What is a Marine's purpose?
This is for the DEPers and Poolees and wannabes. Those who are serious about an enlistment in the Marine Corps.
What is a Marine's purpose in life?
Killing people. Plain and simple. The purpose of any Armed service throughout the ages has been to win battles. Winning battles requires several things in life. One is the willingness to kill your opponent by whatever means neccesary. This means you must be better trained, better motivated and know the cause for which you fight, is at heart, just and true. At it's basis, in any field of battle, it is the willingness to kill...or be killed.
Many Marines have spent years learning all that they can in order to become better at what they do than anyone else on the planet. Some of the greatest warriors and Generals in history have been United States Marines. They learned hand to hand combat, squad and small unit tactics. They learned logistics and planning, they learned to handle regiment and division size forces. They learned how to handle any piece of equipment that they or their enemies had in their arsenal. They learned seamanship. They learned geography. They learned defensive manuevers. They learned guerilla warfare. They learn to care deeply for their men. They learn the history of any potential foe, years before any conflict arises between them. They learn politics. They keep up on current events. They learn history and the history of warfare. They spend their entire lives dedicated to one thing. Learning how to defeat their enemies.
The best known Marine who ever did this was a man called Lewis B. Puller. LtGeneral, USMC.
One other thing, First Sergeant,
I understand that in a free and democratic society, that there are legal consequences for threatening a man's life...you might reconsider your statement was phrased. In a homeland, you may not have much to worry about, being a member of it's military establishment
Purpose of the Military....
As I see it...
Bones and firstsgtmike, ya both are right. The purpose of the USMC and US Military is to train. To be ready to go forth when the president calls upon us. The idea of the modern US Military is to keep and preserve peace through a show of force. That has often worked. But the "show of force" is no good if it's only a bluff that you cannot back up with swift and exacting measures of violence. Yes, killing, maiming, destroying and, if ya got a big enough piece of ordnance, obliterating. It does not mean that any Marine or other military service member WANTS to kill. Most assuredly they don't WANT to die. They have a job to do. If they are lucky, they will go through their time of service and never be in harms way. Yet, I'd hope, they will forever be training and ready for just such a situation. If people in the military are not prepared for the possibility of being in harms way and taking the life of another, then the purpose of the military would be self defeating. Even in the kinder/gentler transition during the mid 80's, in boot camp, we constantly were spouting off.. KILL KILL KILL... BLOOD MAKES THE GRASS GROW. We sang cadence glorifying our possible deaths and the deaths of any enemy we may encounter. This helped to create a mind set for taking a life, if the need arose. If what I'm stating here doesn't make any sense, then I'll just leave you with this.
My Rifle
by Unknown
This is my rifle. There are many like it, but this one is mine.
My rifle is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my life.
My rifle, without me, is useless. Without my rifle, I am useless. I must fire my rifle true. I must
shoot straighter than my enemy who is trying to kill me. I must shoot him before he shoots me.
I will...
My rifle and myself know that what counts in this war is not the rounds we fire, the noise of our
burst, nor the smoke we make. We know that it is the hits that count. We will hit...
My rifle is human, even as I, because it is my life. Thus, I will learn it as a brother. I will learn its
weaknesses, its strength, its parts, its accessories, its sights and its barrel. I will ever guard it
against the ravages of weather and damage as I will ever guard my legs, my arms, my eyes and my heart against damage. I will keep my rifle clean and ready. We will become part of each
other. We will...
Before God, I swear this creed. My rifle and myself are the defenders of my country. We are
the masters of our enemy. We are the saviors of my life.
So be it, until victory is America's and there is no enemy, but peace!
Semper Fi!
Too many .... up close and very personal
Closer than my monitor.
However I don’t see where anyone is glorifying killing, the killing process, only what we did at that time, and what we felt.
Marines that have killed in war, remain today some of the most protectors of life and value life more than those who have never had to fight for life.
I don't regret ever killing a gook. I remember more the number of dead Marines than the dead enemies that fell under my M-60. yes I saw them fall, saw the impact of the bullet as it struck the enemy shooting at me and at other Marines.
On May 31, 1968 there were 14 of themson-*****es in front of my melted machine gun barrel. I'll never forget that day.
They were just 30-40 feet from me, and yes I saw them go down, and saw their blasted faces, and the damage a 7.62 does.
I also remember dead Marines to my left and some dead Marines still sitting upright in the trucks where the convoy had been ambushed. I remember many wounded Marines to my right and left from Charlie 1/7 and from the truck convoy that had been ambushed, who were killed or wounded trying to get more m-60 ammo to where I was.
Both of 1/7’s Machine gunners had already been killed or wounded. I have always wanted to find out who they were. I had gotten separated from my unit that day while we responded to their call for help. And I ended up fighting alongside some very brave Marines that day.
PHOTOS ARE FROM MY FILE
from Operation Foster
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