THE MARINES

PBS.org ^

[KeyLargo]

Just a heads up for interested freepers.

The Marines

Examining the unique warrior culture of the United States Marine Corps, this documentary focuses on Marine training, the strong bonds between Marines and their devotion to the corps.

"Semper Fidelis, always faithful. You'll take the corpse off the battlefield even if it means your own life ... Alive or dead, they come back with you."

- Nancy Sherman, professor and author of Stoic Warriors

THE MARINES, airing Wednesday, February 21, 2007, 9:00-10:30 p.m. ET on PBS, examines the unique "Warrior Culture" of the smallest but fiercest branch of the U.S. armed services. With significant access to Marine Corps training facilities in Parris Island, South Carolina; Quantico, Virginia; and Twentynine Palms, California, THE MARINES reveals what it takes and what it means to be a Marine - from the first moments of a recruit's arrival at boot camp.

THE MARINES offers extensive coverage of the often grueling Marine Corps training, including the Martial Arts Program, confidence course and intense rifle range instruction. The program also demonstrates how the Marines evaluate and shape their future leaders with the rigorous Officer Candidate Leadership reaction course and infamous "Quigley" exercise.

More than 30 current and former Marines of all ranks, authors and military correspondents were interviewed to tell the story of the rich history, traditions and continuing importance of the Marine Corps and the warrior ethos it instills.

"How the Warrior Culture is engrained and how it sets the Marines apart from other armed services branches are critical aspects of Marine development and understanding," said producer/writer/director John Grant. "This program offers an in-depth and unvarnished look at the rigorous physical and psychological training employed to create this tenaciously loyal, highly skilled breed of combatant ready to defend country and comrade at any cost."

Other segments of THE MARINES focus on the Wounded Warrior Barracks in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina; the new Marine Corps Museum in Quantico, Virginia; and women in the Marines. The program also travels to the country's largest Marine base in California, where Marines are seen training in mock Iraqi villages just weeks before deployment overseas.

Underwriters: Alfiero Family Charitable Foundation, Public Television Viewers and PBS.

[quark]

ping

[Radix]

M uscles
A re
R equired
I ntelligence
N ot
E ssential

Just kidding. I was almost a Marine, but their delayed enlistment policy kept me from joining. My needs at the time did not work out.

I got the easy duty. I joined the Army.

I love the Marines though.

[JoeSixPack1]

...wash it down with soapy water.

Must be those "Hollywood" Marines. :-)

We had to eat the box of cookies dry, finish mail call, then sing 3 verses of Elvis's "Return To Sender" for each miss addressed letter in the stack before lights out. Then sleep at attention for having a crummy singing voice!

Soay water! I wish! :-)

Semper Fi

[Abelman]

Don't know where you got that bit of information but it's completely wrong! All officers go through the equivalent of Boot Camp. It's run by the same salty drill instructors. The difference is, they try to make you quit, kick you out, etc. given the fact the Corps is so small, there is a good chance they may serve with you at some point.

When I went trhrough in 1987, 48% of my class actually made it to graduation and thus, commissioning. We slept an average of 3-4 hours per night (unlike "boot camp"). Believe me when I say, there was no free pass there.

From there, all officers go to TBS (the basic school) and learn leadership, infantry tactics, etc. It's six months long. Upon graduation, depending on your class standing, you are assigned an MOS. Then, you're on to your MOS school. By the time you hit the fleet, you have considerable time in. Believe me when I say I have been to joint school commands and it was very surprising how "green" some other branch officers were.

The last thing I will note is how we treat the enlisted. Unlike being on board ship and in the mess room where the enlisted serve dinner to the officers, we pretty much do the opposite. When in the field, the youngest Marines in terms of rank eat first followed by the more senior. If your an officer, there is a good chance you don't get any hot chow when it comes to the field. If there's nothing left, then you're SOL. With that said, I always dug my own foxholes, everyone is there to d otheir job, not wait on the officers. And yes, I did 8 months in Desert Shield as well as a couple other "areas" so I think I'm talking from experience as well as from a combat arms positon in the field.

[Popocatapetl]

First of all, let me clear up a misconception that several posters seem to have: The Marines have *already* set up an elite unite opconned to SOCOM.

http://tinyurl.com/3yghq9

That is, it is not up for debate. The point cannot be argued that they shouldn't do it, because they have already done it. Savvy, all?

The second point was that "Marines" are unique in international law as being permitted to guard embassies, unlike soldiers, who are forbidden to do so. Therefore, if you want a uniformed guard, they at least have to be *called* "Marines", even if they work for Blackwater security. They don't have to wear Marine Corps uniforms or have ever served in the Marine Corps, yet they have to be called "Marines".

Finally, as to organization. Donald Rumsfeld reorganized the US Army from its traditional divisional organization to that of organic brigades. He did this based on the estimated best organization of the Army for future wars.

The Marines, though they would most likely have a far different organization, also need to be reorganized into units that give them optimal command and control and combat efficiency in the future. The best minds in the Corps Command and General Staff will be the ones who have to figure out what, exactly, this new organization will be, based on what they project are the future conflicts the Marines will have to fight.

The one thing that is certain is that the Marine Corps current unit configuration will not continue. It is just not optimal for the fighting the Marines will have to do in the future, and more than using spears instead of rifles.

[carolinalivin]

My son's platoon had it easy then on the mail. Baked goods were shared with all and usually the recipient got little or none. Son said, just don't send anything, he wouldn't get much anyway.

[JoeSixPack1]

LOL! We shared as long as EVERYONE had one. if there was one short, you ate the box.

So the little 4 packs of chocolate cherries was just right! :-)

But I'm going back 35 years !

[SaintDismas]

I have some advice for moms too. Maybe none are as silly as me and don't need this, I hope.

But anyway, on July 4th of last year I wrote my son for the last time before we left to go to San Diego. I had recently finished a picture poster for my younger son's high school graduation party, complete with glitter glue, which I thought looked pretty awesome. I then proceeded to use the same on the envelope flap after I sealed it and sent it off in the mail. My son was always happy to get mail from me, but I royally screwed up his day on this occasion.

After he opened it and read it, they were called back to line up outside for their DI, and his DI saw the glitter on his hand. Needless to say, he didn't think it was pretty and really embarrassed my son about it "What does this recruit have on his hand?" "Sir, this recruit does not know what is on his hand!" Then his DI held grabbed his offending hand and held it 3 inches away from his face and repeated the question and then asked him if he was trying to look pretty for the other men. He then had to do extra PT all day.

My son was not pleased, but laughed about it later. I apologized profusely. LOL

[carolinalivin]

LOL!

[oh8eleven]

You answered none of my questions specifically and your reply was so full of crap you should have used a brown font.
You obviously haven't got a clue WTF you're talking about, but have all the answers - for administration and reorganization no less.

But what is really obvious is that you're no Marine and probably never even served in the military. You have no idea what's made the United States Marine Corps the greatest fighting force the world has ever known, yet you KNOW what's best for it. Take your dribble elsewhere and get a life while you're at it.

[Popocatapetl]

Well, you obviously were never a Marine, because you not only sound like an ignorant dork, but an undisciplined and tactless one at that.

My guess is that you are a militarist, with a fascination for pretty uniforms and drill & ceremonies. On the other hand, I am a militant, so I don't suggest what changes the Marines need to make, only that change is inevitable, as their mission changes.

[oh8eleven]

Read my screen name and tagline you pompus, windbag, wannabee.
Also

[Popocatapetl]

Well, I guess even the Marines can't make a silk purse out of a horse's ass.

[FortWorthPatriot]

"Not exactly ...'

Same here. I was in seven and a half years. I qualified Sharpshooter in boot camp and Expert the following four years. The last three years was spent on independent duty at a recruiting station. While on independent duty you are exempt from annual rifle & pistol qualification.

[oh8eleven]

The few, the wishful...

[stumpy]

If you have military historians in the background, read about the 55 days at Peking about Marines as embassy/legation guards. That is why Marines guard out Embassys.

If the coward appointed by carter to be ambassador to Iran in '79 hadn't ordered the Marines to surrender, we might not have the same problems with Iran we've had since then. The raghead mouthing off, while leading the strike on our embassy just might have been in the sights of one of the Marines guarding that Embassy. Semper Fi, U.S.M.C. '65-69 across the big water ''66-67-home in 68.

[Popocatapetl]

...the O-3.

And that's all I've got to say to you, Marine.

[STARWISE]

BUMP !! On now ~~ God bless our troops!

[STARWISE]

"I also believe our Commander and Chief President Bush has more Honor, Resolve and Integrity in his little finger than most folks who call themselves Americans... Semper Fi

AMEN!

[Txsleuth]

Thanks for reminding me!! I had forgotten.