I went to McChord Field to get a new ID card. As I was leaving, I passed a 6-foot-tall sign that featured a picture of a Marine Drill Instructor in a barracks chewing out a recruit. The photo was of what I would say a standard chewing out, nothing overboard. Ah the memories. 5 foot of the poster was focused on the different types and definition of harassment. I was frustrated that they were focusing their example of harassment on Marine basic training.
Marines have the reputation of being tough, disciplined and exhibiting a high level of Sprit de Corps.
If you examine why that is, it starts day one at boot camp. You are mentally stressed, physically stressed, and pushed to achieve more than you thought you could. Marines are trained for combat and the stresses that come with it. You have to have grit to become a Marine.
Angela Duckworth was one of the phycologists hired by West Point to determine why cadets drop out and to design a way of determining who would drop out before they started as freshmen. She and others determined that Grit and perseverance were the best predictors of who would graduate. (You should read her book “Grit”). Marine boot camp helps instill grit. They push you to achieve what you never thought you could. Pride in yourself comes when you see what you accomplished and can now visualize how much farther you can go.
If I had to face a graduating class of Marines verses a graduating class of Airman I know which I would rather face.
Where are we headed??? A ZOOM basic training course?
I understand there is a line between the harassment a DI offers you and abuse. Please listen, if this level of harassment is more than you feel you can accept….join another service! Don’t campaign to change the Marines.
Sadly diversity is the new buzz word and all the hierarchies from the very top all fear it and need to tick the various boxes or they are hauled over the coals…
It’s all very touchy feely nowadays… Thankfully our para’s and booties are still barking mad and pretty much unchanged… Not sure how long that will last though …
That is true! I was Navy for 7 years. The big difference on your always wet.
The Boot Camps are to weed out the weak. Then strip away all civilian thoughts and ways of being. That is why so many end up with post traumatic shock. There has to be a reintroduction to civilian life. Think about it the military trained you to kill.When there should be down time to re-train after x- ammount of time served.
Listen Up the Marines should never sugar coat anything! Their job is the toughest . The need that training.
Yep, every service has its role and training that works from them. I would rather have a recruit washout in basic then when our lives are on the line. This goes for the grunts in Fallujah or the wing Marines at Camp Bastion Afghanistan. Every Marine is rifleman no matter your secondary MOS.
Today’s military is becoming way too PC nowadays. The brass is more concerned with their soldiers knowing the right “pronoun” to address someone than to actually fight and win battles. Wokeness, in this former soldier’s opinion, is a rot that is consuming everything it touches.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the planet, the Chinese are getting ready to plow Taiwan right over and they see our military and laugh at us.
I think the Chinese are watching the level of support we are giving the Ukrainians and are having to figure that into their plans. An ocean invasion is much harder than roll across the border invasion. A boat load of anti ship missles would be a problem. They would try a blockade and force economic concessions first.
China has been doing land grabs for years, they play the long game and sadly we don’t. as Europe became hooked on cheap oil, gas etc from Russia, so the west as a whole has been hooked on consumer products and more importantly electronics and communications technology coming from China. Make no mistake they have been watching and studying how we operate as a whole, not just our military.
Ho Chi Minh said “you can kill ten of us (Vietnamese) for everyone of you we kill but in the end will still win”
Additional: i also expect North Korea to make a move against South Korea if/when China makes a move against Taiwan.
I agree both conflicts will more then likely happen at the same time, not sure about order of who starts. That includes an over reaction/escalation from Taiwan or S Korea.
You’re absolutely right when you say an amphibious assault is much harder than rolling across the border. I don’t see how they can pull it off when we can see everything they do. It’s simply too far to go, unless the use everything in their arsenal to protect the landings. I don’t see how it can succeed.
There are different levels of success. I am sure China would prefer limited destruction and maximum compliance but they might also be ok with starting over on the island. Remember they have a local population that needs to be busy and a “fresh canvas” to work with might not be a deal breaker to them. A first/second strike while Korea keeps US busy might be enough. Not sure we would assault the beaches to take it back once captured.
American intelligence warned Ukraine that they were about to be invaded with 72 hours notice despite Russia stating it was just large scale war gaming activities. the same tactics could be used again, Americans distracted with north korean missile moves and damaged world economy.
Never said North Korea would be successful, probably like Russia but much much worse. If we have an eye on UA and a hand helping S Korea that is the distraction China could use to in their minds reclaim Taiwan.
One of the things the PRC most covets about Taiwan is their tech industry- this is the one thing they would not want to risk destroying. Taking it in-tact would or could be used to kind of ransom or negotiate their way past any Western imposed sanctions.
