At one point (I've just watched ep.5) he says he was adopted by upper middle class professionals, doesn't it seem more likely he'd have become a commissioned officer especially given his apparent aptitude for leadership?
I haven't been in the military and I'm sure there are enlisted personnel from well-off backgrounds, but he just seems a bit out of place.
He doesn't have the education to become an officer.
shareYes, that was my point, why not?
But perhaps fittingly, Skarsgard himself dropped out of college to join the Swedish military and his parents had money, so maybe the character (or the real Colbert?) was of the same mind.
some people don't want to be officers, simple as that. It is not always more prestigious. Colbert looks like the type to want to be a grunt, the guy that does the work, instead of typing paperwork in the office.
shareLets get one thing straight: In the modern day US Military the class system really has no gauge or relation to the military ranks in many cases. One can be from a dirt poor background and still get into the ROTC or a Service Academy. One can be very well off and wind up an enlisted infantryman.
To further break down this very complex topic, you have to factor in the even more complicated SOF community. While it is arguable that Marine Battalion Recon were/are SOF, they are at the very least on the fringe. They are not a part of SOCOM but, at the same time during that day and age they were what made Marine formations Special Operations Capable.
But lets just say they are SOF technically. Operators, SF Types, SEALs, Recon Marines, these are communities where the heart of the cadre is, and always will be enlisted men. Officers get to spend very little time as actual operators. As soon as a Captain in Army SF is done with his ODA tour, he will basically be out of the field for the most part. As soon a SEAL Officer makes Lt. Commander he will rarely be in the field. Marine Recon doesn't even have a designator for Officers. Marine Officer's rotate in and out of Recon from the other Combat Arms, i.e. Infantry, Artillery and Armor.
Colbert wants to be in the field, he wants to be an operator, therefore enlisted is where its at. In many ways its much more difficult to make to the level of mid-level and senior NCO and be effective, than it is to be a junior officer in a leadership position. Let's use Colbert's own platoon. The Platoon Commander, Fick didn't have to do too much to get into his position. Colbert on the other hand nearly 8 years in Recon, and been to every school imaginable. Even though Fick has Command, Colbert is far more capable in combat leadership tactically.
You're taking a dump and they call GQ do you pinch it off or finish your business?
Great post
Generation Kill is a book written by Evan Wright about his experiences in 1st Recon Battalion during the invasion of Iraq in 2003. At the time of the invasion, Marine Corps Reconnaissance Battalions was not part of Special Operations Command and to this day remain unchanged in terms of training and their mission.
When the Marine Corps Special Operations Command (MARSOC) was officially created 24 February 2006, elements from both Force Reconnaissance companies were the foundation of the 1st Marine Special Operations Battalions (MSOB), the 1st MSOB at Camp Pendleton, California and the 2nd MSOB at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. The 3rd MSOB was later activated at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
The mission of MARSOC:
"The Marine Special Operations Regiment (MSOR) consists of a Headquarters Company and three Marine Special Operations Battalions (1st, 2d and 3d). The Regiment provides tailored military combat-skills training and advisor support for identified foreign forces in order to enhance their tactical capabilities and to prepare the environment as directed by USSOCOM as well as the capability to form the nucleus of a Joint Special Operations Task Force. Marines and Sailors of the MSOR train, advise and assist friendly host nation forces - including naval and maritime military and paramilitary forces - to enable them to support their governments' internal security and stability, to counter subversion and to reduce the risk of violence from internal and external threats. MSOR deployments are coordinated by MARSOC, through USSOCOM, in accordance with engagement priorities for Overseas Contingency Operations."
I think while there are all walks of life in all parts of the military I think you traditionally see people who are enlisted who dont have a lot going for them till the military comes into their life.
shareYou think? Thinking without knowing is what leads to generalizing and worse yet stereotyping. To say that people who enlist or are enlisted traditionally don't have a lot going for them before joining the military is a completely uneducated statement.
It was never the case and it still isn't the case. A minority of joiners do come from tough lives and always have. But make no mistake, enlisting is not a last chance at making it for most that join. Its actually very funny, since the end of the Vietnam War during the 'All Volunteer' transition, the US Army has keep pretty detailed statistics on demographics for all officers and enlisted. These stats include education, race, religion and class background. Its available right on the internet to everyone, I suggest reading it before doing too much thinking.
In 2015 only 10 percent of US Army Enlisted Recruits came from the poorest zip codes. US zip codes were established primarily for the Selective Service System. Oddly enough zip codes are still the be all en all when determining wealth breakdown in urban, suburban and rural areas. In contrast 27 percent of US Army Enlisted Recruits came from the wealthiest zip codes.
Even for kids with families that are somewhat well to do, college is not cheap. The military has been a great way to get money for college for several generations. And in the present day everything you do in the military counts towards credits that can be transferred to most college degree programs.
To make it further advantageous for enlisted personnel there are umpteen programs to pursue without even going into a classroom. I went to West Point, came away with a Commission in the Army and a BA in History. As a recent addition to the Lt. Col club I have zero other academic qualifications. Though soon I will go to War College for my requisite Masters, probably in a field that will translate little into any post Army civvy opportunities. I have enlisted soldiers under my command who have far more on their resume. My Command Sgt. Major has an MBA and will soon have complete teaching credentials for Texas. Almost 30 percent of my Squadrons SNCOs have Graduate Level Degrees in some stage of completion. 60 percent of them have a BA/BS. I have soldiers that had degrees before enlisting and waived the chance to be officers. I have a Staff Sgt. not unlike Colbert who has a degree from Brown University. Why did he enlist? Well as an Officer you can't be a Cavalry Scout, a Sniper or an RSTA Team Leader. I have another soldier who has a degree from UC Berkeley and another a degree from Drexel. Last year I sent 3 of my soldiers to West Point, another dozen to UT on ROTC programs.
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I mean most of the people who I saw join out of high school really didnt have anything going for them. I am sorry if that makes you mad but that is my experience. Not having anything going for you isnt a bad thing. I never said it was. I dont have much going for me right now. I am lost. I have a job that pays well but a good job isnt my only goal in life. You need to quit reading into everything. It is quite small minded of your self sir. A lot of the guys who I knew joined are doing great things now so it all worked out.
Also long posts traditionally dont get read. Just food for thought next time you go on a rant... keep it short and it will have a better chance of getting read.
Alot of what you wrote about is what a lot of my friends ended up getting into after they joined but up until then they never thought of those programs...
Im not mad but you are still wrong. Facts are facts. Your short attention span is not surprising since you are still generalizing.
The bottom-line is that you are arm chairing this subject. Just some food for thought....skim read.....and don't try to make judgements on topics you know nothing about.
I think you are generalizing it too. I hangout with some of these guys, I live right near a base. Some were all about service. Most were about bettering themselves and the military is how they did it.
shareAlso, you dont have to be poor to not have anything going on for you. That is a generalization as well.... Ive seen tons of wealthy individuals throw many opportunities away.
shareI was an enlisted infantry Marine.
In my platoon, we had everything from guys with post-graduate degrees to owners of successful small businesses (I saw his tax statements/investments..he was well into 7 figures). I have a BA myself but chose to go enlisted. Yes, the officer pay is a LOT better but it wasn't worth it to me. We had dumb officers and dumb enlisted...but also absolutely brilliant officers and enlisted too. During war time, many of the military are just a standard cross cut of the population. Yeah, we had good ol boys from Alabama and also trust fund kids from Newport Beach...there was nothing predictable about us. We were all very close though, especially after deployments together when you share so many hardships. It makes great conversations though..often it felt like a similar situation to the movie Breakfast Club in our platoon tent. Just so many people from so many different socioeconomic backgrounds, religion, politics, etc.. The diversity most likely kept me sane...one minute you're talking about Nietzsche vs Kierkegaard and the next you hear Copenhagen long vs straight cut.