Relaxing in the barracks

[YutYut]

No **** right? That's the entire problem, every ******* that runs the Corps thinks that because they had to deal with it, everyone below them should, and it's ****ty leadership. It's why after my first enlistment I'm done. I don't desire to be treated and housed like a child and not make **** doing it. Everyone tells me "Yeah your paychecks are small, but they pay for everything for you." Yeah, well so what, I'd rather go make more money, and use it to pay for my own damn home with food I like and still end up with the same amount of spending money.

You don't pay for electricity, water, sewage, trash removal, heating/cooling, and general maintenance out of your paycheck (if you live in the barracks). I hope you can find a job in this economy that will pay you 3.5x or more of your Marine Corps salary. Because that's about what it amounts to. At least, that's what it turned out to be when I got out in '07 as a married Sergeant.

[Supersquishy]

in yuma, we were all looking foward to moving into the new barracks when we got back from deployment, after a few months in the new ones, Id rather live in the old barracks, the new ones were super small, and cramped plus you had to becareful not to put holes in the sheet rock walls. At least in the old barracks you could throw something at your roomate and if it missed wouldnt go through the wall...haha.

[Petz]

I have a couple things in regards to this segment. First, if you are of age, and somebody knocks on your door telling you to stand duty...say that you were drinking. No SNCO can put you on duty if you consumed alcohol. Second, is there any MARADMIN out yet? I am in Iraq and I have been living in a squadbay where we all have bootcamp sheets and everything has to look the same. I have a MSGT poking in my barracks everyday and it's beyond ridiculous. The whole uniformity thing was phased out to my knowledge. I don't see what being in a combat zone has to do with fung-sheui and looks.

you've got to have a beer in hand... we did this regularly.

if you just say I can post you... not many Marines drink at 0755 but when you hear every Marine say that... you need to make a command decision.

those with the evidence in hand are a higher risk so....

[Petz]

See thats the exact mentality that keeps Marines living in ****hole barracks from the 70's while the Air Force has professional lawn service and no duty NCOs and one to a room with their own thermostat, hot water, and a BATHTUB. (I've seen bricks in Oki with bathtubs but...no, I'd never get in one)

You just have to know how to complain and who to do it to. To complain about your living conditions, your room has to be spotless. They're not going to give you anything nicer if they can show someone "Look, he can't even take care of what he has now" (And I say he, as if you have your own room, when we all know in reality there's 2 or 3 of you in a 15x20ft room)

I complain every chance I get. I came from "newer" barracks before Iraq. Two to a room max, nice layout, looked "pretty" AC was cold, hot water, great bathrooms. Even had walk in closets.

Now we've got wall lockers. I don't know how it was in the Spanish American War when most Marines on leatherneck were in, but we've got ALOT of ****. CIF gear, uniforms, and civilian ****. Not to mention surf boards, guitars, all the big **** that every Marine has. There's no room. Three to a room? And then you get hit on field day for your cif issued items out. There's no room. Which is exactly why this BEQ plan was put into effect which still hasn't saw any progress. The Navy on Pearl Harbor has 20 story condos with elevators, the Army lives in fortress like resorts, and I've covered the AF. Why are Marines living in soviet-style apartments?

I won't say it was only my doing, but it was definitely Marines with mentalities just like mine that got the hot water issue brought up to our battalion CO which lead to a BGen from MarForPac coming to check out our barracks. If you never say "Hey SSgt, could you bring it up at the staff meeting that there's no air conditioning or hot water in the barracks?" the higher ups will *never* know and it will *never* get fixed.

my brother is in the AF and he says everyone pays 25 dollars a week for all those services... I'll keep my 100 a month thank you very much.

[Petz]

No **** right? That's the entire problem, every ******* that runs the Corps thinks that because they had to deal with it, everyone below them should, and it's ****ty leadership. It's why after my first enlistment I'm done. I don't desire to be treated and housed like a child and not make **** doing it. Everyone tells me "Yeah your paychecks are small, but they pay for everything for you." Yeah, well so what, I'd rather go make more money, and use it to pay for my own damn home with food I like and still end up with the same amount of spending money.

I think this has to do with not just your leadership but your attitude as well.

I can tell from this post that you have issues.

Your leadership may not be the best in the Corps but you appear to NOT BE THE BEST IN THE CORPS as well.

look in the mirror and wonder why your leadership treats you like a child.

I've had lots of kids demand respect but none of them earned it.

what have you done to earn the respect of your leadership?

[Drafter]

The 80's were a terrible time for hair and clothing.

LMAO, I aint lookin for a date freak! But in the day, they'd fall over on their backs with their legs open. ^5

[Achped]

you've got to have a beer in hand... we did this regularly.

if you just say I can post you... not many Marines drink at 0755 but when you hear every Marine say that... you need to make a command decision.

those with the evidence in hand are a higher risk so....

WTF?!?! You stole my avatar idea!

[StoneTheWeak]

I think this has to do with not just your leadership but your attitude as well.

I can tell from this post that you have issues.

Your leadership may not be the best in the Corps but you appear to NOT BE THE BEST IN THE CORPS as well.

look in the mirror and wonder why your leadership treats you like a child.

I've had lots of kids demand respect but none of them earned it.

what have you done to earn the respect of your leadership?

Probably, but I'm not here to amass a pile of rockers so high that I can disregard everyone else. 5 and done. I do my job without lip, that's enough for me, and it keeps my gunny out of my ass. Being treated like a child comes from a command and there's nothing a PFC can do about it cause SgtMaj's don't give a ****.

[Petz]

that's just ignorance talking...

no one said you were trying to "amass a pile of rockers" but honestly, since you brought up rank... the best way to fix this is to get promoted and change sh!t.

and I find it hard to believe that your Sgt Maj is your problem... there are a lot of more junior ranks buffering between him and you.... Sgt Majs have other things on their plate than just screwing with PFC schmuck.... you're not that important unless you've hit the blotter.

look in a mirror and ask yourself why is your leadership giving you such a hard time... it's not 'cause they want to... they've dealt with trouble-some Marines before and are probably dealing with that same problem now... you just think they are messing with you.

[StoneTheWeak]

Apparently, you misunderstood. I don't get direct ****. I do what I'm told and it keeps me from getting singled out. I'm talking about mass policy that the chain of command created, that in effect, makes things retarded. It's better here than Pensacola, but from my understanding, its pretty blanket across the entire Marine Corps. My comment about Sgt Maj's is that, they're the direct advisors to the CO, they have a big influence as to what goes on and what policies are made, and sometimes you get some bitter ass old man who thinks we should live just like he had to. And that, is ignorant.


The original post captures exactly what I mean. If a Marine gets married he escapes much of the scrutinous thumb, and it leaves the rest of us single bastards to pick it up back at the barracks. Because we're single, I guess that automatically means we are less responsible. A Sgt has less freedom than a married LCPL, how the **** does that work? On the flip side, there are plenty of PFC's and LCPL's who are MUCH more mature than alot of staff, simply from the fact they've been alive longer. Somewhere along the line the Marine Corps got the idea that just cause you're a PFC, you MUST be young and immature. I can walk three rooms down right now and knock on the door of a 27 year old who is more mature than 75% of the Sgt's and SSgt's I've met.

[Petz]

I can walk three rooms down right now and knock on the door of a 27 year old who is more mature than 75% of the Sgt's and SSgt's I've met.

maturity is all relative... and I think you don't have the proper compass to determine what is and isn't mature... you statements alone show immaturity.

you should look the word up because you have no control of your emotions to be able to make a good argument over this.

you think that because the Sgts and SSgts are having a good time and enjoying themselves that it's immaturity... but are they goofing off when they chew someones ass? are they talking about how Pvt so and so screwed up and how hilarious it was to their drinking buddies.

no they aren't.

but you're showing your immaturity on these forums.

[fallfast90]

Back to the original thread, that is one thing i don't miss about active duty. When i was stationed in Quantico, we lived in barracks that were built in the 20's! Our command decided that we needed to update our barracks so they made everyone (even married Marines) go to the barracks and work there. We had to sand the walls, fix holes, and then paint...all with our own money. We then had to stop because they finally realized that there was lead in the original paint and samples had to be sent to the CDC. We never did find out what the results were. I also laugh because everyone knew that behind the lead paint was asbestos insulation! Even though there were a lot of bad times in the barracks, there were just as many good times. It was a nice feeling though when I got married in my last year in the Marines and I was able to live out in town.

[Petz]

the sheetrock probably had asbestos backer paper... or it was apart of the rock... you know, firebarrier.

now if I was being ordered to fix the barracks with my own cash... as in sand wall and such, I'd laugh.

but what was being brought up was a cleaning issue.

if you don't like the black mold then kill it with bleach then paint over it with a mold-icide (sic) so it doesn't have anything to sink it's roots into...

hell, area maint has paint for you to use in many cases.... just ask your BEQ manager if YOU can go get it from them...

if I had barracks that had sheet rock I'd probably patch up holes myself and paint with authorized pain if need be... hell, I'm gonna be there for the next few years might as well make it look nice. cost... no more than 100 bucks.

[StoneTheWeak]

maturity is all relative... and I think you don't have the proper compass to determine what is and isn't mature... you statements alone show immaturity.

you should look the word up because you have no control of your emotions to be able to make a good argument over this.

you think that because the Sgts and SSgts are having a good time and enjoying themselves that it's immaturity... but are they goofing off when they chew someones ass? are they talking about how Pvt so and so screwed up and how hilarious it was to their drinking buddies.

no they aren't.

but you're showing your immaturity on these forums.

I feel my emotions are in full check, I'm not blowing up and making a scene of biblical proportions, just voicing how I feel. But because I don't share your views of how things should be done, I'm immature. There is no one right way to do things.

I would like to know how you know just how it is every Sgt and SSgt I've met acts. I don't have a problem with them having a good time, never once did I say that but you put words in my mouth. I'd need more than just my hands to count the amount of NCO's I've seen and heard of busted down for doing silly stupid **** that they should have known better than to do. I watched a Sgt get kicked in the balls by a chick at a bar for hitting on her and talking down to her boyfriend. My SDI told us a story of his 1st Sgt giving one of his Sgt's weekend duty so he could go over and **** his wife. And all that happened after he got caught was he was forced to retire. Had it been the other way around that Sgt probably would have gotten tossed out and court martial'd. Really shows how a 1st Sgt was taking care of his Marines. ****ing another mans woman is some high school ****, and even I wouldn't do that. But I guess thats the hallmark of good leadership...

Having rank doesn't mean you have wisdom and leadership. It means you can shoot, run, and do your job. Some people never grow up. Being passionate about how you feel and being immature are two totally different things. I'm passionate about some of the bull**** that gets pulled in the Marine Corps. People hate me for not thinking it is the greatest thing on earth, which it isn't. There is more to life. But I'm not running around throwing a tantrum like a child and saying blah blah blah **** you Gunny, **** you Sir. It doesn't work like that, and I know it. But I do know things could run alot smoother and alot more efficiently if it was done a different way. It's just a bunch of old motards who fervently believe there is "No other way."

Just because I don't like my job doesn't mean I don't do it and that I'm not good at it. How I present myself on here and how I act in uniform are two totally different things. I thought this was a place for Marines to speak their mind outside of the workplace and not worry about getting in trouble, but we already found out that isn't true when somebody called Achped's OOD.

Sorry if what I say rubs you the wrong way, they're just opinions, and what I think will never change the Marine Corps, either when I'm in, or when I'm far far gone.

[Drafter]

100 bucks, you must drink Heineken or something.

"This Old Barracks" with SSGT Petzold.

Due to the poor condition of this drywall I suggest we gut the entire room and start from scatch. With this done, we will be able to inspect the structural integrity of the framing as well as the condition of all the electrical infrastucture. (puts on saftey googles and camo kerchief over his face. Begins hacking away at the black mold drywall with an e-tool)

Next week on "This Old Barracks" SSGT Petzold installs Granite Counter Tops in the sink area and contemplates a complete redo of the shower surround with 1-3/4" OD green armor plating.

the sheetrock probably had asbestos backer paper... or it was apart of the rock... you know, firebarrier.

now if I was being ordered to fix the barracks with my own cash... as in sand wall and such, I'd laugh.

but what was being brought up was a cleaning issue.

if you don't like the black mold then kill it with bleach then paint over it with a mold-icide (sic) so it doesn't have anything to sink it's roots into...

hell, area maint has paint for you to use in many cases.... just ask your BEQ manager if YOU can go get it from them...

if I had barracks that had sheet rock I'd probably patch up holes myself and paint with authorized pain if need be... hell, I'm gonna be there for the next few years might as well make it look nice. cost... no more than 100 bucks.