This ain't Hell, but you can see it from here

Category: Marine Corps

  • Trailblazing female is getting kicked out for fraternization

    Lance Cpl. Remedios CruzLance Cpl. Remedios Cruz, Marine Aircraft Group 12, recites the Oath of Enlistment after being meritoriously promoted at Anderson AFB, Guam, Dec. 4, 2013. (Lance Cpl. Richard Currier/Marine Corps)

    The Marine Times reports Remedios Cruz, who in 2017 made history when she became one of three females to join 1st Battalion, 8th Marines at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Now she is awaiting separation after pleading guilty to maintaining a romantic relationship with a subordinate.

    Cruz, 26, eventually married the person, who was a lower-ranking Marine in her unit, according The New York Times.

    “The biggest mistakes I’ve made in the infantry were from my personal relationships,” Cruz told the Times. “I really want to move on.”

    The biggest mistake she made was not following regulations.

    The entire article may be viewed Here.

  • 24th Marine Expeditionary Heading to Norway for NATO

    https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/your-marine-corps/2018/09/06/24th-marine-expeditionary-unit-will-head-to-norway-to-join-40000-troops-strong-nato-exercise/

    Marines with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, or MEU, are slated to participate in one of the largest NATO exercises later this fall hosted by Norway, according to Marine officials.

    The exercise, dubbed Trident Juncture, is one of the largest for NATO in more than a decade and will feature nearly 40,000 troops, over one hundred aircraft and dozens of allied ships — all in close proximity to the Russian border.

    But the extent of the 24th MEU’s participation is currently unknown. Marine officials cited operational security concerns and would not provide any further details. – Article.

    Per the article’s author, the presence of several thousands of US Jarheads appearing in Norway for a joint NATO MEU exercise is likely to upset the digestive systems of the Russian people who occupy the highest seats in the Kremlin. That would be Vlad Putin, and whoever his upper level military officers may be at this time.

    I’m sure they will be watching closely with the best binocs they can get from China. Doesn’t China also make long distance visual equipment for US troops and sailors and GIRines? Maybe we should move manufacture of that stuff home now. I can’t tell, for example, if my glasses are made in Beijing or in the back of the Lenscrafters shop, but I’m sure there is an Oriental connection there somewhere, because plastics!!!

    Just glad to know that they announced it so that we know that they know that we know that they know that we know that they know!!!

  • Last living member of Marine aviation legend Joe Foss’ ‘Flying Circus’ recalls Guadalcanal

    Sam Folsom had never flown an airplane above 10,000 feet, or fired the weapons on the F4F Wildcat he would soon fly into combat, when he arrived on Guadalcanal in September 1942.

    The battle for the strategic Pacific island was raging, as Folsom and most of his green fighter pilots joined squadron VMF-121.

    They were tasked with finding and destroying Japanese G4M medium bombers – nicknamed “Bettys” – that had been wreaking havoc on American Marines on their first major offensive in the Pacific theater during World War II.

    “We were in combat immediately with no experience,” Folsom, 98, recently told Stars and Stripes. “Green as can be – very few of us had any real flight experience. I guess I had 12 or 14 hours in the F4F when I got into combat.”

    It showed from the outset, he recalled.

    Stars and Stripes reports just days after reaching Guadalcanal, Folsom found himself piloting his Wildcat upward of 25,000 feet when a formation of Japanese A6M Zero fighters and Betty Bombers approached.

    For the first time, Folsom maneuvered his fighter into position, moving onto the tail of an enemy plane to line up the sights for the six M2 .50-caliber machine guns mounted on his Wildcat’s wings. He pulled the trigger.

    “Nothing happened,” Folsom recalled.

    Folsom’s squadron had covered its guns in lubricant before he took off, but at altitude the coating froze, rendering the machine guns useless.

    “I don’t remember anything except thinking, ‘Jesus, are these damn guns going to fire?’ ” Folsom said. “Very frustrating. Causes bad words to come from your mouth.”

    It would happen twice more to Folsom – and dozens of additional times to his squadron mates – before the unit realized the cause.

    Folsom would leave Guadalcanal with three air-to-air kills – after downing a pair of Betty Bombers and a D3A Type 99 “Val,” a carrier-based Japanese dive bomber.

    To the best of his knowledge, Folsom said, he is the only living member of his fighter squadron.

    In honor of his 98th birthday, Folsom took the field Aug. 14 at Los Angeles’ Dodger Stadium, where the Major League Baseball team celebrated him as its Hero of the Game.

    It was a moment, like so many others in his life, he said he would treasure.

    Talk about on the job training. Bravo Zulu, Mr. Folson, one of America’s Greatest Generation.

  • An Alternative to Running?

    The Marine Corps is instituting a substitute for the 3-mile run on the PFT requirement in the form of a 5,000 meter bout on the rowing machine.

    https://www.militarytimes.com/opinion/medals-misfires/2018/02/15/medal-marine-corps-fitness-test-offers-smart-alternative-to-running/

    Marines seeking to do that will require a medical chit to prove and explain why they can’t run. But it will allow fit and hard-working Marines to still earn a top score on their fitness test without risking unnecessary injury. – Article.

    Okay, I can “do” 3 miles easily by walking, but I’m a lousy runner. Swimming? Takes me an hour to swim 15 laps in a 25-meter pool, but I’ll stick it out and do it. One lap is down-and-back.

    But the rowing machine? Would you please give me a break? That’s supposed to build muscle tone in lower extremities and in dorsal muscles, not be a fitness test.

    How about this instead: Marines who can’t run worth a crap can probably do speed or race walking. If you’ve ever seen racewalking competitions, you know how demanding it can be. There are speed records available for comparison, so why not tone up with a loaded pack, hit the track and do racewalking instead, with someone timing you? It’s easier on the knees and other joints, and has the same benefits as running. A racewalking marathon is 50 miles, not 25.

    I don’t understand this obsession with running. Never will.

    The article closes with this heartening observation: “It’s heartening to see the Marines push ahead with common-sense change that maintain high standards while also considering the unique needs of individual service members who might be contributing to the Corps readiness in non-traditional ways. Other services – and Pentagon bureaucrats – should take note.”

    Yeah – WIENIES!!! Try racewalking instead of sitting on your backside and rowing. Try treading water for 2 hours in the deep end of the pool with your hands six inches above the surface, and see what it does to your butt and thigh muscles. Try wearing a loaded pack everywhere you go, instead of just during training hours.

     

  • Mac McDuffee – Phony Recon Marine

    Mac McDuffee – Phony Recon Marine

    The folks at Military Phony send us their work on this Raymond Leo McDuffee fellow, who commonly refers to himself as “Mac” McDuffee.

    McDuffee apparently likes to dress up in his Marine Corps dress blues and sports a bunch of medals along with a USMC Recon scuba bubble and jump wings.

    He even claims he was a Recon Marine in a post recently…

    He also has an “I Love Me” display of his USMC accouterments… ah, er… “bling” or “stuff” or “flair.”  As you may have learned from the movie “Office Space,” you can go with the minimum amount of flair or you can choose to go a little beyond… you know, so you can express yourself.

    To complete the picture, an effort was made to identify the medals he was wearing.

    He started crossing paths with some Recon Marines who did not remember him from back in the day.

    McDuffee’s records were ordered to see what supported his claims.

    From the summary at Military Phony…

    McDuffee served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 31 MAY 1977 to 27 MAR 1980, or just shy of three years.  He has a status of temporary retired, so there may have been a medical condition that came into play.

    His records show that he was a Field Radioman (MOS 2531) and not Recon (MOS 0321).  McDuffee’s records  do not have any training as a Recon Marine.  He has no scuba schools or jump school assignments nor does it state that he earned the scuba bubble and jump wing emblems.  His records make no mention of having a Navy Commendation Medal, or Two  SIX awards of the Navy Achievement Medal.  Neither does he have a Meritorious Unit Commendation, Good Conduct, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal.  No NATO medal or any other medal for that matter are in his official records.

    The only thing he got right in those pictures of his is his rank and Rifle Expert Badge.  He does not rate a hashmark on his sleeve for continued service in fact he did not even complete his initial enlistment.

    He appears to have had perfectly honorable service and is a United States Marine…he should start acting like it.

  • Marine’s Unit Puts Him in for Purple Heart

    According to the Marine Corps Times, the Marine was shot in the head. However, the bullet bounced off his helmet. He’s being put in for a Purple Heart. Would a CAR be more appropriate?  https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/your-marine-corps/2018/08/16/marine-shot-in-the-head-in-sangin-returns-to-full-duty/

    According to the NYT article (below) he was seen by a medic as standard procedure and returned to duty thereafter, per Maj. Joshua C. Benson, a Marine Corps spokesman, in an email.

    There is insufficient information in the MC Times article to form a real opinion this. It does not say that he was hit hard enough to develop a concussion from the impact, only that the round bounced off of his helmet. That could generate a concussion, or leave him unconscious, or damage his hearing sufficiently to impair his ability to do his job in the field.

    So did the Marine in the 325th get a concussion, or was he rendered unconscious briefly? The article just doesn’t say, and I’m not willing to compromise anyone’s security over there by sticking my nose into it.

    This New York Times article does have a small amount of additional information, however, including news that an Army Special Forces soldier was killed in a roadside bomb attack during that same time period.

    https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/13/us/politics/special-forces-soldier-killed-afghanistan.html

  • Marine ID’d as service member who went overboard near Philippines

    uss essex

    Fox News reports the Camp Pendleton-based Marine who fell overboard from an amphibious assault ship off the Philippines, has been identified by military officials as Cpl. Jonathan Currier, a native of New Hampshire.

    He was declared dead Friday after five days of efforts to find him or recover his body were unsuccessful.

    Currier went overboard from the amphibious USS Essex around 9:40 a.m. Aug. 9 while the aircraft was conducting routine operations off the coast of the Philippines, the report said.

    Capt. Diann Rosenfield said Currier was with the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit stationed at Camp Pendleton near San Diego, according to a news release.

    “Our hearts go out to the Currier family,” commanding officer Col. Chandler Nelms said. “Cpl. Currier’s loss is felt by our entire ARG/MEU family, and he will not be forgotten.”

    According to the release, Currier enlisted in the Marine Corps in August 2015 and graduated from Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Paris Island, several months later.

    At the time of Currier’s disappearance, he had been deployed with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 166 Reinforced, 13th MEU, aboard the Essex.

    The search for Currier, assisted by the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines, and the Philippine Coast Guard, spanned 13,000 square nautical miles, the Marine Corps Times reported.

    “All of our Marines and Sailors demonstrated a tremendous resilinence and put forth an extraordinary effort over the past five days,” Nelms said. “Our thoughts and prayers have been and will continue to be with our Marine’s family during this difficult time.”

    Officials are currently investigated the circumstances surrounding the incident, the press release said. No official photo of Currier was provided.

    Another grim reminder that training can be just as hazardous as war. Fair winds and following seas, Cpl. Currier. Condolences to his family, friends, and shipmates.

    Eternal Father, grant, we pray

    To all Marines, both night and day

    The courage, honor, strength, and skill

    Their land to serve, Thy law fulfill

    Be Thou the shield forevermore

    From every peril to the Corps.

    Amen.

  • Infantry Officer Moves Ahead

    The first woman to graduate from the Marine Corps’ notoriously grueling Infantry Officer Course is now leading a platoon of male grunts in Australia.

    First Lt. Marina Hierl is the only female Marine to lead an infantry platoon in her service’s history. About a year after she reported to Echo Company, 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines, the novelty of it all has worn off a bit — and she’s even left some male grunts rethinking their opinions about women in the infantry. –  Military.com article. https://www.military.com/daily-news/2018/08/13/marine-grunts-1st-ever-female-infantry-leader-shes-one-us.html

    The officer discussed in the Military.com and NYT articles, 1LT Marina Hierl, seems to be a modest sort, uninterested in promoting herself, or talking up some agenda other than the agenda of the US Marine Corps. Unlike some other military women we’ve seen before, she’s doing what Marines are supposed to do: putting the Corps’ needs first.

    https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/09/us/politics/marines-women-combat-platoon.html

    LT Hierl made the boys in the platoon keep up with her, which is interesting. They must be – well, wienies? Does the Corps have wienies?

    Both articles do indicate that there was a certain amount of sexist crap in the beginning, but that it apparently shut off when the guys ran out of breath trying to keep up with the Lieutenant.

    If she and the other two women (senior enlisteds) in that battalion are living up to regular standards, then there should be no argumentation or discussion about lowering standards to accommodate women.  Or perhaps Women Marines are just better at it than Army females… or something? More dedicated to doing the job?

    These women are 3 out of a group of 37 who entered the Infantry course. The other 34 did not complete it. I did not dig into that part or whether or not any of them had recycled. The fact that these three have made it through and are moving ahead should annoy any military women who think they should get special dispensations of some kind because they are women.  Sorry, N-O, no. You either make it or you don’t.

    Oh, yeah: if you don’t want to read it because it’s a ‘guy’ thing, let me know. I am willing to listen to the bitter sobbing and sniffling for at least 38 seconds.

    After that, I will send GySgt Millard Rzezckowski to your house to tell you to stop. He’s bigger than Apone and has a voice like a rumble of summer thunder.