Quote Originally Posted by 1168 View Post
I dunno dude. I perceive the current gen of Soldiers to be pretty good. I think you’re doing the age-old generation thing, where we praise the old guard and vilify the young. Sure, there are differences, but it balances out. The Army is primarily composed of good Soldiers, and many absolutely kick ass. And for weapons, vehicles, and equipment, we’ve got better than we ever had back in the day. Shit, look at a squad of 0311s today, and lust after the vast improvement in gear they’ve gotten over the last decade or so. The USMC has probably had the most improvement of any branch in the last decade, even if I don’t agree with all of the changes.

The Army went from taking a non-tactical vehicle and bolting armor on it to make a wide variety of non-uniform deathtrap wannabe APCs to the JLTV, which isn’t perfect, but its a huge step up. They went from ragged out M16s to M4a1s. Shelter halves to Lightfighters. Stuffing a ****ing ratchet strap and some gauze and needles into a canteen pouch to a fully mature IFAK. You get the idea.

I suspect that a lot of this applies to the Navy, as well. I know they have problems. Expensive problems. But I still think our Navy is pretty badass. I’d put money on them defeating any other navy on the seas. I mean, shit, Russias navy hasn’t won a battle since before the American Civil War, and their only aircraft carrier is in drydock due to shoddy Russian reasons. And their next most important surface ship is…subsurface due to massive incompetence.

If this new ship is a lemon, that sucks. But I think you are off target in your above assessment of the DoD as a whole.
Well, I know that you know your stuff on the subject, and I concede some generational bias. Im GLAD to be wrong about the military. Maybe that is where most of the good ones are going, because brother...they arent going to work, Ill tell you that. And when/if they go..its to do the absolute BARE minimum to get paid. The crap I hear on the daily just sickens me. But the good ones, are as good and better than the bad ones are bad..its like there no grey area..theyre either outstanding or not worth a damn.
Good point on the gear, too. I admit I was painting with too broad a brush. Glad to hear what you had to say.