"WHAT IS A MARINE"

Somewhere between the security of childhood and the insecurity of the second childhood, we find the MARINE. Marines are found everywhere; in bars, behind bars, in holes, in fights, in trouble, running on the double. You will find them in battle, on streets, overseas, in love, on leave, but most often in debt. Marines come in assorted sizes, colors, weights, and stages of sobriety, anger, misery and confusion. They come in camouflage, olive green, khakis, black, muddy and sporting the native flora on their helmets. A Marine is; laziness with a deck of cards, misery with a grin on his face, exhausted and sleeping in the mud, a penniless millionaire. He is brave with or without a beer in his hand, courageous with a grain of common sense. He is the protector of America, with a Playboy magazine in his back pocket. A Marine is a composite; he is air-cooled, alcohol operated and foot propelled. He is cocky and conceited, high strung and self-centered, over bearing and considers himself underpaid. A Marine; is sly like a fox, has the nerve of a dope addict, the energy of a turtle, the brains of a rock, the stories of an old sailor and the sincerity of a liar. A Marine has; the appetite of a horse, the table manners of a chimpanzee, and the aspirations of Casanova. When a Marine wants something; it's usually a three day pass, a light for his cigarette, his own field jacket, poncho liner, or anything else he can [miss] appropriate from supply, a ten dollar loan, or someone to stand his duty. A Marine likes; girls, women, females, ladies and members of the opposite sex, sex, sex, beer, liquor, liberty, leave and sixteen thirty. A Marine dislikes; answering letters, wearing his uniform, standing inspections, Second Lieutenants, getting up for reveille, Marine Corps chow, close order drill, training, work, the day before payday, and the curfew set by the parents of the girls he takes out. No woman can tame him and no man can beat him. He is unwilling, unreliable, irresponsible, impossible and indestructible. A Marine is a magical creature; you can shut him out of your home but not out of your heart, you can take him off your mailing list but not out of your mind. You may as well give in; he is yours, he is your brother, lover, friend, or son. He is a bright eyed good for nothing bundle of worries, but after all, and always, a MARINE! Semper Fidelis

By Loyde P "SNAKE" Arender Question: Why are we (Marines) called "Jarheads"? Answer: On the night of November 10, 1775, a bunch of bad-ass fighters and drunks, who had just got off of the ship after 7 months of fighting sea pirates, were sitting around in this bar, which was run by the town's oldest drunk, named Tun. One old man was playing the bagpipes very loudly, while Tun was beating on a drum and whistling. One of them said, "MAy Rain fa Shore!" Another guy said, "Hell, Tun, stop beating on that damn drum; I can't hear WHAT he said; my ears are ringing and it sounds like my HEAD's in a JAR". The man yelled, again,"MAy Rain fa Shore". Mad as hell, the man jumped to his feet and yelled, at the top of his lungs, "What? What? I can't understand what you're saying. What the hell is a MARine Corps?" and the the other man screamed, "Your HEAD's in a JAR". Tun, who was the "Head D-I-C" (Drunk in Charge), screamed very loudly, so that he would be sure to be heard, "You, Stand at Ease, you Jarhead". Tun turned to the other man and said,"I like that new word Marine Corps, so that's what we'll call ourselves. Now, you and Jarhead make up, because we got pirates to fight". History was made that night, because the names of Jarhead and Marine Corps stuck. Many of these Jarheads would scream loudly and still to this very day, that's why Drill Instructors yell. The order of "Stand At Ease" came to be. And, if you listen real closely, sometimes you can still hear the Man-In-Charge referred to as a "Dic Head". Written by Loyde P. "Snake"Arender on 23 February 2001 and dedicated to his good friend and fellow Marine, Marcelle Ronquille, Fox Co 2nd BN 7th Marines (Vietnam 1968-1969)