"Retracing the Steps" #webcomics #comics #bohica #armyhumor #veterans #iraqveteran #funny #idahoartist #cartoons #historical #militaryblaze Copyright © 2024 Random Coyote Productions, LLC I used to have a joke back in the day of pay phones and land lines –well before cell phones were commonplace– that I got so lost that “I had to call collect because the phones there didn’t take American money”. It worked better when I lived in southern California, I suppose; but I was able to make it work in the modern age (I think). So Joe and Juni got a little wild on their wedding night and ended up forgetting a few important things. Now there’s a bun in the oven and Juni will stay home. Being pregnant is obviously not going to work during a deployment, and so female soldiers who turn up pregnant are rotated out. Different commands have different ways of approaching this. Some commanders just accept this and work around it, some consider it to be a subversive act and insist on counseling and punishment. Obviously the vindictive route comes with drawbacks to morale, but some feel that the “message” it sends is worth it. Usually, though, the more flexible route is preferred by all.
welcome to the family! 😎 our new car Project Bohica®️ There is still a lot to be done to her, we will start with thoroughly cleaning the body and the interior. After that we start with the #k20 swap🔥💯 and inspect it at the RDW to get it registered. and when that is done we will tackle the exterior and wrap the car in a nice color. follow the Project Bohica from start to track🔰 #honda #civiceg #StreetCar #CarProject #Bohica #K20Turbo #JDM #Turbocharged #CarBuild #NewWhip #BoostedCivic #k20turbo #civicawd #awd #fatherandson
"You Don't Say!" #webcomics #comics #bohica #armyhumor #veterans #iraqveteran #funny #idahoartist #cartoons #historical #militaryblaze Copyright © 2024 Random Coyote Productions, LLC Hey! A 2-pager! Have you ever accidentally overstated an opinion about something? Man, that can feel really awkward. Poor Private Donner; she just wants to make sure that breakfast was good, and…. yaaak! One thing I’ve found, though, over the years… when you are new to a unit, whether you are fresh out of Basic and AIT or coming in from a new unit, before too long you will be put in charge of something. Regardless of rank, you will be put in charge of a patrol or a repair job or a firing range… or in this case a food service mission. It will be something you are supposed to be trained in and know well, and your new leadership wants to know how well you’ve internalized your training. It will be as much about what you’ve learned and retained as well as how you adapt and handle things that went wrong. You learn a lot from people when you see them react to failure, and the Army has a process for addressing and learning from failure. The idea of course is to make your actions better in the future; learn and adapt. Of course, right at that moment, when you realize someone was let down, you do feel kinda humbled for a moment.
"Well, It Is Texas, After All" #webcomics #comics #bohica #armyhumor #veterans #iraqveteran #funny #idahoartist #cartoons #historical #militaryblaze #raresteak Copyright © 2024 Random Coyote Productions, LLC A bit of an old joke I admit, but still carries water. Technically, a General is not supposed to get “special treatment” (putting them above the troops) but at the same time they get… well, okay, they get a certain level of special treatment. Rank has privileges and all that, but also let’s face it, a General has a lot of responsibility and is probably signed for a lot of things I certainly would not want to be signed for. And at the same time, nearly everyone (General or otherwise) has particular ways they like their food, especially steaks. I like a very rare steak and sometimes I mortify my wife when we go out to eat and I order a steak so rare that I tell them to “just saw off its horns and wipe its ass”. Private Donner –remember her?– seems to be having trouble convincing the cow to just get on the plate, but I’m sure she can be persuasive given some time. Damn, now I’m hungry.
If #godexists , there’s gonna be a #rawdog #shagging #orgy on #judgmentday #bohica
"Party Poop" #webcomics #comics #bohica #armyhumor #veterans #iraqveteran #funny #idahoartist #cartoons #historical #militaryblaze #dungeonsanddragons Copyright © 2024 Random Coyote Productions, LLC Every time we go “downrange” (out to the field for training exercises) we basically get the same safety briefing each time. There are many variants, and usually something is added to address local environmental situations, but it is more or less the same basic things: hydrate, watch out for each other, check for ticks, and so on. One thing that is always added is some form of “don’t play with the wildlife”. It could be phrased as “interact with” or “antagonize” or other words, but they don’t want soldiers to be doing things involving wild animals. We all know how warnings are: we would not be getting these warnings if someone hadn’t gone and done something crazy. In this case, I think I know what they are talking about: when you get into a really good game, and you just want to stay up for a few more minutes, and the next thing you know it’s well past midnight and you have to be up early. That must be what they’re talking about, right? Anyhow, just a short one today. Have fun, summer is coming, hydrate, and don’t get drawn into an all-nighter with the wild animals if you have to work or go to school tomorrow.
14 out of 55 is not too bad my brothers #BOHICA #JUSTSMITHIN’
If #godexists , there’s gonna be a #rawdog #shagging #orgy on #judgmentday #bohica
"Fair Trade" #webcomics #comics #bohica #armyhumor #veterans #iraqveteran #funny #idahoartist #cartoons #historical #militaryblaze Copyright © 2024 Random Coyote Productions, LLC I’ve worked front-line positions and “rear” positions, both. And I know that each come with their stresses. A lot of rear-echelon jobs in the Staff positions are physically comfortable, but come with a lot of mental stress– mostly because of responsibilities. There is a very old saying, I believe from the Medieval ages: “Because of a nail, a shoe was lost. Because of a shoe, a horse was lost. Because of a horse, a rider was lost. Because of a rider, a battle was lost. Because of a battle, a war was lost. Because of a war, a kingdom fell.” –the Staff positions are full of people who are responsible for little things like nails and horseshoes. It seems petty. But it is necessary. Still, to the people in immediate physical danger (or in the case of training, immediate physical exertion) the comfortable-looking position of a Staff person seems like an indulgence. When troops are thinking clearly, they recognize this. But when they are tired, drawn out, sore, sun- and -wind-beaten, and unable to get a comfortable night’s sleep, nerves get raw. So don’t offer to share the air-conditioning necessary to keep the computers running, just quietly do stuff… unless you want to share the ticks!
"Dungeon" #webcomics #comics #bohica #armyhumor #veterans #iraqveteran #funny #idahoartist #cartoons #historical #militaryblaze #armys6 Copyright © 2024 Random Coyote Productions, LLC So, continuing the saga of the expired CAC card, Joe finds the Communications section –the “S-6”– in their own little dungeon, doing dungeon things. One of the things about Commo Section is that while they typically work with radios, they also have to work with computers, the internet, and connectivity centered around that. They have the same problems we all do with the internet, such as needing bandwidth and having to deal with system slowdowns, buffering, and so on. Of course, most of us are convinced that they are somehow saving all the best bandwidth for themselves, through some arcane magic, and they are sitting on there like little Gollums, searching virtual lands for their Precious while the rest of us take 20+ minutes to load a page or, God forbid, try to finish that Cyber Awareness class before 1600 on Sunday. One of them can be “A.F.K.", which means “Away From Keyboard” and is one of the handiest acronyms to sling when you’re busy. “World of Warcraft” was certainly popular a few years ago, when the comic takes place, as was “EVE Online” --they were the two “big ones” among internet gaming. I have no idea how they fare today. I’ve had EVE Online explained to me once by an avid player (the IT guy for my day job, of course) and it sounded like a lot of fun– fun enough to tempt me. But I just would not have time to devote to any such thing even if I wanted to. As an aside, a reader, Aaron Feltman, made a comment on the previous comic about the error of sending people to the S-6 to have CAC cards “fixed”. The CAC cards have to be dealt with at another department called DEERS, which is “Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System”. Still, whenever there’s a problem with a card we are sent to S-6, and they always tell us they can’t help and to go to the DEERS office. I can only guess that a leader says “Go to S-6 and have them check it out” is a way of saying that they Did Something About The Situation even though it came to nothing.
"An Army Travels On It" #webcomics #comics #bohica #armyhumor #veterans #iraqveteran #funny #idahoartist #cartoons #historical #militaryblaze #armycac Copyright © 2024 Random Coyote Productions, LLC I believe it was Napoleon that said, “An army travels on its stomach”, as in, you need to provide food for your troops or nothing will happen, at all. And then we get to today, this modern military of ours, and the CAC card. “CAC” stands for “Common Access Card” and yes, calling it a CAC Card is redundant, since you are basically saying “Common Access Card Card”. But this is what is commonly said. CAC cards started coming out sometime in the 1990’s, and by the end of that decade, everyone had them– active duty military, Reserves, National Guard, everyone. They are your identification and also your electronic key to using military computers… and of course everything about you and your job are on computers somewhere. So you plug your CAC card into a little slot on your computer somewhere (the government has all their computers built with these CAC slots now) and log in with your password. Your CAC has a little chip on it with your first-factor authentication and security & access certificates; you provide the password and confirm your identity and off you go: you can now use a military computer. It’s all fun & games until a certificate on your CAC is out of date, or you miss a vital upgrade, or whatever. Nowadays, CACs and home readers work reliably enough that training commands now feel comfortable pushing a lot of computer classes onto the troops during non-drill weekends, but that’s a tale that has been covered before. Still, once a CAC becomes nonfunctional for some reason, your ability to participate meaningfully in a lot of activities has come to a halt. You can’t even get emails or carry out electronic signatures if your CAC fails to work, and you have to go to “S-6” or staff section 6, the Communications staff, to get it fixed. It takes time, it always happens at an inopportune moment, and now the Army can’t do anything because of you and your CAC.
#nuevomexico #575 #goons #bohica #🍳 #💀
"Even the Best of Us" #webcomics #comics #bohica #armyhumor #veterans #iraqveteran #funny #idahoartist #cartoons #historical #militaryblaze #lieutenant Copyright © 2024 Random Coyote Productions, LLC Nowadays every computer comes with webcams and Skype, but a few years or so ago it wasn’t guaranteed– especially on Army issued computers. In truth, a lot of military computers and software are a few years behind the latest stuff– it’s expensive to update electronics every time there’s a new cycle of technology, and it would also be impractical to outfit the entire military at once anyway. So we tend to lag behind by a few years. Character wise, I still have Lieutenant-Colonel Wesley Fassbender in command of the Battalion, even though in real life he would have been rotated out long ago. Typically, command staff rotate out frequently so they don’t become too comfortable and “fortify” themselves in their positions; sometimes called “empire-building”. This is one of those circumstances where the entertainment needs of a story has to weigh against reality. Audiences love the familiarity of known characters, but the military is a very fluid thing where the only constant is change. I’ve kept a fairly regular cast of characters, with a handful of reliable characters, while a circle of others drift in and out, being seen for a few episodes before fading into the background, only to re-appear months later. In most Reserve and Guard units, the regular troops remain pretty constant. For consistency of storytelling I try to “fade out” and “bring back” characters that, in reality, might never have been seen again and replaced with new characters. This would be hard to keep track of with most audiences, especially civilians who aren’t used to the revolving-door style of leadership positions.
SeaWorld’s Seven Seas Festival 5K Run #medalmonday • #running #runningmotivation #running-community #runningman #runningdad #runner #runnersofinstagram #runnersofinsta #instarunners #runnerscommunity #runnerslife #floridarunner #runflorida #BOHICA #stroller #strollermiles #strollerrunning #strollerrunner #seaworld #sesamestreet #elmo #abbycadabby
#nuevomexico #k9 #goons #bohica #💀
"An Obstacle Course for All" #webcomics #comics #bohica #armyhumor #veterans #iraqveteran #funny #idahoartist #cartoons #historical #militaryblaze #obstaclecourse #dogtraining Copyright © 2024 Random Coyote Productions, LLC This was the second idea for incorporating Military Working Dogs –and Griffin the Corgi, seen in panel 3– into an obstacle course scenario. It dovetails nicely into a current situation actually facing the Army. For years, we had a “PT Test”, the APFT or Army Physical Fitness Test, that consists of push-ups, sit-ups, and a 2-mile run. The scores you get are modified based on age and gender. The PT test has been a source of discontent for a long time, since it is widely felt that it does not give a good portrayal of overall fitness, and that the age and gender modifications do not reflect realistic standards. The Army replaced the APFT with the ACFT, or Army Combat Fitness Test. It is made up of a dead-lift, a set of modified push-ups, a series of back-and-forth sprints or “shuttle runs”, a plank event, and the same 2-mile run. The age and gender brackets were eliminated and replaced with different brackets for job field: combat arms soldiers have to score higher, while rear-echelon troops can score lower. However, this was eventually done away with and the age and gender brackets returned. Of course, BOHICA Blues takes place “a few years ago”, before the ACFT was rolled out, but why let that limit us? We can have a physical fitness test or obstacle course that even eliminates the different standards between Human soldiers and Military Working Dogs! All for one and one for all, right? “Now git out there and FETCH, sojer!”
If #godexists , there’s gonna be a #rawdog #shagging #orgy on #judgmentday #bohica
"Overcoming Obstacles" #webcomics #comics #bohica #armyhumor #veterans #iraqveteran #funny #idahoartist #cartoons #historical #militaryblaze Copyright © 2024 Random Coyote Productions, LLC I watched a short video –don’t remember where, probably Facebook or YouTube– of dogs doing crazy athletic stuff. Catching balls and Frisbees in midair, leaping crazy distances, etc. Some of them were Police dogs doing criminal takedowns of fleeing suspects, where it looks like the dog sails through the air for 10+ feet before impacting with the target suspect; that sort of thing. It reminded me of when I took one of my dogs to obedience training (for all the good that did) and the topic of active dogs was addressed. The trainer mentioned that dogs are “natural athletes” and I have to admit I think there’s some truth to that. Sure, you can over-feed and over-spoil a dog to the point where they become fat and lazy, but the natural inclination of a dog (in my opinion) is one of activity. It was about this time that an acquaintance mentioned to me an idea about the guys being at an obstacle course and being outperformed by a dog; she “volunteered” the efforts of her juvenile Corgi, Griffen. I found the idea of a dog being in better shape than the characters funny, but a Corgi, with their stumpy little legs, being icing on the cake. This also sets us up for the next comic, which you’ll just have to wait for. Until next episode!
"How To Civvie" #webcomics #comics #bohica #armyhumor #veterans #iraqveteran #funny #idahoartist #cartoons #historical #militaryblaze #sergeantmajor Copyright © 2024 Random Coyote Productions, LLC In military slang, civilian clothes are frequently referred to as “civvies”. It is always refreshing to see on a packing list for training or deployment, because it means that some level of free time can be expected. Generally the Army understands that you need a bit of a break from time to time. The longer you are at a training location, the more likely you’ll be allowed a day or two off, a weekend, or maybe work a few days of regular work hours with evenings off. What could go wrong? Well, for one, a Sergeant-Major can get involved. Even worse, a whole bunch of Sergeants-Major can get involved and you can have a committee of them deciding things that will affect your time off. While your time off is largely your own, the Army can determine certain rules of behavior or attire that you are still expected to adhere to even in your off-time. They can determine what is “appropriate” civilian attire. The problem is, of course, this is always subjective to the people making the decisions (the aforementioned Sergeants-Major) and they will tend to default to what they know and feel comfortable with, which is usually the textile version of Dad Bod or something like it. Sergeants-Major in their off time almost always seem to default to “long shorts”, and sandals with socks pulled up high. I always wondered why they didn’t just wear pants, but maybe there’s a method to the madness somewhere I haven’t figured out yet. The Hawaiian style shirt is just an added flair. And while “Sergeants-Major” is the proper term for two or more of them, in everyday use they usually get called Sergeant-Majors or Sergeants-Majors— or when said fast, it sounds a lot like “Sarn’Majors”. Until next time.
"Get Them to Want To" #webcomics #comics #bohica #armyhumor #veterans #iraqveteran #funny #idahoartist #cartoons #historical #militaryblaze #medicaltraining Copyright © 2024 Random Coyote Productions, LLC Many years ago, the Army issued first-aid kits to soldiers in the field. These first-aid kits were pretty basic, and for the most part they were really just a piece of folding cloth that could be used for a splint or sling. Most of the time they ended up being used as cravats worn on the head under helmets. First-aid training was given, but it was about how to use the cloth bandage as a splint or sling. Eventually, the Army realized that this wasn’t enough and started training us on a course called “Combat Lifesavers”. This was a much more in-depth course that covered nasal tubes to ensure breathing, and how to put a needle in someone for an IV. The IV was a saline solution meant to help hydrate the patient and such. About the time this comic takes place (“a few years ago”, give or take) soldiers were still training to “stick” each other with IV needles. This part of the training has since been done away with, perhaps because it was considered risky. But for a few years, it was common to have IV bags available and people “trained” with them all the time. Because, yes, after a heavy night of drinking, an IV bag to hydrate with does a lot of good.
I still feel awful running but I felt better than yesterday 😄🤷🏼♂️ • #babysteps #running #runningmotivation #runningcommunity #runningman #runningdad #runner #runnersofinstagram #runnersofinsta #instarunners #dopey #runnerscommunity #runnerslife #disneyrunner #floridarunner #runflorida #BOHICA #goodr #flamboyance #goodrFlamboyance #alteregorunning #alteregorunningteam
"Comparison Challenge" #webcomics #comics #bohica #armyhumor #veterans #iraqveteran #funny #idahoartist #cartoons #historical #militaryblaze Copyright © 2024 Random Coyote Productions, LLC This conversation took place not at Fort Bliss in Texas, but rather Camp Williams, in Utah. I was there for some training and there is, in fact, a wall of photos of soldiers who had completed a “rucksack challenge march” of various phases. A “rucksack” is a sort of heavy-duty military backpack that carries (at a minimum) three days’ worth of supplies for living and fighting. It may also carry a bunch of other stuff as needed by the mission, such as cold weather gear, a radio, various electronic gear, and extra ammunition. It gets heavy once loaded, and it's challenging to carry a fully-loaded rucksack for several miles. Anyhow, two female soldiers in my class saw this wall of photos and were discussing how it was all male soldiers, and no females. The conversation more or less went in the direction seen here, although it was a bit more drawn out and with more detail– I condensed it into a more deliverable punchline. I found the conversation amusing to overhear and knew as it was unfolding that a future comic was in the works. Of course, this doesn’t mean women aren’t competitive– I’ve met some seriously competitive women in my life. But women tend to show competitive nature in different ways. Personally, I am not very competitive when it comes to other people; I like to compete against standards that I set for myself– challenges for time or distance or ruggedness of hiking areas. As a solo day hiker, I might have done pretty well on the “ruck march challenge”. But all that beer back home isn’t going to drink itself.
"Training Enablers" #webcomics #comics #bohica #armyhumor #veterans #iraqveteran #funny #idahoartist #cartoons #historical #militaryblaze #enablers Copyright © 2024 Random Coyote Productions, LLC I was in that OC/T unit (OC/T: Observers, Controllers/Trainers, basically training coaches and referees) we talked a lot about “Training Enablers”. A Training Enabler is pretty much what it sounds like: things that help you enable training. Make training realistic, relevant and so on. Of course, the first time I heard the term, I thought of “enablers” as in the psycho-social term: someone who leverages your bad behavior, or magnifies your failures. Someone who gets you into trouble and doesn’t care about the consequences to your well-being certainly isn’t a friend to you, no matter what they may say or how friendly they may seem. So I portray that person as a sort of Devil to poor ol’ Jeb Folds here, who just wants to get some rest after a long day of training, but his Enabler keeps chiding him on. A belt of 7.62 is just that: a belt of ammunition for a machinegun, a “belt” meaning multiple bullets held together by a series of clip-links that fall away from the bullets during firing. That and a “Monster” energy drink can keep you up, firing a machinegun well into the night, when you should be getting some rest. But hey… machineguns are kinda fun. Just another belt, homie. Come on, man, it's fun! You can clean it later, bruh.
"It Changes A Person" #webcomics #comics #bohica #armyhumor #veterans #iraqveteran #funny #idahoartist #cartoons #historical #militaryblaze #armyhaircut Copyright © 2024 Random Coyote Productions, LLC The military frequently has events called a “formation”, a place and time where everyone in the unit is gathered together, organized by Platoon and Squad, and the powers-that-be (usually the 1st Sergeant, but sometimes the Commanding Officer as well) passes on necessary information to everyone all at once. Most of the time in the Reserves and Guard, these formations happen first thing at the beginning of weekend drill –to lay out the goals for the weekend– and at the end of drill –to let people know what benchmarks for success were met, and to lay out next months goals. The formation at the end of drill is the last thing to endure before being released for home, so that is one formation that troops do not want the powers-that-be to be all long-winded and drone on and on. There are certain words and phrases that you hear in formation that guarantee that “droning on and on” is exactly what is about to happen. One of those phrases is “…just to piggyback on what the C.O. said…” You see, most of the time the First Sergeant that utters this phrase is just going to pointlessly repeat anything the Commanding Officer said, ad nauseum, with a bit commentary and interpretation that is simultaneously redundant and yet cannot be ignored. There are ways you can tell whether or not this fate awaits you. Now, in the Reserves and Guard, we have to adhere to the same haircut regulations as the regular Army, but there is a reputation that we don’t, and let it grow out. In truth, yeah; sometimes minor hair stuff is overlooked. On the other hand, there are the guys that are really, really into the hard-core haircut regulations. And when those are the ones running the show, they are more likely to be the types of 1st Sergeant that says things like “…just to piggyback on what the C.O. said…” The more hard-core the haircut, the more likely you are to be held up by pointless nonsense. You’ve been warned.
"Mobe Site: Meet Jeb Folds" #webcomics #comics #bohica #armyhumor #veterans #iraqveteran #funny #idahoartist #cartoons #historical #militaryblaze Copyright © 2024 Random Coyote Productions, LLC Ah, my friend, *every* unit is “one of THOSE units”! This is a case of being cursed with too much knowledge. A young Private showing up in a new unit, being told something like this, would just nod and go, “Okay”. But a Specialist has been around the block long enough to know just how awful it is to hear something like this when you just show up. That’s why “Specialist” is such a frustrating rank to have: you know enough to anticipate what’s coming, but have no power to mitigate any of it. So, it is time– the 213th goes to their Mobilization Site. And while there (Fort Bliss, Texas) they catch up with more “fills”. In this case we get to meet Jeb Folds, who also is one of my Patreon subscribers! Join the Patreon Battalion at a the $10 "Platoon Sergeant" level to get a character inserted in the story: https://www.patreon.com/Coyote There are still plenty of other subscriber positions open that offer a vast array of comics and information, though, so join up and deploy with us!
LSA Tripoli- Al Asad Air Base, Iraq 2018 BOHICA Hill BOHICA stands for Bend Over, Here It Comes Again. The meaning is that something undesirable is going to happen again and that there's not much else one can do other than just endure it. Probably refers to something like the rocket attacks or frequent flight cancellations there in 2017-2018. Could be a reference to someone's deployment experience in general. Via @aj_volberding #BOHICA #OperationInherentResolve #inherentresolve #defeatdaesh #operationspartanshield #AlAsadAirbase #erbilairbase #camparifjan #campbuehringkuwait #campbuehring #operationenduringbeuhring #thebeatingswillcontinueuntilmoraleimproves #USArmyHistory #usafhistory #funnysign #wargraffiti #kilroywashere #FUBAR #SNAFU #ihtfp #veteranshumor #armyhumor #hesco #militarymemes
"Show No Mercy" #webcomics #comics #bohica #armyhumor #veterans #iraqveteran #funny #idahoartist #cartoons #historical #militaryblaze Copyright © 2024 Random Coyote Productions, LLC Get intense! Intense! Raaarrrgh! No, seriously, in a lot of units with special requirements (Airborne, Air Assault, Special Forces, etc) you have to qualify in order to hold a jobs there. You may be support, but you need to support the troops where they operate. I found this out a long time ago when I was introduced to a person who ended up being a good friend of mine for awhile before we drifted away and mostly lost contact. I was a recently-discharged line Infantry PFC and he was a Captain in Special Forces and as soon as we met, the first thing he said was, “Before you get all starry-eyed and impressed, just remember that Special Forces need file clerks too”. Basically, he was a Staff Officer, not a “field operator”, but in order to hold the position he had to be qualified (at least, that was the requirements at the time; this was in the early 1990’s). I’m also reminded of the character in “Black Hawk Down” who started life as a Ranger but ended up as a clerk-typist because he was the only guy in the unit that knew how to type. Your skills and qualifications can place you on a life course completely different from what you intended. So McMasters, as I see it, went into the Army as a clerk-typist and like a lot of young guys he went for the cool stuff like Airborne, Air Assault, and Ranger school. This allows him to be a valuable member of these units because none of the field operator guys want to do that stuff, they want to go out and eat snakes and stuff. After getting out, he goes to a Reserve Drill Sergeant unit (they exist and I was actually in one at one point) where it is super easy to get into Drill Sergeant school if you basically just ask for it. As long as there is money in the training & travel budget they can accommodate you. Of course, there’s the image of Special Ops units being super intense and tightly wound-up, but a lot of it is really just Hollywood imagery. Most Special Ops guys I’ve met have actually been pretty chill. A little weird, but chill.
"Over Qualified" #webcomics #comics #bohica #armyhumor #veterans #iraqveteran #funny #idahoartist #cartoons #historical #militaryblaze Copyright © 2024 Random Coyote Productions, LLC One thing about the Army (and most of the military, but especially the Army) you literally wear your identity on your sleeve –and on your chest as well. In this case, the new guy has a Ranger tab on his shoulder as well as an Airborne tab; he also has the Airborne, Air Assault and Expert Infantry Badge on his chest above the “U.S. ARMY” name tape. On one pocket is a “Drill Sergeant” badge. What does this say? It definitely shows that this guy, McMasters, has been to a lot of qualification schools. It is not unusual; a lot of people who first join the Army (especially the Infantry) are given the opportunity to sign on for as many schools as possible; in my day they actually encouraged it. If I’d wanted to, I could have gotten Airborne (parachute infantry), Air Assault (helicopter deployed infantry), Ranger and Special Forces (“Green Beret”) just by asking for it as part of my enlistment contract. I didn’t want that stuff (it is something like an extra year and a half added to your enlistment contract) so I didn’t do it, but it was all offered. So it is possible for a person to enlist as a fresh Private, go to all these schools, become extremely qualified, then go on to earn an Expert Infantry Badge and Drill Sergeant school, all while at a relatively young age. People used to spotting Army patches will notice that McMasters does not have a “Ranger Scroll” patch or a deployment patch, so while qualified in a lot of stuff, he hasn’t been able to really “experience the life”. There is a reason for this that will be addressed. Another thing that will be addressed will be the large number of characters I have. Rest assured, you don’t really have to worry about most of them. They should just be familiar enough so that they are not *total* strangers when they come in as needed; the truly important characters by now should be easy to recognize.
"Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?" #webcomics #comics #bohica #armyhumor #veterans #iraqveteran #funny #idahoartist #cartoons #historical #militaryblaze #hastymarriage Copyright © 2024 Random Coyote Productions, LLC So Joe and Juni take the plunge, tie the knot; and do it in a nice, quick, and expedient manner. They have enough on their minds, what with deployment looming on the near horizon and the last thing they need is a long, drawn-out debate over wedding arrangements and catering and invitations and on and on and on. Getting married has its rewards but the marriage itself –the planning and financing and so on– can be a real time suck. So why not get it knocked out quick-like and maybe do a fancy ceremony when they get back? And what is a more quintessentially quick American style wedding than rushing off to Vegas and getting married by an Elvis impersonator? Of course it might be worth it to see people’s faces years later when you say “we honeymooned in Iraq”. Not much else to say this time, except wherever you are out there, have fun!
Do you see it? Great Camouflage. I had planned to repot these peppers the other night. Got one done then I heard that sound of a snake sliding over some leaves. Looked around saw a copperhead, one of Virginia's venomous snakes, and decided to finish during the day:) I come across copperheads this time of year and in the fall. Always from sunset till about 3 hours after. I let them be and they let me be. This picture was taken at 8:33pm. The peppers are AJI Charapita and considered the 'Mother of all Chillis'. Charapita is from the Amazon region of Peru mainly in rainforests. At the size of pea it takes about 10,000 to make a pound. All that labor and its taste make it the most expensive pepper in the world. Usually at over $200 a pound. These were grown from seeds from @bohicapepperhut . They have top, hard to find varieties of pepper seeds, great information, and I have never had an issue with service or seeds. The seeds were slow to start last year so I decided to bring them inside and over winter them. I watered them enough to keep them alive. Leaves fell off at times and sometimes the space would get down in the 40°F's, but they did have sun. The roots looked great compared to the plant. Not sure when they were last repotted. Probably right before they were brought in for the winter. They had been outside for a week, overnight Temps had been in the 50°F's and the daytime was upper 70°F's to mid 80°F's. Then I repotted them but back in tonight as Temps are going to be around 37°F. Temperatures below 50°F can stunt peppers especially for an extended time. #copperhead, #snakes, #peppers, #ajícharapita, #virginiagardening, #herpetology, #bohica, #foothills, #virginiaherpetology,
"Stay Dry" #webcomics #comics #bohica #armyhumor #veterans #iraqveteran #funny #idahoartist #cartoons #historical #militaryblaze Copyright © 2024 Random Coyote Productions, LLC First Sergeant? “Helping-not-helping”. So why does Patterson have two black eyes? He had an airbag deployment during his accident; no one else was injured (I figure he hit an inanimate object and not another vehicle & driver) and his own injuries were minor as well. So. Why doesn’t the 1st Sergeant just kick Patterson loose? Well, each unit has something called a U.M.R., or Unit Manning Roster. I may have mentioned it before, but to recap, that’s a unit’s listed strength “on paper”. A full UMR keeps a unit viable– once a unit dips below a certain number of personnel, there is the chance they could face budget cuts or even “have their colors furled”, which means the unit is disbanded and its flags and awards retired. When the 213th was mobilized, someone doing paperwork looked at the UMR and sent letters to all the names that were on the books telling them to report. Probably no one who knew Brad Patterson as an individual saw his name, or asked why a guy from Wisconsin was still listed as being with an Idaho unit. He was a name on a list, so a form letter went out. Patterson is an honest guy and he answered, even though he knew it was bad news. And now the 213th needs people, and they can’t pick and choose favorites to dodge the bullet, since let’s face it, everyone has a good reason not to go. The impersonal bureaucratic machine simply acted automatically, and now with “stop-loss” in effect, no one can be cut loose without serious (usually medical) justifications. Even people with medical conditions are frequently kept, even if they are placed in a stay-behind status and given administrative tasks.
"The Right Words" #webcomics #comics #bohica #armyhumor #veterans #iraqveteran #funny #idahoartist #cartoons #historical #militaryblaze #llamallama Copyright © 2024 Random Coyote Productions, LLC Children’s books are a lucrative market and a famous series is the “Llama, Llama” series. All the titles mentioned in the comic are real, and there are many more. The one I saw first was “Llama, Llama, Mad at Mama” and figured that was kind of cool, to give kids a book for dealing with those times when –it is inevitable– a child is mad at a parent. Being mad at a loved one, especially a parent, is going to be a confusing time for a little kid, and I suppose there are all kinds of difficult emotions that are addressed by children’s books out there. That would include visiting a parent in a hospital, and seeing that parent in a weakened state… and I can only guess there are kids books that address hard topics like alcoholism or similar problems. I’ve seen childrens’ books at military posts for addressing parents being away on deployment, for example. Brad & Chloe’s kid Watson, and their soon-to-be daughter, are going to have a lot of stressful times ahead.
Iza handmade brenda @bohica_home_decor krije se Jelena Tenčić, po struci marketingašica i PR-ovka, ali zapravo velika kreativka koja se od najranije dobi okušala u izradi različitih rukotvorina. Kako sama kaže, prije više od tri godine, sudbina ju je spojila s boho stilom i magičnom starom arapskom tehnikom ručnog vezivanja čvorova makrameom. Što sve izrađuje te kako je sve zapravo krenulo pročitajte na našem portalu 😊 #lifenovilist #štorijaodmašte #bohica
"Wake-Up Call" #webcomics #comics #bohica #armyhumor #veterans #iraqveteran #funny #idahoartist #cartoons #historical #militaryblaze #responsibility Copyright © 2024 Random Coyote Productions, LLC This is the kind of call you hope never to get as a NCO in charge of young troops. Admittedly, this is the kind of call you’re more likely to get in the Active Duty Army; whereas in the Reserves or National Guard you’d be more likely to get a call like this the next day or so (if your chain of command is on the ball and pro-active) or notified when you show up for weekend drill (if your chain of command is… less illustrious). Being promoted brings all kinds of things– increased pay, slightly better living conditions when deployed, absolute power, and other cool perks. But with it comes some heavy burdens, at least if you have any sense of sympathy and responsibility for the people under you. Young troops seem to excel at getting into trouble and finding out that one of your guys or gals has done something self-destructive can leave you feeling dismayed. Brad Patterson has a problem with addiction, specifically an addiction to alcohol. This was made obvious way back in their first deployment, and it hasn’t gotten better (these sorts of things don’t just “get better” on their own). He’s going to have a hard time, and it will be one of the many things a young NCO has to balance in the coming stress. When you’re responsible for others, it isn’t just about you any more.
"Dear Juni Letter" #webcomics #comics #bohica #armyhumor #veterans #iraqveteran #funny #idahoartist #cartoons #historical #militaryblaze #stop_loss Copyright © 2024 Random Coyote Productions, LLC I’ve touched on Juni’s thoughts on re-enlisting for some time; I personally was one of those people who didn’t think much about re-enlisting one way or another until the decision was almost immediately upon me, and then I had to quickly assess how my life was doing and how the Army fit in it– and typically I’d reenlist as a sort of snap decision. “Stop-Loss”, on the other hand, was a source of dread for many in the military, in all branches. What it means is that, if you enlisted for four years (for example) and you’d been in for three years and a few months, you were a “pending loss”. If your unit got deployment orders, then your enlistment in the military was involuntarily extended for the duration of the planned deployment. If the unit was going to be deployed for a year, then you ended up with a 5-year enlistment, whether you liked it or not. There were legal arguments and complaints and protests, and some tried to sue, and for awhile the military offered monetary compensation, a sort of “involuntarily re-enlistment bonus”, to people affected. The problem is not new, either. In the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, and the Civil War, troops enlisted for contracts of a certain period of time, and when that period of time ended, it was not uncommon for soldiers to just walk away from their units, regardless of the situation in the field. Now the 213th personnel have been “Stop-Lossed”, so all pending losses from enlistment contract expiration are declared null and void until the unit fulfills its mission. Juni had waited a bit too long to decide, for the usual reasons: the stability and guarantee of weekend drill pay, the veteran benefits… weighed against the commitment of time and energy on things when you might rather be enjoying a personal life.
"It Finally Happened" #webcomics #comics #bohica #armyhumor #veterans #iraqveteran #funny #idahoartist #cartoons #historical #militaryblaze #armywife Copyright © 2024 Random Coyote Productions, LLC “If the Army had wanted you to have a wife, Sojer, we’d’ve issued one to you!” –That used to be the common refrain for many, many years. It was rare for soldiers to be married, and in fact a soldier that wanted to get married had to get his commander’s permission first. Wives and families were seen as hindrances to a soldier’s duty, a division of loyalty, time and attention. Officers, on the other hand, were expected to be married– it was felt that a married commander, with a family to go home to, would be less likely to engage in reckless attacks that wasted his sodiers' lives. Eventually, sometime around the late 80’s to early 90’s, the Army tipped a balance– there were more married soldiers in the service at all ranks than unmarried ones. The Army had to adjust to the new reality: wives and children were the norm, and single soldiers the aberration. So now, Joe finds himself in the unusual position of the Army trying to issue him a wife. Of course, this is only because Juni is also in the Army, but…. details, details! As for relationships in the ranks, until recently it was accepted that soldiers could have relationships with other soldiers, as long as neither of them were in a position of command or other authority over them. Basically, as long as there was no way for one of them to influence the career of the other, the Army didn’t care. However, the Army eventually decided that any relationship that crossed the “rank barriers” (Enlisted, NCO, or Officer) was unauthorized. So even though Joe has no way to affect Juni’s career, they have to either marry or break up. Draconian? A bit. And in truth, most Reserve or Guard commanders probably would have just turned a blind eye as long as no trouble came of it. But since they will be mobilizing, and going to a mobe site and deploying, they will be under a lot of scrutiny.
If #godexists , there’s gonna be a #rawdog #shagging #orgy on #judgmentday #bohica
If #godexists , there’s gonna be a #rawdog #shagging #orgy on #judgmentday #bohica
"Making Better Choices" #webcomics #comics #bohica #armyhumor #veterans #iraqveteran #funny #idahoartist #cartoons #historical #militaryblaze Copyright © 2024 Random Coyote Productions, LLC There is a sort of running joke in the military (pretty much all services) about troops making very hasty decisions about marriage. The closer you get to combat arms units, and especially combat arms units that are deploying, you get closer to hasty decisions sprung from poor life choices. The problem is, for most of the lower ranks in the military (especially in the Army and Marines), troops are not allowed to live off-base, in their own apartments, and enjoy some peace and quiet and privacy. Anyone below the level of junior NCO (Non-Commissioned Officers) is required to live in the barracks, which –at best– is comparable to a dorm… and usually the loud “party” dorm. At worst, they are large open rooms with multiple bunk beds into which several dozen troops are jammed in with only individual bunks & personal lockers to call their own (to be honest, the “open bay” barracks are increasingly rare except for temporary accommodations, but they still happen sometimes). The downside is that troops living on post in barracks are always available for duties and can be grabbed pretty much as needed by the unit to carry out after-hours chores. Meanwhile, the married troops go home and live a more or less normal life once dismissed. To compound matters, married troops get extra allowances called “B.A.H.”, pronounced “bee-ay-aitch” and not as “Bah!” It stands for “Basic Allowance for Housing” and it's extra pay to help cover the cost of rent since the soldier isn't living in the Army-supplied barracks. So, since you get the “freedom” of living off-post, and an extra allowance in pay as well, it is no surprise that troops develop a reputation for marrying the first person they find willing. For Reserve and Guard troops, this isn’t as much of an issue until deployment looms. Then, the reputation is to marry for the extra money. Guys marrying women they’ve only been dating for a couple months, or outright marrying casual acquaintances or even strippers, has been known to happen.
"Contagion" #webcomics #comics #bohica #armyhumor #veterans #iraqveteran #funny #idahoartist #cartoons #historical #militaryblaze #marriage Copyright © 2024 Random Coyote Productions Once someone comes in with a new spouse, it seems like a lot of people suddenly start thinking along those terms… especially as a deployment looms near. Or maybe that’s just my perception? But suddenly, Philip Albright has decided that now is the time to pop the question to Willow Lawrence, his girlfriend of just over a year. Seeing an old friend come back, family in tow, as they get ready to go again might have him feeling a need to anchor himself in something at home. Anyhow, it always seemed to me that in any circle of friends or acquaintances, once two people decide to get married, suddenly a bunch of marriages follow in rapid succession. Then the same thing with kids– once one couple starts a family, it seems that suddenly a lot of your other young couples we know are starting families. Again, it is more likely that this is happening all the time, but we don’t notice it until it is someone we know closely– then, suddenly, we start seeing this as part of our daily mental landscape and we “notice” it all around and it seems unusual. Remember that Philip got a job delivering pizza after their first deployment; he was at “Little Leonidas Pizza”, which is my in-story version of “Little Caesar’s”. When his store closed down he got a job as a cabbie, working for Willow Lawrence. So he’s been dating his boss the last few months and I guess he’s ready for a, um, senior partnership. We’ll see how far the “contagion” spreads in the days to come.
After 10 straight Dopey Challenges, I’m no longer Dopey… Just a little Goofy!! Big thanks to @jcard83 for getting myself & Megan registered. All of my browsers are still over a hour wait. • #10anddone #rundisney #goofychallenge #goofychallenge2025 #goofy #running #runningmotivation #runningcommunity #runningman #runningdad #runner #runnersofinstagram #runnersofinsta #instarunners #runnerscommunity #runnerslife #disneyrunner #floridarunner #runflorida #BOHICA
"Full House" #webcomics #comics #bohica #armyhumor #veterans #iraqveteran #funny #idahoartist #cartoons #historical #militaryblaze Copyright © 2024 Random Coyote Productions, LLC So, Patterson is back, and he doesn’t come alone! He left the United States to live (technically) in Australia, where the “Whale Wars” crew of the “MY Steve Irwin” was based out of (in ship terminology, “MY” means “Motor Yacht”, and is different from “MV”, which is “Merchant Vessel”). He served shipboard pretty much the whole time since leaving, and it has been a few years. Since I’m leaving time kind of ambiguous and not keeping strictly to events as they happened, I’m clocking it around four years or so. So he’s now got a wife and kid with one more “under way”; Chloe is Australian and the kids were born down there, so he’ll need to sort things out with Immigration so they can stay. She’s not too keen on him going (as you can imagine) and he’s hoping that he will be told they don’t need him, but the Army doesn’t work like that: your warm body reported in, so they’ll find a way to make you useful! So she will have to file an I-485, or Immigration Form 485, to stay in the country as more than a tourist, and he will file an I-130 or Immigration Form 130, which is a Petition for Foreign Spouse. It takes time and there are fees and interviews involved. The old idea of “you can just marry an American citizen and it’s automatic” hasn’t been true for many, many decades– although it certainly does make things easier. Check out Patreon for more and consider joining the Battalion as a supporter! https://www.patreon.com/Coyote
"Full House" #webcomics #comics #bohica #armyhumor #veterans #iraqveteran #funny #idahoartist #cartoons #historical #militaryblaze Copyright © 2024 Random Coyote Productions, LLC What is the “I.R.R.” and who is this familiar fellow? The I.R.R., pronounced as “eye-arr-arr” and not as “irr”, is the “Individual Ready Reserve”. These are people who are officially part of the Army, but they don’t attend monthly drills. They don’t get paid, either– you only get paid when you actively participate. I.R.R personnel are supposed to attend once-a-year “Annual Training”, but many do not do that, either. Unit leadership is supposed to track them down and make them attend, but it is usually more trouble than it is worth. I.R.R people all have different reasons for not participating, some good and some selfish, but the stereotype is one of unmotivated people who cannot be relied on when forced to participate. It’s an unfairly wide brush to paint with, because I have met some IRR soldiers who were actually highly educated and motivated, but their civilian professional schedules simply did not allow them to be members of regular monthly drill units. Many adapt entirely to civilian life, grow their hair & beards, and become unrecognizable as soldiers. This guy is Brad Patterson, from Madison, Wisconsin that joined them as a “fill” on the first deployment to Iraq. Regular readers may remember him as the guy that was “in rehab” when he got called up to deploy, who originally just joined “for the college money”; then he shot a terrorist and drank a smuggled bottle of wine afterwards due to his feelings of guilt. Brad Patterson came back, de-mobilized, and left the country. He was deeply affected by his time in Iraq and he joined the “Sea Shepherd” organization because he felt like “he wanted to save something”. He never officially quit the 213th and stayed on the rolls, and they simply moved him into the IRR. So, now that the 213th is being called up again, they look on their personnel rolls and see that there is a Mr. Patterson, Bradley, still there from their last deployment. So a mobilization letter goes out, and he does the responsible thing and shows up.
"Prodigal Son" #webcomics #comics #bohica #armyhumor #veterans #iraqveteran #funny #idahoartist #cartoons #historical #militaryblaze Copyright © 2024 Random Coyote Productions, LLC What is the “I.R.R.” and who is this familiar fellow? First, the I.R.R.: The I.R.R., pronounced as “eye-arr-arr” and not as “irr”, is the “Individual Ready Reserve”. These are people who are officially part of the Army, but they don’t attend monthly drills. Of course, they don’t get paid, either– you only get paid when you actively participate. Now: who is this? Could it be…? Yes, it is Brad Patterson, the guy from Madison, Wisconsin that joined them as a “fill” on the first deployment to Iraq. Some may remember him as the guy that was “in rehab” when he got called up to deploy, who originally just joined “for the college money”; then he shot a terrorist and drank a smuggled bottle of wine afterwards due to his feelings of guilt. So why is he coming back to the 213th in Boise, Idaho, instead of a unit in his home of Madison, Wisconsin? Well, when I got mobilized as a “fill” to a unit in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, I became a full fledged member of that unit. I was on their pay roster, their personnel roster, all of it. None of my paperwork went through my home unit and then forwarded to my temporary unit– I was 100% their guy. When we came back to the States, I was still theirs until I officially re-joined my home station in Boise, Idaho. I was even invited to continue with the Pennsylvania unit and fly out once a month to attend drills with them. Brad Patterson came back, de-mobilized, and left the country. He was deeply affected by his time in Iraq and he joined the “Sea Shepherd” organization because he felt like “he wanted to save something” (instead of destroying things). He never officially quit the 213th and stayed on the rolls, and they simply moved him into the IRR. So, now that the 213th is being called up again, they look on their personnel rolls and see that there is a Mr. Patterson, Bradley, still there from their last deployment. So a mobilization latter goes out, and now we get to see what has been going on with him all this time.
"The Why of It" #webcomics #comics #bohica #armyhumor #veterans #iraqveteran #funny #idahoartist #cartoons #historical #militaryblaze Copyright © 2024 Random Coyote Productions, LLC When making the character of Sam Davis, my Patreon supporter, I asked for a description. One of the things he said was “that typical Lieutenant hair” and I knew exactly what he was talking about. I wondered why Lieutenants all seem to have that thick hairstyle, and I contemplated the why of it. I then thought about pretty much every Major I had knew, and suddenly it dawned on me– you have to enjoy it while you can. Now we have Lieutenant Paul Chau show up, briefly mentioned awhile ago but now I put him in the story. He does not represent a Patreon character; I thought him up out of whole cloth. He was commissioned out of ROTC into the Artillery but –of course– because you gotta take what you can get when it comes to command slots and deployments, he was willing to branch over to Engineers to go with the 213th Battalion. So these are all the Platoon Leaders for the 213th now, and we’ll continue to gather in a few more before going to Mobilization station. Stay tuned for both old and new faces to show up!
In the meantime, a new turbo from Pulsar was installed, because the old turbo was a bit too big for my purpose. Let's see what kind of numbers and turbo response we can get with this setup on the dyno bench. #pulsar Gtx30 3076R #T51R-Mod #akrperformance #pulsarturbo #honda #hondaturbo #k20turbo #k20 #typer #buildnotbought #pulsarturbo #bohica #jdm #civicep3 #civic #civicsi
"Outsmart Phone" #webcomics #comics #bohica #armyhumor #veterans #iraqveteran #funny #idahoartist #cartoons #historical #militaryblaze Copyright © 2024 Random Coyote Productions, LLC This was the result of an actual safety brief we had recently– in which we got a 15 minute video about the dangers of distracted driving, drunk driving, any sort of “impaired cognition” driving, and then we were also encouraged to download an app for our phones that would update us to any dangerous road conditions or closures due to weather. As I said out loud during the brief, when consulting with my inner Admiral Ackbar, “It’s a Trap!” Anyhow, we get to see Lieutenant Sam Davis again, a character based on one of my Patreon supporters. I’ve had another Patreon supporter join the ranks and I sent this person a message but have yet to hear back. Some of my other supporters will be getting some shout-outs in upcoming episodes, too. You can see more at the Patreon support site here: https://www.patreon.com/Coyote –just cut & paste that ad it will take you right there. That’s all for now, remember to always listen to your inner Admiral Ackbar and avoid those traps!
"The MICLIC" #webcomics #comics #bohica #armyhumor #veterans #iraqveteran #funny #idahoartist #cartoons #historical #militaryblaze Copyright © 2024 Random Coyote Productions, LLC The MICLIC is a real thing, and it is pronounced like “Mick Lick” which probably sounds faintly obscene, especially if your name is Mick. And yes, it really does look like that image in the final panels: the bags of C-4, or “plastic explosive”, are a bunch of cloth bags all strung together in a huge, long line– hence the second part of the name, the “line charge” part. The nozzles of the rocket are near the front, up in the nose, and stick out either side; the body of the rocket is pulled behind it, carrying the fuel for the rocket as well as the place where the front of the line of bags is attached. I’ve seen training rocket versions of these fire, trailing inert bags behind them, and it is impressive; people I know who have fired actual MICLICs have said that the resultant explosion is incredible to behold. The funny thing is, to me anyway, is that the MICLIC does not really look like you would expect a weapon to look like. The rocket doesn’t look like a conventional rocket, sleek and with fins. It looks more like a length of underground plumbing pipe. The bags of C-4 behind it really do look like a row of pillows (although they are hard and uncomfortable– C-4 is like thick, hard clay rather than gooey Play-Doh). I imagine if you did have a massive string of immediate, rocket-deployable pillows you could probably sleep a battalion, easily, all in a row. There’s a lot of old land mines deployed all over the world, left over from wars that are long since ended– what Engineers wouldn’t like an opportunity to touch off a few MICLICs for real and clear some of these pesky old dangers? I’d consider it.
#medalmonday Hippity Hop 5K • #runningwithfriends #bling #runningmedal #runningmedals #running #runningmotivation #runningcommunity #runningman #runningdad #runner #runnersofinstagram #runnersofinsta #instarunners #runnerscommunity #runnerslife #disneyrunner #floridarunner #runflorida #BOHICA
"Troop Care" #webcomics #comics #bohica #armyhumor #veterans #iraqveteran #funny #idahoartist #cartoons #historical #militaryblaze Copyright © 2024 Random Coyote Productions, LLC Troops need constant care, but in this day and age, who can keep up with the complicated maintenance that is required? Really, the Army will try to get people to go to doctor’s appointments and I was in one unit that was very pro-active about this– a little too pro-active, in my opinion; they were flat-out intrusive and you were no sooner done with one random appoint when another one popped up a week later. The Army Reserves had a “Reserve Health Readiness Program” and appointments could be scheduled automatically by the unit and coordinate through voicemail. Sounds easy-peasy, doesn’t it? But it seemed like every month there was some random appointment being scheduled and messages were being left on the phone. They would try to call three times and if they couldn’t get ahold of you, then they would call your unit and inform them that you were “non-compliant” (without mentioning that they only tried to call you during work hours, when many people can’t answer their personal phones for various reasons). The most annoying thing about it was that there didn’t seem to be any way to stack all these so-called “necessary” appointments into one doctor visit. No, it was a flu shot one day, then next week an eye exam, three weeks later a hearing test, two weeks after that a physical… and so on. To be honest, there was only one unit I was in that did that, and it was probably my most unsatisfying military experience. I was an OC/T (Observer-Controller Trainer) for 1st Army, and scheduling constant health checks on us was about the only thing they were efficient and pro-active about. So, yes, the Army can and will find a doctor for you and send you, and that doctor will probably be three counties away and only takes patients at 5:30 am before the night of the Full Moon, or something equally annoying. So I understand Alvarez’s desperation to avoid it all, but seriously, I hope he at least got a treat afterwards.
"A Monster Created" #webcomics #comics #bohica #armyhumor #veterans #iraqveteran #funny #idahoartist #cartoons #historical #militaryblaze Copyright © 2024 Random Coyote Productions, LLC Did Captain Mizrachi create a monster when she made 1st-Lieutenant MacGregor her Executive Officer? Sometimes you never know how someone will treat others until you give them power… power to make their lives miserable! 1LT MacGregor now is working on their Mobilization and he is doing it in classic Lieutenant style: by fire-hosing everyone with meaningless PowerPoint presentations! One thing about PowerPoint, it really teaches people writing & editing skills, such as “why use a sentence when a whole page will do?” and “I have a whole magazine full of bullet points, and I’m going to use them all!” I will admit that I have found it all too tempting to just make more slides as well. They are so easy to create! And after all, if you belabor the point, maybe some of it will sink in, right…? Or everyone will just catch up on their sleep.
"The Devil You Know" #webcomics #comics #bohica #armyhumor #veterans #iraqveteran #funny #idahoartist #cartoons #historical #militaryblaze Copyright © 2024 Random Coyote Productions, LLC This one was motivated by a real briefing we had just a couple months ago about the health risks and dangers of vaping. And yes, someone did observe that it really does seem like the Army would rather folks just keep on smoking that old-fashioned tobacco. I don’t know anything about vaping; I know it is supposed to be less dangerous than cigarettes, and people who I see vaping kind of remind me of old-fashioned steam locomotives, which I admit isn’t exactly a negative in my book. Yes, I heard the story about the guy whose lungs were turned to a weird spongiform material, presumably from vaping. I have no interest in starting vaping myself although I do indulge in an occasional cheap cigar (not “inexpensive”; no: cheap). So maybe it is just sticking with “the Devil you know” as opposed to trying some new potential Devil. The Vape Devil up there seems kind of dejected, while the Smoking Devil is quite pleased with himself, having made his connections early. Enough safety briefs! Back to work!
“I believe it’s jogging. Or yogging, it might be a soft J. I’m not sure, but apparently you just run for an extended period of time.” - Ron Burgundy • #running #runningmotivation #runningcommunity #runningman #runningdad #runner #runnersofinstagram #runnersofinsta #instarunners #runnerscommunity #runnerslife #disneyrunner #floridarunner #runflorida #BOHICA #goodr #flamboyance #goodrFlamboyance #alteregorunning #alteregorunningteam
"It's My Art, Man!" #webcomics #comics #bohica #armyhumor #veterans #iraqveteran #funny #idahoartist #cartoons #historical #militaryblaze Copyright © 2024 Random Coyote Productions, LLC It always seems to me like vehicle bumper numbers are fading, getting chipped, and need re-painting. But of course a lot of them are on fenders or other areas that get brushed by branches or sagebrush, or splashed with mud or whatnot, so maybe it makes sense that they get obscured or scratched. I've noticed that touching them up happens at least once a year. Meanwhile, when I first encountered a modern maintenance bay (okay, “modern”– it was decades ago) I thought it was pretty clever that they had flexible hoses to fit over vehicle exhaust pipes to vent the gases away from where people were working. That’s all well and good for vehicle exhaust, but for any other operation that involves potentially dangerous fumes there’s not much else for recourse (that I’ve seen). I’ve seen people painting with the big bay/garage doors open and a fan blowing inside, but that seemed like window dressing to me. So what happens to Alvarez and Albright? Well, they get distorted like Dadaist or Cubist art as a result– that said, for the record I most certainly do *not* draw my comics after painting in an enclosed room, no matter what rumors you may have heard.
"Meet Sam Davis" #webcomics #comics #bohica #armyhumor #veterans #iraqveteran #funny #idahoartist #cartoons #historical #militaryblaze Copyright © 2024 Random Coyote Productions, LLC Ahhh, collateral duties. Pretty much every officer, and a lot of NCO’s, are going to have at least one. Of course, it’s not like you get some sort of sign or badge or anything; I forget who my unit’s actual Safety Officer is. Sure, they do safety briefings at least once a year, and we’ll see our Safety Officer, but otherwise I have no idea who it is. SHARP reps, Retention NCO’s, Security Officers, you name it, a lot of people wear different hats and I think there should be some sort of badge of office that goes with them all. For Sam Davis, a big huge Band-Aid to carry around. Safety Officer is sometimes an extra duty that officers seek out, because if you’re assigned to be the Safety Officer, I believe you’re not supposed to have any other “extra duties”. So now we have Sam Davis, a brand-new Second Lieutenant in the 213th. Who is he? Well, he’s a real guy, a Patreon supporter who is at the “Platoon Sergeant” level of Patronage. I discussed with him a character to place in the story, to be used whenever it is fitting, and so here he is! I’ll do a few comics with Sam to integrate him into the ol’ collective consciousness, and any other reader can have a character in the story as well by supporting BOHICA Blues at Patreon! There’ll be a few more names cropping up soon as a number of people have joined Patreon at various levels that allow for me to mention them in the comic from time to time. Some people have already been mentioned, and will be mentioned again.
"Long Live the Queen" #webcomics #comics #bohica #armyhumor #veterans #iraqveteran #funny #idahoartist #cartoons #historical #militaryblaze Copyright © 2024 Random Coyote Productions, LLC Well, 1LT MacGregor is starting to accept and internalize that his hoped-for command has been usurped… and by someone he knows and respects and has a hard time being angry about. Buck up, Lieutenant, being an XO on a deployment looks good career-wise. So people may remember that when we first met Mirav Mizrachi, she was a Staff Sergeant. Later, she got a direct commission to become a Second Lieutenant. Now, a few years down the road and she has since been promoted to Captain, “off-screen”, so to speak. She got out of Active Duty and is looking for a job in the Reserves –as mentioned in prior comics– but now someone may remember to ask, “But wait, isn’t she an Intelligence Officer? How can she take over a Combat Engineer company?” It is very common for soldiers, officers and enlisted alike, to come from Active Duty and have to switch jobs. The roles they trained for in Active Duty may not exist in their local Guard or Reserve units, and re-training is needed. As for females taking over Combat Engineer positions, now all branches of the military are open to females, even Infantry. However, BOHICA Blues takes place “a few years ago” (I refer to things that happened in a time span from about 6 to 10 years back) when the roles were still kind of muddled and just beginning to change. For example, Infantry was considered a “direct combat” position, while Engineers were considered “combat support”. Even though the two groups frequently did the same things, the title of “support” meant women could serve in leadership roles at the time, but not in direct battle. If you think that distinction sounds odd and meaningless, that’s because it is. So Mirav Mizrachi’s appearance here is not unheard of and certainly within the bounds of historical reality, so I figured, “why not get the band back together”? I may have others from the past come back.
"...And I had a Good Angry Started!" #webcomics #comics #bohica #armyhumor #veterans #iraqveteran #funny #idahoartist #cartoons #historical #militaryblaze Copyright © 2024 Random Coyote Productions, LLC Ever felt like you had a good reason to be angry about something, and got all worked up, only to find that the actual situation wasn’t so bad, or even had you working with someone you knew and liked? There’s that moment of awkwardness and you want to let go, but you had such great momentum built up…! I suppose it is humbling, and reminds us not to make judgements until we know all the facts. So now we get to see Mirav Mizrachi again, she is out of Active Duty and in the Reserves, and looking for a command to take over. She’s been promoted to Captain now so she has to have a “Company Command” position and she found one with her old comrades, the 213th Battalion. It is not unusual to meet the same people you have served with or gone to schools with from time to time, and sometimes you get lucky. Not usually this lucky, of course, but that’s one of the advantages of fiction. The higher you get in rank, the more you are expected to be willing to travel for your commands. As a senior NCO, I am expected to be willing to travel at least 100 miles for any position that comes up (I’m right next to a huge National Guard base so it hasn’t been an issue) but I know people that live in neighboring states and commute in once a month for weekend drills, and I have met higher-ranking NCOs and Officers that have come from the East Coast and New England to attend drill weekends. Mirav Mizrachi still lives in Texas –she just got out of Active Duty at Fort Hood, with the 1st Cavalry– so she’s got something of a commute for the time being. Good to start getting the old gang back together!
Because you stop, so it will end, it does not. They can close your local butcher or greengrocer down for three years and push them out of business, yet they can't get aid into Gaza... Whiskey Tango Foxtrot ! The time for boycotting and sanctions against a right wing facist ruling elite in Israel, is now. #actnow #BOHICA #bendoverhereitcomesagain #overandoverlikecrimsonandclover #twostatesolution #freepalestine #endthewarongazanow #endthegenocide #freeassangenow
"Foiled Again!" #webcomics #comics #bohica #armyhumor #veterans #iraqveteran #funny #idahoartist #cartoons #historical #militaryblaze Copyright © 2024 Random Coyote Productions, LLC Logically, Lieutenant MacGregor would have known that the chances of him holding a Company command position for a mobilization to Iraq were slim, but he had his hopes. Remember, that the most junior of all officers in the US Army is the “Second Lieutenant”, or 2LT. As long as that 2nd Lieutenant doesn’t do something egregiously stupid or outright criminal, he or she will probably see First Lieutenant, or 1LT rank, within a few months. Some are late bloomers, sure, but I’m talking in generalities here. Lieutenants, both First- and Second-, are put in charge of Platoons, which are about 30 or so people (it can vary in size). There are usually four Platoons in a Company, so there should be four Lieutenants, and the senior-most one of them is usually the XO, or Executive Officer, that helps the Captain as second in command. But a lot of Reserve and National Guard units don’t have all the people in them that they are authorized to have. It is not uncommon for units to be lacking people that would be considered critical for daily operations, and I have been in many units where platoons did not have any lieutenants assigned to them and senior Sergeants ran them. Also, there may not be a Captain around, so the Lieutenant takes command. This isn’t just an officer situation, either– I’ve been in units that didn’t have First Sergeants or other leaders, and some that were so under-strength that while they were authorized four Platoons, they just had enough personnel for two, so that was what they ran with. This is why, when units get called up for mobilization, these under-strength units have to get “fills” from other units to bring them up to proper deployable strength. Lieutenant MacGregor was hoping to be uncontested for command, so he would be readily promoted to the rank of Captain. While there are other officers being assigned to the unit, he outranked them or had them beat by seniority. However, a mysterious Captain has also been assigned to the unit, so his hopes are dashed.
"Stepping Stones" #webcomics #comics #bohica #armyhumor #veterans #iraqveteran #funny #idahoartist #cartoons #historical #militaryblaze Copyright © 2024 Random Coyote Productions, LLC “Actually, sir, I was thinking about ways maintain troop morale and effectiveness, but…. *sigh*” Sometimes you're supposed to be working with someone, looking out for others, but all they can think about is their own career. Of course, what Lieutenant MacGregor said is true– a chance to command a unit on deployment in a combat theater is a major boost to a military career, especially for officers. You just have to, you know… survive it. And that’s where things get sticky. Of course, there are a lot of weird things about military promotions. In the case of officers, they are encouraged to “wear as many hats as possible”. They have to spend some time in a command position for each rank, so a Lieutenant must hold a Platoon command (about 20 to 30 people) at least once, then later on as a Captain, a Company command (about 90 to 120 people), and so on. Then you are expected to spend some time as a Staff officer, being in charge of a personnel section or a planning & training section, an Intelligence section, or something like that. The same officer is expected to hold a bunch of “collateral duties” –be the Safety Officer or be a liaison with different organizations, etc. And by the way, if you take too long to do these things, and you start to fall behind peers, then you risk developing a reputation as a non-performer. So even if you find a job you like and are good at, too bad– enjoy it for a year or two, possibly three, but then be ready to pack your bags and move on to other pastures. This kind of forces officers into a “check the box” mentality that is unfortunate but necessary if they are going to stay in the Army. There are similar pressures for NCO (sergeants of all levels) and regular Enlisted troops– an “up or out” mentality that means that good people don’t get retained and sometimes the wheel keeps getting reinvented in some units. This is changing slowly, but there’s always progress to be made.
Medal Monday, St Patty’s Day 🍀🍺 • #medalmonday #stpatricksday #stpatricksdayrace #bling #runningmedal #running #runningmotivation #runningcommunity #runningman #runningdad #runner #runnersofinstagram #runnersofinsta #instarunners #runnerscommunity #runnerslife #disneyrunner #floridarunner #runflorida #BOHICA
"What You Gotta Do" #webcomics #comics #bohica #armyhumor #veterans #iraqveteran #funny #idahoartist #cartoons #historical #militaryblaze Copyright © 2024 Random Coyote Productions, LLC Anthropomorphic equipment –equipment with human-like characteristics– were a staple of the old Army publication, “P.S. Magazine”. PS Magazine was a monthly comic book put out by the Army with the goal of teaching troops how to maintain equipment through official maintenance publications as well as informal “tricks of the trade” that had passed a review process and been stamped with the mark of approval by the Powers That Be. I’ve used the anthropomorphic equipment in the past but only once or twice; in the Army it is too tied to the PS magazines and I don’t want BOHICA Blues to become a sort of ongoing PS Magazine satire. In this case, “sensitive items”, (as in, items that are militarily sensitive and need to be kept secure and routinely accounted for with inspections) have become “OVERLY-sensitive items” that really need a hug and some attention, not just a mere cold-hearted look-over before being locked back in their dark vault. The characterization of military equipment as having faces, personalities and human-like characteristics wasn’t just a quirk, it was done by design. I read an interesting article about the use of anthropomorphic machinery in PS Magazine, and the technique was used on purpose for multiple reasons. One– proper maintenance would show machines with happy, smiling, cheerful faces, while improper handling made the machines' expressions sad, angry, or in pain. This delivered a message about maintenance in no uncertain terms, but also did so with humor rather than as an off-putting “finger-wagging lecture”. Two– By showing equipment under soldiers’ care as things with feelings, needs, and dependencies on the soldiers’ actions, the soldier (might, hopefully) be inclined to identify with their equipment and not resort to abusing them out of frustration. Did the experiment work? If you’re familiar with the PS Magazine and its portrayal of human-like machinery, let me know what impressions or feelings you got from it!
"The Latest Cammo" #webcomics #comics #bohica #armyhumor #veterans #iraqveteran #funny #idahoartist #cartoons #historical #militaryblaze Copyright © 2024 Random Coyote Productions, LLC I remember the old B.D.U.s, or Battle Dress Uniforms– the “Woodland” camouflage pattern that is one of the most widely-recognized and used patterns in the world. It was based on greens and browns and blacks, and was relatively effective. In fact, the earliest BOHICA Blues comics featured the characters wearing those. Then of course the Army switched to the sort of grayish-green A.C.U.s, or Army Combat Uniforms, the digital ones that everyone thought were just awful. As I’ve mentioned before, it was an attempt to be a universal camouflage, something that blends in anywhere. Of course, something that “sorta blends in anywhere” doesn’t really blend in anywhere at all in the long run. In one of the most notable recent boondoggles of the time, the ACU was pressed into service, all our field gear was quickly made to have the same pattern, and then after a few years it was pushed out of service to be replaced with the new “O.C.P.” or “Operational Camouflage Uniform.” This camouflage goes back to the color schemes of browns, greens, and some blacks, but the patterns are arranged in very different ways– I actually intend to do a video highlighting the difference at some point soon. I will, by far, not be the only person to have done so; there are a lot of camouflage videos on YouTube, especially comparing the new OCP with the old BDU. I just want to do some videos about camouflage, since I draw so much of it here at BOHICA Blues. I personally have taken to calling the new camouflage the “salad suit” and I hope others join me in this endeavor. But for now, Donner –freshly returned from Basic Training and Advanced Individual Training where she got issued the newest stuff– is the only one in the 213th with the new uniform.
"Don't Bother to Change Gears" #webcomics #comics #bohica #armyhumor #veterans #iraqveteran #funny #idahoartist #cartoons #historical #militaryblaze Copyright © 2024 Random Coyote Productions, LLC A.I.T.: Advanced Individual Training. When you’ve been on any sort of active duty training, I find you get into a mindset; a certain level of quick, cut-and-dried alacrity. This doesn’t necessarily mean you’re industrious and hard-working… I’m thinking more of an “economy of effort” that allows a person to get things done with some ease. Once you get in that mindset, it helps move from duty to duty, and day to day. It makes hard days go by a little bit more quickly. A skill like that is a sort of survival tool; not in the way of building a shelter or lighting a fire, but keeping mentally rooted in times of great stress. So the Battalion got sent to Iraq, came back, released their “fill” troops and kind of went into a “relax” mode… then they started training up again, and as we remember the Iraq War lasted long enough for many units to get the chance to cycle through deployments again and again. With their recent Annual Training complete, the 213th Battalion is ready for another go-round, and “lucky” Donner has arrived back from her training just in time to join them!
"That's Gonna Have to be Checked, Sir" #webcomics #comics #bohica #armyhumor #veterans #iraqveteran #funny #idahoartist #cartoons #historical #militaryblaze Copyright © 2024 Random Coyote Productions, LLC This was probably my last digital art piece, and it was going to be used to close out the chapter of Nikki Donner's experience at school and provide a break before putting everyone back at the 213th Battalion in Boise. The original also posted around the Christmas/New Year's holiday season near the end of 2018, which is a traditionally slow time for webcomics as readers are generally distracted by holiday stuff. I think it is evident why this was pretty much the end of the whole "I'mma do everything digitally!" phase; the result is just so visually awkward, and it actually ended up being much harder to assemble than if I'd just drawn it by hand. Anyhow, I was thinking about a joke involving “Why Special Forces Hate Flying Commercial on the Holidays”– troops get trained in a lot of things, and it is said that what they “know” is far more important than what they “do”. That old saying about the mind being the most lethal weapon is a cliche but also contains some truth. I’ve always thought there was a lot of humor potential in taking the whole “mind as a weapon” thing literally. It would certainly make things difficult checking in with the TSA. Anyhow, back to the regular characters... and the final adventure of the 213th Battalion that would wrap up the whole story.