Can't take those Marine Gunnies anywhere....

[ProwlerGuy]

One day, a Marine Gunny (Gunnery Sergeant) went to the Officer's Club with his Colonel to eat lunch. When they entered the main dining room, they found the place was quite crowded. They did notice three Lieutenants sitting at a table with two empty chairs, so the Colonel asked them if they could join them. They promptly invited them to join them. They ordered lunch and joined them in conversation as they ate.

At one point, the Gunny mentioned that he had observed characteristics about many officers from which he could determine the source of their commissioning. The Lieutenants were eager to hear about this and asked if he could tell how each of them had been commissioned.

The Gunny turned to the Lieutenant on his left and said he went through ROTC. The
Lieutenant confirmed that was correct and asked how he had noted this. The Gunny replied that the Lieutenant, through his conversation, seemed to have a strong academic background but limited military experience.

The Gunny then told the Lieutenant on his right that he had gone through OCS with previous enlisted service. The Lieutenant confirmed that this was correct and also asked how he had determined this. The Gunny said, again through his conversation, that the Lieutenant seemed to have a firm military background and a lot of common sense.


The Lieutenant across the table from the Gunny asked if he had determined his source of commission. The Gunny replied that the Lieutenant had graduated from the United States Naval Academy. The Lieutenant stated that was correct and asked if he had noticed his high level of intelligence, precise military bearing, or other superior qualities acquired at the United States Naval Academy. The Gunny replied that it was none of these that led to his determination. He had simply observed the Lieutenant's class ring while he was picking his nose.

You just can't take those Marine Gunnies anywhere....

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c330/Prowlerguy/022VNTruittAtPhuDa1.jpg

Respectfully, Gunny T errrr ah

[ProwlerGuy]

One day, a Marine Gunny (Gunnery Sergeant) went to the Officer's Club with his Colonel to eat lunch. When they entered the main dining room, they found the place was quite crowded. They did notice three Lieutenants sitting at a table with two empty chairs, so the Colonel asked them if they could join them. They promptly invited them to join them. They ordered lunch and joined them in conversation as they ate.

At one point, the Gunny mentioned that he had observed characteristics about many officers from which he could determine the source of their commissioning. The Lieutenants were eager to hear about this and asked if he could tell how each of them had been commissioned.

The Gunny turned to the Lieutenant on his left and said he went through ROTC. The
Lieutenant confirmed that was correct and asked how he had noted this. The Gunny replied that the Lieutenant, through his conversation, seemed to have a strong academic background but limited military experience.

The Gunny then told the Lieutenant on his right that he had gone through OCS with previous enlisted service. The Lieutenant confirmed that this was correct and also asked how he had determined this. The Gunny said, again through his conversation, that the Lieutenant seemed to have a firm military background and a lot of common sense.


The Lieutenant across the table from the Gunny asked if he had determined his source of commission. The Gunny replied that the Lieutenant had graduated from the United States Naval Academy. The Lieutenant stated that was correct and asked if he had noticed his high level of intelligence, precise military bearing, or other superior qualities acquired at the United States Naval Academy. The Gunny replied that it was none of these that led to his determination. He had simply observed the Lieutenant's class ring while he was picking his nose.

You just can't take those Marine Gunnies anywhere....

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c330/Prowlerguy/022VNTruittAtPhuDa1.jpg

Respectfully, Gunny T errrr ah

[namvet]

Thanks for your service ProwlerGuy.Welcome Home.

[Paddlin' 4 Reds]

Mornin';
....been there.

Semper Fi Prowler
http://kfs.infopop.cc/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_cool.gif
X-Fishin'..Add Teeth
USMC GySgt(Ret)

[Paddlin' 4 Reds]

Just in case you missed this ,or worse, forgot!
Gunny.... I know you haven't

A MARINE AS SEEN BY .

Himself:
A handsome, buff, highly trained professional killer and female idol who carries a finely honed K-Bar, wears a crisp 8-point cammie cover and is always on time due to the absolute reliability of his Seiko digital watch.

His Wife:
A stinking, gross, foul mouthed lovable bum who arrives back at home every few months with a seabag full of dirty utilities, a huge Seiko watch, an oversized knife, a filthy hat and hornier then hell.

Headquarters Marine Corps:
A drunken, brawling, HMMWV-stealing, woman-corrupting "cumshaw artist" who wears a Seiko watch, an unauthorized K-Bar and a squared-away cover.

His Commanding Officer:
A fine specimen of a drunken, brawling, HMMWV-stealing, woman-corrupting bullshitter with an incredibly accurate Seiko watch, a finely honed razor sharp K-Bar and a salty cammie cover.

What others have said:

Congress:
Marines are overpaid, overrated tax burdens who are indispensable since they volunteer to go anywhere at any time and kill whoever they're told to kill, as long as they can drink, brawl, steal HMMWVs, corrupt women and sing dirty songs while wearing cammies, oversized knives, Seiko watches and really screwed-up 8-point covers that don't look like the Army's.

Ronald Reagan, former President of the United States:
"Some people live an entire lifetime and wonder if they've ever made a difference in the world. Marines don't have that problem."

General Douglas MacArthur, US Army:
". . . these Marines have the swagger, confidence and hardness that must have been in Stonewall Jackson's Army of the Shenandoah. They remind me of the Coldstream Guards at Dunkirk."

Admiral Chester Nimitz, US Navy, on the Marine Corps' battle for Iwo Jima:
"Uncommon valor was a common virtue"

General Douglas MacArthur, US Army:
"I have just returned from visiting the Marines at the front. There is not a finer fighting organization in the world!"

LtCol T R Fehrenbach, USA, in "This Kind of War":
"The man who will go where his colors go without asking, who will fight a phantom foe in a jungle or a mountain range, and who will suffer and die in the midst of incredible hardship, without complaint, is still what he has always been, from Imperial Rome to sceptered Britain to democratic America. He is the stuff of which legends are made. His pride is his colors and his regiment, his training hard and thorough and coldly realistic, to fit him for what he must face, and his obedience is to his orders. As a legionnaire, he held the gates of civilization for the classical world ... today he is called United States Marine."

An Anonymous Canadian Citizen:
"Marines are about the most peculiar breed of human beings I have ever witnessed. They treat their service as if it was some kind of cult, plastering their emblem on almost everything they own, making themselves up to look like insane fanatics with haircuts so short as to be ungentlemanly, worshipping their Commandant as if he was a god, and making weird animal noises like a band of savages. They'll fight like rabid dogs at the drop of a hat just for the sake of a little action and are the cockiest SOBs I've ever known. Most have the foulest mouths and drink well beyond man's normal limits, but their high spirits and sense of brotherhood set them apart and, generally speaking, of the United States Marines with whom I've come in contact, are the most professional warriors and the finest men I've had the pleasure to meet. "

General John J "Black Jack" Pershing, US Army:
"The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle! "

General Mark Clark, US Army:
"The more Marines I have around the better I like it! "

General Johnson, US Army:
"I can never again see a United States Marine without experiencing a feeling of reverence. "

Richard Harding Davis, war correspondent (1885):
"The Marines have landed, and the situation is well in hand."

A Marine Drill Instructor at Parris Island:
"Did you come here just to spoil my beloved Corps, maggot?"

A boot camp weapons coach:
"To a Marine, happiness is a belt-fed weapon."

LtCol Oliver North, USMC (ret):
"The only people I like beside my wife and kids are Marines."

MajGen J N Mattis, CG, 1st MarDiv - Iraq, March 2003:
"You are part of the world's most feared and trusted fighting force. Engage your brain before you engage your weapon. Share your courage with each other as we enter the uncertain terrain north of our Line of Departure. Keep faith in your comrades on your left and right and Marine Air overhead. Fight with a happy heart and a strong spirit. For the mission's sake, our country's sake and the sake of the men who carried the Division's colors in past battles -- who fought for life and never lost their nerve -- carry out your mission and keep your honor clean. Demonstrate to the world there is 'No Better Friend, No Worse Enemy' than a United States Marine."

Eleanor Roosevelt - 1945:
"The Marines I have seen around the world have the cleanest bodies, the filthiest minds, the highest morale, and the lowest morals of any group I have ever seen. Thank God for the United States Marine Corps."

An Anonymous US Marine:
"I recently attended a Kansas City Chiefs football game at Arrowhead Stadium. It was their annual Veteran's Day tribute so members of all the services were asked to participate in the festivities.

A color guard for the National Anthem was provided by the Buffalo Soldiers Association. They looked very sharp in their 1800s-era US Army Cavalry uniforms. Following that, the Navy parachute team put on an impressive display that brought cheers from the 78,000 football fans in attendance. Shortly thereafter, we were treated to the truly awesome sight of an Air Force B-2 Spirit stealth bomber flyover as well as a few other aircraft. All of these sights -- but especially the B-2 -- were truly appreciated by the crowd who let it be known by their cheers.

I expected that was all we would see of the US Military that day. I thought we would see a high school or college marching band during half-time. Few watch those shows anyway because they have to go to the head or grab another beer during the intermission.

Shortly before half-time, however, I looked down on the sidelines near the end zone and saw the Marine Corps' Silent Drill Team forming up. As the half-time show started, the players left the field and the announcer came on the public address system to advise us of the Drill Team's performance. Many of us Marines have seen these performances in the past and they're always awe-inspiring. I didn't expect that the large civilian crowd of football fans would be as appreciative of the Drill Team as they had been of the high-tech B-2 or the daring of the Navy parachute team. However, I was on the edge of my seat. As the Drill Team marched onto the field, the crowd grew noticeably quieter. Soon, the team was fully into their demonstration. The stadium was absolutely silent.

From high in the stands' upper reaches where my seats were, I was able to hear the "snap" and "pop" of hands striking rifles. Both big screen "Jumbotron" scoreboards displayed close ups of the Marines as they went through their routine. As they completed their demonstration and lined up for the inspection, the crowd began cheering as the Marines twirled their rifles in impossible fashion. Then came the inspection. Again, the crowd fell silent and watched intently as rifles were thrown, caught, twirled, inspected and thrown some more. Each well-practiced feat brought a "wow" or "did you see that?" from those sitting around me.

I sat there in silent pride as I watched my brother Marines exit the field. A young girl behind me asked her mother a question about how the Marines learn to do the things they just did. The mother replied, "They practice long and hard and they're Marines; they're the best."

Semper Fi

X-Fishin' ...Add Teeth
USMC GySgt (Ret)

[namvet]

"Through His Eyes I've Seen"
Author: Victor A. Giagrante
Dedicated to the past and present Men and Women
of the United States Marine Corps.

Many years ago, in 1969
I was a load of 19, doing mighty fine.

Out of school and working, for United States Steel
Pockets full of money, going for every meal.

Driving my 67 Chevy, with a worked 396
Getting pretty popular with all the local chicks.

I was cool and lucky. I thought I had it all
Then I watched a Marine walk past, it made my skin crawl.

He looked to be 40, gray around the side
His eyes were filled with something, also in his stride.

I started a conversation. Said he was looking mighty fine.
He then told me his age, he had just turned 29.

"12 months in 'Nam," he said, with an icy stare
"Death, destruction and sorrow, nothing can compare."

He turned and walked away, without even saying good-bye
It made me really angry, but that Marine began to cry.

"Hey Marine!" I yelled, "I thought you guys were tough and taught how to kill."
"I guess you must be the only one, who just can't fit the bill."

With that he turned and said, almost in a scream
"You can't judge a man, until through his eyes you've seen."

I laughed a nervous laugh and by him I walked around
He just stared and watched me walk away, never made a sound.

As I lay in bed that night, wondering what it was like
Death, destruction and sorrow, the unknowing air strike.

I thought of that Marine, I really don't know why
I couldn't get him out of my mind, then I started to cry.

The next day when I woke up, I talked to my Dad
I told him of the Marine and how he was feeling so sad.

He said, "My son, I've been there, when I was young like you"
"It wasn't Vietnam, it was called World War II."

I was on Iwo Jima for the raising of the flag
As I was placing my buddy in a body bag.

"He was right, my son. Those things must be seen."
"I never want to do it again, but I'm proud to be a Marine."

"It's something I can't explain, no one ever will"
"But that Marine was right, and yes, he fit the bill."

When I left the house that day, I was full of frustration
The next thing I knew, I was at the recruiting station.

I ended up in Vietnam. At the time I was only 19.
I thought of what my Dad had said, and that sad and doleful Marine.

Four years later, as I was walking down the street
This friend of mine said, "Here's someone I'd like you to meet."

My friend said this guy was once a Marine. So I had to set him straight.
"Once a Marine, Always a Marine," I didn't hesitate.

But the person he wanted me to meet, never made a sound
He just kept looking at me, eyeing me up and down.

He then said, "It's been a long time my friend. There are things I know you've seen."
"Tell me, do you feel different now that you're a Marine?"

No words had to be spoken. I had nothing else to say.
Now I remembered him from that long ago day.

It's been thirty years, since I went away
But memories of Vietnam, will always be here to stay.

So if you're on the street and see a Marine go walking by
Don't be afraid to look at them directly in the eye.

And say, "Thank you my friend for all that you have done."
"For if it weren't for people like you, we'd still be on the run."

From Iwo Jima, the Gulf and even in Desert Storm
Make all the Marines that come home, feel welcome and warm.

For I'm sure there's a friend or two, they had to leave behind
But the memories will always be there, in the back of their mind.

If you know of someone who's been "THERE", be kind and not mean
Because you can't judge a man until, through his eyes you've seen

[ProwlerGuy]

Just got back, to my temporary home in Haines City, from several days on the road.

Nice poem! Few have even the remotest idea; just a few of us, I suppose.

Few will ever know
The memories and the cost
Combat Vet Marines

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c330/Prowlerguy/SemperFi.gif

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c330/Prowlerguy/054-FSBFuller.jpg

[Mark Bob]

X-fishn, you forgot
To a sailor:
loud mouthed, gym crowding, mess deck grazers who can't hold their liquer.

My sorrow goes out to all those surface pukes who had to put up with those leather necks.

All kidding aside, my hat goes off to my fellow service men.

-EM1 (SS) Carlson

[Paddlin' 4 Reds]

Mornin';
Spent 3 Yrs of my career in NAS Whidbey Island. I was a SSgt and the Leading Petty Officer for 160 AE's & AT's, the most sorry excuses for misfits I have ever met. And to this day I would fight to my last breath for each and ever one of them, and I know they would do the same for me. We are Brothers in Arms.
Semper Fi

[ValFitzAndrew]

Brings tears to the eyes. http://www.kayakfishingstuff.com/images/maps/crying.gif

Not much brotherhood elsewhere. http://kfs.infopop.cc/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_frown.gif

Thank you all for your service. People like you make democracy possible and workable despite its foibles.

Let's go http://www.kayakfishingstuff.com/images/maps/fishing.gif

[ProwlerGuy]

Got it! My Penn 360 Slammer that is. My brother paid up for losing my other two rods! I've put it on my Penn Prion 7' rod. Took it out back and cast it awhile into Lake Henry. It's got 150 yrds of Power Pro (Yellow) 30 Lb. test with a filler os 8 lb mono. I'm not too sure how I like that stuff. It sure will take some getting used to after using mono for so many years. I've got the same line on a Penn 650 Live Liner but it's been a real long time since I used it and forgot what it was like.

Anybody want to go out with me next week? I've got several offeres to go on power boats. and a couple trips planed in the salt water but all power boats. Could use some hospitality from someone with an extra yak here in the Winter Haven, Haines City area.

Oh, by the way, I found out that my Browning .22 Grade II rifle (pre '74 - Belgium made), with a scope is missing too. Wonder what he's gonna give me for that?

[ProwlerGuy]

CAme back in with a bucket of 6 bass in the 1.5 to 2 pound range, and a broken Penn Prion rod. That's Okay because I have another 7' Silstar rod. The Penn 360 slammer reel works great, but I'm just not too wild about the Power Pro line yet.

[ValFitzAndrew]

http://www.kayakfishingstuff.com/images/maps/offtopic.gif http://www.kayakfishingstuff.com/images/maps/hammer.gif http://kfs.infopop.cc/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

[OffRoad]

...I turn
this way--the stone lets me go.
I turn that way--I'm inside
the Vietnam Veterans Memorial
again, depending on the light
to make a difference.
I go down the 58,022 names,
half-expecting to find
my own in letters like smoke.
I touch the name Andrew Johnson;
I see the booby trap's white flash.
Names shimmer on a woman's blouse
but when she walks away
the names stay on the wall.

[fishon]

To all those who have gone before, THANK YOU!
To all those who are yet to be, we know you will make us proud, you have no choice, you are a Marine. I can think of no greater thing that I have done in my life. People always talk about "having your back" but have no idea what that really means. To a Marine it litterally means that I will kill or be killed for you, because I know that you will do the same for me.

Semper Fi
Sgt 1st Battalion 3rd Marines

Yes the Marines are a department of the Navy, the men's department.

[ProwlerGuy]

Hey OffRoad, do you know my dear friends, Bob and Sherry MeNeely? They are retired Marines near you.

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c330/Prowlerguy/PAYS-CoverPhoto.jpg

[Saltyredfisher]

ProwlerGuy, you old salt, who were you with? Love those Penn Prion Reels.

Give a Marine 3 stainless steel ball bearing. Leave him alone for 5 minutes. When you come back 2 are missing 1 is broken and he doesn't know what happened.

[ProwlerGuy]

I was a Marine for 14 years. I was with a bunch of units, 37 countries, 46 States. In Nam I was in the 1st Radio Battalion, and we were attached as small teams to different units. For the first half of my time there I was next to the "Z" and working in the 3rd MarDiv/4th Marines (Regiment). the rest of my tour was with the 1st MarDiv, specifically the 5th Marine Regiment in and around Hill 65/Arizona Territory/AnHoa.

Camp Hanson, Okinawa on a hot June Day with the Red Flag Flying.
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c330/Prowlerguy/PassInReview1.jpg

"Give a Marine 3 stainless steel ball bearing. Leave him alone for 5 minutes. When you come back 2 are missing 1 is broken and he doesn't know what happened" Heh, heh! You must have been a Sergeant of Marines at one time or another.

[Saltyredfisher]

Gunny your good!

2nd and 4th Plt FAST Co
2nd Bn 6th Marines Echo Co