[Theophilus]

while you really ARE a pilot, the thing you fly is called “Wart Hog” 

I bet they are the proudest pilots in the Air Force and they buy the fewest drinks.

[5th MEB]

I talked one of my young employees (who was going nowhere fast) into joining the Corps 2000.
He became a GRUNT (just like his old boss was in 68), when he got back stateside in 2004 he stopped by to see me.
During our conversation CAS came up, he told me anytime a “HOG DRIVER wanted a drink all they had to do was visit a Marine Corps bar, if they wanted to have their ass kissed all they had to do was mark the spot”.
That settled the question of the value of the A-10 for me,
I know the value of close air support from personal experience.
The kid went LIFER, who knew.