what to do about drunks

[rktect3j]

I think my response is "what has your pfc done" to merit this attention by not one Lcpl but apparently several. I don't want to sound like I am picking on your son but if this was a single occurance or being done by another single Marine, I can understand but for this to have happened several times, I have to ask the question. What has he done to apparently have ****ed off his fellow Marines? Again, I am not saying that he has done something bad but maybe something he has done or is doing is ****ing Marines off. People don't just get picked on over and over for no reason.

[Old Marine]

People just don't get picked on over and over for no reason."

Maybe not in a fantasy world, but in the real world it happens and it is BS. There are some people in this world who for no reason like to mess with other people and make life miserable for them.

The types of people need to get their priorities straight, before someone gets hurt very badly.

[CH53MetalMan]

I think my response is "what has your pfc done" to merit this attention by not one Lcpl but apparently several. I don't want to sound like I am picking on your son but if this was a single occurance or being done by another single Marine, I can understand but for this to have happened several times, I have to ask the question. What has he done to apparently have ****ed off his fellow Marines? Again, I am not saying that he has done something bad but maybe something he has done or is doing is ****ing Marines off. People don't just get picked on over and over for no reason.

It takes no more than being the 'newbee' for a Marine to get ganged up on by other Marines. This isn't always the case, but often enough it is.


I'm sure it is difficult for anyone in this situation, Parent or Marine, but all things will pass, in the end, you'll look back on this as just another learning & growing experince.

[Quinbo]

When I was a boot someone knocked me down and broke my glasses and stole my lunch money. After I explained to the 1st Sgt that the welt under my eye was caused by me walking into a door; there wasn't a man in my unit that wouldn't step right in if anyone effed with me again. We took it all the way to combat. I wasn't no welsh and that was just a test.

I didn't wear glasses and didn't have lunch money but you get the picture.

[foreverproud]

Well... I'm just a Marine mom...but I think it best to just listen and let him figure it out by himself which I'm sure he will.

[tdrt]

Well... I'm just a Marine mom...but I think it best to just listen and let him figure it out by himself which I'm sure he will.

You are certainly more that "just a", but I do agree with you. As a mom myself, even though it kills me not to step in and fix everything, you need to let go and let them fight their own battles, etc.

He is a Marine. He knows exactly what he needs to do and having mommy or daddy step in to fix things is certainly not going to help matters -- will most likely make them very much worse.

[boomer56328]

This is really commonplace to someone who just hit the fleet. I'd tell him to stand up for himself and let them no he isn't going to take any of their B.S. There is no need to take it up the chain if he is able to handle it himself. He doesn't want to be the guy who is known as the one who always runs to his NCO's when he has a problem with other junior Marine's. This creates unwanted tension and trust issues between him and the other guys in his unit. It was always best in my experience to try to handle these situations amoung the troops.

[usmcdanno]

If your son is such the badass that you claim, he should have just taken care of business right then and there. That's the old school way and always worked pretty darn good for me. If he'd beat up a drunk that came into his room who threatened to kill him, believe me the OOD would have been on his side. I spent many a night as OOD and had similar circumstances occur. Never even made a log book entry about such. I'd call it peer justice. If he's to make it in the Marine Corps, he needs to learn to defend and take care of himself. Don't expect or let other people fight your battles. You'll never go wrong sticking up for yourself in the Marine Corps.......just make sure you're in the right.

[CH53MetalMan]

Gunny

I think you are reading into this all wrong. With the rarest exception, a sober Marine (or anyone else) could tear into a drunken fool that is asking for it, but we don't always do that, probable because it would just be to easy. I'm sure if the Marine in question here, were in serious jeopardy, he would have prevented himself from being hurt. At this point it is likely more of a pride & respect issue, rather than a physical threat. We all know how tough 'some' Marines act when drinking.

All that is happening here, is the Marine has a close relationship and respect for his Dad, and requested his council. And the Dad was smart enough, to come here for more information.

[usmcdanno]

True enough CH-53. Perhaps I do "read into" things in a different perspective. I don't think that I'm "wrong" though. I simply speak from my experience and the way things were taken care of in my day. Seeking counsel from one's father is valiant, however the father has no clue what it takes to be a Marine. There's way too much inflection of the mothers and fathers concerning the day-to-day running of our Corps. I highly encourage parents and junior Marines to listen to good sound counsel from Marine Staff NCO's. After all, we're the ones that will get your son or daughter back to you safely. That or die trying in my book.

[CH53MetalMan]

Gunny

I agree 100%

Staff NCO's are the best counsel for jr. Marines. But I'm wondering if this Marine may have been afraid of "breaking his chain of command" by leap frogging ahead or reluctant to start at the bottom, and let others perceive him to be a snitch.

[usmcdanno]

Presenting a problem to your SNCOIC is not "jumping the chain". I always had an open door policy when a younger Marine wanted to talk to me about something. Jumping the chain involves officers. Believe me, you don't want to run simple problems up the flag pole. If a young Marine feels like he's in an environment where he thinks he can't talk to his SNCOIC, then sadly he's in a bad leadership environment. Thankfully that very rarely occurs in our Marine Corps. Keep the faith.

[Gunner 0313]

I'd be curious to know what kind of unit the son is with.

[WKranz]

This happened all the time when i was a boot, so prolly a grunt battalion. He is lucky it aint situps under the hot shower while you scream your 9 line cas evac drill. Or sandbag runs at 0300. Or fists to the face anytime you're near.

[Silentwarrior17]

I almost guarantee it’s a grunt unit. As the good Gunny stated before it is just a matter of bad leadership. I don’t care how new the Marine is, now granted every ’boot’ has to go through his/her fair share and I‘m not going to sit here and say I don‘t do certain things, but there comes a time and point. I never let any Marine mess with my boys. I never cared what rank they were or where they came from, if you mess with my Marines you mess with me. Now granted this has gotten me into a world of sh*t, but I’ve never been non rec’ed or had a bad fitrep, just a major azz chewing every once in awhile. Usually the azz chewing was followed by the 1st Sgt saying ‘You knew that was coming. Keep it up’ If the boot had good leadership, he wouldn’t have a problem and the NCO’s would’ve taken care of this sh*tbird right after it happened. Chalk it up to bad leadership and probably NCO’s who worry more about their cutting score, and themselves, than taking care of their Marines. I am sick and tired of Marines not realize how things work…YOUR MARINES FIRST, then yourself.