Opinion | Marine reservists deserve more respect

Yeah all reservists do….
It’s much easier to have Uncle Sam take care of all your needs 24/7 than to be independently responsible and still fit in service to country.

LTC Eugene Chu Sad... don't they go through the same Training as A.D.? As a REMF in Vietnam we were looked down upon by the Grunts...even though we engaged in patrols outside our perimeter... go figure.

"The Marine Corps has a blind spot when it comes to relationships between the active and reserve components. I saw this play out during introductory training and throughout my career. The animosity goes one way: from Marines on active duty who view their service as superior over service in the Marine Corps Reserve. This casual contempt leads to personal resentment and professional friction. The frontlines of this conflict take place within Select Marine Corps Reserve (SMCR) units where Inspector-Instructor (I-I) and SMCR Marines interact directly. I have seen the best and worst of these interactions; it may not always be the case in all units, but there are enough examples of it to make it a concerning trend. While most I-I Marines are dedicated to bringing their knowledge and experience to improve the unit, I have seen some who are derisive and make no attempt to appreciate the unique aspects and rich experiences of SMCR Marines. I have seen Marines lose heart and leave because they’re frustrated by other Marines who treat them as second-class citizens. Losing even one Marine because of this culture problem is unacceptable. We must recognize that the “active vs. reserve” mentality is a critical vulnerability to the overall force and eradicate it."...

As an AD guy for my entire career, who worked with both NG folks and USAR during deployments, and also did a pre-deployment train-up for an NG unit, I can safely say there was a DEFINITE bias against them. I can also say that, for the most part, that bias was well-earned.

The level of tactical and technical competence, across the board, rank for rank, unit for unit, was just not there. Sure, certain individuals stood out, and were as good, if not better, than most of the AD troops. And yes, absolutely, those "weekend warriors" brought OTHER skills with them from their "day jobs" - which is not insignificant. But when it comes time to kick down the door, I need a guy who has practiced kicking down the door hundreds of times. Not a guy who has done it a few times and also knows how to rebuild the door after it has been kicked down.

The NG and USAR units I saw, for the most part, had the basics down. But they were not polished. They were not smooth. And they did not operate as a cohesive unit.

There was a point where I, as an MI NCO, was training NG infantrymen on MOUT for their pre-deployment prep. Yes, I was prior infantry - a decade prior. And it wasn't a case of just validating them. I legit had to back them up and explain their tactical errors, blind spots, and even things like how to pie a corner.

Don't get me wrong, these units showed up down range and without their help, all us AD folks would have burnt out even quicker. I am DAMNED thankful they were mobilized and helped out. And when they showed up, they DID get the job done. But from what I saw it took them longer to get the job done, and/or they were generally given the "easier" jobs / sectors. Which was still a hell of a lot of help - and I'm thankful for it.