Fixed it for you. That's OK, you're welcome.

So true. Thanks. Like the suggestion I made about you and that award. Guess they thought it was stupid too. No problem. It was only a few million bucks. They gave it to your buddy instead.

Hey at least I make suggestions. What have you done lately?

[lithos]

I don't know about the Australian military, but anybody who joins the U.S. Military because they need dental care is in for a real shock.

Wait, they don't require good teeth over there to bite the tops off cartridges, do they (a la the early 19th century?)

Worth it for the FREDs, but. They're phasing them out, unfortunately.

---------- Post added 06-11-2010 at 03:59 AM ----------

Quite a few gays in our defence force, too.

No one gives a shit. It's 'cause we've got adults running our forces, I suppose.

[Parallax]

I spent 14 years in the AF. The medical care is second to none, but dental works a little differently. I think their recruiting method for dentists is to go around to the various dental schools right before graduation and contact the students that are just on the verge of flunking out. They offer them a career that is more attractive to them than starving on the outside because their skills are such that no one in their right mind would pay for them.

No one gives a shit. It's 'cause we've got adults running our forces, I suppose.

The common joke for us was that the only difference between the military and the Boy Scouts was that the Boy Scouts had adult leadership.

[Ash]

You're gay? Do your wife and children know about this? (I know it's because you're military. But I couldn't resist)

That's what I do best. Make great, stupendous, genius suggestions.

I couldn't be gay if I tried, even in the military.

---------- Post added 06-11-2010 at 02:42 PM ----------

Wait, they don't require good teeth over there to bite the tops off cartridges, do they (a la the early 19th century?)

Worth it for the FREDs, but. They're phasing them out, unfortunately.

---------- Post added 06-11-2010 at 03:59 AM ----------

Quite a few gays in our defence force, too.

No one gives a shit. It's 'cause we've got adults running our forces, I suppose.

FREDs are overrated lithos. What the acronym stands for isn't far from the truth.
I don't have good memories of our field exercises - we were issued rat packs over 3 years out of date.

---------- Post added 06-11-2010 at 02:50 PM ----------

I spent 14 years in the AF. The medical care is second to none, but dental works a little differently. I think their recruiting method for dentists is to go around to the various dental schools right before graduation and contact the students that are just on the verge of flunking out. They offer them a career that is more attractive to them than starving on the outside because their skills are such that no one in their right mind would pay for them.

The common joke for us was that the only difference between the military and the Boy Scouts was that the Boy Scouts had adult leadership.

Ha! Not much different in Aus. Medical care, though, is a mixed bag here. Great response to incidents, not the best quality care OTOH - hard for it to be great when many of those administering the care have only done 6-12 months worth of non-professional health care courses.

Dentistry is done only to get the member individually ready for deployment - nothing more. But then again, that's expected - tax dollars shouldn't go into cosmetic dentist work.

As for leadership, you'd get more effective leadership skills participating in a local football club - the military is fortunate to have the luxury of relying on the premise that orders are unconditionally followed by subordinates. Motivation or earned respect are no prerequisites.