Miami, FL - A soldier checking in to U.S. Southern Command was unsettled to discover that nobody gave a shit about how many patches and badges he had on his uniform.
"It really took me back," CPT Slater stated. "I worked really hard to get these patches all over my uniform, and no one here seems to care."
"Expressorizing," or the act of adorning one's uniform with excessive material, is a common practice in the United States Army. Many military experts feel that the practice is starting to get out of hand, with patches and badges awarded for a vast array of mundane activities.
"When I checked in to the unit, the admin clerk didn't even stand to attention when I showed up wearing both a Combat Action Badge and a Pathfinder Badge. I couldn't believe what was going on," Slater described. "I even cleared my throat and pointed to my Pathfinder Badge. The clerk just stared me down and asked 'What, do you want a fucking award or something?'"
The majority of professional military forces avoid the excessive use of "stylized" elements like patches, largely due to not serving any real purpose. "As long as they're having fun, that's really all that matters. The more bling you have on your uniform the cooler you look, and automatically that makes you a better soldier than those around you," an Army spokesperson responded to an inquiry on the subject.
Ultimately, the opportunity to serve in a joint capacity often gives soldiers, affectionately known by their peers as "hooahs," some perspective on how the rest of the military works. Slater concluded, "Honestly I look forward to working with these folks. I actually didn't know there was any other way to do business than the way the Army does, so we'll see how that goes."
No comments:
Post a Comment