From then Men and Women over there...

[KMaurer]

First, thanks MrsTank for the photos. The last good bunch of "real" (as opposed to most media) pictures I've seen were a large bunch that a colleague from NY had brought back after doing his second EOD tour in Iraq.

On the side thread (would that be the warp?), goat is getting a bad rap due almost entirely to ignorance and some religious imagery in which sheep are good and goats are bad. As long as you don't ruin it in the preparation and cooking goat is very close to lamb, only better. That last comparison is subjective, of course, but tends to reflect the opinion in most cultures where both are regularly consumed.

Ken

 

[MrsWildweasel]

Those are so cool. Thank you for sharing.

 

[C-pher]

Yea, those were some great pictures. Thanks so much for posting them.

I'm still dying on the sleeping contest. That's just too funny. I would love to see other ones of those.

 

[Nickle]

C-Pher, you would have to know these guys to really get the sleeping contest.

 

[Tank]

The sleep contest started back durring MOB when all of us in the squad were standing around for several hours at the night fire range because some of the guys could not qual (EX-marines). After a while the guys relized that I was snoreing, the funny part about it was that I was standing upright with my helmet pushed into a crack in the wall of the building we were right next to and my right shoulder and right knee against the wall. The whole while we are only 75yards back from the fireing line.

I am not sure who won the contest but there were some really strange pics taken that is for sure.

 

[MrsWildweasel]

You cracked me up on the jarheads not qualifying..... I'm sure Derek and Tony will be around to correct you. Nickle says we assimilate them. Rather well I say too. Hey lack of sleep,cat nap here or there it's all good, except for the pranks to go along with it. [lol] [lol] [lol]

 

[MrsTank]

I had a feeling he'd come along and set the story straight.

Those are all the pics I had readily available. I'm sure at some point in the not to distant future I'll find more to put up for you guys. Thanks for giving me/us the opportunity to share them.

 

[KMaurer]

Yeah, right. Marines not being able to qualify. Are we going to have to start instituting random drug testing for people posting on this board? Just remember that it's not just Tony and Derek; some of us are just quieter than others. As I mentioned once or twice before, "Celer Silens Mortalis".

(BTW, the only EX-Marine was Lee Harvey Oswald.)

Ken

 

[MrsTank]

Quite honestly I don't understand what all the fuss is about. Ex is a noun meaning "one that formerly held a specified position or place" and former is an adjective meaning "having been previously" according to Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary. Therefore they are both correct. If you were formerly a Marine then you no longer hold the position, and are also an ex Marine. Is it really worth all the fuss? Either way you served your country proudly.

 

[Lynne]

Quite honestly I don't understand what all the fuss is about. Ex is a noun meaning "one that formerly held a specified position or place" and former is an adjective meaning "having been previously" according to Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary. Therefore they are both correct. If you were formerly a Marine then you no longer hold the position, and are also an ex Marine. Is it really worth all the fuss? Either way you served your country proudly.

I think it has something to do with their BT, Mrs. T. It's ingrained. [lol]
(Now gentlemen...just remember that I love you all. <swak> )

 

[TonyD]

Yeah, right. Marines not being able to qualify. Are we going to have to start instituting random drug testing for people posting on this board? Just remember that it's not just Tony and Derek; some of us are just quieter than others. As I mentioned once or twice before, "Celer Silens Mortalis".

(BTW, the only EX-Marine was Lee Harvey Oswald.)

Ken

No worries, Ken, we Marines know who we are. And, the ignorance of the statement requires no address. Few even realize that the Army has been scrambling to find shooting instructors to teach their troops how shoot before deploying. I happen to have a application on my desk for just such a position.

I'm often reminded of the words from my Senior Drill Instructor: (paraphasing) "...There are two types of military personell. Marines, and those who didn't have the balls to be Marines." No offense intended, they were SDI GySgt Strawthers words.

As for "Ex", that's one of the major differences. Once a Marine, always a Marine. Ergo, no "Ex".

Semper Fi! Earned, never given!

 

[Lynne]

Speaking as a civie...there IS something about those Marine dress blues that makes my heart go pitter pat. It just might be the hunks inside them.

 

[MrsWildweasel]

Oh, Mrs T...You have not been properly indoctrinated on the Marines. God knows I have a soft spot for all you jarheads . My father-in-law quickly showed me the way. Sorry Ken I forgot about you,didn't mean to,I just know Derek and Tony quickly correct us lowly Army doggies. [lol] I d have to agree on those dress blues though,dang they are sharp. Oh it's ingrained in them,it truly is.
I should add Marines are a whole different breed unto themselves.

 

[Lynne]

I should add Marines are a whole different breed unto themselves.

And God bless them.

 

[dwarven1]

I should add Marines are a whole different breed unto themselves.

And God bless them.

She will.

 

[Tank]

I used to have the ULTIMATE respect for the US Marines, not so anymore.
Marines are always quick to jump down your throat telling you how the Marines are soo much better then the Army and soo much more disiplined;

All I have to say is that during a 13 month tour I never once got shot at by a sodier not even ONCE, bu during that same tour I got shot at no LESS then 6 (six) times by jarheads.

It is hard to have respect for them when they seem more interested in shooting something then checking to be sure it is the enemy a which they are about to shoot

 

[Nickle]

The Marine Corps of the Vietnam time frame (through the early to mid 80's) is not the Marine Corps of today. The people are different, the training has been watered down, the standards lowered. The Army has gotten better over the last few years, standards are actually going up. And strangely enough, the Army Guard has higher standards in certain areas than either the Corps or the Regular Army. Scary, isn't it.

Also remember that Tank was and is deployed with a bunch of "country boys", especially on TF Redleg. Very few city boys up here. And the average Guardsman is about 30 or just under, the average Active Duty Soldier/Marine about 19 or 20. Big difference in maturity.

I've personally seen Marines (Ex or former) that could not qualify short of several attempts. I've seen prior service Army and Army Guardsmen that could not qualify any better. Hell, one of my favorite stories (from 1979 or 1980) is about an Air Defense Trainee that was going to get booted out, if he didn't qualify this last time. My wife shot for him (she was the Supply Sergeant, as an E-4), and she shot 40 for 40. That had to hurt the poor kids ego.

Hell, last year, I watched my Battery Commander fail to qualify with the M9 for at least 3 or 4 attempts. I shoot Sharpshooter with the damned things, and I HATE Berettas, though I do have to admit, they're easy to qualify with. And this was on pop-ups.

 

[Admin]

Let's not turn this in to a service bashing thread. If it makes you feel better about yourself then do it some place else.

 

[Nickle]

I'm not bashing anyone, just mentioning that times have changed.

I should clarify that though the Army's standards are going up, the Corps's standards are still higher than the Army's standards.

The Army took a big nose dive in the late 70's and early 80's, due to a loss of good NCO leadership. Military Politics also played a major part of that. They've since realized their errors, and are adjusting.

Derek and Tony (and everyone else), I have the highest respect to all service members, regardless of branch, especially the Army and the Marines, where they put themselves in harm's way more.

 

[Tank]

please do not take it as service bashing, that was not my intent.

I was merely trying to say that I think that there is a general decline in the disipline in all of the services.

I have the ultimate respect for anyone who has the balls to stand up and serve despite branch.

 

[Admin]

I know, I just wanted to prevent a possible train wreck of a thread. I would have had a few beers tonight, and came back angry typing.