We're the Military and Airpower Guys of Jonah Goldberg of National Review Online + a stray we found wandering around looking lost. All original material JHD, BHD, JR, WT, and KA 2003-2010 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/damn.html Sat, 24 Mar 2012 15:52:18 Z Movable Type 4.12 en Copyright 2012 http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification If you don't understand the title - visit Greyhawk's post. What with the flurry on the 'net with OIF Alphabet V1.0 and OIF Alphabet V2.0, and Bubblehead's posting of one of the more complete versions of the Staffer's Hard Sayings Log, it's time to bring up the Commander's Guidance bit. Just minutes away from the Change of Command ceremony, the outgoing and incoming commander are in the commander's office chatting about the unit, the personalities of key leaders (formal and informal), strengths and weaknesses, and wouldn't she back off a bit on that Change of Command inventory? The outgoing commander... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/damn.html http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/damn.html Fri, 09 Jun 2006 05:47:53 -0600 OL - I did say I was dating myself... and the AF did calve from the Army. Certainly, "Top" is the most common term in Army usage. But really - the story works for any service, just insert your own appropriate terms. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/damn.html#comment-46294 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/damn.html#comment-46294 Sat, 10 Jun 2006 11:22:34 -0600 John of Argghhh! - OK, I'll take your word for it on the first shirt term. I admit that I did not research, but went on incuctive resoning. I did a lot of joint service deployments on active duty, lived on an Army post (Landstuhl) while assigned to Ramstein AB, and have worked these past 2.5 years for the Army as a contractor and I swear the only jargon I ever heard used by grunts refering the the exalted position of 1st Sgt was "Top." Anyway, i think your parable applies equally to both services and I'm sure there are a lot of Tops and First Shirts out there who could have used their own 3 envelopes at one time or another. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/damn.html#comment-46293 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/damn.html#comment-46293 Sat, 10 Jun 2006 10:38:33 -0600 *We* don't have rubber chicken at my club. But we do torture guest speakers sometimes. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/damn.html#comment-46292 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/damn.html#comment-46292 Sat, 10 Jun 2006 06:02:45 -0600 SFC D - no, the term "First Shirt" in the AF *derives* from the Army usage. I'm just dating myself, and revealing that I've had a DoD-issued ID card since birth. It's all about US Army company command. No amalgamation there. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/damn.html#comment-46291 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/damn.html#comment-46291 Sat, 10 Jun 2006 06:01:10 -0600 Umm, I've actually heard the "prepare three envelopes" joke before, from an about-to-retire General Motors president, at a Rotary Club meeting here to which my late Dad dragged me. I had no idea that GM had so many vice-presidents. One was sitting next to me. He was very fulsome cheerful and voluble in his conversation with me until I mentioned that I had suffered from owning a G*dd*mned D*gfisking CHEVROLET VEGA! He didn't bother me much after that, and I got to eat my rubber chicken in peace. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/damn.html#comment-46290 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/damn.html#comment-46290 Sat, 10 Jun 2006 01:27:44 -0600 Speaking of jargon: this is an amalgamated parable. 1. The commander is a Captain (0-3) 2. The 1st Sgt. is refered to as "First Shirt" Now, normal Army slang for the first sgt. is "Top" whereas the AF uses the term "First Shirt." However, except for AETC, Captains are never commanders of AF squadrons (usually Majors or Lt. Colonels) whereas Army company commanders are almost always Captains. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/damn.html#comment-46288 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/damn.html#comment-46288 Sat, 10 Jun 2006 00:40:07 -0600 Awwww, I bet you say that to *all* the guys. I'm guessing SWWBO might have a few tweaks she'd still like to see implemented in Armorer V3.x http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/damn.html#comment-46284 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/damn.html#comment-46284 Fri, 09 Jun 2006 20:51:50 -0600 You are *so* bad. Don't ever change. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/damn.html#comment-46283 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/damn.html#comment-46283 Fri, 09 Jun 2006 18:32:23 -0600 Funny because it's clever, and sad because it's probably true. Suggest adding to the list of "Signs you've been around headquarters units too long" this item: You understand more than half of the jargon in this joke. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/damn.html#comment-46255 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/damn.html#comment-46255 Fri, 09 Jun 2006 07:03:51 -0600