Comments on: Guns and frozes

By: Stretch

Stretch — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 02:31:00 +0000

Six degrees? Good training for the Hindu Kush. I’ve never heard of anyone getting 22 out of 25 on trap first time out. That ranks in the Holly Sh*t!! range. He’s a shoo in for Designated Marksman. Tell him to hold out for a M-14. M-14? Ya, I’m a fossil.

By: Michael Lonie

Michael Lonie — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 02:28:52 +0000

A friend of mine went into the Marines at the end of Carter’s time. Having gone through Boot Camp he heads off to Infantry Training Regiment at Camp Pendleton. At home he liked to hike in the Cascade mountains for fun.

So the first day at ITR the staff took the company out on a long hike. My friend was walking along, enjoying the scenery, when after some hours the Platoon Sergeant turned to him and asked “Cox, aren’t you tired yet?” My friend suddenly realized that every other private had fallen out from exhaustion. The whole idea was to march them into the ground in order to toughen them up physically.

He replied “Aw Hell, Platoon Sergeant, back home I do this for fun.”

By: Meryl Yourish

Meryl Yourish — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 23:14:52 +0000

In reply to Yankev. I don't understand what that means, Yankev.

By: Yankev

Yankev — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 22:41:53 +0000

My uncle was a marksmanship instructor in the army, and gave another good piece of advice: “Never use a muscle if you can use a bone.”

By: Meryl Yourish

Meryl Yourish — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 13:15:39 +0000

In reply to Cameron. He wants to go into artillery, but of course, that will be up to the Marines. He has a few ideas about what he wants to do. My nephew is a bright, funny, articulate young man. I think he'll get out of boot camp with a stripe.

By: Cameron

Cameron — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 10:50:54 +0000

Actually there are some other important rules to remember:

Never stand when you can sit, never sit when you can lay down and never stay awake when you can sleep.
Never go first, never go last, never volunteer.

What MOS is your nephew going into?

By: Long_rifle

Long_rifle — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 05:31:54 +0000

There’s only one military force I respect as much as the Marines. And that’s the IDF. Just as there’s no such thing as a former Marine, there’s no such thing as a former IDF soldier. I still respect the rest of our military of course. But the reality is the Marines are the tip of the spear, and so I hold them a bit higher then the rest.

Seeing them do more with less mirrors exactly the crap Marines have to go to get anything:

“Take that hill. Do it with a quarter of the men the army would use. And oh, here’s the equipment we’re willing to give you that the navy and the army mothballed 15 years ago.”

Remind him of rule number one: “DON’T VOLUNTEER FER NUTHING!” And he’ll be fine.

By: Gary Rosen

Gary Rosen — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 04:57:23 +0000

Forgot to mention that although I have never served in the armed forces my brother was in the Marines for 20 years, 10 active and 10 reserve.

By: Gary Rosen

Gary Rosen — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 04:56:14 +0000

Meryl,

Kudos to your nephew and give him my thanks for his service to our country.

By: Meryl Yourish

Meryl Yourish — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 04:22:54 +0000

Long_Rifle, great story on the “Am Yisrael Chai.” You have some idea of how much the Israeli appreciated hearing it, but I’m sure it was one of the last things he ever expected to hear from a stranger—especially a non-Jewish one. Glad to know that I helped put a smile on his face.