Good Order and Discipline
Major Patrick Sorensen
Army major honors fallen soldiers with Native eagle feathers in hair
Granted a religious accommodation to wear eagle feathers, Maj. Patrick Sorensen said each represent a fallen soldier or comrade he has served with.
BY PATTY NIEBERG
An Army Major who posted portraits in full uniform while wearing traditional Native American eagle feathers in his hair, said the pictures are a tribute to both his Native identity and fallen soldiers he served with.
“We wear these medals on our chest and they represent the different achievements and deployments and things that we’ve gone through in our military service,” Maj. Patrick Sorensen told Task & Purpose. “For me, I think it’s more important that I recognize and remember my soldiers and so I wear my five feathers to represent the soldiers that I’ve lost.”
Sorensen, a marketing and public affairs officer at the Army’s Training and Doctrine Command, or TRADOC, is one of just a handful of military members granted a religious exemption to wear Native American dress and hairstyles with his Army uniform.
I would never accuse the good Major of being a transparent self-indulgent attention whore, but why not wear the uniform with pride and keep the dead animal parts to more appropriate garb.
Just me. Thanks to Andy11M for the link.
Category: The Warrior Code, YGBSM!!
Reason 328B that im so glad im retired. Wear a memorial bracelet like everyone else, SIR.
Pretty sure he’s also the one who hammers people for wearing white socks or not packing the ENTIRE gearlist for a hike.
“… or not packing the ENTIRE gearlist for a hike.”
While he hikes on with a rucksack packed with wrinkled newspaper. I had a Basic training CO who did that and we shared it with the Company after we found out.
The new “Army Values”
I believe you are correct AW1Ed.
Serious douche canoe.
He made their deaths all about him.
Exactly how dangerous is Marketing and Public Affairs?
I see Signal Corps insignia. No CIB, no jump wings, no air assault badge. Help a sailor out? Being serious.
SPC Brittany Gordon is listed as one of the troops he claims to have lost. She was MI, there’s a barracks named for her on Huachuca. I’m curious about that EFMB. Kinda rare on a Signal officer!
prior enlisted? can’t see into his rack too well so don’t know if there is a Good Conduct Medal hiding in there, or a NCOPD ribbon. And isn’t that the German Sports Badge? I thought officers were not authorized to wear it? I hope if he is ever considered for promotion they take one look at this photo and close his packet and pass it around the table as fast as possible.
Hes prior enlisted. Army GCM is second row/center.
If you mean the Schuetzenschnurr, it would be on a lanyard from the right epaulette. Got one somewhere.
Officers aren’t authorized to wear that. He’s wearing the German Military Efficiency Badge, it has three levels and is authorized for all ranks.
Death count in that occupational field is extremely high in the military and civilian sector. There is a guy who is Director of Media Relations for a proud but humble woman owned business that sells software to the Federal Government, and just over nine years ago he was almost murdered by crackheads wielding blowtorches and pliers. Lucky for him, it ended up only being his girlfriend being shot in the face during that blizzard in North Philly.
He is a career REMF. Signal Corps officers are usually assigned at brigade level and higher.
Not in pure signal units. This guy apparently did staff time in 57th ESB and had a company in 62nd. I’d say this asshat is probably not on the list of 11th Signal BDE’s best officers. I gotta wonder about his marketing skills. Nobody’s buying the bullshit he’s trying to sell.
Well that may be so. I wouldn’t know, since all my service was in front line infantry or special forces units. The only signal corps officers I ever saw were staff officers at brigade or group. I am sure there were LT’s and a CPT at Signal companies but they are still REMF’s. There was a signal unit running the MARS station in Da Nang. They were still REMFs, even though they were part of a Signal BDE. I had two signal side band radio operators with me in Norway for an airborne exercise I helped plan. They came from a Fifth Corps signal unit. IMHO, they were REMFs, as well. (Not that there is anything wrong with that)
CANOE??!!
That’s racist!!!!
“a tribute to both his Native identity and fallen soldiers he served with.”
Native Identity? Show me some Native DNA. Elizabeth Warren Had “Native Identity”. So did Iron Eyes Cody.
Yeah.
This clown is making the shit up as he goes along.
Just five soldiers? Why not 35? Or 40? Hell, go with the war bonnet.
Also have a funny feeling that the Army knows as well…..
On the one hand I don’t like stepping on people’s religious beliefs. On the other hand I don’t see anybody doing it but him. If we just go ahead and satl that this is a legit thing, is it necessary thing?
Sihkism for example requires that males not cut their hair and carry a knife. So a few accommodations have been made. But I don’t know of any religion that requires you put feathers in your hair. So if it is elective? Why are we doing this?
Tribal Nation Americans join the military at a higher rate than any other racial group. So you think this would have come up before.
French Foreign Legion Does it right, ANYONE can join but they have one uniform and grooming standard and one set of holidays.
You join them, they dont join you.
One grooming standard except for the Sappers who are authorized beards:
https://youtu.be/Za7csILlUPo?si=xm5C4XvWHafYrkda
The Sappers are the ones wearing the leather aprons and carrying the axes. Essayons!
Légion sappers get that distinction because Légion sappers before them earned it.
The same with our Green Beanies and most others who wear funny colored hats… they started with some regular joes just wearing a soft cap and being particularly good at shit. Somewhere along the line, we lost site of that particular crucible element. Now, everyone gets a special black or poopy-brown hat.
Regardless, every single one of those Légion sappers had to meet regular Légion grooming standards throughout their time at the Farm. Plenty of Sikhs in those ranks, despite that.
My understanding is that the Sappers didn’t live very long doing their assigned tasks so were traditionally given leave to wear beards. Regardless, it is an interesting tradition along with the leather aprons, leather gloves, and axes.
Anyone remember this?
I remember the “unnecessary formations, skinhead haircuts, signing out & signing in, and make-work projects” quite well.
I still have the skinhead haircut, don’t have an option anymore.
I think the were still happening in 1973.
Yep, that’s the radio ad that sold me on the Army. BASD 3 Feb 71.
Oh, wait, maybe it was because of it being in the middle of winter in northern Indiana and I just wanted to go someplace warmer. /s/
All I know is that if you are going to San Francisco, be sure to wear some flowers in your hair.
“LOOK AT ME!!”
Patrick Sorensen – Marketing and Public Affairs Operations Officer – US Army TRADOC | LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrickwsorensen
* Marketing and Public Affairs Operations Officer US Army TRADOC
May 2023 – Present
Joint Base Langley-Eustis, VA
“Marketing and Public Affairs Operations for a 4-star Army Headquarters.”
* Marketing Officer United States Military Academy at West Point
Oct 2020 – May 2023
“Marketing officer for content and celivery at USMA Admissions. Officer in Charge of Native American Heritage Forum. American Indian and Alaskan Native outreach and recruiting officer.”
* Network Operations Chief US Army
Jun 2018 – Sep 2020
United States Army Japan
“Oversees the planning, installation, operation, and maintenance of campus and wide area networks to support the full spectrum of network operations requirements for the United States Army in Japan.”
* Graduate Student Dallas Baptist University
Nov 2016 – Jun 2018
Dallas, Texas
“M.Ed. Kinesiology”
* Student Signal Captain’s Career Course
May 2016 – Nov 2016
Fort Gordon, GA
“-Kilbourne Leadership Award
-#3 of 23 Students
-Commandant’s List”
* Commander, A/62d ESB/11th TTSB US Army
Oct 2014 – Apr 2016
Fort Hood, TX
* Assistant Operations Officer
57th Expeditionary Signal Battalion, 11th Theater Tactical Signal Brigade
Jul 2013 – Jul 2014
* Senior Communications Manager
8th Squadron, 1st US Cavalry
Oct 2010 – May 2013
“Joint Base Lewis McChord, Wa; Camp Nathan Smith, Kandahar, Afghanistan”
* Biological Research Assistant
USAMRIID , US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases
Nov 2007 – Nov 2009
Fort Detrick, Maryland
“Polymerase Chain Reaction
Mass Spectrometry
Bacterial Culture and Typing
2008 USAMRIID Soldier of the Year
2008 Fort Detrick Soldier of the Year
2008 MRMC Soldier of the Year”
Dammit. Wish I still knew people in 11th SIG.
Well, I WAS in 11th Sig, once-upon-a-time (Ft Huachuca, THUNDERBIRDS!). But that was over 20 years ago.
Spent most of my career in 11th, retired out of it in 2012.
Same strokes, different folk:
Just for the record, that is NOT a cable dawg!
No, it isn’t. That is a mentally ill sexual deviant. Wonder if he has a gig after retirement at the Department of Energy. Or, the local dog pound?
MAJ Sorensen may have some Native American blood, but unless those eagle feathers were given to him in an appropriate Native American ceremony, then he’s doing it wrong. If he’s wearing fake ones, then he’s way out of line. Wearing an actual headdress “to honor those who died” does not align with any Native American tradition anywhere in the country.
Given his reasoning for wearing them, he strikes me as an attention-seeking douchebag.
It’s kinda like creating your own religion and then getting religious exemptions for it.
Yeah, and “identifying” as Native American doesn’t fly either. Unless he distinguished himself in some way and was recognized by his tribe for it – otherwise, no.
The Church of Phil Monkress. All members are required to tithe 10% of their integrity to Phildo.
Yep.
Per his bio: Sorensen is a member of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, an alliance of tribes in the Pacific Northwest. His father is of Umpqua and Rogue River descent, while his mother is white.
Apparently, the feathers he’s wearing were awarded by the U.S. Military Academy’s Native American Heritage Forum (NAHF), which is but one of a dozen diversity clubs by the Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Equal Opportunity.
Where did you find that?
I think he is sending the wrong Signal.
Ohhh, I see what you did there. Well played!
Smoke signals?
Smoke signals are notoriously difficult to encrypt.
One has to wonder what he is smoking, yes.
More like bongsignals.
Does he do smoke signals?
Comments are interesting.
https://taskandpurpose.com/news/army-major-native-hair-feathers/
It’s kind of like wearing silver stars, etc. to “honor” someone else’s bravery. In other words, stolen valor.
Kindler, gentler military.
At least he’s not wearing a dress.
Or a dog mask.
It’s only monday.
Very 23 July 2023 article discussing why he wanted to grow his hair:
“Army Says Tribal Member Can Grow His Hair And Wear Eagle Feathers During Official Ceremonies”
https://www.smokesignals.org/articles/2023/07/13/army-says-tribal-member-can-grow-his-hair-and-wear-eagle-feathers-during-official-ceremonies/
“Tribal member and U.S. Army Maj. Patrick Sorensen is one of the first Indigenous men in the Army’s nearly 250-year history who is now allowed to grow out of his hair and wear eagle feathers in some official military ceremonies.”
“To the best of my knowledge, I am the second Native American man in the Army that has received a waiver to the male grooming standards so I can grow my hair,” Sorensen said.”
“Allowing my hair to grow will allow me to grow stronger in my relationship with the Creator,” he said in his request letter. “Long hair serves as an outward symbol of spiritual growth in my Native American ancestral tradition. … I believe that growing my hair will give me strength to move on from the loss of two soldiers that I experienced during my combat deployment to Kandahar City, Afghanistan. … In my culture, hair may be cut during times of mourning or loss. It is customary to allow the hair to grow again, after the grieving period is complete, as a symbol of regrowth and new life moving forward.”
“Growing my hair is important to me because it is a daily reminder of growing past my losses, dedication to God, the creator, and is the physical device necessary to wear my eagle feathers properly,” Sorensen said…”
I think he just wants to rock a man bun.
MSG Woodrow W. Keeble.
Medal of Honor. Korean War.
https://www.army.mil/medalofhonor/keeble/
Rest In Peace, Sir.
Salute.
Never Forget.
Douche bucket
Corporal Mitchell Red Cloud, Jr.
Medal Of Honor. Korean War.
https://www.cmohs.org/recipients/mitchell-red-cloud-jr
Rest In Peace, Sir.
Salute.
Never Forget.
Was stationed at U.S. Army’s Camp Red Cloud, Korea in 1978.
The installation was named after Corporal Red Cloud in May 1957.
Camp Red Cloud was deactivated in 2018 and turned over to the Korean Army.
Red Cloud Range, Fort Benning, Georgia.
There’s a few tank tables at Stewart named after him too.
Embarrassingly, I had managed to forget that.
That guy went down fighting. Was there ever a film produced about his exploits.
(Shaking head vigorously) Have to clear the Etch-a-Sketch.
PFC Charles George.
Medal Of Honor. Korean War.
https://www.cmohs.org/recipients/charles-george
Rest In Peace, Sir.
Salute.
Never Forget.
SFC Tony K. Burris.
Medal Of Honor. Korean War.
https://www.cmohs.org/recipients/tony-k-burris
Rest In Peace, Sir.
Salute.
Never Forget.
Hack Stone wears a dead skunk in memory of Psul of The Ballsack’s career being killed for going on the internet to protect Phil Monkress’ reputation. Lest we forget.
By the way, thank you all for chipping in on Paul’s birthday present, what with him turning 68 today. With the funds raised, he was able to purchase a set of slightly worn crotchless boxer shorts from the Goodwill store.
And a QT of the not-so-good stuff.
I wonder if he and Phildo made up?
How about the collection taken up by him to acquire some adult beverage to celebrate? I heard that an entire 75 cents was raised towards buying him a bottle of T-bird, neatly all of which was found on the ground near bus stops.
Ernest “Chief” Childers.
Medal Of Honor. WWII.
https://www.cmohs.org/recipients/ernest-chief-childers
Rest In Peace, Sir.
Salute.
Never Forget.
He needs to be cancelled for sporting that swastika symbol on his Native American clothing, even though the symbol predates Nazi Germany by thousands of years.
45th Inf Div original patch from 1924 (yes, an Indian good luck symbol). The Thunderbird patch was the replacement when Germany went south.
The swastika has to be rotated about 30 to 45 degrees for it to be the NAZI insignia. The ancient symbol generally had the cross at a vertical and horizontal configuration. The NAZI insignia has them as an X–45 and 135 degrees
Every day I wake up and realize that we are no longer a serious country and that our adversaries know that we are not a serious country anymore. We had better wake up before we find ourselves in a near peer war with thousands of dead and maimed kids. Leadership at the political and military levels is at an absolute all time low.
Clock‘s tickin’.
Sorenson– um, isn’t that of Danish origin? (I know he has the right to the faith of his choice, but I just suspect he didn’t get it at home.)
Sorenson was a Raytheon company back in the day.
They made mostly power supplies.
Used lots of their stuff during my long military industrial
complex career. If only I had known……I could have “feathered”
my position.
Jack Cleveland Montgomery.
Medal Of Honor. WWII.
Rest In Peace, Sir.
Salute.
Never Forget.
https://www.cmohs.org/recipients/jack-c-montgomery
The Romans used to get drunk and pray to a goat man that ran around chasing women to have relations with, or something like that. I choose that as part of my heritage.
yup
Yep…
“Who is the real Buffy Sainte-Marie?”
https://www.cbc.ca/newsinteractives/features/buffy-sainte-marie
“From the early days of her career, Sainte-Marie has claimed to be a Cree woman, born in Canada. She has also allowed herself to be celebrated as an Indigenous icon and success story.”
“However, almost 50 years after stepping onto Sesame Street, the iconic singer-songwriter’s claims to Indigenous ancestry are being contradicted by members of her own family and an extensive CBC investigation.”
“Late last year, CBC received a tip that Sainte-Marie is not of Cree ancestry but, in fact, has European roots.”
“For many years, Sainte-Marie claimed she was born on the Piapot First Nation near Regina.”
“For example, in the 1971 Buffy Sainte-Marie Songbook, which she wrote and illustrated, Sainte-Marie said: “When I go home to the Cree reserve in Canada where I was born, I usually spend a few hours of every day teaching the Cree language.”
“In a 1986 interview with the Los Angeles Times Magazine, she said: “I was born on the Piapot Cree reservation near Craven, Sask.”
“Then, her story goes, she was adopted by a Massachusetts couple, Albert and Winifred Santamaria, who raised her near Boston.”
“She has said later in life, she was reunited with her Piapot relatives and adopted into the community.”
“But some members of Sainte-Marie’s family believe her story is built on an elaborate fabrication.”
“She wasn’t born in Canada.… She’s clearly born in the United States,” said Heidi St. Marie, daughter of Sainte-Marie’s older brother, Alan. “She’s clearly not Indigenous or Native American.”
“A simple Google search shows that virtually every available source says Sainte-Marie was born on the Piapot First Nation in Saskatchewan.”
“But that was contradicted late last year when a tipster provided CBC with a copy of what appeared to be Sainte-Marie’s birth certificate, obtained from a small town hall in Massachusetts.”
“That record said Beverly Jean Santamaria, who started going by the name Buffy Sainte-Marie early in her music career, was born in 1941 in Stoneham, Mass., north of Boston, to Albert and Winifred Santamaria — the couple Sainte-Marie claimed adopted her.”
“Mother, father and baby were all listed as white.”
“Sainte-Marie was raised by Albert and Winifred Santamaria in the town of Wakefield, Mass., along with her elder brother, Alan, and a younger sister, Lainey.”
“Albert’s parents were born in Italy, while Winifred’s mother and father were of mostly English ancestry.”
Yep…
Sacheen Littlefather’s Sisters Say She Was Not Native American. The Actress Had Disputed Similar Claims Before.”
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/sacheen-littlefather-not-native-american-sisters-say-marlon-brando-oscar-speech-actress/
“In 1973, actress Sacheen Littlefeather stepped on stage at the Oscars on behalf of Marlon Brando, identifying herself as a member of the Apache tribe and turning down his award because of the way Native Americans were treated in the U.S. Now, her two sisters are saying she lied — their family is not Native American.”
“In an interview published in a San Francisco Chronicle opinion column over the weekend, her biological sisters, Rosalind Cruz and Trudy Orlandi, said Littlefeather did not tell the truth that night.”
“It’s a lie,” Orlandi told activist and writer Jacqueline Keeler in the exclusive interview. “My father was who he was. His family came from Mexico. And my dad was born in Oxnard,” a city near Los Angeles.”
“Littlefeather said she was part White Mountain Apache and part Yaqui, two tribes located in Arizona.”
“It is a fraud,” her other sister said. “It’s disgusting to the heritage of the tribal people. And it’s just … insulting to my parents.”
Phil Monkress is in good company.
A close relation of Phil Monkress, I am sure.
Turds of feather have a tendency to stick together.
Those siblings can always take down the fraudsters. They know where they were born, who their parents are, and what they did in life before the subject fraudsters started their grift.
Supposedly “of Indian-German descent” in the story:
Eat lead, motherfuckers!
Still more believable than Buffy Sainte-Marie.
& MOH recipient
Normally, I would say this is wrong, over the top and calling attention to oneself. But. Good for him – the Muslims and Indians get away with wearing their religious head garb, why not the American Indians?
Don’t forget some of the folks in charge of the current military who like to wear makeup and dresses.
It would be impossible for me to take orders from either a man in makeup or dresses, or a woman sporting an adams apple and/or 5 o’clock shadow.
In the old days, they would be trying to get out and want to play to that:
I think you are referring to Rachel Levine. Levine is an Admiral in the Public Health Service Commissioned Officer Corps, which is one of the 8 uniformed services but not one of the 6 Armed Services.
Yes, we know. But it is more fun pretending “it” is a Navy admiral.
If it has an adam’s apple and five o’clock shadow, it isn’t a woman. Just like a dude with full tackle and fake tits isn’t a woman.
I can see it once (ONCE!).
Now put it away and get back to work!
Damn, I’ve ‘donated’ quite a bit of coin to the Grand Ronde Tribe on my way to the Oregon Ciast.
LTC Ironhorse did it better.
imho
Good guy, I remember reading an interview where he said he had a low draft number so he just went ahead and joined. He did a tour in Vietnam as Infantry with the Army.
More Hollywoodized baloney. His Draft # was 302, but he did do a tour as a SP4 Grunt with the 196th LIB.
More than likely he went in cause his father was a career Marine Officer and wanted him out of the house.
Oh, Green Thumb…
Where Are You, Buddy…🫡
😉😎
Monkress claims to be Native-American…
https://valorguardians.com/blog/?p=30777&cpage=1#comments
Yep.
Good old Phil Monkress!
The Pretendian!
My fucking dog’s asshole has more Native American in it than Phildo.
You should superimpose some feathers on Phildo’ picture there.
I mean, I imagine when he sees this nonsense he will start wearing them as well.
Are we taking scalps, just asking?
😉😎🫡
Well, some of my family were loyal to the crown during the Revolution. Normally that embarrasses me but as of today I’m going to start using the “UE” initials (United Empire) they awarded my loyalist ancestors. As of today, I’m “RANK, Service, Prior, middle initial, UE” and you can’t tell me not to.
Unauthorized Existance.
“…being a transparent self-indulgent attention whore…”
No need to hold back, Big Dog…tell us how you really feel. You’re among friends here. PHUQUE HEEM!
Stand Watie was unavailable for comment.
The AW’s in my shop were all spiffied up for a Change-Of-Command and I noticed a young lad with a large sliver signet ring on his right hand. When I inquired he said he wore it in honor of his father’s WW-II service.
His dear old dad served in the Waffen SS. The ring was removed with some very pointed remarks about wearing Nazi regalia while in uniform. Or in my presence.
Kid lucky you didn’t remove his finger too.
https://www.thenmusa.org/biographies/william-alchesay/
This dude is a bitch.
Instant Indian.
Anyone have a special spaghetti colander?
You know…. for religious reasons?
This turd has that “Phildoesque” look about him.
I wonder if they made him remove it while working at All-Points Logistics.
All Hail the Flying Spaghetti Monster, Sauce Be Upon Him!
Was wondering who would jump on this.
*grin*
He’s obviously a devout Pastafarian. Not any different than other religous headwear traditions…🍝
Correct. I also recognized a devout Pastafarian. Maybe the Army will now have to make an exception for any of them in uniform.
Just wait until they have to keep up with Discordians.
I recently became a Dudeist.
I read about that and found it interesting. Kind of funny, but interesting. The Dude abides.
I’m just not that big a fan of White Russians, though.
Heresy!
Ingredients
2 ounces vodka1 ounce Kahlúa1 ounce heavy creamSteps
Add the vodka and Kahlúa to a rocks glass filled with ice.Top with the heavy cream and stir.
Make sure to use good cream and great vodka.
Useful for Christmas time to drown out the (now ex-)mother-in-law.
…or for breakfast.
A man’s gotta believe in something. I believe I’ll have another drink. 🥃
Sorry the formatting went to
hellDC.I think I’ll join you. Bourbon, neat.
*Passes the paper bag that holds the bottle*
I’ll just take a hefty dose in my coffee, the way the good Lord intended.
You’re gonna need more than that
It’s Time To Batten Down The HatchesPosted on March 19, 2024 by bustednuckles
If you have been paying attention, several things added together recently suggest that there is literally going to be a shooting war inside the United States of America in the very near future.
The most obvious clue is the millions of fighting age loner male illegal immigrants that have been invited across our borders by the current illegitimate administration.
The Commie Bastards in charge have also informed us that the term Illegal Alien/Immigrant is no longer allowed to be used.
Fine, then we shall start calling them what they really are.
Enemy Combatants.
Then we have certain states like California who are allowing the Enemy Combatants to be Police Officers and now we have a Federal Judge who says it is perfectly fine for them to own guns.
Those 3 developments alone should be all you need to add up to see what is coming down the pipe.
Everything else at this point is a distraction.
I suggest you prepare accordingly.
Didn’t we just spend a butt load of money changing the names of military bases and ships because they were named after ‘insurrectionists’ who fought against the federal government?
Isn’t that exactly what the “Native” Americans spent decades doing?
Sounds like Chief Shitting Bull just wants to be an attention whore. Maybe people don’t join the Army anymore, the Army joins them.
Just curious if Larry Thorne wore some of his prior service awards to “honor fallen soldiers he had served with”
Considering one of them was an Iron Cross, it’s doubtful!🤣
His Facebook account.
https://www.facebook.com/patrick.sorensen.12
Picture from his Facebook. Guess he believes in an Army of “One”…himself…
Yep…
Nothing like displaying your “Before” and “After” Body…
(From his Facebook)
*Sigh*
Posted around 15 March 2024 on his Facebook.
Possibly taken around the same timeframe.
Wonder what he plans to do with his pictures?
Asking For A Friend.
BTW, we get it that he is proud of his “Heritage.” If we are not mistaken, there are others on TAH that are proud of their background and heritage as well. We just question his judgment of his “Look At Me!” self-serving cause.
We think this is him with his own YouTube channel:
Dude is trying way too hard to look badass. Looks like he hasn’t shit in two weeks. Lighten up, Francis.
Things we learn from Facebook…
Just found out the US Army has a Functional Area 58 for Officers called “Army Marketing Officers.”
Interesting.
(Taken from his Facebook)
58A – Marketing Officer AOC
Officer Description
“The US Army Marketing Officers serve on marketing engagement teams that manage portfolios of projects and solve Army marketing challenges, or they will work with an accessions-related unit (TRADOC G-3/5/7, USACC, USAREC, or USMA). In this capacity, they advise commanders on marketing strategy and implementation to accomplish short term goals while working with the central Army Enterprise Marketing Office to balance the long-term evolution of the Army brand. To achieve this, Army marketing officers have four basic roles, for which they will individually specialize in based on their education and experience working within the marketing enterprise. These roles are brand management and marketing strategy, content creation, content delivery, and marketing analytics to determine effectiveness and returns on marketing investments.”
https://www.cool.osd.mil/army/moc/index.html?moc=aoc_58a&tab=overview
“FA58 Army Marketing and Behavioral Economics Application Process Explained”
“This video outlines the hiring process for applying to become and FA58 Army Marketing and Behavioral Economics Officer. The video provides applicants with a general overview of the requirements, phases, and expectations of the applicant throughout the process.”
Looks like the army’s really getting our money’s worth out of that AOC. (Not Chief Hi-Speed, but in general.) Guess I should’ve gotten off the line a bit more….
Are these people armed?
He’s excited to move to {checks notes} Chicago?
Well, clearly his elevator is a couple sm’itchs short of a deck of cards.
His elevator doesn’t go all the way to the top ifyaknowhutimean.
Clearly, he’s only marketing himself.
Comment #100 – Shoulda stayed in the Aidman MOS, cause that seems the only thing he’s good at.
But then again, he doesn’t know how/where to wear the EFMB, so we’ll just have to live with him showing what an ass he is.
We know you’re looking, Patrick. C’mon, engage, count some coup.
Well played.
It’s my Irish roots. I can’t help it.
Ha!
Yeah, Big Chief Muckitymuck here looks like he has Sock Puppet written all over him.
Very menacing.
Surprised that he hasn’t shown up here yet to fiercely defend his “honor”.
If he had any courage, he’d be stealing our horses.
I read an article on this just this morning. Some of the comments were about the misplacement of the EFMB. Now, as a retired NCO, it’s no longer my lane to delve too deep into the regs, but I found this, which seems to indicate what I’ve always gone by is correct–Group 1 and Group 2 badges (CIB, EFMB, CAB, etc.) are worn above the pocket: PowerPoint Presentation (publicaffairs-sme.com). As an aside, that female enlisted Soldier was attached to MDW during my time there, while the male officer was in another PM in PEO Soldier. I graded him on the ACFT once or twice…
The military has increasingly become about individualism, albeit usually under the guise of “inclusivity”. It’s not enough to be a Soldier, Marine, Sailor, or Airman, we need to ensure that our unique identities are recognized. I was pretty much isolated against this mindset for my first few years in. The 101st Airborne had rigid appearance standards, and The Old Guard (TOG) was naturally even more stringent about how we presented ourselves in and out of uniform. It wasn’t until I got on recruiting duty and worked alongside a SFC sporting earrings on our dress down Fridays that I researched the regs and found that there was no prohibition on males having pierced ears.
My first dance with the “look at me” individual was at PLDC at Fort Knox in 2006. We were mostly young SGTs and SPCs, with one or two PFC 18X candidates in the class. We 11Bs were represented by two very different units–TOG and 1ID. The E-7 Supply Sergeant was a Black female, and she wore her mass of hair in braids on a bun on the left side of her head. It looked like a giant tumor, and naturally some of us were vocal about it, which prompted the E-6 Instructors to invite her to the classroom to “educate us” on how it was within standards and made sense with the wear of the beret. She still looked like Quato (Total Recall) resided in her headspace.
“Sorensen, a marketing and public affairs officer at the Army’s Training and Doctrine Command, or TRADOC, …”
An attention-whoring political move IMO.
AFAIK, NONE of the WWII “Code talkers” whose heroism saved countless lives ever tried anything like that while serving in Uniform. Now the 101st Airborne had their “Filthy 13” who wore warpaint and Mohawk haircuts into battle, but that was going into combat.
“In the Sioux tribes and many other tribes across the country, Native Americans honor the achievements of their community, family and friends by awarding an eagle feather.”
http://blog.nativepartnership.org/the-significance-of-feathers-in-native-cultures/
“The only way an Indian can actually get one of these feathers is by doing a brave deed, like fighting off a bear or going up against the enemy.”
https://www.indians.org/articles/feathers.html
So, it seems the major is guilty of stolen valor.
Here’s a perfect example of when a service-member can be awarded an eagle feather:
A member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe (South Dakota), Marine Corporal Brett Lundstrom was posthumously awarded an eagle feather during his funeral in 2006 in recognition of his warrior service after he was killed by sniper fire in Fallujah. He was a SAW gunner with Echo Company, 2d Battalion, 6th Marines, and is interred at the Fort Logan National Cemetery.
Damn. He’s Signal Corps. I liked it better when the mission was Close With and Kill the Enemy. And now Duty, Honor, and Country is old fashioned. I’m a dinosaur.
You’re not the only one.
I can’t lay claim to having any Native blood in me. Hell, the good thing about coming from a long bloodline that settled on the Eastern Shore in the 1600s is that I can look up my family tree going back to Charlemagne. From the 1500s forward, there are nothing besides English and Irish surnames.
Besides all of the Native heroes ninja has shared above, there have been many other quiet heroes who adhered to existing standards without feeling the need to request exceptions so they could get their feels out, or “honor” fallen comrades. I lost far more than five Soldiers during my time–fortunately none directly in battle, but every unit I served in, even recruiting, saw loss. It sucks to see the popular cheerleader at school one day, then hear she’s in a coma the next, only to be removed from life support a few months later. It sucks to encourage a young SPC to reenlist for a non-combat role, only to have him become the first enlisted Soldier to receive Full Honors in Arlington National Cemetery a few months later. It sucks to watch that one kid go to the Guard, only to attend his funeral within the year after a drinking incident on campus. It sucks to lose a Battle Buddy, having only just completed a funeral detail with him a few months earlier–that big scary Black Drill succumbed to himself, because no mortal could have taken him… My fear of heights stems from my Dad’s Native friend, John”Red Bird”Moore | Facebook, after he died from a fall from the Centre at Salisbury while it was being built. That fear was further exacerbated by the death of MAJ Francis Toomey, Cadets mourn JROTC teacher killed in accident (wafb.com).
I don’t need some exception to policy, uniform circumventions, or other nonsense to honor those I once knew. I definitely don’t need to pose for photos wearing some symbol of those no longer with us, while putting my own name and physical likeness out there. Let the good MAJ do what he feels he must, but personally, IDGAF.
Exactly. I carry the memories of fellow Airmen and Soldiers who have left us too soon. I don’t honor their legacies by appropriating them for a little bit of “look at me”. I remember them from time to time and share a funny story when I want to keep their memory alive.
I didn’t expect this article to cause our little corner of the internet to get so worked up. I have to wonder what sort of email chains and phone tag has been going on in his local chain and up at DA? Can’t be good.
Not “worked up” as much as observations like this:
How is it the U.S. military (in this case, the U.S. Army) has been able to function over the last 50-100 + years without having to accommodate servicemembers who claim “x” “y” or “z”?
There used to be a time when people would mostly keep their views or beliefs instead of seeking attention through virtue signaling and making a spectacle of themselves and didn’t EXPECT any special accommodation.
He’s looking for attention and probably getting it – just not the kind he was hoping for.
Me: Captain, as my ancestors were Irish, I’d like to dye myself blue and lime my hair white. I’d also like to be naked and screaming on this patrol.
Captain: (sighs) Sure…why the fuck not…
Sounds like the perfect cable platoon.
Well the best thing about these types of military personnel is that they let you know right up front with their appearance that they’re absolute fucking jerkoffs…no need to wonder…
Word.
I feel like I want to be ok with him adding his traditional garb to his uniform when participating in ceremonies with his tribe. I do have issue with it being official. I served with several native Americans, and even married one. The ones that I served with understood that THEY joined an organization with standards and they accepted those standards. They weren’t “special”! They were part of a bigger picture. Here is the problem with allowing one group an exception to the standards. We soon find ourselves on a very slippery slope.
Served with a young Apache Soldier that could go invisible. PSG would start grabbing Soldiers for a detail, Kesay would be left alone. So I asked him about it. He says “Hey, I’m Apache. If I don’t want you to see me, you don’t see me”. Never doubted it again.