Some of the discussion on other threads is most heated, with all sorts of claims of expertise and wisdom. It would therefore be interesting to carry out a straw poll as to the backgrounds of the posters on this forum.
If posters have done more than one of the poll options, tick the most applicable.
7 years, NI & Iraq included
Voluntary Escaper
You need an option for those that have had military training but never in the military. 
Although I was never in the military. I know all the basic drills from high school courses. My brother-in-law spent 4 years in a military school but was never active or reserve. I know other that spent time in ROTC but quit and also never in the military. So I feel this person would know a bit more about the actual armed forces than a computer gamer.
So far, 5 years regular. Iraq is the only proper tour of duty I have done, but I was there during the war.
Edited to add: 3 years reserve prior to changing to regular.
Another option would be for those who did serve in other branches (e.g. Civil Defense). And no, I don´t play computer games.
I happen to read a lot and to listen to soldiers and veterans.
Jan
no offense, i just want to know more
how can you prepare for suicide attack or anti-american troops in Iraq?
I’d suggest that cadet-type training would sit best under Reserve Service. Before taking a massive hit from disgruntled reservists (I was a reservist myself before joining up full-time) I would point out that mobilised reserve service could constitute full-time military service or active service in a combat zone, depending on the circumstances.
Alas I can’t amend the poll to include these suggestions or other options such as civil defence, otherwise I would do so.
Another poll that asks posters where they glean their knowledge from might be useful. I don’t think that there’s anything that can beat talking to veterans. I personally enjoy historical memoirs more than history textbooks. Some films are good, but a film director is not a documentary maker! I freely admit having a slight dig at the computer game world, although I enjoy these from time to time.
I was a Cadet, and then went on to do Junior Leaders just before I left.(www.juniorleaders.org) When I did the course it had a heavier emphasis on infantry skills and less ‘management training’ bollocks.
I was also lucky (?) enough to grow up and go to cadets near to the Commando Training Centre Royal Marines. (Lympstone) Many of my friends fathers are/were marines (and 1 para), and our cadet unit had strong links with the establishment, despite technically being crabs. (I don’t think we ever had any training support or rations etc. off the RAF, we just ran around on Woodbury Common doing the endurance course-slowly!) Several of my personal friends from school/cadets are now serving Royal Marines, as I decided to go to University before trying for a commission in the Corps, and they joined straight from school.
My military knowledge comes mainly from the (limited) training I recieved, voracious reading, especially of proffed PAMS and other countries military manuals, and constantly being around serving, aspirational, and ex. forces personnel as a teenager. I am also reading Strategic Studies at University, so I am fairly familiar with the more fundamental ideas about war and strategy etc. and with key texts such as Clausewitz and Sun Tzu.
EDITED TO ADD: I am also a very keen civilian shooter, and a bit of a gun/reloading geek, so I have gathered a fair amount of knowledge in this specific area.
23 years 196 days
81/2 on active service
infantry Pl comd and MFC
FW-190 Pilot
It is becoming apparent that not all suiside bomber are volunteers. A number have been chained to the driving seat. Also look at the link in
http://home.wol.co.za/~20137865/iraq/blog8.htm
for first hand info
British Army. 6 Years Regular, 10 Years Reserve. Now fat lazy git.
Infantry Section Commanders Course, Infantry Platoon Sergeants Course, Class 1 Infantry Assault Pioneers Courses (Military Engineering). GPMG SF Pln Commanders Course (Medium Machine Gun). Active Service in NI and Cyprus and 6 Month Training Attachment to 101st Airborne at Ft Campbell KY. Have been a grunt up to Sgt and then commanded specialist engineering and machine gun platoons in an infantry battalion. From a family of British Soldiers (Grandfathers, Father and Brother) all infantrymen except brother who was Armoured Corp.
Shot on active service and recieved mention in dispatches. (I lived you might note).
Although i have to add one can learn quite a bit about the military from playing computer games. Not just the military but military history as well. But take that for what its worth.
I think that anything that makes people want to learn more about history is a good thing. I know some of us on here take the mickey out of PC games but if it makes someone go to a library and pick up a book, or buy a WWII veteran a pint to hear some stories, I can’t complain.
The one thing to bear in mind though, is that a game is, in essence, like a film. It can only tell you so much and you shouldn’t base your entire knowledge around it.
I enjoy games, especially driving ones on the PS2 or strategy ones on the PC, but I wouldn’t say that, because I can win Gran Turismo that I am a better driver because of it.
As for me, i’ve done 2 years in the ‘reserves’ or OTC couple of years in cadets before hand but they don’t count really. The only active service i’ve seen was in the back of a nightclub with big katy… :oops:
I wish you could convince my friend of that. He has flunked out of college 2 because of GT. And he does think that it makes him a better driver in real life. :roll: However he is probably one of the best GT 1-4 driver’s in the world. :lol: :lol: :lol:
[quote=“Gen_Sandworm”]
I wish you could convince my friend of that. He has flunked out of college 2 because of GT. And he does think that it makes him a better driver in real life. :roll: However he is probably one of the best GT 1-4 driver’s in the world. :lol: :lol: :lol:[/quote]
Are you sure he wasn’t No.1 in the world for 3 years in a row at the height of the game’s popularity? :lol: :lol: :lol:
ACF from 13 yrs old.
Reserves for 1 year.
RCB briefing to follow this year. Sponsorship arranged with RGBW
Worked in the F.I. spent a fair amount of time chatting to the guys at hillside camp and MPA. Several regulars in my pub are regulars (thats a great sentence)
Hoping to join the scariest bastards in the British military when I graduate from my degree in (BSc Econ) - International Politics with strategic studies.
IRONING wrote
War Machine - 5 years.
World internet war champion -3 years.
self agrandising prick - 43 years.
Embarassment to my father -44 years.
in the right - last 43 years.
In the wrong - last two months.
Holier than thou - since Birth
Computer master and commander - 3 tours.
Medal of honour
Medal of honour Rising sun
Call of Duty
Operation flashpoint & Full spectrum warrior, were both supposedly infantry training programmes prior to being PC games. I was told this by a computer science geek but he may be right. (Well he is a subby, I wasnt going to tell him he was wrong!)
I did put ‘reserves’, but I what I actually meant was the ever-popular OTC. I was an Air Bear for many, many years before that and I’ll be RAF in not too long, enjoying the delights of the extended 8 month stay at Cranditz. Then it’s a career of putting pilots in a big tin of fuel and sending them off to get shot at. I even get paid for it!
OT:
Bluffcove - enjoy your time with the RGBW, if you do end up comissioning into them. I’ve trained under the gentle encouragement of two of their CSMs, both of whom still thought of themselves as Glorious Glosters. I was under the impression that our heroic political masters were having the RGBW reduced to a company or so in the Rifle Volunteers. Even so, I’d be enormously proud if I earned the right to wear the back badge and the Brandywine flash, which I believe are being retained in the amalgamated unit.
I hope the RGBW will sponsor me but have been looking at Royal Gurkha Rifles, as a career move after graduation. Hence I take exception to accusations that Im going to be cannon fodder! We have yanks for that.
Tillman!
OTC for a couple of years, CCF before that :oops:
Been shooting since the age of 13 though!
5 years as a space cadet (CCF), and have very recently passed the initial interview and been accepted as a TAPO with REME (I think - please don’t bite my head off if I’ve got the wrong abbreviation - haven’t done TCB or been sworn in yet). No OTC though (insufficient time).