Should the saying "every Marine a rifleman" be changed?

As a former Marine 0351 (Dragon, that was before the Javelin for you youngsters)...

And with all due respect...

There are always great, good, mediocre, questionable Marines within every MOS.

There are some POGs who could figure out “how to Rifleman” if need be better than some of the 0311s whom are in the last bucket “how did they even get through Boot Camp?” with higher GT scores (ASVAB).

Boot Camp made a Marine. MCT gave some very basic Infantry training to every Marine. That supports the “Every Marine Is A Rifleman” bit.

Being a Marine does not need embelishment. How about you just lay your head down knowing you can eat an Army 11-B for breakfast? Or do you really need the Corps to issue you the equivalent of the Army’s Blue Cord so you can look down at it to remind yourself who you are?

Back in my day, a Marine entering on a “Guaranteed 0300 Infantry” contract would be assigned MOS by their GT score. 0311 is at the very bottom of that bracketing.

I get it to a point. You want to believe as a Grunt you are somehow better than the POGs. Certainly much of Infantry life training is about Confidence Building. Whatever helps Infantry win battles is all good. But stop the nonsense of the POG vs Grunt crap. Not all POGs “can’t” do your job with any lesser degree of skill than you can do theirs. They too Earned the Title. They simply chose to support you instead of be you. And without them, you aren’t even geared up to do a damn thing.

Try focusing on the Marine you see in your mirror each morning.

Pain is temporary...Pride is permanent.

So unless you have perfect PFT, minimum WS-1 Swim Qual, Expert Marksmanship Badge (ironic some Riflemen don’t go figure), etc....then you got work to do. Don’t think there aren’t at least a few POGs around that do have those things. Not to mention some of them are re-enlisted from the Infantry.

SEE...LOOKIE HERE....a Grunt who appreciated his POGs!!!

<sits up from chair, upturns table with papers and clipboards flying everywhere, steps outside the hatch, pokes his head back in and says Hey there Lance Cooley, how about picking that mess up??!!

Semper Fi

It’s still true imo. Everyone shoots to qualify every year, still a fact regardless of MOS. If your at FOB and it comes under attack everyone grabs their rifle, and I would assume goes to their assigned defensive position. It was true at the beginning it’s still true today.

Disagree with u. Why? Well at least in the Marines and the Army one of the 1st things they train u to us is a rifle. REALLY in those to branches of service that IS ur primary MOS. Now After Basic u go onto more specialized training which is normally called ur PMOS. But when push comes to shove u pick up ur weapon and use it unless u like to be dead.
And as I remember When u got issued ur Weapon they made u treat it better than ur Girlfriend or wife. I have seen DI's make a person kiss then weapon when they dropped it every time they went down doing push ups. and u had better never let anything but the butt of the weapon touch the ground other than certain handling drills. The only other exception to this was when they taught u a couple ways to move on the belly with the weapon and then at no time was the barrel allowed to touch the ground.

Be proud of what u are but I think ur being very petty and NOT recognizing that ALL of ur buddies in the Marines just like in the Army (navy and AF I have no clue and really do not care) have to qualify every year and have to know how to tear the weapon down and clean it and put it back together. U may have some extra skills they do not have cause of ur MOS but we all carry in combat and I am not going to say HEY RIFLEMAN they are shooting at me DO UR MOS. Heck NO I AM RETURNING FIRE after taking cover.. Like it or not what my dad who served 22+ years and two wars said.CYOA Cover Your OWN A**. I want to know I can trust the person to the left and right, front and back but the one that is most responsible for keeping ME alive is ME. And in doing so I look out for those around me. Cause the people trying to kill me are also trying to kill them and the more numbers we keep alive and healthy the better off our FORCES ARE.

Every Marine is a Rifleman, not all Marines are Grunts. Semper Fi

Every marine is a rifleman, i think you are referring to the training that an infantryman receives which is far more in depth than I as an avionics tech would have received. But every Marine is 1st and foremost a rifleman

In nam it was the office pogies that repelled breakthroughs
03s manned the perimeter while admin crew set up internal fox holes
The army has to waste manpower for just in case situations
It's also about knowing that every marine has your back . Even if they are a trumpet player

No way the Marines are a brotherhood and tradition matters that's why they are the best and the most close net group I have ever seen.

It is a known fact that when the sh** hits the fan it is everyone on line I was an Army Aviator but when the VC came calling if we weren't flying, we drew weapons and filled in the places between our bunkers. The Marines have always been riflemen from there very start aboard Navy ships. Sounds like someone wants to get off the firing line? Cooks can be cooks and clerks can be clerks but when the enemy is in the wire you better hope you have a weapon!

Don’t just throw a stupid question up here without the courage to spit out your truth. Give us your idea of what it should be if we are to depart from common sense and tradition.

I got Mitchell Paige MOH winner to talk to Div Schools Camp Pendleton, Read his account I remember his telling us to his machine guns Right flank was C company to his Right was mostly the BAND, I cant remember why there was Band there but There was. In the Defense of Henderson Field the Right flank moved back Exposing Paige's machine guns. During the fight that night twice over run, being knocked out by grenades each time, I will Not Repeat what his opinion of that Company on the Right. But he was Liberal in his praise to the USMC BAND they stuck with him....THE BAND.

So your God Damm Right EVERY MARINE IS A RIFLEMAN!

The Army does boot camp and after sends you to what ever MOS School you signed for. In the Wy. Army Nat Guard, We were getting newbies that had no idea of what the hell was their MOS was after boot camp they were told that their Unit would train them We were a HIMAR unit, MLRS, and we got them knowing only how to wear a uniform and recognize ranks.