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Every marine I have met has been pretty arrogant and just a douche bag in general. I think it's just how they have it drilled in their heads that they are the best. But yeah, they are pretty self centered. Not ALL of them, obviously.. but I would say the majority are.
Funny this question should be here. Is somebody else watching "Heartbreak Ridge" right now? (Marsha Mason and Clint Eastwood and their troubled relationship is part of the story line.)
It kind of is. I dated a Marine, and he sometimes he could be such a bore. I mean, he did not want to do anything exciting or fun, and he looked at me like I was strangely when I admitted that I was bisexual. I did not know whether he wanted to stop dating me, or was turn on by it. Either way I did not give a darn, because I stopped accepting his calls. And on top of that he had mental issues
Last edited by Rural City Gal; 03-05-2013 at 07:49 PM..
Every marine I have met has been pretty arrogant and just a douche bag in general. I think it's just how they have it drilled in their heads that they are the best. But yeah, they are pretty self centered. Not ALL of them, obviously.. but I would say the majority are.
Well, on a tactical and operational standpoint, we are the best!
Okay, seriously, I am coming up on 14 years in the Marines. I can say that we are not all a bunch of arrogant and self-centered jerks. We certainly do have those types within our ranks though. Some of that is self-selection. The military environment is often very appealing to type-A personalities. Military traditions will often recognize achievements of individuals performing within the team, and this can really stroke a guy's ego if he forgets that it took everyone owning his/her piece of the rock to get it done.
I've also seen from Marines (and other service members) this chip on their shoulder mentality suggesting that everyone out there owes them something because they are serving in the military. As a military guy myself, I can't stand this attitude. It is belittling to others, and I don't care who you are, what unit you were in, or what award you got, the greatest heroes I've ever met have had a spirit of humility. And I've met some true heroes, too. When I meet an 85 year old WWII vet who was in the first wave at Iwo Jima and earned a Medal of Honor and sums up his experience with, "Well, I didn't do anything special. Anyone in my squad would have done the same thing." it sort of gives me little to no patience when I'm standing in line behind a fellow Marine at Taco Bell who blows up at the girl behind the counter and goes on a tirade about her "not having enough appreciation for those who serve our country."
Sorry, I got a little side tracked there... At any rate, I would argue that the vast majority of Marines really are decent people.
I enlisted in the Marines in 1999 and in 2002 began an officer commissioning program that saw me attending college as an active duty sergeant. I had a several female classmates tell me that I and the Marines in the unit I was close to were the most decent guys on campus. When my wife was getting to know me, she learned what a bunch of jokers we could be, telling me that she once thought that we Marines were all business all the time and had no idea what a bunch of clowns we could be.
We are not impossible to date. It didn't take my wife a lot of time or effort to bag me! But there is definitely a mindset that prevails within the Marine Corps that breeds confidence and even arrogance. We have our problems for a fact, but we are not all bad.
I never really figured on being in a relationship with someone in the armed forces...until I met a particular sailor.
I have family in every branch of the military, have known many servicemen and women. My significant other is a Navy Chief. There's no way to generalize. Some people are douchebags, some people are wonderful...just like in every other walk of life.
I will say that dating someone in the service is bound to be pretty difficult if you're not the type of person who can handle the fact that if it gets serious, a lot of your life will not be your own.
I never really figured on being in a relationship with someone in the armed forces...until I met a particular sailor.
I have family in every branch of the military, have known many servicemen and women. My significant other is a Navy Chief. There's no way to generalize. Some people are douchebags, some people are wonderful...just like in every other walk of life.
I will say that dating someone in the service is bound to be pretty difficult if you're not the type of person who can handle the fact that if it gets serious, a lot of your life will not be your own.
There would be a difference between active and former or retired.
I never really figured on being in a relationship with someone in the armed forces...until I met a particular sailor.
I have family in every branch of the military, have known many servicemen and women. My significant other is a Navy Chief. There's no way to generalize. Some people are douchebags, some people are wonderful...just like in every other walk of life.
I will say that dating someone in the service is bound to be pretty difficult if you're not the type of person who can handle the fact that if it gets serious, a lot of your life will not be your own.
Why would you life not be your own? What do you mean? Just curious.
Quote:
Originally Posted by iknowftbll
The military environment is often very appealing to type-A personalities.
Why would you life not be your own? What do you mean? Just curious.
A military spouse won't always have optimal decisions. For example if a spouse wants to finish a degree, he/she is limited to the academic institutions in/around the base at which their military spouse is stationed. This isn't so bad if you are in San Diego, but isn't so great if you are in 29 Palms. Career and work options are often limited. Also, housing can be a challenge, too. You want so badly to have the optimal layout of furniture items in your home, but when you move so often, it's a challenge. Then you find the perfect place and about the time you settle in, it's time to leave and go somewhere else! You also get separated from friends when your military spouse gets moved due to orders.
Of course, the poster to whom you asked the question may have other examples or mean something else entirely, those are just some thoughts that came to mind when I read that post.
Quote:
Originally Posted by srjth
Why is that?
I think because they know that they will eventually be given an opportunity to lead or take charge. Type A personalities also tend to be decisive, which is a quality that the military values. You want to see the troops get frustrated? Put a leader over them who doesn't know how to make a decision when one is required. Drives us crazy! Type As tend to embrace challenges, and even daily routine life in the military can often be full of physical, mental and ethical challenges. The military also recruits people with a low risk aversion, which is also consistent with many type As.
Of course, not everyone in the military has a type A personality, and even within type A personalities exists a lot of variance, but these are general qualities that tend to be consistent with people in the Marines and probably the other branches of the service as well.
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At any rate, I would argue that the vast majority of Marines really are decent people.
