Veterans and active duty soldiers are up in arms after a Facebook post by the Bravo Company 35th Engineer Battalion shows Army privates receiving patches after the first phase of basic training – “Red Phase.”
[revad1]
In a short period of time, the comment section lit up with angry soldiers both past and present, leading the comments, like “this is what happens when we give out participation trophies,” to be deleted along with the pictures of the patching.
One of the most notable critics was the viral YouTube sensation and Army vet John Burke who had the following to say:
“When you start rewarding the standard with something that isn’t normally rewarded such as a patch…it’s the act of giving someone a trophy for having not completed the entire basic training span. The leaders that make these calls, that want to reward everybody for mediocrity -for standardized training- are what’s wrong with the military and why its decaying into what it’s becoming now.”
“This is not the civilian world. We are the Army, we are the military. Now it’s come to the point where it’s a f****** embarrassment that you’re no longer training men. You are training politically correct slave drones… They need to be taught to fight, to survive and to be able to handle themselves on the battlefield- not be given a participation trophy simply to make themselves feel good.”
You can watch that video here:
The inward decay of the militaryRANT. Active duty military members can’t say this or they risk getting into trouble, so I’ll say it for them because I will use this platform to bring to light the issues our men and women face that are doing their best to train and lead while having their hands tied behind their backs. I’m ashamed for what our military is turning into. The decaying of the military from the “give everyone a trophy” leaders that are fucking everything up, and creating an environment of weakness and softness. IT’S THE MILITARY! WE ARE NOT THE FUCKING BOY SCOUTS! OUR JOB IS TO KILL AND TRAIN SOLDIERS TO KILL.Daniel A. Dailey, this is the exact reason why the Army is losing good soldiers that take with them the combat experience they need to pass down to younger soliders so that the mistakes we made in Iraq and Afganistan won’t be made again.
Posted by John Burk on Thursday, March 31, 2016
This new patch isn’t a surprise as reported by the Army Times last year:
At the end of the red phase, soldiers must successfully complete four out of five tasks in order to move on.
The soldiers’ company commander chooses the five tasks, and they could include evaluating a casualty, performing a functions check on an M16 or M4, reciting the Army values, and demonstrating knowledge of military time.
“They’ve got to get through that gate to get to white phase,” Hamilton said.
Those who pass the red phase will earn a patch, a newly created incentive for soldiers.
“To signify he’s passed that particular gate,” trainees will receive and be allowed to wear the Army patch, Walthes said. The Army patch can be worn until a soldier moves on to his or her unit in the force. It’s the same patch worn by soldiers assigned to Army headquarters, including Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley.
Do you agree with having this patch? Sound off in the comments below!
