One week after finishing Field Medical Service School at CamPen, I was aboard APA 45 Henrico headed for RVN via Okinawa. I roomed with 3 other O-3s, one of who had red patches on the outside of the knees of his utilities. I mentioned at dinner that I would be open for sick call at 0800 the next morning. I arrived at the ships dental office and there was a line of troops down the passageway which really surprised me. My dental tech and I worked as quickly as we could to care for all the patients that day, most of whom had the same strange little squares on their utilities. At dinner that night, I casually asked the group if they knew what the little squares were for?? The Captain I had met who also had the little patches spoke up quickly and said “Hey Doc, didn’t they tell you that those are the guys with VD and you have to be REAL careful with them!!” My helpful and friendly dining companions all chimed in to confirm the need for special precautions when dealing with these contaminated Marines!! Of course I had to appear as un-squid like as possible, so I put on a grim face and said thanks. By this time the battalion surgeon was in on the scam and he advised me to show up at sick bay in morning for appropriate antibiotics. The next morning as I headed to sick bay, the XO met me in the passageway and said he’d heard on “my accidental expose”. It was kind of quiet when I went into to office considering the number of people in the room when Dr Tom said to drop my trou for the shots. As I got thing ready to drop, the Captain who also had the patches came in the room and yelled “Hey, Doc,turn around!” And there he was with the plywood insignia for SHORE PARTYand the room was filled with hysterical folks leaning on each other ……laughing the asses off!!! It’s just about impossible to do anything but realize that I’d been HAD by these screw balls. A great group of men with a fitting introduction to the Corps
What Is A Vietnam Vet
I have just recently discovered the Grit newsletter so I guess you can say I am kind of the “New Guy” I served 1 tour with Lima 3/1 never even thought of extending after being witness to some extendys getting wasted after coming back.In my opinion if I made it for one tour there was no way I was going to push my luck,considering the fact that there was really no good reason for us to be there.Thats not why I am writing. Over the years I have run into Vets wearing Vietnam Vet hats and other items claiming to be Nam vets but,when I approach them to find out where and when and who they served with some will tell me “Oh I didn’t actually go to Vietnam ” but,”I served during the war” Does that make him a Vietnam Vet? or the so called Vietnam Era Vet? With that said why does a person that did not leave the states during WW-2 considered a WW-2 Vet yet, if you served during any other period you are an “Era” vet. Sometimes I hesitate to ask someone about their service for fear of what they might say.One time I saw a guy with a 1st Mar. Div hat and was excited to speak with him. When I told I was with 1st Marines in 68 He just turned and walked away and said he was to busy to talk.I followed him and started asking him more questions he all he said was he was “Around Da Nang” “Who with!” I ask. no answer and he just kept walking away. I later saw him inside the store without the hat on he pretended like he did not see me but I just had to ask. “You are a fake aren’t you?” No answer. I just walked away and let it go. My anger management group therapy helped in that situation. A few years prior the Cops would have to be called. Thanks for letting me vent Marines Paul 0311 68-69
MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON HOSTS THE ANNUAL ENVIRONMENTAL LAW TRAINING SYMPOSIUM
Marine Corps Base (MCB) Camp Pendleton hosted the Environmental Law Training Symposium at the Pacific Views Event Center aboard MCB Camp Pendleton, California, on March 19, 2018.
The annual symposium is conducted every year with MCI-West MCB Camp Pendleton to provide training on updates in laws about environmental and land use, which include new regulations and policies. MCI-West MCB Camp Pendleton’s’ Environmental Security programs implement installation restoration initiatives that sustain the current compliance of operational environments and ranges.
FIRST FEMALE LT. GEN. IN U.S. ARMED FORCES
The U.S. military has always been fertile soil for firsts throughout our nation’s history, and the promotion of Carol A. Mutter to become the nation’s first female lieutenant general serves as a perfect case in point for Women’s History Month.
Women have served in the military from the earliest years of our representative republic.
my time in the Nam
I was attached to Bravo 1/7 , 1st Marine Division as a Corpsman. Went to NSA hospital three times ,as a patient, in the first three months. Two purple hearts, ten medals in all. Good grief; didn’t know Corpsman were such a big target. I love the Corps; never saw a ship! That’s fine too, I go to Marine Corps functions only. Semper Fi , Doc 1966-1970
WARTHOGS TAKE OVER HAWAIIAN SKIES
U.S. Airmen with the 442nd Fighter Wing descended on Marine Corps Base Hawaii in February to conduct various training exercises across the Hawaiian Islands.
The fighter wing, stationed out of Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, worked alongside III Marine Expeditionary Forces to improve combat strength and joint service effectiveness between the two branches.
NEW VEHICLE-MOUNTED ELECTRONIC TECH ENABLES MARINES TO COMBAT THREATS
Marine Corps Systems Command plans to implement a new form of technology that allows the Marine Air-Ground Task Force to identify enemy activity.
The technology employs a vehicle-borne tool that enables Marines to discern what happens inside the electromagnetic spectrum. It connects several independent electronic capabilities into a single unit and allows Marines to manage threats and reactions from a central location.
74TH REUNION OF HONOR | MARINES, JAPAN HONOR THOSE WHO FOUGHT IN BATTLE OF IWO JIMA
Veterans, their family members, and distinguished guests from the U.S. and Japan will gather on Iwo To March 23, 2019 to pay tribute to one another and those lost during the battle of Iwo Jima.
The Reunion of Honor ceremony is a testament to the strength of our alliance which has developed over 74 years. Marines and Sailors from the 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force, in Okinawa, will stand side by side with officials from the Government of Japan as a symbol of unity and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific.
Old salts needed to identify
Semper Fi and hello to fellow Marines! I am in need of some of the older salts to help me identify a badge I got along with the rest of my uncles belongings when he passed. He went into th Corps in 1960 and got out in 1970, so this must be from his early years. What it looks like to me is a pistol marksman badge, I’m thinking that sometime between 1960 and 1970~ the Marine Corps changed the pistol marksman badge to its current appearance. I can’t prove this yet but this is my speculation. If one of you ol’e salts out there who might have earned this badge or knew someone who did can tell me what it is I would appreciate it. Thanks for all your help.
LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION; CAMP PENDLETON’S HISTORY IN THE MOVIES
With its vast training areas and prime location along California’s shorelines, Camp Pendleton is well known for producing the finest fighting forces on the West Coast. What Camp Pendleton might be less known for, however, is that it has been a backdrop to some of America’s most famous films. Throughout Camp Pendleton’s history, multiple movie producers have utilized its training grounds over Hollywood sets to recreate authentic war scenes of our Country’s most famous battles.