Military Mascots (Real and Anthropomorphised) - a split thread
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I can't tell if you're Being sarcastic or not.
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I wonder if they make people with extras don the mascot outfit
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I'm surprised it's not a full blown trade yet.
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Thinking of a remuster?
;D
MM
;D
MM
Pusser
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A few things:
1) the best mascots are those that have a history. In a lot of cases the originals were animals befriended (e.g. Winnipeg the bear) while troops were on the their way or even while serving in war zones. Some original mascots were gifts (the first Batisse was a gift from Queen Elizabeth II (Van Doos' Colonel in Chief) and is descended from a goat given earlier to Queen Victoria). These mascots are true morale builders and units tend to get behind them.
2) Ships often had cats as mascots (some were stowaways - probably chasing rats on board) for both practical and morale reasons.
3) I don't have a lot of time for the artificially contrived mascots, especially if they're really just some poor sap in a heavy costume.
4) The correct term is Cock o' the Walk. Yes, that is how it is spelled and no, it's not vulgar. There is no need to write "****." In this case, "cock" is short for "cockerel," which is a rooster (a North American term). Originally, the "Cock o' the Walk" was the winner of a fleet competition, usually a regatta where ships' teams competed in various seamanship activities (boat pulling, flag hoists, etc.), but over time broadened in scope to include all kinds of competition. The term is actually self-explanatory - the winner has a right to be proud and can strut like a rooster with confidence.
1) the best mascots are those that have a history. In a lot of cases the originals were animals befriended (e.g. Winnipeg the bear) while troops were on the their way or even while serving in war zones. Some original mascots were gifts (the first Batisse was a gift from Queen Elizabeth II (Van Doos' Colonel in Chief) and is descended from a goat given earlier to Queen Victoria). These mascots are true morale builders and units tend to get behind them.
2) Ships often had cats as mascots (some were stowaways - probably chasing rats on board) for both practical and morale reasons.
3) I don't have a lot of time for the artificially contrived mascots, especially if they're really just some poor sap in a heavy costume.
4) The correct term is Cock o' the Walk. Yes, that is how it is spelled and no, it's not vulgar. There is no need to write "****." In this case, "cock" is short for "cockerel," which is a rooster (a North American term). Originally, the "Cock o' the Walk" was the winner of a fleet competition, usually a regatta where ships' teams competed in various seamanship activities (boat pulling, flag hoists, etc.), but over time broadened in scope to include all kinds of competition. The term is actually self-explanatory - the winner has a right to be proud and can strut like a rooster with confidence.
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During my one naval adventure, I sailed from Pearl Harbor to Esquimalt after a RIMPAC. I think there was a competition to see which ship would sail the most economically on the way back. Got me, I'm a soldier . . . Anyways, ALGONQUIN, which I was hitching a ride on, won, and the XO had the ship's carpenter, or whatever, make up a huge male chicken (are we allowed to say cock?) and it hung over the side as we sailed into Esquimalt harbour, as the Cock of the Walk. Interesting tradition . . .
J
jollyjacktar
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Pusser said:
I don't always agree with you, Pusser, but you're spot on. Especially # 3. Sonar, the mascot makes me gag.
Oldgateboatdriver
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I too agree with Pusser on this one.
As for his point number 4, I intentionally misspelled the first word in the name because, it is the software for this site that automatically puts the *** to fill the here unspeakable word with which there is nothing wrong. As these fora attract non-navy types, I wanted to let them be able to figure out exactly which word we were talking about, hence the "caulk" for the short form of cockerel.
As for his point number 4, I intentionally misspelled the first word in the name because, it is the software for this site that automatically puts the *** to fill the here unspeakable word with which there is nothing wrong. As these fora attract non-navy types, I wanted to let them be able to figure out exactly which word we were talking about, hence the "caulk" for the short form of cockerel.
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Oldgateboatdriver said:
That, the censoring bit, is your choice. You can go to your Profile, highlight Modify Profile, click on Look and Layout and then check (✓) Leave words uncensored and, voila, you will then see the text the originator entered.
Oldgateboatdriver
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I did not know that ERC. Thank you.
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Pusser said:
The adoption of cats as ratcatchers can be overdone and have follow-on effects. When we had a camp in Ismailia (UNEF 2), there had originally been a rodent problem, so the informal use of felines was tolerated (maybe even semi-officially encouraged) until such time as the number of cats as pets (and unofficial unit mascots) could no longer be ignored. Since there were no controls in place and nor any way to spay or neuter the animals already on the camp, it reached a tipping point when the feral cat population surpassed rats as a problem. The directive was issued that pets could no longer be kept and that any "unauthorized" cats found at large were subject to capture, seizure, and destruction. I specifically said "unauthorized" because two moggies were listed as authorized mascots. One was the "Commander's cat" (I believe it had originally been the property of the then current (or maybe a former) Contingent Commander or his wife - it was an accompanied tour for him) whose normal AO was the Officer's Mess. The other was "Squeaky", the SMO's cat.
I (like every other member of the Health Support Unit, save one or two) disliked Squeaky immensely. It wasn't because I hated cats as a species or even because Squeaky's demeanor made her unlikeable - the greatest objection we had to the cat was that the SMO (a female LCol with pilot wings, those of the era will know who) required us to feed and otherwise care for the animal. The care of that particular cat even extended on one occasion to requesting the other MO (a Maj who had been a veterinarian before going to human medical school) to see to her birth control. Since we were not established nor equipped to perform animal surgery (let alone major human surgery) our ex-vet initially tried concocting a BCP for the animal. During examination of the cat to determine if it was safe to administer the improvised pharmaceutical, it was discovered the cat was pregnant. She was allowed to keep only one of her litter.
The control of the feral cat population was delegated to the RPs (the D&S Pl - a mix of regular and reserve combat arms types). After a few incidents in which RPs used their SMGs to take down cats they found at large, a few, high quality, high-powered pellet pistols were bought in Germany for their cat patrols. It cut down on hearing gunfire at odd hours during the night.
The member of the HSU who hated Squeaky the most was a Sgt Med A (he wasn't particularly fond of the SMO either). He had been specifically told by the Sgt Maj to leave the cat alone, but on the evening before he repatted, he called the ward (I was on duty) and asked if Squeaky was in the hospital. I told him it was and he said he would be right over. I didn't have a good feeling. He arrived a several minutes later, having obviously well enjoyed his Masalaam (goodbye) party at the mess. With an exclamation of "there's the fucking cat", he pulled one of the RP's pellet pistols from under his shirt and starting firing. Luckily, he was not much of a marksman and the only victims of his shooting spree were a few lights and windows. Squeaky, however, did stay away from the hospital for a week or so.
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When I was in Croatia, I got my air pistol in to deal with the cats as well - they were getting into the garbage and to be honest, the rats there were bigger and fitter than the cats were for the most part. I'd sit up in my quarters at night with my Maglight, scan the dump until the little blue glow backs flared and fired. I had originally done it at a more terrestrial level, but almost got lit up by the roving patrol, despite me letting them know I was out on a walkabout. This all came about because a certain battalion that we relieved (from a base of amphibious ancestry) had taken all of the shotgun ammo (and pretty much anything else that wasn't nailed down) and we couldn't get any in for pest control.
MM
MM
OldSolduer
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djollyjacktar said:
This is what happens when you allow soft headed individuals to lead your organizations. Stupid ideas permeate at the highest levels and filter down.....
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Hamish Seggie said:
Not a mascot per se but back in the day we had the confederate flag and a version of yosemite sam
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medicineman said:
Gotta plan if I don't end up in the succession planning stream.
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Apologies for resurrecting a dormant thread but I noticed this in a Youtube video and it seem the appropriate thread.
https://youtu.be/GdZS4vnhIso?t=483 Note the soldier in the hi-vis vest; they could at least have given him an e-tool or gloves.
https://youtu.be/GdZS4vnhIso?t=483 Note the soldier in the hi-vis vest; they could at least have given him an e-tool or gloves.
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