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Not for me or my family (generations of Marines). It can be used by anyone but Marines are the only ones I know of that use it...or those families of Marines.
But I'm sure you can find some Marines who feel differently, as in, they are the only ones allowed to use it.
I grew up near Camp Pendleton with my Grandfather who was a retired career Marine. Both my Uncles were also active duty Marines. Even though I am not a Marine, as someone from a Marine Corps family I proudly *use* Semper Fi.
Any Marines that have problem with non-Marine affiliates rocking moto gear and stickers blame the Marine Corps. I'm currently on recruiting duty and we give truck loads of stuff with marine logos to civilians all the time.
As President Truman said (though he did not mean it as a compliment):
"[Marines] have a propaganda machine that is almost equal to Stalin's."
some of us are just dying for you to explain this.
This forum probably isn't the best place for me to rant and rave about this so how not to come across as a whiny little girl? Well I'll try.
First off, all the branches care about public image, (duh) but the Marine Corps has it perfected beyond anything the 4 others have to offer. All the general public knows when they hear Marine is, "They're the ones with the pretty uniform and are better at shooting stuff than the Army is. " And little phrases like "Semper Fi, Oorah, The Few, the proud.... They [USMC] are perfectly content with propagating the image they offer to the public.
This of course applies to many things not just Marine Corps or military for that mater but the disparity of the image and reality is drastically larger in this organization. But to be called an organization you have to be organized right? I digress.
How is it really? Well, I will try and give an average day in the life. Again not trying to be a whiny little girl, just giving the facts.
Formations for morning pt,(pt is what normal people call exercise) getting back from "changing over", released to lunch, getting back from lunch, leaving for the day. And to caveat that although not a set in stone scipture of the restrictive doctrine of Marine Corps Formation, being 15 minutes early to the given start time is a strict guideline. Being only 5 minutes early will get you yelled at for being 10 minutes late. Let's say there's a 1300 (also know as 1:00 pm in real world time) formation that means you'll be there at 12:45 but of course 12:30 is the real implied time.
The haircuts, someone out there in charge believes this shows discipline. I think it makes me look like a 6 year old who wanted to play barber on his self. $5-7 every single week adds up overtime as well. My healthcare is socialazed, so let's say you just broke your arm, first you'll be yelled at for breaking it, then be handed Ibuprofen and told to 'hydrate'.
PT ? Deck ? Cover ? hardball ? 1400 ? Rack? Why can't we call them what they really are. Working out, Floor, Hat, road , 2 pm, Bed. I really do think I have lost IQ points from being here.
Libo Briefs. We call getting off for the weeked Libo (another one of those vocab word) Before we get off we all huddle around in "school circle" and some old man talks to us telling us not to drink and drive, the dangers of drugs and STD's. this normally lasts around an hour as he repeats himself 3 or 4 times. Yelling solves all issues apparently. When a room is considered dirty because it has trash in the trash can, water in the sink , or shampoo bottles still in the shower. I could go on and on and on, but that would get boring and obtuse. You might say, "This guy's just a whiny, wussy, coward who needs to suck it up. He volunteered for it." Sure some of my complaints are a little self centered and trivial but this is how it is.
This forum probably isn't the best place for me to rant and rave about this so how not to come across as a whiny little girl? Well I'll try.
nothing in life more cathartic than ranting about the usmc.
Quote:
First off, all the branches care about public image, (duh) but the Marine Corps has it perfected beyond anything the 4 others have to offer. All the general public knows when they hear Marine is, "They're the ones with the pretty uniform and are better at shooting stuff than the Army is. " And little phrases like "Semper Fi, Oorah, The Few, the proud.... They [USMC] are perfectly content with propagating the image they offer to the public.
This of course applies to many things not just Marine Corps or military for that mater but the disparity of the image and reality is drastically larger in this organization. But to be called an organization you have to be organized right? I digress.
How is it really? Well, I will try and give an average day in the life. Again not trying to be a whiny little girl, just giving the facts.
Formations for morning pt,(pt is what normal people call exercise) getting back from "changing over", released to lunch, getting back from lunch, leaving for the day. And to caveat that although not a set in stone scipture of the restrictive doctrine of Marine Corps Formation, being 15 minutes early to the given start time is a strict guideline. Being only 5 minutes early will get you yelled at for being 10 minutes late. Let's say there's a 1300 (also know as 1:00 pm in real world time) formation that means you'll be there at 12:45 but of course 12:30 is the real implied time.
The haircuts, someone out there in charge believes this shows discipline. I think it makes me look like a 6 year old who wanted to play barber on his self. $5-7 every single week adds up overtime as well. My healthcare is socialazed, so let's say you just broke your arm, first you'll be yelled at for breaking it, then be handed Ibuprofen and told to 'hydrate'.
PT ? Deck ? Cover ? hardball ? 1400 ? Rack? Why can't we call them what they really are. Working out, Floor, Hat, road , 2 pm, Bed. I really do think I have lost IQ points from being here.
Libo Briefs. We call getting off for the weeked Libo (another one of those vocab word) Before we get off we all huddle around in "school circle" and some old man talks to us telling us not to drink and drive, the dangers of drugs and STD's. this normally lasts around an hour as he repeats himself 3 or 4 times. Yelling solves all issues apparently. When a room is considered dirty because it has trash in the trash can, water in the sink , or shampoo bottles still in the shower. I could go on and on and on, but that would get boring and obtuse. You might say, "This guy's just a whiny, wussy, coward who needs to suck it up. He volunteered for it." Sure some of my complaints are a little self centered and trivial but this is how it is.
Army Rangers lead the way. Hooha.
ok. my issue isn't with you ranting about the marine corps. it is about the generalization you made, and the all-or-nothing statement included in the generalization.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mountain_time_Blues
Truman was right. It's all they really care about in the end is their public image.
if you all really knew...
you said specifically that "all they really care about" is image. you know as well as i do that this isn't true.
for one, when used so broadly, it refers to every marine, from the private to the commandant.
secondly, image is certainly important, but it is hardly the usmc's biggest concern over all, especially when you get into a combat environment.
as for the rest, it was humorous to read and to remember. i was always getting in trouble for ranting to my superiors about the stupid crap they pulled––when the platoon was out standing in formation for 6 hours straight, waiting for libo, and the staff sergeant was in the office drinking with the captain; or when they would purposefully hold us on duty until the chow hall closed so that we couldn't eat there; or when they would push their responsibilities off on the corporals and sergeants, and then try to pass the blame too when things didn't go well; etc, etc, etc.
anyway, my rants about the usmc have more to do with irresponsibility than narcissism, but in the end, it's still a rant.
I have a pretty wimpy co-worker who's going to be leaving our company soon. I'll be glad when he's gone cause he hardly works at all. To keep the peace, I have never brought up something about him that really bothers me but now that he's leaving I'm thinking about going ahead and telling him what I should have said since the day I first saw his Jeep Wrangler. Don't know who he bought this Jeep from, but whoever he bought it from was a Marine. The spare tire has a leather US Marines cover with the Marines symbol. Across the front windshield is the words Simper Fi. This guy never served in any branch of the military. Should I speak my piece or just let the looser walk away?
If he had a pro sports team logo on the tire cover and a NBA sticker on his window would you be concerned then? Can only people in pro sports don a team jersey? Does wearing a hat that supports a team mean your trying to make people think you're on the team?
Let it go. It's meaningless.
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