Overheard on Albie Speer's Marine Officer Selection Course

[Alexander's Horse]

Posted from Helmand - met a girl in a Burka - what do I do now???

[Elok]

He wouldn't get discharged for insubordination. He's so thoroughly indoctrinated into the USMC's motardedness that he'll believe his superiors **** gold.

Irrelevant. This is Al we're talking about. Gunnery Sergeant Hartman could inform him that only steers and queers come from Texas, and he'd immediately say "WTF? Who says 'steers and queers,' anyway? You should say 'queers and steers,' to keep it in alphabetic order, LOL." Or something like that. I don't know if he'd say that exactly, but I don't believe it's possible to say something that that man can't find something to object to, no matter how trivial.

[BlackCat]

You realize, of course, that if by some miracle Al actually makes it through this time, he'll be totally insufferable. At least until he gets discharged for something akin to insubordination.

You of course also realize that it would demand a cruel god with a very sick sense of humour to create such a miracle

[Alexander's Horse]

unless Albie is hiding he seems to have got through the PT screening and hazing phase

[Hauldren Collider]

You of course also realize that it would demand a cruel god with a very sick sense of humour to create such a miracle

The thought of him leading men into battle makes me a little nervous.

[MichaeltheGreat]

You realize, of course, that if by some miracle Al actually makes it through this time, he'll be totally insufferable. At least until he gets discharged for something akin to insubordination.

He will still be nothing but a reservist butter bar, aka nugget. Not that he'll be around regulars much, let alone reservists, but nuggets are subject to constant reminding that they are, essentially, nothing.

[DinoDoc]

He will still be nothing but a reservist butter bar, aka nugget. Not that he'll be around regulars much, let alone reservists, but nuggets are subject to constant reminding that they are, essentially, nothing.

I still don't know why he just didn't enlist instead of going through OCS as if it is supposed to mean something.

[MichaeltheGreat]

unless Albie is hiding he seems to have got through the PT screening and hazing phase

Not yet. First week washouts are pretty rare in any military training course, including jump school. The only real exception is RAP week in Ranger school, and that's by design. There's a failure rate of about 30% in the first three days.

[Dauphin]

The thought of him leading men into battle makes me a little nervous.

Better than leading women into battle....

[DinoDoc]

Better than leading women into battle....

He has a chance of doing that too.

[Dauphin]

Oh ****.

[Alexander's Horse]

Not yet. First week washouts are pretty rare in any military training course, including jump school. The only real exception is RAP week in Ranger school, and that's by design. There's a failure rate of about 30% in the first three days.

I'm thinking the tactical phase will be his biggest hurdle - that guy cannot make a decision

[regexcellent]

Irrelevant. This is Al we're talking about. Gunnery Sergeant Hartman could inform him that only steers and queers come from Texas, and he'd immediately say "WTF? Who says 'steers and queers,' anyway? You should say 'queers and steers,' to keep it in alphabetic order, LOL." Or something like that. I don't know if he'd say that exactly, but I don't believe it's possible to say something that that man can't find something to object to, no matter how trivial.

He made it far enough previously that he knows not to do this.

At the beginning of this year I was almost kicked out of ROTC for insubordination (not to actual Army officers and NCOs, but to other cadets). I learned my lesson very quickly through uh, physical encouragement. Also known as smokings, also known as doing pushups until your arms fall off.

edit: Forgot to mention...once your arms have fallen off from the pushups, then it's time to do flutter kicks.

[MichaeltheGreat]

The first rule is "do not draw unnecessary attention to oneself."

[MichaeltheGreat]

And assuming he graduates, I'd put the odds of him leading anyone into combat as near zero. And precisely zero as a freshly shat out nugget. That's why God made Gunnies for the lesser service and SFCs for the Army.