DLI is the sperg capital of the world

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Internet VFW > DLI is the sperg capital of the world

Slippery: May 16, 2004; Muscles Boxcar

Hobo de los Muertos posted:

I completely agree, but for different reasons. Since the beginning of my DLI Adventure, I have yet to meet even one officer who is at even an average level in the target language. Every one I have ever had the displeasure of speaking with is absolutely horrible.

Thankfully, there is only one officer in my class, and we like it that way. It just so happens he is also the worst at Arabic of all the students in our class, and everyone could tell that he wasn't going to pass around week five. Though, somehow, at week 54, he is still with us. Hoo ya, special treatment for Os.

Why would the institution have any reason to give him special treatment?

People always allege that Os get hooked up with various things. But why would DLI or the chain of command thereof have any reason to hook him up? If he was some Colonel's son, I can see it I guess. But protecting a random officer, I don't see, because whatever big boss runs the place isn't just gonna be like "well he sucks BUT HE'S MY OFFICER BROTHER" I mean they have nothing to gain and lots to lose by doing that.

Yes, we all know it happens sometimes, I'm not saying that. Just saying that if Os are getting hooked up with whatever there has to be some incentive for the officer leadership to do it, or else why would they?

# ¿ Jun 27, 2010 21:36

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# ¿ May 15, 2024 20:27

Slippery: May 16, 2004; Muscles Boxcar

hammeredspace posted:

I'd pretty much choke on my own loving poo poo if I had to deal with that much brass on a daily basis.

Officers are just like real people, man, only in some cases they have nicer cars and/or bigger houses.

# ¿ Jun 27, 2010 21:37

Slippery: May 16, 2004; Muscles Boxcar

Hagetaka posted:

Institutionalized special treatment, maybe?

I wish, I never seem to get any. Maybe I need to keep a bible in my office...

# ¿ Jun 28, 2010 00:48

Slippery: May 16, 2004; Muscles Boxcar

redkillroy posted:

Tell that to my cousin.. who, on leave, decides to browbash any enlisted individual: Currently in.. or otherwise.

She's been a Major for around 3-4 years now. Ugh.

USAF? (not that she couldn't be, we have plenty o' tools in the AF, but I'm just curious)

# ¿ Jun 28, 2010 02:43

Slippery: May 16, 2004; Muscles Boxcar

Hagetaka posted:

Come to TRADOC

Several of my buddies went to Army Command and General Staff College (why, I'll never know), I'll have to ask them if Army O's always get the hook up.

# ¿ Jun 28, 2010 02:44

Slippery: May 16, 2004; Muscles Boxcar

redkillroy posted:

Army.

That sucks. But how does she know who's former enlisted, and why do they put up with even talking to her? I mean you said 'currently in or otherwise' so if they are civilians why not just tell her to gently caress off? (Or even if currently in, just walk away, how's she gonna ever find them again unless they are in uniform)

# ¿ Jun 28, 2010 04:13

Slippery: May 16, 2004; Muscles Boxcar

Hagetaka posted:

Post her AKO

The Army officer goon-revenge equivalent of 'post a picture of her house'

# ¿ Jun 28, 2010 04:34

Slippery: May 16, 2004; Muscles Boxcar

Hobo de los Muertos posted:

Are you currently at or have you ever attended DLI? This isn't just my experience. It is pretty common knowledge that officers generally get pushed through DLI courses and through graduation regardless of their actual ability.

Nah, I never been within a hundred miles of that place. It's too bad if that's what's happening, and since i'm not there I guess I don't know. There's just a lot of 'O's get hook ups" comments and I always try to figure out WHY, that is, why anyone would hook them up. Usually it's because they have influence (i.e. a general's kid) or maybe a pilot is looking out for a pilot etc. but I can't see why DLI leadership would let substandard O's become grads, but maybe there are reasons beyond my understanding. (You'd think they would not do so because if lovely Os come from there it will hurt the school, but whatever.)

# ¿ Jun 28, 2010 04:59

Slippery: May 16, 2004; Muscles Boxcar

ElHuevoGrande posted:

You're in luck! When I was there (2005-2007) I asked "Why do the O's get hookups?" and I actually got a straight answer.

O's who aren't FAOs go to DLI for billet specific language requirements. requirements that are often times much less stringent than those for enlisted linguists. Given that the officers tend to be sent rather begrudgingly to language training, (due to cost) the emphasis is on getting them finished and doing their next job, rather than proficient by DLI standards. So when the military leadership is presented with a choice of whether to pull an officer who sucks at the language, or push him through with tutoring, they tend to come down strongly on one side.

Why do the civ teachers cut O's slack? Most of these people come from rather authoritarian cultures, and are no poo poo impressed by the shiny bars. They're human beings, and suceptible to things like that.

Huh, well, that makes sense to me. Interesting, thanks for the info.

# ¿ Jun 28, 2010 06:25

Slippery: May 16, 2004; Muscles Boxcar

Tokan posted:

Unless something has changed, that would be a fact-based belief.

Synthetic cannabinoids, the bane of military drug testing.

It's testable dude, trust me (or don't, and eventually find out, I guess.)

I got nothin personal against spice etc. but the rules say we can't do it so I guess we probably shouldn't.

(I'm not saying you're doing it or anything like that, just that I always try to convince my guys that it is testable and I just know some of them think I'm BSing them and I'd hate to see them be positive and get booted)

# ¿ Jul 16, 2010 15:25

Slippery: May 16, 2004; Muscles Boxcar

Tokan posted:

They shouldn't have to be in the grey area about it. So many cases would be nonexistent (esp. for E-3 and below) if SECNAV made it clear that testing was available for it vs. infusing a false bravado in potential users about its testability.

I still raise the BS flag on this one; there's no real accountability to the 'rumor' until SECNAV posts an official statement on the testability instead of ducking and weaving direct questions regarding it. There are two recent accounts (May and June) of discharges from my last command wherein both had succumbed to the 'CO sends the results to UCLA' rumor. Turns out neither had popped positive, but there had been statements from a few whistleblowers. After drilling it in their heads for a couple weeks that they were doomed, they both gave admissions and were subsequently booted, w/o physical evidence (don't know if the June guy is still there).

Funny part? Afterwards, the 'rumor' spread that they had both popped positive; only those attending the mast knew the truth of the matter. Incidentally, neither of these two masts were announced, resulting in significantly fewer attendees than usual; the previous five masts this year were all announced, with junior enlisted being encouraged to attend.

The same command (a hospital, mind you) gave drug tests on a biweekly basis, as spice has been a continuing, though apparently untestable, problem there.

Not officially closing the book on this one (I could be wrong), but it just sounds like your typical RUMINT/PSYOPS disbursed down from the chain until they can find a proven way to test that can be stamped and sealed to put TFOG in the junkies.

Spice is against the rules. What more needs to be said? Why should the chain of command go out of its way to prove or disprove anything? It's illegal. Don't do it, or if you're gonna do it, understand the consequences.

I mean maybe I'm missing something here but it sounds like you're unhappy that the command hasn't made it 100% clear as to whether testing works for spice or not. Why should they? If you know it's not OK and you do it, and you get busted, I mean it's on you, after all.

Again I got nothing against spice et al. personally but it's illegal so what is there to even discuss?

# ¿ Jul 16, 2010 16:45

Slippery: May 16, 2004; Muscles Boxcar

Tokan posted:

I wouldn't say missing something, but certainly adding something based on the tone and focus of your post. I'd be outside of the demographic that you're delivering your PSA to.

It's not a PSA it's just a note that it doesn't matter whether they can or can't test or what they do or don't say. Do that poo poo, get caught, get booted, no point in trying to discuss it really, is what I meant.

quote:

You don't have to agree with my perception of the entire spice ordeal or my opinion of why SECNAV hasn't issued a solid statement regarding testing capabilities. The issue brought up was its testability, not the service(wo)man's choice to use or the Navy's legal stance on it.

Who cares whether SECNAV issues a statement or not? Who cares if the test is easy or hard or even possible? Why is that even relevant to the rule?

# ¿ Jul 16, 2010 20:47

Slippery: May 16, 2004; Muscles Boxcar

Tokan posted:

Heh, um..

No one said it was, because (once again) the rule wasn't the issue in contention; testability was. When you decided otherwise is beyond me.

Who cares if it's testable? (although it is)

# ¿ Jul 16, 2010 21:19

Slippery: May 16, 2004; Muscles Boxcar

Tokan posted:

Sorry. Calling the BS card on this one.

It's about as factual as 'stress cards' being offered in boot camp.

Spice is testable, but you know what? Don't take my word for it, just go do it every day!

(Why would I lie to you, I mean I don't have anything to gain or lose by your doing spice. Even my own guys, if they all wanna do spice the boss will kick them out, it's not like I'm gonna get demoted if everyone I know does spice...)

Slippery fucked around with this message at 02:17 on Jul 17, 2010

# ¿ Jul 17, 2010 02:15

Slippery: May 16, 2004; Muscles Boxcar

QingLaiXiguaba posted:

GOODFELLOW!!!

Trying to reignite this thread. To all who are at DLI...

Get to Goodfellow. It's worth it. Anyone in the Corps, it loving rules here. PT is a blast. Everyone else seems to be pretty well off too. Airmen from my class at DLI that I'm with now are all in 100 percent agreement that Texas is better than Cali.

Whatever you're thinking now, get to Goodfellow. It's worth it.

Ahahaha you poor bastards in the Corps, I've never heard of anyone thinking Goodfellow was the place to be. Man, that's funny.

(not a dis on you, I just found it humorous. DUDE TINKER, IT'S AWESOME, SCREW EUROPE GO TO OKLAHOMA!)

# ¿ Aug 29, 2010 02:02

Slippery: May 16, 2004; Muscles Boxcar

hammeredspace posted:

The only people who have to worry about scoring anything at all ever on the interview are interrogators, and as far as I know only the Army has jobs in which interrogation is the main focus.

That said a kid in my class back in '08 got hosed because he couldn't speak Spanish worth a poo poo. Did fine on reading and listening, though.

But now he's catching bullets in the desert! GOD BLESS, EVERYONE

How is that getting hosed though, shouldn't you be able to speak spanish if you're a spanish linguist? I mean I don't know, maybe speaking isn't that important (serious post, I don't know about linguists except that if you're stationed in Korea it's cool to know a Korling or two

)

# ¿ Sep 26, 2010 22:29

Slippery: May 16, 2004; Muscles Boxcar

Godmachine posted:

The people who "run" this base don't find it funny nor enlightening when you tell them that all this PT, military training, and briefings aren't important because it just gets in the way of your mission, which is to learn a language. And according to my creed, "I will always place the mission first."

Yeah but guys like me can always redefine 'the mission' to include 'whatever else we tell you to do'

but seriously I mean being in shape, training, etc is obviously part of the mission and blah blah you know what I mean

# ¿ Sep 30, 2010 03:01

Slippery: May 16, 2004; Muscles Boxcar

hammeredspace posted:

You're cute. What's your name? *twirls hair*

edit: It's all bullshit and this is true until it becomes your job to perpetuate the lie.

i.e. a NCO

ummm I think you mean aN NCO :smug:

# ¿ Sep 30, 2010 04:38

Slippery: May 16, 2004; Muscles Boxcar

hammeredspace posted:

Though phonetically the letter N in the English alphabet is spoken with a soft vowel, in text, it is still consonant. In writing, when preceded by an article, it will respect the appropriate grammar rules, regardless of how awkward it may sound in speech.

Unless your emoticon was troll-bait in which case *goofy yell, falls down trap door*

It would be correct, of course, to say "a non-commissioned officer" but if in real life you articulated the phrase "a NCO" with the abbreviation, I do not believe that you wold be grammatically correct. Of course, one says "an historian" although that is something of a special case, in that you don't say "an firefighter" or "an pilot."

# ¿ Sep 30, 2010 05:04

Slippery: May 16, 2004; Muscles Boxcar

hammeredspace posted:

This is not a definitive answer, but interesting nonetheless.

For what it's worth, I pronounce it with a hard H. Regardless if you did so with a soft H, I would still understand you.

oh my loving lord i actually just gave a poo poo about this

Linguistics is/are interesting

# ¿ Sep 30, 2010 05:19

Slippery: May 16, 2004; Muscles Boxcar

hammeredspace posted:

Is there a real-world job that will pay me real money to give a poo poo about this stuff? If so, CC idiot.desperate.sailor@us.fuckme.mil.com

High school english teacher maybe?

# ¿ Sep 30, 2010 05:53

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# ¿ May 15, 2024 20:27

Slippery: May 16, 2004; Muscles Boxcar

ryan_woody posted:

As a Mike, I can tell you that being a Fox will be much more boring and less fulfilling. All the Foxes sit at desks all day and hate life. Are you required to get a DLAB passing score as a Mike now? When I enlisted, it was optional. PM me and I'll give you some alternative suggestions.

I didn't think there was a 'passing' score, unless you mean 'high enough for the relevant language category?' I could be wrong though, I can hardly speak English let alone anything else.

# ¿ Feb 16, 2011 04:28

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