From: adam@address.invalid   
      
   Jim Beard wrote:   
   > On 07/08/2012 04:01 AM, Adam wrote:   
   >   
   >> I don't know much about military life, but I gather losing a   
   >> stripe is even worse than getting another one is good -- it's not   
   >> just a demotion, but visible to everyone.   
   >   
   > Yep.  A big black blot on the record.  Permanent variety.  This guy   
   > f*cked up big time.  That imperils prospects for promotion throughout   
   > your military career.   
      
   I assume smaller mistakes have smaller penalties, but from what Moe said   
   it did sound like a large and potentially dangerous screwup on the NCO's   
   part.   
      
   > The Navy and Marines are alleged to have some careerists who bounce   
   > around in the lowest three or maybe four rates/ranks, up and down   
   > depending on how long it has been since they went on liberty and got   
   > soused or something.   
      
   But something more serious would still get them discharged, right?   
      
   > The Army tends to get rid of such at the end of their first hitch   
      
   Around here (an hour from West Point), there seem to be more Army   
   officers than enlisted men.   
      
   >> I do know of one USAF grunt who managed to flip over a general's   
   >> plane.   
   >   
   > There was no attempt made to collect the cost of the plane out of his pay?   
      
   He didn't say, but as he was 22 and a civilian again when he told the   
   story, I assume they didn't collect the entire amount. :-)   
      
   Sometimes I enjoy reading about military life, but I don't think I'd   
   last a week in it.   
      
   Adam   
   --   
   Registered Linux User #536473   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)