| The following is an expert opinion by a Military Tanker: | | | | wet. Being wet and cold can last for days. Wet, cold |
| "Being a Marine Corps tanker is the way to go. Can't | | | | and deprived of sleep. Same when it's hot or when it's |
| go into a lot of detail about how Army Tankers and | | | | very hot. You get dirtier out in the field than you would |
| Marine Tankers are different, just that the entire culture | | | | believe. All of this stuff is awesome, I just said okay |
| of the Army is so much different than the Marines. | | | | this stuff is great, but 20 years?" |
| Either way you'll go to Ft. Knox, Kentucky. I found it to | | | | "The daily schedule of a tanker isn't bad at all. The |
| be a drab and miserable place. I give all due respect to | | | | maintenance is no problem. PT is about what you |
| the Army. Anyone who risks their lives in a combat | | | | would expect. It's just that darn winter I spent at Camp |
| field deserves respect. But, I could never have served | | | | Fuji in 86. Mother Nature had no mercy on the |
| in an Army unit. There just isn't that same Spirit." | | | | mountain and the mountain had no mercy on us. We |
| "Army tankers go to boot camp at Knox. You watch | | | | started off most days shoveling the snow off of our |
| how they train and it was laughable. They'd be sitting | | | | tanks before we worked on them all day. If we were |
| around drinking beer on a saturday night talking about | | | | out in the field for three days that meant that we |
| how hard boot camp is and how the Drill Sgt. was | | | | were cold for three days." |
| mean because he made them do 25 push ups. If I | | | | "Like I said, I wouldn't trade that experience for the |
| would have went to Army boot instead of the Marines | | | | world. I don't have to sleep in the snow or the rain |
| I may have failed. Not because it is harder but | | | | anymore. I was also never in combat but if you ever |
| because there just didn't seem to be that motivating." | | | | do go to Iraq or Iran or North Korea or some place |
| "Tanks are a great MOS. I loved it. I consider it the | | | | and get into tank battles and stuff then you'll see that |
| absolute best job in the Corps. I signed up for three | | | | what I thought was a tiny bit hard is like a girl scout |
| years 1984-1987. As much as I loved it I did not want | | | | picnic. I'd say go for being a tanker. You will love most |
| to do it for 20 years. It seemed too hard to keep at it | | | | of it like I did. Then if you love it, stick with it for as long |
| for so long. I had my fill, I loved it. Then it was time to | | | | as you can. I don't think that you will want to make that |
| move on. If you want a great adventure, a way to be | | | | career decision though until you have finished most of |
| a part of a front line combat force without some of | | | | your first enlistment." |
| the more extreme hardships of the infantry, I definitely | | | | "Being a tanker or armored crewman in the army or |
| recommend Marine Corps Tanks. Only join though if | | | | marine corp. is a challenge in its own. Going through |
| you can stand the very real possibility of getting sent | | | | your army or tank training is challenging in its own right. |
| into combat, killing and possibly dying." | | | | No one means to judge, but it happens when you |
| "The army has some outstanding tankers. I would like | | | | have so much pride or better words pride in your |
| to think our tanking skills are about equal, we are better | | | | branch of service. We all strive in one thing to be a |
| off the tank and more disciplined as a hole just from | | | | tanker. The goal of every tanker is ride into combat on |
| what I saw. Yes, the army has new stuff and they will | | | | your m1a1." |
| let you sign up for tanks where the Marine Corps will | | | | "Marine tanker or army tanker we all are tankers. The |
| not. I like the armies' new crap but I don't think I could | | | | army guys around us were in the final stages of their |
| ever join the army. Tanking' is challenging but very | | | | OSUT training. We didn't have many if any at all |
| rewarding." | | | | recruits around us. And the only real difference |
| "All of the combat MOS's have to deal with the same | | | | between marine and army tankers are the pride in the |
| stuff though. When it is cold, you are cold. When it is | | | | Corps and the Army Units. The maintained is the |
| very cold you are very cold. When it rains, you are | | | | same. The long hard hours are the same. |