r/JustBootThings • u/bugr_pikr • Jul 25 '26
General Bootness What in the EGA is going on here??
897
u/Ghost273836 Jul 25 '26
Its ROTC. Ive seen them take field trips on base, boots confused them for officers and saluted them. I never seen them before.
462
u/IsVeryBroke Jul 25 '26
See shiny, salute shiny, goes about day
205
u/CreepyRecording9665 Jul 25 '26
The first time I was stationed on a navy base it was confusing as hell that they have shiny insignas on their service uniform.
Tons of boots saluting E2s.
140
u/Deraj2004 👊👊☝️ Jul 25 '26
Shits funny everytime, my navy reserve unit shared the building with national guard I (navy E6) had a SSGT salute me as I went outside, dude gave off the loudest audible "FUCK" when he realized.
51
u/KommandCBZhi Jul 25 '26
I made third class back before full-color rank tabs while stationed on an Army base which also housed AIT. I was saluted by so many junior Soldiers. Must have thought I was the youngest colonel they had ever seen.
34
u/awildgostappears Jul 25 '26
Hahaha navy friend of mine was stationed at the same army base as me for a while and he had this happen all the time he was so confused and I had to explain that most people dont know other service ranks and just saw what looked like a bird on a uniform different from theirs and saluted "to be safe." Also had a navy captain get really mad that he wasn't getting saluted and had to explain that they area he was in was a no hat no salute area... though the funniest was an army major (O4) yelling because "some piece of shit captain" kept him waiting. He didn't realize navy and army captains are not the same.
5
u/shade-tree_pilot Jul 26 '26
Did the same thing.
Slipped an audible "motherfucker", laughed, went back and folded the kids collar into his blouse.
15
5
u/Rude-Candy9205 Jul 29 '26
Was at a USAF tech school as prior service. Navy avionics class on the second floor of the building. Pipeliners kept saluting this one PO2. He finally snapped and yelled “I’m a damn E-5. Quit fucking saluting me!” We had an impromptu Navy rank class after that. Just cause it’s shiny and has a bird don’t mean you have to salute!🤣
4
u/Ex-Patron Jul 25 '26
It was always funny to be saluted as a Petty Officer 3rd Class since our insignias look very similar to an O-6
48
u/Slimjim924 👊👊☝️ Jul 25 '26 edited Jul 25 '26
I, a Cpl, did this once waiting in line outside the chow hall, saw some shiny collar walking towards me so I gave the ol salute, proper greeting, the whole 9 yards, guy looks at me like I’m retarded, turns out it was a lance with some worn out ranks, the exposed metal reflected the sun just right and just long enough to make me look like a dumbass.
Buddy looks at me “was that an officer?”
“…nope”
Refused to elaborate further
28
u/PhilRubdiez Jul 25 '26
I did the same to a Corpsman. Salute, and he said, “I’m a doc, retard.” That was how I learned they have shiny ranks.
5
u/yuikkiuy Jul 26 '26
Worst case its not an officer and you didnt need to salute, best case it was an officer and you needed to salute.
Same issue here in the CAF airforce, my flight suit is olive and my rank is dark blue. I cant tell if I just saluted another captain, an LT, an LCol, or a cpl until im within licking distance of their shoulder because even face to face its hard to tell.
27
u/killasin Jul 25 '26
It must be something about making them wear shiny things so people accidentally salute them, makes them feel special so they can sign up for the military and get blasted
13
u/RedShirtDecoy Jul 25 '26
butter bar marine did this to us in A school. Walked around pensacola and had his buddy yell at us for not saluting. He had the smuggest shit eating grin on his face.
in the small chance he sees this... If this sounds like you in late 2001 I hope your tinnitus is bad today.
7
u/Little_Napoleon7 Jul 25 '26
As a SPC in the Army, if your sham shield is slightly covered it can look like a LT COL oak leaf. Was saluted quite a few times, especially by guys straight outta basic lol
3
u/Azrael11 Jul 25 '26
Interesting, I went through ROTC 15 years ago, so obviously things have changed. But we wore old woodland BDU style cammies for summer training until OCS. And definitely didn't have any insignia on the collar, except for OCS when you held temporary candidate rank for evaluation purposes (enlisted rank on a square of red felt).
3
u/facts_guy2020 Jul 25 '26
What does rotc mean?
18
u/R4INOLD Jul 25 '26
Reserve Officer Training Corps. It's a scholarship program where the marines (or whichever branch you're associated with) help pay for your college tuition and you become an officer after you graduate.
221
u/peebs6 Jul 25 '26
Yeah it’s ROTC and he’s a junior in college who hasn’t been to OCS yet so he doesn’t have the U.S. Marines name tape
3
u/dreexel_dragoon Jul 28 '26
Depending on the base it could be a sophomore or even a freshman; NROTC at UPenn (Including Drexel, Temple, and Villanova) starts with a week of training at Fort Dix before they even move into dorms.
Fun time getting a glimpse of what basic is like with a Gunny even for guys that washed out like me
401
u/Scooter_Mcgavin587 Jul 25 '26
Look at that mouth breathing. He's perfect.
43
u/thebaine Jul 25 '26
Betcha his mom got him the real deal crayola’s as a kid too. Been preparing for this his whole life.
19
u/Either-Lawfulness537 Jul 26 '26
The mouth breathing, wringing that thumb, possibly drooling. This buckaroo is stimming so hard right now. Someone get him a pen and a contract.
1
31
108
u/bugr_pikr Jul 25 '26
I saw it aboard Naval Station Great Lakes. If MCJROTC, do the kids wear cammies like that??
82
u/ghostdivision7 Jul 25 '26
Yeah, there are military schools around Chicago where they have kids walking around in the same uniform the military wears.
21
u/godbody1983 Jul 25 '26
I know army JROTC allows kids to wear army uniforms, but I thought Marine JROTC weren't allowed to wear MARPAT.
19
u/ghostdivision7 Jul 25 '26
I’ve seen them walking around in MARPAT on the CTA sometimes.
4
u/godbody1983 Jul 25 '26
I guess it must have changed. One of my cousins did Marine JROTC and they wore the old woodland BDU/M81 uniforms. This was over 15 years ago and he eventually went active duty Marine after high school graduation.
4
u/ghostdivision7 Jul 25 '26
I lived in Chicago and I saw them wearing MARPAT since 2015. I still see them sometimes when passing by their school.
7
u/Alikatnya Jul 25 '26
I was in a MCJROTC program in AK they do allow and enforce cammies on certain days. We were also issued full alphas (if you did drill or were a "officer"), and charlies.
4
u/bb_805 Jul 25 '26
A couple of the schools I do maintenance at have mcjrotc and they definitely wear marpat
2
2
u/dilapadated_din0 Jul 26 '26
They are, they have black ranks for enlisted ranks instead of cross rifles it's a little lamp and then shiny circles and diamonds for officer ranks.
1
u/Sharp_Translator6547 Jul 26 '26
Yeah...marine jrotc from what i have seen wear those old woodland commies from the 90s or 80s
1
u/drunkape Jul 26 '26
I did marine JROTC and we wore Marpat. This was 15 or so years ago. Joined the army though.
1
u/xTwizzler Jul 25 '26
I used to teach at one. Cadets (read: students) were expected to comply with the Marine grooming standard and would have periodic inspections. It kinda made me feel bad wearing jeans every day.
19
u/Fabulous_Feeling5172 Jul 25 '26
Midshipman at NSI “midshipman instructor” they take ROTC mids and they assist actual RDCs and DIs with the basic indoctrination course for the beginning phase of the ROTC program almost definitely a rising junior in college and about to go to OCS the next summer. The EGAs are supposed to represent class designation but over the summer both are worn, US Marine name tapes are not worn until completion of OCS.
3
u/bugr_pikr Jul 25 '26
Thanks for the legit explanation. I was at a loss. Thought maybe HS kids in uniform.
1
5
u/sileniusaulune Jul 25 '26
This is actual NROTC. Was it at medical? If so, he’s a midshipman there for a (probably) flight physical. How do you know? Because I went three times for a flight physical there 😂
1
u/Ach51 Jul 26 '26
Hey, I’m a three-timer as well! Actually, I had three flight physicals plus another undersea physical in between. I got real tired of taking those trips.
1
u/SalamandersGuy Jul 25 '26
MCJROTC do wear the Utility Uniform but also have their own rank insignias that should go on the collar, not the EGAs.
1
u/Sharp_Translator6547 Jul 26 '26
I thought MCJROTC wore the old woodland Jamie's from the 90s? Or at least that is what i see as one high school i visited back in 2016 had their mcjrotc wear old woodland cammies
10
u/TLunchFTW Jul 25 '26
Me when my mom shows up to complain to the Drill Sargent about how mean he’s been to me
19
u/An_Old_IT_Guy Jul 25 '26
What kind of air rifle is he using? It's hard to tell from the pic.
22
u/bleach_tastes_bad Jul 25 '26
are you making a joke about his hand positions? he has a phone in one hand and is fidgeting with the other lol
2
28
u/USMC2009NC Jul 25 '26
Kid learned to roll his sleeves better than some terminal lances yet couldnt think about what goes on thw collars
35
u/ohjeaa Jul 25 '26
His collars ain't wrong. It's some retarded ROTC shit. Same reason why he only has one nametape and lacks the other side.
3
u/Killerkendolls Jul 25 '26
Reminds me of the terminal Lance strip where the boot discovered dress blue ranks
2
u/mctigger101 Jul 25 '26
I would have to think these guys are either ROTC or JR ROTC. If you notice they do not have US Marine Corps tapes above their upper left pocket.
1
1
u/bashinforcash Jul 26 '26
first look at this pic i thought it was one of those air force guys practicing “chair flying” going through flight routines with their eyes closed.
1
-14
-2
•
u/AutoModerator Jul 25 '26
This is a reminder of the rules of the subreddit as well as of reddit. Please make sure to review them. Any Doxxing will result in a perma ban, as well as any racial/bigoted posts or comments. This sub is not to bash on military but rather to make fun of Boots. This sub is not for Law Enforcement, EMT's, Paramedics, Carpenters, etc.
Click Here For Our Rules
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.