[Screaming_Gerbil]

"(Slightly off topic, but I wonder why after 4 years and 2 tours in Iraq that this Marine is still only a Lance Corporal. Maybe promotion in infantry MOS's is slower?)"

Well, assuming they got his rank correct in the story -

He's still in the Corps, he's a designated marksman, and obviously not a slacker, so I would guess he was once a Cpl or Sgt who did something like hit someone upside the head for one good reasonor another and got NJP and a bust in rank for it...

[2111USMC]

Yes, a few others have suggested as much.

(BTW, great screen name! LOL!)