NationStates Jolt Archive

Since we have a Then And Now: School thread, I might as well make a "Then And Now: Military" thread.

Then and Now: Military Service Compared, World War II and Today.

1945- Rifles were made of wood and steel, shot a .30 caliber bullet that killed the enemy.
Now- Rifles are made of plastic and aluminum, shoot a .22 caliber bullet that wounds the enemy.

1945- The winning side used a US made .45 Caliber pistol, the losers a European 9mm.
Now- We use a European 9mm pistol. Nobody uses the .45.

1945- If you smoked, you had an ashtray on your desk.
Now- If you smoke, you are sent outside and are treated like a leper.

1945- If you said "damn," people knew you were annoyed and avoided you.
Now- If you say "damn" you better be talking about a hydroelectric plant.

1945- NCO's had a typewriter on their desks for doing daily reports.
Now- Everyone has an Internet computer, and they wonder why no work is getting done.

1945- We painted pictures of pretty girls on airplanes to remind us of home
Now- We put the real thing in the cockpit.

1945- Your girlfriend was at home, praying you would return alive.
Now- She is in the same foxhole, praying your condom worked.

1945- If you got drunk off duty, your buddies would take you back to the barracks to sleep it off.
Now- If you get drunk any time they slap you in rehab and ruin your whole career.

1945- You were taught to aim at your enemy and shoot him.
Now- You spray 500 bullets into the brush, don't hit anything, and retreat because you are out of ammo.

1945- Canteens were made out of steel. You could heat coffee or hot chocolate in them.
Now- Canteens are made of plastic. You can't heat anything in them and they always taste like plastic.

1945- Officers were professional soldiers first. They commanded respect.
Now- Officers are politicians first. They beg not to be given a wedgie.

1945- They collected enemy intelligence and analyzed it.
Now- They collect our pee and analyze it.

1945- If you don't act right, the commander might put you in the stockade till you straighten up.
Now- If you don't act right, they start a paper trail that follows you forever.

1945- Medals were awarded to heroes who saved lives at the risk of their own.
Now- Medals are awarded to people who show up for work most of the time.

1945- You slept in a barracks, like a soldier.
Now- You sleep in a dormitory, like a college kid.

1945- You ate in a Mess Hall. It was free and you could have all the food you wanted.
Now- You eat in a dining facility. Every slice of bread or pat of butter costs, and you can only have one.

1945- We defeated powerful countries like Germany and Japan.
Now- We can't even beat Iraq or Yugoslavia.

1945- If you wanted to relax, you went to the Rec. Center, played pool, smoked and drank beer.
Now- You go to the Community Center and can still play pool.

1945- If you wanted a beer and conversation you could go to the NCO or Officers Club.
Now- The beer will cost you $1.75, membership is forced, and someone is watching how much you drink.

1945- You could buy quartermaster gas tax free because it was on a military reservation.
Now- AAFES charges you the tax but pockets the money themselves because it is on a military reservation.

1945-The PX had bargains for GI's who didn't make much money.
Now- You can get better merchandise cheaper at Wal-Mart.

1945- If a general wanted to make a presentation he scribbled some notes down and a corporal prepared a bunch of charts
Now- The general prepares his own charts, spending hours usnig Power Point.

1945- We could recognize the enemy by their Nazi helmets.
Now- We are wearing the Nazi helmets.

1945- We called the enemy things like "Krauts" and "Japs" because we didn't like them.
Now- We call the enemy things like "opposing forces" and "aggressors" so we won't offend them.

1945- Victory was declared when the enemy was dead and all his things were broken.
Now- Victory is declared when the enemy says he is sorry.

1945- If you killed an enemy soldier, you could bring home his rifle as a trophy.
Now- If you bring home anything at all as a trophy you get a court martial.

1945- A commander would put his butt on the line to protect his people.
Now- A commander will put his people on the line to protect his butt.

1945- After the war, you could buy your own rifle from the government, cheap.
Now- You can't be trusted with your own rifle, and you'll be jailed if you ever get one.

1945- Wars were planned and run by generals with lots of important victories.
Now- Wars are planned and run by politicians with lots of important panty raids.

1945- We knew we were fighting for freedom. The country was committed to winning.
Now- We don't know what we are fighting for.

1945- All you could think of was getting out and becoming a civilian again.
Now- All you can think of is getting out and becoming a civilian again.

Hahahaha... so true, so unfortunate. That's what happens when you mix politics and PCness with the military, an organization whose business is to kill people and blow shit up. The only politician I'd let run any war is Abraham Lincoln; he understood war.

It's supposed to be funny, right?

if the foxhole at the frontlines how on earth you get free time to have sex and not get you ass shot off, but what you said so true for the US army

It's supposed to be funny, right?

I don't know. It sounds like a bunch of whining to me. Ironic, at best.

I agree with Intangelon.

please stop the idea you stole this from wasn't funny neither is this

Whiny, makes incongruent comparisons, written by someone who wasn't in the armed forces in 1945.
F-

Whiny, makes incongruent comparisons, written by someone who wasn't in the armed forces in 1945.
F-

written by someone who not only wasn't alive in 1945, isn't even old enough to serve in the military now.

please stop the idea you stole this from wasn't funny neither is this

It's not supposed to be funny. It's supposed to show you how screwed up modern society is with "political correctness" and all that crap.

Whiny, makes incongruent comparisons, written by someone who wasn't in the armed forces in 1945.
F-

surely a big fat U-

It's not supposed to be funny. It's supposed to show you how screwed up modern society is with "political correctness" and all that crap.

Ok. In either case, I don't get it.

Whiny, makes incongruent comparisons, written by someone who wasn't in the armed forces in 1945.
F-

I didn't write this. I got it off a military website.

It's not supposed to be funny. It's supposed to show you how screwed up modern society is with "political correctness" and all that crap.

you still fail.

you still fail.

Yes, because we all know that being nice to the enemy and giving our soldiers nice, warm beds, and making sure they're nice people is such a good thing!

Yes, because we all know that being nice to the enemy and giving our soldiers nice, warm beds, and making sure they're nice people is such a good thing!

yes it is. Human rights are a good thing.

Yes, because we all know that being nice to the enemy
You want to be nice enough to justify calling yourselves the good guys, surely? The purpose of the army ought to be to protect the country from threats, not satiate sadistic desires, no?

giving our soldiers nice, warm beds, and making sure they're nice people is such a good thing!
So you'd be more proud of some kind of rapist whose fighting skills are reduced due to hypothermia? :confused:

Yes, because we all know that being nice to the enemy and giving our soldiers nice, warm beds, and making sure they're nice people is such a good thing!
What is morally wrong with "nice, warm beds"? And individual soldiers have a history of being on good terms with each other as the fight they're in isn't really their fight, but a hissy fit between the demagogues that employ them.

Smokers ought to be seperated by something other than an invisible line. My friend collapsed and was sent to a hospital because to make a point that smoking was harmless, someone blew a cigar in his face. Trigger severe asthmatic attack that nearly fucking killed him.

Put a coat on and gtfo.

1945- Rifles were made of wood and steel, shot a .30 caliber bullet that killed the enemy.
Now- Rifles are made of plastic and aluminum, shoot a .22 caliber bullet that wounds the enemy.

I suppose the M95, and the M249 Saw are just toys then.

1945- The winning side used a US made .45 Caliber pistol, the losers a European 9mm.
Now- We use a European 9mm pistol. Nobody uses the .45.

My grandfather was a cop and carried a 1911 Colt .45 ASC, a lot of cops get to choose what kind of sidearm they want to carry. Most choose the Berreta because it's light and holds more rounds.

1945- If you said "damn," people knew you were annoyed and avoided you.
Now- If you say "damn" you better be talking about a hydroelectric plant.

That's a load of fucking bullshit, I can go outside and start saying fuck as many times as I want. It's just not polite.

1945- We painted pictures of pretty girls on airplanes to remind us of home
Now- We put the real thing in the cockpit.

A sexist agenda? Tell that woman to get into the bomb bay, makeshift a stove, and stand over it all day.

1945- If you got drunk off duty, your buddies would take you back to the barracks to sleep it off.
Now- If you get drunk any time they slap you in rehab and ruin your whole career.

Sexist, Cancer loving, gun toting, foul mouthed, and now alcoholic! I would love this guy if he wasn't the bane of modern human existance.

1945- You were taught to aim at your enemy and shoot him.
Now- You spray 500 bullets into the brush, don't hit anything, and retreat because you are out of ammo.

Actually go look at the amount of ammo used to kill an enemy back then compared to now. Then factor in fully automatic weapons being most of the grunt's arms. It's about the same, unless everyone in 1945 was a sniper with a MG42, or Thompson Auto.

I would go on but this thread is epic fail. Send it back to the disgruntled geezer on your email spam list and tell him to get with the times or die off.

yes it is. Human rights are a good thing.

Yes, because we all know killing the enemy who is trying to kill us is SUCH a bad thing! And that our soldiers will perform MUCH better on the battlefield if they are given conditions off the battlefield which are nothing like the battlefield!

1945 - People moaned and bitched and made inane comparisons that had no point
Now - People moan and bitch and make inane comparisons that had no point, and spam them to annoy others...

Yes, because we all know killing the enemy who is trying to kill us is SUCH a bad thing! And that our soldiers will perform MUCH better on the battlefield if they are given conditions off the battlefield which are nothing like the battlefield!

Are you even in the military? Do you know this stuff is actually true. or do you just copy and paste spam from random websites? Most of this stuff is bullshit.

Yes, because we all know killing the enemy who is trying to kill us is SUCH a bad thing! And that our soldiers will perform MUCH better on the battlefield if they are given conditions off the battlefield which are nothing like the battlefield!

Human Rights doesn't mean "not killing enemy soldiers". Anyway, I'd say "read my post", but I'm guessing you'll just refuse to give it fair consideration on the principle that since I disagreed, I must be wrong.

Smokers ought to be seperated by something other than an invisible line. My friend collapsed and was sent to a hospital because to make a point that smoking was harmless, someone blew a cigar in his face. Trigger severe asthmatic attack that nearly fucking killed him.

Put a coat on and gtfo.



I suppose the M95, and the M249 Saw are just toys then.



My grandfather was a cop and carried a 1911 Colt .45 ASC, a lot of cops get to choose what kind of sidearm they want to carry. Most choose the Berreta because it's light and holds more rounds.



That's a load of fucking bullshit, I can go outside and start saying fuck as many times as I want. It's just not polite.



A sexist agenda? Tell that woman to get into the bomb bay, makeshift a stove, and stand over it all day.



Sexist, Cancer loving, gun toting, foul mouthed, and now alcoholic! I would love this guy if he wasn't the bane of modern human existance.



Actually go look at the amount of ammo used to kill an enemy back then compared to now. Then factor in fully automatic weapons being most of the grunt's arms. It's about the same, unless everyone in 1945 was a sniper with a MG42, or Thompson Auto.

I would go on but this thread is epic fail. Send it back to the disgruntled geezer on your email spam list and tell him to get with the times or die off.

Firstly, do you go outside and say "fuck" in a military base, or in a civilian area?

Secondly, the thing about women in cockpits is supposed to be a compliment to women.

And thirdly: I DID NOT WRITE THIS. Jesus Christ, here's the fracking source.

http://www.strategypage.com/humor/articles/thennow.asp

EDIT: Also, that's the cops. NOT the military.

You want to be nice enough to justify calling yourselves the good guys, surely? The purpose of the army ought to be to protect the country from threats, not satiate sadistic desires, no?


So you'd be more proud of some kind of rapist whose fighting skills are reduced due to hypothermia? :confused:

Yeah, but you don't let the other guy shoot first because it's the nice thing to do. You shoot his ass until he's dead.

Wait, what? You're calling our military men rapists? And saying that it's wrong for them to have to ruff up in order to be as tough as their enemy?

Firstly, do you go outside and say "fuck" in a military base, or in a civilian area?

Depends on who your COs are. When you join the military you sign your body and rights over to them, and that includes the right I enjoy most. *sticks head out window* "I ate baby jesus!"

And thirdly: I DID NOT WRITE THIS. Jesus Christ, here's the fracking source.

I realize that, but you posted it, and then began defending some of this shit. Read the very last part of my first post where it says...

Send it back to the disgruntled geezer on your email spam list and tell him to get with the times or die off.

A sexist agenda? Tell that woman to get into the bomb bay, makeshift a stove, and stand over it all day.
I think I love you.

Firstly, do you go outside and say "fuck" in a military base, or in a civilian area?

lol what military bases you been too? :p

I though in Most rifles where using .303 Bullets in 1945

Yeah, but you don't let the other guy shoot first because it's the nice thing to do. You shoot his ass until he's dead.

no you identify the target-make damn sure you have orders to attack-plan your attack-ect

Not “zomg the ebil muslims :mp5:”

Wait, what? You're calling our military men rapists?

I don’t believe that’s what he was saying at all

saying that it's wrong for them to have to ruff up in order to be as tough as their enemy?

You don’t “ruff up” soldiers in fact you do the opposite you teach them to wash thoroughly no matter what and make sure they don’t catch hypothermia by staying warm

You have this said constantly since you step foot in the career office (something which you clearly have never done)

I think I love you.

I'm getting jealous of myself.

Yeah, but you don't let the other guy shoot first because it's the nice thing to do.
The US army does not do that, and you are (no offense) insane if you think they do.

Wait, what? You're calling our military men rapists?
No I'm not calling them rapists. But you said that they shouldn't be nice people, and rapists are an example of people who aren't nice.

And saying that it's wrong for them to have to ruff up in order to be as tough as their enemy?
As tough as their enemy yes, but exposure to cold does not make you better at withstanding it. Your ability to withstand cold is primarily down to general fitness and health. Keeping warm helps you stay healthy.

I don’t know where this whole ‘army should keep soldiers freezing and given beatings’ comes from – I certainly didn’t see the OP suggesting that.

While this list is fairly crap, there are a few issues I have with the modern military.

Those being

1) COs are politicians. The Second World War was the beginning of the end as far as I can see – politics became more important in a general than being able to lead an army to victory.

2) Steel canteens are the best – plastic is absolute crap. I hate the taste of plastic and you can NEVER get them clean enough. God knows what’s was in them from the guy who had it before you. At least with a steel one you can heat it up to sterilize it and you don’t have any lingering taste.

3) double tapping. Shoot an enemy and he plays dead, go up to make sure of it and you get pilloried if anyone hears about it. This is a little problem they are having in Iraq which has gotten a lot of guys killed. Check to see if he is dead, or just to capture the wounded, and you get killed. Solution is to just make sure he is dead and no longer a threat. This is the sane and rational thing to do when somebody is trying to kill you. But no, it is inhumane to kill a wounded enemy.

I though in Most rifles where using .303 Bullets in 1945

Only the Bertish.

I hearby crown New Ritlina as Corneliu 2.0

I think the real problem with todays military is that we have a bunch of whores for generals who got there cause there daddy is rich and never saw a real day of real combat. We need another Macarthur or Patton to pull the Iraq war out of the shithole.

Is all that dumb garbage in the OP supposed to be funny?

Boo. The OP fails.

Most of this is utter crap.

1945- The winning side used a US made .45 Caliber pistol, the losers a European 9mm.
Now- We use a European 9mm pistol. Nobody uses the .45.

The Luger was regarded as a very high quality pistol, the thing is still a collector's item, though not as much as the 1911.

1945- NCO's had a typewriter on their desks for doing daily reports.
Now- Everyone has an Internet computer, and they wonder why no work is getting done.
Luddite.

1945- We painted pictures of pretty girls on airplanes to remind us of home
Now- We put the real thing in the cockpit.
What exactly is the problem with female pilots, or in military at all?

1945- Your girlfriend was at home, praying you would return alive.
Now- She is in the same foxhole, praying your condom worked.
Misogynist much?

1945- You were taught to aim at your enemy and shoot him.
Now- You spray 500 bullets into the brush, don't hit anything, and retreat because you are out of ammo.
Well, from the interviews in Band of Brothers, with the actual soldiers being portrayed. They were taught in Basic not to shot unless they could see the enemy, first thing that the Veterans would teach newbies was just to fire in that general area to make the enemy keep their heads down and not shooting back.

1945- Officers were professional soldiers first. They commanded respect.
Now- Officers are politicians first. They beg not to be given a wedgie.
Politics have always been part of war, the biggest part really. The only difference is now if you mess up a whole lot more people are going to know about it.

1945- If you don't act right, the commander might put you in the stockade till you straighten up.
Now- If you don't act right, they start a paper trail that follows you forever.
Shit, even in WWII we didn't slap people in stocks, the hell have you been smoking?

1945- Medals were awarded to heroes who saved lives at the risk of their own.
Now- Medals are awarded to people who show up for work most of the time.
Sgt. FC Paul Smith would like to have a word with you, wait a sec... He's dead, and was given the Medal of Honor for covering the withdrawal of a US Aid Station, killing over 50 Iraqi soldiers before dying.

1945- You ate in a Mess Hall. It was free and you could have all the food you wanted.
Now- You eat in a dining facility. Every slice of bread or pat of butter costs, and you can only have one.
I doubt this is true, what the hell is our military budget going to if our troops have to buy their own food?

1945- We defeated powerful countries like Germany and Japan.
Now- We can't even beat Iraq or Yugoslavia.
We already beat Iraq, if you're claiming the resistance counts, than did Nazi Germany not beat France or Poland?

1945- If a general wanted to make a presentation he scribbled some notes down and a corporal prepared a bunch of charts
Now- The general prepares his own charts, spending hours usnig Power Point.
You're still a Luddite.

1945- We could recognize the enemy by their Nazi helmets.
Now- We are wearing the Nazi helmets.
What?

1945- We called the enemy things like "Krauts" and "Japs" because we didn't like them.
Now- We call the enemy things like "opposing forces" and "aggressors" so we won't offend them.
I doubt the average soldier is that politically correct when talking about the enemy, how much more pissed do you think the public would be if Bush referred to the Iraqis as 'Towelheads'?

1945- Victory was declared when the enemy was dead and all his things were broken.
Now- Victory is declared when the enemy says he is sorry.
The only reason WWII didn't end sooner was because both Hitler and Hirohito had delusions of victory even as the bunkers they were in shook from enemy bombs.

1945- If you killed an enemy soldier, you could bring home his rifle as a trophy.
Now- If you bring home anything at all as a trophy you get a court martial.
This is pretty crappy, but considering it's not legal to own automatic rifles in most places in the US, understandable.

1945- A commander would put his butt on the line to protect his people.
Now- A commander will put his people on the line to protect his butt.
Sgt. FC Paul Smith would still like to speak with you. One example only because it'd be a bit hard to follow every single platoon around Iraq and Afghanistan to find more.

1945- After the war, you could buy your own rifle from the government, cheap.
Now- You can't be trusted with your own rifle, and you'll be jailed if you ever get one.
Think of the single most Iconic Gangster weapon from the inter-war period, the Thompson, or Tommy Gun.

1945- We knew we were fighting for freedom. The country was committed to winning.
Now- We don't know what we are fighting for.
Badly thought-out wars have that effect.

[QUOTE=Corinan;12325756]Most of this is utter crap.
We already beat Iraq, if you're claiming the resistance counts, than did Nazi Germany not beat France or Poland?

I understand where your going, but i really dont think 3000 and counting U.S. casualties hundreds of thousands of iraqis dead nearly 4 years after we "beat" them a victory. It is still a war, even if we arent fighting conventional forces. And dont be like Bush, dont even try to compare this conflict to ww2

Think of the single most Iconic Gangster weapon from the inter-war period, the Thompson, or Tommy Gun.



The Tommy Gun existed well before WWII. It came out in 1921, and was favored by the mob, which is why it was also called the "Chicago Typewriter." The Tommy Gun, was usually seen with a hundred round barrel, that would give it that disticntive look. The military picked up on it later and gave it either a 20 round clip, 30 round clip, and of course the 100 round barrel. They were not taken from WWII battlegrounds and given to the mobs, they got them a long while back!
:)

[QUOTE=Corinan;12325756]Most of this is utter crap.
We already beat Iraq, if you're claiming the resistance counts, than did Nazi Germany not beat France or Poland?

I understand where your going, but i really dont think 3000 and counting U.S. casualties hundreds of thousands of iraqis dead nearly 4 years after we "beat" them a victory. It is still a war, even if we arent fighting conventional forces. And dont be like Bush, dont even try to compare this conflict to ww2

It was just the best example I could think of, and I consider the war against the Iraqi government a separate war from the guerrilla war we're fighting now.

And yes, there is a substantial difference between WWII and the Iraqi war, but it is a decent example.

It's not supposed to be funny. It's supposed to show you how screwed up modern society is with "political correctness" and all that crap.

Political correctness caused us to change to a 9mm pistol, provide computers with internet access?

Me thinks you missed your mark

1945- We called the enemy things like "Krauts" and "Japs" because we didn't like them.
Now- We call the enemy things like "opposing forces" and "aggressors" so we won't offend them.

*coughs*

What about "sand niggers / towelheads / firecrackers etc."

Even the British army has some terms for our supposed enemies (can't remember any just now, but I'll ask someone I know who joined over the week).

We already beat Iraq, if you're claiming the resistance counts, than did Nazi Germany not beat France or Poland?
Obviously not, or they wouldn't have been getting shot at and bombed from the first day of invading those lands.

The Tommy Gun existed well before WWII. It came out in 1921, and was favored by the mob, which is why it was also called the "Chicago Typewriter." The Tommy Gun, was usually seen with a hundred round barrel, that would give it that disticntive look. The military picked up on it later and gave it either a 20 round clip, 30 round clip, and of course the 100 round barrel. They were not taken from WWII battlegrounds and given to the mobs, they got them a long while back!
:)

I'm aware of the gun's origins, that's why I said inter-war and not post war. That was more or less the end of public access to military level firearms.

[QUOTE=Marines United]

It was just the best example I could think of, and I consider the war against the Iraqi government a separate war from the guerrilla war we're fighting now.

And yes, there is a substantial difference between WWII and the Iraqi war, but it is a decent example.

Yeah, okay, for a second there i thought you might be one of those dumb*ss americans who actually believed bush when he said "Mission accomplished"

Since we have a Then And Now: School thread, I might as well make a "Then And Now: Military" thread.

Then and Now: Military Service Compared, World War II and Today.


1945- You were taught to aim at your enemy and shoot him.
Now- You spray 500 bullets into the brush, don't hit anything, and retreat because you are out of ammo.



1945- We called the enemy things like "Krauts" and "Japs" because we didn't like them.
Now- We call the enemy things like "opposing forces" and "aggressors" so we won't offend them.



1914 (non- US troops admittedly) opposing troops played football with "the enemy".

Oh ya, i saw a movie about that! but wasn't it french and german?

slash that last part about french and german, i just realized you said non-U.S.

Pretty lame.

what do you mean by lame?

Oh ya, i saw a movie about that! but wasn't it french and german?
It was British and German.

http://www.snopes.com/holidays/christmas/truce.asp

Germany won 3:2. Obviously. :D

It was British and German.

http://www.snopes.com/holidays/christmas/truce.asp

Germany won 3:2. Obviously. :D

On penalties I presume.

On penalties I presume.
Well, if this British selection couldn't shoot straight either, that might have been a bit of a bummer for the rest of the war.

Well, if this British selection couldn't shoot straight either, that might have been a bit of a bummer for the rest of the war.

Oh we could shoot straight, it was getting it in the corners that was the problem.

This thread is a whiny epic fail. War sucked arse then, war sucks arse now. Majorly. Who gives a flying fuck over how it's fought? It shouldn't be fought at all.

Actually, talking about the military back in the day, I found this poem a while back by Erich Kästner. It's about his drill sergeant when he joined the army during WWI.

Das ist nun ein Dutzend Jahre her,
da war er unser Sergeant.
Wir lernten bei ihm: “Präsentiert das Gewehr!”
Wenn einer umfiel, lachte er
und spuckte vor ihm in den Sand.

“Die Knie beugt!” war sein liebster Satz.
Den schrie er gleich zweihundert mal.
Da standen wir dann auf dem öden Platz
und beugten die Knie wie die Goliaths
und lernten den Haß pauschal.

Und wer schon auf allen Vieren kroch,
dem riß er die Jacke auf
und brüllte: “Du Luder, du frierst ja noch!”
Und weiter gings. Man machte noch
in Jugend Ausverkauf.

Er hat mich zum Spaß durch den Sand gehetzt
und hinterher lauernd gefragt:
“Wenn du nun meinen Revolver hätt’st -
brächst du mich um, gleich hier und gleich jetzt?”
Da hab’ ich ‘Ja’ gesagt!

Wer ihn gekannt hat, vergißt ihn nie.
Den legt man sich auf Eis!
Er war ein Tier. Und er spie und schrie.
Und Sergeant Waurich hieß das Vieh,
damit es jeder weiß.

Der Mann hat mir das Herz versaut.
Das wird ihm nie verziehn.
Es sticht und schmerzt und hämmert laut.
Und wenn mir nachts vor’m Schlafen graut,
dann denke ich an ihn.

If anyone can find a translation, that would be great. It's called "Sergeant Waurich".

Actually, talking about the military back in the day, I found this poem a while back by Erich Kästner. It's about his drill sergeant when he joined the army during WWI.



If anyone can find a translation, that would be great. It's called "Sergeant Waurich".

Alas, it's not in my packet for 299, but it's certainly a good one on the matter.