The Stovebolt Site Forums The Side Lot Legion Hall Marines ....

IF this completely stupid idea passes, can there be any further proof needed that our current Commandant is a woke MORONIC POS??

Some future "Marines" may skip boot camp

You hire these geeks as contractors. You don't just slap a uniform on them, give 'em a hug and call them "Marines." Marines, in the full sense of the word, ONLY come from three places: MCRD Parris Island, MCRD San Diego and MCB Quantico. No Boot Camp or OCS/TBS, then no EGA. At least the Littlest Commandant, for however much I disliked him (which is a lot, actually), made Boot Camp longer and harder (The Crucible). He didn't try to skip it altogether ...

My "boot camp" lasted 4 and a half years. And when I hit the Fleet as a Lieutenant, my officer training *really* began -- at the hands of some very wise, and patient, SSNCO's

Just imagine what will happen to good order and discipline the first time one of these pretenders tries to issue orders to real Marines looking like a soup sandwich because noone instructed him/her/it how to even wear the uniform correctly? Or lead morning PT wearing pink spandex ... ?

Semper Fi,
John

They've been doing it for years John, off the street and start at Staff Sgt rank. The President's own, The Marine Corp Band. My Sgt son just finished 3 yrs at 8th & I and had to enjoy them. I'm not saying it's right, just that it is expanding, not new.
Chuck

Chuck, True enough. The President's Own has been that way since the beginning of it. With the quality of Marines we are able to recruit for the field bands (at the MEF/Division/Wing/MARFOR levels) and get through real boot camp before posting them to the field as bonafide Marines, I never accepted why we have to make exceptions for TPO. I am proud to be affiliated with a group of Marines called the Band of America's Few (former USMC field band members). They wear their shooting badges and other medals proudly with their band uniform as they should -- they earned them in boot camp and after. And, unlike TPO "Marines" they have a real combat mission if the need arises (litter carriers and final close defence of the CG). They, too, are riflemen first, bandsmen second.

Yep, my son had a guy in his group at boot (San Diego) that was headed for the band. He was the obvious Guide for the platoon. He loved marching (my son [per his senior drill instructor] couldn't march his way out of a paper bag), but he was a rifleman first, band second, marine.
Chuck

You make my day John. I have not heard about Soup Sandwich since I left China Lake.

Fibonachu ... Thanks. You should get NAPCOMan going sometime. He's a former drill instructor. We're ALL soup sandwiches to him ...

Chuck -- Guide, eh? Impressive. So if he was at 8th and I, was he a combat arms MOS, then? I always thought an 8th and I tour could be fun (I was pretty good at drill and was selected to teach my fellow lieutenants Sword Manual at TBS), but as a 4302 (PAO) the only way I was going there was via the PAO shop at HQMC ... and I NEVER wanted to do THAT (FAR too close to the flagpole ...).

Oh yeah, and speaking of how far wrong our Corps is going, they've even renamed my MOS. Again. We started off during WW2 as "Public Information Officers" Then, about Vietnam, we became "Public Affairs Officers." Still somewhat old Corps and suggested the honorable practice of information gathering and sharing, regardless of slant or positivity. Our enlisted Marines were "Combat Correspondents" and best illustrated by Devil Dogs like Bill Genaust or the character Joker in Full Metal Jacket -- rifle in one hand, camera and note pad in the other. Now, sadly, we have been reclassified as the "Communication Strategy and Operations" field. Which is absolutely sickening. It used to be that the one fundamental that made us who we are and bouyed the Corps through some dark times was that above all else, "The TRUTH was ALWAYS your friend." Second to that was that the junior Marine was always your best spokesperson (less guile, more honesty, highest credibility).

There was no bad news, just news. Present the American Public with complete facts and they will draw the right conclusions. Sometimes, the truth hurts ... but only when it is supposed to. As I told more than one general, "You want good press? Do good things!"

Now, it seems, the forces that have long been at work (since I was a lieutenant in the '80's) to destroy a proud USMC legacy, and led by vile, self-serving Chiefs of Navy Information*, have cynically turned a once noble MOS into mere marketeers, out to hoodwink and strong arm the American public into thinking what we WANT them to think. Its nauseating and downright evil. And I am glad to be gone. I couldn't do it then or now.

* The USMC senior "Leadership", once Al Gray left, has stupidly followed the Navy's lead in PA strategy and let CHINFO call the shots. It's disgusting. Sam Nicholas, Archibald Henderson, John Lejeune, Smedley Butler and Chesty Puller are all barfing in their graves at the big steaming pile of excrement dumped on our proud USMC legacy by our current "leadership."

S/F
John

Actually he is Intel. Was stationed in Oki and won Enlisted Intel Marine of the Year award (it's something the Foundation does). Went to DC to receive award and someone thought "Man, he's tall and looks good in uniform". His next orders come out, not MARSOC Intel but Protocol at MBW. Three years of making parade reservations and he's now at US Cyber Command, back in Intel.
Could be worse
Chuck

Protocol shop ... yuck. I've had to deal with a lot of folks, including Leadership who should know better, mistaking PAO for Protocol. I found innovative ways of informing them that I was not a doily folder or Male Escort. Glad he's back where we really need him -- In his MOS.

I had a great boss once (the last of the REAL Generals, Dave Bice, who hired a bunch of contractors for the base because "Marines didn't become Marines to cut grass." We had the 0311's out there on weed eaters and lawn mowers. They hated it. Same for your son -- young men don't join the Marines to handle parade guests, put names on chairs and fold doilys. They join the Marines to become whatever they joined to be.

Like Nancy said, "just say NO"

When I was cannon fodder age, the Marines wouldn't let me enlist- - - - -the recruiter found out my parents were married- - - -and I couldn't think on my feet quickly enough to claim they weren't married to each other! Back in those days, "Zoomie" Zumwalt was CNO, and he was somewhat light in the loafers, everybody seemed to think!

Everry Marine in my American Legion and VFW posts want to volunteer to be on Milley's firing squad!
Jerry

I'll volunteer for that squad, too. As long as we do Gen Berger first.

Semper FIDELIS

Skipper