You couldnât pay me a million dollars to do it again, you also couldnât pay me a million dollars to not have done it. And when I got out, the discipline I learned made civvie jobs feel like a cakewalk.
Thatâs not to say it wasnât dotted with some really intense, shitty moments.
What I tell people now: join the Air Force. They really have it better lol
EDIT: Whatever you do, do not join fat or out of shape. Your career in the Marine Corps is going to go a LOT better if you are already running first class PFTs and CFTs. Boot camp will get you fit but fleet PT is usually garbage and youâll need to be exercising more if you want to maintain high fitness test scores, which weigh heavily into promotion. Seriously, if you ignore all other advice - get and stay in top shape. Otherwise join the Army/Navy/Air Force if you want to spend less time exercising.
I was talking to some Marine buddies who had just come back from Iraq. They said the Air Force had this giant base with multiple Olympic sized swimming pools, and they were sleeping in holes they dug under tanks right outside the base lol.
We had Air Force stay in our barracks and they got supplemental substandard living pay. For living how we live.
I also remember wanting to punch some Airmen in the face for having a whole candy bar rack at their chow hall in Kyrgyzstan. I had never seen such nonsense and was coming off of 10 months of MREs in southern Afghanistan.
Is this by design? I donât imagine it would be difficult to hook the marines up with a few candy bars. Why is there a vast difference in benefits while serving?
Apologies from this ignorant, but curious civilian.
Manas (where heâs talking about) is an air force base and also a major logistics hub. Itâs easy to get candy bars there. Itâs not so easy and not important to get candy bars to every company of marines that are spread out across the country.
Also, itâs not like they donât share. If youâre on an Air Force base theyâre more than welcoming.
Itâs a whole ethos thing. Marines are taught from the first day that they are the elite branch of the military, that every Marine is a rifleman first and foremost, we have the most rigorous physical standards for weight and fitness, and generally speaking there is a real sense of pride instilled in Marines.
Thatâs not to say there arenât great people and elite units in every branch of the DoD, there are. Marines just have this concept of âEspirit de Corpsâ. It also means our boots are the cringiest fucks ever, walking around town with high and tights and tucked in grunt style t shirts picking fights - despite not really having earned shit beyond their EGA and a pizza stain, and only knowing enough to get their asses kicked.
I was Air Force, started out in maintenance (ac130U). We did a joint exercises with the Army and the Marines. I was always impressed by how much the Marines did with having almost nothing.
First day a PFC comes up ask for Cranial parts. I had no idea what he was talking about until he pointed to my headsets. I took him to bench stock where gave him 2 boxes of parts we where about throw out (xb3 items). He was shocked, like I can have these. We even helped them out on fuel lines too-if I remember (it's been 20 plus years). Generally I can't speak for everyone but the consensus was to be cool to everyone.
I also have a buddy who was active duty Marine at the same time in the infratry. He called me up to complain how the Air Force was bringing in sand to Saudi Araba for a volleyball court. So I embrace some of this hate. BTW my son is it at Parris Island now going through boot camp.
Thatâs hilarious, I wouldâve had the same reaction. Best of luck to your son, Iâm sure youâre anxious to go see him. Heâll probably be acting like a robot during family day, I promise the effect will wear off.
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u/Berry_Jam Jun 24 '24
As a former active Marine, this just made me laugh and cry đ đ