The Grinch at 29 Palms? Marines claim excessive duty is forcing them to stay on base during the...

It was my choice but I never went home for the holidays and actually swapped future duties with my fellow brothers who wanted to go home. A lot of Marines want to go home for the holiday so they should set up some kind of lottery drawing for those who want to. Making only NCO's stand duty doesn't really make sense to me.

This article states:
Quote: "All Marines have the right to request mast and personally talk to any commanding officer in their chain of command up to, and including, their commanding general about issues they are facing in their unit. The commanding officer is also required to consider their complaints and respond to the Marine personally."

Yes, it is true you can request mast to speak with anyone in the chain of command however you don't HAVE to talk to anyone in the chain except the person you want speak to. All you have to say "I want to go to the next level" and there is nothing they can do about it (well, maybe make your life hell!). Of course they want to settle the complaint at the lowest level possible but what if that level is at the battalion? If they are the responsible party for the complaint it would most likely be pointless to stop there and waste everyone's time. All they are going to try to do is convince you that you are wrong and there is no point proceeding up the chain. Been there, done that folks. I speak from experience having once requested mast to see the Commanding General, Second Marine Division. I never actually saw the CG. It was a Colonel (as his representative) in his office that took care of it.

I do not miss that place in the least. When my son was going to radio school he finally knew first hand how I felt about it.

Not punishment eh?