Blog Post #3

The Few, The Proud, The Marines. You may have heard this line spoken in a deep rich voice
that would make Morgan Freeman jealous at the end a commercial during whatever TV show
you're currently watching. Its the main tagline for the United States Marine Corps, and it
certainly seems to resonate with people. For many, it paints the Marines as an elite club that
only a select few are part of. That was always something that kept the Marines apart when it
come to recruiting strategy. Whereas other branches tell you that you can become a member of
the force easily and youll enjoy the experience, the Marines simply issue a challenge,
questioning whether you have the abdility to join the the few and the proud. This definitely says
something about the Marine Mentality.
As previously mentioned, the Marine Corps is my favorite, and in my opinion, coolest
branch out of any of the current ones. They seem to have the richest and most interesting
culture. They have been recognized for nearly 296 Medals of Honor and numerous other
medals of valor. Marines coined the term gung-ho which meant a Marine was ready and go
forth and kill the enemy, and wanted to make sure everyone knew it. Their mantra is First to
Fight. Meaning they are proud to be the first soldiers to attack. Their motto is Semper Fidelis
which translates from to Latin into Always Faithful.
The Marines history can be traced back to the birth of our country, as they were first
deployed to fight on the rigging of ships. Since, the Marines have fought in every major war in
the U.Ss history. Some of the most famous battles were Iwo Jima (WWII), Okinawa (WWII),
Chosin Reservoir (Korea), Khe Sanh (Vietnam), Hue City (Vietnam), Desert Storm (First Iraq
War), Fallujah I and II (Second Iraq War) and Najaf (Second Iraq War).
The The weapons of the Marine Corps have evolved over many decades. Currently, the
Marine Corps issues every soldier a 9mm Beretta and a M4 carbine. Each platoon is also
equipped with a M249 SAW to supplement their rifles with fully automatic fire. Special
Scout/Sniper units also employ the M40 sniper rifle and Beretta M28 .50 cal. anti-material rifle.
They also use AT4 and LAW rocket launchers. On vehicles, the Marines will mount a M2 .50
caliber machine gun, the longest serving U.S. machine gun, and A Mk 19 automatic grenade
launcher.
Marine Corps training is considered to be some of the most rigorous training in any of
the armed forces. With maniacal drill instructors and punishing physical obstacle, they certainly
live up to their reputation. The Marines also spend more time training each of their soldiers in
the use of their rifle than any other branch. As the old Marine saying goes, Every Marine a
Rifleman. There are two Marine Corps Training Centers, MCRD Parris Island and MCRD San
Diego. MCRD Parris Island is located in South Carolina and trains recruits from the east of the
Mississippi and MCRD San Diego takes recruits from west of the Mississippi.
All these different factors combine to become, in my opinion, one of the coolest
organizations ever to be conceived. Its versatile and virtually self-sufficient when deployed and
it boasts a tremendous operational record.