribbing (as long as it is good natured and within the right forum) as part of the way things are, and if they chose to make a stink of it, so much the better: they are then open season for all manner of ridicule and practical jokes. It's like telling somebody that you don't like a certain nickname: that seals the deal, and makes the nickname permanent. Juvenile, yes.
Of course, belittling an officer, or making fun of them in public, while fun, is not professional, and shouldn't be done in front of the troops. But I have seen groups of Sr NCO's and officers joking around with each other (in confined quarters, without soldiers there) and I think that it shows both groups, that at the end of the day, that they are both human. A piece of paper (or some stripes) doesn't make one better or smarter, it just shows knowledge and/or experience and training. Humans need little badges and scraps of paper to feel good about themselves.....
As for the original comment, I suspect that it was meant as a compliment, but turned into a backhanded compliment ("You don't sweat much for a fat-f*ck...."). When I was younger (and had more time on my hands), I decided to do some good ol' book readin', and decided to tackle Tolstoy's War and Peace while I was a loader on a tank during some course or another here in Gagetown. The course officer was looking for me, and when informed that I was in my tank reading War and Peace, he laughed. Sure enough, he found me reading said novel, and stammered out something like "They said you were reading that, but I thought they were kidding.....". I of course launched into him with "Why, because I'm a Corporal?!?!? I'm too stupid to read a book that doesn't have pictures, or begin with 'Dear Penthouse, I never thought it would happen to me.....'?!?!?!?". He sputtered "No, of course not......". I gave him the gears for a while, as it bugged me somewhat, but I should have been used to that type of mentality, as it is cultural and institutionalized into us. My buddy back home a bunch of years ago said "You're too smart to be in the Army", which is kind of true, but yet untrue, because if I was smart I wouldn't be [in the Army], but can't be true, because I am ;D
I have met a lot of very smart NCO's, some with degree's, some with partial degree's, some just street smart, or self taught. I have also met some very smart officers, in military matters, book smart, common sense, the works. But, I have also met pompous, stunned-ass officers, who can barely function, and the only thing going for them is a few framed pieces of paper (commisioning scroll, degree) and some bars on their slip-ons, and usually a hatred for the "men", probably because of our ability to see through their pathetic attempts at "leadership" or our realization that a few years in the halls of an institute of higher learning doesn't always equate true intelligence or smarts. My schooling has been in the University of Life, and tuition hasn't been cheap.....
Anyway, there are a lot of smart people who respond on this forum, and while we might all drink in different messes, we all have a part to play within in the CF, and hopefully some of what is said here actually helps to make changes for the better.
Al
