Was Greer a Marine?

[Chaos Descending]

It was often mentioned. Like when Wray took over and assigned Airmen instead of "his Marines" to a gate mission. Also except when the Lieutenant was being snarky he was never addressed as Master Sergeant as a Marine NCO would be. I have speculated that because of the actor's young age the character may have started out as an USAF Master Sergeant before they made him an USMC Master Sergeant

The Air Force officers calling him Sergeant I can let slide due to Air Force officers not being used to Marine Corps customs. Greer letting them do it is what's out of place. Any self respecting devil dog NCO will respectfully correct someone of a higher rank and dress down anyone below them for the mistake.

The thing is, even in the Air Force it's still a terrible breach of etiquette to call someone with the Master Sergeant, Senior Master Sergeant, or Chief Master Sergeant ranks simply "Sergeant". So, even AF officers should know better.

If they REALLY wanted to be "accurate" (with regards to how things work in the real world, as per customs and tradition), they should have had the people closest to him call him "Top".

 

[AJ86]

I don't think it was ever stated that Greer is 20. I'm not sure where people are getting that number from.

 

[Skywalker]

It was often mentioned. Like when Wray took over and assigned Airmen instead of "his Marines" to a gate mission. Also except when the Lieutenant was being snarky he was never addressed as Master Sergeant as a Marine NCO would be. I have speculated that because of the actor's young age the character may have started out as an USAF Master Sergeant before they made him an USMC Master Sergeant

The Air Force officers calling him Sergeant I can let slide due to Air Force officers not being used to Marine Corps customs. Greer letting them do it is what's out of place. Any self respecting devil dog NCO will respectfully correct someone of a higher rank and dress down anyone below them for the mistake.

The thing is, even in the Air Force it's still a terrible breach of etiquette to call someone with the Master Sergeant, Senior Master Sergeant, or Chief Master Sergeant ranks simply "Sergeant". So, even AF officers should know better.

No, it isn't. At a later point in my dad's career, he used to work with some people in the Navy, and they always insisted on addressing him as "Senior Master Sergeant" (his rank at the time), which he found annoying. He preferred to simply be addressed as the much less cumbersome "Sergeant." The Air Force and the Army are somewhat less anal about that sort of thing compared to the Navy and the Marines.

But, yes, when addressing a Marine Master Sergeant, even non-Marines should know better than to simply call him or her "Sergeant."

 

[Star Wolf]

It was often mentioned. Like when Wray took over and assigned Airmen instead of "his Marines" to a gate mission. Also except when the Lieutenant was being snarky he was never addressed as Master Sergeant as a Marine NCO would be. I have speculated that because of the actor's young age the character may have started out as an USAF Master Sergeant before they made him an USMC Master Sergeant

The Air Force officers calling him Sergeant I can let slide due to Air Force officers not being used to Marine Corps customs. Greer letting them do it is what's out of place. Any self respecting devil dog NCO will respectfully correct someone of a higher rank and dress down anyone below them for the mistake.

The thing is, even in the Air Force it's still a terrible breach of etiquette to call someone with the Master Sergeant, Senior Master Sergeant, or Chief Master Sergeant ranks simply "Sergeant". So, even AF officers should know better.

If they REALLY wanted to be "accurate" (with regards to how things work in the real world, as per customs and tradition), they should have had the people closest to him call him "Top".

In the Army the additional identifiers start at the E8 First Sergeant rank and is used sometimes with Master Sergeants. Top is reserved for First Sergeants and sometimes Command Sergeants Major although about half will not let you use Top in my experience. Retired Senior NCOs are also called Top.

 

[Chaos Descending]

No, it isn't. At a later point in my dad's career, he used to work with some people in the Navy, and they always insisted on addressing him as "Senior Master Sergeant" (his rank at the time), which he found annoying. He preferred to simply be addressed as the much less cumbersome "Sergeant." The Air Force and the Army are somewhat less anal about that sort of thing compared to the Navy and the Marines.

But, yes, when addressing a Marine Master Sergeant, even non-Marines should know better than to simply call him or her "Sergeant."

All due respect to your father's military career, in MY experience in my military career, you won't be a happy camper if you refer to an Air Force E-7 through E-9 by anything other than "Master/Senior Master/Chief Master Sergeant".

In the Army the additional identifiers start at the E8 First Sergeant rank and is used sometimes with Master Sergeants. Top is reserved for First Sergeants and sometimes Command Sergeants Major although about half will not let you use Top in my experience. Retired Senior NCOs are also called Top.

Very true, but Greer is a Marine, and it's ok to call a Master Sergeant "Top" in the Marines, if the Master Sergeant knows you and allows it. God knows I've worked with enough of them to know the difference.

 

[Anwar]

I don't think it was ever stated that Greer is 20. I'm not sure where people are getting that number from.

He's still clearly too young to be a Master Sergeant.

 

[Chaos Descending]

It's theoretically possible to make E-8 (Master Sergeant) in the Marines by the age of 29 based on minimum Time-in-Grade and minimum Time-in-Service restrictions but the sheer amount of fortuitous coincidences means it pretty much NEVER happens.

For one, you'd have to enlist at the age of 17 (legal to do), and you'd have to come in as an E-2 (possible in you went to high school JROTC for example), and you'd have to be promoted at the very first eligibility EVERY TIME.

This NEVER happens.

So, in reality, no one ever makes E-8 in the Marines before the age of about 33 or more but more likely late 30's.

Take a look at this:

http://usmilitary.about.com/cs/marinepromotions/a/marineprom_5.htm

Promotion Averages

So, how long does it take to get promoted in the Marine Corps? Remember, it's dependent on the particular MOS (job) and how many vacancies (due to separations and retirements) there are in that job. On average, however, one can expect to be promoted with the following time-in-service (2001 statistics):

Private First Class (E-2) - 6 months
Lance Corporal (E-3) - 14 months
Corporal (E-4) - 26 months
Sergeant (E-5) - 4.8 years
Staff Sergeant (E-6) - 10.4 years
Gunnery Sergeant (E-7) - 14.8 years
Master Sergeant/First Sergeant (E-8) - 18.8 years
Master Gunnery Sergeant/Sergeant Major (E-9) - 22.1 years

 

[The Wormhole]

Blegh, don't remind me. I come from an Air Force family (my father and both of my grandfathers served), but even I found the Air Force-centric nature of SG-1/SGA to be ridiculous. In a more realistic setting, the SGC would more likely have been a multi-service operation with much larger presences from the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps. Of course, the real-life explanation for it is because the Air Force consulted on the shows. But still, it just irks me.

Thing is, in season 1 of Atlantis, all the military characters with the exception of Sheppard were Marines. And despite referance early in season 2 idicating all four branches had a presence in Atlantis, things gradually became more Air Force associated. All the military characters introduced season 2 onwards were Air Force.

I think the original movie did intend the Stargate program to be looked after by all branches, as I'm pretty sure the scene where Daniel is briefing everyone on how the addresses work features officers in various uniforms, but when it came to SG-1 the SGC was just an Air Force operation with support from the Marines.

 

[Harvey]

I don't think it was ever stated that Greer is 20. I'm not sure where people are getting that number from.

It's the number that appeared in early casting documents. Of course, the actor who was eventually cast was born in August, 1982, which would make him 27-28 when the series was filmed.

http://www.gateworld.net/news/2008/09/meet_the_istargate_universei_tea.shtml

 

[Chaos Descending]

If I squint my eyes and look sideways at Greer I can pretend he's a youthful looking 35, which isn't too unreasonable of an age for a Master Sergeant, if the Marine in question is a very dedicated hard-charger.

 

[DWF]

I doubt if Greer was actually 20 on the show and I'd say if anything he received battlefield promotions like Shep did.

 

[Star Wolf]

I doubt if Greer was actually 20 on the show and I'd say if anything he received battlefield promotions like Shep did.

Colonel Sheppard was different in that he was already a Major when his career was derailed after an incident in Afghanistan. I don't know if he was promoted ahead of, behind or with his contemporaries to be put in command of Atlantis.

 

[DWF]

I doubt if Greer was actually 20 on the show and I'd say if anything he received battlefield promotions like Shep did.

Colonel Sheppard was different in that he was already a Major when his career was derailed after an incident in Afghanistan. I don't know if he was promoted ahead of, behind or with his contemporaries to be put in command of Atlantis.

I don't think he's career was derailed at all he wasn't court martialed or retired like O'Neill was but then Carter was promoted rather quickly from Captian to Major to Col.

 

[Star Wolf]

I doubt if Greer was actually 20 on the show and I'd say if anything he received battlefield promotions like Shep did.

Colonel Sheppard was different in that he was already a Major when his career was derailed after an incident in Afghanistan. I don't know if he was promoted ahead of, behind or with his contemporaries to be put in command of Atlantis.

I don't think he's career was derailed at all he wasn't court martialed or retired like O'Neill was but then Carter was promoted rather quickly from Captian to Major to Col.

I guess I am thinking real world, it doesn't take a conviction to derail an officers career in a zero tolerance society. Officer's don't get drunk and in fights with each other for real like TV/movie characters do.

 

[Chaos Descending]

I doubt if Greer was actually 20 on the show and I'd say if anything he received battlefield promotions like Shep did.

That would still be unrealistic as there is no such thing as a "battlefield promotion" in the modern US armed forces, at least not anything of the sort as seen on TV.

 

[DWF]

I doubt if Greer was actually 20 on the show and I'd say if anything he received battlefield promotions like Shep did.

That would still be unrealistic as there is no such thing as a "battlefield promotion" in the modern US armed forces, at least not anything of the sort as seen on TV.

I'd hadly be worried about realism on a science fiction series.

 

[The Wormhole]

I doubt if Greer was actually 20 on the show and I'd say if anything he received battlefield promotions like Shep did.

Colonel Sheppard was different in that he was already a Major when his career was derailed after an incident in Afghanistan. I don't know if he was promoted ahead of, behind or with his contemporaries to be put in command of Atlantis.

I don't think he's career was derailed at all he wasn't court martialed or retired like O'Neill was but then Carter was promoted rather quickly from Captian to Major to Col.

Maybe not "derailed" but the incident in Afghanistan definately left a mark on his record. Consider, after this, Sheppard was pulled from the front lines of an active conflict and sent literally to the middle of nowhere. The only reason he was reassigned from that post was because his DNA made him a necessity on the Atlantis mission. And even then, O'Neill was very hesitant to have him on the Atlantis mission, and Colonel Sumner made it very well known he didn't like Sheppard.

So while there might not have been any official punishment, the incident was no career boost either. Of course, it was implied Sheppard was always something of a bad boy anyway. When he was promoted to Lt. Colonel he makes the comment "A lot of people never thought I'd make it past Captain."

 

[Star Wolf]

Colonel Sheppard was different in that he was already a Major when his career was derailed after an incident in Afghanistan. I don't know if he was promoted ahead of, behind or with his contemporaries to be put in command of Atlantis.

I don't think he's career was derailed at all he wasn't court martialed or retired like O'Neill was but then Carter was promoted rather quickly from Captian to Major to Col.

Maybe not "derailed" but the incident in Afghanistan definately left a mark on his record. Consider, after this, Sheppard was pulled from the front lines of an active conflict and sent literally to the middle of nowhere. The only reason he was reassigned from that post was because his DNA made him a necessity on the Atlantis mission. And even then, O'Neill was very hesitant to have him on the Atlantis mission, and Colonel Sumner made it very well known he didn't like Sheppard.

So while there might not have been any official punishment, the incident was no career boost either. Of course, it was implied Sheppard was always something of a bad boy anyway. When he was promoted to Lt. Colonel he makes the comment "A lot of people never thought I'd make it past Captain."

I had the feeling his career was over. He went from flying special operations or combat search and rescue to flying a puddle jumper. Out of such bitterness he named Atlantis' flying machines. I have known officers like him, I thought he was just spending his time flying until "up or out" caught up to him when he would be forced off of active duty and then he would be looking for a friend to get him in a news helicopter, with a crop duster service or could get him a co-pilots seat in a puddle jumping regional airline

 

[Chaos Descending]

I doubt if Greer was actually 20 on the show and I'd say if anything he received battlefield promotions like Shep did.

That would still be unrealistic as there is no such thing as a "battlefield promotion" in the modern US armed forces, at least not anything of the sort as seen on TV.

I'd hadly be worried about realism on a science fiction series.

I don't mind that you've set low standards. I don't judge you at all. I've gone to be with a "10" at 2 and woke up with a "2" at 10 before as well, so I'm right there with ya, Chief.

 

[AJ86]

It's easy to rationalize away to be fair. For starters Stargate isn't even set in 'our' reality anyway, and it wouldn't be a stretch for the super secret military goings on in the Stargate program to be a bit different to what the public might be aware of.