M14 Forum

str8shooter

Is it just me, or do alot of you guys run into former Marines that were snipers when in the Corps? I did'nt know we had so many! Ran into another today, (probably the 4th or 5th over the last few years). When I told him I had been in also, he had to go suddenly. I have said it before, I was proud to be a Marine, even if just a lowly field radio operator! I don't think I want to switch my mos now...

TampaSsgt

Hey, you don't need to change your MOS, because as I understand it,

clworth22

I totally agree with you on this subject. I really enjoy making former Marines squirm by calling bs on them tactfully by asking the hard questions, unit, base, ect if I think they are full of it. Its not just the Marines though, it's every branch of service. When a former service member tells me he was a sniper or special forces while he was in I usually just get bored and turn off the ears. It's not worth the verbal argument with an idiot!!! "Semper Fi" clworth22

carpshooter

There seems to be alot of snipers or recon ( most being the force recon ) types . I rarely ask much , but when I ask MOS most just don't remember it !

I still find many who keep their story straight , as I've been question about mine !

Why lie ?

str8shooter

You got that right! But not every Marine is an expert rifleman!heh heh...a fact I never let my brother forget...we were in on the buddy system.

drbub22

"It is only when a man thinks that his title is enough-that it suffices to be a Marine, a Guardsman, or a Legionnaire- and forgets that it is up to him to live up to and aggrandize that appelation, that pride becomes a weakness." Jeff Cooper

Swamp Rat

I've only caught one claiming to be a sniper when in fact he wasn't. Everyone else told the truth but made their MOS seem to be as great as recon or they did recon/STA missions.

RAMMAC

I have only met those guys in bars and at the rifle range.

Personally, I was a Force Recon, Sniper, Cobra and F18 flying, Tank driver that did special ops in three wars...yeah right. Remember the original Rambo movie? I always had to laugh at that line in the end where he talks about how he could do all kinds of stuff in VN.

The truth is I was an air winger and I fixed aircraft and did patrols and other stuff when I could beg/convince the command that I had nothing better to do. The only guy that I knew was lying was a guy that worked with me and I called him on it in front of the babes he was trying to impress.

M14

I used to run into them at the rifle range all the time. They all seemed to have over 200 confirmed kills, etc.

I never could figure out why their rifle targets look like a shot gun pattern. :)

BrokenVet

When I see guys change their MOS like those noted, it reminds me of those PFC's & LCpl's who has an attitude problem, despises the Corps, always bitching and whining about everything, sick bay commandos, and all you hear form them is "I can't wait to be a PFC (proud freaking civilian).

cwo4uscgret

I did a lot of things in my 30 years of active duty (4 Navy and 26 Coast Guard) yet I remember everything I've ever told anyone about my service! Why is that? Well when you tell the truth you never have to remember what you've said, to whom.

My last 2 years in the Navy I was an E3 assigned to the Guided Missle Shop onboard USS MIDWAY (CVA-41) and for the most part it was pretty mundane. My time in the Coast Guard I went from SNSK (Storekeeper) to Chief Petty Officer, then Chief Warrant Officer (Finance and Supply). Although I was a Supply Type I still spent tours of duty on operational units (cutters) and had military duties as well as my supply duties. I didn't do anything to write a book about; but I do have some sea stories I can tell!

I am secure in knowing that for 30 years in the military I did my job...I earned the geegaws you see below:

BLACKTAIL 8541

Can't tell it any plainer than this. And could not agree more.

Trung Si

Of course everyone You meet was Rambo(especially at Gun Shows)In the Army it was very Hard to change one's MOS,especially downward (from a Technical to a Grunt MOS) but a lot of Guys tried in the early Years of the Viet Nam War, since only an Infantry or CAV MOS was eligible for the CIB, no matter how many Patrols or Fire Fights one was involved in, that finally changed in the latter Years of that War, to where Radio Operators, Weapons Specialists and so on got it, I however do not know what the requirements are in Today's Army, since there seem to be Badges, Medals, Ribbons and Awards for tying one's Boots correctly!

cwo4uscgret

Trung Si - I think what Str8Shooter means (at least I based my answer on it) is that there are an amazing number of veterans (and a lot of non-veterans) who for whatever reason they have claim to have been something in the military that they weren't.

A serious problem that the VA has to deal with it there are more claims submitted to the VA for disablities and Agent Orange exposure then there are total Viet Nam Vets. It means when a real vet applies to the VA they have to wait...and wait...and wait...and wait while the VA processes the other (and a lot of valid claims) claims, including processing and denying the false claims. I have a retired Coastie friend who works for the VA and he tells me its a nightmare......

Trung Si

Sorry about that, I didn't catch the Drift of that Thread, until I read Yours,I guess We are talking about all the Hero's walking around wanting Sympathy,well the Hero's Names of that War are found on a Wall in Washington DC!