Army Thread: Heart and Sesame Bagels

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Carteret: Nov 10, 2012

If there are any PoVs, they need to have SOME level of anxiety about their weapon.

# ? Feb 9, 2022 20:44

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# ? May 2, 2024 21:55

Icon Of Sin: Dec 26, 2008

Have a random CSM drop in and yell at someone about their sideburns.

# ? Feb 9, 2022 20:49

Bell_: Sep 3, 2006; Tiny Baltimore
A billion light years away
A goon's posting the same thing
But he's already turned to dust
And the shitpost we read
Is a billion light-years old
A ghost just like the rest of us

Can't read. Delete this post.

# ? Feb 9, 2022 21:15

LtCol J. Krusinski: May 7, 2013

General Battuta posted:

Sorry for busting in to your professional space with my stupid writer stuff.

Bwahahahahaha.

Thank you for coming to GiP and asking. All professionalism in this place left loving years ago.

Do you want hyper-realism? (Dick drawings, E-4 and below worrying about their rifles and First Sergeants, officers being the bane of existence) Realism? (Tight knit groups that become as close as family and have each other�s backs and behave professionally if a bit rough around the edges) or do you want Sci-Fi? (Hyper competent soldiers with great situational awareness, autonomy, and critical thinking and problem solving skills beyond trigger pulling).

We can help you with whichever you choose, but it�s a big military, and there are a lot of ways to portray it. Maybe you could give us some stuff you have so far and we can give you feedback. You can PM one of us or join our discord and get pretty good feedback from just about anyone. Posting in the open will maximize your results, but I understand if you don�t want to.

Anyway, thanks for coming to GiP and asking, as an author I think you�ll find this place is a gold mine to understanding some aspects (Not all) of the military. Particularly the U.S./Canada.

# ? Feb 9, 2022 21:52

General Battuta: Feb 7, 2011; This is how you communicate with a fellow intelligence: you hurt it, you keep on hurting it, until you can distinguish the posts from the screams.

Icon Of Sin posted:

Have a random CSM drop in and yell at someone about their sideburns.

This one isn�t for Black Library I�m sorry

police that moostash

# ? Feb 9, 2022 23:28

General Battuta: Feb 7, 2011; This is how you communicate with a fellow intelligence: you hurt it, you keep on hurting it, until you can distinguish the posts from the screams.

LtCol J. Krusinski posted:

Posting in the open will maximize your results, but I understand if you don�t want to.

If you really don't mind me making GBS threads up the thread with my drafts I'd love to ask a few questions. I'll probably still need army guys to read the manuscript as a whole to point out things I don't know to ask about. For ex, recently a vet told me that the cool high speed low drag operator tactical code you always hear in movies is nonsense, and in a real fight people are mostly swearing and yelling poo poo that sounds like Halo callouts.

Plus I have no idea how stuff like radios work - does everybody get a little walkie talkie thing, is there just one guy with a big radio, is it both, who gets to talk to the airplanes, etc etc. You can see in this passage I'm kind of just winging it and or working off PR brochures:

quote:

Erik leaps out of the plane with Anna strapped to his belly.

The world rushes up at them: total sensory shock after hours inside a gunmetal tube. Like stumbling out of a corrugated drain pipe into the Amazon.

Erik scans the sunrise landscape for threats�can�t see much, except for smoke from a pileup of destroyed armored vehicles down by the valley mouth, Russian BMDs�but the sheer green of it dazzles and him.

This is Eden. Not the Eden of ripe fruit and nude lounging, but the Eden of forbidden trees and flaming swords. It is dawn in Kurdistan, and the light comes slow over the Qandils to the east, onto stone and water and snow and grass. The mountain that towers over the valley is a vast icy whiteness, a vertical lake.

�Told you it was nice,� Anna says, through the bone mic wrapped around her throat. Anna, like Erik, like all his troops, wears a two-way digital packet radio on her vest, connected to a tactical headset with voice-activated and ring-switch transmit modes. These are the best radios Erik has ever been issued: low-SWAP, powerful enough to talk to aircraft directly overhead, flexible enough to shift between the necessary unit, team, and support networks, and fancy enough to tie into the HAVE QUICK II encrypted channel used by military jets. The ad-hoc MANET mesh protocol they�re programmed with supports up to two hundred nodes in the network. Clayton supplied them. They�re not what Erik would�ve chosen (who wants a voice-activated radio on a battlefield, when everyone�s screaming and huffing?) but they�re nice. When networked with bigger radios in the Globemaster�s cargo hold, they might even talk further than a mile.

What they can�t do, even with those bigger radios, is broadcast beyond the valley. Without satellites, there is literally no way to contact backup except relaying messages between aircraft. They are depending on a daisy-chain of Air Force planes to talk to bases in Iraq and Turkey.

�Yeah,� he says, through his own mic. Anna is a warm, calm shape pressed up against the front plate of his armor. �It is pretty.�

It is maybe the most beautiful landscape Erik has ever seen. God, look at it! The village curls up beside the river. The whole valley basks between two arms of the mountain, soaring, snow-capped, summer melt streaming down through lush forest and grey stone, through earth the color of pine and tea, through black hard rock. The shadows of high clouds move across the landscape. There is no sign of life at all. Not even sheep.

His radio pops. Everything that comes through is blipped and jagged: EMP afterglow, loving up even these premium radios. �Majestics, this is Rune One, flight of two F-16s. Our IP is ten kilometers west of the valley. We have four B61s and eight JDAMs. We are using MGRS coordinates. Station time two hours, over.�

That�s the air support. A pair of jets from Incirlik Airbase in Turkey, topped off with gas from the same tanker that refueled their Globemaster. They�re carrying tactical nuclear weapons as well as conventional bombs. Just in case.

�Copy you, Rune, this is Majestic Zero Six.� Erik is on Team Zero, the command unit, and has the traditional �six� callsign for a unit commander. �Glad to have you up there. Frequencies and map grids as fragged. Our controller�s call sign is GAINER. Majestic inserting now. Out.�

Would an infantry guy say 'as fragged'? Are the call signs remotely correct? Would fancy special forces be using personal radios like this? Could you even talk while free falling, or would the mic just be picking up wind? Am I overthinking all this for what's basically a sci fi technothriller?

# ? Feb 10, 2022 00:53

Internet Wizard: Aug 9, 2009; BANDAIDS DON'T FIX BULLET HOLES

You say that their radios can�t transmit out of the valley they�re in, which is reasonable for the VHF or UHF they�d be using for tactical comms, but it�s unlikely that a unit would be sent forward without at least a satcom radio or an HF radio, possibly both, or sometimes even a commercial satphone.

# ? Feb 10, 2022 02:31

General Battuta: Feb 7, 2011; This is how you communicate with a fellow intelligence: you hurt it, you keep on hurting it, until you can distinguish the posts from the screams.

HF radio is a good call. All the satellites are dead for plot reasons (aliens)

# ? Feb 10, 2022 02:43

Mustang: Jun 18, 2006; “We don’t really know where this goes — and I’m not sure we really care.”

Probably over thinking it, most military radio chatter would sound like gibberish to someone that isn't familiar with it. At a basic level, just having the format "[Your callsign], this is [my callsign] , blah blah blah, over" would at least cover the general format.

I have no idea how special operations uses call signs but those words in a callsign for the conventional army correspond to a unit and the number specifies the individual. Like Legion 6, Legion would be the battalion and 6 identifies them as the commander. The same system is used at the company/troop/battery level but there can be differences in platoon level callsigns depending on the type of unit but they still also use numbers.

Like if a scout troop commander was talking to one his platoon leaders over the radio it would be something like "Red 1 this is Dog 6, move to grid xyz, over" with Red being the identifier for first platoon and the 1 as the platoon leader.

Even a regular army scout platoon has multiple HF radios, any special operations unit almost certainly would.

# ? Feb 10, 2022 02:58

Naked Bear: Apr 15, 2007; Boners was recorded before a studio audience that was alive!

The one little suggestion I'll make regarding radio chatter, for that wee extra touch of authenticity, is to put yourself in the shoes of these folks and imagine that you do this little song and dance every day for a living. What about your speech changes when you get comfortable speaking it, or speaking with the same group of people? Doctrine and best practices stress brevity in radio communication, and on top of that, folks use shortcuts and come up with slang specific to their particular... whatever, situation.

You don't have to go over the top with this, though, it's just little stuff. Instead of being entirely formal with "Red 1, this is Dog 6, here's a message for you, over", two elements within the same unit or that have already been talking to one another will often shorten this to just "Red 1, Dog 6, do thing, over". Instead of responding "Dog 6, this is Red 1, roger, over", you might instead just get "Red 1, roger" and that's it. I'm not sure if this is the best way of putting it, but perhaps let your folks get a little lazy and comfortable.

General Battuta posted:

police that moostash

Yeah, you're already on the right track.

# ? Feb 10, 2022 03:12

Dream Weaver: Jan 23, 2007; Sweat Baby, sweat baby

gently caress this battuta guy keeps following me. I will take a look at yours if you take a look at my military science fiction book which is finally done and back from the editor next month. Beta read swap as it were. And when it comes out I'll shout it out on my email list.

Also still in, still going to airborne school soon. Ack my old knees.

# ? Feb 11, 2022 00:21

Icon Of Sin: Dec 26, 2008

Dream Weaver posted:

gently caress this battuta guy keeps following me. I will take a look at yours if you take a look at my military science fiction book which is finally done and back from the editor next month. Beta read swap as it were. And when it comes out I'll shout it out on my email list.

Also still in, still going to airborne school soon. Ack my old knees.

Idk how much it would really help, but running insoles in your boots may not be a bad idea.

We would�ve run loving everywhere in our boots, but it was too hot and we just walked everywhere in formation instead :shepicide:

# ? Feb 11, 2022 06:12

Steezo: Jun 16, 2003; Now go away, or I shall taunt you a second time!

ASAPI posted:

Also, a private needs to lose their weapon/helmet.

And get yelled at by an snco who then either shoots a clearing barrel or runs over their own nods, which they left on a truck tire.

# ? Feb 12, 2022 23:46

bulletsponge13: Apr 28, 2010

I would love it if you made the head NCO talk about combat, and how he knows this and that, but then have him hide in combat.

gently caress you, Johnny Wayne, you cowardly piece of poo poo.

# ? Feb 13, 2022 01:50

Dream Weaver: Jan 23, 2007; Sweat Baby, sweat baby

I was just checking the gyms at fort benning because when I went to bragg I had to bring my physical covid card to get into the gym I wanted to get into and... hooo boy

So the gyms are maskless.

Excuse me if uh I am surprised but is it often that army facilites are able to disregard orders from the sec army? Because everyone up north has to wear one. Heck you can't even come into the building if you're not vaccinated and next month you can't even go to drill.

I checked the positive rate and it's about the same as here so what gives?

# ? Feb 14, 2022 23:59

LtCol J. Krusinski: May 7, 2013

Dream Weaver posted:

I was just checking the gyms at fort benning because when I went to bragg I had to bring my physical covid card to get into the gym I wanted to get into and... hooo boy

So the gyms are maskless.

Excuse me if uh I am surprised but is it often that army facilites are able to disregard orders from the sec army? Because everyone up north has to wear one. Heck you can't even come into the building if you're not vaccinated and next month you can't even go to drill.

I checked the positive rate and it's about the same as here so what gives?

1 word: Freedumb.

# ? Feb 15, 2022 06:53

PeterCat: Apr 8, 2020; Believe women.

Dream Weaver posted:

I was just checking the gyms at fort benning because when I went to bragg I had to bring my physical covid card to get into the gym I wanted to get into and... hooo boy

So the gyms are maskless.

Excuse me if uh I am surprised but is it often that army facilites are able to disregard orders from the sec army? Because everyone up north has to wear one. Heck you can't even come into the building if you're not vaccinated and next month you can't even go to drill.

I checked the positive rate and it's about the same as here so what gives?

IDk, I went to a Marine base in Arizona, everyone has to wear a mask indoors everywhere, except the guy who works at the post office for some reason.

Don't have to show proof of vaccination though.

# ? Feb 15, 2022 08:03

PeterCat: Apr 8, 2020; Believe women.

LtCol J. Krusinski posted:

1 word: Freedumb.

F-R-double-E, FREEDOM!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uf8WIlyKu6U

# ? Feb 15, 2022 08:04

Nimmy: Feb 20, 2011; Soon young Melvin.
Your time will come.

bulletsponge13 posted:

I would love it if you made the head NCO talk about combat, and how he knows this and that, but then have him hide in combat.

gently caress you, Johnny Wayne, you cowardly piece of poo poo.

I've seen people crack after the fact, but not when their life depended on it. My experience is NCOs acting extremely cocky about how they know everything because they've been in combat, and thinking they know exactly how everything will go... and then when something happens it's not at all what they said because they based their opinion on one deployment or one situation. Some Staff Sergeant thinking he knows everything and it (shockingly) not applying to aliens is exactly the military I know.

# ? Feb 16, 2022 02:44

bulletsponge13: Apr 28, 2010

Nimmy posted:

I've seen people crack after the fact, but not when their life depended on it. My experience is NCOs acting extremely cocky about how they know everything because they've been in combat, and thinking they know exactly how everything will go... and then when something happens it's not at all what they said because they based their opinion on one deployment or one situation. Some Staff Sergeant thinking he knows everything and it (shockingly) not applying to aliens is exactly the military I know.

I've seen multiple men cower in combat. It happens. Most of them, I didn't judge harshly, because it was a single moment that I saw them in, and for some, it was a composure thing. They needed a minute to get their wits in the fight. The ones I do judge is because I saw it was a character trait. Then mentioned SNCO never took a loving risk, found a way to avoid getting into a fight where 30% got hit, and medals for valor were given out like consolation prizes.

I've also seen a kid so scared he sat himself in the CCP, and gave us all seven of his mags when we told him we were running low. I still feel terrible for the look I gave him, and the shame I could see on his face. He was a kid having a normal reaction to a horrific situation.

Keep in mind, this wasn't some 10-15 minute firefight. We were in it for hours. You notice a lot in your little world in that length of time.

# ? Feb 16, 2022 03:18

A.o.D.: Jan 15, 2006; The Suffering of the Succotash.

My nephew is going to Poland.

# ? Feb 20, 2022 04:48

spacetoaster: Feb 10, 2014

A.o.D. posted:

My nephew is going to Poland.

Hope he gets some free time. Lot's of cool historical stuff to see.

# ? Feb 20, 2022 05:26

A.o.D.: Jan 15, 2006; The Suffering of the Succotash.

spacetoaster posted:

Hope he gets some free time. Lot's of cool historical stuff to see.

I hope his days are filled with unending makework Army bullshit while he's there.

# ? Feb 20, 2022 12:37

Nimmy: Feb 20, 2011; Soon young Melvin.
Your time will come.

A.o.D. posted:

My nephew is going to Poland.

EVERYONE is going to Poland. In 10 years no one will have a combat patch and the SSGs and SFCs will tell tales about defending western democracy from Russia, but they don't get a patch because it's bullshit.

# ? Feb 21, 2022 05:06

Nice and hot piss: Feb 1, 2004

I missed out on two deployments in my life

1. Djibouti *only had 1 month on my contract before they shipped out and didn't get forced into it.* Not terribly sad but semi sad I missed that one
2. Poland *decided not to try my luck and get back in the guard when I was in Oregon* Kinda wish I would have gone on that one.

# ? Feb 21, 2022 14:22

spacetoaster: Feb 10, 2014

As someone who did a Poland tour(and a history buff with a graduate degree in it) I LOVED Poland.

Actually, I pretty much love all of Eastern Europe. Everyone is so laid back about stuff. You can absolutely explore thousand year old cathedrals and just walk around old battlefields. And everyone seems to have a deep knowledge of their region's history. It's just great.

# ? Feb 21, 2022 17:45

A.o.D.: Jan 15, 2006; The Suffering of the Succotash.

I have never seen someone as happy to see an American than when I was in Croatia/Hungary.

# ? Feb 22, 2022 04:17

Grip it and rip it: Apr 28, 2020

A.o.D. posted:

I have never seen someone as happy to see an American than when I was in Croatia/Hungary.

Croatia is super chill

# ? Feb 22, 2022 16:01

Oxygenpoisoning: Feb 21, 2006

New ACFT information. Leg tucks are out, planks are in. It now as gender and age brackets. Still completely asinine.

https://twitter.com/16thSMA/status/1506633735164383238?s=20&t=-kTPUeo7j-0E4jwaKq9Nvg

# ? Mar 23, 2022 15:39

A.o.D.: Jan 15, 2006; The Suffering of the Succotash.

How long does it take for a company to get through these new apfts? All morning?

# ? Mar 23, 2022 17:06

rifles: Oct 8, 2007; is this thing working

A.o.D. posted:

How long does it take for a company to get through these new apfts? All morning?

Eats an entire drill day for reserves/guard because of equipment setup, pacing of the test, waiting for the inevitable fat body to "run" their 2 mile in half an hour, and then everyone having to go get cleaned up and put the equipment away.

# ? Mar 23, 2022 17:20

spacetoaster: Feb 10, 2014

And GOD FORBID you have some people who miss it for whatever reason. Because now you've got to do the whole thing all over again.

Or try and get some other unit to let your guys take it with them.

The days of You, me, and an NCO running out to the parking lot to take an APFT during lunch are over.

# ? Mar 23, 2022 17:43

Suntan Boy: May 27, 2005; Stained, dirty, smells like weed, possibly a relic from the sixties.

https://twitter.com/16thSMA/status/1506644231808561153?s=20&t=-880nzLEGLOPfaLAcyZSYw

I guess that answers the "how do we not immediately hollow out the reserves/guard/specialty skills" question. That's one hell of a pendulum swing from when they first introduced the test, though.

# ? Mar 23, 2022 22:30

ASAPI: Apr 20, 2007; I invented the line.

Suntan Boy posted:

https://twitter.com/16thSMA/status/1506644231808561153?s=20&t=-880nzLEGLOPfaLAcyZSYw

I guess that answers the "how do we not immediately hollow out the reserves/guard/specialty skills" question. That's one hell of a pendulum swing from when they first introduced the test, though.

Wasn't the original idea "take all or most of the events or GTFO"?

# ? Mar 23, 2022 23:07

Retrowave Joe: Jul 20, 2001

It was. Originally it had no alternate events either. This dragon has been defanged to just bleeding gums over the last two years.

# ? Mar 23, 2022 23:15

Icon Of Sin: Dec 26, 2008

Retrowave Joe posted:

It was. Originally it had no alternate events either. This dragon has been defanged to just bleeding gums over the last two years.

It took a decade (or more!) to get to this point :laffo:

# ? Mar 23, 2022 23:25

spacetoaster: Feb 10, 2014

lol, why not just keep the APFT?

# ? Mar 24, 2022 02:25

Retrowave Joe: Jul 20, 2001

Icon Of Sin posted:

It took a decade (or more!) to get to this point

Oh for sure, I mean I remember back in like 2011-2012 when they were testing the new test that included the rower. I�m just talking about the changes from ACFT 1.0 to now.

# ? Mar 24, 2022 02:36

Naked Bear: Apr 15, 2007; Boners was recorded before a studio audience that was alive!

Just lol if you're still in.

# ? Mar 24, 2022 02:56

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# ? May 2, 2024 21:55

spacetoaster: Feb 10, 2014

Naked Bear posted:

Just lol if you're still in.

# ? Mar 24, 2022 03:05

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