Tuesday, October 03, 2006
The League of Disgruntled Majors
Now that my site has been officially added to the MilBlogs ring, I did some exploring of some other sites on the ring. If you click "Previous" it will bring you to The League of Disgruntled Majors. Although there's not a lot on the site just yet, it will be a good one to keep an eye on. Of particular note is the Manifesto posted by the Grand Poobah.
I have to admit, as a company grade officer and a still-active warfighter, I have often had malicious thoughts about various majors that I have come in contact with. Yet, I also felt pity for them. After all, who wants to be a major? They are the bitches of the field grade community. They shoulder some of the most difficult and least glorious burdens. They are almost universally despised or pitied by those beneath them, who frequently criticize them and ridicule them behind their backs. Of course they know this, because they did it too when they were still in that blissful status known as "company grade". Anyway, I would recommend keeping an eye on the League and its activities. Why? It's a League of Majors for God's sake. Can you imagine a more evil organization? It's like something out of a James Bond movie.
You know, there are only two ranks that wear gold rank insignia - second lieutenant and major. Coincidence? I think not.
The League of Disgruntled Majors ¶ Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Now that my site has been officially added to the MilBlogs ring, I did some exploring of some other sites on the ring. If you click "Previous" it will bring you to The League of Disgruntled Majors. Although there's not a lot on the site just yet, it will be a good one to keep an eye on. Of particular note is the Manifesto posted by the Grand Poobah.
I have to admit, as a company grade officer and a still-active warfighter, I have often had malicious thoughts about various majors that I have come in contact with. Yet, I also felt pity for them. After all, who wants to be a major? They are the bitches of the field grade community. They shoulder some of the most difficult and least glorious burdens. They are almost universally despised or pitied by those beneath them, who frequently criticize them and ridicule them behind their backs. Of course they know this, because they did it too when they were still in that blissful status known as "company grade". Anyway, I would recommend keeping an eye on the League and its activities. Why? It's a League of Majors for God's sake. Can you imagine a more evil organization? It's like something out of a James Bond movie.
You know, there are only two ranks that wear gold rank insignia - second lieutenant and major. Coincidence? I think not.
The League of Disgruntled Majors ¶ Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Comments:
<< Home
Yes, I've heard the old nugget, "There are only two dumb ranks ... and they both wear gold."
I wore gold bars at TBS and as an infantry platoon leader (D-1-6)... and gold leaves as an aviator for nine years. During the latter period I served in staff billets at various levels of command, as Squadron Operations Officer in three squadrons, Executive Officer of a Helicopter Training Squadron and Commanding Officer of H&MS-36.
In my old corps, "the good cop - bad cop" squadron billets were normally assigned to Marine Officers wearing silver leaves and gold leaves respectively. XO's may not win many popularity contests, but I didn't know many "dumb ones".
IMO those nine years as an 0-4 were very rewarding and prepared me well for an equal time wearing silver (and two more squadron commands). I was proud of all of my 26 years of commissioned service in our Corps.
Once A Marine - Always A Marine
Semper Fi,
Larry M. COLLINS, USMC Ret
... aka Thunder One/ClipClop13
I wore gold bars at TBS and as an infantry platoon leader (D-1-6)... and gold leaves as an aviator for nine years. During the latter period I served in staff billets at various levels of command, as Squadron Operations Officer in three squadrons, Executive Officer of a Helicopter Training Squadron and Commanding Officer of H&MS-36.
In my old corps, "the good cop - bad cop" squadron billets were normally assigned to Marine Officers wearing silver leaves and gold leaves respectively. XO's may not win many popularity contests, but I didn't know many "dumb ones".
IMO those nine years as an 0-4 were very rewarding and prepared me well for an equal time wearing silver (and two more squadron commands). I was proud of all of my 26 years of commissioned service in our Corps.
Once A Marine - Always A Marine
Semper Fi,
Larry M. COLLINS, USMC Ret
... aka Thunder One/ClipClop13
# posted by 
: 10:02 AM, October 04, 2006
: 10:02 AM, October 04, 2006
Sir, I hope you understand that my post was tongue in cheek. I have had the opportunity to serve under some great officers who were sporting gold oak leaves at the time. A certain Battalion OpsO comes to mind, as he worked himself nearly to death on deployment, and could at times be as bitter and disgruntled a man as I have ever seen. Despite that, he did much to help maintain our faith in the field grade officer community, and was generally liked and respected by the company grade O's.
We still bitched about him behind his back, though.
We still bitched about him behind his back, though.
Ha! Great post, sir.
I worked very closely with a major during my tour in the Sandbox and I have the utmost respect for the gold leaves he wore.
As my SALT leader south of Baghdad and FCT leader just outside Fallujah, through all that we saw, I would do it all over again behind those gold leaves.
So look forward to that promotion, sir! You will inspire as you bear the brunt of the field grades above you.
And if you think being a major is bad... trying being a Lance Coolie.
=)
God bless.
I worked very closely with a major during my tour in the Sandbox and I have the utmost respect for the gold leaves he wore.
As my SALT leader south of Baghdad and FCT leader just outside Fallujah, through all that we saw, I would do it all over again behind those gold leaves.
So look forward to that promotion, sir! You will inspire as you bear the brunt of the field grades above you.
And if you think being a major is bad... trying being a Lance Coolie.
=)
God bless.
Mark, I've felt the pain of Lance Coolie-dom. I was a reservist with 4th Combat Engineer Battalion for 3 years before turning to the Dark Side. Every rank has its advantages and disadvantages. There are certainly privileges to being a captain, but people aren't too inclined to buy it anymore when I claim, "This Lance Corporal didn't know any better."
I didn't realize you were a Mustang, sir.
Outstanding!
"...people aren't too inclined to buy it anymore when I claim, "This Lance Corporal didn't know any better."
Haha, I don't doubt it for one minute!
God bless.
Outstanding!
"...people aren't too inclined to buy it anymore when I claim, "This Lance Corporal didn't know any better."
Haha, I don't doubt it for one minute!
God bless.
Just so you know, I knew it was meant tongue-in-cheeck. As are, I hope you will find, most of the posts on the disgruntled majors blog. No true disrespect assumed or taken. However, you are right on one thing...you should keep an eye on our formidable little league...We Majors are a surly bunch.
The LDM Grand Poobah
The LDM Grand Poobah
Hmm, I find this blog very interesting. I tried to get my Marine cousin to blog since he deployed to Iraq at the beginning of this month, but he looked down his nose at blogging. He was recently promoted to Major. Now I understand - he is a "dumb one".
Post a Comment
<< Home
