Posted on Jun 18, 2016
Do you consider the term jarhead and other names for the different branches of service offensive?
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I have a couple of friends who are Marines (They are both out but I know 'Once a Marine always a Marine') and I've jokingly called them jarheads and they've made fun of the Army. I'd never call someone I just met a jarhead unless they absolutely knew I was joking. I guess what I'm getting at is, do you think interservice rivalry can sometimes come off as 'offensive'' even if it's meant jokingly?
Posted 9 y ago
Responses: 673
Haha no. My brother and his 2 best friends are Marines, my dad and i were Army. Should have seen the crap we put each other through the week of my brothers weeding.
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It is only when family or other service members do it my oldest son a marine vet always calls his little brother a current marine his boot.
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I think sometimes it definitely can. I have a long time friend who is an Army vet and we tease and joke with each other all the time. Same with my nephew who is currently serving in the Army. If you just met someone though it's totally different because you don't know their story.
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It's sibling rivalry, done in fun and in theend we all know that it takes all of us to do the job (even the Air Force!). Civilians do it sometimes, I think, because they heard it and they just want to emulate and be a part of the fun. Some so it just to bee spiteful or hateful. I can generally tell the difference in them and in either case just treat them like a mentally ill half cousin who you know just won't get better and doesn't understand.
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i never get but hurt when someone ibjust meet call me a jarhead. 4 years in a infantry unit gave me some thick skin.
however i found airforce and nasty guard tend to get the most offended.
however i found airforce and nasty guard tend to get the most offended.
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Have we not also fought to keep PC out of our ranks? A sense of humor is essential. I don’t care if “they” don’t understand. Numerous Viet Nam POWs credited their own or their fellow POWs’ sense of humor for their survival. This is also reflected in Victor Frankl’s book Man’s Search For Meaning.
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After I was a civilian, I worked with a formerly active marine, and we got along really well even though he called me "squid" and I called him "jarhead" and "gyrene" .
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When I was in the Navy, I called a Marine "jarhead" and he got mad and asked me if I wanted to try to take the lid off.
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