I Don't Know Whether to Laugh or Cry....

[Flash]

From an email that went out across the Navy intel community this week; I just wish I could see all the submissions....:

Subject: INTEL qualification Pin

* It can't be ugly
* Must be horizontal...similar to SWO pin orientation
* Should reflect power and knowledge

We are going to wear this folks...so lets make it look great!

I am more saddened than anything. I think this a case of wanting to be like everyone else, and a bit of what MasterBates says about self-esteem.

I am disappointed at the spread of the warfare pins outside the core warfare areas for officers. When I see a SWO wearing a pin, I know he can drive and fight a ship. The same with a submariner. When I see wings I know that person can fly a plane, or at least navigate it .

But when I see a supply officer with whatever pins he might have, what the heck does that tell me? That he got a PQS signed off? The same with a SOSUS pin, which is an abomination that no one but them seems to respect. To sit there and hand out pins to everyone just so they can have something shiny on their uniform is absurd. If they wanted that, they should have joinned the Air Force.

It is not that I don't respect their work, whether it be Intel, Crypto, SuppO and AMDO officers. But I don't see how a pin could help anything, but stroke a few egos. Have pride in your work and do a good job, people will respect you, there will be no value added by throwing a pin on your chest.

P.S. This is the second 'interesting' thing in the past month that I have seen this DNI attempting to do.

 

[Flash]

I guess those are more similar to rating embroiderey (community designation) vs. a warfare pin, which is earned?

That is exactly their equivalent.

Are all those little Air Force Badges earned qualifications, or are they community designations as well (I always thought the wreaths around them were annoying; you can't tell what you are looking at until you are really close)?

They are earned qualifications. Some are easy to get, but they are still earned.

 

[snake020]

They are earned qualifications.

Not really. For most of them you are given them once you pass your technical school. No board or anything, just show up and don't fail the course.

 

[Gatordev]

No, submariners got their pins in 1924. I can't find any official Navy sites that have the info, but this seems to be good info:

http://www.subadventures.net/Sub_03A_Dolphins.htm

Hmm, interesting. I was under the (mistaken) impression they didn't have them during WWII, but that might have been a day to day thing...or maybe it's just because of the movies.

 

[Flash]

Not really. For most of them you are given them once you pass your technical school. No board or anything, just show up and don't fail the course.

A school is a qualification, just like Naval Aviator or Naval Flight Officer wings. I never said that it was a hard qual, but they still have to do something to get it.

 

[Huggy Bear]

The Army puts way too much crap on their uniforms. It doesn't look good.

 

[FlyinSpy]

But I don't see how a pin could help anything, but stroke a few egos. Have pride in your work and do a good job, people will respect you, there will be no value added by throwing a pin on your chest.

P.S. This is the second 'interesting' thing in the past month that I have seen this DNI attempting to do.

My best guess is that this is a reflection of some long-simmering "penis envy" (so to speak...) from within the 1630 community. Keep in mind, though, that just because the DNI wants it doesn't mean it's going to happen - these things still need to filter through the bureaucracy. I'm betting that this proposal will run into serious resistance outside the 1630 world, and I'm not sure the DNI has the weight to throw around to ram it through.

Unless he's got pictures of somebody... :icon_tong

 

[trogdor]

.
and as far as giving bling away, I've seen more than one MID with silver dolphins "earned" during their 2 week cruise.

Correct me if i am wrong, but I find it extremely doubtful that a midiot could earn his dolphins during a two week cruise aboard a sub. However if said mid was on a boomer for the two weeks and cutting squares in the Pacific, he could be eligible for a deterrence pin which, as we all know, means nothing more than "i was there".

but yea, them rating that is pretty dumb too.

 

[phrogdriver]

I know of some (back when) who got silver dolphins during a 4-6 week cruise. A little better than 2 weeks, but not when you think how long enlisted sailors take. Of course, the mid could spend every single day getting signoffs, while a sailor has to do a lot of his during his spare time.

The FMF badge seems a little weird to me, as well, expecially the officer version I just learned about. The E version, maybe, because you shouldn't penalize a corpsman, for example, for going to a strenuous job in a grunt unit vice a clinic. Giving an officer, i.e. a lawyer, doctor, etc one for doing BST-type stuff is a bit much. Besides, it's an ugly badge.

 

[Gator NFO]

So does this mean Oceanography, FAO, and Human Resources are working on pin designs as well?

Even though I'm one of the HR types now, I don't think the job rates a pin. Most people transitioning to HR now already have a pin. It's the senior leadership of the HR community that tend to not have a pin because they've been on shore duty their entire career.

 

[Flash]

My best guess is that this is a reflection of some long-simmering "penis envy" (so to speak...) from within the 1630 community.

I think that about sums it up.

 

[The Cow]

It seems rather obvious to me that the only appropriate Intel pin is invisible. In fact, when I earned my 0202 MOS (Amphibious Intelligence Officer), I started wearing one immediately. Hell, I'm wearing it now!

 

[Sinatra]

and as far as giving bling away, I've seen more than one MID with silver dolphins "earned" during their 2 week cruise..

With all due respect to your service, NO you have never seen an MID with silver dolphins earned on a two week cruise

NEVER

Either they bought them, and decided to wear (an idiot move) or you are mistaken and have seen a MID wearing a PATROL PIN that they received by completing a sumer cruise on an SSBN on patrol

 

[navy09]

With all due respect to your service, NO you have never seen an MID with silver dolphins earned on a two week cruise

NEVER

Either they bought them, and decided to wear (an idiot move) or you are mistaken and have seen a MID wearing a PATROL PIN that they received by completing a sumer cruise on an SSBN on patrol

WRONG- The XO of the ship I was on last summer wore silver dolphins (not a patrol pin). I assumed he was a prior, but later learned that he received (to say he 'earned' them may be a stretch) them on a summer cruise...it does happen.

 

[Gatordev]

With all due respect to your service, NO you have never seen an MID with silver dolphins earned on a two week cruise

NEVER

Either they bought them, and decided to wear (an idiot move) or you are mistaken and have seen a MID wearing a PATROL PIN that they received by completing a sumer cruise on an SSBN on patrol

I've seen several who had them as well. It wasn't in 2 weeks, but it was awarded during a mid cruise. As Phrog said, it boils down to time spent. A mid has a lot of time to get sign-offs and stand watches.