Hey everyone, I have a strange question for those of you who have served in the Corps. I'm doing research for a story I've been meaning to write (might as well with the pandemic going on). One of the main characters is a Marine (that's how I know the story will be awesome), but I'm trying to figure out his backstory and as someone who didn't serve in the Corps I was wondering if I could bend your ears for a minute to make sure he is accurately depicted.

This character has TBI from a botched mission and suffers from migraines as a result. I'd like to place him in a specific mission where we took casualties. My first thought is to put him in Echo Battery, 2nd Battalion, 10th Marines and he would be injured in the attack on Fire Base Bell in 2016. I know we only lost one man there (may he rest in peace), but I was wondering if you guys had any better ideas for the mission he might have been on.  It doesn't have to be real but I feel like that would lend some authenticity to him and to the Corps. Based on his age it would have likely happened sometime between 2014 and 2018ish.

Obviously, don't compromise opsec here but if yall had any better ideas I would love to hear them, especially if you were there.  

Thanks for your help and your service!

"My" Marines?

I didn't intend it that way

You should have him get punched in the head by a fat girl after he refused to hook her up with some Tricare for her brood of trailer park kids.

Headaches due to prolonged paraffin poisoning?

Or drunkenly falling off the second floor of the barracks building after a failed rappelling escape attempt from MPs breaking up a Hurricane Party at Lejeune.

But, to your actual point, make it fictitious mission.  I’d probably be pretty pissed if some author made up some fake dude to insert in some real shit where my buddies got hurt or killed.  I know you may see it as an homage of sorts, but no one who isn’t in the military is going to care that it was a legit battle for your fake Marine, and anyone in the military Isn’t going to care that an engagement was made up for the story.  Your original idea risks pissing off people, legitimate folks, but making up a good storyline, even based loosely on something real, isn’t going to offend anyone.

Highly plausible.

You make a good point sir!

Make the unit and the action fictional.  

Just be vague about it. Would add mystery to the character. Just say he was with an infantry unit, any unit that saw action and leave at that.

Glad to help, let us know when it’s done.

Make the puncher's name Dependapotamus.  

Lots of ways to get a TBI.

A former co-worker was on a botched mission in A-stan. A bunch of poorly lead and equipped Army National Guard infantry guys ambushed by some well equipped Taliban fighters. Our guys eventually won the fight, but the Taliban were tossing grenades like they were party favors. My co-worker got a concussion and a detached retina from being rocked by so many close grenade blasts.

Your fictional Marine could have been rocked by RPG blasts, IEDs, you name it...

How about sweep the loose dirt off of the compacted dirt!

Yes that did happen before I got my DD-214! I could tell you stories that only Marines would believe! Trust me as A 03 we have a lot of messed up stuff that happened to us and most was not in war!

Sucking on lizards, drunk climbing a tree, no balls dares in Iraq, ugly fat woman in Japan but she was cheap, Japan bath house and a lot more!

Let 'em rip man, I want to hear all of that!

OP is Chesty Puller

Or The President , as we are "The President's Own" .

Damn you girls are touchy.  I don’t think OP is being disrespectful in the least.

OP you’d be fine with that unit, depending on the year they were liable to be foot patrolling supplementing they grunts.  TBI could happen to any Marine for about a decade.  All MOS at certain points were outside the wire but I think you’ll get some special love from cannon guys talking about how they stepped up to patrol jobs (aside from non direct combat TBI such as crashes, equip accidents, etc)

ETA: I know 10th deployed a lot, couldn’t tell you which years therefore don’t know if your timeframe is accurate.  If in doubt you can always choose an odd duck like and anglican or some dudes nobody ever knows what they’re actually up to

You were in the Marine Band?

Were you one of the no MCRD "Marines" with musical scales instead of rifles on your chevrons?