Sociological Observations on Group Settings

Having been in the Army six years now, I thought that I would observe the Army Reserves and see in this type of institution what type of cultural, social, and group situations would occur. ,

When I first decided to choose the Army Reserves as my setting for this, I decided that I would observe my Annual Training assignment going to San Salvador, El Salvador. While I was on this deployment I discovered that there was some cultural shock for some individuals that were never in a third world country before. When being in a third world country there is a lot of filth, garbage, and animals and just people everywhere. When coming from America where we have everything pretty much handed to us, for some individuals the norms, values, mores, and folkways were very much different to get accustomed to. I must comment that I even had to take some time to get used to the different cultural setting and step back to do this report. When we first got to the base camp every one there, before they got off the bus, was briefed on the rules, standards, sanctions, and role expectations that they were to follow while conducting themselves while they were in El Salvador representing themselves for the U.S.

The next day we moved out to our base site where we would work (noting that this was 3 to 4 miles away from the body of personal that the army and other military were staying) the first thing that I saw people do was deviate from the dress code that was put out for the soldiers to conduct themselves. One of the other things that I observed was that the females were separated from the males first thing, that way there is no conflict between the males and females with living arrangements. I find it interesting that when a group such as the Army, When they get farther away from the main group the rules and regulations that produce sanctions are not as strict, but as soon as that element comes back to the main body the group conforms to the norms and conduct of the bigger community which they conform to a group think mentality.