M1 Garands in Greece

[hminsky]

Am I the only one who finds the Greek honor guard uniforms kind of comical? I'm sure there's a
long and proud history behind these outfits, but the fuzzy slippers are really something..

 

[Mike S]

Well at least they have nice rifles.

 

[Bob P]

The US supplied the M1's in the late 40's during the Yugoslav/Greek conflict (basically the reds from Yugoslavia tried to stage a communist coup in Greece and they fought it off). Greece was the first 'low intensity' conflict the US got involved in in the post-WWII period. US advisors fought with Greek troops and never really got full credit for what they did.

 

[Walter Smitty]

Wonder what a Greek thinks of chaps and a stetson?

 

[tele_mark]

I think I saw Doobie in there.

 

[TheWookie]

I don't care so much if they look stupid, they got a good policy there.

I'll say this, having been stationed in Greece for a year -- as goofy as they look in uniform, (and they literally stink, too) I still have much respect for them and the way they run things.

Every swinging d*ck in that country is required to serve in the military in some way, shape, or form - once they hit 18. We may have better uniforms, but that's a better policy that we need to implement in this country.

 

[Ninemil]

... required to serve in the military in some way, shape, or form - once they hit 18. We may have better uniforms, but that's a better policy that we need to implement in this country.

Um, that was the policy when I turned 18 but the Draft was discontinued for the all-volunteer army when college deferments became a way to bypass the system.

There's certainly something to be said about mandatory service to your country. The chicken hawks like Rumsfield and Cheney might not have been so quick to take us to Iraq if they had prior service in a war zone like Vietnam.

 

[Pilgrim]

If they dress like that, they have to be tough.

 

[Navy Moose]

Was Blitz in one of the photos?

 

[lupis42]

Don Rumsfeld was a Naval aviator who served on active duty, and in the reserves from 1954-1975. His strategy in Iraq may have been wrong, but you can't question the man's service record.

I don't question the man's service record, but he still used people's lives as political capital, and that means he joins the (very, very large) "waste of blood and organs" club.

 

[Monadnock]

Wonder what a Greek thinks of chaps and a stetson?

Hmmm ...a stetson has a wide brim to protect you from the sun, and offer a rain-gutter of sorts in wet weather. Chaps offer extra protection from contact with dirt, brush and livestock. They also tend to extend the useful lifespan of clothing underneath. Both obviously utilitarian pieces of work clothing.

Puff-balls attached to the toes of low-rise shoes; eyesight obstructing tassels on the beret of an armed guard ...and more tassels attached to leggings; pantaloons, and skirted coats; and to top it off, ancient US rifles

Okay, it's ceremonial ...Beefeater-style, but please, I think that most Greeks are looking at these guys and laughing inside.

I think that most Greeks think that a stetson and chaps are pretty damn cool.

 

[Walter Smitty]

www.greece-greece.info/tsolias

Evidently they are rather fond of them.

 

[Monadnock]

www.greece-greece.info/tsolias

Evidently they are rather fond of them.

I'm telling you ...they're laughing.

 

[vellnueve]

I don't question the man's service record, but he still used people's lives as political capital, and that means he joins the (very, very large) "waste of blood and organs" club.

Um, what?

 

[cekim]

I dunno which is worse?

 

[center442]

I admit that I find their uniforms a little 'different,' but since they gave us "Molon labe!" I'll cut them a lot of slack.

 

[william_munny]

I admit that I find their uniforms a little 'different,' but since they gave us "Molon labe!" I'll cut them a lot of slack.

+1 Ditto

Also, while those may look pretty funny to us, I'm sure a BG in Greece seeing that coming their way may be a little less amused.

 

[Jose]

I don't question the man's service record, but he still used people's lives as political capital, and that means he joins the (very, very large) "waste of blood and organs" club.

What an idiotic comment. Every politician who has ever been involved in waging war has done the same.

 

[theGringo]

Am I the only one who finds the Greek honor guard uniforms kind of comical? I'm sure there's a
long and proud history behind these outfits, but the fuzzy slippers are really something..

I'd rather be invaded by the Grand Duchy of Fenwick.

 

[glostamon]

Am I the only one who finds the Greek honor guard uniforms kind of comical? I'm sure there's a
long and proud history behind these outfits, but the fuzzy slippers are really something..

They appear to be the REAR guard.

 

[JonJ]

I'd rather be invaded by the Grand Duchy of Fenwick.

What a great old flick!

 

[Martlet]

There's certainly something to be said about mandatory service to your country. The chicken hawks like Rumsfield and Cheney might not have been so quick to take us to Iraq if they had prior service in a war zone like Vietnam.

Odd. I don't remember either of them having the power to send us to war.

 

[theGringo]

Odd. I don't remember either of them having the power to send us to war.

Details, details ...

 

[UFO]

Oh, this is such a juicy thread, where to begin?

1. Yes, the costume is silly, but the man wearing it is not. http://www.greece-greece.info/tsolias/

2. The Greeks defeated the Persians numerous times in antiquity and the Italians in WWII, proving again the valor and value of armies comprised of free men. Greece only fell when the German soldiers were sent in and even then, partisans carried on the fight for 4 years.

3. The history of US policy in the mid-east post 9/11 is yet to be written. It is entirely possible that the plan was to turn Iraq into a killing field to suck in a generation of jihadists and divert focus from attacks on American soil. Shhh, no one talks about this much...

4. The Pope's hat and the Evzone's shoes are equally comical...

 

[lupis42]

What an idiotic comment. Every politician who has ever been involved in waging war has done the same.

I did say it was a very large club.

 

[Bill Nance]

...Every swinging d*ck in that country is required to serve in the military in some way, shape, or form - once they hit 18. We may have better uniforms, but that's a better policy that we need to implement in this country.

There's certainly something to be said about mandatory service to your country. The chicken hawks like Rumsfield and Cheney might not have been so quick to take us to Iraq if they had prior service in a war zone like Vietnam.

Sorry guys, but conscription is a fancy word for slavery to the state.

Today's military is far far better at what they do as an all volunteer force than any army we've ever fielded. This is because they choose to be there, as opposed to being drafted to fight in a war they might not want any part of.

A republic who's citizens will not step up to defend it deserves to lose wars.

 

[Ray-500]

Hmmm ...a stetson has a wide brim to protect you from the sun, and offer a rain-gutter of sorts in wet weather. Chaps offer extra protection from contact with dirt, brush and livestock. They also tend to extend the useful lifespan of clothing underneath. Both obviously utilitarian pieces of work clothing.

Puff-balls attached to the toes of low-rise shoes; eyesight obstructing tassels on the beret of an armed guard ...and more tassels attached to leggings; pantaloons, and skirted coats; and to top it off, ancient US rifles

Okay, it's ceremonial ...Beefeater-style, but please, I think that most Greeks are looking at these guys and laughing inside.

I think that most Greeks think that a stetson and chaps are pretty damn cool.

Form vs. function. Everyday work-in-the-field garb and weapons have nothing to do with ceremonial pic ops. One is real life, the other is a photo op.

 

[Jose]

Nice kneeling position

Greeks in the foreground, French (Foreign Legion, I think) in the back

Hellenic Navy Commando

Another Hellenic Hottie

 

[weekendracer]

If they dress like that, they have to be tough.

Reminds me of a Johnny Cash song.......

 

[Ray-500]

Sorry guys, but conscription is a fancy word for slavery to the state.

Today's military is far far better at what they do as an all volunteer force than any army we've ever fielded. This is because they choose to be there, as opposed to being drafted to fight in a war they might not want any part of.

A republic who's citizens will not step up to defend it deserves to lose wars.

Not only lose wars.....lose all else. And I mean LOSE ALL ELSE.