When somebody says he is an "ex-Marine", what does that mean to you?



Edit - To capitalize "Marine"...thanks DzlBenz!

Means he wasn't a marine in the first place? I dunno. Every one I ever met seems to leave out the "ex" part.

dishonorably discharged, never was a marine, or has no pride.

The term "ex-marine" to me refers to somthing that is outside of the water.

The term "ex-Marine" to me refers to a person who was once a Marine, but is no longer entitled to the term.

The term "Marine" to me refers to any person, living or dead, active or retired, who has ever served honorably in the USMC.

There is no such thing as an ex-Marine. Only former Marines.

That's what I thought...thanks.  Some ass-puppet keeps telling people he's a billy-badass "ex-Marine", and I thought there was something odd about using "ex".

Quoted: That's what I thought...thanks.  Some ass-puppet keeps telling people he's a billy-badass "ex-Marine", and I thought there was something odd about using "ex".

[Michael anothey hall] Any one with a hair cut like that- you know hes an asshole[mah]

I made that mistake once.
I was takeing a open water scuba certification class and a bunch of instructers showed up to help out the 2 or 3 regular instructers as the weather was horrible. (wind, waves ,snow flurries)
We were all fighting to get into our gear and this guy who was huge and built had some tats that lead me to believe he was a Marine.Some of us were talking about him as we thought he was out of earshot and I let slip that I thought he might be a "Ex Marine"--in my ignorance even though I ment retired Marine.
He dropped his gear and flew across the beach about 50 ft  and stuck his face against mine in the best drill instructer fashion and in no uncertain terms informed me that there are active Marines,retired Marines,dead Marines,but there was no such thing as "ex Marines" because "Once a Marine-Allways a Marine"
Of course it was all for show and entertainment and he turned out to be a great guy who proceded to lead me thru my open water certification.

Dang, Marines are a touchy bunch are'nt they!

Quoted: Dang, Marines are a touchy bunch are'nt they!

Yes.

NOW CHOKE YOURSELF!!

They are ministers of death, praying for war.

There was a former Marine I worked with at Barrett. We always kidded him about being an ex-jarhead. He knew it was in good fun.
When the Marines from Quantico came to work, they always ganged up on me for being 82nd Abn. It was always good fun.

Quoted: Quoted: Dang, Marines are a touchy bunch are'nt they! Yes. NOW CHOKE YOURSELF!!

Choke myself...aye aye

Gunny, will I be choking myself all day?

Quoted: There was a former Marine I worked with at Barrett. We always kidded him about being an ex-jarhead. He knew it was in good fun. When the Marines from Quantico came to work, they always ganged up on me for being 82nd Abn. It was always good fun.

You 82nd guys always seem to need to have your hand held.

Ex-Marine or former Marine. It's all the same to me. I use both. I refer to myself as both. To me they are interchangeable. I don't understand why some guys get upset over it. We say "Once a Marine, always a Marine". That's true in our hearts. But if I go around calling myself a Marine 20 years after I was discharged from active duty, I'd sound pretty silly to the casual listener. As far as this former/ex-Marine is concerned, a Marine is currently on active duty or in the ready reserve. I might stretch it and extend that to the IRR, maybe. A former/ex-Marine has been discharged and no longer has a service obligation.






Semper Fi. Do or die. Gung Ho, Gung Ho, Gung Ho! Good night Chesty Puller. Wherever you are.

Quoted: There is no such thing as an ex-Marine. Only former Marines.

IIRC a Gunny and A NEW mARINE FRESH OUT OF bOOT CAMP BOTH told me that there is only 1 Ex-Marine.

Lee Harvey Oswald.

Quoted: Quoted: There is no such thing as an ex-Marine. Only former Marines. IIRC a Gunny and A NEW mARINE FRESH OUT OF bOOT CAMP BOTH told me that there is only 1 Ex-Marine. Lee Harvey Oswald.

Wow, my Dad said that when I was younger!