thedrifter
01-22-03, 07:18 AM
Ask a Marine...
This is a story told by GEN Tommy R. Franks, Commander, U.S. Central
Command:
"I ended a recent operations briefing for a lot of our folks over there (in
Afghanistan) by discussing some of their morale issues. I
related to them about a recent meeting and tour I had with the American
ambassador when we went around inspecting all of our Marines deployed into
their fighting positions.
"I reminded all of the assembled officers that Marines live in holes
and don't have a house to live in like 'heavy forces.' No tank or lots of
tents to sleep in. They carry their 'house' on their back and they live in
fighting holes. Although the Marines had just lost a buddy (in a Humvee
accident), their spirit was 'uplifting'.
"A question posed by the ambassador to a Marine drove this point home. The
ambassador asked a young Marine private sitting in his hole, 'how is it here
in the hole?' The private answered, 'Kind of like the beach without water.'
The ambassador then asked, 'If you could get something, what would you like
to have?'
"I related to all of our folks assembled there in front of me that
most of us would have answered, 'a hot meal', 'a cot', 'a shower,'
...but this Marine private said, 'I could use some more ammunition'."
Sempers,
Roger
This is a story told by GEN Tommy R. Franks, Commander, U.S. Central
Command:
"I ended a recent operations briefing for a lot of our folks over there (in
Afghanistan) by discussing some of their morale issues. I
related to them about a recent meeting and tour I had with the American
ambassador when we went around inspecting all of our Marines deployed into
their fighting positions.
"I reminded all of the assembled officers that Marines live in holes
and don't have a house to live in like 'heavy forces.' No tank or lots of
tents to sleep in. They carry their 'house' on their back and they live in
fighting holes. Although the Marines had just lost a buddy (in a Humvee
accident), their spirit was 'uplifting'.
"A question posed by the ambassador to a Marine drove this point home. The
ambassador asked a young Marine private sitting in his hole, 'how is it here
in the hole?' The private answered, 'Kind of like the beach without water.'
The ambassador then asked, 'If you could get something, what would you like
to have?'
"I related to all of our folks assembled there in front of me that
most of us would have answered, 'a hot meal', 'a cot', 'a shower,'
...but this Marine private said, 'I could use some more ammunition'."
Sempers,
Roger