U.S. Marines Closing Ranks With Special Operations

National Defense | February 1, 2003 | Harold Kennedy

[2timothy3.16]

I often felt that there had to be some where the Marines could put those guys who were not quite up to 0311 standards.

Putting these, not quite good enough to be 0311, guys with Army and Navy 'special' forces, is a good place, hopefully it won't make them feel as inadequate and being in 'special forces' will give them funny little hats to wear. Kind of like special education in the publik skool system.

[Gary Boldwater]

Within 50 years all the branches of the armed forces will be merged into one.

[Centurion2000]

Bump .... now we'll have 3 layers of troops to engage the enemy ....

From lowest to highest

Army
Marines
SOCOM

[SJSAMPLE]

Yep. Sure was nice of the SF to step aside so the marines could get some "self esteem" training. Maybe the SF will
teach them to speak additional languages (other than grunts and gurgles). ;)

[JoeSixPack1]

Putting these, not quite good enough to be 0311, ......

unbelievable! How can a Marine not be good enough to be 0311? that's gotta be the oxymoron statement of the week! :-) to be less than 0311 is to be a civilian! (or airforce)

Semper Fi

[squirt]

You are so right.

RECON

[WhiskeyPapa]

Putting these, not quite good enough to be 0311, guys with Army and Navy 'special' forces, is a good place, hopefully it won't make them feel as inadequate and being in 'special forces' will give them funny little hats to wear.

Care to clarify? The 0321's are like super 0311's, supposedly.

My C.O. back in 1982 had been a rifle company radio operator in Viet nam. He hated the recon guys. The regular rifle companies were always having to go and rescue them. I think this has more to do with the NVA being Sierra Hotel than anything else.

Ideally, the recon guys are better man for man than the line company grunts.

It should be remembered that the raiders were disbanded because the Marines didn't want eltism to lessen the quality of the line units. That is always something to consider.

I am a former 0311 and 0302 by the way.

Walt

[genefromjersey]

I dunno, Timmy !

I was in Recon, and we did everything the Infantry pogues did... plus
Jumping out of airplanes that were in proper working order
Swimming a mile before breakfast - then running a mile to get the kinks out
Rubber boat playtime, from submarines
Playing snoop 'n poop around the barracks where infantry pogues were snoring their lives away
And other "good stuff" it still scares me to think about.

Sounds like you guys in 2nd Mess Kit Repair Battalion really had it rough !!

[ken5050]

Wrong...Marines will never wear a beret...

[WhiskeyPapa]

I was in Recon, and we did everything the Infantry pogues did...

Unwarranted arrogance was probably another reason my skipper hated Recon.

Marines don't run down other Marines, lad.

Walt

[genefromjersey]

Before we get into flame wars here, I suggest you look at post #9 ( I believe ) from 1st Timothy.

[2timothy3.16]

Care to clarify? The 0321's are like super 0311's, supposedly.

Not in my book, to my way of thinking, the USMC 0311 makes up the finest fighting force on earth.

We might have trouble with michale and his angles, but, not with any other fighting force on earth! 0321's are they really Marines?

[2timothy3.16]

Ya ya, I know, then you guys go off in the woods and catch some z's. While we 0311's fight and win wars. swimming a mile, big deal, why we called it taking a bath.

[2timothy3.16]

To all the former Marines out there:

An ole Gunny in 6th Marines once told me that if you can't cut it in Kilo 3 6, you could always go to Recon, sniper school or, God forbid, artillary.

You could not pay him to lower himself to even mention Special Forces.

[WhiskeyPapa]

Ya ya, I know, then you guys go off in the woods and catch some z's. While we 0311's fight and win wars. swimming a mile, big deal, why we called it taking a bath.

Don't rag on other Marines, lad.

Walt

[2timothy3.16]

Marines don't run down other Marines, lad.

Now wait a minute Walt, the only ones who can pick on fellow Marines are other Marines. Come on now aint it fun pickin on air wing and Recon?

Never ever pick on snipers, they'll shoot you in the foot from 1500 yards out. Besides that, I think snipers keep the 0311 MOS. I might be wrong about that, but seems to me the sniper in our company was a 0311.

[WhiskeyPapa]

Before we get into flame wars here, I suggest you look at post #9 ( I believe ) from 1st Timothy.

I don't know what his gig is. I never had any problems with Recon Marines. I knew they took PT to another level. That's worthy of some respect right there.

Walt

[WhiskeyPapa]

Marines don't run down other Marines, lad.

Now wait a minute Walt, the only ones who can pick on fellow Marines are other Marines. Come on now aint it fun pickin on air wing and Recon?

Not in front of others. :)

Walt

[WhiskeyPapa]

Never ever pick on snipers, they'll shoot you in the foot from 1500 yards out. Besides that, I think snipers keep the 0311 MOS. I might be wrong about that, but seems to me the sniper in our company was a 0311.

I think they came out with a sniper MOS after Gunny Hathcock went to Quantico in about 1980 to run the sniper school. I served with him on the U.S.S. Simon Lake, BTW.

Walt