[Bahbah]

I have known some Marines. They are quite a remarkable group. They rock, actually.

[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

Gen. Alfred M. Gray, who served as Commandant of the Marine Corps in the early 1980s,

Gray was Commandant from July 1987 through June of 1991.

The Marines who rescued Scott O'Grady in June of 1995 were run of the mill grunts and wingers doing what they've all been trained to do and practice on a regular basis. America gets the most bang for it's defense dollar with the Corps. A hearty Semper Fi to all my fellow Devil Dogs past and present around the globe.

[Iris7]

In Viet Nam I learned to judge character and admire men with better character than I. This si where I learned to admire Marines.

[firewalk]

BTTT

[LibKill]

Semper Fidelis.

America can always count on the Marines.

[packrat01]

bump

[Prodigal Son]

Plus Marines have the best uniforms. (was always envious of my jarhead brethren for their uniforms.)

[Illbay]

I think it is good that there is a degree of rivalry between the different branches of service, and even between specialized force groups, when we have the luxury of such things in peacetime.

But it's time to drop it. We're all in the same boat, and we have a common mission to eradicate the threat to our nation and its people. It's going to take the skills and capabilities of everyone, from the cop on the beat and the firefighter on the truck, to the FBI and intelligence services, to every single member of our armed forces, regular and reserve.

I don't think we really, truly understand the scope of what we are facing. The terrorists' numbers might be small in absolute terms, but they are spread out and dug in across two-thirds of the northern hemisphere.

We're going to need all the tools we have at our disposal, both on the frontlines and on the homefront, to get through this thing.

God Bless President George W. Bush, and God Save the United States of America.

[Texas_Jarhead]

Symbol of Marine Corps Resolve

A Marine Corps flag stands watch as a silent sentinel of the recent destruction at the Pentagon.
Official USMC photo

[Texas_Jarhead]

PhotoID: 200083155016
Submitted by: 13th MEU
Operation/Exercise/Event:
13th MEU Deployment


Caption:
Aboard the USS Tarawa (LHA-1), a 21-gun salute is fired in
honor of the Marines and Sailors who paid the ultimate sacrifice during
the assault on Tarawa in November 1943. The ceremony was one of two
conducted Aug. 29, by 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations
Capable) and ships of Tarawa Amphibious Ready Group, and the force
steamed past the Tarawa Atoll. The 13th MEU(SOC) is currently on a
six-month deployment to the Western Pacific and Arabian Gulf.

[labusiness]

Having been married to a former combat Marine for several years, I can say that the "preparedness" never leaves. In times like these it is great to have all of that confidence in the house.

If you have a kid wanting to enlist - go Marine Corp. the level of seriousness they have for their craft is remarkable and it starts with their education in warfare - my husband is a mini-expert on nearly every battle because of the Marines and their determination never to "reinvent" the wheel but go forward with their objective. They might be "jarheads" but the jar is full of intellect.

Two weeks ago we attended the MCRD graduation in San Diego and I am happy to report that those boys have become men.

[LadyX]

Thank you for this post, kattracks.

Calling in a few friends..:))

[Centurion2000]

Semper Fi bump ..... and you better believe that these men have blood in the eyes and murder in their hearts when they go after the Taliban.

Nobody is going to do that to America and live.

[A Navy Vet]

As an airdale on the USS New Orleans (LPH-11), it was an honor and a privilege to provide support and transportation for the Marine units. If only they would have left something in the ship's store to buy.

[RightOnline]

As an old AF flyer, all I can say about the Marines, in the context of current events, is the following.......

I damned near feel sorry for those poor, dumb Taliban bastards in Afghanistan once the Marines are turned loose on 'em.

[harpo11]

[bazbo]

Thanks for the post! To all those that have served our country and are represented here this evening I say thank you. For those of you that support those of us that have served our country I thank you as well. For those that cannot understand the psyche of the Marine....well, the truth is unless you have been a Marine you will never understand the closeness of that brotherhood. Of those of you that have not had the opportunity to put on the uniform of our country you may wish to show a portion of respect for those that have. May God be with us....

[slym]

<A HREF="http://www.zolatimes.com/V5.40/afghan_invasion.htm> LINK TO EHRLICH ARTICLE</A><b> <p> A veteran correspondant predicts that US forces will take Shindand airport in Afghanistan... <p> Good article for analysis of challenging situation in Afghaistan and Russian mistakes, etc. <p>

[VietVet]

I don't know if any of you have looked at a map, lately, but Afganistan is completely land-locked, and quite a ways inland. It would be a foolish waste of their specialized training, equipment, and organization to employ a MEU in Afganistan. Not that the Department of Defense is incapable of such a waste; I well remember how 30 years ago, the Marines were sent to occupy a hill-top fifty miles inland near the DMZ in Vietnam, while the Army provided a Brigade of Amphibious Infantry on the Navy ships in the Mekong Delta. (I remember it well because I was one of the Army 'Riverines'.)

No-one, or at least no-one with any familiarity with history, can deny that the Marine Corps is an elite unit of very tough, superbly trained fighting men. They know it, too. Their pride in themselves is what sustains them in combat assaults in which they can expect to take 10% or more casualties *before* they get a chance to engage the enemy. Sometimes their high morale tends to become an 'attitude problem,' especially in peacetime. But it is America's enemies who find they have a problem with that attitude when war comes.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

To ALL my Brothers and Sisters:
SALUTE
from a tin can sailor