The Arrogance of the Grunt
Categories: Military, News, Opinion
I’m going to front run any bitches, moans, or complaints by those who are not grunts by saying the following. First off, this isn’t a dis to non-grunts, if I were insulting you, you’d know. Second, I know there are going to be guys and gals alike that say “Oh well I did such and such just like a grunt,” ok first off, no you probably didn’t, second I’m hungry can I have that giant chip on your shoulder and third…whatever bro, if it helps you sleep at night. Lastly, I’m a grunt, I’m going to write about grunt shit. I don’t know the inner workings of supply or motor t, so I won’t pretend that I do. Cool? Good.
The arrogance of the grunt comes from his attitude, especially in an all-volunteer force, (yes, certainly, there were grunts during the Vietnam and WW2 era that were drafted and were huge badasses, and grunts today that are huge shitbags and extenuating circumstance after extenuating circumstance), but…today, today in the all-volunteer force, if you joined September 12th, 2001 or after, and had your choice of jobs, and you choose infantry…you had to know a few things.
The first thing you had to know is that you were going to go to war. Like…it was on like donkey kong about to do some wrong. War sucks asshole, like a huge hairy, haven’t wiped your booty hole in a few days asshole. And you, as the grunt are asking “Hey can I be first in line for this shit show?” That’s where the arrogance starts. The guy who volunteers and chooses to be a grunt isn’t necessarily the most badass one-man national asset Rambo killing machine. More than likely he’s a glutton for punishment, and in the culture of manhood, being able to take a lot of punishment and then kick it back out is a hallmark sign of masculinity.
The second part comes from the fact that the grunt is willing to stack bodies. He may suck at it. He may never get the chance, but I remember joining and thinking of Joker from “Full Metal Jacket,” I wanted to be the first kid on my block with a confirmed kill. I wanted to make it rain bad guy body parts. Hence why I became an 0351, because you know…explosives.
Lastly, we knew we had the highest percentage chance of not coming home. We’d be in the thick. We’d be intimately involved in the fight. We wanted it. Call it a death wish, call it bravery, call it whatever you will that helps you get through the day, the truth is, all of us knew there was a pretty significant likelihood that we’d only be on this Earth for…like 18-22 years (age of your average grunt). The grunt was willing and on some level knowingly cool with sacrificing his life for those around him if that’s what it took.
The grunt is arrogant because when you take all three of these things and add in the fact that the grunt WANTED to do them, without any extra incentive…well, you’d be f***in’ arrogant too.
I volunteered to be a grunt in 1986- and became an 0351… dragon gunner alongside Sgt Brad Kasal (yeah, that Kasal). I got smart and switched to 0251, did Task Force Ripper in 1st Gulf War and left the Suck in 1994. Fast forward to 2000 and I once again volunteered to be a grunt- Army Guard this time. Why? Because I needed to be back where I started, and the Corps only had a Motor T unit in my home town. Fast forward to 2004 and I volunteered to go fight again- I was off to Iraq as a Grunt at 37 years old. Why? Because it needed to be done; I had done it before; and I had buried six of my own dudes as Rear Detachment. It needed to be done. That’s why grunts grunt.
THANK YOU“~“~ from the bottom of my heart!
Hell fuck yeah 03 do it fucking all…. and even though I moved up to 0321’s every swinging dick in the suck support’s the grunt. Because bottom line.
Hell yea, SFMF. I volunteered in 1992 to be an O3, I became and 0351 and then transferred to heavy guns as an 0352. Three combat tours later, Somalia 92′ and Iraq 03′ and 05′ I do have a bit of arrogance and pride. We 03 grunts know we will be a part of hell, whether its combat or humping 20 to 30 miles on an average basis. We are a gluten for punishment whether its in garrison or combat, but we are great at it and grunts love this s**t.
RAH!!
SFMF!!
Well said my friend! I was a Manchu with the 4/9 inf. Served proudly in Iraq from 2004-2005, and still remain a bit arrogant about it to this day. We are who the Army made us to be! We don’t apologize for it, nor do we brag about it. War sucks, but the right people are sent to accomplish the mission.
God bless you and all the current and veteran grunts!!!
Grunts are the sweetest most loving people ever… ever. Just ask one. POGs think that Grunts are just big hairy monkey brained twats with their cocks out, and get all “well, brains beats brawn… yada, yada…” First true grunt experience: full factor fizucking wind jamming rain like spears and a mortorman dropped a load on a dime like eatin’ potato chips. Can you say trigonometry boys and girls? I knew that you could! I was/am a Strap. I am not a Grunt, but I am not a POG, either. I am like a 13 year old… too old to fart at the table, too young to get drunk at the county fair… whatever… no one here can make me feel worse than EVERY MAN IN MY FAMILY for four generations… all Grunts. I love the “well the other people are important, too” thing is cute; but I don’t buy it… I am not a Grunt… I’m glad I chose to support Grunts instead of trying to be one (and failing… I suck at trigonometry). But I am the FIRST MF’er too jump when someone calls out any arrogant prick of a Grunt around me. That arrogance was hard won… and Grunts should wear it like a friggin’ hoody. PEACE FROG.
Semper Fi!! Well fucking said
2/8 Wpns Co
1996-2000
03 Crazy
Amen Brother! (U.S. Army 11B Infantry)
Grunts are not arrogant they are members of the Queen of Battle, the Infantry!
I was an Airborne grunt officer (101st) and led men in combat in RVN.
Since then I have been a Federal Law Enforcement Officer, an Air Traffic Controller, and Chief Supervisor of a Rail Transit System- all challenging jobs,
Nothing even comes close to the responsibility and honor of commanding American soldiers in combat!
Give an order that may probably result in death and our American soldiers grab their rifles, say “got it sir” and just DO IT! God bless our Grunts and pray to stop 20 suicides a day! Airborne!
5 years 11B Hooah
Joined in 72, combat bonus baby 0351. Still arrogant as Fuck at the age of 64, hell yes get some Marines.
As a grunt of 13 years, I thank you for sharing this. I was stationed in Germany in a Kaserne that was mostly grunts and People always told us that we were all very arrogant. If you go through Infantry basic training, you earn that arrogance, you wear that blue cord with pride. I trained for 13 years to go to combat and never got the chance, but the wolf still lives inside me and will always be there if I need him!! R. Warner, 11 Bravo for life!!
Very well said!!! Sure as hell sums it up! I have spent damn near 25yrs in the Army as a dog face grunt. There is never easy days for the grunt but they drive on muddy and bloody. Grunts are the backbone of this great country and God willing always will be. May we never forget the sacrifices they have made. God knows I will never forget the men I have lost over the years. God Bless the Infantry Grunt because of his blood sweat and tears America is Free!
I was a 67N. Huey Crewchief 1st Inf. Div. My son Jackson is an 11B in the US Army. 1/6th Inf. 1st Armor Div. And he is my hero.
Fuck yeah brother.. I’m 11 series Bravo to be exact
. grunt is as GRUNT does.. Iraq 07 08 09.. Pogs will be pogs fuck thier feelings .. For all of us who operated out side the wire and shot at and shot back or not.. The enemy did try to kill us.. So to my GRUNT life brothers.. We were fortunate in a sense to make back a little more fucked up than when we shipped out.. Godspeed
Well I had a front row seat to 9/11 because I live in New York City and I serve it’s residents. I was separated from service in 1998 and was living a free life away from the military, but when I saw those towers go down and then went down to Ground Zero that same night and worked a shift I knew I had to go back in because I knew we were going to war. It took me about three months and I was sworn back in, this time a National Guard Infantry unit and within days I was in Germany training getting ready for something or anything. After Germany it was a waiting game then before i knew it there was rumblings in Iraq and I got my warning orders in the summer of 03. By September 2003 I got my orders to report on October 1 at Fort Drum in support of Operation Iraqi freedom. That was it we was going into the shit. We arrived in Iraq February 2004 and in my life I would never think that I will go through a year of hell and see the things that no man should see and do the things that no man should do but I volunteered for it. I was nice and comfortable at home didn’t have to worry about a thing. I could have just gone about my business and continue working for the City of New York. But I didn’t because I’m Grunt and Grunts do Grunt things and that is go off to distance lands and fight. I believe in what I was doing in Iraq was right and to this day I still believe it was right. I don’t care about politics, I remember in the fall of 2004 we were taking back one of the cities in Iraq known as Samarra. When I interviewed by a CNN reporter and she asked me what do I believe about the politics of this war I told her I don’t care about the politics I’m an operator not policymaker. That’s for the people in Washington to decide I’m here they’re not. I’ll close with this at the end of the day it’s all about the man to the left and the right of you a person who is willing to die for a cause so great that he will sacrifice himself without even thinking about it because it’s a brotherhood it’s a love for your fellow brother that’s what it is being a Grunt.
EXACTLY CORRECT SIR!!!
HA. HA. HA!!!!
FU____. A. BRO
AATW SIR!!!
Hooah! Hail oh Infantry! 11B10C21GM United States Army, 3rd PLT ACO 4BN 30thINF Fort Benning, Sand Hill and 3rd Platoon/Weapons Platoon, ACO 6BN 502nd INFANTRY REGIMENT Berlin Brigade.
I reclassed and did over nine years, and five reserve years. The arrogance of a line Infantryman makes you excel as a garrison soldier and a field soldier in other elements. You have the discipline to look and be sharper and stand taller. I used to compete with another NCO who was taller than I am, so he looked very sharp in his Class A’s, but the look we develop and the feelings we carry that make our bearing win the day. He is a warrior, make no mistake, but a 12 Bravo. Hard as he was, there is something about the Infantry that creates a breed apart soldier. I respect that man to no end. My illustration is soley meant to agree with the articles points about choosing combat arms, and how Infantry Riflemen in particular embody that. We have to, in order to do what needs to bet done.
Much respect to all my grunt brothers in arms. I may have been a Fister, but there were things that you did that we did not. You had your job and we had ours, even though we lived and worked together everyday. In combat you had our six and we yours. Long live the Queen of battle!
I walked into the recruiting offices starting with he army telling them I just want to blow shit up and shoot people. Well they had a job for me, then I went to the navey recruiter he said he didn’t have anything for me but knew who did and walked me down to the Marine recruiter who said he had a job for me. I asked him what he had to offer and told him what the army had offered, he said he could offer me the tittle marine all though he tried talking me into artillery, I told him no I want to be infantry I want to be in the front lines kicking in doors not knowing what lies on the other side. I would not have changed mind for anything.
ONWARD
From Sept 15, 1989, until the day I die. Its “O3 baby”… O3 infantry, until the day I die. Glory, forever. Never pre-tending, never faking, just pure Infantry Bliss
I spent 16 years as an 11B. Never met a better human being than my brothers in the infantry. Did a tour in Iraq 06 to 07 with the MN National Guard and got my CIB which was all I ever wanted out of the Army. God bless all the infantry Marine or Army.
BS
Heavy combat will humble anyone.
The more combat you live through the more grateful your still alive.
This article must have been written by a marine
Always running their mouths and starved for attention
Vietnam vet
11d
Leave it to a soldier to not have a swagger when they walk 😉 All in good fun friend.