While the Marines are certainly willing to be shot at by some crazed Moonbat US citizen with a deer rifle; or be hit over the head by a brick, by some other US citizen Moonbat who thinks that one of them is a giant spider, there is something more important.
A US Marine is not just a representative of the United States. They are a very expensive piece of equipment that is essentially owned by the United States. And while they may be more than willing, or even eager to expose themselves to dangers or risks, from tattooing to being assaulted by US civilians, it is not their *express right* to damage US government property without permission or direct order.
So while I agree that it is important to have realistic training, I also recognize that it is the prerogative of the US government that US Marines not engage in certain conduct, no matter how honorable, that may result in damage to them as a combat asset.
And some types of interaction with US citizens is just such conduct. It may not only result in personal injury to US Marines or civilians, but damage to the unit and possibly to the entire US Marine Corps, if nothing more than bad publicity by hostile news media, or frivolous litigation in civil court.
I fully understand this is crap, as well. But it is the reality in which the US Marine Corps operates in the United States. And I’m pretty sure that JAG would agree.
“...the prerogative of the US government that US Marines not engage in certain conduct, no matter how honorable, that may result in damage to them as a combat asset...”
Yeah, I’d hate to think that our marines had to do dangerous things during their training. Someone might get hurt.
“And some types of interaction with US citizens is just such conduct. It may not only result in personal injury to US Marines or civilians,..”
Utter nonsense. War is serious business, and just happens to be the business of every living man, woman and child in this nation, not just the military.
Train them as best we can, any way we can accomodate them, and anywhere, for our own interests, as well as theirs.
As a navy veteran, my training was pretty hazardous, especially in firefighting. Should my C.O. have consulted JAG first?