Enlisted vs. Officers
In the military, there has always been some sense of competition between the enlisted personnel and the commissioned officers. It does not matter which branch you’re in, or what rank you are: there is a huge difference between the two job types. There is also a difference in opportunities for...
Life is Filled With Competition
We start competing the day we’re born. I say this because if I was a nurse in the newborn section of the hospital, I would attend to the loudest-crying baby first. From infancy and on, life is filled with competition. And that sense of competition only grows stronger when you...
Where Are They Now?
I’ve spent over 15 years in the military and watched many soldiers and sailors come and go. I’ve realized that the military career is not for everybody, and that some people spend four to five years in the military and that is enough for them. I have, however, spent some...
Army Badges and Patches Worn With Pride
The soldiers of the United States Army take pride in the uniform they wear. That uniform includes the Army badges and patches earned for service. The patch is a sleeve insignia worn on the left shoulder and designates the soldier’s rank. All soldiers are required to wear their unit patch...
U.S. Marine History
The Marine corps history is one of dedication, courage, and fortitude. The Marines have given themselves a reputation for resilience when facing difficult circumstances. Since its founding during the American Revolution, the Marine Corps has played a part in nearly every major war the U.S. has fought, including the most...
Age Restrictions for Military
For a year now, the military has boasted about its equal opportunity for all races, religions, genders, and even ages. I beg to differ. The military not only has age minimums and maximums for entering the military, it also has age minimums and maximums for certain occupations in the military...
Flag Day
Flag day is an important day in America. The origin of the first American flag is unknown. Many historians believe it was designed by New Jersey Congressman Francis Hopkinson and sewn by Philadelphia seamstress Betsy Ross. The original name of the flag was “Old Glory,” named by sea captain William...
Hollywood and Military Movies
“Is That You, John Wayne?” I bet a lot of you could name the movie that quote is from. That’s because Hollywood has always had this deep fascination with the military. This goes all the way back to black and white televisions. (For most of you, you probably have no...
Army Enlisted Ranks
Those who have never been in the military may think Army enlisted ranks are in order of importance. To some degree, they are. However, just because you have some big college degree and attend OCS, it does not mean you’re more important than a private right out of high school...
Why Do People Join the Military
People often ask why do people join the military? I can not answer that question for everyone however for many in my generation the story goes something like this. We were 17,18, or 19 years old when we enlisted. Graduating from high school was important, but the future we had dreamed...
Military Growth
Our military growth has room for improvement. The US military budget is pretty big. Our military outspends any other country. But our military is only a small proportion of our country’s population. China has the largest number of military personnel at almost 2.5 million while the United States only has...