A friend of my boyfriends just came out of the marines boot camp and is on his ten day leave. His attitude is completely changed and I dont think its for the better. He is obsessed with it, refuses to engage in any kind of conversation that doesnt have to do with the marines or how great and brave he is. I respect his decision to join, but since he has been home, I almost cannot stand to be around him. His mother is visiting from another country and I have spent more time with her than he has, he often will just drop her off at our house and go with his other friends. (She is a sweet woman, so I dont mind spending time with her, it just irratates me that he is treating her this way.) When he is not begging everyone to take his picture "One more time" in his dress blues, he is staring at himself online. So what I want to know is if I should let the behavior slide or say something? Has anyone else ever witnessed this kind of behavior for someone that just got out of bootcamp?
2007-03-22 08:39:48 · 19 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Military
I should also add, that on "Family and Friends day" when all of the other Marines were spending time with their loved ones, he had us following him from store to store so he could buy stuff to show he was a marine. At the end of the day, he had to buy an extra duffel bag to stuff all of his stuff in it. Even his other marine friend, who DID serve in Iraq, says he has never "Marined himself out like this." Our new marine friend is pimping his car out in complete marine gear and states he wants his apartment to have a marine theme.
2007-03-22 09:06:51 · update #1
If he is acting this way then he has always been full of himself, but now he has something that he can be legitimately be proud of so hes being a little immature about. A lot of young Marines get a big head right after boot camp, but it should "wear off".
I know several Marines and for the most part they didn't act like this. He should get over it once he is with his unit.
2007-03-22 09:02:33 · answer #1 · answered by Curt 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, I've seen it a thousand times. Marine boot camp is different. I'm not putting the marines down, even though I'm army, but they really do help with confidence in a way it's annoying. The other thing is he is probably young and this is the biggest acheivment of his life. I wouldn't let it slide, but it's to be expected. Just bring it up gently, because a marine is not just going to take critisizm if it's thrown in his face. Just speak to him in a very mature way and explain what is going on. More than likely, everyone that he is throwing his marine talk to is probably annoyed also. Careful on how you bring that up though, just let him know that there is more in life than just the marines and while your not out training to kill or are killing insurgence, that he may want to live a little. Remember, it's a phase he's going through, he will outgrow it.
2007-03-22 15:50:25 · answer #2 · answered by "HKB" 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I live on a Marine Corps Base and some that I know act like that, it is usually the wives that are "motto" but there are a few Marines that are it is usually the ones that are boot and have nothing better to do. They usually grow out of it after about 6-8 months in the fleet.
2007-03-22 18:52:21 · answer #3 · answered by My little girl is here!! 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I know 11 people in the corps... They all had bad attitudes before they joined and I am sure the Marines won't make it any better.
His ten day visit is like a new toy... He'll get tired of it until he experiences something new. I know 6 of my friends who toured Iraq in the Marines talked about the crap all the time after they got back. Now the ones who are still in the US don't even bring it up unless they are talking to a fellow Marine... Then they just tell the same stories over and over again to each other.
2007-03-22 15:48:08 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Because of what Americans ask the Marine Corps to do and for what they have done for the US, they can not be looked upon as a normal person. Every Marine uniform carries with it the ghosts of thousands of Marines that have died in battle. His family is now the Marine Corps. You might remind him to not embarrass the uniform by being less than a gentleman though. My eyes get watery every time I see a Marine Corps uniform and think about just how much they have sacrificed for our country. It's the uniform and what it represents that must be admired. Simper Fie.
2007-03-22 16:08:15 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yeah... A friend of mine was like that, everyone got pissed, and nobody took his picture. Three weeks later a SCUD missle slammed into the barracks he was at, and we never saw him again. I saw him the day we both went to boot camp, and had I been there, I know I would have gotten a picture of him in his Blues, and me in mine (US Navy).
I think they know they are meat for the grinders. And, they just want to know they are loved before they leave, and possibly don't come back home. It's a very solemn and grim life, but, they do it for the honor and glory of our nation, whether we the citizens think it is, or not.
And like the soldier above me put it, Marines have an incredibly touchy sense of self, and don't always react in the most graceful of manners to what they perceive as criticism. Just be sure to let him know you say it because you love and respect him for who he is, and what he's doing. He'll probably listen more, then.
2007-03-22 15:50:39 · answer #6 · answered by sjsosullivan 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Let it slide. He is proud of his impressive accomplishment. He has reason to be proud, but it sounds like he is indulging it a bit. He will get better, he is just excited now.
On the other hand - it takes a special kind of woman to support an active duty Marine. He is a warrior and is making a sacrifice that many of us can only try to imagine. Its not that its all macho BS - much of it is coping with an incredible psychological and emotional burden. Marines are exceptional and not everyone is cut out to support their demanding lifestyle. If you are not cut out for the lifestyle, it does not reflect poorly on you.
2007-03-22 15:49:16 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
I seen alot of guys come out of the Marines like that exspecailly if they are easly influenced they kinda of do a brain washing thing but it does depend on the person everyone handle situations differernt.
So traila you were a Colonel in the Marine Corps Ok but they didnt teach you how to spell it correctly
2007-03-22 16:25:22 · answer #8 · answered by ohmy 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My husband is what you would call a "grunt" in th USMC. They consider the grunts as the "crazy people" b/c they are on the front line when it comes to war. When he got out of boot camp, yeah he was different. He was more of a man, he wanted to spend time with me and his family. I have NEVER witnessed a man acting like this just b/c he graduated boot camp. maybe he is scared and afraid to show it so that is his way of acting. I have been around Marines my whole life (military brat) and I wish you the best of luck... urr..... rah!!!!
2007-03-22 15:52:14 · answer #9 · answered by Cantrell 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I've dated guys in the Marines and I've friends over in Iraq that are Marines. Let your boyfriends friend show off. Obviously he is VERY proud of what he is doing , so I don't think you should say anything.
2007-03-23 00:21:14 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋