1SG Al Marle, yes, he’s legit
It seems that most of my day is taken up with answering emails and Facebook messages about the above pictured First Sergeant Albert Marle, so here’s the answer; yes, he’s a first sergeant assigned to Cadet Command (ROTC) and he’s in the National Guard. If you missed the story, a completely non-story emerged when a stewardess wouldn’t hang up the 1SG’s jacket and some well-meaning citizen decided to make an issue of it.
An airline spokesman initially claimed that there was not enough space in the closet for the jacket, but passengers disagreed.
“Her response wasn’t that there’s not space in the coat closet or ‘I’ve hung too many jackets up,’ first-class passenger Brian Kirby told WSOC. “It was just simply, ‘Our airline policy says I’m not going to do it, so I’m not going to do it.’ I was really appalled at not only the way she looked at him but the way she spoke to him in an angry type of attitude.”
The station reported that Marle took his seat, declining offers to swap places with first-class passengers.
To his credit, 1SG Marle didn’t make an issue of the whole thing, but someone else did. And then everyone became suspicious of Marle because he had his hands in his pockets. Initial stories named him as Albert Marie and I couldn’t find that name in AKO, but then Bulldog at GoV straightened me out. I was also suspicious because of the basic jump wings on a senior NCO, but, there you go. Anyone who emails or messages me from this point forward will be called names in public.
Category: Real Soldiers
Brad Thor could have cleared this up right away by vouching for 1SG Al Marle like he did me
http://thetruthaboutsocnetlies.wordpress.com/2013/07/07/how-john-giduck-misleads-you-brad-thor-lies-about-john-giduck/
That said, no one is truly vetted as the “real deal” until Degrata Tactical says so
http://thetruthaboutsocnetlies.wordpress.com/2013/08/27/degrata-tactical-swears-that-john-giduck-is-the-real-deal/
Once Degrata gives you their seal of approval, you are good to go. They only need to see a few berets, insignias, and other doo-dads to make the “real deal” determination.
sincerely
John “Faker 6” Giduck
The fact that he didn’t make a fuss is evidence enough.
Kudos to First Sergeant Albert Marle for taking his seat, not making a fuss and being a gentleman. As for the stewardess, I hope she has skills as a waitress in a coffee shop and the airline helps her put them to use.
How long would it take to get all of these? That is an amazing amount of awards/patches/certifications -> cake eating civilian here – just would like to know.
Actually, for someone who spent time in the SF and the Ranger regiment, that is a really unimpressive rack.
I don’t think he’s wearing everything he earned. He’s NG without a single state award showing.
State awards are not authorized for “official” wear. I do not have any on my ribbon rack because of that. Top might be thinking the same way. I do have my state awards on my coffee cup thing, and my Navy awards that are superceded by an Army badge.
Depends on what type of orders he is on. Title 10 USC – Federal awards only.
Title 30 USC – He can wear his State issued awards. But I don’t wear my State (MO) awards either… looks too much like the USMC recruiting ribbon.
I’ve always worn my state awards, even when federally activated. Nobody said anything back when I was a PFC, SPC, or even when I made SGT.
If you’re a 1SG, I definitely don’t think anyone would second-guess you about what you choose to wear or not to wear.
in the new AR’s state awards are authorized. I have to get my dudes up for a DA photo- all these boards they have. its a pain on the dick, cause i cant find them localy
1SG Marle may not have been at the right place at the right time, or had the opportunities, to get more than what he had in that photo. It’s also possible that he has more Army level awards that he’s not wearing out of convenience. The mere fact that he has been to both ranger and SF training is big enough of an accomplishment.
I usually don’t hold someone’s ribbon/badge rack size against them if they don’t like they need a tripod to keep their rack up.
This goes along the same lines as telling people that they should be proud of what they did accomplish, and that they shouldn’t have to make additional claims that’s not backed by their actual experiences.
Kudos to the 1SG for not making a big deal out of it, but the flight attendant appears to have been unnecessarily rude to a passenger.
He seems like a good guy.
She, on the other hand, is a snot.
I had another word for her in mind that rhymes with snot but begins with a “t”
Tsnot
Tnot
Tot
Trot
Twot
TWAT!
I knew I would figure it out!
Expected better from a Master Chief, but I guess I expected wrong.
Good thing he wasn’t a SEAL, there would be a book followed by a movie coming out about this. Not to mention his new workout regiment and his following interviews with CNN about being a subject matter expert on rude flight attendants.
Oh what’s that? He’s being quite and professional about it? Hmmm there used to be a 2 word phrase about a guy that did that, but it escapes me at the moment…
Try the words ‘modest’ and ‘unassuming’.
If you want to be a sparklefarting troll, you’re kind of lame.
Ex-PH2…You took the words out of my mouth for Wompwomp. Thank you and Wompwomp, GFY and then GFY again.
X-Y=Z.
X= # of Teamguys with multiple platoons under their belt, seeing combat on each deployment.
Y= # of ‘look at me!’ books, websites, videos, etc.
Z= Teamguys who are quiet professionals.
I’m guessing you don’t have a grasp of the #s.
I think you meant to say ‘regimen’.
And SEALs don’t work out. They Sleep, EAt, and Lay around.
Ha excellent point shark and excellent formula, obviously I meant no disrespect, just messing around, as we do with one another.
We used to say Sleep EAt and Lift, when we were in the PI together, but I like yours better, lol. Got to tell that to my buddy next time I see him.
Retired in 09, so I’m not up on the Class A uniform since we retired the Greens. I was very suspicious when I saw the SF tab with the blue infantry cord (meaning he is an infantry billet, which is exceedingly rare for an SF dude to go back to). Then I was more suspicious when I saw the SF & Ranger tabs repositioned above the ribbons and under the CIB. I was convinced we had a poser when Fox News had a picture of him in what I thought was a dress/mess uniform with the officer’s US and medical corps insignia on the lapel (in my day enlisted only had brass discs with US and branch). But I must be real rusty on the ASU, and it looks like you can organize it any way you want to now.
According to AR 6701-1 dated 31 mar 2014…it’s still worn the same for officers in the ASU. So this guy went from being an officer to an enlisted guy…seems far fetched
TmDaddy,I don’t think we ever saw that picture from FOX news. I’m sure if it had been widely published there would have many comments here on it. Was it on a video report or in printed media? From where? Give us the lowdown.
The Link below from Fox News showed him in a couple of different variations of uniform, it’s what I pulled my observations from. At 1:16 is what I thought to be an officer’s uniform. The other. I’m hoping the best for 1SG Marle, and am mainly curious/fuzzy on how the uniforms are worn now.
http://video.foxnews.com/v/3833972266001/us-airways-accused-of-mistreating-army-ranger/?playlist_id=921261890001#sp=show-clips
OK,Thanks,saw it. Perhaps he was a Medical type Officer at one time,finished his obligation and then went enlisted “for the adventure”. If he is now perhaps approaching retirement time,and is job hunting for a medical career,I wish him luck. There could be a lot of scenarios in play that are not revealed in news reports.
You do realize those are not Class “A”s he’s wearing, rather Dress Blues, which explains the gold trim on the applet.
He not only has to be for realzies, but he also has to be a for realzies 1st Sgt.
That look on his face can be done by no other type person. That look on his face can only be gotten by spending years listening to the verbal dancing of non-rates as they desperately try to explain why they’re not the dumbest dumbass on the planet.
I know this to be true. I know this from the view angle of one of those dumbest dumbasses doing the dancing while carefully watching the facial expression of whatever 1st Sgt I had the duty to plague at the time for clues to my immediately future… or survival.
So, Grimmy, that ‘stare’ you’re describing is not the 1000-yard stare, but rather the ‘WTF do you think you’re kidding me, numbnuts’ stare.
Oh yeah.
And, I got lots and lots of opportunities to study that stare from a wide variety of 1st Sgts. I know it well.
I’m going to be an outlier here, but I’m not sure if I’m completely okay with the wearing Class As to job interviews thing.
It’s not OK to wear the ASU’s, or any uniform for that matter, to job interviews. AR 670-1 lays out when it’s authorized and when it isn’t. If he were on official travel, for the Army, he’d have that option. If he’s doing it for his own personal gain, then he has to wear the civilian attire appropriate for the interview.
From the regulations:
c. Personnel on official travel and traveling by commercial travel means will wear the service uniform or appropriate civilian attire. Soldiers may wear the combat uniform on commercial flights only when deploying/redeploying or on rest and recuperation leave to and from the combat theater. However, commanders may authorize service or utility uniforms for Soldiers when traveling by commercial travel for emergency leave or casualty assistance duties.
Also from the regulations:
j. Wearing Army uniforms is prohibited in the following situations:
(1) In connection with the furtherance of any political or commercial interests, or when engaged in off-duty civilian employment.
Which makes me wonder if the guy is for real.
I bet you ten to one he didnt earn that long tab he is wearing. What group and team did he serve in?
I’m seeing multiples of the same comment of yours. Either they restored some or the problem is on your end.
Why do you keep deleting my comment?
I bet ten to one he didnt earn that long tab, especially since he is assigned to ROTC.
And wearing your uniform to job interviews? WTF?
“I bet ten to one he didnt earn that long tab, especially since he is assigned to ROTC”
Just like recruiter and drill sergeant, ROTC duty is often a DA selected position, meaning you have no choice about taking it. And just like drill sergeant, most ROTC enlisted cadre are former ranger/sf/infantry.
You obviously know shit about the Army. Stop posting.
Never seen a an SF qualified First Sergeant that only earned basic airborne wings. Something is not right I don’t care if he is “legit”.
What group were you with? What time-frame?
7th – 3/67 – 1/68
5th -3/68-5/69
11th – ’72 -’75
The cynic inside of me thinks the 1SG knew exactly what he was doing.
Not so much in requesting if he could hang his jacket top up, but from the subsequent reaction from the outraged passengers, knowing then it would go ‘viral.’
That look on his face, it’s more like, “I dare you people try and bust me as a phony.”
Hell if I had the qualifications, I wouldn’t mind doing that once in a while. Doing things just to see the amateur phony hunters go ape doo doo trying to out a phony, then when they realize it’s actually the real deal, seeing them crawl back into their hole.
He was my PSG for quite a while. He used to be in those units. Now he’s national guard 11b so that being current state he can have the cord. The dude is real deal bottom line, served with him personally. Rather ridiculous a passenger blew it up like this
Not much to add about the 1SG, but I recently had a double-tabbed PSG who supposedly spent some time in 75th Ranger years ago. Let’s just say that his former achievements went to his head despite the fact that he is an underdeveloped and less-than-capable “leader”. Saw him some before I went to his platoon–it’s hard not to notice a long tab in an Infantry unit–and was initially glad to have a chance to serve with him. That elation lasted all of a day…
The PSG I speak of is quick to dismiss his SF tab (earned in the Guard, I believe) as meaning nothing for promotion in the Infantry. Yet he still makes a point to angle himself so everyone can see he was once high-speed, especially if senior leaders or PAO is around. Meanwhile, morale in the platoon is at rock bottom, with most Soldiers wanting to leave anyway they can. Discipline issues have spiked, Behavioral Health has a few new patients, and IG has gotten involved. It’s a mess, and just one of the many reasons I’m glad to be gone.
Like a fellow former Marine/18B who’s well-known on this blog, the PSG left uninformed service to take up a high-paying contracting job. Unlike that other guy, though, the PSG decided to enlist again. A little humility and some mentoring may salvage him, but at this rate the damage may be beyond repair.
Odds are the 1SG is squared away but I have to ask, why travel in the service uniform? I haven’t traveled in a dress uniform since OSUT and the general guidance is to just wear appropriate civilian attire. The uniform stands out, has the potential to make one a target, and is far less comfortable than a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. Not to mention going through security. The cynic in me thinks that he wanted to be noticed. Finally, hands in the pockets seem to be acceptable by many of today’s leaders–until a junior Soldier is caught wearing “Air Force gloves”. Gotta love a double standard.
uninformed = uniformed… 🙂
A ton of Senior NCOs only have basic parachutist wings. Mostly those that served briefly with an airborne or SF unit or just went to school right out of AIT and became 5 jump chumps. The people that progress through senior and master are the career airborne daddies because it’s embarrassing to have an E5 Jump Master giving you the business as an E7. Nobody in SF cares what badges or tabs you have. Truly quiet professionals. My current 1SG spent his whole career in SF support and only has basic parachutist.
Regardless, good on First Sergeant for maintaining his bearing and practicing some resiliency. And shame on people for not recognizing a squared away Soldier vs. a douche-bag. I can see that every time someone goes into public in uniform they are going to be under close scrutiny. We all should carry certified true copies of our DD214s or an S1 stamped ERB on us at all times so we don’t end up on the interwebs haha.
Just to add to the questions about his ASU uniform. It is correct. The new ASU and the changes to the AR make wear and appearance much different from the old Class A greens. If he is filling an infantry billet as ROTC Cadre then he is authorized the blue cord with his SF tab. The stacking of tabs is authorized now as well as wearing a tab above a badge on the ASU. Maybe someone needs to check Ex-TeamGuy’s creds. He’s talking some smack and it sounds like he hasn’t served a day in his life.