Why in the world would anyone in their right mind ever want to be a Marine Infantryman??? The key phrase here is “right mind” because I never met a Brother Grunt who ever really thought that conventionally. We’re very typical in that we come from all walks of life but that’s where the similarities end. We’re really rather a rowdy bunch of hard heads who won’t quit on ourselves or run out on each other when the going gets tough and it always seems to no matter where we go. Imagine yourself representing America in international maneuvers in a foreign country where anti American sentiments are running high and insurgents walk around armed to the teeth while all you’re carrying is blank ammunition. And of course there are other times when you find yourself staring down angry anti American mobs as you stand perimeter security around an overseas base where you’re armed with zero ammo and not even allowed to bring your k-bar or bayonet to protect yourself. Talk about messing with your head and leaving you wondering what genius is running the show!
Why do we consistently put ourselves at risk in these impossible situations? Because like everything else it all comes down to a simple matter of pure Devil Dawg Grunt pride in never failing to get the job done no matter what it takes or how stupid it seems because NO Marine Infantry has ever lost at anything so you and your Brothers don’t want to be the first. This is what motivates you to keep putting one foot in front of the other even when you feel like you can’t take another step – you don’t want to be the one who lets everyone else down. Therein lay our difference from everyone else. We place our unit which is comprised of our Brothers above everything, including ourselves. Like every family we bicker, fight and cuss at each other from time to time but heaven have mercy on any outsider’s souls if they hurt one of us because we won’t. Hostiles always learn this at great cost in every conflict.
And then there’s war. Look at Vietnam for instance, think we lost? Guess again. The last committed ground combat unit was 1/1 which pulled out in June 1971. The peace treaty was signed in early 1973 and the last US Forces came home in March of that same year. For the record once and for all, North Vietnam conquered South Vietnam in April 1975 which was three years and ten months after the last Marine Infantry Battalion was ordered home. Do the math for yourself. It took North Vietnam almost four years to rebuild their Army and capture the South. That’s a serious azz wuppin’ if there ever was one. So how did Marine Infantry lose anything when we were thousands of miles away watching it happen on TV at home??? You can’t lose a fight you’re not participating in.
In spite of the negative public belief that we were losing the war while we still had forces in play, NO ONE was going home to face the WWII or Korean War Marines as a loser, that wasn’t gonna happen!!! So it came down to simple Marine Infantry Pride in taking care of the Brothers around you and never letting the Corps be known as losing at anything. That’s true Brotherhood and our personal and collective link with the tough as steel Marines who came before us.
So if you’re looking for medals the Infantry isn’t the place for you because that’s merely you trying to validate yourself through a false sense of manliness you think you’ll prove in combat. While I’m sure there are some out there, I’ve never met a Brother Grunt of any generation who liked the damned things simply because all they ever do is remind everyone of good Brothers lost during bad times in hard places where no one wanted to be. You see, there are no winners or losers in combat, only survivors who live to tell the tale.
True personal courage is stepping up in the presence of fear, not the absence of it. I’ve been there so I know how important it is for you to understand how tough it can be and how it can go from bad to worse when you’re stupid. Been there, done that more than once too. I’m no super grunt nor ever wanted to be. I’m merely just another Infantryman who’s lost good Brothers so I don’t want to see you go out there and get yourself hurt based on false notions when it doesn’t have to be. Never forget that you’ll encounter people in your life who’ll want for you, not from you which is why they’ll try to talk to you like I am now. It’s all part of our Marine Infantry ethos where the faint of heart need not apply. “We come together, we stay together, we leave together” are not mere words, it’s our way of life. Stay safe out there and best of luck in whatever life path you choose.
Just wanted to thank you for posting this. I'm going to have my dad read it, He isn't overjoyed ,to say the least, with the Corps and contracting 03xx didn't help. I believe this will help him understand the reasons why...
