As usual, must have been compiled by a Marine because all the old macho-cynical sayings that have been floating around were combined and ascribed to the Marines. Some pretty funny stuff here though.

Marine Corps Rules:

1.   Be courteous to everyone, friendly to no one.

2.   Decide to be aggressive enough, quickly enough.

3.   Have a plan.

4.   Have a back-up plan, because the first one probably won’t work.

5.   Be polite.  Be professional.  But have a plan to kill everyone you meet.

6.   Do not attend a gunfight with a handgun whose caliber does not start with a ‘4.’

7.   Anything worth shooting is worth shooting twice.  Ammo is cheap.  Life is expensive.

8.   Move away from your attacker.  Distance is your friend.  (Lateral and diagonal preferred.)

9.   Use cover or concealment as much as possible.

10. Flank your adversary.  When possible, protect yours.

11. Always cheat; always win.  The only unfair fight is the one you lose.

12. In ten years, nobody will remember the details of caliber, stance, or tactics. They will only remember who lived.

13. If you are not shooting, you should be communicating your intention to shoot. Continue reading →

Starting in 1941, an increasing number of British Airmen found themselves as the involuntary guests of the Third Reich, and the Crown was casting about for ways and means to facilitate their escape.

Now obviously, one of the most helpful aids to that end is a useful and accurate map, one showing not only where stuff was, but also showing the locations of ‘safe houses’ where a POW on-the-lam could go for food and shelter. Continue reading →

It’s amazing that we ever got along without it at all. But we did until 1839

“OK” is the all-purpose American expression that became an all-purpose English expression that became an all-purpose expression in dozens of other languages. It can be an enthusiastic cheer (A parking spot! OK!), an unenthusiastic “meh” (How was the movie? It was…OK.), a way to draw attention to a topic shift (OK. Here’s the next thing we need to do), or a number of other really useful things. It’s amazing that we ever got along without it at all. But we did. Until 1839. Continue reading →

Jane Fonda Learned ‘Empathy is Revolutionary’ From Vietnam Vets

Jane Fonda tells Oprah that thing she did in North Vietnam was an “unforgivable mistake” and talks about what she learned when she apologized to a  group of Vietnam Veterans in an episode of Oprah’s  Master Class. The clip surfaced because Oprah ran a followup  interview with Fonda on Sunday April 7th at 9pm on Oprah’s  Next Chapter.

For our readers born after 1980, Jane’s still apologizing for hanging out  with the enemy and a series of photographs that showed her having a grand old  time. No matter what she says, there are still a few folks who believe she  should be hanged as a traitor. One of our editors has a neighbor who refuses to  recognize the Atlanta Braves 1995 World Championship because Fonda was married  to team owner Ted Turner at the time and was photographed celebrating in the  owner’s box. It’s like that.

To read more or see the video.   CLICK HERE 

SOURCE: Military.com Under the Radar

Remembering Bataan

Editor’s note: In the Human Factor, we profile survivors who have overcome the odds. Confronting a life obstacle — injury, illness or other hardship — they tapped their inner strength and found resilience they didn’t know they possessed. This week we introduce you to 92-year-old Lester Tenney, a survivor of the Bataan Death March during World War II. Tenney went on to become a college professor, write a book and found Care Packages from Home, a nonprofit, volunteer group that sends care packages to U.S. troops.

(CNN) — Seventy-one years have passed since that ninth day of April, 1942, on the Bataan Peninsula in the Philippines, where we witnessed the defeat of a once-proud Army.

It was where Gen. Edward King, commander of all U.S. armed forces on Bataan, told his men,

“We have no further means of organized resistance, we are low on ammunition, have virtually no medical supplies, and our food is all but gone. Our front lines are destroyed and both flanks severely weakened. The situation has become hopeless.”

Then he continued, “If I do not surrender all forces to the Japanese today, Bataan will be known around the world as the greatest slaughter in history.” Continue reading →

On Wednesday, May 1, 2013, Mike (Perimeter Grunt) Stokes and I attended the Rancho Cucamonga High School Rancho Remembers event.  This event brings together high school students and veterans.  The event also serves as an oral history that otherwise the students would never hear.  After being guided to a parking place I was greeted by a student who showed me through a gauntlet of students.  One student approached me and escorted me to a sign-in station and then to my table.

Three students then joined me for the first session. After the opening ceremonies we started on our first session of interviews.  About an hour later there was an intermission and another team of students joined the table for the second session of interviews.

I was totally overwhelmed by the quality of the students and their questions.  There were more than 300 veterans attending and about 1,000 students.  This type of program makes me feel that America is greater than ever.

Continue reading →

Infantry Shut to Women; Do They Want It Open?

Jan 07, 2013

Associated Press| by Pauline Jelinek

WASHINGTON — If or when the Pentagon lets women become infantry troops — the country’s front-line warfighters — how many women will want to?

The answer is probably not many.

Interviews with a dozen female soldiers and Marines showed little interest in the toughest fighting jobs. They believe they’d be unable to do them, even as the Defense Department inches toward changing its rules to allow women in direct ground combat jobs. Continue reading →

Women Break Ground in Combat Roles

Apr 01, 2013

Fayetteville (N.C.) Observer| by Drew Brooks

The question of whether women can serve in Army roles previously restricted to men is being answered on Fort Bragg, where the male-only world of artillery has opened to female soldiers.

Last summer, the 18th Fires Brigade began a pilot program aimed at introducing female officers to what were once all-male units.

The program began even before then-Defense Secretary Leon Panetta announced the repeal of rules against women serving in male-only positions. Continue reading →