Posted on Apr 13, 2016
Should the saying "every Marine a rifleman" be changed?
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A commonly thrown around term is "Every Marine is a rifleman" I strongly disagree with this statement as I am an 0311 Rifleman. I do agree that every Marine is expected to know how to shoot and qual annually with a rifle. Doesn't mean they're a rifleman. What does everyone else think?
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Marines
Political Correctness
Marines Political Correctness
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 200
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The idea isn't meant to be that every Marine is equal to you, it's meant to signify that every Marine is capable of picking up a rifle and being useful in a fight, and specifically to show that difference between the Marines and other services. It's not a dig at you, it's a dig at me and everybody else. Its intent is to designate the Marines as more ready and lethal than the rest of us. Wear it with pride and believe it; the rest of us don't buy it or care.
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To expand on that, I meant we don't care about it as a recruiting slogan and whatnot. That poorly-worded sentence was not meant to disparage Marines or their superior abilities.
Sgt (Join to see)
LTJG James Jones - None taken :)
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when you went boot were you trained in your mos or were you trained as a grunt
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LCpl Tad Cunningham
Boot camp I wasn't trained as any MOS. ITB I learned how to be an infantryman. At MCT POGs learn the basics of being a grunt but not actually being a grunt, then they go to their school house, learn their job, and shoot annually. They don't shoot regularly like a rifleman does.
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Cpl Chad Perry
Saying all POG's are the same and considering all POG's as a separate class lower than infantry is completely inaccurate. Granted, there are some POG's that spend their entire career behind a desk, and shoot their rifle once a year. But, as I've said in other posts on this subject not all POG's are like that. I was Motor T in an infantry regiment. Our SOP whenever we hauled supplies out to the field for whatever unit we were supporting was to stay with the trucks. I never obeyed that SOP. I went out and actively participated in whatever training the infantry was doing. I've trained with just about everything the infantry does to include heavy guns, mortars, DRAGON, and TOW. I also spent a lot of time working with RETS, and some time with a recon company. I didn't realize who these guys were until several years later, but I also got to work with a team from ANGLICO on one training exercise. I was also a PMI, and I was my CO's gunner on his command vehicle. Even though I had a POG MOS, I don't think there's any question I could have performed well in an infantry unit. Just 2 final thoughts. You bullet catchers talk a lot of shit about POG's, but when you see me coming with a truck full of supplies or coming to offer you a ride out of the field instead of humping back, I'm suddenly your best friend. Lastly, I'll leave you with the same comment I used to shut up my brother in law, who was an 0311 / Security Forces. The Marines teach everyone to be a rifleman, but they also taught me to do a lot more than walk and shoot.
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Every Marine is a rifleman. However, not every Marine is THE rifleman. That being said, I've seen plenty of Marines that couldn't shoot their way out of a wet paper bag. I had one Marine in Uganda that told me she felt shooting was not a necessary skill for a Marine. My goal for the next six months was to get her sent stateside. Unfortunately, since she was a she, that didn't happen.
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As a very old 0301 who was lucky to work for good Bn commanders I would certainly take a 3511 from our motor pool over an army O4 who was in a support MOS
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I believe that there is a disconnect between what you are thinking of as a Rifleman, and what the Doctrine is calling a Rifleman. As far as the Doctrine is concerned, a Rifleman is any Marine that can pick up a rifle, point it down range, and put rounds on target, or at least provide fire support/covering fire. Every Marine is supposed to be able to do that. However, not every Marine is Infantry. Take me for instance; I served with Lima 3/3. I served with a Grunt unit, but I wasn't a Grunt. However, thanks to my training, I sure as heck could put rounds down range if necessary ( of course only in defense of myself or my patients, because the Geneva Conventions said so lol).
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The phrase "Every Marine a Rifleman" does not mean the following:
It doesn't mean every Marine holds the actual job/MOS of rifleman.
It doesn't mean every Marine attends infantry training.
It doesn't mean every Marine can operate like a rifleman Marine at a moments notice.
It doesn't mean every Marine when deployed to a combat zone will be an infantryman/rifleman.
It doesn't mean you are an infantryman/rifleman first, and your job second.
It doesn't mean every Marine holds the actual job/MOS of rifleman.
It doesn't mean every Marine attends infantry training.
It doesn't mean every Marine can operate like a rifleman Marine at a moments notice.
It doesn't mean every Marine when deployed to a combat zone will be an infantryman/rifleman.
It doesn't mean you are an infantryman/rifleman first, and your job second.
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LCpl Tad Cunningham
I think they should require all MOS's to earn 0311 as a secondary MOS than. Personal opinion.
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I think if your a Marine and you do not understand that each and every Marine can be called to be a rifleman if necessary there Every Marine is a riflemen first!
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LCpl Tad Cunningham
Every Marine can operate a rifle. Doesn't make them a rifleman. If they don't understand basics of CQB/CQT and patrolling, I wouldn't consider them a rifleman.
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Cpl (Join to see)
ri·fle·man
/ˈrīfəlmən/
noun: rifleman; plural noun: riflemen
1. a soldier armed with a rifle, especially a private in a rifle regiment.
I don't see nothing about patrolling or close quarters battle in there. I would say not every Marine is an infantryman.
/ˈrīfəlmən/
noun: rifleman; plural noun: riflemen
1. a soldier armed with a rifle, especially a private in a rifle regiment.
I don't see nothing about patrolling or close quarters battle in there. I would say not every Marine is an infantryman.
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MSgt Jesse Tiede
She HAS TO BE "Badass"! Otherwise, she couldn't wear that HAT! Also, I hope she files for VA Disability in her Neck, because she has to twist her neck WAYYYY UP, to see! But, "I" wouldn't want to meet her in a back alley when she was in a bad mood...
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I would agree, as a tanker / tank mechanic we we more proficient in the use of our main weapon system vs the rifle
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CPT Joseph K Murdock
Because as a tanker that is your choice of occupation and experience. To say everyone is adroit at infantry is a false statement when that is not their primary job.
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Capt Walter Miller
During the Chosin Reservoir campaign the admin guys had to grab rifles and defend the logistics base at Hagaru-Ri. It ain't broke.
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MSgt Jesse Tiede
CPT Joseph K Murdock - Not every Marine is an Infantryman, Captain, and the saying doesn't say, or mean, that! It implies that every MARINE can use his or her rifle, even as a last ditch, hold the line GRUNT! It's ok to be Loud and Proud of being a Grunt, Sir, but it's NOT alright to disparage anyone else for what they do! Anyone who wears the uniform, and goes to whatever shithole the Current Administration tells us and does the job we're told to do, is a potential Front Line Grunt! That's why EVERYONE Qualifies with Small Arms, and is required to maintain that Qualification. Even in the Air Force, if you don't Qualify with your Primary Weapon, you don't go, even some Civilians. At least, that's how it was, last time I gave a Qualification Class for Air Force personnel. I got nothing but RESPECT for Front Line Troops. My son was one. And, as far as I'm concerned, you put on a uniform of any branch of the United States military, you are One of the Elite, and Every Day a Hero...
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