# Soldiers who think the rules don't apply to them **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 1, 2013, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldiers-who-think-the-rules-dont-apply-to-them/657250 "2013-05-01T20:11:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2013, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldiers-who-think-the-rules-dont-apply-to-them/657250/61 "2013-05-03T03:08:42Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > “Armed Forces” now good enough? In the US, it’s actually “Uniformed Services” as there are seven such, not all of them being in the Department of Defense. ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2013, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldiers-who-think-the-rules-dont-apply-to-them/657250/62 "2013-05-03T13:58:37Z")
When I got back to the US after being overseas during Desert Storm, I got a free sandwich from the local Subway and the manager said “This is on us, thank you for your service.” If it’s that big of a deal, I guess I can go take it back. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2013, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldiers-who-think-the-rules-dont-apply-to-them/657250/63 "2013-05-03T16:18:33Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > In the US, it’s actually “Uniformed Services” as there are seven such, not all of them being in the Department of Defense. Lessee: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard…You know, this is the first time I’ve heard of the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and the NOAA Corps. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2013, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldiers-who-think-the-rules-dont-apply-to-them/657250/64 "2013-05-05T05:37:40Z")
> [@asterion](#): > > Lessee: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard…You know, this is the first time I’ve heard of the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and the NOAA Corps. You forgot “Elephant.” 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Lubricious\_Integument](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/82dd89/32.png) [@Lubricious\_Integument](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lubricious_Integument)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2013, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldiers-who-think-the-rules-dont-apply-to-them/657250/65 "2013-05-05T05:46:38Z")
> [@Projammer](#): > > I thought maybe it was Kentucky until I read the article. Nice threadshit. Ever been to Kentucky? ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2013, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldiers-who-think-the-rules-dont-apply-to-them/657250/66 "2013-05-05T06:30:53Z")
> [@SmartAleq](#): > > You forgot “Elephant.” 😛 You’re only allowed to make that reference during an Equinox or a Solstice. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2013, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldiers-who-think-the-rules-dont-apply-to-them/657250/67 "2013-05-05T07:07:28Z")
It is lame to go to the prom with your brother. I don’t care if you haven’t seen him in a long time. That is not what proms are for. ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2013, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldiers-who-think-the-rules-dont-apply-to-them/657250/68 "2013-05-05T07:09:29Z")
> [@Jragon](#): > > My friend went with her dad. She had a date and everything that she broke it off with to do so because her dad came home from deployment, which at best happens once every 18 months or so. She was really excited about it. That is even weirder. You take your dad to a Purity Ball, not to the prom. You go with your dad to the Camp Fire Girls Father-Daughter Banquet. When you are 11! ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2013, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldiers-who-think-the-rules-dont-apply-to-them/657250/69 "2013-05-05T07:15:06Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > I’d like to add how much I hate this new trend of referring to U.S. Army service members as “Soldiers”. God, the \*arrogance \*of it. “Other armies may have soldiers, but here in America, we have Soldiers!” In the 7th Cav, we were “Troopers”, not soldiers. ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2013, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldiers-who-think-the-rules-dont-apply-to-them/657250/70 "2013-05-05T07:15:21Z")
It is lame to go to the prom with your brother. I don’t care if you haven’t seen him in a long time. That is not what proms are for. ETA: She had only seen him once! Since he got back from Afghanistan! IN SEPTEMBER! Wow, what a dutiful sister. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2013, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldiers-who-think-the-rules-dont-apply-to-them/657250/71 "2013-05-05T08:57:09Z")
> [@Ranger\_Jeff](#): > > In the 7th Cav, we were “Troopers”, not soldiers. And we used to call ourselves “Nachlawim”. Doesn’t change the fact that we were soldiers, just like you were. ---
**Author:** ![tonyfop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/85f322/32.png) [@tonyfop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tonyfop)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldiers-who-think-the-rules-dont-apply-to-them/657250/72 "2013-05-06T00:54:19Z")
I know that the OP has been suspended, but just wanted to add my 2 cents. If I go into a new store, I ask if they have a military discount. If they do, I ask if military retirees are entitled to it. If they are, i show my retired ID card, and collect my discount. If not, I say “Oh well”, and pay the full price. I know that Lowe’s and Home Depot both offer a 10% discount, while Walmart and Target do not. My wife could tell you about pretty much any store. I usually do not purchase large items (Like computers) out in town. I will shop around at the nearest Military Exchange, whether it is an NEX, an MCX, or an AAFES PX, as these stores do not charge sales tax. They do, however, add a 5% surcharge to your purchase that goes directly to the base MWR fund. I have never seen a movie theatre offer free movies to the military. I usually get $1 or $2 off of the price, even in areas with little military presence. I have never seen preferential parking off base. On base, there usually is preferential parking for high ranked officers and enlisted. Possible **CR** saw the family member of an O-6 or E-9 think that the parking they get on base carries over out in town. I have not seen very many cases of rape in the Middle East, althouh there have been a fair share of cases in Japan and the Far East. These cases infuriate me, as the perpetrators not only make all Americans look bad, it also affected my liberty opportunities in various country. Currently it is against regulations for any American Service Member in Japan to consume alcohol after 2300, even if they are in their own house in base housing due to a spate of embarrassing alcohol related incidents there. And lastly, the Airman in the story is a douche. You do not make a statement in uniform. I would not be surprised if he faced an Article 15, or whatever the Air Force calls it. You don’t wear the uniform to demand special treatment. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldiers-who-think-the-rules-dont-apply-to-them/657250/73 "2013-05-06T01:00:16Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > Maybe he’ll get a military discount off his sentence. Here, have a comma on me! ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldiers-who-think-the-rules-dont-apply-to-them/657250/74 "2013-05-06T01:02:44Z")
> [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](#): > > It is lame to go to the prom with your brother. I don’t care if you haven’t seen him in a long time. That is not what proms are for. > > ETA: She had only seen him once! Since he got back from Afghanistan! IN SEPTEMBER! > > Wow, what a dutiful sister. What’s _really_ lame is assuming that a prom is the same for everyone and that if some girl wants her older brother to escort her there, that there is something wrong with that. Unless, that is, you have some cite to the “rules of proms”? ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldiers-who-think-the-rules-dont-apply-to-them/657250/75 "2013-05-06T01:14:43Z")
A while back a member of the armed service pitted soldiers wearing their uniforms at airports and such looking like slobs. He constructed a cogent argument of why a slovenly uniformed soldier in public disgraced himself, branch he served, and all the members of it. I thought is castigation was harsh, but respected him and his service more for it and in the end agreed with him. What I’m saying is, this OP is stupid. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldiers-who-think-the-rules-dont-apply-to-them/657250/76 "2013-05-06T03:04:21Z")
> [@tonyfop](#): > > I usually do not purchase large items (Like computers) out in town. I will shop around at the nearest Military Exchange, whether it is an NEX, an MCX, or an AAFES PX, as these stores do not charge sales tax. AAFES is now known as the [Exchange](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aafes). You can go to their [website](http://www.shopmyexchange.com/) and then go to the participating computer sellers (via the shopmyexchange site’s specialty store or online mall) to get (supposedly) discounted prices. If an item is carried by the Exchange online itself, then there’s no tax; if the total purchase price is $49 or more, there’s no shipping charge for standard shipping. I’ve no idea what surcharge you’re talking about. Every time I’ve shopped at a military exchange, I’ve paid the posted price and that’s it. Granted, the profits the Exchange earns are rolled into the MWR/similar organizations, but there’s no surcharge added to the bill. It’s the commissary that has a surcharge. ---
**Author:** ![SSG\_Schwartz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SSG\_Schwartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SSG_Schwartz)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldiers-who-think-the-rules-dont-apply-to-them/657250/77 "2013-05-06T04:13:27Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > I’d like to add how much I hate this new trend of referring to U.S. Army service members as “Soldiers”. God, the \*arrogance \*of it. “Other armies may have soldiers, but here in America, we have Soldiers!” You may hate it, but according to the Army Manual of Style, the word “Soldier” is to be capitalized, as should Family (when referring to the Family member of a Soldier.) If you want to refer to a Military member and are not sure of the branch of the person, Soldier is acceptable but Troop is the preferred term. SFC Schwartz ---
**Author:** ![tonyfop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/85f322/32.png) [@tonyfop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tonyfop)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldiers-who-think-the-rules-dont-apply-to-them/657250/78 "2013-05-06T04:27:02Z")
Sorry, I conflated The DeCa “surcharge” with the Exchange “mark-up”. However, the point I was making is still valid. The mark-up at the exchange goes back into the base MWR fund, which runs many programs that I still get to participate in. By shopping at the exchange, I don’t pay state sales tax, and any “profit” goes back to active duty and to a lesser extent the retired personnel that use that base. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldiers-who-think-the-rules-dont-apply-to-them/657250/79 "2013-05-06T04:34:18Z")
> [@SSG\_Schwartz](#): > > You may hate it, but according to the Army Manual of Style, the word “Soldier” is to be capitalized, as should Family (when referring to the Family member of a Soldier.) If you want to refer to a Military member and are not sure of the branch of the person, Soldier is acceptable but Troop is the preferred term. > > SFC Schwartz I’m sorry, but the Army Manual of Style does not determine the rules of grammar for the English language; or at least, it doesn’t determine them for people who are not members of the U.S. armed force. \*\*Occupations are not proper nouns. \*\* ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldiers-who-think-the-rules-dont-apply-to-them/657250/80 "2013-05-06T04:52:00Z")
[QUOTE=Ranger Jeff] In the 7th Cav, we were “Troopers”, not soldiers. [/QUOTE] > [@Alessan](#): > > And we used to call ourselves “Nachlawim”. Doesn’t change the fact that we were soldiers, just like you were. You convince the 1st Sergeant and the Squadron Sergeant Major that. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldiers-who-think-the-rules-dont-apply-to-them/657250.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldiers-who-think-the-rules-dont-apply-to-them/657250.md?page=5)