Active USMC 1982 - 1986
I've seen it, didn't read the book so I can only comment on the movie. The movie was so so as entertainment. It did however depict pretty accurately what Marines are like. You have career Marines (the Staff Sgt.) you have lifers, the asshole Major. You have leaders, the Regimental CO. You have malcontents, the Texas boy who was bitching about fighting for oil and refused to talk to the reporters. You have fucking dumbass psychos like the knuckledhead who was playing with the dead raghead. You have the immature, easily manipulated followers, the kid who took the Christmas eve watch and set the Humvee on fire. You have some good solid Marines who love the Corps, the Cpl. who got turned down for re enlistment. You have guys who are making themselves a better life, the hispanic Marines. You have the guys who have no idea why the joined the Corps, the main character.
The depiction of fucked up or unreliable equipment, especially at critical times was pretty spot on in my experience
I never met a Marine that didn't bitch about something. Generally speaking, the more a Marine bitched, the more content and mentally stable he was. When a guy stopped bitching about everything or began focussing one only one complaint, there was real potential for a problem.
When I was in most Marines hated other Marines. The only Marines that had their shit together or that could be trusted, were your closest buddies. Everyone else was an asshole, a shitbird or fuckup. Or worse, a lifer. Airwingers hated Grunts, Grunts hated Airwingers. 03's were real Marines and hated anyone who wasn't in a rifle platoon. Recon were real Marines and hated anyone who wasn't Recon. Everyone hated M.P.'s.
Admin pukes were vile filth that fucked you over every time they audited your SRB. They took leave that you know you didn't use. They fucked up your pay. They fucked you on your cutting score. They fucked with you when you were checking in or checking out. The Career Planner should have had a bounty on his head.
Anyone who had it easier than you was a pogue which in most guys opinions was everyone but you and your best buddies.
Then suddenly it's your EAS. "Fuck the suck" you tell yourself. Only somehow, your time in the USMC has become the time of your life. Now every Marine is your brother and nobody better ever bad mouth a Marine in your presence. Now you seek out former Marines because they are the only civlians who have got their shit in one bag. Suddenly you love the suck. It's Semper Fidelis to the grave.
Oh man, you ask yourself "Why did I ever get out?"