“Every Marine Into the Fight”
From The Marine Corps Times:
By Trista Talton - Staff writer
CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — Marines who have not gone to war should be concerned when promotion time comes around, a top Corps official said.
“I guarantee you … if you have a six- to seven-year war and you don’t get to the war zone, you needn’t wonder what’s going to happen when it’s time for promotion,” said Lt. Gen. Ronald Coleman, deputy commandant for manpower and reserve affairs in Quantico, Va.
While some Marines have served three, four and, in some cases, five tours in Iraq, 40,000 still have not deployed, Coleman said. Some of those Marines are in the pipeline, including those making the transition from boot camp to infantry battalions.
Full Story At Marine Corps Times
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My cousin is in the “pipeline” he’s at Quantico. Finished OCS earlier this year…
August 16th, 2007 at 5:44 pmI would have said the same thing. Uncle Sugar spent alot of money training Marines and Soldiers. In the Marines everyone is an infantryman first(mud Marine) and whatever else (MOS Specific) second.
The Army is starting to adopt the same mentality and impress that idea on it’s members. Don’t be surprised if the Army follows suite.
In the military, there are no “I’s” in team. And everybody is a starter. So forget about sitting on the bench.
Uncle Sugar is going to get his money’s worth. That’s just the way it is. The country needs EVERY swinging Richard and Richette in the starting line-up.
And I’m glad that we have a fine, upstanding young team. The muj should be shaking in their sandles at the prospect of so many fine young cannibals ready to put some American shoe-leather up some muj ass…wherever and whenever…duty calls.
That’s right…I said duty…As in Duty, Honor…Country.
Serving this country is a sacred honor. Giving of one’s self to the nation and to the team is a self-less act that deserves respect and high praise.
We have in our military the new Greatest Generation of men and women. And those of us who have already served proudly salute you.
Semper Fi Marines…
August 16th, 2007 at 5:58 pmNo doubt the General’s admonitions are appropriate, yet as far as I know Marines do not cut their own orders and until they do the only entity responsible for their non deployment to Iraq or Afghanistan (gee what about the rest of the world re Global War On Terror)would be Lt General Coleman! It is a mistake to make second class citizens out of volunteers who through no fault of their own have not served in Iraq or Afghanistan. Perhaps the General should simple make a list and order them to war NOW. This will take all of the angst out of this headquarters generated issue. If he needs any of us on the Retired List…he knows where to find us…he (the US Gov) sends us a check every month. SF RJI
August 16th, 2007 at 6:51 pmSounds like good advice if you want to stay in the Corps for a full career.
August 16th, 2007 at 6:54 pmi agree RJI,,, a military person goes where he is ordered, i had to put in 3 transfer forms b4 i got to viet nam.. the needs of the corps is not solely stuck in iraq and afgh. as long as the MARINES are properly trained then the duty is to the needs of the CORPS and not some desk general..it takes 7 to keep 1 in combat. and some of those 7 are needed out of theater,…promotions should go to the deserving and not the the ribbons on ones chest…
August 16th, 2007 at 8:16 pmMy son will be on his second tour in Iraq coming in March 08.
It is good he has said this and I hope he makes it happen.
More to shoulder the day to day fighting and burdens of the frontlines.
August 16th, 2007 at 8:18 pmWhat the LtGen failed to say, is that the Marine Corps decides where the Marine goes, not the individual Marine. Why would you hold it against the Marine, if it wasn’t in his power to deploy. The unit the Marine is assigned determines whether or not he/she deploys. This is a prime example of a bureaucracy, in my opinion, a major oversimplification and a fallacy. I spent 4 years on recruiting until 2003 (I was volunteered by the Corps), right after the war started. The Marine Corps sent me to a non-FMF unit (by HQMC), as an instructor, even though I was supposed to get a choice of duty station after recruiting. I wanted to go to Cp Lejeune, NC and would have deployed within a year. Instead, I was forced to move my entire family across the country to CA, now I will be less-considered for promotion. I don’t understand this hysteria! This is why I am done after my next 3 years, because the Corps will use you until you are finished, then move on to the next Marine. The LtGen needs to reconsider this decision because it is simply irrational. There are many exceptions beyond a Marine’s control.
Semper Fi!
August 16th, 2007 at 9:57 pmNot to belabor my point, but one thing that I forgot to mention. There are individual augments in every unit to deploy to Iraq or Afghan, but these spots are limited and come on a first-come first-serve basis. I know many volunteers that are left hanging because there are not enough spots for everyone. This is insane for the LtGen to say this!!
August 16th, 2007 at 10:00 pmAfter 40 years its good to know dumb asses like Coleman are still around. I wonder how many times he got his ticket punched for pussy tours in war zones. How many medals just for showing up. All the officers who could did back in the old days and I don’t think its changed much.
August 16th, 2007 at 10:15 pmHow in the hell is anyone going to cut their own orders??? You can put in for the “zone” but how the people in S-5 function is a mystery unto itself.
Jerks like Coleman and his ilk need to be on the receiving end of a good butt kicking.
As an experience-building measure I don’t think it’s necessarily a bad policy to say that every one needs to rotate through Iraq and/or Afghanistan. We are going to need as many experienced combat veterans as we can make, now, while this is relatively easy. Reading about the motivations of the Islamists leads me to believe this will eventually turn into a full-scale clash of civilizations:
August 16th, 2007 at 11:40 pmhttp://members.cox.net/slsturgi3/PhilosopherOfIslamicTerror.htm
Thanks for a second bit of the apple on this topic. A recent visit to the Official USMC website was very insightful regarding the promotion and non promotion of Marine General Officers based upon wheither or not they have served in Iraq or Afghanistan. Not surprisingly the record for promotion appears to be based on multiple items not exclusively on wheither or not a tour to either of these operations had been accomplished by these fine officers. Imagine for a second if you were an Infantry Officer Major assigned to a recruiting tour that you successfully completed and then after requesting a combat tour you were ordered to Korean language school (upon completion you find yourself selected for promotion and ordered to duh…Korea) gee you just missed 6 years of Iraq or Afghanistan because the Corps made that decision. Or how about the Brigadier General who served 2 tours in Iraq, returns home, his spouse of many years dies, and he is then passed over for 2 stars while…the needs of the service dictate a diverse population of generals i.e. a female officer who…had served 0 tours in Iraq or Afghanistan becomes a 2 star. How about the Staff Sergeant who is in an aviation MOS and has not been ordered to Iraq or Afghanistan…is he less of a Marine? I think not (he also makes one hell of a You Tube Patriotic Rap)…Lt General Coleman should reconsider the unintended consequences of his comments. He, like the rest of us, has feet of clay and one day will no longer be on active duty. In a Nation where all our warriors are volunteers and less than one percent of the Country serves we should not make second class Marines of those who are yet to serve in Iraq or Afghanistan or elsewhere in the LONG WAR! Lt General Coleman needs to revise and clarify his comments.
August 17th, 2007 at 9:48 am