I agree. And in today’s world, they have to be. But I do know it is a plum assignment.
There was a great book I read a while back called “Last Man Out” about the Marine detachment at the US Embassy in Saigon.
Frickking guys were crazy. As things were collapsing around Saigon, one of the Marines from another smaller diplomatic facility about 20 miles from Saigon came in, and when asked, had said they didn’t have time to take the flag flying above the embassy down. A couple of the Marines got a civilian guy with a Huey to fly them over, and as they approached the facility, it had been taken so recently that the American flag was still flying, and in the courtyard below nearby, there were a boatload of NVA tanks parked, and the crews were clearly relaxing and eating a meal.
These sick guys swooped in right in full view right on top of all these NVA, one of the crazy Marines out on the skid, while the other guy held onto his belt, and the pilot got right up close, and he cut the flag away with his KBar while the NVA all ran around like hornets who had a rock thrown at their nest!
The bullets were whizzing by as he cut the flag loose and they flew away. Just amazing. I may not have some of the details right since it was a while back when I read this, but that is what I remember!
Embassy guards!
I enjoyed that book too.