Semper Nice: Marines Learn People Skills--ask questions first and shoot later

Wall St Journal ^ | 1-6-04 | MICHAEL M. PHILLIPS

[SJackson]

Before shipping out to Iraq, the Marines are undertaking what amounts to a massive deprogramming of their own troops, teaching them to ask questions first and shoot later in an effort to win over local residents.

TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. -- On a bright winter afternoon in California's high desert, Staff Sgt. Adam Walker gathered his platoon's newest Marines to give them their marching orders for when they get to Iraq: Be nice.

[MudPuppy]

hmmm.
Happy New Year!

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[MudPuppy]

ooh-Rah!

Leading the troops are veterans such as 27-year-old Staff Sgt. Walker, of Hendersonville, N.C., who says he has been home from Iraq just long enough to "get a new tattoo and get my wife pregnant."

[boxerblues]

That boy has his priorities in the right place :)

[steplock]

A Marine is not there to give his life for his country ... He is there to make the other SOB die for his.

USMC: NO BETTER FRIEND - NO WORSE ENEMY

Maj Gen James Mattis: We went into the attack with the motto that said no better friend, no worse enemy. So if you want to be our friend, we'll be the best friends you ever had. If you want to fight us, you're going to regret it.

http://www.gohotsprings.com/focus/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=635

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[IGOTMINE]

Interesting.

[JeeperFreeper]

Good post. IMHO, this is gonna get Marines killed before the policy changes.

[SJackson]

Good post. IMHO, this is gonna get Marines killed before the policy changes.

I don't know. I admit my first reaction was that this is proof positive that either force levels are too small, or the mix is wrong. We shouldn't be retraining combat units.

On further consideration, while the force level concern may be valid, they'll get the job done.

[DTA]

We shouldn't be retraining combat units.

Unfortunatelly, many already have been through Clinton years of peacekeeping and nationbuilding. Ifreal conflict with North Korea came, all this sensibility training will be useful. /sarcasm off

[semaj]

"...this is gonna get Marines killed before the policy changes."

What you said.

[Ed_NYC]

I am not too sure about this new tactic but we all know that if this doesn't work our Marines will adapt, improvise and overcome.

Semper Fi,

Ed