Posted on Oct 15, 2016
Marines' requirements for infantry officers are unrealistic, Army colonel says
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152lb sustainment load...
Marines' requirements for infantry officers are unrealistic, Army colonel says
Posted from marinecorpstimes.comPosted in these groups: 
Marines
Marines
Posted 8 y ago
Responses: 7
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Get plantar faciitis and flat feet before you are 20! oorah Marines, now I know why they need so much younger than the Army (especially the Army National Guard and Reserve) since many are broken after years of this. OOORAH! Marines, I have your respect!
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SSgt GG-15 RET Jim Lint
But we get free medical!! (Now retired, it is comeback on me.)
Did you know the Marine Corps does not have medics....cause we do not get hurt!! and no chaplains because we do not die!!! Or at least that was what I was told and believed for 7 years.
Did you know the Marine Corps does not have medics....cause we do not get hurt!! and no chaplains because we do not die!!! Or at least that was what I was told and believed for 7 years.
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I can count on one hand where my load as a Marine Infantryman met or exceeded 150lbs. One in particular was in infantry school where I had my normal load (~100lbs), platoon radio (~20lbs) and still had to put a MK-19 tripod on my back (~35lbs). Not often do you do this, but I can say for sure you do.
However, my issue with this continues to be this concept that if you meet the "standard" you're in. Being in the infantry takes more than passing a physical fitness test. Even takes more than passing the school. Infantry isn't a job. Whether you like it or not it's actually a lifestyle. Set whatever standard you want but the bottom line is that infantry is a mindset of trained killers. You are put on this earth to close with and destroy the enemy. You live, eat, and breath this every day on the Marine Infantry. It's what wins battles and keeps Marines alive. We may not carry 150lbs every day, but damn sure we carry at least half that for 24, 48, 72, or 96 hrs straight and under duress all the time. It requires a certain amount of dedication to brutality that few either posses or even what to be a part of. And now if you want to be a leader of those killers you have to be the meanest, most brutal of killers to lead by example and from the front (not the back 50%) to be not only effective at your job but looked up to by your Marines. Very few, and I mean very few, have what it takes. That's probably why we are really good at what we do. Win at killing bad guys...hell just about anything we are tasked with
The Marines aren't broke... Marines are truly a "breed" apart from others in our profession. Can we please keep it that way?
However, my issue with this continues to be this concept that if you meet the "standard" you're in. Being in the infantry takes more than passing a physical fitness test. Even takes more than passing the school. Infantry isn't a job. Whether you like it or not it's actually a lifestyle. Set whatever standard you want but the bottom line is that infantry is a mindset of trained killers. You are put on this earth to close with and destroy the enemy. You live, eat, and breath this every day on the Marine Infantry. It's what wins battles and keeps Marines alive. We may not carry 150lbs every day, but damn sure we carry at least half that for 24, 48, 72, or 96 hrs straight and under duress all the time. It requires a certain amount of dedication to brutality that few either posses or even what to be a part of. And now if you want to be a leader of those killers you have to be the meanest, most brutal of killers to lead by example and from the front (not the back 50%) to be not only effective at your job but looked up to by your Marines. Very few, and I mean very few, have what it takes. That's probably why we are really good at what we do. Win at killing bad guys...hell just about anything we are tasked with
The Marines aren't broke... Marines are truly a "breed" apart from others in our profession. Can we please keep it that way?
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