message to a wannabe's mother.

[wrbones]

A few weeks ago we had a youngster drop by and in ignorance he dissed us. We attempted to correct him, but finally had to become harsh. The next day his mother came on the site raisin' hell about the way we'd treated her boy. The following is a copy of the email that I sent her.


There is much that your child might learn here that will help them make a decision concerning joining the Marine Corps or another branch of the service. There is information of all kinds, from basic Marine training to Veterans issues. We have a myriad of experience, training, education and backgrounds. There is great wisdom and knowledge to participate in. WWII Veterans to fellow wannabes who have some little experience dealing with Marines. There are Marine families and friends on the site. There are active duty Generals and Privates just out of boot camp on the site. There are professionals and labourers and Marines from all walks of life on this site. Preachers and sinners, we have much that would be valuable to those like you who might wish to know us.

I must warn you that the Marines that I have met are tough to the core of their being. They have to be. We are the most able and frightening military organization that has ever existed. Marines in particular are the best trained fighting men, in all aspects of warfare, that has ever existed. Each generation leaves a legacy that succeeding generations do everything possible to meet or exceed. We are fighting men. The women in the Marine Corps are trained this way as well, although none has officially been involved in combat. Fighting men and women. We have the spirit of the greatest warriors who have ever taken to a battlefield, yet we have the training, discipline and organization of professional soldiers that few armed forces have ever been capable of. We are trained to live, but will sacrifice life itself for our fellow Marines. We are trained to be tough. We have to be. It is our job, it is our tradition, it is our life. We fight like no other, on any level. We die for esoteric things such as love for or brothers. We sacrifice our Marine Corps career for the greater good of our Corps. We watch our buddies die for things we do not always understand or fully comprehend. We ruin our bodies and our minds in search of one thing. Being the best that ever walked the face of the earth. We do this for freedom. We do it for patriotism. We do it for the love that we share as brothers in arms. We watch those who cannot compete for our title fall by the wayside. Inadequate and defeated by what we do every day. Day in and day out.

We have a battle cry like no other. It sends chills down the spine of any person who hears it as it roars from the throat of one or a thousand Marines. It is a cry that means business, and all who know Marines know this. Those enemies who hear that Marines are coming tremble inwardly. The name itself is unmatched, anywhere, anytime, anyplace. We care not for anything but the mission and our brothers. We mean business. The lives of our brothers depends upon us and only us. We take our name, our traditions and our motto and sayings seriously. They have real meaning for us, not as history, but as life itself. There is nothing about the Marine Corps that is history. We are a living, breathing hell on earth to those who oppose us. We are a brotherhood, a family.

When we are disrespected in anyway, we are of course offensive in response. We are a force of offensive military might. It is our nature, ingrained in us from the first day we set foot on the yellow footprints in boot camp until the day we leave this earth to go to a better assignment. Common courtesy, respect and yes, even fear are our due. We've earned it. We've proven ourselves time and again as individuals and as a group of individuals who work toward a common goal. Protecting our way of life, the freedoms we all enjoy, the peace we all expect, the prosperity we all strive for. Thank a Marine for what you have. Treat him and her with respect at all times, and you will find a Marine there to help when it is needed.

Use our motto, our war cry, our phrases at your own risk. You have then showered disrespect upon us, however unknowingly. We will correct you. How can we not? For we correct each other often and sometimes harshly...even in our humour towards each other. We are harsh. It is a harsh profession that we are engaged in. Mistakes kill people. Discipline is more necessary than food to us. Without self-discipline, we are just another mob.

Let your children come and learn from us. We will teach them much even if they later decide to join another armed force of this United States. But while they are among us, we deserve to be treated with respect and common decency. It is our right as fellow human beings, as Americans and as United States Marines.. We will demand it.

We have sacrificed too much to act otherwise or to accept anything less.



Her reply:

"Thank you."

Neither one has yet returned to the site.

[firstsgtmike]

Well said Bones,

I would have included a second, more universal, thought.

The greatest majority of the men and women who frequent this site are parents, grandparents, and a few great-grandparents.

I don't know about YOU, but MY parents taught me to be respectful to my elders.

It's not my business how much disrespectful behavior you encourage him to show towards YOU. Or how cute you think it is.

He should know the proper behavior that is expected by other adults whenever he wanders away from your apron strings.

Any spoiled brat that enters MY house WILL abide by the standard rules of civilized behavior.

If your son is fortunate enough pass the test of becoming a Marine, I promise you that he will learn, and earn, respect. It may be a shock to your system when he comes home and uses phrases that heretofore have been foreign to him, phrases such as Please, and Thank You, and Yes Maam, and No Maam.

Your welcome,

[marinemom]

Good points bones and firstsgtmike.

I am now a Marine's mom and have been a Marine's wife - twice - lost one during Nam and married a second, but that is not what counts in this thread.

I would have asked this woman - mom to mom - does she realize that he son learned his actions and attitudes from his parents. Does she realize that she has the responsibility to lay the groundwork for her son to become not only a productive member of society, but to also become a man who earns the respect and friendship of others.

Defending your child is part of a mother's makeup. Defending your child when he/she behaves badly, or when he/she is plain dead-a** wrong, is not. It definitely, in today's jargon, does not boost their poor little self-esteem, It merely gives them the impression that they are above the rules of society.

If her child does go to boot, the product that will return to her is, as firstsgtmike said, one she will not recognize. The kid you raised is there - but better, stronger, more dedicated to his country, and aware of his duty. Truly the diamond in the rough you raised has been polished to the finest grade available.

But I have the feeling that this is one that should not go. Mom to mom, we all want our kids to be diamonds. However, from the actions and attitudes displayed towards the folks here - who have gone and defended this country and made it possible for you and your son to live the way you see fit - I think it will be not a diamond in the rough that goes to boot - merely a lump of coal.

Abdicating your position as a parent, and not teaching manners and respect, is not something that allows you to tell anyone that your child has been treated harshly.

And mom to mom - I don't think your son is quite the material that the Corps wants and needs. Teamwork is essential. Mutual respect is essential. Willingness to put your wishes behind the needs of the Corps is essential. Three words say it all - Honor, Courage, Commitment.

Keep him home with you - safer for him and certainly better for the Corps.

[firstsgtmike]

I think it would be an act of kindness, however undeserved, if Bones would e-mail these last two posts to the wannabees mother.

[NamGrunt68]

I can't find it right now, but somewhere in my desk is a speech that Leonard F. Chapman gave when he was Commandant.....what it boiled down too is that "Marine Moms" helped fubar the Marine Corps Recruit Training.....I agree....if it hadn't been for them runnin their mouths about their poor babies gettin a mud hole stomped in their azz while in boot camp, the training at the MCRD's would still be like it was in the 60's !! My 2 centavo's along with Gen Chapman's !!

[USMC0311]

I wanna get my comment in soz people know I can agree with a number of people at one time. All You people have made Great Points..I agree with all ya. For the idiots that can't read..The statement refers ONLY to the people that have posted PRIOR to me. .

Straight-Up, Flat-Fact, Fast Forward. Get Sum Do It

Semper Fidelis, Marines

[NamGrunt68]

Originally posted by USMC0311
I wanna get my comment in soz people know I can agree with a number of people at one time. All You people have made Great Points..I agree with all ya. For the idiots that can't read..The statement refers ONLY to the people that have posted PRIOR to me. .

Straight-Up, Flat-Fact, Fast Forward. Get Sum Do It

Semper Fidelis, Marines

Joe T.....ya sure know how to cover a six and dat ain't no sh!t Get sum ya mofo !!

[greensideout]

Bones,

Ever thought about writing speechs for the commandant?
Or have you already done that?

Well put by all the above. You sound like a bunch of proud Marines and a Marinemom.

Semper Fi

[Chevy2233]

You guys make me proud to live in this country and proud to want to be a Marine!

[wrbones]

I appreciate the compliment.

I don't figure I'd do too well writin' speeches fer other folks. They'd tell me how to write it and I'd tell them how to deliver it! LOL.

More than likely, I'd end up tellin' them just where they could deliver it and ask if they needed any assistance puttin' it there!


For those of you that missed it, this is where it started. I don't want to start something but a few of you seemed to have missed it.



http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/sh...&threadid=3562

There were a few other posts where he asked the same basic question was wasn't listening to the answers, so he'd post it again somewhere else. Several of his posts were deleted and PM's were sent. Read Mom's response to all of this in the above url.


http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/sh...9981#post19981

I'll say it once again, here:

I've been fired on fer bein' hard on some of these kids. Ask around, hell, look around the site, fer that matter. I do more than most to help. Some have even gotten PM's and emails welcoming them to the site and offering them my asistance. The ones who listen and do what is recommended appreciate it after they've done what they've been asked to do and read a bit. Damn near all of the answers have been posted, if not, links to other resources where they can get the answers have been posted. I've stayed up all night on several occasions visitin' with them in chat and IM's and such. I've spent numerous hours looking up stuff for them when they couldn't find it themselves. I've exchanged emails and PM's doin' what little I could to help.

Fer that matter, fer what it's worth, some of them have even been postin' testimonials!

I'm more than willing to help, but they have to want to be helped fer crying out loud! LOL. and it don't hurt a damn bit if they listen the first time! LOL

[Chevy2233]

I'm fairly new around here and you have already helped me. And I can see where you have helped others in previous threads that I have read. I sincerly appreciate it and I'm sure all the other Poolees feel the same.

[NamGrunt68]

That boy is a sophmore in high school.....he ought to be out chasing poontang and drinkin some hooch !! What the hell is wrong with todays Youth ?? Almost makes me ashamed that I was a sophmore once....he's givin us a bad name !!!! LMAO

[Seeley]

Hey NamGrunt86, I'm 16 and all I think about is whats going to happen in a year and a half . MCRD San Deigo is pretty much all I have my mind on right now. Poontang and hooch come and go but the brotherhood that awaits me at those yellow footprints will never go away. BTW, trying to get hooch isn't hard doesn't take much to get that stuff. As for the other...well lets just say I'm still working on it...

[NamGrunt68]

Seeley....take it one day at a time young man....like you said...them yellow footprints ain't goin no where.....they'll be there when you get there....in the meantime, concentrate on the tang and hooch !! Hell I was still thinkin bout those two items five minutes before the bus pulled into the receiving station in Yamasee SC......After that.........it was all just a memory !!

[Seeley]

LMAO I'll take the advice NamGrunt68, thanks