Anyone who's served in the US military, and many veterans of other armed forces, know of the so-called "E-4 Mafia": service personnel on the cusp between enlisted and NCO status, knowing enough to be useful and dangerous at the same time, and usually possessed of a certain self-confidence that is not matched by their competence. There have been many articles and stories about them, including (but not limited to):
The Real Army Mob: The E-4 Mafia
E4 Mafia: The Real Dons of the American Military
The E4 Mafia is a real damn thing
7 unofficial rules the E4 Mafia lives by
Now, according to Task & Purpose, there's even an "official" E-4 Mafia sleeve badge for the Navy!
Behind every great warship is a junior sailor with a mustache, a beanie that may or may not get him yelled at depending on the weather or the hour, and a belligerent streak that toes the line between humor and masochism.
We give you the E-4, the everyman of the U.S. military. In this case, he is an operations specialist aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln proudly, nay, fearlessly standing watch with a vibrant patch on the right sleeve of his jacket that practically screams “Take a look, f*****.”
There's more at the link.
I, of course, being young, sweet, innocent and pure as the driven slush, was never a member of the E-4 Mafia or anything resembling it. On the other hand, there are certain incidents in my earlier days in the military that might resemble things of which the E-4 Mafia would perhaps approve . . . but they weren't there, there were no witnesses (at least, none of higher rank than me) and the statute of limitations has expired!
Peter
15 comments:
Most important thing, Don't get caught!
OS - Operation Specialists were known as "O Shits" by the people that had to repair the gear they just f-ed up.
Not to be confused with EWs (Electronic Warware) also known as "Ewwwwww", the sound you make when you realized you just stepped in dog poop.
ROs were pretty cool, usually.
As we'd say in the UK Army, "He's cruising for a bruising". Or, "Poketh not the bear".
Phil B
Fat Electrician also did a video on them.
https://youtu.be/SEgh-w4FIFc?si=8Pf-OXSZzNpv7hy5
As a former NCO I am required to say "There is no such thing as the E-4 Mafia" :-)
back in the day, there where 60 day hand receipts for a lot of stuff. turned in a M-60 with a cracked frame to depot. got the paperwork and signed out a new gun for the unit. anyway, the Germans workers at depot fixed it (?) welded up the crack, new heat treat and rebuilt the gun like NEW. they called and said come get your M-60 as it done. I go "what gun?"
so, I sign out a jeep from the motor pool (late 1970's) and drive over, and sign for a rebuilt machine gun. M-60 on a 3 page hand receipt
yeah, they hold them for 60 days back then.
while I figure out where in the hell am I going to hide this gun. ( I had 4 months left before ETS) ended up under a big ass desk we had in the arms room. as I couldn't get a old console tv to hide in my household goods to ship home. I often wonder what ever happen to it over the years. they closed the base years ago,
so I guessing some one shit themselves when they moved that damn big old desk.
really wanted to bring that home too. as according to the US army, it was destroyed
but the Germans did wonders with it, it was like new again and they did it in less than 2 months too. BTW, they gave me 2 copies of the 3 of that hand receipt too,,,,
the funny part of all of this was they put me in the arms room for my last year in service.
they didn't want the "new guys" learning anything from me and my ways. anyway, paperwork was easy and after I figured it out , manage to get a outstanding from the IG inspection that year. a couple of 4 day passes from the CO and Top. the only arms room on the base to get that award. anyway, it may be a good thing I DIDN'T bring that home as my dad would have shit fit. and I don't think I would have liked prison much if I had gotten caught with it. still, it would have been a nice gun to have. did managed to shoot it once before I left though. it worked like it should. those German gunsmiths/machinists knew their stuff !
i served in the mid 80s and don't recall ever hearing that term...
While I went thru the required interval as an E-4 before making E-5, I never heard of the E-4 Mafia. Really. For true! And we never got caught anyway, so it didn't happen.
Either the Fat Electrician or Habitual Line-Crosser on U-Tube has an E-4 Mafia tee-shirt, on sale. Just sayin'...
It has been nearly 60 years now but the rumor was every new 2nd LT got "the talk". His efficiency reports could easily be sabotaged. The smart ones got the message. Others? Ended up Assistant Post Commander.
I can neither confirm nor deny the existence of such a thing in my time in the Navy.
Hey Peter,
The German "Weaponsmiths" were a holdover from WWII, they were called the "Polish Guards", that is what we called them when I picked up M16 and other stuff, I ran my unit arms room among many other stuff, and they were dang good. I was a "Professional Specialist", lol couldn't get promoted because my promotion points were 998(unobtainium in my MOS) this was the mid/late 80's).
'E-4 Mafia'???
In the 80s and 90s the correct term was...
...'Command Spec 4s'.
Not us. We weren't ever there. And you can't prove shit.
But that patch is magnificent. :)
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