ClearedHot Posted February 22, 2011 Share Posted February 22, 2011 Military's prized "challenge coins" become copycat fad among agencies, politicians, companies Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Napoleon_Tanerite Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 imitation and flattery, YMMV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rokke Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 "Challange" coins are a nice tradition. I still carry my 18FS "###### Tyranny in all its Guises" coin with my MR date engraved on it wherever I go. But the "commanders" coins are another stupid waste of money. Everytime I get one I feel like a bellboy who just got tipped 50 cents. Whatever happened to a sincere thank you and a handshake? I don't need the Cracker Jack prize. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperWSO Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 My favorite was "banned" by leadership. The organization did Operational Test. The back said "Goat ropes: Its not who we are, its what we do." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skibum Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 I stuck my coin in a drawer the day I got "challenged" by an FM shoeclerk with a sh!t-eating grin and a call sign. As the traditon is absorded by those who have no history, I no longer feel the connection. Along these lines, I have my real name on my nametag, don't wear a scarf, don't play crud, and don't go to the "club" (I also don't wear a hat soemtimes, but that's because I'm getting old & leave it laying around somewhere.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BQZip01 Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 I stuck my coin in a drawer the day I got "challenged" by an FM shoeclerk with a sh!t-eating grin and a call sign. As the traditon is absorded by those who have no history, I no longer feel the connection. Along these lines, I have my real name on my nametag, don't wear a scarf, don't play crud, and don't go to the "club" (I also don't wear a hat soemtimes, but that's because I'm getting old & leave it laying around somewhere.) In my time in the AF, even us "shoeclerks" proudly took our coin around. The rule when I was in AFSOC was "keep your coin on you at ALL times". The rule was, "one step + one arm's reach". I have kept mine on me at all times (or within reach) my entire career. Funny story: some shoeclerk thought he'd be funny and challenged some of our guys after PT WHILE THEY WERE IN THE SHOWER... ...said shoeclerk LOST his challenge (everyone had their coins), though he manned up and bought 20+ drinks at the club that night. Might have been a dick move, but he got a bit of respect from me when he actually paid up. A certain Colonel dropped his coin in front of about 500 people and, instead of just offering a keg at the party that was set to kick off in an hour, he said "I don't play those games". Then don't carry a meaningless coin, sir! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B52gator Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 The fire department I work for has them. Chief hands them out to all guys after they complete their probie period. I actually traded with him and gave him one of my old BUFF coins. It is a really cool tradition, but it does seem that it has been overdone quite a bit. It was a flyer thing, now everyone is doing it (flight suits, scarves, leather jackets). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M2 Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 No shit, commander's coins would mean a helluva lot more to folks if they didn't give them out to everyone they met! I schlep'd for a two-star for a while, and had to haul several bags full of his personal coins to Europe. It was really fun explaining to customs why I was carrying them, they acted like they were some hot commodity on the black market or something! What bit even more were the douchebags that asked me for one of the general's coins. If he wanted you to have one, he'd give you one himself you dumbasses! Hell, all you had to do was plant yourself somewhere along the line in the squadron during his grip-'n-grin, and he'd hand ya one! Yes, it's another hallowed tradition driven into near worthless triviality! Cheers! M2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingBull Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 I stuck my coin in a drawer the day I got "challenged" by an FM shoeclerk with a sh!t-eating grin and a call sign. As the traditon is absorded by those who have no history, I no longer feel the connection. Along these lines, I have my real name on my nametag, don't wear a scarf, don't play crud, and don't go to the "club" (I also don't wear a hat soemtimes, but that's because I'm getting old & leave it laying around somewhere.) Well you certainly sound like a lot of fun to be around....go take some motrin for those cramps and you might have more fun with your friends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skibum Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 Well you certainly sound like a lot of fun to be around....go take some motrin for those cramps and you might have more fun with your friends. So you're recommmending fun by putting on my scarf, loading up my pockets to give away my useless CC coins for "excellence", and heading to the all ranks club for a fun round of crud with a bunch of shoe clerks...sounds awesome dude. For my cramps I prefer booze and a good thai massage. As I implied, the real tradition is slippig away. The sadder part is that most people don't even realize it as they slide happily along doing CBT's and snapping on their reflective belts (or handing out coins.) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toro Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 So you're recommmending fun by putting on my scarf, loading up my pockets to give away my useless CC coins for "excellence", and heading to the all ranks club for a fun round of crud with a bunch of shoe clerks...sounds awesome dude. No, he's saying don't shitcan what you've done just because a bunch of douchebags start doing it. Just because a shoe coins somebody doesn't make the coin a bad thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Napoleon_Tanerite Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 No, he's saying don't shitcan what you've done just because a bunch of douchebags start doing it. Just because a shoe coins somebody doesn't make the coin a bad thing. I tell the same thing to guys who refuse to wear their leather jackets because ABMs have them. Some dudes get overly protective of "their" traditions and get butthurt and want to take their bat and go home whenever someone "undeserving" decides they want to play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingBull Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 I tell the same thing to guys who refuse to wear their leather jackets because ABMs have them. Some dudes get overly protective of "their" traditions and get butthurt and want to take their bat and go home whenever someone "undeserving" decides they want to play. I get why people get annoyed when non-flyers take flying traditions as their own, but ABMs are aircrew. Why wouldn't they get leather jackets? I'm pretty sure Navs, Bombardiers, Gunners, Loads, Booms, ect have all worn them from the begining just like pilots have. Why wouldn't ABMs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Napoleon_Tanerite Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 I get why people get annoyed when non-flyers take flying traditions as their own, but ABMs are aircrew. Why wouldn't they get leather jackets? I'm pretty sure Navs, Bombardiers, Gunners, Loads, Booms, ect have all worn them from the begining just like pilots have. Why wouldn't ABMs? It's the same kind of argument that some people make about how they think ABMs don't "deserve" flight pay. Asinine arguments made by people with an acute inability to mind their own damn business. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BQZip01 Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 I get why people get annoyed when non-flyers take flying traditions as their own, but ABMs are aircrew. Why wouldn't they get leather jackets? I'm pretty sure Navs, Bombardiers, Gunners, Loads, Booms, ect have all worn them from the begining just like pilots have. Why wouldn't ABMs? Considering they were originally developed for bomber crews (hence the term "Bomber Jacket")... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M2 Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 Considering they were originally developed for bomber crews (hence the term "Bomber Jacket")... Actually, the Type A-2 was never specifically designed for bomber crews. In fact, they were more favored by fighter pilots during WWII because they had heat in their aircraft. Most bomber crews served in non-heated areas of their aircraft, thus wore heavier (and in some cases heated) clothing during missions. This is a great website on the history of the A-2: The Type A-2 Flight Jacket Web Page A little know factoid is that Hap Arnold canceled the contract for the A-2 in 1942 in favor of the newer cloth versions of the flight jacket! Cheers! M2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Crew Report Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 (edited) I get why people get annoyed when non-flyers take flying traditions as their own, but ABMs are aircrew. Why wouldn't they get leather jackets? I'm pretty sure Navs, Bombardiers, Gunners, Loads, Booms, ect have all worn them from the begining just like pilots have. Why wouldn't ABMs? Considering an Enlisted Aviators have the MOH (Levitow) and -135 Boom Operators have been around since 1956, I'd say we're entitled to wear leather jackets just like everyone else. Now please pass your tail number. Edited February 25, 2011 by Crew Report 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
outbreak Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 (edited) I started collecting coins when I was a dumb airplane geek of a kid. Anytime I visited an air museum, usually on family vacations, I bought one. I quit that crap when I realized coins you buy but have no connection to mean nothing. Since then, I've bought coins for the Squadrons I've flown in, and been presented with a few that have personal meaning. I got one in high school when a 2-star Admiral who is an alum came to visit and handed them out for asking or answering questions during his speech. I hung out after the presentation and actually talked to him and got a coin from the Admiral, not his assistant. I also got one from the CENTCOM Command Sergeant Major when we flew the Wounded Warrior Project into ORBI. It was an honor to meet and fly those guys, so the coin was just a bonus, but again, it carries some meaning at least for me. YMMV. Of course, getting off the rotator on the way home from my last deployment, the local congressman (I'm not even registered to vote where I'm based) was the first person in the delaying-my-beer-drinking line shaking hands and handing out his coin. That one is somewhere in the bottom of that drawer we all have that's full of old Squadron patches and uniform parts. Don't freakin care. I have carried my current squadron coin in my wallet since I commissioned. Don't plan on stopping because some shoe-clerk or cabinet member has his own coin. Edited February 25, 2011 by outbreak Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FourFans Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 A little know factoid is that Hap Arnold canceled the contract for the A-2 in 1942 in favor of the newer cloth versions of the flight jacket! That's because he didn't probably have a uniform board. I guess he learned his lesson! FF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 Who cares what these civilian tools do. Nothing better than whipping out a round metal object on initial right before you pitchout (or right after your flight lead gives you the pitchout signal if you're a shit hot LPA member)...especially if it is on the deployment sortie to Red Flag/Aviano/any place where there will be imbibing w/in 30 minutes of gear down. Or even better, on a Hurevac to the boss leading 20+ jets up initial (which I was able to pull off once). Technique only. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ram Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 Rainman, that reminds me of my first AOS movement in the Viper. Somewhere over the Pacific (maybe near Shemya, I can't remember) while flying as #4 eastbound from the ROK to AK, I did this: "1, 4." "Go, 4." "Can anyone tell me what this sound is?" (Then I keyed the mic while tapping my coin against the metal frame on my mask.) "1, negative." "2, negative." "3, negative." "It's the sound of my coin hitting my mask. Can anyone else do that, or am I the only one who didn't put my coin in the travel pod?" "1, negative." "2, negative." "3, negative." "Beers." If only I didn't fall off the boom next time around... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullet Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 Flying Strike Eagles out of Elmendorf in the mid-90s, had to divert our 4-ship to Eielson. Not much to do in Fairbanks, so we decide to contact the Survival School cadre and see if they can take us out into the field to "check up" on one of the bros going through Artic Survival at the time (they LOVED the RMO-check idea we had!) Drive out to the range, pitch black dark outside. Get to his hold-up spot, and find his snow cave. Based on our own experience, we know he must be zonked out for the past 3 hours. So, we take out our RMOs and start the "tap, tap, tap" around this pile of branches fully covered in snow. Though the middleof this snow pack, out pops this arm, with the Squadron's RMO proudly clutched in a frozen hand. About the only thing you can do there is say, "Well played, sir. Well played." (and buy him a beer when he gets back to civilization). Wonder if our Congressmen would do that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toro Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 This may take the cake - I got married in the base chapel, and most of the folks there were from the squadron. After the vows and kiss the bride yada yada, we're walking down the aisle towards the door as husband and wife and some wiseass throws an RMO out into the aisle...and another...and another...and another. My left hand was holding my new bride, but my right hand went straight into my pocket to my own RMO, threw it on the ground, and walked out. Let's see a fucking shoe clerk do that. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 Let's see a fucking shoe clerk do that. 'Nuff said! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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