The actor who played the drill sergeant in “Full Metal Jacket” is coming to Washington, D.C., next week to lobby Congress to pass a long-stalled bill.
R. Lee Ermey is the national spokesman for a growing grassroots effort behind legislation sponsored by Rep. Walter Jones (R-N.C.) and Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) that would rename the Department of the Navy as the Department of the Navy and Marine Corps.
Read the whole thing here.
I'm interested to hear what you all think of this news!
14 comments:
I have to admit that I didn't know until a few years ago the the Marines weren't their own department. I don't see any reason why they shouldn't either become their own department or at least be named.
As the mother of a die hard future Marine, they've well earned it!
The United States Marine Corps is part of this country’s naval services. Within the Department of the Navy are two separate and distinct services: the United States Navy, and the United States Marine Corps. It has been a very long time since the daily operation of the Marine Corps came under direct supervision from the Chief of Naval Operations, but it has always come under the supervision of the Secretary of the Navy. We do not need a Secretary of the Marine Corps in order to fulfill our mission; the suggestion is wasteful layering. Besides, the Marines have enough influence on the hill so that we do not need our own military department.
The Navy and Marine Corps are a team. It has always been this way. Marines receive all of their medical support from the Navy. Navy Hospital Corpsmen accompany our line units into combat. I would not want to see this change. I would not want to see the Marine Corps become a miniature version of the U. S. Army.
Mr. Ermey, a former Marine drill instructor, may be sincere, but I’m afraid he has his head up his … well, where he doesn’t get adequate ventilation.
Mustang out
A broader question may be how do we strengthen and support the Marines. The day may come when they are our only effective fighting force.
Political correctness from Ft Hood to the Sec. Defense has not helped the Dept of Defense solve its jihad from within problem.
Mustang is the expert on this topic.
Coming straight from the mind of a former squid, and one who used to work closely with secure communications and support to the Marine Corps' own 24th MEU, and experiencing that port visit to Morehead City NC just before a major deployment to the med, I would strongly support such a name change.
The Marines are every bit as vital as the Navy and therefore DON should undergo the name change.
I've got a better idea, let's subordinate the US Army to the Department of the Air Force.
My husband was a squid and I have three boys who are interested in three different branches of the military (a fourth who is interested as well, but medically is ineligable to serve).
When we visit the recruiting offices, the Marines and Navy have two seperate offices. If something, heaven forbids, ever happens to my son, we'd want the letter to have Marines letterhead on it. The same way I'd want "the letter" for any of my other boys to have the letterhead that matched their uniform.
It may sound silly, but it's how I feel.
If people begin treating the Marines like the Army, then there is no reason to have Marines. Marines are specialists in naval warfare. They are naval infantry. Their mission is to project Naval power ashore. The only reason Marines were used in the March to Bagdad is that there were insufficient numbers of Army units to complete the mission. 25% of the nation’s air forces are Naval aviators: Navy/Marine Corps pilots. They are the best pilots in the world. They are highly skilled and extremely courageous … otherwise, they would not be able to take off and land high performance jets on the pitching deck of aircraft carriers in the middle of the night.
There are two letterheads: DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY, United States Navy and DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY, United States Marine Corps. I am not confused, therefore, and neither should anyone else be … Marines are not sailors, and sailors are not Marines (although in the past, companies of sailors have landed with their brother Marines). As Mustang said, Navy Corpsmen are a treasure to Marine riflemen. Ermy is wrong.
Sgt Sam
How about just separate the two. Navy and USMC. Not exactly sure what ol' Walter is trying to do here...though camp lejeune is in his district...i think. He was also the Repub. that wanted a time table in Iraq.
Sorry not too opinionated on this one except that I LOVE our troops..All of them!:)
Thanks all for your opinions. Sorry it took so long to get back, but that darn work stuff sometimes gets in the way.
I'll admit I'm a bit torn. I don't have a problem with the Marine Corp (or as Obama would say, corpse) getting it's name in the title...
But, that would be akin to WWII having "The Dept. of the Army and the Army Air Corp."
Kind of redundant
I like R.Lee , I don't know why this would bug him. The Marines have their own Headquarters in D.C., we have the commandants quarters at 8th and I, we have our own seal, our own bases, uniforms, traditions. The USMC was set up to support the Navy, I never knew anyone who had a problem with the idea. Sailors and Marines are different breeds, but I did A LOT of time afloat, especially in Gator Navy ships, and they always treated me right. I think things are ok as they are.
This retired sailor agrees with Mustang. We don't need it. The Navy and Marine Corps team are a team and should remain so.
Agree with Sgt. Ermey. Don't the squids have equal representation in the JCS? I believe that's enough reason right there to at least have equal representation in the name of the department, if not a separate branch.
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