thedrifter
08-15-06, 08:01 AM
There’s no such thing as a former Marine
From staff reports
The Herald-Zeitung
Published August 15, 2006
Once a Marine, always a Marine.
That’s what Tom Swisher says about being called an “ex-Marine” or a “former Marine.”
“People ask me if I was a Marine, and I say, ‘I am a Marine,’” said Swisher, a retired warrant officer who joined the United States Marine Corps in 1947. “Once you’ve gone through boot camp, you’re a Marine and that’s it.”
He’s certainly not alone in his sentiments. Swisher is just one of about 20 retired Marines who meet for breakfast at the Union Street Station restaurant every Friday morning.
The men come from a wide range of backgrounds, ages, jobs and duties while in the service, but all are united by their common experience of being among the most elite soldiers in the world.
“This is our little psych-relief session,” said Richard Goss, a retired hospital corpsman. “This kind of camaraderie never dies.”
This group of retired Marines has been meeting for breakfast for nearly eight years now, the last five of which have been at Union Station. They arrive early, sitting down as soon as the restaurant opens its doors, and are usually gone in about an hour before any of the other regular patrons arrive.
“It’s a delight to have them here,” said Vicki Monarrez, who co-owns Union Street Station with her husband. “I’ve never seen such brotherhood. They all served at different times, but they act as if they all served together. It’s like a family.”
The group has several notable members, including Gene Overstreet and David Sommers, both of whom at different times served as the sergeant major of the Marine Corps — the highest ranking enlisted official of the military branch.
Their Friday morning discussions range from politics, community issues, books and movies, wives and girlfriends, hunting and arguing over who’s the oldest.
They toss up acronyms like NCOs, LPDs, LST, and WO2 to the point where they’re almost speaking a foreign language, and they jokingly disparage the other branches of the U.S. military.
Most importantly, they trade “sea stories.”
“A sea story is a Marine’s tale about when he was in the service,” said Sam Garcia, a retired captain. “Where you’ve been, what you did when you were there. Half the time they’re true, and half the time they aren’t. It could be total fiction.”
Adds Swisher: “The only difference between a sea story and a fairy tale is the fairy tale starts with, ‘Once upon a time‚’ and a sea story starts with ‘This is no bull.’”
This particular group of Marines tells sea stories set in the Phillipines, Iwo Jima, Heartbreak Ridge, Vietnam and more. The group acts casually around one another, despite being a wide mix of retired enlisted and officers.
“Once you get out of active duty, no once cares about rank anymore,” said Cotton Nail, who also is a retired Los Angeles County sheriff. “But we always remain respectful of one another and keep that discipline.”
While they’ve known the pride and sense of brotherhood that comes with being a Marine, they also have known the pain and suffering of war.
For this reason, they are hosting a barbeque picnic at Landa Park this Saturday for more than 80 injured Marines from Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio.
“This is a celebration for our brothers-in-arms and their families,” said Ron Sommer, a retired colonel who taught Junior ROTC at New Braunfels High School for 12 years. “If any former Marines would like to come out and join us, they are more than welcome.”
Most of those coming to the picnic are Marines wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan, said Jim Reed, a retired colonel who works for the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund at BAMC. Nationwide, the fund has provided more than $5 million in grants and medical assistance for injured Marines and sailors, Reed said.
Glen Allmon, a retired Navy construction battalion officer and World War II veteran, said this is all part of what Marines do for each other.
“These guys will do anything for one another,” Allmon said. “They’re a great group of guys.”
Ellie
From staff reports
The Herald-Zeitung
Published August 15, 2006
Once a Marine, always a Marine.
That’s what Tom Swisher says about being called an “ex-Marine” or a “former Marine.”
“People ask me if I was a Marine, and I say, ‘I am a Marine,’” said Swisher, a retired warrant officer who joined the United States Marine Corps in 1947. “Once you’ve gone through boot camp, you’re a Marine and that’s it.”
He’s certainly not alone in his sentiments. Swisher is just one of about 20 retired Marines who meet for breakfast at the Union Street Station restaurant every Friday morning.
The men come from a wide range of backgrounds, ages, jobs and duties while in the service, but all are united by their common experience of being among the most elite soldiers in the world.
“This is our little psych-relief session,” said Richard Goss, a retired hospital corpsman. “This kind of camaraderie never dies.”
This group of retired Marines has been meeting for breakfast for nearly eight years now, the last five of which have been at Union Station. They arrive early, sitting down as soon as the restaurant opens its doors, and are usually gone in about an hour before any of the other regular patrons arrive.
“It’s a delight to have them here,” said Vicki Monarrez, who co-owns Union Street Station with her husband. “I’ve never seen such brotherhood. They all served at different times, but they act as if they all served together. It’s like a family.”
The group has several notable members, including Gene Overstreet and David Sommers, both of whom at different times served as the sergeant major of the Marine Corps — the highest ranking enlisted official of the military branch.
Their Friday morning discussions range from politics, community issues, books and movies, wives and girlfriends, hunting and arguing over who’s the oldest.
They toss up acronyms like NCOs, LPDs, LST, and WO2 to the point where they’re almost speaking a foreign language, and they jokingly disparage the other branches of the U.S. military.
Most importantly, they trade “sea stories.”
“A sea story is a Marine’s tale about when he was in the service,” said Sam Garcia, a retired captain. “Where you’ve been, what you did when you were there. Half the time they’re true, and half the time they aren’t. It could be total fiction.”
Adds Swisher: “The only difference between a sea story and a fairy tale is the fairy tale starts with, ‘Once upon a time‚’ and a sea story starts with ‘This is no bull.’”
This particular group of Marines tells sea stories set in the Phillipines, Iwo Jima, Heartbreak Ridge, Vietnam and more. The group acts casually around one another, despite being a wide mix of retired enlisted and officers.
“Once you get out of active duty, no once cares about rank anymore,” said Cotton Nail, who also is a retired Los Angeles County sheriff. “But we always remain respectful of one another and keep that discipline.”
While they’ve known the pride and sense of brotherhood that comes with being a Marine, they also have known the pain and suffering of war.
For this reason, they are hosting a barbeque picnic at Landa Park this Saturday for more than 80 injured Marines from Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio.
“This is a celebration for our brothers-in-arms and their families,” said Ron Sommer, a retired colonel who taught Junior ROTC at New Braunfels High School for 12 years. “If any former Marines would like to come out and join us, they are more than welcome.”
Most of those coming to the picnic are Marines wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan, said Jim Reed, a retired colonel who works for the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund at BAMC. Nationwide, the fund has provided more than $5 million in grants and medical assistance for injured Marines and sailors, Reed said.
Glen Allmon, a retired Navy construction battalion officer and World War II veteran, said this is all part of what Marines do for each other.
“These guys will do anything for one another,” Allmon said. “They’re a great group of guys.”
Ellie