Why was Army rank turned upside down?
823189
Here's some info-\n\n"Starting in 1820 Army company grade officers and Sergeants wore one chevron with the point up on each arm. The officers' chevrons were of gold or silver lace, depending on the wearer's branch of service. Captains wore their chevrons above the elbow while Lieutenants wore theirs below. Sergeant Majors and Quartermaster Sergeants wore worsted braid chevrons above the elbow while other Sergeants and Senior Musicians wore theirs below. Corporals wore one chevron on the right sleeve above the elbow. By 1833 the Army and Marine company grade officers had stopped wearing chevrons and returned to epaulettes as rank insignia. Sergeants of the Army dragoons then began wearing three chevrons with points down and Corporals two. All other NCOs wore cloth epaulettes to show their rank. From 1847 to 1851 some Army NCOs wore chevrons with the points up on their fatigue uniform jackets but still used cloth epaulettes on their dress uniforms. After 1851 all Army NCOs wore chevrons with points down until 1902 when the Army turned the points up and adopted the patterns used today, two chevrons for Corporals, three for Sergeants and combinations of arcs and other devices beneath the chevrons for higher grades of Sergeants."
947423
In the Pentagon, everyone one has a ranking whether they be military or civilian.  This is how seniority is controlled.  This is how authority is controlled.  As an example, if you are a Navy Captain, that is equivalent to a O-7, I believe.  The civilian equivalent to that may be a G-17.  I'm just guessing on that, but I'm not far off.  Those two individuals would then be the same rank and would not have authority one over the other.  However, a Brigedier General would be a O-8 (again, I'm guessing) and he or she would have authority over the latter two.\n\nA civilian government job works much the same way as a military job or rank.  On many bases throughout the world, military and civilians work together, so this pecking order is in place to maintain protocol and decorum.\n\nI might add, time in grade does play a part, most of the time, as far as authority is concerned.  Two people working together with the same G rating would determine which has more time in grade, that person would then have the authority over the other.  Yet, a person of higher authority need not take that into account when making assignments regarding these two individuals.
489171
No. But as JD has pointed out on other posts, it's really ironic, because that is actually a distress signal (Hanging our flag upside down.) Our nation is in distress and it is at the hand of the illegal invasion that is occurring.
188682
WRONG!!!!!\n\nDischarge for failure to meet height/weight standards is generally not grounds for an unfavorable discharge.  If you have no adverse personnel actions, you should expect at worse a general discharge.  I would, however, expect it to be an honorable discharge.  Seek out an attorney if they try to pursue anything else.  (See the classified section of Army Times.)
820925
As a veteran who did 4 years and got out as an E-4... I'd say I have not seen that it has made a whole lot of difference.\n\nHowever, I have mentioned that I had gone to the Army's Primary Leadership Development Training (Sergeant school).\n\nI also mentioned that as an E-4 I was placed as the temporary leader at times over others.... learned leadership training etc... That seemed to get their interview pens jotting furiously when I mentioned that. lol\n\nSo my guess is as an E-5 or higher, just the fact that you would be placed in charge of others is what is important and not the rank.
475198
from , http://ask.yahoo.com/20020308.html\n\nThe five star general rank was created in the midst of World War II to address the fact that several American commanders found themselves in the delicate position of supervising Allied officers of higher rank. Initially, the new rank was to be called Field Marshal, after the British military, but this was nixed due to stern (and quite understandable) objections from General George C. Marshall. \nWhen General of the Army Omar N. Bradley died in April of 1981, the five star ranking was consigned to history. In all, four Army generals, four Navy admirals, and one Air Force general have held this rank. The Army's five star generals were General George C. Marshall, General Douglas MacArthur, General Dwight D. Eisenhower, and General Omar N. Bradley. The Navy's five-star fleet admirals were Admiral William D. Leahy, Admiral Ernest J. King, Admiral Chester Nimitz, and Admiral William F. "Bull" Halsey. And General Henry Arnold was the Air Force's five star general. \n\nWho beats a five star general? A General of the Armies of the United States -- the highest military rank of all time, hands down. To date, only George Washington and John J. Pershing have held this position
614427
Interesting fact.  Eisenhower had to give up his rank in the military when he became president.  Kennedy's first action as president (he was the 35th) was to reinstate Eisenhower's military rank.
645321
Can be complicated. If your M.O.S. is hurting for people, it's doubtfull you'll be able to "re-class" during your enlistment. Sometimes, a soldier's aptitude can make him ideal for another field. (rare) He could then be ORDERED into another job. (example:) I enlisted and and trained as a combat engineer. (then airborne, sapper, Ranger) After AIT, I and a couple others were pulled aside and tested/invited to get into a Military Intelligence. I later learned we all were multi-lingual, and scored high in linguistics.
672757
U.S. federal code calls for the canton to always be positioned to the left.\n\nThe Army actually has two authorized flag patches, one to be worn on the left shoulder, with the canton facing left, and another "reverse field" patch worn on the right, with the canton facing right. \n\nThe two different orientations are mandated because Army regulations call for the flag "to be worn so that to observers, it looks as if the flag is flying against a breeze," Heath said. \n\nWhat does a stiff wind have to do with this custom?\n\nIn fact, the rule is a nod to the U.S. Army's early history, when wars were fought as a series of carefully choreographed battles -- two armies meeting on a field, clashing head-on until one side emerged victorious. \n\nIn those battles, both mounted cavalry and infantry units would always designate one soldier as "standard bearer," to carry the Colors into the fight. \n\nAs the standard bearer charged, his rapid forward momentum would cause the flag to stream back. \n\nAnd since the Stars and Stripes is mounted with the canton closest to the pole, that section would always be forward. \n\nSo if a soldier is charging into the battle, the flag would give the appearance of forward motion. For the right shoulder, the flag only appears "backward."\n\nAnd that's why soldiers wear the flag patches on the right shoulder "backward." Because retreat in battle, as any soldier will tell you, is not the Army way.
83058
The military uses a "flagging" system to denote a deficiency serious enough as to merit a suspension of favorable personnel action. Uniformed service members can be flagged for a variety of reasons including height/weight violations and physical fitness test failure. While it does not bar all personnel actions, actions such as promotions and re-enlistment are stopped until the member is back in compliance with regulations.\n\nI don't know about the other services, but the Army's guidelines are found in AR (Army Regulation) 600-8-2, Suspension of Favorable Personnel Actions. Link for the PDF of AR 600-8-2 is below.
546633
it isn't down.  Air Force and Navy are overmanned and are looking to trim their ranks.  Army and Marines are meeting their overall goals, although there are certain areas where they still need manpower.
666039
Im in the Army also and I truely believe the Army is treating soldiers with less dicipline now days. For instance, theyre giving soldiers wekkend passes during basic training, letting them smoke cigarettes and now "stress cards", what the hell is that? Ive noticed with the new privates comming into our unit, they treat the NCO's very disrespectful. I know I got my a$$ smoked if I even talked back to them in the wrong way. The Army and the country is going to hell i swear! Everthing's so screwed up now!
755192
I agree with the other poster. Why would a SSG not know this? Or at least know where to find the info? I am a retired SSG, and, man, you're making us NCO's look bad.
225711
As a former Soldier (who was discharged honorably) I can tell you that a dishonorable discharge reflects negatively upon you when you go for future employment. Employers do have access to your DD 214, so to say you were never in the military would certainly put you on a bad foot because then you'd come out as a liar. Be upfront and honest with the employer, explain the situation and perhaps they will decide to hire you anyway, if they feel you've grown past what caused you to get discharged. Your DD 214 tells your type of discharge and the reason for it. Many employers do look negatively at a dishonorable discharge.
398129
I've been out for 10 years now, but yes, the Army will discharge a person for failing the APFT. Normally, the soldier is put on a remedial fitness program in hopes of helping him to meet the standard. The soldier is usually "flagged" during that time, which means he is ineligible for awards, promotions, etc. If eventually he can pass an APFT, the flag is removed. If after a certain amount of time, the soldier does not improve, he can be discharged.
524639
A S Johnson if you accept a breverent rank as a general,if not I'm stumped
315637
If you genuinely can't hack the AIT for the MOS you've selected, I believe you get to reclass for something that may be more your speed.  Otherwise, you get recycled to the next Co. coming through.  At least that's what happened in my unit.  I've actually never heard of anyone getting put out of the Army altogether.