Life in the US Navy compared to the Royal Navy

I have just watched the 10 part series called 'Carrier' about the USS Nimitz during a 6 month deployment in 2005, before this i had watched the 6 part 'Warship' Series about the 09 Taurus Deployment On board HMS Bulwark and HMS Ocean.

From the American series i got the impression of a less disciplined and professional force, also throughout the series all they did was bitch and moan.
One sailor even resorted to racism so he would be discharged before his contracted time was up. From most of the people they showed throughout the show you would think the whole US Navy was comprised of people coming from broken homes and they are only serving so that they will get their 'College' (University, why on earth they call it college is beyond me) Paid for.

In comparison the Royal Navy seems more professional,disciplined and all the people actually for the most part seemed like they enjoyed themselves. This could just be a case of editing to make it seem nice and joyful, im also pretty sure they edited the american show to dramatise it a bit.

Anyway i want to hear your thoughts on the matter, i have always thought of the Royal Navy as a great career choice and still do, but our American cousins seem to strongly dislike it.

 

They have big ships and get to kill loads of people.
We got big dicks and get to thrill lots of people.
Simples. :wink:

 

You telling pokies again Rat? :wink: Norwaychris said you were peewee.

 

:naka: Quite right, I've also got long hair, tattoos and TWO SHEDS 8)

 

He had to say that or you would have known he was slack. :twisted:

 

:lol: He did wonder what you were doing with your fist.

 

Friggin hell Jesse two sheds, I can't even keep one tidy.

Wits did you get to see the pics of N Chris I posted?

 

One good reason the septics were whingeing and ours were happy...alcohol. Who the fcuk would want a 6 month deployment with no beer FFS

 

I thought they were whinging because they are a bunch of ill educated, pig fucking redneck cunts with as much professionalism as a Frenchman working as a window cleaner in a brothel.

 

And no alcohol

 

Oh ok then. It's the booze.

 

Having worked with the Yank Navy quite a few times in the past, this old phrase always rings true...

"All the gear, no idea"

 

Having worked with the Spam Army before, i agree.

 

With their crates of Pepsi Co-o-o-la and their buc-kets of ice cream ...

 

It was great being alongside in the Gulf when one of their war canoes turned up. The jetty was full of Ice Cream parlours, Fried Chicken shacks, more phone booths and general fast food huts.

The obvious downside was more of those idiots ashore with their naff 'boyz in da hood' clothes and trying to take us on at both drinking and fighting.

Edited to add: Oh and all the prices went up big time in town.

 

If you ever get crosspols on, they will stare in wonder at the beer fridge, have two tins then stagger to the quarterdeck and chunder over the rail. Most of em sleep a lot, the JRs especially as their racks seem to be on the main drag. The SRs know what they're doing but don't pass it down to anything less than a senior chief. They even have a chippy party branch called "Hull technician" which seems to be staffed by kids who are escaping smalltown life to earn a pittance and women who have eaten all the pies. Most of em end up back on the meth in 4yrs.

In reality though, much like our vessels, once you get off the carriers and go to an Aegis or OHP frigate, the ships co is smaller, gets on better and seems to know what they're about. Ditto SM, their crews drill a lot more than skimmers and fewer doughnuts survive their taskbook.
Downsides is their marines make ours look like brain surgeons. Not all of course, just a lot of em.

I watched the Carrier series too, they have all the same snags the RN does, star PO of the fleet (mench in daily lies etc) goes ashore with some JRs, they all get pissed, some bird from his section latches on, not clear who rejects who but before you know its back on board, table, loss of rate, life screwed beyond belief.

For the nails/noobz, youve more chance of "recat to pilot" or "going SF" in the USN, since the Seal cadre (NSWG as a whole) is about the size of the RM, and even with Louis Gosset Jr kicking your arse at least you get to do proper traps, but with the F-14 being fed into the wood chipper your options for being "too close for missiles, Im switching to guns" rest with the F-18 and F-35 if you can wait that long.

 

Rightly or wrongly (wrongly to my mind), the American mentality is totally different to ours. Dry ships are not unique to the American military mind. It's old news now but this gives a useful insight. There is a secondary angle to this as it’s a NATO billet with a septic top fellah; http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/gen-mcchrystal-bans-foreign-troops-alcohol-headquarters/story?id=8518773

Well, it’s a point of view but I personally believe that off duty moments not being “focussed†on the day job are beneficial. Regrettably, this Puritanism is increasingly seeping into our formations.

 

POL,

I tend to agree with you, this is becoming more widespread and I think it's only a matter of time before our ships are dry too, 10-20 years I'd guess at.

 

Newbie question: Am I right in thinking that RN submarines are dry?

 

It causes ones botty to pucker if they get to wet on the inside