Allen,
Don't worry about some of these people on this web site, most of them don't have anything else to do but criticize other people. They should find something else to do with there time other than sit here and complain. To answer your question, most Coasties do these things when they're on their liberty time. One of the units I was stationed at, had a softball team that belonged to a league. You can always find things to do at each unit. Hope this answered your question, plus it only took me a couple minutes to answer the question without complaing about your grammar. good luck with joining the Coast Guard.
MKC Twojo

To all that complained on this post about this kids grammar, I can say one thing. Get a life and do something with it. If your complaining about this kids grammar, I want to see you complain and wine to any Officers or Chiefs that use improper grammar or punctuation. You all are a bunch of wining babies that have nothing else to do than read this. If someone has a question and you know the answer, be an adult an answer it don't complain about a persons grammar. You know nothing about this kid, if he joins the Coast Guard, he may be a future Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard.

quote:

If your complaining about this kids grammar, I want to see you complain and wine to any Officers or Chiefs that use improper grammar or punctuation.

quote:

To all that complained on this post about this kids grammar, I can say one thing. Get a life and do something with it. If your complaining about this kids grammar, I want to see you complain and wine to any Officers or Chiefs that use improper grammar or punctuation. You all are a bunch of wining babies that have nothing else to do than read this. If someone has a question and you know the answer, be an adult an answer it don't complain about a persons grammar. You know nothing about this kid, if he joins the Coast Guard, he may be a future Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard.

I can see why you are sensitive to any criticism of one's grammar, punctuation or spelling......

quote:

Originally posted by twojo:
To all that complained on this post about this kids grammar, I can say one thing. Get a life and do something with it. If your complaining about this kids grammar, I want to see you complain and wine to any Officers or Chiefs that use improper grammar or punctuation. You all are a bunch of wining babies that have nothing else to do than read this. If someone has a question and you know the answer, be an adult an answer it don't complain about a persons grammar. You know nothing about this kid, if he joins the Coast Guard, he may be a future Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard.

Nobody is complaining or whining about this kid's punctuation or grammer. As a matter of fact, they are using their leadership skill to properly prepare him for military service. How do you expect him to be the next MCPOCG if he can't write a simple sentence? I'm pretty sure they teach you something like that in the CPO academy.

Allen - To be completely honest, you should concentrate on bootcamp, qualifications, and what rating you want to go. With that said, on your liberty time you can play whichever sport you would like. The CG does have teams that complete in military tourneys all you have to do is apply when the solicitation comes out.

Have seen it said here many times, do we want the first 10 or the best 10 that walks through the door. Nuff said.

The point I'm trying to make, really has nothing to do with the kids post, it's the fact that someone on here asked a question, and instead of answering the question, we have a bunch of English teachers on here that are quick to slam someone on their grammar skills instead of simply answering the question. I know I'll admit that I'm not the perfect person with using grammar, but that's why you have shipmates to proofread your work. Instead of cutting this kid down, go through some of the posts on this board from seasoned Coasties, I gurantee you will find grammar errors all over the place. I don't get on these boards to often, because I'm either working my job or doing more constructive things than sitting on here yapping like a bunch of old ladies at a bridge tournament.

I would have to say that twojo is right, and I am sorry that I said anything at all. We should be more understanding and just answer the questions.

I will state this though, I was merely stating that I am disappointed at our youth in general that do not take the time to check over what they are writing, or don't care.

Right on twojo, i hear ya on that one..

I will state this though, I was merely stating that I am disappointed at our youth in general that do not take the time to check over what they are writing, or don't care.

Disappointed in our youth? That seems like quite the generalization. I bet when you were young you often heard your elders discussing their displeasure in your generation for various reasons.

Seems to me that "being disappointed in today's youth" is a sing of old age.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: BobSacramano,

twojo-

My take on it is a bit different then yours. Certainly we all make errors when posting, but this guy has posted on multiple threads and everyone of his posts show the same complete disregard for anything remotely resembling the correct way to write.

To me it screams "I'm lazy! I don't want to take the time to do this correctly."

Here's a guy that wants to join but is not willing to put his best foot forward when asking questions on a CG forum. As a Recruiter who makes the best first impression on you? The skanky looking, unshaven kid with a scraggy assed beard that walks into your office wearing torn jeans and a dirty T-shirt, calling you "dude" every time he speaks, or the one that walks in decently dressed and groomed and acting respectful?

If this guy is too lazy to even attempt to write correctly what kind of work ethic do you think he has?

If you look at some of the other replies I made to him you will see I was actually trying to explain to him why written communication skills ARE important.

(And I'm sure there are enough errors in my post here to prove I am certainly not an English teacher!)

Ex_CG_GM,
I hear where you're coming from, and I would have thought that as well, until I became a recruiter. I've only been recruiting for 10 months, so by far I am still learning and not a proffesional recruiter. I have seen these kids you describe come into the Coast Guard recruiting office and make a 180 degree turn around. We have had people get top recruit awards for being the best at recruit training. These same kids came into our office looking exactly like you described in your post. These same kids are graduating high in their prospective "A" schools as well. This is the new generation of our Coast Guard like it or not. In fact we talked about this in CPO Academy, the new generation. I'm sure when you went through boot camp and your first unit, there were people senior to you that thought the same thing you are saying. I know when I went to my recruiter, I was a long haired looking punk that had some issues. Now, 20 years later, 6 good conduct awards, and no negative page 7's later I am a succesful Coastie and leader. By the way, I failed English 3 out of 4 years in High School, and went to summer school all 3 times. Does that make me like this kid? Sounds like it does, maybe I better get out of the Coast Guard and get a job as a Wal-Mart Greater, or a fry cook at McDonalds.......One final comment, Accept it or Don't Accept it, this is the New Coast Guard like it or not. I don't discriminate against anyone coming to my office, I can't, even if I wanted to, my boss (The Commandant) won't allow it. We accept everyone as an equal in todays society whatever they look or act like within the limits of the law.

Thank you twojo. I just had a simple question and you answerd it perfect. And for jafo3 i am concentrated on bootcamp I jog 2 to 3 mile everyday and im sure ill be ready for The USCG, I was in NJROTC for four years and i was on all the teams and i also come from a family of marines. I'm reading up on what job I wanna do and what to expect. and sorry about the spelling again its not like im writing a resume and twojo is right some of you guys should find someing better to do than criticize.

quote:

Originally posted by Ex_CG_GM:
twojo-

My take on it is a bit different then yours. Certainly we all make errors when posting, but this guy has posted on multiple threads and everyone of his posts show the same complete disregard for anything remotely resembling the correct way to write.

To me it screams "I'm lazy! I don't want to take the time to do this correctly."

Here's a guy that wants to join but is not willing to put his best foot forward when asking questions on a CG forum. As a Recruiter who makes the best first impression on you? The skanky looking, unshaven kid with a scraggy assed beard that walks into your office wearing torn jeans and a dirty T-shirt, calling you "dude" every time he speaks, or the one that walks in decently dressed and groomed and acting respectful?

If this guy is too lazy to even attempt to write correctly what kind of work ethic do you think he has?

If you look at some of the other replies I made to him you will see I was actually trying to explain to him why written communication skills ARE important.

(And I'm sure there are enough errors in my post here to prove I am certainly not an English teacher!)

Don't judge a book by its cover.

I was an Army Recruiter's Aide in 1978 when a black male walked into the office.

SFC Joe Paris, my recruiter, Vietnam vet, RECON guy, many awards, many accolades on the wall behind his desk, looked at the young gent in a clean white T-shirt, blue jeans, moderate Afro, carrying a battered brown brief case.

SFC Paris asked him, "May I help you?"

The response was, "I want to be a Captain."

SFC Paris chuckled and said, "Wellll...it isn't that simple."

The Applicant dug into his briefcase and replied, "Wellll, will this help?"

He handed SFC Paris some papers, and SFC Paris's eyes lit up.

Turns out the gent had been a SP/4 in light vehicles in Vietnam, used the GI Bill to go to college, and handed SFC Paris the results of his Illinois Bar exam results.

I heard later on he got his direct commission as a Captain, JAG officer.

That's a cool story. That is what I am trying to tell the people on this post. Exactly what you just said, "Don't judge a book by its cover".
There are certain people on all these threads that like to sit and complain and cut people down, they should look at themselves in the mirror. We all have faults, whether it be improper grammar or spelling or whatever. I have better things to do than sit on here all day and criticize people and make 5,000 posts.Once in a while I like to answer questions for people just to help them out, but I don't live my life on here.

First off, I have to say the kids grammar may be off. Cut him some slack. I am sure his chief will mentor and help learn the importance of good grammar. I know mine has. Thanks Chief! it's served me well. And it's still a work in progress.

But are we not being a bit hard on him. Attacking him....and public humiliation is not a very professional leadership skill. I do not think LAMS has endorsed this technique as of late.

Making suggestions on his schooling being on the level of kindergarden? That's just down right disrespectful. Last I checked people were getting suspesions for such attacks. He is a human being, and that mere fact warrants him the basic human respect all humans are entitled to.

A private message would have been much more appropriate if it was that big of deal to you. But I think the motivation behind these posts was not develop or mentor our soon to be shipmate on filling out logs correctly. They do cover that in bootcamp. These posts stink of people taking cheapshots at a kid who was asking a straight forward question, in english that was plain enough for everyone to understand.

And if it is a well trained, squared away recruit you all seem to so desperatly wish to have. Using negative remarks will only breed a recruit whom uses unprofessional, disrespectful leadership techniques later in his career.

Remember you are the Coast Guard. What you do, the Coast Guard does. We are a hell of a lot better than this.

OK, I give....but I still disagree in general.

I believe that one should always due the best job possible because your name is associated with that job. Doesn't matter if no one knows who you are, what matters is that when you walk away you do so knowing you did your best.

And that includes coming to a forum to gain info on the CG. In such a case all anyone reading the post can tell about the poster is the way the post is written. So I believe one should work a little bit harder to get that post right.

However, I do believe we have beaten this horse to death......

Thanks Dog Show, You are right.

Ex_GM, You are entitled to your opinion and I respect that, I also respect your service to this Country. Thanks. This issue is closed.