I am currently working on a project for school regarding the Marine Corps. As part of the project we have to interview several people in the profession in which our research is about. I was wondering if any Marines on the board would be willing to answer a few questions via email about their experiences?

anyone?

What do you want to know?  Ive been out for a while, but maybe I can help.

Same here. I have been out quite a few years, but  will be happy to share my experience if you wish.

I'd be happy to talk to you if you'd like.

Same here as Joker. I would be glad to help where I may. Charles CWO-3 USMC (ret).  

I’d just like to say thanks in advance for taking the time to answer these questions. Feel free to elaborate as much as you want on them. Also it would be great it you could include Your name, rank, the number of years you served, and a brief history of you service.


1. How do you feel the Marine Corps “tear them down then build them up” style of recruit training impacts the relationship between one marine and his fellow marines?

2. What experience can you take from the Marines that has had the greatest impact on your life or the way you take your life into perspective?

3. After serving in the Marines do you feel yourself holding yourself or other people to a higher standard than you would a civilian?

4. How has your family reacted to your decision to become a Marine?

5. Are you proud to say that you are an integral part of the customs and legacies of one of America’s oldest fighting forces?

6. In 50 years from now where do you see the Marine Corps? What role in our armed forces do you see them fulfilling?

7. What is the one aspect of the Marine Cops that you would work to improve in you had the chance? What one thing was the biggest disappointment to you while you served? What is the best?

8. How does it make you feel when you turn on the television to view various people denouncing the work Marines are doing to fight for the freedoms that they take for granted?

9. What do you think of when someone refers to a Marine as a dumb “leatherneck” or a “Jarhead”?

anyone else?

I'll answer your questions. Hopefully it's not too late for your project.

See below

1. How do you feel the Marine Corps “tear them down then build them up” style of recruit training impacts the relationship between one marine and his fellow marines? It has worked since November 10th, 1775. We all need to be broken down and started from scratch.

2. What experience can you take from the Marines that has had the greatest impact on your life or the way you take your life into perspective? Combat changes everything. I am more 'anti' war now than I was before. But not in a peacenik way. Also, when you are in a dynamic enviroment, things can change your life in a hearbeat. I saw a Marine get both of his knees crushed on an LHA because he cut bewteen two 5 Tons that where being off loaded from the LCAC's and got pinched between the two of them. He spent 15 weeks in boot camp, a few weeks in ITB, 6 months doing work up's and he never left the states, a few weeks later we were in Somalia rolling into town...he missed it all....somedays we admired him.

3. After serving in the Marines do you feel yourself holding yourself or other people to a higher standard than you would a civilian?Yup. I hate hearing excuses, I hate when people are late and most of all I hate hearing people complain like they are the only ones. Suck it up, deal with it and move on. Complain to the mirror later, after the job/ mission/ whatever is done.

4. How has your family reacted to your decision to become a Marine?Dad thought I would never make it. Mom said it wasn't a good idea.

5. Are you proud to say that you are an integral part of the customs and legacies of one of America’s oldest fighting forces?100%. I feel that as the future becomes today and America get's 'softer' many of the tradtions that make us whom we are, are going to get downplayed and just become motions. I am all for smarter, but the traditions are what most people do not get about the Marine Corps and the Esprit de Corps we all feel.

6. In 50 years from now where do you see the Marine Corps? What role in our armed forces do you see them fulfilling?As long as they continue to hold themselves to the highest standards and not give away the EGA, the Marine Corps can continue to do more with less and be the best America has to offer. I think it would be interesting to hear that same question answered from someone who served in the Pacific Island Hopping campain in the 40's.

7. What is the one aspect of the Marine Cops that you would work to improve in you had the chance? What one thing was the biggest disappointment to you while you served? What is the best?lol...I would work on Getting the one single CO to go where everone is, intead of getting 3000+ people to go to where he is My biggest dissapointment was serving under a government that did not have the same honor as myself and my fellow Marines.

8. How does it make you feel when you turn on the television to view various people denouncing the work Marines are doing to fight for the freedoms that they take for granted?For the most part it makes me feel good. Reason being, if they are speaking out like that than I know the Marines Corps is still needed to protect that freedom they have.

9. What do you think of when someone refers to a Marine as a dumb “leatherneck” or a “Jarhead”?Well, as long as they are a Marine, the Leatherneck and the Jarhead comments dont bother me...And if they are dumb, then it would be fitting. There are not to many dumb Marines though..Take a map board a compass and a radio...try and see if a dummy can get rounds on target....Or take a dummy and send them to flight school....I did both

Big +100 Ziti. Semper Fi. Charles CWO-3 USMC (ret).  

My biggest dissapointment was serving under a government that did not have the same honor as myself and my fellow Marines.


 Sounds like you were in during the "Clinton" era     LOL

                               SEMPER FI