We took them off and carried them once we left the quad (C/O 2007, so 2003). At some level, we have to accept and understand that being in the Corps isn't always about being professional, but about tradition. If you wanted an all-professional, all-the-time Corps, the Academies are your best bet.

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If you wanted an all-professional, all-the-time Corps, the Academies are your best bet.

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As someone who was a professor at the US Military Academy in West Point, NY, I must object to this. The military academy cadets also do silly things that serve no outward purpose.

I'm not sure how wearing fish spurs is humiliating. Silly? Maybe, but nobody is going to wind up at combat stress because of it.

Didn't know where you got "combat stress" from.

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serves no purpose other than to humiliate the fish.

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I disagree.

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Care to explain why?

http://www.thebatt.com/news/view.php/848632/Fish-Spurs-Then-amp-Now

I can see where the OP is coming from, but I disagree. I will say that I think having fish dresss up with underwear outside their Corps sweats and a towel as a cape running around campus looking for Battalions and humming the batman theme song is stupid and I wish that would stop. In my opinion, that is humiliating and just gives non-regs something to laugh at.

Fish spurs on the other hand, I don't really see that as humiliating. I see no problem in wearing them around campus. In fact, when I was a fish, I used to try and make as much noise with them as possible. I don't know what it's like looking at them from a non-reg's perspective, but I would think they'd be more confused, or even annoyed, by it than entertained.

But I will agree that upperclassmen often do a lot of things that provide entertainment for people off the quad that they shouldn't do. It's like having a younger sibling - you can pick on them all you want, but if someone else picks on them, you step in and protect them. It's not uncommon to see upperclassmen give fish details just to entertain non-reg friends.

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Care to explain why?

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They don't just represent tradition. They are a great team-building and bonding exercise for fish. I still remember sitting around pounding bottle caps for hours on end and getting to know my buddies a lot better. It is also an exercise in collaboration and problem solving because you have to figure out the best way to design them in a way that achieves the purpose of wearing them, is easy to construct, makes them easy to attach and remove, and keeps them from destroying your shoes.

If you really pay attention to fish spurs you will notice a lot of variation in the design of them, and it's really quite interesting to see fish successfully accomplish the task in so many different ways.

Non-reg here. Fish spurs were always my favorite time of year. I actually loved hearing the sound of them. I knew a lot of Fish who enjoyed the attention they got, especially the positive attention.

I hope they continue the tradition.

I found a green bottle cap my Jr year and still have it as one of my keepsakes from my time on campus.

For my outfit, another added benefit was the rule that if your spurs fell off while on the quad, you had to pick them up and then wildcat off the quad or back to the dorm. Very convenient excuse to get out of whipping out for a few days.

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For my outfit, another added benefit was the rule that if your spurs fell off while on the quad, you had to pick them up and then wildcat off the quad or back to the dorm. Very convenient excuse to get out of whipping out for a few days.

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Mine, too.

Fish spurs is one of the least detrimental and dumbass thing the corps does.

I think it's a good thing both for the above mentioned team building and for the fact it helps set the corps apart in 1) showing tradition to an opposing school, 2) giving non-regs something to respect; in that the corps wear's unflattering uniforms. No one looks good in the khakis, especially the females. The fish are in un tailored crap.

The spurs are a stand apart thing that, while retarded, help the corps maintain their "respect" on campus.

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Didn't know where you got "combat stress" from

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Seriously?

It comes from stuff that actually sucks and his hard...like getting smoked for screwing up the smallest of details. It comes from spending days and nights with no sleep before going on another mission because it needs to be done.

The totality of all things associated with my experience at A&M made dealing with combat and other stressers a bit easier compared to most...I'd also offer that dealing with real stress in the moment is sometimes relieved when doing something fun. Being a fish sucks, but it sucks less when you get to do something else other than wire your room, uniform, and PT.

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Unpopular opinion time.

Are fish spurs still worn by cadets around campus? If so, why? They are completely unprofessional, and humiliating to wear/carry
around. Making fish wear them on the quad and in the dorms: good bull.
Making them wear them (or carry them) off the quad: serves no purpose
other than to humiliate the fish.


Let's see how many people get butthurt by this opinion.

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You're either a fish or a troll. I know that because if you were anything else, you would understand that fish spurs are not humiliating and have absolutely no intention of being degrading. The campus loves that unique click-clack for one week every fall.

Were there some "traditions" that needed to go to move the Corps to the 21st century? Yes. This is clearly not one them.

Lots of butthurt, just as predicted! Yes, I was in the corps. No I am not a fish. No I don't have kids. I am simply a grouchy old marine pilot who was sitting around thinking about fish spurs since the SMU game is coming up.

The experience of making the spurs was priceless. I remember sitting around with my buddies in a parking lot trying to pound those bottle caps flat. Wearing them on the other hand... was a humiliating experience.

Do those particular outfits still make their fish dress up like dumbasses for batt fish? I would have hoped they would have figured it out by now.

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Do those particular outfits still make their fish dress up like dumbasses for batt fish?

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No, it got axed back in the spring of '11 I believe.

What got axed, the costumes or batt fish?

Batt fish is still around, outfits have fish run it in corps/outfit pt gear

It was always nice to have your Batt delivered to your hatch every afternoon. Very nice to read as fish Jones pulled the old boots.

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Do those particular outfits still make their fish dress up like dumbasses for batt fish?

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No, it got axed back in the spring of '11 I believe.

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Good. Was there an explanation that went with it so cadets understood why it was stupid?

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I am simply a grouchy old marine pilot

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No, you are a troll who uses the term 'butthurt'. No respectable old pilots uses gen Z terms twice in on thread and doesn't actually add anything to a conversation.

Aviate, navigate, communicate, son! Single engine, single pilot, single malt! Fly the lens a the way to touchdown! Look long for lineup! I assume you fly helos, so you probably should not be lecturing anyone on what it means to be a respectable pilot. Hahaha I kid I kid.

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serves no purpose other than to humiliate the fish.

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Not true. It can also help destroy a pair of low quarters.

The hardest part was digging around bottlecap alley to find 92 suitable bottlecaps that looked like they could be hammered flat. I don't think they do it that way anymore.

I always thought this was stupid too but... not nearly as bad as having your band play "She'll be comin' round the mountain" on every down.

Great troll effort BTW.

Yea that's a good point. The corps has FOW fish write their name on a piece of tape on their shirt so they don't ruin a $3 undershirt. And then they make fish attach a coat hanger to their low quarters for a week, ripping up the leather and whatnot.

I flying up at 20K if your cup of tea, well then I must admit we won't see eye to eye on anything.

Fish carry their spurs ?!?!? Never heard of such a thing...we wore them everywhere! Best use of them was when we stole our CO's boots and spurs along with all his belongings. When he demanded them back, we provided a beat up pair of cowboy boots and a pair of fish spurs in their stead. Boy did we get cropped out!