thedrifter
07-28-08, 09:38 AM
I guess even Marines take poetic license occasionally
by veterans columnist Paul Croteau
Published:
Sunday, July 27, 2008 8:40 AM EDT
Many of you will recall that my nephew Isaac Croteau was wounded near Fallujah more than three years ago. His recovery went well and the Navy doctors patched him up real fine. So good, in fact, that he decided to re-enlist. He’s now a full Sergeant (E5) and a recruiter for the Marines, stationed in Flint, Mich.
Ike — he prefers Zack, but what the hell — called me a few days ago just to touch base and told me that, in reality, recruiting wasn’t all that it was cracked up to be and he wished his boots were on the ground in the Middle East. When I asked if being shot once wasn’t good enough for him, he replied that, statistically speaking, the odds of getting shot in the neighborhoods of Flint that he must travel in are greater than in Iraq or Afghanistan.
He asked me to check out the recruiting station’s Web site (www.myspace.com/flintmarines) and I did. One of the things I found there really, really tells the story of the Marine mindset. The Marines out there will love it, veterans of the other branches of the Armed Forces will roll their eyes in amazement of the macho hutzpah.
Civilians will probably have no clue as to what they’re talking about.
Here it is, direct from the Web site, author unknown, in all it’s Semper-Fi, hoo-rah glory:
“The USMC is over 219 years of romping, stomping, hell, death and destruction. The finest fighting machine the world has ever seen. We were born in a bomb crater, our mother was an M-16 and our father was the devil. Each moment that I live is an additional threat upon your life. I am a rough-looking, roving soldier of the sea. I am cocky, self-centered, overbearing, and I do not know the meaning of fear, for I am fear itself. I am a green, amphibious monster made of blood and guts who arose from the sea, festering on anti-Americans throughout the globe. Whenever it may arise, and when my time comes, I will die a glorious death on the battlefield, giving my life to Mom, the Corps, and the American flag. We stole the eagle from the Air Force, the anchor from the Navy, and the rope from the Army. On the seventh day, while God rested, we over-ran his perimeter and stole the globe, and we’ve been running the show ever since. We live like soldiers and talk like sailors and slap the hell out of both of them. Soldier by day, lover by night, drunkard by choice, MARINE BY GOD!!!”
Hutzpah or no, I sure am glad the Marines are on our side.
One should point out to the author, whoever that may be, that when the Marines were born — November 10, 1775 — the weapon was more likely a flintlock rifle, not an M-16. I guess even Marines take poetic license occasionally.
House approves housing breaks for vets
From Armed Forces News: The House of “Representatives on July 10 approved a measure that would provide up to 20,000 rental vouchers a year for homeless veterans, assist non-profit organizations who provide housing help to veterans with very low incomes, and exclude veterans’ benefits in calculations of housing assistance provided by the Housing and Urban Development and Agriculture departments. Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, sponsored the bill, H.R. 3329. The Senate is considering a similar measure, S. 1084, sponsored by Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., the Democratic Party’s nominee-apparent to face Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., in November’s presidential election.”
Army seeks stories of troop integration
From the American Legion Online Update:
“The U.S. Army plans to commemorate the 60th anniversary of its racial integration of troops with a joint-services ceremony in the Pentagon Courtyard on Aug. 5.
“The Army’s Office of Public Affairs is calling for related stories and experiences from veterans for the Army’s Web site and national media. For example, some anecdotes may appear as Web news stories on Army.mil, along with photos and biographical information about the storytellers.
“On July 26, 1948, President Harry Truman signed Executive Order 9981, establishing the President’s Committee on Equality of Treatment and Opportunity in the Armed Services. It was accompanied by Executive Order 9980, which created a Fair Employment Board to eliminate racial discrimination in federal employment.
“Segregation in the military services did not officially end until the last black unit was abolished Sept. 30, 1954. But Truman’s directive unintentionally placed the armed forces at the forefront of the growing civil-rights movement.
“Extending racial equality beyond posts, barracks and bases required an additional change in Defense Department policy. This occurred with the publication of DoD Directive 5120.36 on July 26, 1963 — 15 years to the day after Truman signed the original desegregation order. This major about-face in policy, issued by Secretary of Defense Robert J. McNamara, expanded the military’s responsibility to include the elimination of off-base discrimination considered detrimental to the military effectiveness of black servicemembers.
“If you’re interested in sharing your recollections about the early days of troop integration in the U.S. Army, contact Carl Mahnken at 703-614-9039 or e-mail mahnkenca@conus.army.mil.”
House VA committee questions drug’s use
From the VFW Washington Weekly report:
“The House Veterans’ Affairs Committee held an oversight hearing on VA’s use of the smoking cessation drug, Chantix, on veterans suffering from PTSD. Recent news articles have reported that VA did not properly warn veterans of the risks associated with the drug. Veterans were not informed that using the drug may cause side effects including anxiety, depression and feelings of suicide.
VFW Commander-in-Chief George Lisicki has demanded VA accountability over the incident and has asked Secretary James Peake to take decisive action with anyone involved. ‘Those in the VA who failed to properly notify America’s veterans that their medication could produce fatal side effects must resign their positions,’ said Lisicki, ‘if not, then the VA secretary must take decisive action to terminate their employment.’ ”
If you can read this, thank a teacher. Since you are reading this in English, thank a veteran.
Ellie
by veterans columnist Paul Croteau
Published:
Sunday, July 27, 2008 8:40 AM EDT
Many of you will recall that my nephew Isaac Croteau was wounded near Fallujah more than three years ago. His recovery went well and the Navy doctors patched him up real fine. So good, in fact, that he decided to re-enlist. He’s now a full Sergeant (E5) and a recruiter for the Marines, stationed in Flint, Mich.
Ike — he prefers Zack, but what the hell — called me a few days ago just to touch base and told me that, in reality, recruiting wasn’t all that it was cracked up to be and he wished his boots were on the ground in the Middle East. When I asked if being shot once wasn’t good enough for him, he replied that, statistically speaking, the odds of getting shot in the neighborhoods of Flint that he must travel in are greater than in Iraq or Afghanistan.
He asked me to check out the recruiting station’s Web site (www.myspace.com/flintmarines) and I did. One of the things I found there really, really tells the story of the Marine mindset. The Marines out there will love it, veterans of the other branches of the Armed Forces will roll their eyes in amazement of the macho hutzpah.
Civilians will probably have no clue as to what they’re talking about.
Here it is, direct from the Web site, author unknown, in all it’s Semper-Fi, hoo-rah glory:
“The USMC is over 219 years of romping, stomping, hell, death and destruction. The finest fighting machine the world has ever seen. We were born in a bomb crater, our mother was an M-16 and our father was the devil. Each moment that I live is an additional threat upon your life. I am a rough-looking, roving soldier of the sea. I am cocky, self-centered, overbearing, and I do not know the meaning of fear, for I am fear itself. I am a green, amphibious monster made of blood and guts who arose from the sea, festering on anti-Americans throughout the globe. Whenever it may arise, and when my time comes, I will die a glorious death on the battlefield, giving my life to Mom, the Corps, and the American flag. We stole the eagle from the Air Force, the anchor from the Navy, and the rope from the Army. On the seventh day, while God rested, we over-ran his perimeter and stole the globe, and we’ve been running the show ever since. We live like soldiers and talk like sailors and slap the hell out of both of them. Soldier by day, lover by night, drunkard by choice, MARINE BY GOD!!!”
Hutzpah or no, I sure am glad the Marines are on our side.
One should point out to the author, whoever that may be, that when the Marines were born — November 10, 1775 — the weapon was more likely a flintlock rifle, not an M-16. I guess even Marines take poetic license occasionally.
House approves housing breaks for vets
From Armed Forces News: The House of “Representatives on July 10 approved a measure that would provide up to 20,000 rental vouchers a year for homeless veterans, assist non-profit organizations who provide housing help to veterans with very low incomes, and exclude veterans’ benefits in calculations of housing assistance provided by the Housing and Urban Development and Agriculture departments. Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, sponsored the bill, H.R. 3329. The Senate is considering a similar measure, S. 1084, sponsored by Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., the Democratic Party’s nominee-apparent to face Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., in November’s presidential election.”
Army seeks stories of troop integration
From the American Legion Online Update:
“The U.S. Army plans to commemorate the 60th anniversary of its racial integration of troops with a joint-services ceremony in the Pentagon Courtyard on Aug. 5.
“The Army’s Office of Public Affairs is calling for related stories and experiences from veterans for the Army’s Web site and national media. For example, some anecdotes may appear as Web news stories on Army.mil, along with photos and biographical information about the storytellers.
“On July 26, 1948, President Harry Truman signed Executive Order 9981, establishing the President’s Committee on Equality of Treatment and Opportunity in the Armed Services. It was accompanied by Executive Order 9980, which created a Fair Employment Board to eliminate racial discrimination in federal employment.
“Segregation in the military services did not officially end until the last black unit was abolished Sept. 30, 1954. But Truman’s directive unintentionally placed the armed forces at the forefront of the growing civil-rights movement.
“Extending racial equality beyond posts, barracks and bases required an additional change in Defense Department policy. This occurred with the publication of DoD Directive 5120.36 on July 26, 1963 — 15 years to the day after Truman signed the original desegregation order. This major about-face in policy, issued by Secretary of Defense Robert J. McNamara, expanded the military’s responsibility to include the elimination of off-base discrimination considered detrimental to the military effectiveness of black servicemembers.
“If you’re interested in sharing your recollections about the early days of troop integration in the U.S. Army, contact Carl Mahnken at 703-614-9039 or e-mail mahnkenca@conus.army.mil.”
House VA committee questions drug’s use
From the VFW Washington Weekly report:
“The House Veterans’ Affairs Committee held an oversight hearing on VA’s use of the smoking cessation drug, Chantix, on veterans suffering from PTSD. Recent news articles have reported that VA did not properly warn veterans of the risks associated with the drug. Veterans were not informed that using the drug may cause side effects including anxiety, depression and feelings of suicide.
VFW Commander-in-Chief George Lisicki has demanded VA accountability over the incident and has asked Secretary James Peake to take decisive action with anyone involved. ‘Those in the VA who failed to properly notify America’s veterans that their medication could produce fatal side effects must resign their positions,’ said Lisicki, ‘if not, then the VA secretary must take decisive action to terminate their employment.’ ”
If you can read this, thank a teacher. Since you are reading this in English, thank a veteran.
Ellie