Why does the Army not have as much pride as the Marines?

This is a tricky question, but a valid one. I spent 6 years on the Marines, and then switched to the Army and stayed until retirement. Having served in both branches, I know that it is true that the Marines instill a great deal of pride in their recruits during Boot Camp. This is done by making Marines learn about the battle history of the Marines.
The Army also has a great battle history, however the Army does not seem to emphasize it to soldiers. Knowing the linieage of your unit creates pride. Some units in the Army have more pride than others, for example the 82nd Airborne Div. or the 101st. The soldiers in those divisions know that they are part of a long line of great American soldiers.
The Marines is small enough (with only 3 active duty divisions) that all Marines feel like they are part of the same team.
The Army is much larger and suffers from alienation amongst its own people. For example, if you are a soldier and see another soldier wearing a division patch from a unit that you are not part of or never been in there is an unspoken feeling that this soldier is different than you somehow. The nature and culture in one Army division is often very different from other divisions. In the Marines each division is basically the same, just located in different geographical locations.
It boils down to this: in the Army am S1 clerk or a supply officers daily duties are not that much different from an equivalent job in the civilian world. The Marine clerk or supply officer have been taught from day 1 that they are primarily Infantry riflemen, and can be called upon to serve as infantrymen when the situation requires it.

The Marine Corps is a cult.

I have served in the Army, USMC, and Air Force. I went to Army Basic in 1988, them Marine Boot Camp in 1990. I did an inner service transfer. My wife is still in the Army and since my military retirement we have this discussion often. I found that in Army basic they just teach you the basic skills of combat survival and general military customs and courtesy's. In the Marines, It is a a Cultural change. Personally, I don't think the Army can ever have the Brother/Sisterhood that the Marines have. I often wonder if its because of the sheer #'s of personnel in. I actually was quite impressed with the Air Force, Even they have a stronger bond and service pride to one another than I have ever felt in the Army.

You must be talking to the wrong soldiers, Sergeant Major, because I love the Army. Marines may be more thoroughly brainwashed collectively, but I feel just as much, if not more pride in the service branch I was a part of (and at heart am still). Go Ordnance!!!

Why ask such a question? The Army is just that: The Army. The premier ground combat force in the world. The Marine Corps is naval infantry and very small. The USMC does not have the diverse responsibility or scope of mission that the Army has. So in plain speak, the USMC is relatively tiny and assigned a narrow area of responsibility. This allows for more a more oorah atmosphere.

Because they're not Marines.
Not to sound sarcastic, but that sums it up..
The Army is a valiant force, but being too large, means you just can't compare the brotherhood feeling like the corps does.
Perhaps the special forces have a tight brotherhood, similar to the Marines esprit de corps, but overall, the average soldier just doesn't value themselves in uniform or tradition, as measured against a Marine of similar now skill level.

But to more directly answer the question, there is no lack of pride. I think it's equally there, but there are just a lot more knuckleheads in the Army that don't care and are there to collect a paycheck. The Army is so needy for numbers, that they take anybody at times, and these are the ones with zero pride. The ones that volunteered to serve their country, like myself, have more pride than you know. In the country, unit, branch, and in my case the NCO corps!

The Marine Corps instills something intangible in every recruit that is very powerful. Every Marine has a story, and every one of them starts with standing on the yellow footprints at the recruit depot. It is a right of passage to actually EARN the title Marine. A young man will never be called Marine until he earns that title. It's almost like a regal bloodline shared by all who wear the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor. That alone is a part of the lore of the Corps. To this day, and I can speak for thousands of current and former Marines, I get goose bumps every time I hear the Marines Hymn. That doesn't even happen for the national anthem. I can't even stop it, it's automatic. There is something about the Marine experience that is completely transformative. That common experience creates a fraternity that other branches find difficult to duplicate. I wrote the poem below to my son when he was in bootcamp at Parris Island. It may give you an idea of how the ethos of the Marine Corps is perpetuated.

Son Now Brother

Good morning son and brother,
I have something to pass to you,
It was passed to me some time ago,
and now you've earned it too.

It's the symbol of our beloved Corps,
loved, respected, and feared,
Worn by men of strength and honor,
earned with blood, sweat and tears.

I've polished it and kept it shiny
through my tours and all the years,
I've served my best to preserve its honor
for the nation that I hold dear.

Use each day to polish it
through the service to which you're called.
Lead your juniors every day
and its legacy teach them all.

Now it's time to pass the mantle
my Corps now belongs to you.
Protect it, and keep it safe and strong
that is my charge to you.

Good morning beloved son and now brother,
I have something to pass to you,
It's my eagle, globe and anchor,
and now you've earned it too.

Dad, Oct 2012

It starts with perception.
When I enlisted in the USMC I wanted a challenge and to be a part of what I considered the 'toughest' branch. , the brainwashing culture of the USMC that starts day one of bootcamp is part of the answer. The Marine Corps Drill instructors do their job right. They challenge you to become a Marine, to become the best. That impression never left me. Not when I went to Quantico to become an officer and it still reigns in me now that I am out in the pride of 'Once a Marine Always a Marine'.
The USMC attracts quality recruits wanting to be up to the challenge. They are continually trying to measure up to 'Chesty Puller' standards. Every special force unit you run into believes it is the best whether they are SEALs or Delta Force. The Marines believe this too, except it is accepted universally in our branch of the armed forces.

82nd Airborne
'nuff said