Marines copy from the Army?

[usmc4669]

do the Marine Corps copy or use items from the Army?

[Dragon Air]

It is well known that when the Army thinks something is beyond its' usefull life the Corps will often buy them very cheaply and continue its' service life. I don't think that is copying the Army... just being fiscally responsible. After all, our budget isn't very large and we have to save money whenever possible.

[namgrunt]

Yup. Dragon Air hit the squirrel on the fence.

Interesting to note the Army didn't use campaign hats for their training cadres until the image was implanted and cemented in public memory by Marine Drill Instructors. The Army instructors I saw in films and newsclips used to wear the old tin pot helmet liners, which were polished, painted, and waxed to shine like a classic car fender.

Now, the only way to tell visually which is which, is to look for all the sparklies and baubles on the uniforms. The color of the sleeve rank insignia also gives it away. No "crossed rifles" on any NCO's stripes, and the stripes are gold colored on khaki. We might buy their old gear, but we use it in a Marine way.

[Kurt Stover]

WW I, Marines couldn't get new uniforms so they req'ed a whole bunch of Army Uniforms and put the Eagle, Globe and Anchor where the US was suppossed to be on the collar of the Army uniform.

[kentmitchell]

The Army copies the Marines--amphibious warfare, vertical envelopment, etc.
Marines steal from the Army. You could scratch the paint on many of our vehicles (in '56) and discover army olive drab paint and yellow numbers underneath; 782 gear was army; Marines re-armed with M-1 rifles on Guadalcanal by stealing army weapons; the list is very long.

[leroy8541]

The M-249 suad automatic weapon was rejected by the Army, The Marines ended up with it, made it popular with the grunts by getting it to do what the Army couldn't then they wanted it back.