Camaraderie in the Forces
- Thread starter Noodley
- Start date
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Ashtrayhead
Über Member
- Location
- Belvedere, Kent.
After a hard days work square-bashing and polishing your buttons you get to sit in your mess.
Silver Fox
Guru
When a group of people face adversity together, which could have fatal consequences, they rely on each other to watch each others backs. That creates a bond, a brotherhood.
Arch
Married to Night Train
- Location
- Salford, UK
That, and institutionalisation...
(The last two example of the Army's 'finest' I've come across, both on public transport, were loud, obnoxious and sweary, and one group seemed to think we should all respect them purely for being soldiers. I'd have respected them more if they hadn't been drinking solidly for two hours and shouting. So I'm a little jaded on the subject of the forces.)
OP
OP
Noodley
Guest
So, it could be they find closeness in the feeling of collective adversity or closeness due to being rude drunken nobbers who think people should respect them irrespective of what they do? Or a mix of both. Seems to make sense, not many other areas of employment permit people to feel this way I would imagine.
I'm a former French Legionnaire and we had to be molded into an effective unit of people with different nationalities, colours, creeds and backgrounds. In this the Legion was successful. Regularly facing life and death situations, supporting each other in combat, working together in training, we worked together, spent much of our recreation together and we looked after each other. I have never since been as close to anyone as I was to my fellow Legionnaires.
There are lessons governments could learn from the Legion about molding a society from so many different nationalities, languages and cultures.
There are lessons governments could learn from the Legion about molding a society from so many different nationalities, languages and cultures.
Gooner Mad Dog
Active Member
- Location
- Walthamstow, London
Done 22 years and 23 days in the Royal Navy there is a far greater depth of friendship in the forces, in civvy street you have collegues someone you are polite to at work. I know army types tend to be louder and more in your face because they are trained to be aggressive and comes accross as being obnoxious sometimes, they are'nt they just miss their old way of life, the kudos perhaps. I am still in touch with mates from mid 80's and get on exactly the same as when we were in our yoof, you bond at work, play hard, you live your lives like an open book, girlfriend snags, homesickness, being penniless at the end of month someone will have a whip round or whatever. The ever changing environment and diversity, rich sense of humour all goes into the mix! Perhaps, tiring anti-air warfare exercises in north sea together, weeks later sat in a happy hour in British Virgin Islands having a large dark rum and coke at 11 am !
You trust your mates in the forces in civvy street you are all wary or distrustful of collegues. I work in IT and absolutely hate the souless corporate job so much mainly because of the people the job is boring and the people in IT have no get up and go, no fun, no life experiences, everyone ready to drop someone in it for fear of whatever, job security, promotion or trivial matters that are not woth mentioning. HM Forces people can adapt to any situation and make their own fun with a pack of cards and twenty quid!!
In civvy street people would be dithering whether to CC the boss in, an email trail of negativity eg thats erm £3.33 each, should we ask boss to chip in that would make it £2.85. Reply - better had ask probably wont come his wife does zumba Fridays! Oh no team meeting after work, you going??? reply - suppose so dont want to though.
ps my team leader has not spoken to me yet been in a hour ( he's a complete mug )
You trust your mates in the forces in civvy street you are all wary or distrustful of collegues. I work in IT and absolutely hate the souless corporate job so much mainly because of the people the job is boring and the people in IT have no get up and go, no fun, no life experiences, everyone ready to drop someone in it for fear of whatever, job security, promotion or trivial matters that are not woth mentioning. HM Forces people can adapt to any situation and make their own fun with a pack of cards and twenty quid!!
In civvy street people would be dithering whether to CC the boss in, an email trail of negativity eg thats erm £3.33 each, should we ask boss to chip in that would make it £2.85. Reply - better had ask probably wont come his wife does zumba Fridays! Oh no team meeting after work, you going??? reply - suppose so dont want to though.
ps my team leader has not spoken to me yet been in a hour ( he's a complete mug )
Globalti
Legendary Member
Two examples of group cameraderie:
From 1975 to 1979 I was an active member of my college climbing club. We climbed together and shared many experiences together, probably holding each other's lives on a climbing rope at times too. That created such a strong camaraderie that even now, 33 years later, we still have a reunion every year and feel that our old climbing mates are our most solid, reliable friends, always there when needed, even if we only see them once a year.
In my third year as a student I spent four months living in a hall of residence in a very isolated place called Huelva, in Andalucia. For one week before courses started the newcomers were subjected to what is called "La Novatad" in Spain, a series of initiation rites, jokes and general stupidity inflicted on us by the older students and designed to break down the barriers. It's common in all Spanish institutions, I'm told. At the end of the week we passed out and were congratulated by the others as "one of us". It certainly worked because by then I knew every one of the 80 blokes in the hall by name and counted every one as a friend; there was no chance of being isolated or lonely. I was desperately homesick and missed my GF back home but when the time came for me to move on I was sorry to leave my pals behind.
From 1975 to 1979 I was an active member of my college climbing club. We climbed together and shared many experiences together, probably holding each other's lives on a climbing rope at times too. That created such a strong camaraderie that even now, 33 years later, we still have a reunion every year and feel that our old climbing mates are our most solid, reliable friends, always there when needed, even if we only see them once a year.
In my third year as a student I spent four months living in a hall of residence in a very isolated place called Huelva, in Andalucia. For one week before courses started the newcomers were subjected to what is called "La Novatad" in Spain, a series of initiation rites, jokes and general stupidity inflicted on us by the older students and designed to break down the barriers. It's common in all Spanish institutions, I'm told. At the end of the week we passed out and were congratulated by the others as "one of us". It certainly worked because by then I knew every one of the 80 blokes in the hall by name and counted every one as a friend; there was no chance of being isolated or lonely. I was desperately homesick and missed my GF back home but when the time came for me to move on I was sorry to leave my pals behind.
One of the main differences between Service life and civilian is that, in the Forces, you work and live together. Many service personnel spend more time with their colleagues than they do with their wives and families. This produces different relationships - where leg-pulling, mickey-taking, laughing, crying, 'in' jokes etc all come into play. These relationships are enhanced when you add in the extra stresses of combat - or potential combat.
As has been posted by others, deep and lasting relationships are common - the shared experience thing.
As has been posted by others, deep and lasting relationships are common - the shared experience thing.
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
I'd never really experienced camaraderie outside of cycling but I've noticed it developing with some of the CycleChatters that have joined me on my forum rides.
I was talking to potsy about it when we ended up having a pub lunch together after one winter ride when everyone else had gone home. We've ridden together in heavy rain, freezing conditions with snow and ice at the road side, and on some dreary wet and windy days, but also on some fine sunny ones. At times we've pushed ourselves really hard, but on other rides we've taken it easy. We've had a laugh, and we've ridden in some really lovely, wild places.
We aren't friends in the normal sense of the word because our lives only overlap on these rides and through keeping in touch on the forum, but we share something important - it's definitely camaraderie.
I used to get the same feeling with a few people who regularly went on the same Cost Blanca cycling holiday as me every March. I'd see them for 2 weeks of the year and pick up where we'd left off the year before but once the holiday was over, we'd go our separate ways again.
Bring it back on topic - if I experience that from riding with people just once or twice a month, I can imagine how close people get training, living, relaxing, fighting and potentially even dying with each other!
My dad joined up with 2 local men in 1940, befriended them, served with them for about 7 years and remained close friends with them until they died 50 or 60 years later.
I was talking to potsy about it when we ended up having a pub lunch together after one winter ride when everyone else had gone home. We've ridden together in heavy rain, freezing conditions with snow and ice at the road side, and on some dreary wet and windy days, but also on some fine sunny ones. At times we've pushed ourselves really hard, but on other rides we've taken it easy. We've had a laugh, and we've ridden in some really lovely, wild places.
We aren't friends in the normal sense of the word because our lives only overlap on these rides and through keeping in touch on the forum, but we share something important - it's definitely camaraderie.
I used to get the same feeling with a few people who regularly went on the same Cost Blanca cycling holiday as me every March. I'd see them for 2 weeks of the year and pick up where we'd left off the year before but once the holiday was over, we'd go our separate ways again.
Bring it back on topic - if I experience that from riding with people just once or twice a month, I can imagine how close people get training, living, relaxing, fighting and potentially even dying with each other!
My dad joined up with 2 local men in 1940, befriended them, served with them for about 7 years and remained close friends with them until they died 50 or 60 years later.
Arch
Married to Night Train
- Location
- Salford, UK
[QUOTE 1900185, member: 76"]
Arch has mentioned that the last examples of soldiers she has come cross have jaded her opinion, well maybe she should hear the f'ing and blinding from our recycling operatives whent they are loading the stuff into their lorry. Shouting over the noise, and across the street at each other to 'Get a f'ing move on', and 'Stop being a tw@'[/quote]
And I don't suppose I'd like them much either. It's not how we operate, but then, we're not run of the mill binmen.
What wound me up about the louts on the train was that they seemed to demand respect for protecting us. While failing to respect our desire for a quiet train journey. The civilian population was just a thing to claim they were protecting, but not worthy of actually listening to.
Arch has mentioned that the last examples of soldiers she has come cross have jaded her opinion, well maybe she should hear the f'ing and blinding from our recycling operatives whent they are loading the stuff into their lorry. Shouting over the noise, and across the street at each other to 'Get a f'ing move on', and 'Stop being a tw@'[/quote]
And I don't suppose I'd like them much either. It's not how we operate, but then, we're not run of the mill binmen.
What wound me up about the louts on the train was that they seemed to demand respect for protecting us. While failing to respect our desire for a quiet train journey. The civilian population was just a thing to claim they were protecting, but not worthy of actually listening to.
Arch
Married to Night Train
- Location
- Salford, UK
BTW, my father was in the Navy, so I don't have a blanket dislike for the forces at all. I just dislike a certain swaggering loutish element.
Berties
Fast and careful!
I have spent a large part of my adult life with the regular and TA like all walks of life there are total knobs ,I could spot them miles off ,and then there are those who you would trust every thing with,so is there a level of camaraderie yes but selective ,the loutish behaviour some have spoke of usually gets grown out of as with any youngster,but you can pot a squadie and brand all with he same iron
