Marine Of The Month

This Could Be Your Marine

We invite our readers to submit their favorite Marines to be recognized here. Active duty, discharged or retired Marines that are a proud part of your life. Just submit a picture and a short bio and we will let you know what month to look for. We will add our own Marines from time to time, family, friends, friends of friends, etc.

Our First Marine Of The Month

Having a USMC DI for a neighbor might be a common occurance at places like Camp Lejuene or Camp Pendleton but out here in the civilian world it's rare to find Marines like this retired Master Gunnery Sergeant two doors down from me.

You know the exact house not because of the American flag there but from the Marine Corps colors flying below it. He is an interesting man, a colorful character and was a Drill Instructor at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, SC for 8 years. I'll never forget the first day I met him, his wife and daughter were having a garage sale in their driveway one day when I drove by and I saw "Bobby" out there in his USMC sweats.

Thinking it would be as good a time as any to meet him I stopped the car and headed in his direction. His "situational awareness" antennae was working perfectly and I could tell he was sizing me up before I got too close. "Hello Marine", he says, "rank and unit?" I had to laugh since he didn't know me from Adam and he stood there with a sh** eating grin on his face. I think he suspected that 40 years later a Marine Corps Drill Instructor, even a retired one still has the ability to strike terror into the heart of any of us that lived through USMC boot camp.

Enter The Duty Hut Puke

Any Marine thinking back on his experiences in USMC boot camp will clearly remember a day when they were called into the "Duty Hut" for a little chat with their DI. Just like it was yesterday, you break out in a cold sweat, remembering how you pounded on the door, screaming, "SIR, private so and so requests permission to enter the duty hut, SIR, waiting for the response, "enter maggot.". It was amazing after almost 40 years to be standing again in an exact replica of a duty hut but now with conflicting emotions. He is speaking to me as one human to the other while inside I am waiting to hear him scream, "WHAT'S YOUR FIFTH GENERAL ORDER, PUKE!" "drop down and give me 20!" But seriously Bobby Buell, Marine of the Month,  thanks for your inspiration, motivation and to your sage advice to "always lead by example, Marine."

 

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