1945 v 2016

[HAL Pilot]

OUR MILITARY THEN AND NOW

1945 - NCO's had a typewriter on their desks for doing daily reports.
2016 - Everyone has an internet access computer, and they wonder why no work is getting done.

1945 - we painted pictures of girls on airplanes to remind us of home.
2016 - they put the real thing in the cockpit.

1945 - your girlfriend was at home praying you would return alive.
2016 - she is in the same trench praying your condom worked.

1945 - if you got drunk off duty your buddies would take you back to the barracks to sleep it off.
2016 - if you get drunk they slap you in rehab and ruin your career.

1945 - you were taught to aim at your enemy and shoot him.
2016- you spray 500 bullets into the brush, don't hit anything, and retreat because you're out of ammo.

1945 - canteens were made of steel, and you could heat coffee or hot chocolate in them.
2016 - canteens are made of plastic, you can't heat anything in them, and they always taste like plastic.

1945 - officers were professional soldiers first and they commanded respect.
2016 - officers are politicians first and beg not to be given a wedgie.

1945 - they collected enemy intelligence and analyzed it.
2016 - they collect your pee and analyze it.

1945 - if you didn't act right, the Sergeant Major put you in the brig until you straightened up.
2016 - if you don't act right, they start a paper trail that follows you forever.

1945 - medals were awarded to heroes who saved lives at the risk of their own.
2016 - medals are awarded to people who work at headquarters.

1945 - you slept in barracks like a soldier.
2016 - you sleep in a dormitory like a college kid.

1945 - you ate in a mess hall, which was free, and you could have all the food you wanted.
2016 - you eat in a dining facility, every slice of bread or pad of butter costs, and you better not take too much.

1945 - we defeated powerful countries like Germany and Japan.
2016 - we come up short against Iraq and Afghanistan.

1945 - if you wanted to relax, you went to the rec center, played pool, smoked and drank beer.
2016 - you go to the community center, and you can play pool.

1945 - if you wanted beer and conversation you went to the NCO or Officers' Club.
2016 - the beer will cost you $2.75, membership is forced, and someone is watching how much you drink.

1945 - the Exchange had bargains for soldiers who didn't make much money.
2016 - you can get better and cheaper merchandise at Walmart.

1945 - we could recognize the enemy by their Nazi helmets.
2016 - we are wearing the Nazi helmets.

1945 - we called the enemy names like "Krauts" and "Japs" because we didn't like them.
2016 - we call the enemy the "opposing force" or "aggressor" because we don't want to offend them.

1945 - victory was declared when the enemy was defeated and all his things were broken.
2016 – we haven’t a clue as to what victory is or what it takes to achieve it.

1945 - a commander would put his butt on the line to protect his people.
2016 - a commander will put his people on the line to protect his butt.

1945 - wars were planned and run by Generals and Admirals who knew how to fight and win.
2016- wars are planned by politicians who haven’t a clue about fighting or winning.

1945 - we were fighting for freedom, and the country was committed to winning.
2016 - we don't know what we're fighting for, and the government is committed to social programs....And political correctness.

 

[nittany03]

1945 - we had older generations we could look up to.

2016 - we have pathetic, bitter, misogynist assholes like you, who have nothing better to do than complain on the Internet about a generation that collectively has more combat experience than you could dream about while jerking off in the shower after that Thai hooker said "no." So we move out and take care of business with our white, black, brown, yellow, male, female, gay, straight, cis, and trans shipmates . . . because that's what wins wars you never fought, old man.

 

[RadicalDude]

This might be the worst shitpost I've ever seen on this site.

 

[Treetop Flyer]

There are a lot of legitimate gripes about how things have changed since then, but almost all of those are bullshit

 

[CAMike]

Actually the last 4th, 2nd and last comparisons are pretty much "spot on". The truth hurts only those that are easily offended and are incapable of honest discourse and debate. D&D is clearly now frowned upon and the progressives simply can't tolerate it. I grew about a mile away from Berkeley CA and lived the far left style, for years. Evaluating an opposing view, putting yourself in that persons shoes for a short period of time, growing and evolving mentally is a way to grow as a person. Throwing a fellow team member under the bus for sharing a personal view is the epitome of intolerance. So many people are now so darn intolerant and now we have 2 intolerant candidates for President. Just think about those 2 as individuals and how horribly intolerant they are of each others points of views. Life's going to get very interesting in the next 4 yrs!

 

[Brett327]

D&D is clearly now frowned upon

Dungeons & Dragons?

 

[Recovering LSO]

 

[Griz882]

The difference between 1945 and now...about 71 years. Beyond that, in 1945 the average soldier and sailor had spent about 18 months overseas, but only 10 in combat (after being drafted). I spent 22 full months in Iraq and another 26 full months in Afghanistan (all volunteer). If you believe SLA Marshall only 50% of "Boys of 45" fired their weapons in combat...over 90% do today, and I never saw anyone "spray 500 rounds and then retreat."

I could go on, but the most important thing, however, is not the differences but the similarities. Good men and women still serve in harsh places and accomplish great things.

 

[CAMike]

Dungeons & Dragons?

Discorse and Debate is what I was referring to Sir, Not your D&D's. Now adays only the S.F. Folsom Street Fair Participants played Dungeons and Dragons as kids. It's not a pretty result.

When I was in the service, even the folks that we totally disagreed with most, were still hugged (virtually) at the end of the debate and were assured that we still loved them. I'm not seeing' 'da luv amongst the team members here lately.

Hey Brett- You know what drove me from the left? When I interned at KPFA 94.1 my senior year in Berkeley. I was an AP and Reuters Wire Copy editor/summarizer and I saw how skewed the left truly was. They forced me to re-write basic stories, time after time until they were skewed so far left, that they lost their factual base. All relevant facts were habitually and strategically skewed against the right! It was beyond the outer limits of rational journalism. I'm talking flat out lies. I saw what Reagan and his minions were spewing at the time and it was far more middle ground than what the left was spewing. Thus the switching of political teams.

 

[HAL Pilot]

. . . because that's what wins wars you never fought, old man.

I had my war - Desert Storm. I also had my undeclared wars in the Persian Gulf (1988/89 Iran-Iraq war), and over both Bosnia and Somalia. I have my share of green ink. And while you bash my experience, I'm not the one who made a career of trying to get through the training command.

This might be the worst shitpost I've ever seen on this site.

From you, that's a compliment. Thanks!


For the rest of you -

If any of you had any reading comprehension, this list does not take swipes at the actual Sailors, Soldiers and Marines serving. It swipes at the political leadership, methodologies and policies.

It was also sent to me by a just retired (2015) Green Beret Colonel who I served with as a UN military observer for 6 months in the Western Sahara desert with when he was a young newly commissioned officer who had spent Desert Shield / Desert Storm as an enlisted SF medic and has since spent as much time if not more in Iraq and Afghanistan than any of you. I guess this highly decorated highly combat experienced officer is just another asshole like me.....

So rant about intolerances (you fucking hypocrites) and continued to scream about what an asshole I am. I just look at the sources and laugh.

Edit: Re-reading the list, the only one I actually have a problem with is the one about women in the cockpit. I fully support women doing any job they are capable of as long as they have to meet the same standards as men. I believe women in aviation do.

And I'll admit the spraying 500 bullets one was close. But even in 1980 when I went through Army Infantry advanced individual training, the emphasis was more on massed firepower down range than individual accuracy. Not 500 rounds on full auto, by 3 round burst over individually aimed shots. But again, this is not a swipe at the rifleman, it's a swipe at the doctrine.

The rest.... I'm good.

 

[rotorhead1871]

The difference between 1945 and now...about 71 years. Beyond that, in 1945 the average soldier and sailor had spent about 18 months overseas, but only 10 in combat (after being drafted). I spent 22 full months in Iraq and another 26 full months in Afghanistan (all volunteer). If you believe SLA Marshall only 50% of "Boys of 45" fired their weapons in combat...over 90% do today, and I never saw anyone "spray 500 rounds and then retreat."

I could go on, but the most important thing, however, is not the differences but the similarities. Good men and women still serve in harsh places and accomplish great things.

this is a great question, 45 to now?? I would say everything has changed except young men still bleed and die. --bravely. the weapons have all changed,the mission, the tactics, the capabilities..everything...all the best to my brothers and sisters in arms!

 

[rotorhead1871]

This might be the worst shitpost I've ever seen on this site.

its pretty crazy but we are in this together and change is a mother effer if you dont understand it or accept it. I hope he has a better day tomorrow.

 

[HAL Pilot]

its pretty crazy but we are in this together and change is a mother effer if you dont understand it or accept it. I hope he has a better day tomorrow.

I understand change but there is no need to accept change when you disagree with it. I'm not a lemming blindly following over the edge of the cliff.

As they say, opinions are like assholes. And there are plenty of other assholes besides me on this site and posting in this thread.

And I'm having an excellent day today.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

The difference between 1945 and now...about 71 years. Beyond that, in 1945 the average soldier and sailor had spent about 18 months overseas, but only 10 in combat (after being drafted). I spent 22 full months in Iraq and another 26 full months in Afghanistan (all volunteer). If you believe SLA Marshall only 50% of "Boys of 45" fired their weapons in combat...over 90% do today, and I never saw anyone "spray 500 rounds and then retreat."

I could go on, but the most important thing, however, is not the differences but the similarities. Good men and women still serve in harsh places and accomplish great things.

There was a WWII vet I worked with briefly, he was Army, he left Hawaii heading west and didn't come home for 3 years, not all in combat but all overseas, tough guy.

 

[RadicalDude]

The only "rant" I've seen in here has been HAL feeling sorry for himself and CAMike's weird non-sequitirs about the liberal media and Berkeley.

Old man, the reason people aren't jumping on your dick about how clever this list you posted: coming from you it sounds tone deaf, out of touch, and more than a little offensive to the people we've bled, sweated, and worked our asses off with and for in the last ten plus years of constant war.

You don't get that, which is fine. Neither you nor this post was offensive to me. Just tired and ignorant.

You have the privilege of not dealing with the realities of fiscal constraint, increased pressure to perform, and actually caring about your peers, sailors, and marines-- because you're sitting on your increasingly fat ass, punching numbers into an FMS and leering at flight attendants.