What constitutes a true Marine?

[mcvet57103]

This forum is for the "Exchange of ideas and thoughts" so here goes. What does being a Marine mean? If a person serves in the Army for 4 years then joins the Marines for 4 years, serves his time, then goes back to the Army, Navy, or Air Farce for the next 12 years, or longer, and retires from that branch, still a Marine? Or how about this slant, A guy spends 4-7 years in the Marines, then joins a branch of the either Army National Guard, Air National Guard, or Coast Guard till they retire 16 to whatever years later, are they still considered marines? Or are they now just using their prior Marine experience to get access to this site to "f--k with" the Marines? I can understand serving in a different branch for a while, but I was born and spent the first 12 years of my life in Kansas, then move to South Dakota and have been here for the last 39 years. I consider myself a South Dakotan with Kansas ties, not a Kansan. Not trying to start any sheet, just am wandering.

[Enigmatic]

mcvet your post left me more confused than anything else (blame it on my youth) so I'll just say...once a Marine always a Marine?

[hrscowboy]

Yeah your startin sheet, your from the land of OZ, you cant change that no matter how you try hahaha you got a birth certificate that says so..

[mcvet57103]

Not tryin to start anything, but I wander about a persons allegience. Do they still consider themselves a Marine or the other branch? We put down the other branches as less than us. Wouldn't it stand to reason that a Marine who joins another branch and retires as a member of that other branch be now a member of that branch? And if not, do they in their hearts, and soul still believe they are a Marine? Isn't being a Marine an elite brotherhood? This question was asked by my wife who by the way was Army National Guard. She put me on the spot and I need clarification. A person can be democratic and become a communist, so wouldn't it work in this case?

[mcvet57103]

mcvet your post left me more confused than anything else (blame it on my youth) so I'll just say...once a Marine always a Marine?

Got ya thinking. That is my objective. SF

[RYDERKUR]

I'd just like to throw this out there....A Marine who served his four and went Army and retired is the Marine I most try to emulate, and to me is the living example of Honor, Courage, and Commitment...Cpl. Blaylock. Cpl. Gonzalez nailed it with our resounding term...Once a Marine, Always a Marine...that's my two cents.

[mcvet57103]

I'd just like to throw this out there....A Marine who served his four and went Army and retired is the Marine I most try to emulate, and to me is the living example of Honor, Courage, and Commitment...Cpl. Blaylock. Cpl. Gonzalez nailed it with our resounding term...Once a Marine, Always a Marine...that's my two cents.

Aw but what about the person who serves as a Marine first but spends the next 10 to whatever years in the Army, Navy etc putting down the Corps is he still a Marine? Wasn't Benedict Arnold an American?

[mcvet57103]

Wasn't Benedict Arnold an American?

[mjhpgh]

Every year on or about 10 Nov a small group of us gather and have cake . We are all currently in the AF Reserves and all still consider ourselves Marines still. We ended up serving in the AF for different reasons but we are still serving. Why would I be less of a Marine than someone who got out,got fat and does not serve in the military?

Now having said that if you are out,fat ,and not serving you are still a Marine!

[mjhpgh]

I have met one Marine in the AFR that put down the Corps ,He was a ****bird and ended up getting kicked out of the AF also.Probablt talks bad about the AF now also.

[RYDERKUR]

Every year on or about 10 Nov a small group of us gather and have cake . We are all currently in the AF Reserves and all still consider ourselves Marines still. We ended up serving in the AF for different reasons but we are still serving. Why would I be less of a Marine than someone who got out,got fat and does not serve in the military?

Now having said that if you are out,fat ,and not serving you are still a Marine!

I think we both missed his point, and correct me if I'm wrong Cpl., when you join another branch, as in the case above, the AFR, you bash the Marine Corps in rivalry terms. My thinking is they would be labeled as that "10%er" who couldn't hack it. They would be considered a ****-bag or what have you, not very honorable, etc...but still a Marine. Good question to contemplate.

[mcvet57103]

Every year on or about 10 Nov a small group of us gather and have cake . We are all currently in the AF Reserves and all still consider ourselves Marines still. We ended up serving in the AF for different reasons but we are still serving. Why would I be less of a Marine than someone who got out,got fat and does not serve in the military?

Now having said that if you are out,fat ,and not serving you are still a Marine!

That's commendable, but how do the other AF reserve members feel knowing you recognize the Corps as a better unit? Put yourself in their shoes. Would you not feel the former Marines were looking down their noses thinking they are superior? ( we are) But you see my point?

[mjhpgh]

At work we are both civil service and in the AFR. My Maintenance Chief (e-9) was in the Corps. He is well respected ,having said that we get mixed reactions .Some say we dont want to hear that USMC sh** ,others are impressed .probably 90% of the AF is not worried about what branch is tougher .It is a different atmosphere in the AF .Many times I wish it was more like the Corps.

[Maldonado 2060]

That's commendable, but how do the other AF reserve members feel knowing you recognize the Corps as a better unit? Put yourself in their shoes. Would you not feel the former Marines were looking down their noses thinking they are superior?( we are) But you see my point?

LOL, MCVET for president. You gotta love Marines.

[mcvet57103]

My wives exact question was: How can someone spend just a few years in the Marines, then join another service, spend their entire service to retirement in that branch, and still call themselves a Marine? Put me on the spot I might add. Got me thinking, if I spent 4 years driving truck then, 20 years welding, would I be a welder, or a truck driver? One more thought: If I was a Marine for 4 years then moved to France and joined the French foreign Legion for 20 years would I still be considered a Marine?