Former U.S Marines still do the following ? ?

[Rick_A]

Oh yeah, hair's still high & tight.

I'm usually buzzed, high and tight, or high reg. The kids laugh at me for it when asked if I'm in. I'm just not a hair fan in general.

Some things never go out of style.

My mother told me I was abducted by aliens, she thought I changed so much. I kept pretty well to myself until then. I bet she wished I still did.

One of the worst things I did was get in an altercation with our guide...and laugh at a DI. I felt that for a while...

 

[steelslaver]

Just for stuff and grins....How many of the old Marines ever saw a WM women Marine...I never saw one...During he Cuban call up I heard some grunts mention they had some doing the call up paper work...Based on what I have seen on TV the new WM's go trough some pretty tough stuff now days........

We had WMs in my day. They where a bit rare and often sought after like P&R Smiths today. LOL. My niece was a WM in the recent "conflicts" Did me and my brother proud. Helicopters, more ribbons than both of us combined.

And yes when I dress for anything other than the shop, I check for gig line and pennants. The little marks on my calves where the boot blouse bands rode eventually went away.

 

[steelslaver]

Just for stuff and grins....How many of the old Marines ever saw a WM women Marine...I never saw one...During he Cuban call up I heard some grunts mention they had some doing the call up paper work...Based on what I have seen on TV the new WM's go trough some pretty tough stuff now days........

We had WMs in my day. They where a bit rare and often sought after like P&R Smiths today. LOL. My niece was a WM in the recent "conflicts" Did me and my brother proud. Helicopters, more ribbons than both of us combined.

And yes, when I dress for anything other than the shop, I check for gig line and pennants. The little marks on my calves where the boot blouse bands rode eventually went away.

 

[vigil617]

I guess "Marine Corps Logic" has stuck with me all these years...

I got my first lesson in the barracks on the first evening after arriving at OCS.

The DI came into the Squad Bay to inspect his motley assembly of new officer candidates. One of the guys next to me had a good sized bump or bone protrusion on his forehead which attracted the attention of the DI.

The DI looked him up and down... and asked, "What in the hell is that thing on your forehead?

The young man stammered and said, "The candidate does not know, it's always been there."

The DI paused a moment and roared, "Well candy-date... It best not be there in the morning!"

Yep, NCTexan, some things from basic training are forever imprinted on us.

At my OCS, on the first morning, the officer cadre (no DI's at Coast Guard OCS) came blowing into our barracks like a hurricane, stirring stuff up as is customary on the first morning.

An OC was caught out in the passageway ("hall") when they arrived, and after bracing up against the bulkhead, had an officer in his face yelling at him for some now-forgotten infraction, and ordered to "Drop and give me twenty."

The OC (who later became one of my best friends) did his twenty, then properly asked, "Permission to recover ("stand back upright"), sir!"

"Permission granted," was the snarled reply.

"Thank you, sir!" Big mistake.

"Thank you? Thank you? Did you enjoy those, candidate? Then give me twenty more!"

Hearing this going on, in my room nearby, I made a mental note to self. "Forget 'thank you.'"

 

[bgrafsr]

Got to basic training and went to barracks to stand by for inspection. Some low life Airman 3rd Class, who had recently graduated from basic, came over to me and looked at my bunk, which I had not touched since going into the barracks. He yelled at me for having a sloppily made bunk and proceeded to tear it apart, and I had to then make it up. I wanted to say something to him, but caution made me keep my mouth shut.
Once I got my bunk made up to the DI's satisfaction, I never slept in it during basic training. I slept on the floor, under my bunk for close to 6 weeks until I graduated. Floor was hard, but I got used to it. Had my foot locker dumped out once too. I could bounce a quarter off the made up bunk fairly high.

 

[litenlarry]

Got to basic training and went to barracks to stand by for inspection. Some low life Airman 3rd Class, who had recently graduated from basic, came over to me and looked at my bunk, which I had not touched since going into the barracks. He yelled at me for having a sloppily made bunk and proceeded to tear it apart, and I had to then make it up. I wanted to say something to him, but caution made me keep my mouth shut.
Once I got my bunk made up to the DI's satisfaction, I never slept in it during basic training. I slept on the floor, under my bunk for close to 6 weeks until I graduated. Floor was hard, but I got used to it. Had my foot locker dumped out once too. I could bounce a quarter off the made up bunk fairly high.

It was not uncommon for a Marine to not sleep on their rack ( bunk), especially when there was an upcoming "Junk on the bunk" inspection soon..

 

[Dennis The B]

Oh yeah, hair's still high & tight.

Although I have less of it, I keep my hair shorter now than on active duty. My wife has finally stopped asking why I don't let my hair grow out. When I get out of the shower all I need is a paper towel to dry mine.

 

[george minze]

Yep, NCTexan, some things from basic training are forever imprinted on us.

At my OCS, on the first morning, the officer cadre (no DI's at Coast Guard OCS) came blowing into our barracks like a hurricane, stirring stuff up as is customary on the first morning.

An OC was caught out in the passageway ("hall") when they arrived, and after bracing up against the bulkhead, had an officer in his face yelling at him for some now-forgotten infraction, and ordered to "Drop and give me twenty."

The OC (who later became one of my best friends) did his twenty, then properly asked, "Permission to recover ("stand back upright"), sir!"

"Permission granted," was the snarled reply.

"Thank you, sir!" Big mistake.

"Thank you? Thank you? Did you enjoy those, candidate? Then give me twenty more!"

Hearing this going on, in my room nearby, I made a mental note to self. "Forget 'thank you.'"

loved it....and I'm sure he meant it....

 

[george minze]

Sort of a funny (now) story...during my youth I had a problem..In those days sit ups were the only non surgical remedy...From 12 on I had to do sit ups not a few ended up doing 100. the hard kind on the edge of a table and lender over so far my head would touch the floor..subsequently I had over developed stomach muscles ...I could do so many sit ups it finally irritated the DI and no more disciplinary sit ups for me...I was a miler in High School so the running never really got to me..that peed him off also...but I was sort of week in pushups 10 was my limit. I thought! well you know when he found out that was an area I was weak in,,,you guessed it. by the end of boot I could do 30,,,painful experience but it worked, funny during Boot Camp I detested the guy..the day we graduated I loved the guy..He was a old time gunny from WW@ and Korea...Had a chest full of medals including Purple heart with a star....He could drink like no other human I ever knew....At 5am he was rip roaring ready to go...How the guy could abuse his body and then run us two miles I could never figure out...that was in the days of the Kakie wool tropical s ...Beats me???Out DI's were older than they are now...the old corps our Jr DI had been in 12 years and was a corporal. You could tell by wear the strips were he had lost at least one....
DI's were in their 30's to 40.. then..Seemed old to us...Yet they were tougher than shoe leather.....It was good for me as much as I hated it at the time...Semper Fi...It has stuck with me my whole life and I just turned 76.......Recruit class at the PD was like a walk in the park compared to Boot Camp,,,A little more book work not near the physical challenge.....And they never hit you at Police Basic.....Remember that was the old corps.....Sir yes Sir times.....

 

[dcxplant]

Still...

-walk in step, drives my wife crazy and she changes up on me just to mess with me.
-cover off indoors unless armed no matter how bad my hair is.
-gig line
-short hair (long by Marine standard)
-burn off Irish pennants
-laces right over left
-still get X's at 100, 200, and some of the time at 300m with my Colt Stoner rifle!!

 

[DR505]

I think I actually still have a bunch of "shirt stays" laying around! I always check my gig line and eliminate IP's. No "bridges" with laces, and right over left. Had a GySgt as my Drill Instructor (NEVER call them D.I. to their face!) at AOCS, NAS Pensacola, back in the day.

 

[ImprovedModel56Fan]

Even 46 years after Marine Boot Camp, I to this day, adjust my "gig line" and trim " Irish pennants"..
Too dang many push ups for an infraction..
Not sure if the Navy personnel were made to make adjustments..
Possibly the Army and Air Force had similar terms, if so what were they?

Navy used the same language. I still scope out my gig line.

As far as being called "sir," my automatic response used to be what I always heard: "Don't call me sir, I work for a living." Since I eventually got commissioned, I had to forego that response until I retired, when I commenced to use the habitual response, "Don't call me sir, I used to work for a living."

Whether officers were present was invenereal.

 

[sceva]

Former Marines?

Former Marines? It is my understanding that there is no such thing as a Former Marine.

 

[DR505]

Former Marines? It is my understanding that there is no such thing as a Former Marine.

Former, yes...Ex-Marine, there is only one. SSgt Lonetree.

 

[Muley Gil]

The Commendant of the Marine Corps has declared that there are no former Marines; if not on active duty or in the reserves, we are just in a different phase of life.

 

[Straightshooter2]

Yes another who still trims Irish pennants and checks the gig line including belt buckle. I do notice the gig line now has a lot of fore and aft curvature that wasn't there in the old days.

CW

 

[semperfi71]

I do not polish any leather or brass.

But I always make sure my belt buckle is "front-and-center" and that all shirt pockets are buttoned.

Plus I never hold hands with anyone in public.

 

[CajunBass]

Funny !...The reply from some of the NCO's when addressed as SIR, was " No I work for a living and know what I am doing"..
As long as no officers were around...

That was the reply a retired Marine MSG who attends our old church gave my wife once when she addressed him as "sir."

I just knew it was coming.

 

[steelslaver]

I remember this lesson.

For some minor infraction (the DIs firmly believed the entire platoon for one person"s mistake) we were made to do up and on shoulders with our M14s. Holding your M14 in both hands you first trust it forward, then back to you chest , up over your head, then behind your neck, then back up overhead, down to chest, thrust out for a count of 2 repeat. After getting up into the 90s several times and having the DI start screaming because someone was screwing it up and having to start over. I was praying for the count of 100. When after several restarts we final got to 100 and he simply went to 101, 102 and of course some fool stopped at 100 and we all started over again. They had a real talent for making you think the finish was somewhere and then when you got there having you continue.

I was the kind of kid that was always skirting trouble and doing what I wanted. Minor scrapes with the law, etc. The Marines taught me discipline and that sometimes I had to at least present the picture society wanted to see. I am sure it saved me from young self. In those days many recruits were there because a judge gave a choice. Jail or USMC. I think it was a good thing. I think it would still be a good way to go.

 

[model70hunter]

Gig line will always be done by me. I still find myself unconsciously checking it during the day.

The world may be a better place today if all parents did a little DI while their child is growing up.

My mother for example would have made a great DI. She loved us, but do not get out of step with life.

When I went thru training I was prepared. I minded well, none of those DI's ever asked me to go get a peach tree limb.