One Marine gets it ... another doesn't

[Hawkmoon]

http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/10/us/marines-gun-control-ireport/index.html?hpt=ju_c2

So Marine #2 (DiOrio) thinks the fact we have a strong army (military) now means "the People" don't need to be armed. And this man called the other Marine "an embarrassment to those who've served." It seems to me that DiOrio's education was sorely deficient in the Civics and American History area, and if anyone is an embarrassment to those who have served, it is he.

He is so unaware that he doesn't even know the Bushmaster used in Newtown was NOT an "assault weapon," because Connecticut still has an assault weapons ban in force and the Bushy was purchased legally in Connecticut.

Typically, the rule is "Once a Marine, always a Marine." I respect those Marine friends of mine who are no longer on active or reserve duty to still refer to them as "Marines," not "ex-Marines." This DiOrio dude, though, is an ex-Marine. He is undeserving of the title United States Marine.

It's interesting, and possibly instructive, that the photo of Boston shows him with a rifle, and the photo of DiOrio shows him with a camera. I suspect DiOrio was a REMF, which devalues his opinion in comparison to that of a man who has likely been in combat.

[Phantom Warrior]

It's interesting, and possibly instructive, that the photo of Boston shows him with a rifle, and the photo of DiOrio shows him with a camera. I suspect DiOrio was a REMF, which devalues his opinion in comparison to that of a man who has likely been in combat.

You never know.  Given the pretty ignorant statements by GEN (ret.) McChrystal last week you can never tell about someone's career based on their politics.

[AJ Dual]

You never know.  Given the pretty ignorant statements by GEN (ret.) McChrystal last week you can never tell about someone's career based on their politics.

Yes, elitism isn't uncommon in any number of professions where people decide they're more "speshul" than others.

[Perd Hapley]

It's interesting, and possibly instructive, that the photo of Boston shows him with a rifle, and the photo of DiOrio shows him with a camera. I suspect DiOrio was a REMF, which devalues his opinion in comparison to that of a man who has likely been in combat.

Speaking of embarrassing those who've served. In the words of Jayne Cobb, you might wanna reconsider that last part.

(I was Army infantry, FWIW. Didn't see combat.)

[gunsmith]

A few election cycles ago the D's were floating some General as either a Pres or VP choice, I cant remember his name but he was on record saying "if you want to play with assault weapons join the military"

Wesly Clarke maybe?

[kgbsquirrel]

It's interesting, and possibly instructive, that the photo of Boston shows him with a rifle, and the photo of DiOrio shows him with a camera. I suspect DiOrio was a REMF, which devalues his opinion in comparison to that of a man who has likely been in combat.

Say again?

Well in that case I guess I'll just take my Predators and go home. Oh, and I guess you don't need those Shadows, Rivetjoints, Airhammers, Globalhawks, Spectres, Apaches or Warthogs either. Have fun assaulting that mountain valley village blind and unsupported.

[Hawkmoon]

Speaking of embarrassing those who've served. In the words of Jayne Cobb, you might wanna reconsider that last part.

(I was Army infantry, FWIW. Didn't see combat.)

Yeah, but I'll bet you were issued a rifle, not a camera. This dude is another Al Gore -- wasn't he a photographer in the Army?

[Fitz]

So now combat photographer is an MOS not worth pride? I know some of them who have seen as much *expletive deleted*it as grunts

They carried rifles, too

[MicroBalrog]

[vaskidmark]

Speaking of embarrassing those who've served. In the words of Jayne Cobb, you might wanna reconsider that last part.

(I was Army infantry, FWIW. Didn't see combat.)

Was there combat for you to see?  Lots of grunts got sent during shooting wars/police actions/political excursions to places where nobody was shooting at them.  But there will always be a need for someone to walk guard around x - even if it is 10,000 miles away from where the shooting is taking place.

To me the biggest question has always been: "Are you willing to go outside the wire if your turn comes up?"  No need to actually shoot, if you would rather not.  Just don't run away.

stay safe.

[vaskidmark]

Speaking of embarrassing those who've served. In the words of Jayne Cobb, you might wanna reconsider that last part.

(I was Army infantry, FWIW. Didn't see combat.)

They also serve who  stand and wait - or walk guard around something 10,000 miles from the shooting.



(That scared me so much that I could not fall asleep for days (well, night, actually) after seeing it as we drove past.)

stay safe.

[Perd Hapley]

Uh, OK. I went to Bosnia, but it was pretty quiet at the time. Thanks for the kind words. 

[Jamisjockey]

Say again?

Well in that case I guess I'll just take my Predators and go home. Oh, and I guess you don't need those Shadows, Rivetjoints, Airhammers, Globalhawks, Spectres, Apaches or Warthogs either. Have fun assaulting that mountain valley village blind and unsupported.

Amen. 



If you've never read the poem, for want of a nail, you should.  Honestly, every damn grunt should have to read it and understand it before they graduate combat training.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/For_Want_of_a_Nail_(proverb)

[Perd Hapley]

Cool, never saw that before.

[bscl]

Travis Haley, who was Magpul's CEO for a while and is now behind Haley Strategic, is also a retired Marine...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIGzj6eIwWU&feature=youtube_gdata

...and gets it.  He's also a very positive guy and so it's great to have guys like him speaking on our behalf, in a non-Ted Nugent (i.e., easily painted as a lunatic) kind of way. 

[Stetson]

I'm not surprised at all.  When I was the RO at Seal Beach NWS I had plenty of active duty and reserve folks say "What do you mean I have to shoot guns?!?  I just enlisted for the educational benefits!"

They were not happy with my response and I kicked more than one off my range for being an idiot.  Not listening, thinking they knew the 4 rules and then breaking them even after warnings, arguing with me over scoring.  I never had a Commanding Officer have a problem after the security tapes, targets or witness statements were reviewed.

[280plus]

I recall requals with the .45 in the Navy. They gave us a .45 and 5 rounds of ammo. The range looked like your average plinking range with various pieces of debris scattered about to shoot at and a big hill farther back about 200-300 yds. So the guy next to me, an older E-5 says, "I hate this *expletive deleted*it!" And proceeds to close his eyes, turn his head and empty the gun downrange. I watched the puffs of his rounds walk their way up the hill. I'm thinking, "Well, there's one guy you can't count on if the *expletive deleted*it hits the fan." 

[Fitz]

I recall requals with the .45 in the Navy. They gave us a .45 and 5 rounds of ammo. The range looked like your average plinking range with various pieces of debris scattered about to shoot at and a big hill farther back about 200-300 yds. So the guy next to me, an older E-5 says, "I hate this *expletive deleted*!" And proceeds to close his eyes, turn his head and empty the gun downrange. I watched the puffs of his rounds walk their way up the hill. I'm thinking, "Well, there's one guy you can't count on if the *expletive deleted* hits the fan." 

In my unit, he'd be processed the *expletive deleted*ck out of the military

[280plus]

Yea, he wouldn't have been much of a loss as far as I was concerned. 

[RoadKingLarry]

They also serve who  stand and wait - or walk guard around something 10,000 miles from the shooting.



(That scared me so much that I could not fall asleep for days (well, night, actually) after seeing it as we drove past.)

stay safe.

And some of us just snuck(sneaked?) around in the cold, dark and deep.