I demand a recount.

Navy all the way!

Joining the USAF in the closing months of Vietnam, I was surprised at the number of long term staff (Lifers) who were full time drunks.
It was not pretty. And USAF began a program to cut down on service related drinking. We lost our barracks beer machine, some of our snack bars quit serving alcohol and the service clubs came under greater scrutiny. At one point you could get a lot of booze cheap at the base liquor store, This was curtailed too. Quite a few people were discharged over alcohol and USAF made it clear that it would no longer turn a blind eye to excessive drinking.
This change in culture took awhile to take hold but it finally did.
And do I begrudge the USMC, Navy or Army a little boozing, especially combat arms units who form the tip of the spear? Nope. Just keep it controlled.

quote:

Originally posted by YooperSigs:
This change in culture took awhile to take hold but it finally did.

Must've been before the late 80s. Beer and liquor were running in the streets of Griffiss AFB back then. Standing room only at the NCO club and the Rec Center/Pizza shop.

quote:

And do I begrudge the USMC, Navy or Army a little boozing, especially combat arms units who form the tip of the spear? Nope. Just keep it controlled.

Kind of agree. These are young kids needing to blow off steam who can metabolize the stuff a whole lot faster than us old farts. In garrison? Let 'em get hammered and have a good time. When it's time to do the job though they need to have starch in their skivvies.

I have my page 11 supporting this study. Oh, and the mandatory AA meetings in 1994 during west-pac. The report I read said I was not a being a cheerful fellow the night before our deployment.

FUN TIMES!

Back in the 80’s, every few months I’d have to pull Duty NCO at the Squadron office. One of the “Duties” was to observe and document those Marines who were required to take Antabuse after getting nailed for an “alcohol related incident”.

I think my career high was 27 Marines on one Duty in a squadron of about 350-375 Marines. I was air wing, I imagine the grunts far exceeded us in effort but lagged behind in enforcement.

quote:

Originally posted by BamaJeepster:
Coming up next on the 6 o'clock news:

Water is wet and a special report: The earth is round

I nearly said the exact same thing.


A soldier that won't fuck won't fight....

quote:

Originally posted by CPD SIG:
We're number 1!
We're number 1!
We're number 1!

"I'd like to thank Miller, Budwiser, Corona, Jack Daniels, Jim Beam, John Jameson and the countless women that have helped us achieve this lofty goal!"

That would be one hell of a Navy Achievement Medal to write up!

Oughta be a Presidential Unit citation.

As my friend who is a retired Col. explains to guests at his home,
"For a young Marine, what qualifies as social drinking would be classified as acute alcoholism in any other walk of life."

Marines are a special breed for sure.

When I was at Al Jaber Air Base in Kuwait for the start of OIF in 2003, there were 1,000 of us USAF/ANG, around 1,000 Navy, many of them Seabees, 2,000 Army and the entire 3rd Marine Air Wing (3rd MAW) which was IIRC around 5,000 Marines.

We Air Force types had built the American side of the base and maintained it/ran it while the Navy Seabees helped us with maintenance and building stuff for the huge influx of troops (the base was only originally built for like 1,500). The Army and Marines were just staged there ready to move north when the order went out.

Those Marines STOLE EVERYTHING that wasn't bolted, screwed or welded down and sometimes that even didn't stop them. We had PC's in our hard buildings that troops could use for emailing back home, internet access, etc. I found them one day, stripped clean. Just empty computer cases.

After all this, I began working with a Marine at my civilian job and asked him what was up with that, and he laughed and said that's just how it is in the USMC, that they often are reduced to scrounging and stealing stuff because they can't get it via normal means.

Wasn't it Elanor Roosevelt who (allegedly) said:


“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 of animals I have ever seen. Thank God for the United States Marine Corps!”

quote:

After all this, I began working with a Marine at my civilian job and asked him what was up with that, and he laughed and said that's just how it is in the USMC, that they often are reduced to scrounging and stealing stuff because they can't get it via normal means.

Sometimes it’s just payback.

1990 Gulf War 1. Sirsink, Iraq

Air Force set up quanset hut style tents for the assorted services. All had A/C vents connected to them, funny...the Air Force tents were nice and cool...ours? Not so much. They always had an excuse as to why our tents were not able to get A/C.

Fuckers. LOL

Uncle Sam’s Misguided Children

I’ve known quite a few Marines and their reputation is generally well earned. God bless those maniacs

quote:

Originally posted by PASig:

Those Marines STOLE EVERYTHING that wasn't bolted, screwed or welded down and sometimes that even didn't stop them. We had PC's in our hard buildings that troops could use for emailing back home, internet access, etc. I found them one day, stripped clean. Just empty computer cases.

After all this, I began working with a Marine at my civilian job and asked him what was up with that, and he laughed and said that's just how it is in the USMC, that they often are reduced to scrounging and stealing stuff because they can't get it via normal means.

Gear adrift is a gift. And tactically acquiring things is a necessity.

Me and a buddy "borrowed" 2 factory uparmored HMMVs from the Air Force during the first battle of Fallujah in 2004. We dropped them back off at the chow hall on Al Asad exactly where we found them. 5 months later.

quote:

Originally posted by Gustofer:
Kind of agree. These are young kids needing to blow off steam who can metabolize the stuff a whole lot faster than us old farts. In garrison? Let 'em get hammered and have a good time. When it's time to do the job though they need to have starch in their skivvies.

No doubt about that. I had a little too much this last weekend for the first time in a while and woke up the next morning feeling awful, even after 8 hours sleep. I laid in bed remembering all the times I’d show up to PT and run several miles after drinking a lot more and sleeping a lot less. I sure wish I had the ability to combine my 40 year old brain with that 19 year old body.

And this cost the taxpayers how much to find out this wisdom?

The Marines are twice as likely to binge drink than the Air Force. As I recall, most young Marines were likely to be involved in combat, and most young Airmen were not. I had a cousin in the Air Force and his basic training was like a country club compaired to my Nave Boot Camp. Navy Boot was next door to the Marines Boot, and Navy looked like a Sunday School picnic compaired to the Marines.

quote:

Originally posted by Ronin1069:
If YOU want to feel the pride of being a Marine, you'll have to earn it! LOL

This may or may not be me in the middle. Circa 1990 Okinawa.

Those are Air Force barracks - recognize the layout.

quote:

Originally posted by rburg:
Being dumb, I assume the numbers only are for male marines?

Lol, I doubt that. Not if the female marines are anything like the women I was in the army with. My driver got with about 30 or 40 dudes mostly in my unit while we were in Germany and she had all of their names on a list taped to the back of her door and she noted how big thier pecker was.
She wasn’t even one of the crazy ones.

Here is a suggestion for a new study. Marines who went on to a second career as Police Officers or Firefighters. Results should be predictable! Carry on

The key word is Binge.
Heck my brother was a Green Beret. He was always in it for the long haul. I would bet he still consumes more beer in a year than just about any 2 marines.
Not sure about the sex part, but the Berets were a chick magnet when we went out when he was at Bragg.

quote:

Those Marines STOLE EVERYTHING that wasn't bolted, screwed or welded down and sometimes that even didn't stop them. We had PC's in our hard buildings that troops could use for emailing back home, internet access, etc. I found them one day, stripped clean. Just empty computer cases. Confused

After all this, I began working with a Marine at my civilian job and asked him what was up with that, and he laughed and said that's just how it is in the USMC, that they often are reduced to scrounging and stealing stuff because they can't get it via normal means.

If it's loose it's mine.
If it's not nailed down it's loose.
If I can pry it up, it's not nailed down.

The company Gunny explained that to me in 1968. I presume it's still in the Guidebook.

“Marines lead all services in binge drinking, sex partners”

They make it sound like that’s a bad thing