msdz

Was in the US Navy in 1992 but got he boot 1 week before completing basic. I had a knee injury when I was 5 year of age and I completely forgot about it, after being in there for the 6-1/2 weeks I hurt my left lag and they did a x-ray of both my legs and seen my knee cap was chipped and I had a previous break in my RIGHT leg. The break had ran vertical for about 1 inch and they said it was a bone defect and I lied about the knee cap injury cause I never stated I had the injury. So they booted me. The real reason is that most enlistees at the time was just after the first Gulf War and the US military had TO MANY enlistees and they were weaseling them out. I did try to fight to stay in but once they make their mind up it is useless to try to fight them. There goes my families honor down the drain for the past 90 years: my dad, his dad, and his dad's dad were all in the Navy, lol.

avenging llama

1990-1993 U.S. Army, Stinger missile crewmember http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/stinger.htm and Vulcan Cannon http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M163_VADS Mostly learned small unit tactics and how to run like hell after we shot our missile, considering our life expectancy in combat was approximately 4 seconds after we fired :P

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|TG-Irr|Avengingllama

Decrapitaition: The act of having ones head so far up their butt that the end result is the head snapping off and staying there.

Fovos

yep i was in the army too. as far for help for PR, little bit i guess, like taking positions or flanking! but doesn't matter if the enemy knows that if he die , can respawn in 10 seconds! :0)

McGann

US Army Intelligence Officer for 6 years. Primary worked Operational and Tactical levels. Experience with Infantry, Artillery, and Avation. 1-14 INF (LT), 6-37 MLRS, 2-25 AVN (Lift). I think it has helped with the understanding of tactics and using terrain.

I guess most of my training is involved in trying to figure out what the enemy is doing all the time. Either that or I am thinking about doing an Arms room inspection. <grin>

stickyjeans69

im talking of the boys in the states, but thanks for the info!

USARMY_JeonJiHyeon

Currently serving three years now in the US Army as an interrogator, however I have gone to SFAS and been selected, and start the Q-course shortly. Exciting!

I can't really think of many ways that my game has improved because of real-life training, but on the flipside I have noticed that I no longer have to 'orient' a map thanks to too many hours playing games like BF2. I can understand heading south on a map and taking lefts and rights just as intuitively as heading north. I still can't think of how my gaming has improved because of training, however.

w.WAREHOUSE

I grew up on several air force bases like Chas. air force base -my father is a flight surgeon -USAF (retired). I would have liked to have followed in his foot steps but uncle sam wouldn't take me due to a surfing accident years ago.

He taught military history in Charleston and worked with the ROTC students, and every once in a while he will join me working with ATC or a round of BF2 if he has time. I guess I'm a better medic in BF2 now, lol. Although I can never find the 0.5L D5W or normal saline in game when a squad mate has lost a lot of blood.

IOOB_583

ASVAB - 98% = $0
All kinds of free stuff from the recruiting office = $0
Having every doctor at Whitehall writing some kind of note on your physical = priceless.

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Don't let the bastards grind you down!

Tronchaser

US Navy from 91-97 and then Active Reserves from 00-02. Was an Aviation Electronics tech (hence my name!), but I don't think it contributed directly to how I play the game. Indirectly, it's more about strategic thinking and the like, which the navy did help me with.

[sbf]Joeboo

USAF 95-00

There are definitely pluses and minuses for me. I can usually tell when I'm playing with servicemembers as the communication is almost fluid. To that end it enhances the immersion, and I suppose helps to focus attention, and coordination.

This can be kind of a detriment when playing with civies as miscommunication becomes much more of an issue. When playing with servicemembers, if I hollar, "SL ACTUAL, contact! 2 opfor N 100" I am likely to have 5 guys form up on me, get thier cover, and be firing on 2 targets 100 meters north of my position. With civies, I'm more likely to get shot while explaining what I just said.

Additonally, and this may sound stupid to some....but there is a distinct reason marching is still one of the most basic measures of unit cohesion in all branches of the military, U.S. and otherwise. Learning how to fit into a formation execute what individually are simple tasks, in time with 40+ other people doing the same thing, and or cueing off of you grants you a little perspective about the most rudementary elements of teamwork. As a 'bonus' (for lack of a better word), marching orders are the most basic of field commands, thus most everyone has a common venacular. That can be a life saver in a situation where you need to communicate a massive amount of info, clearly and accurately, even under duress in a very short amount of time.

The biggest downside, and I'd say this is specific to PR is that real operations are MUCH slower and more deliberate....having worn both hats as a competitive gamer, and servicemember I'd attest to the regular conflict presented by these two backgrounds. The gamer wants to rush, and move quick as possible to deliver the pwn ftw, the soldier wants to stay alive, and accomplish a goal. Slow is quick, fast is dead.

Its pretty hard to relate because so many elements of the explination would imply that you have a common background to mine to relate what I'm saying too. In the end I try to play as more of a gamer, particularly with civies as my rigidity on the flipside isn't intended to be fun, rather functional...with servicemembers that is just implied, with civies it might seem insulting, condescending or the like.

Cresalia

Yeah, Marine Corps infantry. Four years. 2 tours over seas. loved and hated the time i spent in. I was part of a war machine for 4 years and I think PRMM is great. My buddy, who got hit with a 81 mm mortar ( he lived, he's a tough mother f**cker) started playing this afterwards and said that when he got hit in game and the screen and sound when fuzzy he almost puked! Anyway, yeah, i've got real life experience.

Supervisor84

Military service in Sweden for 10 months (2003). Howitzer section leader. We fired live 43 kg (95lbs) shells most of the time, which could be up to a hundred per day on field maneuvres. Basic soldier training as well as artillery work made me understand more about the dynamics of war, movement and cover, and how loud things actually can sound when they blow up :|

Been playing PR for a few days but BF2 for a few years. It takes FPS and mil-sim even closer to reality, so I'm very happy. Teamwork absolutely rocks when I see it working in-game. People communicating about where to go and where to watch out, a whole squad aiming in the same direction.. love it! ^^

Bluedust

42nd Field Artillery Brigade- 91-94
Basic training:
M16A2, claymore, hand grenades
Basic cover/concealment training
Discipline
Radio nomenclature

Advanced training:
Trained as 13foxtrot(forward observer for artillery).
Extensive map reading and radio communications
Calling artillery on target using bracketing to FFE(fire for effect) within 50 meters
Laser range finder

Other:
M203(grenade launcher, ranked sharpshooter)
M16A2(ranked expert)

Although I did a fair amount of clerical work/typing, so if there's a secretary class in the new release, watch out for Bluedust!

And a note: I think this game is excellent training for the real thing rather then the other way around. Reason being, you can take risks and try new things without needing to be so cautious. A PR player has charged open areas and engaged in "wild" behavior that a real person would be foolish to do. This should give experiences that the average soldier simply can't afford to attempt/learn.

O=T-M-A-N=O

Retired US Army Warrant Officer. 20 years active duty. Air Assualt. Awarded Legion of Merit. 6+ years at Fort Bragg - home of the airborne.

My best job was squad leader.

Best application in PR - realizing what a squad can realisticly do in combat within a time limit and a set of objectives. Seeing that everyone has something to contribute, even if they aren't going to get 700+ points in the squad.

Joeboo said it best, ex-military folks understand that to live you just execute and don't ask why. You know what to do under fire. Learning to trust leaders and then being willing to die for their decisions in combat is what it is all about. It is too bad we don't have more permanent teams and squads in PR/TG....to foster this kind of play.

TMAN

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AFsoccer

I'm a nine-year veteran of the U.S. Air Force. I was a captain when I got out in 2005, and was the Airfield Operations Flight Commander... commanding 119 enlisted. I think the whole military experience taught me about teamwork above individual gain, clear and concise communication, and how to find and use the strengths in each person. One of my primary jobs was air traffic control. I think that being able to control a sky full of F-15s really develops a person's ability to multi-task, process information quickly, and make decisions. So I guess the military experience really helped me with the teamwork, SL, and CO aspects of PR.

In fact, the excitement of being part of a well-tuned PR squad/team that's working together and taking names is a lot like the rush I would get from controlling the launch and recovery of 74 aircraft on a combat exercise. It's a great mod, so thanks again to the developers for creating it!