Gung-Ho, as it used in marine barracks, is a sarcasm and means about the same thing that eager-beaver used to mean in the Army before the EB's got promoted to butt smoochers.

When one marine says another is gung-ho he is not being very nice but the corps never has taken the trouble to correct the public impression, that among marines, gung-ho is synonymous with espirit de corps. The marines haven't taken the trouble to straighten out the Chinese on the matter, either. The Chinese still think that gung-ho means "work together."

As we get closer to the 234th celebration of the Marine Corps birthday on Nov 10th, a time when dress blues come out of numerous marine closets for celebration at Marine Corps Balls across the country, I thought it only fitting to tell a story about them that was originally told to me by my all-time favorite marine, my uncle Jack, one of many wonderful stories he told about his beloved Marine Corps, and just before he marched off to that great barracks in the sky.

If memory serves me correctly it went something like this:

Once upon a time a congressmen complimented the United States Marine Corps at a hearing of the House ppropriations sub-committee on defense and, as always when someone says a kind word about them, it was a sad day for marines everywhere. The Marine Corps never loses in a battle and it never wins on a compliment. Read the rest of this entry »

A Different Kind Of Recruiting Poster

At a secret military installation far from the poisoned water of Camp Lejeune, Sgt. Chucky has begun work creating a new kind of combat marine. One that will strike total horror into the cold hearts of terrorist leaders everywhere, just by his appearance. He's lean, he's mean and he's a one-man, hard to kill, fighting and training machine.

Sgt. Chucky brings his special skills with hatchet and chain-saw to the already outstanding close combat skills of marines. His outfit, Chucky's Raiders, is a strictly all-volunteer force which is limited to those marine types who possess no fear of being mutilated in combat – they are already so ugly that their faces alone send shock waves of terror through their opponents.

Here is a rare shot of Sgt Chucky's assistant, former Marine, Lcpl. Bob "Pretty Boy" Donner, yes, those Donners, all glammed up for liberty in downtown Falujah. These are the kinds of men Chucky's Raiders needs to recruit that, along with our regular marines, will put a stop to all the Washington BS, get these people under control and get our troops HOME!

Promoting terror among your enemies is not a terrorist exclusive, Sgt. Chucky's slaughter squads will attest to that. Bob here is one of the better looking of us. We have yet to find a girl for him.  Go figure.

Sgt. Chucky's Recruiting Video – Calling the Few, The Proud and the SCARY!

Under the guise of providing a public service to the American people the Associated Press decided to overrule the wishes of our Secretary of Defense and the Marine's father and publish a picture of Marine Bernie Bernard's death in Afghanistan. 

What do you expect from the media, sex sells and so does death. The Google Blog says this: "The fact the Associated Press chose to publish graphic and disturbing photographs of a young Marine killed in Afghanistan against the wishes of both the father of the Marine and the Secretary of Defense of The United States is not only appalling, and completely unconscionable it is without compassion and consideration to the effects it might have on the this man’s family. Privacy should be respected."

I agree with that statement, America does not need a refresher on the ravages of war, we have had enough of it with our last "TV War" in Vietnam.

Lance Corporal Joshua "Bernie" Bernard is our Marine of the Month with a photo as we would like to remember him.

Marines are no strangers to scuttlebutt and are used to having to weed out the truth by reading between the lines when they have to. In the case of the so-called VA "Deathbook," what critics are calling a VA pamphlet titled, Your Life, Your Choices. It baffles me that something as simple as a government publication meant to assist veterans in life choices can be the cause of so much feather ruffling. This was a publication written during the Bush administration that was thought to be too controversial for an already unpopular president, shelved (not dismissed), re- edited and re-released under the current administration to show how the President supports veterans.

This does not mean that the book represents in any way what Fox News and other media outlets such as The Wall Street Journal would have you believe. They have single-handedly managed to spin a simple VA handbook into a ridiculous little drama designed to inflame opinion against the health care initiatives proposed by our president. We can thank Sarah Palin for her little "death panels" speech but I wonder if she is willing to disclose what special interest group decided to use what little popularity she had left by luring her out of Alaska's Governors mansion and into the sleazy world of well-paid-for opinion. And to think I used to admire her! Marines and others of the Armed Forces of America, must be careful to use their heads to get at the truth of this debate and be aware that special interest groups now buy some American's opinion the way folks used to buy a used car.

The customer interested in buying a used car wants honest answers to their questions about the car's history in order to make the best deal possible but the sales person can't be trusted. He or she has an agenda where it's only about them. To heck with the customer, all they can think about is how much commission they can make on a sale or if I sell this clunker the boss will promote me, same thing goes for these rich special interests groups, insurance companies and the like who will do anything to convince you that their opinion is the "truth" or is "best for the country." Read the rest of this entry »