Our Beloved Corps Archives
Old Corps Meets New Corps
By Lt Col P
We have a detachment mobilized, training now at Quantico to go overseas later this year. Today they got a day off, and it began with a det photo at the Iwo Jima memorial.
Among the crowd there was a large party in attendance at a Marine lieutenant's commissioning, and bus after bus of tourists. And one old timer, moving slowly but surely under his own power. His ball cap read, "IWO JIMA SURVIVOR."
This WWII vet spent a long time relaying stories about his battle, to a rapt audience. All the while, the other visitors moved around a small knot of young men arrayed around one old one passing the torch, absolutely oblivious. The Old Corps lives on!
VMI In Command: LtCol Scott Leonard, USMC, VMI '89
By Lt Col P
First of all, apologies for my absence of late. My wife and I welcomed Honorable Number 2 Son exactly one month ago, and he's been keeping us busy. All hands are doing well too, I'm pleased to relate.
Here's another entry in our irregular series on VMI men in command throughout the military:
In the summer of 92, when I was a Lieutenant on active duty (FDO in A Battery, 1st Bn, 10th Marines), my roommate and BR, who was Motor-T Officer in 3d Bn, 2d Marines, came home one night and said, "Guess who I saw today at 3/2." I gave it the obligatory three tries and was wrong each time; "I give up-- who?"
"Brother Rat Scott Leonard."
"Scott Leonard?? What was he doing at 3/2??"
"Checking in, as an Infantry Officer!"
Sure enough, there he was, having heard the trumpet's blast in 1991, a good two years after we graduated. He sure as hell has made up for lost time, too; check out his bio:
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Death In The VMI Family: 1stSgt Luke Mercardante, USMC
By Lt Col P
This week I received a forwarded email from VMI:
The Superintendent regrets to inform the VMI community of the death ofMarine First Sergeant Luke J. Mercardante, who was killed in action April 15 by an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan. He was serving as acting sergeant major of Combat Logistics Battalion 24, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit at the time of his death. First Sergeant Mercardante served as an Assistant Marine Officer Instructor in VMI's Naval ROTC from March 2003 to July 2005. He was an Honorary Brother Rat of the Class of 2007. Information concerning arrangements will be provided when it becomes available.
To become an honorary BR demonstrates just how much influence one man can have on a class, with its varied service options, backgrounds and career intentions. By all accounts he was the consummate Marine. He will be missed, but his legacy lives in his cadets and others who served with him, who are now taking the field across the globe.
Semper Fidelis, First Sergeant, and Godspeed.
Update John - There's a Facebook memorial site dedicated to Sergeant Mercardante, and already several hundred members of the VMI family have signed on to show their support. His daughter Cailin also logged on to write this note, which just broke my heart.
wow.. i cant believe this. this whole thing wasent supposed to happen to us. he was my daddy, my best friend, and my role model. just because hes not really in life here.. dosent mean that hes not HERE. I love this man so much. we shared so many memories together. i was his date to Ring Figure.. it was such an honor to be his date and to be the one lucky enough to put his class of 2007 ring on his finger. i remember this event like it was yesterday. and we were laughing and having a good time.. and now.. just this morning i was at an airport to meet his body there. it was heart breaking. and i remember when i first heard the news.. i was FLABBERGASTED! this man ment and still means so much to me and all of my family. i love you daddy.. and i know that your going to be watching out for me.♥ Cailin Christine Mercardante ♥
Like Col P said, to be elected an honorary Brother Rat by a VMI class is a tremendous achievement. Each year VMI's second class (juniors) bring two members of the VMI faculty or staff in their ranks. Two people who have had a lasting and powerful impact on the development of each class' cadets. It means that that person is forever a member of the VMI family, bonds which --as Sgt. Mercardante has proven-- can not be shattered even in death.
Sgt. Mercardante loved VMI and VMI loved Sgt. Mercardante. As long as the Virginia Military Institute stands, his name will be etched in the halls of our heroes. Godspeed.
Marine Corps Humor
By Lt Col P
Two amusing items to round out the evening.
The first comes by way of Damian from The Torch: "Never mock an ex-Marine."
And the second one I heard on the Dennis Miller Show: "84-year-old ex-Marine kicks robber."
Of course, a good kick in the nuts is always funny. Unless you're the kick-ee... a week or so ago I hefted my nearly 3-year old son, who was being somewhat uncooperative. While he was flailing about, he managed to kick me square in the yambag. I forgotten JUST HOW BAD THAT HURTS.
Good thing to remember in a fight.
Quantico Rugby
By Lt Col P
By way of Our Man Inside VMI, Op-For proudly brings you this tribute in today's Washington Post, about Quantico's never-say-die rugby team.
The article's about how the team and its devoted members have to "start from scratch twice a year" due to reassigmments and rotations.
The Quantico rugby club has been around for 35 years, and even at its best, it is not among the region's elite. The Hooligans play in Division III, the lowest in the Potomac Rugby Union, and their 40-year-old coach, Lt. Col. Jon Jacobs, said they will not move up in the foreseeable future. Division II clubs need to have an A and B team, which requires more depth than the Hooligans can hope to attain.During one stretch in the middle of the decade, when Jacobs said "the planets aligned" and a handful of good players were able to stay on the base for multiple seasons, the Hooligans were at the top of their division. But at Quantico Marine Base, known as the "Crossroads of the Marine Corps," such things are not meant to last.
Some members finish school or training and head to another base in the United States. Some are sent on tours of duty to England or Egypt or Okinawa. Others head to Iraq or Afghanistan. Last fall, the team lost five players in midseason because of deployments to Iraq. "And four of them were key guys," said Jacobs, who also plays.
Make that LtCol Jon "Shiner" Jacobs... VMI '89. And you can count on him not to quit.
At the beginning of each season, when newcomers to the game don't know what they're doing in practice, when passes are missed and there's no fluidity to the attack, Jacobs's affinity for the Hooligans keeps him going.He loves the camaraderie of socials after every Thursday practice, when the team heads to Sam's, a bar in the town of Quantico.
Check out the gallery with the text-- BR Jacobs is in images 8 and 12.
If you're in the greater Quantico area and know the game, I'm sure he would welcome the help... Good work BR, and good luck!
24 MEU SOC In AFGHANISTAN
By Lt Col P
Marines from 24 MEU SOC are setting up for ops in Afghanistan.
Marines with MWSS 271, attached to the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, NATO International Security Assistance Force, lay down AM2 matting while in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan. This AM2 matting will be essential in the support of aircraft while conducting operations in support of NATO.
Building an airfield by hand isn't as sexy as kicking down doors and putting warheads on foreheads, but without the hard airstrip you can't run extended helo ops, and definitely can't run Harriers.
“Obviously it is really hot during the day, slamming 155- pound slabs of matting. It takes a lot of those to build an airfield,” explained Warrant Officer Joseph Whitebear, expeditionary airfield and emergency services officer, MWSS 271. “They push through it like Marines do, it’s not an easy job, but they are probably the best at it.”
And here, we get a look at the C-130 Det. What's significant about this is that normally a MEU SOC's two C-130s are on-call in CONUS rather than forward deployed, since they don't fit too well on amphibs. In this case, they were needed right up front (no pun intended.) The planes and crews are getting a workout:
“I think we would all like to do everything our platform is capable of. In Iraq we have become more segregated into certain teams and what we do. Here we have the chance to take a KC-130 and do everything it was built to do, so I hope we get that chance while we are here,” he said.For him that means, helicopter and fixed wing refueling, resupply drops, and landing on less-than perfect landing strips (short, dirty or at high elevation.)
Flying Leathernecks!
Spanky's Back
By Slab
So, I'm surfing the MNF-W PAO website on the SIPR tonight, and I run across a video clip of GySgt William "Spanky" Gibson. Seems Spanky has returned to Iraq with the I MEF Fires section.
I've got to hand it to him for displaying remarkable courage in the face of adversity.
I mean, volunteering to deploy on MEF staff? Talk about taking one for the team...
Volunteering to deploy after losing a leg is pretty cool, too.
89! 89! 89! Or How Brother Rat Jones Conquered Death Valley
By Lt Col P
On 3 March 1986, the Class of 89 was born.
So it is perhaps fitting that this weekend, LtCol Wayne Jones '89, USMC, entered the Valley of Death, fearing nought, and emerged victorious. He rode his first Death Valley Double Century, an extraordinary feat.
He fought darkness, distance, vicious headwinds, tough climbs, cold, dehydration and mind-numbing fatigue, but he did it. He wrote earlier today that the race director told him those were, "the worst conditions they had experienced in the 6 years of running this event, and that over half the field had dropped out."
I want to say, "unbelievable," but it's all too believable if you know our Brother Rat Jones. Well done!
Chronic Warrior Syndrome
By Lt Col P
By way of the 10-8 Forums, I found a great post at The American Thinker.
First and foremost, having confidence in who they arePossessing pride in oneself, one's organization and the country they serve
Being knowledgeable of and comfortable with the terms honor, courage and commitment
I agree with every word.
(BTW, I don't know if BGen Mulqueen indeed is the ultimate source, but I have no reason to doubt it, because he certainly is a real Marine.)
Riverine Patrol
By Slab
Hey folks, I know it's been a little while since my last update. In lieu of a long-winded post about nonsense, here are some photos from a recent operation with Riverine Squadron Two (RIVRON 2) on Lake Qadisiyah.
Update: You can't read it, but the Riverine Patrol Boat (RPB) in the second picture has the name "BM1 James E. Williams" stenciled on the side. I had no idea who that was, so I decided to look it up. And that is how I came to find out about the most decorated enlisted Sailor in the history of the United States Navy. One hell of a warrior.
More after the jump.
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"Preferably Within An Hour"
By Lt Col P
Bored Marines, a video camera, an unsuspecting cabbie...
Now, that's comedy.
I think Slab would share the sentiment. Hell, maybe Slab produced and directed this clip.
A Modicum of Justice
By Lt Col P
This story has been out for a few days, but I've only just now read the court transcripts (thanks to our man B5).
When I first read about it, I thought this lawyer was lucky he didn't end up on his hands and knees searching for his teeth, trying to see through a pair of swollen eyes. A property crime, while not a bodily assault, is a nasty little thing, and doubly infuriating when coupled with a smart-ass perpetrator. I think that Sgt McNulty deserves a NAM for sheer presence of mind and self-discipline!
And THEN I read the transcripts. Grodner, you are a little pissant. You were late for your own court hearing. You foolishly handled your own case-- what's that, appearing before the judge alongside all your friends? You weaseled when you were asked a direct question. You complained about the terms of the agreement you just negotiated, terms which were pretty lenient.
Thank God for a few good men representing the people, one good man on the bench, and many more watching and waiting. And thanks to B5 for bringing it all to our attention, and to John Kass at the Chicago Tribune for making sure it didn't fade away.
Chalk one up for the good guys.
Marine Corps Reserve Recruiting Pitch
By Lt Col P
This is aimed at Marines who are in the reserves, or are about to be in the Reserves. If you don't fit those categories, you need not read further. You're welcome to, but it won't mean much to you.
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America's Marines
By Lt Col P
The full version of the new TV commercial.
Outstanding.
Might as Well Jump
By Lt Col P
Flew in last night from another highly successful drill weekend in the Sunshine State.
We did a joint indirect fire shoot with some 81mm and 60mm mortar crews from the FL National Guard, and also pushed about 40 jumpers out the back end of a Marine C-130. I was one of them.
Everyone told me that a ramp jump is much less violent and turbulent than a door jump, and that the MC-1 series chute was a better ride than the T-10. They were right on both counts! Once I got over the sensation of dropping straight down instead of being ripped along, I found the toggles and began to steer around. This was not just idle maneuvering-- I was working hard to avoid landing in the swamp next to the DZ. But all went well, and we got everyone down with no injuries. (BZs to our jumpmasters and the flying Leathernecks of VMGR-234.)
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NATO Intransigence is Official
By Bull Nav
So once again, the US will suck up the majority of a force request in Afghanistan (from Fox News).
THE PENTAGON — A request has been made by top commanders in Afghanistan to send 3,000 Marines to the country, FOX News has learned.
The goal would be to have the Marines in the region by April, the time of year when offensive actions by the Taliban usually pick up after the Spring thaw.
Senior Defense Department officials say International Security Assistance Forces Cmdr. Gen. Dan McNeil made the request, which has to be approved by Defense Secretary Robert Gates. Gates will receive the proposal on Friday, but not like make a decision on that day.
The plan calls for sending one ground and one air Marine contingent plus one battalion for a "one-time, seven-month deployment," Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morell said Wednesday.
Defense officials are not calling this a surge, rather a specific increase for more troops. Currently roughly 26,000 American troops are in Afghanistan, under NATO auspices. NATO commanders have asked for 7,500 more troops, but Gates has called on allies to contribute the additional forces.
How many countries are in NATO? How many actually want to do something?
How many want to sit back while we do all the heavy lifting?
I still think it was a mistake to let NATO take the lead for the Afghanistan conflict. We should run it lock, stock and barrel with our own forces. No excuses, no silly ROE, no fighting only during daylight hours.
***Charlie says: Dammit, beat me to this. Here's my take:
I've always wondered why we allowed the Taliban to conduct yearly "spring offensives," instead of just dropping a division of troops in the southern mountain regions of Afghanistan to stop it before it starts. Now the Marines have their shot to do just that. Recall a few weeks back, the Marines requested to take over the OEF mission entirely. That got shot down, but perhaps this is the opportunity for the Marines to do what they do best, now that the Anbar province has quieted down.
Also, if they start calling this a "mini surge," I'll go crazy.
Boycott Whole Foods
By Bull Nav
Yes, incendiary as it sounds, BOYCOTT WHOLE FOODS.
In a nutshell, they fired a clerk this week, a former Marine no less, for apprehending a shoplifter. In the process, they have created an unparalleled criminal empowerment zone.
John Schultz says he lost his job at Whole Foods Market in Ann Arbor after he tried to stop a shoplifter from making a getaway.
Schultz says he had just punched out for a break at 7 p.m. on Sunday when he heard a commotion at the front door of the store, 3135 Washtenaw Ave. He said he came to the aid of the manager who yelled for help in stopping a shoplifter. Schultz, the manager and another employee cornered the shoplifter between two cars in the parking lot.
Schultz said he told the shoplifter he was making a citizens arrest and to wait for the police to arrive, but the shoplifter broke away from the group and ran across Washtenaw Avenue and toward a gas station at the corner of Huron Parkway.
Before the man could cross Huron Parkway, Schultz caught up and grabbed the man's jacket and put his leg behind the man's legs. When the manager arrived at the intersection, Schultz said, the manager told him to release the shoplifter, and he complied, and the shoplifter got away.
Schultz said he was called to the store's office the next day, on Christmas Eve, and was fired because he violated a company policy prohibiting employees from having any physical contact with a customer.
Of course, they have a policy.
Kate Klotz, a company spokesperson, said the policy is clear and listed in a booklet that all employees have to acknowledge that they received before they can start work.
"The fact that he touched him, period, is means for termination," said Klotz.
You work in a store, the manager yells for help, you chase down a shoplifter and get fired? ON CHRISTMAS EVE?
And the manager told him to let the shoplifter go after he was caught!!!
Didn't steal too much, though.
The bag contained $346 worth of food and other products.We will not be shopping there any more, not that we did that much anyway. It sounds to me that they want low-life thieves and scumbags to come in and clean them out. I do not think that it is going to be very safe.
The company's position is that they don't want to be subjected to lawsuits because their employees touch a "customer."
Which is a load of CYA crap.
If I had been standing there and they said they were chasing a shoplifter, you can guaran-Goddamn-tee I would have joined in the chase. I just can't believe they let him go. Only in Ann Arbor...
What is Mr. Shultz's attitude?
Despite losing his job, would Schultz do it again? "Absolutely, 100 percent yes," he said, calling it his civic duty.
So if there is a Whole Foods near you call'em up and tell them you won't be going to shop there any more and tell them this story.
You can read the articles in the Ann Arbor News here and here.
F-35B Lightning-II Reports For Duty
By Lt Col P
FIRST SHORT TAKEOFF/VERTICAL LANDING STEALTH FIGHTER UNVEILED AT LOCKHEED MARTIN
FORT WORTH, Texas, December 18th, 2007 -- The Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] F-35B Lightning II, the first fighter to combine stealth with short takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) capability and supersonic speed, made its debut today amid customers from the United States Marine Corps, the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy and Royal Air Force, and the Italian Air Force and Navy.Attendees at the rollout ceremony in Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth assembly plant included Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James Conway. “The flexibility that the STOVL variant of the F-35 will add to the contemporary Marine Air Ground Task Force is amazing,” Conway said. “This generational leap in technology will enable us to operate a fleet of fighter/attack aircraft from the decks of ships, existing runways or from unimproved surfaces at austere bases. We find that capability extremely valuable.”
The F-35B, designed to replace Marine Corps AV-8Bs and F/A-18s, is one of three variants of the Lightning II. Its first flight is planned for mid-2008, following a series of extensive ground tests. The F-35A conventional takeoff and landing version began its flight test program in December of 2006. The F-35C, designed for catapult launches and arrested recoveries aboard large U.S. Navy carriers, will make its inaugural flight in 2009.
“Think F/A-18 speed and maneuverability, AV-8B forward deployment, F-22 stealth, and astonishing avionics,” said Dan Crowley, Lockheed Martin executive vice president and F-35 program general manager. “It’s a combination of technologies that may seem like science fiction, but our abundantly-talented international team has made it science fact.”
OUT-STANDING.
Enter General Jones
By Lt Col P
Interesting news today: General James L. Jones, former Commandant of the Marine Corps and Supreme Allied Commander Europe, has been named Middle East Special Envoy. He is currently Chairman of the Atlantic Council.
I think this is a good choice. Gen Jones was once described to me as "smooth as ice" by one of his former ops officers, and it was meant to be a compliment. Compliment or no, it is accurate.
He definitely has the credentials, among them his experience as CO 24th MEU (SOC) during Operation Provide Comfort in Kurdistan in 1991. (Odd coincidence-- another unit commander in that op was (then) LTC John Abizaid. 24 MEU, especially the battalion landing team, was also chock full of VMI grads.) He was a breath of fresh air when he came in as Commandant, having a clear vision of what he wanted the Marine Corps to do. Let us hope he does the same for this very difficult task.
Meanwhile, Back In Haditha...
By Lt Col P
A good article from Marine Corps Public Affairs highlights progress in Haditha, which was once, well, not a nice place to be.
HADITHA, Iraq -- (Nov. 27, 2007) -- It may be impossible to predict history as it is happening, but some of the battles fought in Iraq are certain to become legendary. Generations from now, school children will learn of the heroes who fought in Fallujah and Ramadi, battling in extreme conditions when their country needed them most. Haditha, another Anbar city once caught in the grip of yesterday’s violence, is now becoming a city of progress and transition.Without question, Haditha is known for its fierce battles. Many have given their lives in an attempt to reclaim peace in this northern area of the province. It was in this city that six Marines were killed in an ambush during 2005. Days later, 14 Marines died when their armored vehicle was struck by a roadside bomb. The city was a hotbed for terrorists where Marines confronted their enemy in the streets, houses and farm lands. But, if there was ever a place that could paint the picture of the progress being made in Anbar, it’s here.
A battalion of more than 1,000 Marines recently moved into Haditha. Most of them are reservists from New Orleans’ 3rd Battalion, 23rd Marine Regiment. Others are attachments from Houston’s 1st Bn., 23rd Marines, or active duty Marines from various commands throughout the Marine Corps. Regardless of where they came or their status, their mission is clear.
“A year ago, we were fighting in the streets every day, (evacuating) Marines who were wounded in action,” said [LtCol] Jarrard. “Now, the Marines patrol the streets and the people are talking about problems, which are nice problems to have. ‘Hey, can we get the roads paved,’ it sounds kind of like our neighborhoods back home. The problems are problems that every city has in the world. They’re not the problems of a city in the midst of a civil war.”
Progress. Solid progress. Don't let the naysayers tell you otherwise, and don't let them place the credit where it's not due. This is not just a happy coincidence. Years of hard work, hard fighting, and patient persistent presence are the reasons for these little victories.
Tarawa
By Lt Col P
On this day in 1943, the bloody ugly nasty fight at Tarawa began. Three days later it was over, at the cost of a thousand Marines killed. A full scale diorama at the National Museum of the Marine Corps brings it to life in vivd detail.
VFRMarine Joins The Fray
By Lt Col P
Frequent commenter, and my fellow airborne qualified Leatherneck, VFRMarine has a new blog-- HQLegion. Check it out, and make a regular stop.
He is a formidable Krav Maga practicioner and a member in good standing of the Florida Bar. So, he'll help you compose your last will and testament, and then can put into effect for you; help you draft a power of attorney and then test it out while you're recovering from your injuries. Go to the Chuck Norris Facts website, substitute "VFRMarine" wherever it says "Chuck Norris," and you get the idea.
Happy Birthday, Marines!
By Lt Col P
Happy Birthday to all my fellow Marines, past, present and future. Somewhere out there thousands of small boys and teenagers have seen a Marine in uniform, on a recruiting poster, or on the news and have said, "That's what I want to be." Here's to all of those now in uniform, in ev'ry clime and place, who are providing that shining example.
And let us not forget the nearly one thousand who have paid the ultimate price in this war.
Now stand by for a message from the Commandant:
And finally, Reasons 201 - 236 To Love The Corps...
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Reasons 136-200 To Love The Corps
By Lt Col P
The penultimate post in this series!
136. [There doesn't appear to be a #136. It could have been left blank to honor fallen Marines, just like the empty place setting at the Birthday Ball.]
137. Global instability equals job security. [Always has, always will!]
138. When NMCI goes down, and it will, it’s like having the day off.
139. The honor, privilege and responsibility of leading, mentoring and caring for junior Marines.
140. Gunnery sergeants. Don’t know the answer? Ask the gunny. Need something? Ask the gunny. In trouble? Avoid the gunny.
141. Because Gunny said so.
142. The line to get “tazed” at a military gear expo. Marines will do anything for a free T-shirt.
143. Deployment reunions. Like reliving your wedding night. Sweet! [Unless you're single.]
144. Gig lines. Even in khakis and a polo shirt.
145. Eight-point covers. Even the uniform stands at attention.
146. Marine Security Guards #2. They’re not cute and cuddly, but when they greet you at the hatch, it’s like getting a great big hug from the United States of America, no matter where you are.
147. The Mameluke sword. Distinctive.
148. The NCO sword. Earned, never given.
149. The World Famous Mud Run. Thousands of people pay good money to run through 10 clicks of muck every year at Camp Pendleton.
150. John Philip Sousa. A Marine, the nation’s March King and composer of “The Stars and Stripes Forever.” Ooh-rah.
151. MRE crackers. Hard as Milk Bones but much tastier. You can almost feel your teeth getting cleaner as you eat ’em.
152. Jane Wayne Day. She’ll never ask about work again.
153. Shirt stays. Or garters. Whatever you call them, they’re a triple whammy, keeping your shirt tucked, your socks up and removing all that unwanted leg hair.
154. The slogans: “The Few, The Proud, The Marines.” “We’re Looking For a Few Good Men,” “Once a Marine, always a Marine,” “Tell that to the Marines.”If they could only purchase the rights to Hallmark’s “When You Care Enough to Send the Very Best.”
155. Speaking of slogans, “The Few, The Proud, The Marines” beat out such notables as Nike’s “Just Do It” and Burger King’s “Have It Your Way” for a 2007 spot on the advertising Walk of Fame. Better luck next year, losers.
157. Real duty station garden spots you can go an entire career without being assigned to: Southern California; Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii ; Okinawa, Japan.
158. Rear-party Marines. God bless them. Whatever reason they stay behind injury, impending retirement or being volun-told they are indispensable.They deserve medals for what they have to deal with while a unit is deployed.
159. While field-grade officers are at the company office, company-grade officers are in the field. [HEY!!]
160. Colonels who can take a joke. [Absolutely. And Generals too!]
161. Free flu shots. And smallpox shots and anthrax shots …
162. Former Sgt. Chris Everhart. While camping with his three sons in June 2007, a bear snatched their cooler and made a play for his 6-year-old. Everhart threw an 18-inch log at the bear’s head, cracking its skull before it could attack and killing it instantly. Then, the park ranger gave him a ticket for leaving the cooler where the bear could get it.
163. Standards. The Corps doesn’t lower the bar when recruiting gets tough.
164. Jim Nabors. “Gomer Pyle” becomes an honorary Marine in 2001 and makes Lance Corporal. It takes him six years to pin on corporal. Talk about art imitating life.
165. Vincent D’Onofrio. The other “Private Pyle” is doing pretty well on “Law and Order: Criminal Intent.” He’s still weird, though.
166. If you ambush Capt. Brian Chontosh’s boys, he’s going to take off his Navy Cross and kill you. Then, he’s going to pick up your rifle and kill your buddies. Then, he’s going to pick up your buddy’s rifle and kill your buddy’s buddies. Then, he’s going to pick up a rocket-propelled grenade launcher …
167. Speaking of the Navy Cross, a combat award second only to the Medal of Honor, Marines have earned 15 so far in Iraq, plus one in Afghanistan. Of the six awarded to sailors for those combat zones, five went to SEALs, and
one went to a corpsman who exposed himself repeatedly to enemy fire to evacuate and treat wounded Marines. Along with Chontosh, the other recipients include:
168. Gunnery Sgt. Justin D. Lehew.
169. Lance Cpl. Joseph B. Perez.
170. Sgt. Scott C. Montoya.
171. Cpl. Marco A. Martinez.
172. Sgt. Willie L. Copeland.
173. Capt. Brent Morel (posthumous).
174. Sgt. Anthony L. Viggiani.
175. 1st Sgt. Bradley A. Kasal.
176. Cpl. Robert J. Mitchell.
177. Cpl. Dominic Esquibel.
178. Sgt. Jarrett A. Kraft.
179. Cpl. Jeremiah W. Workman.
180. Cpl. Todd Corbin.
181. Sgt. Aubrey L. McDade Jr.
182. Pfc. Christopher Adlesperger (posthumous).
183. Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Louis E. Fonseca.
184. Iwo JIMA. Japan might have changed the name to Iwo To, but that doesn’t mean you have to acknowledge it.
185. Col. John Ripley. Received the Navy Cross for the destruction of the Dong Ha bridge in Vietnam. The Corps takes care of its own. In 2002, with Ripley near death, doctors finally found a donated liver for his much-needed transplant. So the Marine Corps sent helicopters and Marines to Philadelphia to retrieve it, and they personally rushed it back to Washington in time to save his life. [A great man if ever there was one.]
186. Marine Corps Times isn’t a version of Navy Times anymore. How many careers get their own newspaper?
188. Gatorade bottles wrapped in green, 100 mph tape so as not to offend the sailors in the room.
189. Camaraderie. Marines will hook you up with their sisters, then punch you in the mouth for doing what they knew would happen the whole time.
190. Ingenuity. MRE bombs, 101 uses for cleaning rods and iPods wired into field radio speakers.
191. Getting off the ship.
192. Getting back on the ship.
193. No beach? No problem. Marines inserted 400 miles into landlocked Afghanistan and created Camp Rhino using CH-53 Sea Stallions. Imagine what you can invade with the Osprey.
194. Cases and cases of bottled water mean never having to stand behind a water bull.
195. Race as a nonissue. It wasn’t always the case, but three black Sergeants Major of the Marine Corps in a row show that the Corps has only one color: green.
196. Every day in the Corps is another reason to celebrate. That’s why they call them working “parties.”
197. Riddick Bowe had what it took to be boxing’s undisputed heavyweight champ. He did not have what it took to be a Marine.
198. The U.S. Army Band is called “Pershing’s Own.” The U.S. Marine Corps Band is called “The President’s Own.”
199. “8th and I.” Ten bucks says you have no idea where the Army Chief of Staff lives. Commandants don’t hide. [Not entirely fair-- the ACOS lives at Ft Myer, I think.]
200. MRE “rat boxes.” How grunts trick-or-treat.
Reasons 91-135 To Embrace The Corps
By Lt Col P
91. Service Charlies. They look so good, the Navy’s copying ’em.
92. Fake Marines. No one eats ’em up faster than real Marines.
93. John Lovell. A 71-year-old former Marine is sitting in a Subway restaurant when two armed men try to rob the place. Lovell grabs his .45, kills one and wounds the other. No word on how Lovell’s sandwich fared.
94. 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines. Six Navy Crosses so far. Six.
95. Staff Sgt. Lawrence Dean II, aka the “BadAss Marine.” He recites a poem. He gets uploaded to YouTube. Thousands get motivated.
96. Gen. James Conway takes over as the new commandant . Among his demands: a new PT uniform, new tattoo regs, a plan to add dress blues to the seabag, a change-up in medals and 22,000 more Marines. Someone’s been thinking about taking over for a while, huh?
97. Body-fat standards. Everyone hates them, until they see a fat Marine.
98. “Jarhead.” Only a former Marine could write a war story about not fighting anyone and make it last for 200 pages, then get Jamie Foxx to star in the movie. [Never read the book, never saw the movie. Next!]
99. The Stumps. The Rock. The Sandbox. Oh, the places you’ll serve.
101. Tattoos #2. Getting a fallen friend’s name tattooed on your other forearm, and knowing the same.
102. The new PT running suit. Sure, the Army had them first, but the Army gets most things first.
103. Marine Expeditionary Units: The cheapest cruise you’ll ever take.
104. Camp Lejeune: The closest interstate and the nearest good shopping mall are both at least an hour away. [An hour?? Try TWO!]
105. Camp Pendleton: There are roads and malls, but try affording a house near the main gate.
106. Tattoos #3. Meat tags. Getting your blood type and other info inked on your ribcage isn’t necessarily a bad idea.
107. The Marine Corps is getting bigger. The Navy is getting smaller.
109. 30 days’ paid vacation, plus federal holidays off, is obscene by civilian standards.
110. Maj. Gen. Marion E. Carl, the Corps’ first fighter ace. First Marine to fly a helicopter. Two Navy Crosses, five Distinguished Flying Crosses, 14 Air Medals. In 1998, the 82-year-old was killed during a home break-in when he jumped in front of a shotgun blast aimed at his longtime wife, Edna.
111. Tattoos #4. Reaction to the new policy: Conway says sleeves are going away, Marines run for the chair. Tattoo parlors never saw so much business.
113. Guaranteed pay raises.
114. Marine Security Guard #1. Duty in the Bahamas.
115. Having a WWII Marine say he’s proud of you. [Yes. The WWII Marines are the gold standard for hard.]
116. Drew Carey used to be in the Marine Corps Reserve. Now, he’s the host of “The Price is Right.”
117. Combatant diver pins. No more of that Navy crap.
118. A Red Stripe is a beer, mon. A Blood Stripe is a symbol of pride.
119. NMCI, if only they would remove the “MC.” [And not soon enough.]
120. You watched “300,” and it reminded you of your unit.
121. The “Det One” .45 pistol. Designed by Marines, for Marines.
122. Combat marksmanship. You are creeping death. And you get graded on it.
123. [WE] Never lost six nukes on a plane.
124. CamelBaks. Water tastes like water again.
125. Give a Marine enough free time, and he’ll marry your Bahraini princess. [Or conspire with his buddies to commit some sort of amoral outrage.]
126. Go to YouTube. Type in “bored Marines.” Enjoy.
127. When the President gets on a helicopter, it’s not called “Army One.”
128. The opposite of the Peace Corps. [YES!!!!]
129. Camouflage. You can camouflage anything and make it cool.
130. No Fear #1. Marines aren’t scared of anything. Except apricots. And Charms.
131. Combat optics on M16s. Leave the iron sights, just in case. [Iron sights never fail.]
132. “Combat loss” amnesty for missing gear. It’s like pleading the fifth.
133. Riding a chartered Continental Airlines flight home from the war zone with assault weapons stuffed in all the overhead compartments.
134. In combat, the division band becomes a heavy-machine-gun platoon.
135. What do headaches, broken bones, infectious diseases, missing limbs and hurt feelings all have in common? Motrin. Thanks, Doc.
Reasons 46-90 To Love The Corps
By Lt Col P
The countdown continues!
46. Combat Action Ribbons. IEDs count now, and should have counted all along. Duh.
47. The occasional free beer. Wear your blues into a bar and see what happens. [YES. It happens.]
48. After decades of debate, there remains no resolution on whether sand fleas trump “The Reaper.”
49. The Corps’ doesn’t call its officers, commissioned or not, “petty.”
50. Cpl. Gareth Hawkins, lying on a stretcher after an IED shattered his leg, demanded re-enlistment before medical evacuation. And got it.
51. Whereas Army, Navy and Air Force jokes are funny, Marine jokes are potentially dangerous.
52. The occasional friendly debate. Refer to a Marine staff NCO simply as “Sergeant,” and see what happens. [YES. This happens too.]
53. That troublesome “10 percent,” making good Marines look great since 1775.
54. Everyone at a high school reunion is obliged to justify his last 10 years, except the guy wearing alphas.
55. As if ranks that include the words “Master” and “Gunnery” aren’t intimidating enough on their own, the Corps uses them both. At once.
56. Soldiers have Hooah Bars. Marines have Ka-Bars. The second will generally get you the first.
57. The dress code. You can wear your cammies to meet the Commandant or repair a tank.
58. From “Aliens” to “Doom,” the future vision of warfare almost always includes Space Marines.
59. The Corps was formed in a bar. [And pretty much lives in one today.]
60. Marines predicted the WWII campaigns in the Pacific years earlier and prepared for the inevitable. So when a Marine says, “Hey, I’ve been thinking…” perhaps you should take notes.
61. Give a Marine some free time, and he’ll rip down your dictator’s statue. [Or conspire with his buddies to commit some sort of amoral outrage.]
62. If it ain’t raining, we ain’t training.
64. Duty station garden spots: Jacksonville, N.C.; Yuma, Ariz.; Bridgeport, Calif.; Twentynine Palms, Calif. (Yes, we’re kidding.)
65. Making morning PT on time.
66. Recruiters who promise everything EXCEPT a rose garden.
67. Mustangs #1. It’s easier to take crap from a CO who went to boot camp.
69. Gen. Peter Pace, the first Marine Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. He left his four-star insignia with his fallen comrades at the Vietnam Wall when he retired. Classy move.
70. The people zapper. Using microwave energy to disperse a crowd sounds like fun. Semper fry, Gunny. [The Voice of Experience-- that thing hurts like hell.]
71. Nothing says “Good morning” like a mouthful of Copenhagen and freeze-dried coffee.
72. Nothing says “I love you” like a welcome home sheet hanging on a chain-link fence.
73. Bill Barnes. In June, the former Marine beat the crap out of a 27-year-old pickpocket who tried to make off with his dough. Oh yeah, he’s 72.
74. Leftwich Trophy. Heisman winners only think they know about leaving it all on the field.
75. EOD. If you don’t know why this is on the list , defuse the next IED yourself.
76. Tax-free combat pay. Doing what you signed up for and not having to give Uncle Sam a dime back.
77. Montford Point Marines. The first African-American Marines know a little something about honor, courage and commitment.
78. Front toward enemy. It’s not just a visual reference on a Claymore mine, it’s a Marine Corps way of life.
79. Mustangs #2. You know at least three Marines who drive them. It’s like a Ford dealership exploded on base.
80. Fred Smith, founder of FedEx. Only a former Marine could truly appreciate the value of getting your mail on time.
81. CMC: The tallest member of the Joints Chiefs. OK, so we haven’t actually measured, but he looks the tallest anyway. [I've never measured any of them, but Gen Conway is one big boy.]
82. No more spit shining boots. [Thank God.]
83. Chuck Norris was in the Air Force. Steve McQueen was a Marine. [Yes, but, Chuck has a great web page.]
84. The Crucible.
85. 1/9, 2/9 and 3/9. Welcome back, fellas.
86. The FROG uniform. You are now sweat-wickin’ AND flame-lickin’.
88. The M4. More rifles in the fight is generally a win-win.
89. MRAPs. Trucks straight out of Mad Max. We still love a good Humvee, but we loved jeeps, too. Things change.
90. Arty guys who do civil affairs. They blow it up, then they fix it. Circle of life.
MORE TO FOLLOW.
Entries 1- 45 of 232 Reasons to Love The Corps
By Lt Col P
This list has been making the rounds by email today. Someone said that it came from Marine Corps Times, but I don't see it on the site after an admittedly cursory check. (If that ends up being the case, we hereby give them all due credit.)
232 is a lot to handle in one post, so let's do 45 or so each day until we hit the glorious 10th of November. My favorites are in bold, and my $.02 in [brackets]. Some of these are priceless.
1. Cpl. Jason Dunham. First Marine to receive the Medal of Honor since Vietnam. If jumping on a grenade to save a buddy isn’t worth the top of the list, nothing is.
2. Civilians have to find time to go to the gym. Marines get paid to go.
3. The National Museum of the Marine Corps. It’s like a Smithsonian of leatherneck.
4. There’s no such thing as an “ex” Marine.
5. Re-enlistment rates are higher IN the war zone.
6. Stink-proof socks. Well, almost. Systems Command is working on them.
7. Jalapeño cheese.
8. “Every Marine Into the Fight.”
9. Lump-sum re-enlistment bonuses up to $80,000. Many of you would consider doing it for free.
10. New uniforms #1. Pixel-pattern cammies? Yeah, the Corps came up with that.
11. “Doc.” [God Bless every one of them.]
12. Flexed arm hang is harder than it looks. We tried it.
13. Barracks parties on non-payday weekends.
14. Marine Gunners.
15. The Wounded Warrior Regiment.
16. MarAdmin 266/07: Letting 18-year-old Marines drink on base at this year’s birthday ball. [HELL YES. Long overdue.]
17. No receipt necessary for travel claim expenses less than $75.
18. The Lance Corporal underground.
19. Fallujah II. [Let's not forget Fallujah-I !]
21. Archibald Henderson’s couch, re-upholstered, is still in the Commandant’s living room.
22. “No better friend, no worse enemy.”
23. Typhoons approaching Okinawa often spark islandwide beer runs. [Often?? How about always! ]
24. Waivers.
25. Gen James Jones, who followed his tour as Commandant with an appointment as “supreme intergalactic overlord” (OK, it was Supreme Allied Commander, Europe, but close).
26. 10 rounds from the 500-yard line. [That's with iron sights, from the prone, using a sling. No bipod, no sandbags.]
27. Per diem. [OK, that's pretty joint but it's still a good piece of gear.]
28. To civilians, every Marine is recon.
29. Recruiting in Texas is like hunting at the zoo.
30. The “boat cloak.” Because every super hero needs a cape.
31. You can re-enlist in the IRR.
32. The wallet in your sock.
33. Motivating television commercials.
34. The “horse shoe” haircut, gone but not forgotten.
35. The global address list. Find your buddies and send them links to Marine Corps Times.
36. Running cadences that mention napalm. And Eskimos.
37. Stories that begin with, “So there I was ...”
38. Modified parade rest.
39. The transformation. Who you are when you join is not nearly as important as who you become.
40. LtGen Mattis getting a fourth star.
41. If you’ve been on liberty in Twentynine Palms, you’ve been on liberty in Yuma and Barstow, too.
42. Grooming standards. Not only can you not act like a thug, you cannot look like a thug.
43. It’s not the Army.
44. Women in Manhattan have all seen the Fleet Week episode of “Sex and the City.”
45. Combat shotguns.
And speaking of the Marine Corps Birthday...
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