I havent been on here in a while, or even posted anything in years. But I HAVE to post on this thread.
First off, let me establish my credentials. I am a Marine, going on one year in June. I also have a bachelors degree. Let me tell you a little about the Marines.
Whats the first thing people think of when Marine comes to mind? Full Metal Jacket, going to war, fighting your whole life, and dying in battle. Am I right? Thats what I always thought about the Marines when i was younger and didnt know any better. The fact is, the Marines are the ONLY branch that utilize the air, land, and sea. Majority of the Marine Corps deals with aviation in some way (surprising huh?) whether its an aircraft mechanic or a pilot. We fly the AV8-B Harriers VTOL and F-18 Hornet, gonna get the F-22 Raptor soon, Cobra Attack Chopper and a crapload of other helicopters. That covers the air.
On land, we have the down and dirty infantry. The grunts. The backbone of the Marine Corps. Simply speaking, every other job in the Marine Corps supports the infantry. Thats the truth. Battles are won on the ground, house to house, building to building. I am an infantry rifleman, and its awesome. If youre into pain, getting dirty, firing 1000s of rounds down range, and getting up close and personal with the enemy, this is the job for you. If you are not infantry, we call you a POG (pronounced like rogue) which means Person Other than a Grunt. Im telling you, even though we are all Marines, if you are infantry and walk by a POG you can tell they know you are a badass. That covers the land.
On sea, we piggyback with the Navy. In fact, we are in the department of the Navy. The "men's department of the Navy" as we like to say. We go on Floats, where you spend around 6-8 months on a ship and go to numerous places and train if you are a part of a Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU). For example, a WestPac Float takes you to Japan, Phillipines, Thailand, Guam, and so many other places and you pretty train. Its awesome. Never been on one, but a few of my friends are on one now and they love it. We are also amphibious, meaning we can attack from the sea if we needed to. That covers the sea.
I can go on and on about the Marines, but I cant stress enough the brotherhood that you experience. From boot camp, the bonds begin. Its almost like being in a gang, or a cult. Its freakin crazy. Im telling you bro, I would do anything for another Marine, and they would do the same. And we are proud to be Marines. If I walk by another Marine, we would greet eachother even if we have never met. Maybe a "Semper Fi Brother" or OORAH! and thats it. I have never seen an soldier, sailor, or airman do that. I have also had conversations with alot of retired Marines who are like 50 or 60. We talk about what unit they were in, what they did, just anything about the Corps. Once a Marine always a Marine stands true to this day.
I gotta go right now but Ill tell you a little more later.
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