My OKCupid military tests

Good!
You scored 30 (35 max.) in basic military skills!

Average Grunt
You scored 24 (35 max.) in advanced military skills!

Never been in the military
 
The sock wearing thing seems odd. Everyone I know just wears really good socks when they go on a long march. I've got one pair of them. I think they cost me like 20 bucks. I wouldn't want to wear them in the desert though. If I wore day old crunchy socks, I think it would probably mess my feet up. Blisters happen because of slippage and rubbing. So you want a snug but not tight fit.

I think if you had some good boots that fit right you wouldn't have a problem.

Another thing is to take a break every 10 miles or so and take your boots off, but not in a combat situation.
 
If you take your boots off during a march you might not get them back on, if your boots really fit. That leads me to the next point, the boots (three pairs) I made my experiences with were good (two identical pairs) to excellent (one pair, Haix).

The idea behind putting on worn socks is that they're void of any washing detergent residue which otherwise would rub against your skin.

As I said, it's largely a matter of personal preference.
 
Basic infantry:
30 out of 35
(I wasn't sure on all of the weapon codes, but hopefully we all realized the M-9 is a bayonet)

Advanced infantry skills:
16. I'm dead.
 
Quiet Storm said:
...and a pistol (Beretta 92F).
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Ah... Is M-9 not an official designation for the bayonet then? It seems weird two things would get the same name.

...but if this were Spy vs. Spy I guess they would both be equal.
 
skcusloa said:
The sock wearing thing seems odd. Everyone I know just wears really good socks when they go on a long march. I've got one pair of them. I think they cost me like 20 bucks. I wouldn't want to wear them in the desert though. If I wore day old crunchy socks, I think it would probably mess my feet up. Blisters happen because of slippage and rubbing. So you want a snug but not tight fit.

I think if you had some good boots that fit right you wouldn't have a problem.

Another thing is to take a break every 10 miles or so and take your boots off, but not in a combat situation.
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I said no socks at all because I remember being told more padding in shoes means more blisters (the surface squishes around while also gripping your skin, = blisters). Human feet, believe it or not, are pretty good for walking on their own. I figured a flat leather inner of a boot would be good.

But even if that is true, which I am not 100% sure, I guess getting a bare foot to slide into a tight boot is about impossible.
 
nick681 said:
Neither the M9(pistol) or the M249 SAW (light machine gun / automatic rifle) are crew served at least in the American army.
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I recognized the SAW, but I had the idea that maybe sometimes it gets a crew of 2 (one person to feed ammo, help with barrels) like larger guns for long-term fixed positions.
 
I got OK on both ... I'm hopeless :( Truth to be told I didn't even quite understand most of those questions on adv. test and few on the basic test :D (Hart who ?)

I like the "less and more wrong" concept though; even a person without military experience can use their brain to come up with an answer and not end up with pitiful 0 on the score :D
 
skcusloa said:
The sock wearing thing seems odd. Everyone I know just wears really good socks when they go on a long march. I've got one pair of them. I think they cost me like 20 bucks. .........................
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Chesty Puller, a famous Marine, told his men during the banana wars in the 1930's, that socks were no good, and to prevent blisters and foot rot etc. that you leave your socks off, and rub your feet daily with beef suet.

His men did that, and the cases of men dropping out from foot problems went to zero. It toughens the feet to wear shoes/boots without socks.

The beef suet sounds a bit messy, but who am I to argue with success?

I go all summer long without socks, and I walk every day, uphill and down. never had a blister. I've done that most of my adult life.

I wear socks in the winter mainly for warmth, nothing else.
 
DaveH said:
intersting I got a "good" and an "ok". i've never even been in the boyscouts.
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I got the same scores, but I did a stint in the Scouts (Cub).
 
Quiet Storm said:
Hey faramir, glad to see that you're back! Haven't seen you posting in a while.

Liddell Hart
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QS, nice to see you and the rest of the regular crowd too :) It's been a bit busy lately.

Clueless as I am I'd probably chalk up Hart's ideas to somebody like Guderian instead :rolleyes: Oh well, one learns every day :D
 
faramir said:
I got OK on both ... I'm hopeless :( Truth to be told I didn't even quite understand most of those questions on adv. test and few on the basic test :D (Hart who ?)

I like the "less and more wrong" concept though; even a person without military experience can use their brain to come up with an answer and not end up with pitiful 0 on the score :D
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Pretty much the same here. Nice to here from you again Faramir,BTW :) .
 
I got a good and ok. It's been less than 2 years since i left ft benning. I put duct tape on my heels
 
Mike Hull said:
Chesty Puller, a famous Marine, told his men during the banana wars in the 1930's, that socks were no good, and to prevent blisters and foot rot etc. that you leave your socks off, and rub your feet daily with beef suet.

His men did that, and the cases of men dropping out from foot problems went to zero. It toughens the feet to wear shoes/boots without socks.

The beef suet sounds a bit messy, but who am I to argue with success?

I go all summer long without socks, and I walk every day, uphill and down. never had a blister. I've done that most of my adult life.

I wear socks in the winter mainly for warmth, nothing else.
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Sounds like an old wives tale. Build up tough dead skin on your foot..and when you march for a long period get sweaty and start to chafe..you rib a huge portion of skin awy when it tears.

Avoiding blisters isn't rocket science its work though. From a Doc at Natick Labs---Can't remember his name

Water=BAD, SO you should spray your feet with antiperspirant 3X a day for a week then down to 1 a day. You can cut back perspiration with this.


Friction and Rubbing=VERY BAD, 1. Proper fitting boots, this mean try your boots on with all your gear on. 2. A sock system works best to remove friction from your skin. A good boiled wool sock and a polypro liner underneath. The liner sock take the friction not your skin. 3. Change your socks as often as you can to keep them dry. Spray your feet again--NO POWDER or at best MINIMAL POWDER, otherwise you introduced a abrasive to your feet.


Blister care? Thats still in the vodoo section and I will not go into treatments. Although one that has been DISCARDED (DO NOT USE) drain blister and fill it up with tincture of benzoin to glue the blister back down as a biologic bandage. I have seen grown men cry with this one.



ALso as for Chesty Pller, didn't also say a Marine isn't a real marine unless he done time in the brig?



Paul
 
howiesatwork said:
If you're as old as me, an M-2 is a full suto carbine in .30 carbine.
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And the M1A1 was it's folding stock, semi auto, paratrooper model older brother, not a main battle tank.;):D
 
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