51 years after separating from the Army I am still compulsively punctual. I get physically ill if I'm running late. My wife, by contrast, feels no compunction about being on time. In half a century of harmonious matrimony this is our one point of difference. I guess it could be worse.

I'm the same way. If you're early you're on time, if you're on time you're late, and if you're late why bother even showing up.

A nephew, her favorite, was getting married at 1500. Legal speed drive time from residence to ceremony site, 1 hour 50 minutes. Was ready to roll 2 hours ten minutes prior. 59 minutes prior we’re on the road, finally. Why can’t you drive faster? Why didn’t you get in the car faster? Showed up at the ceremony while they were saying the “I do’s”…. Best part was a niece, whose mother was a habitual late arrival telling my wife that” at least it wasn’t us for once”….

I remember a student who had come out of the forces, arriving at lecturers 10 mins early, and saying to me ' I couldn't understand why noone was on-time'......

I'm the same way if I'm running late I take personal responsibility and become very anxious about it. I don't demand anyone else beyond time but by God I'll be on time. The only way I'll not be on time is if I'm dead or in an ambulance!

My dad always asked me what's the worst thing that could happen and what do you plan now to do about it. Always stuck with me!

"I had rather be an hour early than a minute late." I recall vividly hearing my dad (WWII) say that. I never forgot it. I lived by it.

Same here!

My father, a WW2 vet, taught me that 15 minutes early was on time. I’m 70 years old and still live by that instruction.

@MickfromBrisbane you don't get it. It is a way of life.

People who arrive an hour early are just as rude as those arriving an hour late.

Problem is now you are punished for being early. Went to aquarium the other day and had to stand in line outside in freezing rain because I was early. If I arrived on time, no wait, just walk in

What an honor it would have been to have personally known him.

There is probably someone in your life right now that could give you that honor. Your job? FIND that person now. Don't let Hollywood find your heroes for you.

This TRUE leader should be awarded the MEDAL OF HONOR. I realize it would be posthumously; however, Major Winters definitely deserves to be recognized. The Statue of him, ordered by the French, is remarkable.

@C.S.R Guess they all did.

@Games4fun Having watched the DVD of The Crossroads episode countless times I believe he should have been awarded the Medal of Honour for this action. However he (by then 2Bn XO) wrote the report on that action. I would expect that he played down his own actions. Sink cited the whole platoon for galantry.

He's not a hero, but he served in a company of heroes.

At the end of the day, Winters knows what he did. His men know what he did, speaking of Brecourt. It does not matter whether its's a DSC of MOH. Getting hung up on that is absurd.

@Ed Lane It has nothing to do with legality.

I retired from the fire service after 30 years. We were told on our first day of training that we would be fired if we were late. Our training officer always said that "if you can't get here on time, then get here early". That always stuck with me and I was never late in 30 years. I haven't worn a watch since I retired. Lol

@Joseph Hewes I doubt many/any actual follow throughs would exist with firing someone cause of circumstances beyond your control, (the military can always assign you to Greenland Thule Air Base to pump out the sewage of planes passing through if nothing else) the idea isn't actually to punish anyone but to encourage determination to fulfill your responsibilities no matter what you have to do.

I did 23 years in the fire service, I got retired out early due to injuries sustained in the line of duty. One of the things I enjoy is watching how people change after we take off the badge. Some grow their hair out, some refuse to wear a watch, some use chemicals they couldn’t use while in uniform. Most of us push back in some way, exerting our individuality after a career of uniformity. Congratulations on your career and retirement. Anna G. Captain (ret.) Humboldt Bay Fire

How many million's of dollars worth of training did poor leaders waste by firing someone who was 10 minutes late? Paratrooper training ain't cheap.

“Early is on-time. On-time is late. Late is unacceptable.” I feel this. Every day. And if it doesn’t happen it bothers me at a level most people can’t understand. I get told to “calm down” a lot.

This old warrior is teaching lessons to the rest of us from the grave. We'd do well to listen.

Amen

I would give anything to sit with him and have a beer or coffee and just “listen” to him and pick his brain about the things he went thru and to gain the respect of the men he led , the men (boys) he lost , the sacrifices, then bonds, the guts, glory . What a man

That "Never depend on someone else to get you to muster/duty/meeting...." Was drilled into us. Also, "15 minutes early is on time, on time is late"....

As a former member of the military, it’s a cardinal sin to be late, it annoys me even today if I’m ever late, even if I’ve given myself at least an hour to get to where I’ve to be, it’s a learning for life, never be late, always be on time

So true. I actually feel embarrassed if I'm late, which is only due to lack of planning.

@Samuel Schick , it’s just natural to live your life that way after service, it’s now your way of life, as they say, “ old habits die hard”

I still live this way today and I've been out since 2002 , soldier for life.

Sam Defrond, "it’s a learning for life". You mean like hanging your shirts up the same way you did in the military? Folding your pants the same way, keeping shoes cleaned and shined? Still using military jargon, making your bed as soon as you get up? Yes, still doing it.

Always did my best to not be late. It wasn't until it was a rule in life that it was always effective. Social gatherings don't count - last to arrive and first to leave is ideal.

I had a very similar experience during my first year in the army. I was a brand new private, and my company was at a training area about 8 miles from where the company HQ was. I was told a 5 ton would pick me up from the HQ, where I was doing my paperwork, and take me to the field area where my platoon was training. The 5 ton was late and the supply sgt told me to go home since they already ran chow out to the field and we're not going back for the day. I went back to my barracks room like I was told and fell asleep. The next day I was at HQ first thing in the morning ready to go. I got into the 5 ton the supply sgt was using to run chow, and was off to my platoon. When I arrived my platoon sgt immediately came at me yelling at the top of his lungs. " Where the hell were you pvt?" I responded that I stayed in the rear because the supply NCO, told me he wasn't going back out yesterday when I finished all my paperwork. He responded with " how far is HQ from here?" I said "about 8 miles sgt." He looked me straight in the eyes and said " next time I tell you to be somewhere you do it." "If you have to walk here then do it, but I don't want to hear any damn excuses soldier." I will always remember that lesson, and I responded with " Roger that sgt" and was never late again.

Such a incredible man! RIP sir! And thank you for your service!

I could listen to Winters all day. In fact, I will.

The man is a common sense encyclopedia.

How can you not love and admire this guy?

A truly special human being. I would’ve really loved to meet him and shake his hand.

Unfortunately, Dick Winters passed away about 10 yrs ago.

In a late stage of my life I finally went to Europe for the first time. Got a trip paid for to Lisbon and I knew I had to make time to hit Normandy. What an experience. Had a very interesting time in St Marie du Mont and especially Brecourt Manor. Visited briefly with the daughter of Michel de Villevielle (hope I spelled it right). Snuck into the field. The spot where her dad was shot (rumor has it that it was Spiers) was 25 yards from her frickin’ front door!

The scene that sticks with me of Col. Sink is at the Battle of the Bulge. Winters and all of his Company are out there freezing their asses off. No proper winter clothing. Couldn't light a fire because the Germans would see the smoke and zone in on them. Col. Sink shows up to give orders wearing all his winter gear including a jacket with a fur lined collar. Big shots always have and the little guy does without. I'm sure that scene was filmed that way to make a point.

My husband is an Army veteran serving over 24 years including DESERT STORM. He rarely, and I mean rarely, wears a watch. Yet still has a penchant for "move it on time".

God raised up a generation of men to fight in WW2 and keep us free. These men were heroes. Humble, but fierce.

My father was ex military, been on time was his promptness. He said to myself and older siblings when we were young, still living at home "Never be late to work, they (Bosses), will always remember that, but, forget the times you are early"

What a privilege it must have been to sit and talk to this man.

What a legend this man is

I heard another WW2 vet talking about habits that they never lost, "...being 'on time' is important to us."

I’ve worked with some retired military personnel. They all work to a “5 minutes early is 5 minutes late” ethos. At first it was disturbing, but now I do it just out of habit after being around them.

As an Army retiree, This story rings true. You are personally responsible, no excuses.

@Joseph Hewes I suspect they made the Jeep late on purpose. I've heard top brass even back then pulled crap like that just to have an excuse to power trip.

U sir have never been a combat leader…. Additionally, the Army is no longer about personal responsibility or being held to that standard… thus why there are sooooo many disciplinary issues and personal misconduct problems plaguing the current Army complex.

It's poor leadership. Seeing things in such black and white terms, and forcing that on others, is poor leadership.

One of my friends was a First Sergeant in the Army. He always said, "It's better to be an hour early than a minute late!" Sound advice.

As a conscript in the Swedish Army in the 80’s I learned what hurry up and wait meant. That and to learn to sleep anywhere and anytime, because you never knew when you got a full night rest.

Yea that way you can wait 3 hours for leadership to show up

Much respect for these Great Men!!!

I'm retired military and I've been out of the military 27 years. I HATE being late! Better to be an hour early than one minute late! If I know that I'm going to be late my stomach will begin physically hurting. A good NCO is never late!

@Sjanten you're a bit of a numpty aren't you, never implied a 15 minute lead time, the a bit I missed out that we also said, always be 5 minutes before a place of parade. Salaries aren't paid on a by the hour basis. Some meeting are during the work day, who would have thought. And hey, good employers that expect employees to be at places on time and not late may actually also give flexibility when timings aren't important, like getting away early to see the kids play sport, pick them up from school etc. Heard of the term swings and round-a-bouts? It where the work place agrees on what important for all. What important to me is, my staff are on time (5 minutes early if no notice given not to be) and I'll work in with them to make sure they get to family or personal things when ever possible. If that's not you have in your current job, look for somewhere else to work.

@Dave Hutchinson It's also Good Manners and demonstrates Respect for Others.

I can understand that .. although many of my friends don't. 71 Summers under the Belt and I still live by that Creed. I don't wear a watch at home .. its full of wall clocks 😁.The only time I wear a watch is when I'm going out AND need to be somewhere before a certain time.

Our unit sating was "if you're on time you're late". My kids say that today, and staff I have managed and lead, knew to be early never "on time".

“Early is on time…on time is late!” It never fails you.

i find it amazing with the popularity of BoB that this interview series seems to still be the best kept secret of the genre. only 1k likes?

This isnt so much an issue about punctuality as it is of personal responsibility. Take responsibility for your actions- especially on the Officer side of the house. I learned to say "No excuses sir" and that was all that needed to be said.

Time was one of the hardest things to adjust back to in civilian life.I found out that many people didn't have an ounce of punctuality in the civilian world.It would drive me nuts having to wait for people.

Mr. Dick Winters, you amaze me and remind me of my father. One tough guy who learned during WWII to meet to work at hand and accomplish it without whining or excuses. My dad in the air over the pacific and you on the ground in Europe.

I don't think he heard you, on account of being dead. We'll give him a pass....this time.

When I was in high school, I had a retired Air Force Colonel (WWII, Korea, Viet Nam) as a math teacher. Col. Ritchie. He'd say the exact same thing, "No excuse for being late." "What if I had a flat tire?" "Leave early enough to change a flat."

What a great man.

I retired from the fire service after 30 years. We were told on our first day of training that we would be fired if we were late. Our training officer always said that "if you can't get here on time, then get here early". That always stuck with me and I was never late in 30 years. I haven't worn a watch since I retired. Lol

I remember getting extra duty for being on time, as it was expected of us to be on scene twenty minutes earlier. BTW, whenever we had a parade, the junior officers would show up at the posted time, the senior officers a few minutes later and the CO about ten minutes after the parade was supposed to start.

My Father was in the Marines for 20 years and it was the same way. If you were supposed to be somewhere at a certain time - it was up to YOU to _make certain_ that you were there. The way my Father did that - was he left an hour early for any and every appointment he ever had - that way - if something went wrong he would have some spare time to make it up. This of course resulted in our sitting around in waiting rooms for 30-45 minutes on occasion and developed in me a deep hatred of that - but - it was right to be that way in the military. I hate that so much - that I am usually late because I just cannot make myself leave early enough to make _sure_ I'm on time. If you are supposed to be somewhere in the military at a certain time - and you aren't there - people might die and the mission might fail. The other thing about everyone showing up early - was it gave the people running things the knowledge that - everyone WAS there and they didn't need to go looking for anyone. Something that happened time and time again was that there was an artillery and/or air strike that was supposed to take place just before the infantry attacked - and when the time came - it wasn't there. The infantry were then in a quandary as to what they should do. Should they wait for the guys who were late - or should they go ahead on time? One of the problems with going ahead on time - was that sometimes when the artillery or air finally showed up - friendly troops were in the zone where the shells were landing. Some times the Infantry would wait like an hour - before they gave up then launched their attack - and sure enough - just as they got to the point where the explosives were supposed to land - here they came right on top of our guys. The thing was - sometimes they NEVER showed up. Air was notoriously unreliable. One reason being the weather. So - in the military - being on time is of deadly importance. Today - communications are a lot better and if there is a disruption to the time schedule people might be able to adjust but it's no guarantee. .

Absolutely love these, thank you.

Someone start a petition to get a medal named after this man.

i was told many times when i was younger " If you're on time then you're already late", stuck with me my entire life.

They were badasses cause my dad was in WWII patton's third army 87th infantry division, the greatest generation, I try to live up to his morals and values, they are the greatest,

They were simply A generation, not the greatest.🙄🤦‍♂️

After 22 years of service, I am still showing up "on time" to meetings in my civilian job. I regularly show up to a meeting 15-20 minutes before the specified time of the meeting. It is a habit I cannot put down. In some cases, I force myself to sit in my cube because people find it odd I am standing in the hallway for 15 minutes waiting for a meeting room to empty. I have been told that people wonder if I do not have enough to do and so I have time to wait for meetings. Of course, that is their perception and misguided interpretation. I have PLENTY to do! I learned a long time ago that everything involves deliberate and disciplined time management. It is hard to do time management well, but when you do, everything else just seems easier to deal with.

In the civilian world, you are just wasting company time being that early.

If you aren't 10-15 minutes early, you're late! Many folks that aren't vets have trouble with this.

Maj. Winters' and his regiment's fixed mindset in war had to be stricter than peacetime. It was about self-reliance, in his regiment. Each man in that elite fighting unit was supposed to be personally responsible and left with their own devices. Their disciplinary regime brooked no excuses because otherwise their ethos and discipline would fall apart. Ethos means character, credibility and reliability, when nobody's looking.

This interview with Winters is great.

The story he tells about the jeep being late is classic. I seen this done on purpose to test a persons problem solving skills.

@nofrackingzoneWhich goes to show how useless a test it was considering we’re talking about Major Dick Winters

@nofrackingzone yep I agree. I’ve done that a couple of times and I’m not in the military. If I had a ride scheduled or someone to come get me and they weren’t there at the scheduled time, I take off on my own to set destination.

@GabrielFranco When the jeep didn’t show up on time he should have stated hiking. He was young, fit, and used to long forced marches. It’s was something the military used to pull to test a young office’s problem solving abilities. Thinking outside of the box. Apparently he failed the test.

I was thinking the same thing. The moment the jeep wasn’t there at the scheduled time for pick up, I would have taken the train or start running.

Thank you Sir, you are a man among men.

Is there a posting of the whole Interview in one piece..? This should definitely be included in the BoB disc set.

@Peter Barach True, I have the metal one.

@Townsend there have been several boxed sets to date, one being a metal box and another being a plastic-boxed set.

There aint no boxed set yet

maybe thats how - when he and his fellow troops landed in Normandy - they walked all the distances just in time for navy landing. Incredible.

I love that he took the rest of his life off from being on the clock after that.

I can vouch for that, in the Army, you made sure you were early.. being late is what gets someone killed, we lived by that standard. After the service, I tried wearing a watch like I did in the Army, but I just couldn't do it anymore..

As his men ("friends" as he called them) said about Gen. Lee: "I'd charge hell with a bucket of water for that man." That's the way I feel about Major Winters and those men like him.

Huh....I did the same thing after I got out of the Navy, going to university about a year or so after, sitting outside the bookstore, August 90, hot as usual, Gainesville, looked down at my Casio G-shock that I had on me - looked at it, took it off and put into my back pack with my books. It just hit me, that I did not need to do that anymore, not like that....Man, all I ever did when at sea was look at that watch, or in port, look at that watch, was just drilled into you about time. Won't wear one now, have not worn a watch since..that was over 30 years ago now...

Carl Hacker, The capt of my first ship was a real prick to say the least. When deployed he loved to run GQ drills which we understood the need for. But this guy loved to torture the crew. Once GQ sounded at say 0830 and everyone was at stations he would throw the whole ship into lock down, all hatches closed and dogged, no movement through the ship without his permission, all ventilation closed off. The thing was he would keep the ship locked down like that for 6,7,8 hours. Just sit in the passageway sweating. No damage/fire drills, nothing. If you were in a passageway that did not have a head you held it the entire time. Mean while the old man is up on the bridge with the cool air flowing through. You look at your watch a lot during that time. My GQ was on second deck that had a hatch to the weather deck. We would have to pop that hatch open hoping no one seen it just to get more breathing air in our passageway. That guy was such a prick he never dared to walk the weather decks when at sea. Fantail watch would have seen nothing if he floated past.

Kinda the same thing. I WILL NOT stand in line to eat. Won't do it!

Havent worn a watch since 83 went i got out. My clocks in the house are set 15 min early. Never late lol.

30 year Navy retired. It was in year 22 that I quit wearing a watch. However, I did it knowing that clocks are literally everywhere. On your monitor, on your phone, on signs in the airport. Not looking at it all the time is much better, and time is always around when you need it. So that makes 11 years with no watch. and I'm still on time.

I retired after 30 active duty and NG time. I am 63 and have just begun the practice of "nonwatch." I still catch myself looking down at my wrist.

To this day, if I'm on time I'm late. Folks who've not been in the military don't understand.

One more reason this truly was America's Greatest Generation.

My dad was Korean War vet and taught us growing up, "if you're on time, you're already late."

My roommate broke my alarm clock and didn't tell me. This caused my to be late to formation for the second time in a week (first time was a stomach issue). My punishment was "corrective training": I had to be 15 mins early to every formation for 2 weeks (4 or 5 formations per day). To this day, I am early to every appointment.

You're supposed to be at the formation area 15 minutes prior anyway.

As am I,

I've heard it said by a person, whose partner was in the service, summarise military punctuality like this: "Early is on time, on time is late, and late is dead."

I remember a NCO School with 4th Infantry. The first briefing told us to turn in our alarm clocks to the main office. As we all looked at each other, someone asked the dumb question. The School Comandant said all you need is your stripes. Those same stripes will wake you up everyday. If they fail, so do you.

I know the second world War and the great depression was a terrible time, but that whole time period is really fascinating.

I think Major Winters would have made a great President.

Way too good of a man to be a President.

@thelastpatriot Your YouTube name sucks too. I cannot 🙄🙄🙄 hard enough.

Oh shut up. Jesus.🙄🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️👎

Then you don’t understand what a President is. He’s not a leader. He’s a salesmen, a lighting rod, and a babysitter who does whatever his advisors tell him.

Probably came down to him being a good enough man that he didn’t want to do it.

All the years i was a cop, i would get to the station 20-25 min early so i had plenty of time to suit up, load my car, etc, and i usually logged on 5 min before my start time. Working mostly nights, starting at 2000, i wasn't relieving anyone, but the swing shift guy (1600-0200) would usually wait till the graveyard guy logged on to go eat, and i didn't want to hold him up. When we worked 12's, which was often (and for months at a time), it was 1800-0600, and u were relieving somebody. Even more important to be punctual so the guy going off could see u were there and start getting ready himself so he could get home.

This is what a true American Hero looks like.

Interesting to learn that Maj. Winters was fed up with Army punctuality and never wore a watch when he returned to civilian life. Apparently old professional habits die easy for some.

Where are such men today? I am so sorry for what we've allowed to become of this nation. I'm ashamed just listening to this man. This country needs a purging.

The point Cink was making is that no obstacle to military success when it needs to occur.

It's interesting to note that being punctual is something taken for granted in many countries around the world, but not in the US for some reason. And I am referring to civilian life. I've lived in Japan and Germany where if the bus or train schedule states it is to be there at a stop or station at 1:05, it will be there at 1:05 on the dot. Whereas in the US, the bus, train, and plane schedules are more of a "suggestion". Fashionably late seems to be cultural trait in English speaking countries.

Glad he see he didn’t let that mentality of living by a clock time is the only way to live, and he refused to let that govern his life! Shows he is even wiser. There is a time and place for being punctual.

@Lucian Prescott I was done for disobeying an order I did not receive. It was written down in the Hand Over Log on a Guard Post, I failed to read it, because I was first to stand post outside, so my fault. Seven days extra duties. No point in trying to explain.

There's a time for being punctual?

Totally agree. I believe in punctuality however, often times it is carried way too far. When I was in the USMC a sergeant was late for a normal formation because he was involved in an accident. He was given an article 15 for being late and was fined and received extra duties. The problem with many people (military or civilian) they believe no excuse is permitted. Well, I got news for you, life doesn't always cooperate.

I got so fed up with being told to get my sideburns up that the day I left the Army I started growing a beard, I've had it ever since, over 40 years.

In mylife I met a lot of guys who don´t tolerate excuses... But allways have excuses for their own fails!!!

Had a boss like that. When something would go wrong, usually because of a poor decision on their part, they would spend more time trying to decide whom to blame than it would take to just fix it. Somebody had to be thrown under the bus, and it wasn't going to be them!

They werent good leaders then.

We do this in schools now. It’s called zero tolerance and it’s demonstrably bad. You don’t encourage initiative or risk taking by punishing people for things outside of their control. Would you rather have your officer waste an hour before each meeting walking down a road in case the Jeep doesn’t show up on time or have him use his time wisely and efficiently and deal with him being late when reasonably unavoidable. If I’m discussing a critical matter for an upcoming operation or exercise, my O6 would rather me be a little late to my meeting with him than not resolve the issue when I had the chance. I am a big fan of punctually, I grew up in Germany where punctuality is a religion, but I would much rather have my folks use good judgment and not worry so much that I’m going to beat them up for something trivial that they become robots to my demands without common sense.

In this case taking the initiative would have been finding another way to get there instead of sitting around and waiting on someone else to do that for you. You expect everyone to wait on you because you don’t want to walk or hitch a ride?

Somebody has to determine if the 'reason/excuse' for being late was acceptable or not. That takes good judgment. The military is based on the idea that 'you' are not the point. The mission is. This has to be driven into us since we are not naturally programmed that way. There is a fine line between the reason/excuse for being late is the former (reason) or the latter (excuse)

Thankyou! Couldn't agree more. This is just bullshit futile any nonsense that people wrongly think is a positive thing. Ignoring circumstances and preventing people from being intelligent or pragmatic

@helpdeskjnp Speaking as a bit of "clock-nazi" myself, I would tend to agree. While I've no military experience to speak of, I have worked in a number of workplaces that had "zero-tolerance" policies about attendance, such that even circumstances beyond the control of the employee, could draw a write-up. Systems that seem unfair to the participants, will tend degrade moral. It will tend increase turnover, as people get fed up, and search for greener pastures. And you'll lose otherwise valuable talent as a result. In fact, I've never encountered a zero-tolerance policy over any non-safety related issue, that ever made sense.

@Tom Butler Finally someone in here with an ounce of common sense and not a clock-nazi! Thank you! You are probably the kind of leader and person Capt Winters was! Worshiping a clock makes you miss the big picture, called “Life”. That’s probably the reason for road rage, heart attacks, stress, family/child abuse, prick bosses, mass shootings and all sorts of negative stuff in our society! Everybody trying to get somewhere before a machine with numbers on it tells them they got there bad.

Funny, this holds true in some units. When I was with 2-116th you did not miss LD, being late was a cardinal sin. When I retired from the Army, I too. quit wearing a watch. lol

Vince Lombardi used to tell his players that the bus left at 8:00. If you weren’t there by 7:45, the bus left without you. To this day, the big clock on Lambeau Field is still set to “Lombardi time” and is about 15 minutes early.

I was scolded once for being 15 minutes early for a job interview. I replied that I felt punctuality was a positive attribute. Apparently this person didn't see it that way. BTW, it was a government job. Later I was told I got the job. I thought about it and turned it down. My only regret was losing that pension plan.

@D Gray funny, people have different interpretation on how one can be "on time" some say being punctual is on time not a minute more or less, some say if you're on time you're 10 minutes late.

@Field Marshal Observant Depends on how demanding the job is. Being 15 min early is early not punctual. Punctual is being there a min prior. Not 15. If you are targetting terrorists at their hideout 15 min early could mean you catch nothing. 15 min late neither. Being on time is being on time not 15 min early.

Who the fuck gets angry when one is punctual? 🤣

I'm a salesman myself and several years ago an old distinguished sales gentleman taught me. The only proper explanation for being too late is, you left too late.

My dad was in the Army from 1968 - 1987, and I can remember at a little kid my Dad shaming me for being late to basketball practice and telling me not to miss school because I was sick.

@M W I completely understand his feelings on that. It takes a toll on family life. I did 25 years myself in the Air Force. I was going for 30 but my kids were starting high school and I didn’t want to uproot them again so I retired. I missed the people and job but not the nonsense. Your dad also served during a really bad time after Vietnam, moral and BS were terrible. Reagan pumped a lot of money and such into them, but the BS was still running rampant. I lost my dad in 2020 to colon cancer. He was an Army veteran as well. He volunteered in 66 so he could choose his MOS, electrical engineer, but after training him for six months they put him in supply. They said we promise your MOS and training but not that you’ll actually do that as your primary job. He did his four and got out. Glad to hear he was able to retire and your mom is doing well because of his hard work. Also sorry for losing him, I know how tough that is. Thanks for sharing man.

He had a good pension from SSA and my mother lives very comfortable due to his sacrifices. RIP GLW 1945-2109

@Blaydeesy I think it was 1986 or 1987. I haven't looked at his dd214 in a while. He liked parts of the Army. But as a draftee who stayed around he got tired of the peacetime army bullshit. By 1987 he had two kids and a young wife, and he was tired of missing our games and first steps. My pops was drafted out of law school, so he had hopes of restarting law school, but too much time had passed, and he would have started all over again. He was able to get a good job at the SSA where he retired in 2006. I lost him to brain cancer in 2019. These videos always remind me of him and my mother's father.

Please tell me he retired and just didn’t get out at 19 years. 😬.

My fire department had a policy that was enforced: late twice in a year, you were fired! The new chief altered it a bit: any rank, if you were late twice in a year you were demoted. When you had no rank left, you were fired. Yes, we did fire good people. Late was late. We got to work in time. When I was in charge of battalion staffing, which turned into three all hazards battalions, all by my lonesome, if a firefightrer or firefighter-paramedic could get a message to me in any way, I would out them in emergency annual leave. It saved several jobs! Oddly, the late policy did not apply not apply to office, training, fire marshal personnel, or chief ranked officers. Only emergency response division personnel, captains on down to the lowest of the rookies, no matter the years of unblemished service. We were and still are considered to be the best disciplined, toughest, roughest and most professional fire and rescue department in the region. As "tiny" as we are, we 900 are the best you can be. Will be. Side note: my brother was in the 101st in Vietnam. Even some of our senior engineers in the department (one was in the parachute jump into Vietnam!).

@billybob01234567 there were a lot of stupid rules. Then they hired me. Life was not good for them anymore. My existence was to question authority and then to confront it. Just like dear old dad.

What a stupid rule

The problem is waiting for everyone to show up for a meeting or not arriving in-time for a battle is important. If you are late for a meeting you are waisting others' time. Would you want an airplane pilot to arrve late for your flight? No excuses.

If he was talking about his dog for ten minutes I'd listen to the whole thing lol.

Col.Sink failed in dealing with Sobel in a timely manner. He let him get away with much for too long.

One could argue that his harsh leadership made them the men we remember.

The thing about Sobel is that, while he was a bastard and would have been a disaster as a combat leader, his training forged them into the elite unit that they became. Without Sobel there might not be the Easy Company we know today.

Sobel for all his faults, regardless of how likeable he was, made a fantastic training officer. Not a front line leader though.

@TheLawlington Sorry. I lost the thread there. I agree with you about Sink. He couldn't just get rid of Sobel until the NCO's made it plain they had no faith in his ability to be a combat leader. Being a jerk doesn't necessarily make you a bad leader.

@Kenneth Dawson I'm talking about Sink, not Sobel.

eight years In the Marines I'm the same way .

I work with a lot of ex-law enforcement. They are to a person 20-30 minutes early when we have in person meetings and consider you late if you show up just prior to the meeting. Took me a few to get used to that and then I adapted it as well.

20-30 minutes? in the army we call that self cock

15 mins early is on time,30 mins early is on time,10 mins early is late.

The only thing worse than being late is arriving too early. "I can help you set up" "No... no, you can't. Please go away."

As a vet, the thought of being late makes me paranoid. I cant stand people who do not respect being punctual.

I just came up with this but it’s rather pertinent… “ don’t let your country be waiting on you.” I think that rather sums up what he’s trying to say.

Ps AATW

while in the Marines i lived by the watch and i was the guy that barked at others about being on time. after the Marines, i also have never worn a watch. i'll get there when i get there.

As an NCO this sounds like the kinda shit we deal with at our level. That Jeep driver probly hadn't slept in days, the order probly never made it down thru admin, mechanical problems always happen. It's your fault and nobodey's fault all at the same time. Absolutely frustrating.

My son would agree!

I've only ever watched the mini series and just from that Sink seemed like a jerk. Now there's a kernel of truth to it.

We will never see a generation of these men again..they lived and fought for a cause..as the saying goes, "tough times create great men"......

The problem I have with Sink, and especially the way Winters explained that example, is a man like Sink is only setting his men up for eventual failure. Whether small or large. He gives them objectives, but no means to complete them. "Just get it done." Is as good as saying, "Charge that hill chalk full of fully auto-machine guns, flame throwers, and zealots manning them, and then giving your men no weapons to get the job done." I understand, from his perspective and likely others, that he was trying to instill responsibility. However, responsibility does not lie solely in one man. It is the proverbial 'two-way street'. The military is a team-based organization. Without the men around you pulling their weight, things will fall apart. So a man like Sink flat-out ignoring, in this instance, the jeep-drivers own lack of responsible time management, and shifting all the blame onto Winters, is laughable and irresponsible. It shows an unnecessarily hard-nosed attitude that accomplishes nothing. A man like Winters would likely never have bad-mouth anyone, but I can be certain he and others resented the kind of approach Sink took. Chiefly, because no one likes seeing other, irresponsible, individuals get away with being lazy or doing a poor job, etc and then getting stuck with the blame. The US military in WWII had so many issues and men like Sink were part of the problem.

@alan how on earth do you know that he didn’t? But also, if he’s trying to force his officers to always take initiative, then I get it. In combat, shit goes wrong. Isn’t your fault. But you have to live with and adapt to it. What Sink heard was “I had a plan to get here on time that had a single point of failure based on an unknown soldier’s performance. I didn’t have a backup plan and I didn’t leave enough time to improvise one”. Like I said, I understand why it seems shitty. But I also understand what Sink is going for.

@Adam Rutland Well perhaps Sink then investigated from his end and then also started shit canning who ever disobeyed orders to provide a jeep for Winters at a specified time etc etc. Nope thought not, so responsibility without control over circumstance and tough shit for Winters etc. DarkAshenfall nails it better than I could.

I agree there is a downside to his approach. However, he is trying to create an attitude of personal responsibility: don’t just wait for something to happen, go make it happen. Arguable, the Germans perfected this and gained significant advantage because of it. But you’re right, it def does have drawbacks.

As my senior NCO would say to me "Be at the proper place, before time and in the proper uniform, and the rest of the day is gravy", my wife doesn't get it 😑

Extreme punctuality and exacting details are things people have difficulty with while adapting to military life. It is the inverse of that when one returns to the civilian world and must re-adapt to kinder and gentler conditions.

Back when people lived up to their obligations/

@RecklessFables Touché... Agreed. I guess vets be like that sometimes. 'Specially so soon after losing a few of the youngest ones...

@Daddy Six While I enjoy a quality insult as much as anyone, I'll agreed with td811 that you might have misrepresented my point :)

@td811 Agreed... Touché

@Daddy Six you just said what he said. He said that this kind of attitude makes sense primarily because these men were going to be in combat. Objectives have to be accomplished and on time. In the civilian world there isn’t really anything that requires that extreme keeping to a deadline especially if the deadline is unreasonable or things happened outside of your control to prevent you from keeping to it exactly.

@RecklessFables Obviously, you've never had to depend on others, or some one else to as extreme an extent as having your life at stake. The flip-side being that someone else's life depended on you being at a rendezvous/link-up point on time in order to counter "bad actors". "Bad actors" who aren't so stupid that they don't understand the same need to be where plans dictate. If you've never actually been deployed to a combat theater of operations, with a DD-214 to prove it, your vocal chords are pretty much in your lower colon when you try to discuss combat-related matters on YouTube, or anywhere else.

I guess when it comes to war, your team mates rely on you to be at a certain place at a certain time otherwise people will die as a result.

AWESOME ❤

It’s a service thing...Australian Navy: If you’re not ten minutes early then consider yourself late.

I spent lots of time looking at dead Admirals outside of the Captain's sea cabin in the US Navy. Always 10 minutes early to the meeting.

I was never in the service. But I always made it a point to show up at work before my boss. Beat the boss to work.

I've only been late one time in my life when the engine in my car broke it's camshaft. The last watch I wore broke a month before I retired. I never replaced it

I've always been a responsible person when it came to punctuality. I'm the type of person who if I have an appointment in a place I've never been before I'll show up early to make sure I know where to go. In my entire career I was only ever late thrice, all due to weather and the buses shutting down abruptly. Each time my Supervisors didn't even bat an eye at me, because of the reputation I'd built as being on time all those other days.

When I was in the navy they always said on time is late!

The wristwatch shocked me because I did the same exact thing when I got out of the military. I took it off and 30 years later I still don't have a watch. I was so sick of watching time.