Category: Old Corps

On a bus in the fields at Camp Pendleton and on the road back to Garrison, the LT was sitting up front behind the driver. I sat across the isle. In idle conversation, LT asks, "Did you ever serve aboard a ship doc? "Yes Sir, a destroyer and a troop carrier". His inevitable question, "Which would you prefer Doc, Us or the Navy". I am on a bus loaded with 2nd Platoon Marines who weren't tired and it was a long drive ahead of us. All marines were listening to the conversation. My response to him came from my gut instinct… "Marines". The LT looked doubtful. What else was I likely to say in my situation. Then I offered my explanation "why". I began to speak from my heart. "The Marines are the most self-sacrificing, dedicated, resourceful, motivated, deadly and patriotic branch of service. If I had the choice to save the life of a Marine or a Sailor, I would automatically choose to save the Marine, over the fellow Sailor (assuming that doing so would not endanger the mission.) The LT said I had grabbed his attention with that statement. He said, "you are going to have to do some pretty good explaining. I told him that Sailors are too attached to their specialty systems. If their system fails, they are done, The Marine IS a weapon. I am proud to be counted among the Marines on the bus. At the start of the ride, the Gunny asks, "Sergeant! How many we got?" Sergeant responds,"We got 57 men and a Doc". Just once I'd like to hear him say, we got 58 men. One of them a Doc. read more