I'm laughing as I read the posts from those on the left regarding the National Guard troops picking up the trash in DC. I can only think it must be people that never served a day on duty in the any branch of the service. Picking up trash, "policing the area" is as common a thing to be doing as tying your shoes. Just what do you do with people that their training is for combat, when there is no combat? You keep them busy doing something constructive. Sometimes it isn't even constructive but it is something to do. It enforces discipline. The objective is to follow the orders of those appointed over you, no matter how trivial or unimportant you may think they are, that isn't your job, your job is to do as you are told.
It may be hard for some to understand, especially those that have never been in the service, but there is no, that isn't my job, when you are in the service. Your job is whatever you are told your job is! No, there's no saying, that's not in my job description, my union doesn't allow that, or any of that nonsense. You will do as directed by higher authority. You know it has been said that clothes make the man. It also true with places. If an area is neat and clean, orderly and groomed it inspires others to keep it that way. It also gives off a sense of security. It's all a part of the job. I can't speak for what the other branches do but I can tell you in the Navy "sweepers" is held twice a day every day. On ship you will hear this: "sweepers, sweepers, man your brooms, sweep down all lower decks, ladderbacks and passageways." It very well may be your job if you were assigned to do that. But I graduated Nuclear Power School, I have a college degree! Good, use all that education and training to get that broom moving!
This is one of my favorite anecdotes about policing the area and maintaining a clean, trash free area. I went to basic training at Great Lakes Naval Training Center in 1971. It was a a time when a smoke and coke break was part of the routine. Whenever the company commander felt like it he would say, smoke them if you got'em. We would all stop, sometimes a coca-cola was available although that was rarely the case but those packs of cigarettes would appear. We carried them tucked into the top of our socks. You were not allowed to carry anything in your shirt pocket except your military identification card and two report chits. Those report chits were for when you messed up and someone other than your company commander was going to report you. That chit would be take from you and given to the Brigade commander. Not a good thing to have happen to you at all. But, let me tell you the story.
So we were having a smoke and coke break, all standing around the "butt kits" being real sailors. A "butt kit" is just a red bucket filled with sand where you are required to place your butts. Yeah, cigarette butts that is, don't get confused about that, that's a different story. One of the guys, acting all macho and sailor like just flicks his butt out on the ground. The company commander swoops in like a hawk and grabs him by the arm. Yes, they touched us then! Directing him to that butt he directs him to pick it up. Then he says , just stand at attention and hold that butt at port arms. He goes over to the butt kit, picks it up and tosses the entire contents on the ground. He starts screaming at the guy holding the butt see what happens when one of the troops goes off on their own! Everyone else wants to follow. You need to get them organized, back in formation and in the designated area for assembly.
The orders are to collect all the butts on the ground, organize them into squads, companies and battalions with the corresponding standard bearers. Once that is accomplished order them back into the butt kit. The rest of just stood there, at parade rest, watching as that poor guy tried to get that done. The company commander quizzing us the whole time on formations. After quite a bit of time had passed the company commander tells him to order those butts in to the can. He does, louder says the commander. Louder, try it again! Of course the butts aren't moving at all. At this point the commander is screaming at him, you can't even get a butt into the butt kit and you want to be in my Navy!! After some further berating he says you need some help from your shipmates. We are given our orders and soon the butt kitt has been refilled with sand and all butts returned. Those were the orders, that was my job. No, I wasn't the one that threw that butt on the ground and after that I made sure I never did.
When you are in the service, you follow orders, it's what you do. Things is this, you're getting paid no matter what you're doing. Being paid for picking up trash is better than being paid to stop bullets! Yeah there's no glory in it, I can't argue that point, but getting shot or you limbs blown off isn't all that glorious either.
Forward March
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