Military Career
Pride
Responses: 85
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Like everyone, there were countless tiny moments that stood alone. Some were bad, some were funny, but I have to say, my most cherished memory in the Marine Corps, was the moment when SSGT Condon put that Eagle, Globe, and Anchor into my hand, and said that phrase that she repeated sixty times that morning, "Congrats, Marine...welcome to the family."
I curled my fingers around it, and yea, I was crying, because I'm pretty sure I worked harder for that single piece of brass, than I'd ever worked for anything in my life.
I curled my fingers around it, and yea, I was crying, because I'm pretty sure I worked harder for that single piece of brass, than I'd ever worked for anything in my life.
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PO3 Donald Murphy
Yeah, I agree. I was a different kind of Marine (SUBmarine), but when I got those silver dolphins that was also the hardest I'd ever worked for anything.
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MSgt Marvin Kinderknecht
I was at a October Fest party in Chicago which was given by my son-in-law, a Marine Recruiter. After I was fully (drunk) I wanted to be a Marine. After the Lt Col got drunk, he swore me in. Even made me sing the Marine song. My son-in-law even printed out the papers. When my son-in-law got married, 5 Marines showed up. We put them down in the living room to save motel money. What a blast. I can truly say: THE MARINES HAVE LANDED. P.S. The Col would not bestow any rank!!
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During Hurricane Katrina - saving all the folks that were trapped in their homes and on their roofs. Also, getting to work with their local law enforcement and fire department to help bring their city back to order. Cherished memories I will take to the grave with me!!!!
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Watching soldiers grow professionally and personally. The trust the soldiers would do the right thing, and I would fight for them.
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Hallucinating while in SFAS. The start of my realization that my body can't take external stimuli/stressors as before. Those cold nights in a sleeping bag with 2 hour sleep makes me appreciate being in my king size bed every night nowadays.
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I spent 7 months training at an Iraqi NCO academy. It's special because I got to better understand how the culture really worked while being able to show men a different way of thinking. It was life changing.
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SGT Benjamin Huminski
I agree I loved eating breakfast lunch and dinner with the Iraqi men I was training. I still talk with some of the guys I trained by email
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Funeral Detail for fallen Comrades. It was a 30 day assignment, and i wish i could have done it longer. One was a Georgia state trooper who was in the National Guard as well. He was killed in the line of duty on a Georgia interstate. They had a helicopter fly over and everything.
Second would be as an E-3 Meeting CSA General Gordon R Sullivan, because i refused to let his Colonel sign for a classified document, and the General was the only one that was cleared in his office to sign for it. i was wrong and the colonel had in interim clearance, but i got to meet the CSA and he commended me for sticking to my guns, even though I was wrong, and gave me his CSA coin.
Second would be as an E-3 Meeting CSA General Gordon R Sullivan, because i refused to let his Colonel sign for a classified document, and the General was the only one that was cleared in his office to sign for it. i was wrong and the colonel had in interim clearance, but i got to meet the CSA and he commended me for sticking to my guns, even though I was wrong, and gave me his CSA coin.
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CPL Wilfred Roberge
I love it when lower ranking people stick to thier guns!!!!! Myself, @ Bright Star (an exercise we used to do in Egypt I was on guard duty and was briefed not to let anyone in w/o an i.d and it had to be a certain type of ID (the old Green ID's there was no CAC yet) and a sticker with a Stamp (this thicker had arabic writing and it was to prove you were suppposed to be there) well it was Septmber 2001, the threatcon was pretty high ( it was only about 15 days after 9/11) and this major tries to come through my ECP, I say NO I need your ID, he whips out an ID Card that is for some building for the State of Georgia (but it was very official looking) because "I can't find my other ID/left it in my other uniform/my dog ate it whatever" and he tries to order me to let him in, I say sorry sir, I was never briefed on that ID, I can only let you in if someone from your unit with a valid ID lets you in then if I see you again I will gladly let you in and he starts saying but you are a PFC and I am a Major, and the guy yesterday.... and I cut him off and say "Sir with all due respect to you and your rank, I don't care if the guy yesterday jumped off the golden gate bridge, if he let you in with this ID he was wrong and you can not refuse my rank for my authority he starts give me harder time I almost get ready to unsling my weapon when two CSM's waiting in line tell the major he is out of line and to listen to the private (me). I was supposed to be coined by the 3rd Army CSM but wasn't I got an AAM instead.
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CPL Wilfred Roberge
Funeral Details were always rewarding but bittersweet.
Last military funeral I went to was my retired CSM from Iraq it took place in Rhode Island, a buddy who was out of the Army was there in civies (I was in Uniform) drove from NY, I hadn't seen him in probably 5 years and he was standing next to the RI National Guard One Star whom I only saw from the back so I thought it was just an AGR who left work and went straight to the wake and I was so happy to see my friend I almost pushed him into the One Star (oops!!!!) not a proud moment but a memorable moment one the CSM who had passed away would have gotten a kick out of.
Last military funeral I went to was my retired CSM from Iraq it took place in Rhode Island, a buddy who was out of the Army was there in civies (I was in Uniform) drove from NY, I hadn't seen him in probably 5 years and he was standing next to the RI National Guard One Star whom I only saw from the back so I thought it was just an AGR who left work and went straight to the wake and I was so happy to see my friend I almost pushed him into the One Star (oops!!!!) not a proud moment but a memorable moment one the CSM who had passed away would have gotten a kick out of.
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When I pounded my wings into my chest after Airborne School. I still didn't know anything but damn it if I wasn't proud.
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SFC Alfredo Gonzalez
Airborne! There's a "Mustard stain" on your Jump Wings... Where did you do your Combat Jump?
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guiding a junior member and seeing them "get it" and knowing they can carry on and pass it on when the time comes.
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