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Tuesday, May 06, 2003


Doing things the hardest way possible
Roger Roy of the Orlando Sentinel writes of his time as an embedded reporter with the US Marines. He says he understands Marines better now, "but I'm not sure I can explain them. They tend to do things the hardest way possible." Furthermore,

They are loud and rough. They have lots of tattoos. They'll ignore you or torment you if they think you're a fake. They'll do anything for you if they like you.

They'll believe the wildest rumors. One told me, early in the war, that he'd heard the Army, rather than the Marines, would occupy Baghdad because the Marines "break too much stuff."

Marines tend to think and travel in a straight line.

They have a talent for complaining and swearing that I've seldom seen surpassed. [He never met my motor sergeant in Germany when I was a battery commander - DS]

They were ordered to more or less ignore civilians unless they were hostile. If they took fire, they weren't to stop: Their orders encouraged a sort of don't-mess-with-me-I-won't-mess-with-you policy. But if someone messed with them, they were inviting the worst.

Marines return fire with a relish.

The Marines figured anyone who messed with them had it coming.
(via Braden Files)

by Donald Sensing, 5/6/2003 05:12:07 PM. Permalink |  





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