To the Marines?

Question

I'm not trying to patronize you,but what inspired you to actually join,and why the Marines?Are you a person with anger problems?Did you expect something else?Are you just incredibly and maybe sometimes blindly patriotic?

Don't give me any "They're doing more for the country than you...etc."I'm leaving out how I feel about the war in Iraq,and asking a straight question.Spare me your rhetoric.

I want to thank Kenneth for answering me with a straight answer.As I've said before,I'm not trying to patronize.I'm trying to understand.To most of the others:Take the stick out your *** please.

Answer 1

I'm not a Marine. I'm US Army Intelligence Corps.

I've worked with and for Marines.

This is what I have found.

Your "anger problems" idea is slur, but I'll assume it is one born out of ignorance rather than malice. The Marines I have met and worked with are the most self disciplined people I have ever met. Most of them aren't folks I have a lot in common with, and though a few are good friends, most aren't people I see a lot outside of work; but the Marines are always respectful, and unfailingly professional. They are not people with anger problems, they are the most self controlled people I have ever seen.

When you think about it, this makes sense. People with little self discipline don't go the places Marines go or do the things Marines do. The sort of things civilians run away from, Marines run TOWARD.

Lets put it this way, if something is so scary and so dangerious that you, personally, would scream and run away as fast as you can... it's probably the job of the Marines to go in there and deal with that problem. It takes a lot of self discipline to overcome the fear involved in that sort of a situation, which is why Marines are taught self discipline.

As for Patriotic...well again I detect a bit of slur there. You seem to imply that a Patriot is someone who doesn't think for himslef. I think you misunderstand that.

I know a lot of patriotic Americans. I also know a number of liberals. I even have a few friends who fall into both camps, (it is rare, but it is possible).

Most of the patriotic Americans I know think, know, and READ more about the world and how it works than most Liberals do. Oh sure, there are idiots on both sides. The idiots on one side subcontract out their brains to CNN and the New York Times, the idiots on the other side lets Fox News and Sean Hannaty do all their thinking for them.

That being said, among the people I know who do think for themselves, it's the Patriotic Americans I've seen that are generally better informed about the world... that is why they are Patriotic in the first place.

American is a very exceptional and unique country. We are not an ethnicity. You can move to Japan, you can even get a Japanese passport, but you can never become "Japanese". You can move to Sweeden, you can become a Sweedish Citizen, but you can even dye your hair blonde, become really buff and sexy, and wear platform shoes so you seem taller, but you will still never be a Swede.

America is different. We are an idea, a dream. Most governments through out most of history have been tyranical protection rackets. Kings, Emperors, Commisars, Furhers, Chieftans, it all boils down to "We're the rulling class, you get the short end of the stick." Not America. In America we have a government of the People, by the People, and for the People. Oh it's not perfect, but anyone who can read a History book will tell you it is the best thing the Human Race has done so far.

America is not unique, this sort of thing has been tried before, but it is a very rare thing in history, and the other times it has been tried, it didn't work out. (Look at what happened to Democracy in Athens or the Republican Government of Rome, or the Rebublic of Venice.)

What the Patriots I know understand is that this is REAL LIFE, not a TV show, not a Movie. They know that big strong nations do loose wars, and get destroyed (just look at the Persian Empire, or the Roman Empire, or ancient Carthage). They know that Freedom and Civlization CAN be wiped out. (Look at what happened in Cambodia when the Khemer Rouge took over, or France when the Nazis came, or Poland under the USSR, or Tibet under China.)

So the patriotic people I meet understand this. They know that America isn't perfect, but they also know it is the best thing going, and that there is no guarantee that it won't just crash and burn like great Republics of the past have. That is why they are patriots. Some might even call them "blindly patriotic". They think that Abe Lincoln was right when he said that America is the "last, best, hope of Earth" and they know that this last, best, hope, will, left to itself, be destroyed by the enemies of Liberty; and they think that saving this Last, Best, Hope for themeselves and their children is worth a little time and effort and sacrifice.

That is a big part of why the Marines I know joined.

And there is one other reason too...

They know that by becoming a Marine they have done something not everybody can. Most people don't have what it takes to make it through Marine Boot Camp. The Marines I know have achieved something that non-Marines have not. They have proven something to themselves and to everybody else. The mature people I know respect that. The immature sneer at it. The Marines don't care. They HAVE been there, done that, and the T-Shirt they got isn't the sort that you can pick up on E-Bay.

Answer 2

At the top of 1775 the Continental Marines wherein created for land and sea attacks via Navy ships. The first was once in early 1776 - a couple of months later after they raided the Bahamas.

Answer 3

I was looking to join the Navy but the Marines were the only ones in the recruiting office when I went in. I stuck with the Marines because they're the hardest branch and of all the guys I've met already in the service, Marines never talk smack about their branch and never say they joined just for the benefits like the Army and Navy does.

I don't think I'm really angry and i'm definately NOT patriotic right now. Maybe next year with the new president.

Answer 4

Here I will give you an honest answer to the question.

I was going to join the military no matter what, the family has a rich history with being in the military it goes all the way back to the revolution, in more modern times both of my great-grandfathers were in WW1, both my grandfathers fought in WW2, and Korea, my father was enlisted during Vietnam, and finally my cousin enlisted right before the Gulf War in the late 80s. When my grandparents died in the mid 90s me and my cousin got drunk and were talking about my plans to enlist in the army, he is actually the one who through talking to him got me interested in joining the Marines. He spoke highly of the ones he had met, and told me that it probably would be a better branch for me to join.

I talked to both the army, air force, and Marine recruiters. I liked different things about each branch, but the Marines had the most that I liked. I decided to go ahead and enlist much to the chagrin of the other recruiters. I never thought twice about my choice, I knew that the army had more slots open for schools like jump school, and pathfinder school, but the Marines stood out to me only the best people get selected to go to those schools in the Marines, and the regular training they would recieve was in my opinion better.

I was 17 when I enlisted and went to bootcamp, so it was a bit of a culture shock to me, but it wasnt anything that I didnt expect. I loved the training programs that I got selected to attend when I was in, and I loved the people that I served with, and got to train. It was actually better than I expected it to be.

I dont have anger problems, and I am not blindly patriotic. I support the country, and am proud of what we are able to do. I also am a person who can question the calls of the people in goverment, and wonder what the hell we are doing sometimes just like anyone else. I dont blindly follow people that are in charge, and I dont need anyone to tell me what I need to do every minute of the day.

I guess I joined because I have a sense of duty to my fellow man, and I feel that because of who I am on the inside I need to stand up for those who wont or cant stand up for themselves. Still to this day I help people that others pass by, I have given jobs to people that were homeless, I have picked up strangers and given them rides in inclimate weather when others would have suggested a small white boy like myself not pick people up in those areas. It might not make sense, but thats how I feel. I feel like its my duty to help protect and save those who cant do it for themselves.

Answer 5

You obviously have no one in your family who has ever been the Marines because if you did they'd slap you. Being a Marine has nothing to do with anger. Saying that is like saying your a doctor because you like blood. People are Marines because they want to be defenders of their country, they want to better themselves with the GI Bill. Why is being patriotic a bad thing?

Answer 6

They do more than you'll ever do for your country.
Why the question?

EDIT: well spare all of us your naive questions about something you don't understand then if you don't want to hear an answer you don't like. Why would you think every Marine has an anger problem or expected something else when they signed up... That's just ignorant.

Answer 7

Semper Fi Kenneth, you hit the nail right on the head.

Answer 8

I don't know..maybe everyone has there own reason's...

but I do know this...why do eagles fly?....why do lions hunt?...
why do fighters ..fight?.....why do wolves howl?...Instinct!...
that's why.........something inside them tells them to!....can't explain it...but it's thier!...this instinct controls you...and will
control you the rest of your life...whether you know it or not!....

hope I answered your question....(howl) AROOOOOOO!

____________________________________________

What is this a freaking love fest?.....Blah!...patronize..blah!.
Be a man ..don't apoligize for your Question..ask away!.
take the stick out of the person's A$$.you told off...and hit yourself in the groin to check if you have any Ball$...


great answer Ken...just like I said..an instinct inside you!...
your story sounds like a bad leonardo dicaprio movie..lol...not that it's a bad thing! .

Answer 9

go hide little kid.. you don't want them to find you.. and you'll be sorry you asked this question when they do..

Answer 10

With the Marines fighting there way, why would you even ASK THIS QUESTION????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!