I am a Marine back in Afghanistan on my second deployment
heroically risking my life to allow Afghan kids the opportunities
that we daily take for granted. . .
Did I mention heroically? :D
I full heartedly stand behind the following spiels:
What Makes Marines Special - by Anonymous Marine Sergeant who wrote
this in response to an army guy who posted a comment on the Marine
Corps site that he was sick and tired of "Marine arrogance".
The Sergeant says, "I think that what makes Marines special, if
only in our own minds, is that elusive quality of Esprit D'Corps.
It's the fact that we, as individual Marines, don't feel that we
are individual Marines.
When we wear our uniform, when we hear our Hymn, when we go into
battle, we are going with every other Marine who ever wore the
uniform.
Standing behind us are the Marines who fought during the birth of
our nation.
We're standing with the Marines who fought in WWI and gave birth to
the legend of the "Teuful Hunden", or "Devil Dogs".
We are standing with the Marines who took Iwo and Tarawa and
countless other blood soaked islands throughout the Pacific.
We are standing with the "Frozen Chosin" and our beloved Chesty
Puller.
We are standing with the Marines who battled at Hue City and Khe
Sanh and the muddy rice paddies of South East Asia.
We are standing with the Marines who fought in Desert Storm and
Iraqi Freedom and now, are fighting in Afghanistan.
Like real brothers their blood courses through our veins, and when
we go into battle we would rather lay down our lives than be a
disappointment to them.
We carry on our backs their legacy, their deaths and their honor.
We carry that for the rest of our lives.
The Marines Corps uniform doesn't come off when our active duty is
over. We wear it daily in our attitude, and our love of Corps and
country.
We wear it on our tattoos and our bumper stickers. We wear it in
our hearts.
It's why, no matter where we are in the world on November 10th,
every Marine celebrates the Marine Corps birthday.
It's why we'll never be an army of one.
It's why we never stop being Marines.
It's why for most of us, being a Marine isn't something we were.
It's something we are.
It's the most important part of who and what we are.
Some say we're arrogant. We say we're proud. We have a right to be
proud.
We are the United States Marines
The most feared and ferocious group of warriors to walk the face of
this earth. When America's enemies formulate their battle plans,
they plan on going around Marine units because they know damn well
that they can't go through them.
We are what other branches wish they were.
We are the modern day Spartans.
This isn't bragging. It's written in the battle history of our
country. When there's a parade and the Marines march by, everyone
pays a little more attention.
Some say "arrogance". We call it "pride". It's why, in a crowd of
servicemen, you can always spot the Marine.
Why are Marines special? I don't know. We just are.
******
"Infantrymen have a pride and arrogance that most Americans don't
understand and don't like. Even Marines who aren't infantrymen
don't understand. The pride of the infantryman comes not from
knowing that he's doing a job that others can't, but that he's
doing a job that others simply won't.
Many infantrymen haven't seen a lot of combat. While that may sound
ideal to the civilian or non-infantry Marine, it pains the grunt.
We signed up to spit in the face of danger. To walk the line
between life and death and live to do it again -or not. To come to
terms with our own mortality and let others try to take our life
instead of yours.
We have raised our hands and said, "Take me, America. I am willing
to kill for you. I am willing to sacrifice my limbs for you. I will
come back to America scarred and disfigured for you. I will be the
first to die for you."
That's why the infantryman carries himself with pride and
arrogance. He's aware that America has lost respect for him. To
many he's a bloodthirsty animal. To others he's too uneducated and
stupid to get a regular job or go to college. Only he knows the
truth.
While there are few in America who claim to have respect for him,
the infantryman returns from war with less fanfare than a first
down in a high school football game. Yes, people hang up their
"Support Our Troops" ribbons and on occasion thank us for our
service. But in their eyes the infantryman can detect pity and
shame; not respect.
Consider this: How excited would you be to meet the average
infantryman? Now compare that with how excited you'd be to meet a
Kim Kardashian or professional sports player and you will find that
you, too, are guilty of placing the wrong people on a
pedestal.
You wouldn't be able to tell me how many Marines died in the war
last month, but you'd damn sure be able to tell me if one of the
actors from Twilight died.
Yet the infantryman doesn't complain about that. He continues to do
his job; to volunteer his life for you, all while being paid less
in four years than Tom Brady makes in one game. It's a job most
Americans don't understand, don't envy, and don't respect. That is
why we have pride as infantrymen."
