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TechnoratiTell it to the marines
A few weeks in a Marine boot camp works wonders, says a proud father.
Ranks of bald young men in shorts and sweaty green tee-shirts come hustling
up the pavement Recruit Depot San Diego, chuffing past gaggles of sun-glassed
tourists. We haven’t seen our son Tommy since he left for San Diego over three
months ago, a half-year after his high school graduation. The six platoons of
Bravo Company, each four across and twenty long, are this week’s graduates from
Marine boot camp, and Tommy is somewhere in that purposive mass.
The recruit families--well over 1,500 spectators--cluster behind yellow ropes and signs listing, “Plt 1022... Plt 1023...” Tommy is in Platoon 1027, and being short, we arrive early to get close. And with characteristic intent, the Corps has thought this out: When the boys chug into sight, the files are ordered by height. Five hundred recruits run up, drill instructors peal, “Halt! …Left face! …Parade rest!” Feet stomp shoulder-wide, arms snap behind backs, and the crowd bubbles with squeals, sighs and cries of “There he is!” Sure enough, our own shining-faced boy stands there, right in front of us. We choke, dazed, as we watch Tommy, ten feet away, eyes watering, blinking and gulping. Then, “Attention! Right face!” and off they run.
Tommy has Canadian parents and has lived here since toddlerhood, but he was born in Los Angeles and has always thought of himself as American. A quick study, he sailed through high school unchallenged, and graduated restless and impatient, seeing his cause--call it Western Civilization, Civic Virtue, Moral Discipline--but lacking handles on it. So this is his answer, not for life, maybe, but for the next five years. He picked the Marines for their traditions and tough boot camp. He earned his coveted “Eagle, Globe and Anchor” pin a week earlier, for surviving a 54-hour field exercise called the Crucible. Tomorrow--Friday, April 11, serendipitously his 19th birthday--he officially graduates as a Marine, then gets ten days leave home.
At first, the two-day graduation ceremony seems badly managed. Breakfast at the base restaurant starts at 7:00 a.m., so it’s a long wait until the 10:30 “motivational run,” where we first see get to see “our recruit.” So the families all flock to the Marine Corps Store, checking out Marine-logoed coffee mugs, bumper stickers and tee-shirts. Many already wear “My son is a Marine.” Or “my grandson” or “my nephew.” Today, the sales racks overflow into the courtyard, and it takes 20 minutes to inch up to the cash register. “Do you do this every week?” I ask a sales clerk, and she laughs, “I hate Thursdays.”
At 10am, the families are entertained by some stand-up sergeants, joking about young men and dirty laundry. “I know we don’t like rules,” they tell visitors. “But we need rules, and the first rule is, Stay off the grass.” At 10:30, we watch from behind the yellow ropes as the boys start their run. We gasp back tears; we recover. At 11, we’re entertained by more camouflaged emcees in the big theatre courtyard. Then, as they finish their run, the platoons again form up in front of us, again at a distance, again unhugged. Again they run off, this time to the showers. Again we recover. The families amble into the cool, dark theatre for a talk from the base commander on the Marines’ “core values,” Honor, Courage, Commitment. She warns that the Number One killer of young Marines is traffic accidents, so keep our recruits safe while they’re home on leave. Then, lunch and--ahem--more shopping.
At 1 p.m., after six hours on base, the families again gather by platoons, now at the parade square (“parade deck”) grandstand. Our boys march out in uniformed ranks, and the company commander, his loudspeaker echoing off adobe barracks, grants them five hours liberty with their families--on base. The ranks and files dissolve into crowds of boys, and finally we get to hug our recruits. By now, everyone has thoroughly decompressed. No tears, no shouting, no hysteria, we greet long-lost ewe lambs with quiet squeezes. And I begin to appreciate how well the Corps has thought this all out.
That Thursday, we have Tom for five hours. He babbles continuously, reliving the past three months. It was hard, harder than he imagined, harder than he could have imagined, especially those terrifying first four weeks. The drill instructors could not hit them (except with the tips of their fingers). But for 16 hours a day, seven days a week (minus three hours on Sunday) these frighteningly muscular sergeants exercised, drilled and confused them, punished imaginary infractions, demanded ludicrous drills, humiliated and disoriented them. And now Tom exudes a dramatic new maturity and quiet confidence. At the Friday graduation, in one of three of his dress uniforms, he’s happier than we’ve ever known him.
The whole boot camp graduation seems commercialized, even “reality” televised. But Tom’s drill instructors remember the Bad Old Days: their media-squandered sacrifice in Vietnam, Kubrick‘s Full Metal Jacket, well-publicized training fatalities... The Seventies were hell for the “Semper Fi.” How to make honour again honourable? Spirited youth are always out there, looking for a challenge, but how do you reclaim respect for warriors in a commercial society? First, by enlisting their families, by translating the training of young Spartans into the vocabulary of self-development seminars. And second, by celebrating the challenge, by setting the bar high, just shy of physical injury, and keeping it high.
It works. Tom’s platoon is mostly middle-class. Though the audience only dimly understands, the boys came for “Honor, Courage, Commitment.” During the lulls in their shouting--and Tom’s platoon had one sergeant assigned entirely to shouting--the drill instructors offered lessons like, “Honor means doing the right thing when no-one’s watching,” and “Commitment means keeping your promises.” Now these once terrifying sergeants offer their congratulations, and Tom respects them. Their job was to get him through, and they did their job.
That weekend, before we fly home with Tom, we drive from San Diego up to the eastern Los Angeles basin, where he was born, and there we see clear evidence of the revival of martial virtue in the United States. Almost every town has banners hanging from their street lights, celebrating by name their local men and women in the military. The one exception is the college town of Claremont, Tom’s birthplace and an anomaly in middle-class California suburbia. Yet even there, the anti-war banners on lawns plead, “Support our troops--bring them home.” Support our troops. That’s a change.
This commitment to martial virtue is reawakening not only in the United States, but in Canada and Australia. Yet the US alone shows other indicators of the War on Self-Indulgence. Only the Americans have a visceral resistance to “victimless” crimes like recreational drug use and prostitution. Only the United States (and Poland) have real public debates about abortion. Most crucial, the wealthy nations are suffering a “demographic winter,” the aging and collapse of their infertile populations, so that over the next century, they will be joining the Romany and Mayans in the museum of remnant tribes. Among the wealthy peoples, only America’s conservative “red states” are having babies, embracing the sacrifices of family, at rates sufficient to sustain the next generation of Americans. At one point during the graduation, the command, “Let us pray,” rings out, and 480 white-capped heads bow with a snap, chins to chest, in a drill (Tom later told us) that took a full half-day’s practice. The civilians do likewise.
Yes, the boot camp graduation ceremony is commercialized and media-vulgar. It is also dignified, solemn and reverent. This paradox reflected a deep-seated ambiguity at the heart of America itself. Is the United States merely a commercial oligarchy? Is “the business of American” merely business, and the loyalty of its gap-toothed consumers bribed with trinkets? Or is the United States truly a republic, a res publica or “public thing,” where citizenship and civic virtue are the truely animating ideals? American students refused to fight in Vietnam, cynically convinced of the first. Almost one-in-five adult white males died in the Civil War, implacably convinced of the second. “A nation with the soul of a church,” Chesterton called the Americans. In the midst of the current economic mischief, it is worth pondering that they still enjoy the world’s second-oldest living constitution--the only older regime being the Papacy. Semper Fi.
Before we left the San Diego recruit depot, Tom had to buy new pants; we had brought him his favourite jeans, but Marines don’t dress like that, and neither anymore does he. Later in Claremont, while we sit nostalgically in an outdoor restaurant, a breeze blows some scrap paper onto the ground, and this once indolent teenager notices, stoops and picks it up. The next day, he flies home with us for ten days leave, and during his leave, he never utters one word of complaint about anything. What wonders are wrought by three months of discipline, fear and exhaustion--nurture we could never provide at home.
Joe Woodard is a writer and teacher in Calgary, Canada.
hmmm…
For the record, we definitely share in the views and comments expressed on civilian authority by the learned in this discussion group. Being a young foot soldier once, there is that, great and real danger of, adventurism. Our country’s history bares the excesses; and the decades of atrocities; and the “disappearances” under martial rule. Eventually, the buck will have to stop at the quality of civilian leadership.
Our only hope is that civilian authority does not, (for their own selfish political-gains, and greed), exploit the limits of military chivalry. Otherwise, the military can, ...and will take over again, and again, and again.
Thank you for the article, Joe, ...and everyone for allowing us to be able to express our sentiments.
ck :-)
Jerzy Gawor is right to signal the existence of moral relativism as part of the modern-day problem. It may apply to Enron, the sub-prime fiasco and much else. But I doubt that the religious right, which has been a key component in George W. Bush’s power, suffers from this. Theirs is the opposite problem: a belief that God’s word has a very simple interpretation, namely the one that they give it, never mind that the professional military and CIA experts may have a different view as to the advisability and justifiability of a proposed military action.
When I was an undergraduate at Princeton, I recall a history professor saying that if the religious right came to power it would be a calamity for the United States. At the time I was thinking about issues in medical ethics, and the ideas of the religious right did not seem to me so threatening. I’m not a believer in a woman’s unlimited right to choose life and death over another living human being . But now I see what I think he meant, and I think he was prescient.
I imagine that this discussion will be closed soon. I just hope that those people in the military who have had the decency to engage in civilized discussion will take the time to read Robert Fisk, Truthout, Alternet, Common Dreams or other sources that attack the stereotypes promoted by Fox News and other mainstream media. I appreciate any signalling of stereotypes of my own that I may not be aware of.
David page is right when he says that the military has to remain under strict civilian control. You cannot have military personnel running around and doing their ‘own thing’ in light of orders they have personal issues with. That would be absurd and highly dangerous. Well trained military personnel are not the problem.
As I see it the problem lies with political motives and politicians which and who have been formed in a climate of moral relativism, where a clear distinction between good and evil has been blurred through political and/or commercial expedience.
Dr. Marlin, there is only a political solution to such things in a democracy if it wants to remain a democracy. Of course military people should follow their conscience. If Colin Powell had resigned, rather than support what he knew was a bad policy, many lives would have been saved. But, as a whole, the military has to remain under strict civilian control.
To answer David Page and Jerzy Gawor:
The issue is not that of the military acting independently, which would be one kind of disaster. The issue is of the military refusing to embark on a war which in their best military judgement would be hugely counter-productive. Some high level military commanders (and in the CIA) lost their jobs because they refused to accept the deluded optimism of their neocon leaders. That requires a different kind of courage from than that of L/Cpl Croucher, but it is no less significant and honourable. The difference is that such men of conscience and independent judgement don’t get medals for their subordination of private interest to the public good.
read the article below to see the sort of ‘automatons’ that would sacrifice their own lives in an instant for their mates:
Virtue, guts, and brains
Today’s Daily Telegraph has the story of Matthew Croucher who has been awarded the George Cross for his heroism. He was on an operation to investigate a suspected bomb-making factory when he tripped a booby-trap that set off a grenade.
Virtue - prudence, justice and fortitude are certainly there. (Temperance too if you consider the other two headings.)
“I thought, ‘I’ve set this bloody thing off and I’m going to do whatever it takes to protect the others.”
Guts - he did not hesitate to jump on the grenade to save his three fellow Royal Marines and said that he expected to lose a limb but hoped to keep his head and torso intact.
Brains - he rolled over to use his backpack to shield his body from the shrapnel fragments.
Fortunately, the backpack that the Royal Marines carry has quite a lot of kit in it. His had a lithium battery, a medical kit and a 66mm Rocket. Thanks be to God, he got thrown up in the air and suffered only a nose bleed. Within an hour, he was back fighting the Taliban and shot an insurgent approaching their position.
L/Cpl Croucher has kept the backpack as a souvenir. Now that’s something to show your grandchildren! Along with the medal of course.
What incredible bravery and strength of character. Stop knocking our military, they deserve better - our prayers would be a good start.
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Randall Marlin, it’s neither rational nor fair to condemn the Military for a failure of the civilian leadership and of the American electorate. You seem to be suggesting that the Military should be able to act independently of the elected leadership. That would be a disaster.
To answer Robert: Mill was referring to the person who “has nothing which he is willing to fight for, nothing which he cares more about than he does about his personal safety.” There are indeed times when it is necessary to stand up against tyranny and I’ve already mentioned the example of my uncle. But the Bush-led war in Iraq has difficulty meeting one of the criteria Mill included, namely that the people carry on the war “for an honest purpose by their free choice.” As we know, the people were led to war on the basis of systematic deceptions. Mill also, as a utilitarian, ought to have had some reckoning as to the balance between injustices which war is intended to remove, as against those which it is likely to engender.
I don’t deny that a life in the military is a legitimate and respectable calling. But there is a great danger when the military-industrial complex that Eisenhower warned against has arrived. Congressman John P. Murtha, a former marine colonel, put the case well in his May 1, 2008 speech at the Center for American Progress, that sound principles for going to war were not followed in the case of Iraq. As long as the military see themselves only as fighters for freedom and never as a force that can catastrophically misfire, the sad result in Iraq is likely to be repeated.
hmmm… Yes, boot camp does work wonders.
After, [...jumping out of a perfectly good flying aircraft, and fracturing a fibula on the 33rd jump, and continuing on to 3000 more, with seven close calls, and some into the jungle rain forests, ...at sea, and at night; ...living in a family compound with other “army brats,” all childhood years; ...being one of 3 sons of the former commandant of cadets, PMA (our counterpart to the US West Point); ...being a nephew of 4 air force wing commanders and a chief; ...being a grandson of the chief of staff, Armed Forces, to mention a few.] ...yes, only 6 months of boot camp will “seperate the men from the boys.”
Safe? Very! ...especially when mentally fit and physically agile. Character? ...will definitely change after boot camp. Accomplishment? Good! ...all the way to rank of secretary, office of the president. Spiritually? surviving, ...something to work on daily, for the rest of our lives. Recommendation: ...go for it, when the opportunity presents itself.
ck :-)
P.S. Some other statistics: After 4 generations of military/family life, and of the 80 surviving first cousins who once lived in that compound, only three pursued a military career. Currently, one is an air force Colonel and the other rose to the rank of chief of the armed insurgent left. He was eventually assassinated, just a few years back. One retired, and the rest are civilians. Times are, definitely, ...a changing.
Welcome to the Marine Corps family! As the father of a U.S. Marine I understand the pride you have for your son’s achievement. I will remember him in my prayers. There’s a terrific book by Frank Schaeffer called “Keeping Faith” about his son’s transformation into a Marine. Pay no attention to he who would detract from your son’s service. That person “is a miserable creature who has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself.” (as per John Stuart Mill)
Randal
Of course we had chants. I just finished a week of close combat refresher training where we yelled Kill on our thrusts and slashes, not unlike Martial artists who shout KYIAP when they strike.
Does this make us automatons? Hardly.
We receive as much first aid training as we do training in the martial arts...does this make automatons?
What a silly set of stereotypes you’re trapped in.
How much language training did I personally receive? We/I memorized about 50 useful expressions. But we’re not automatons...we found ways of communicating to the Iraqis...and most platoons/companies had an interpreter or a translator (though trusting them was another matter...). We innovated and found ways to communicate.
Does each Marine/Soldier need to have deep language and counterinsurgency training? I noticed a fair amount of changes in our training between my first and second deployment. We’re constantly adapting, improvising and finding better ways to get the mission done.
You really need to have some courage and lay aside your prejudices....and I applaud you here for asking such questions, even if it’s obvious that they spring from deep prejudices and data impoverished background.
Bill, one other question. You served twice in Iraq. How much training in Arabic did you get? I ask this because in the case of John Jodka, according to a report, “he said he received little counterinsurgency training and said his squad’s Arabic language interpreter had quit leaving them unable to communicate with Iraqis.”
Tell me, Bill. Did you ever chant that you were a “rompin’, stompin’, kill-crazy” marine?
That’s what the group featured on Gwynne Dyer’s basic training group spoke in unison each morning.
Just say yes or no.
Randall, you’re wrong. You’re thinking from an armchair and you don’t know what you’re talking about.
I’ve been in the Marines (mainly the reserves) for 23 years...have been deployed to the Middle East 3 times, twice to Iraq, 2 combat tours.
I’ve never seen or worked with smarter more caring people in my life (and I work for on the civilian side for a Fortune 500 company).
I’ve watched 19 year old Marines move through Fallujah....clearing hundreds of buildings, a room at a time.....carry 50-80 pounds on their back...for 20 straight days...and nights..under constant chance of ambush. I’ve watched 28 year old Marine Captains move 150+ Marines through those streets of Fallujah....with professionalism, discipline, confidence. They handle more pressure in a day than their civilian counterparts handle in a year or a life time. They are incredibly cautious in how they act...very much unlike your characterization of automatons. They are innovative, dogged, cheerful in the face of adversity, loving (think “sacrificing"), protective of the civilians.
You obviously swallow what the main stream media feeds you.
Glad you’re not in the Marines.
Of course neither Warrior Gentleman nor Randal Marlin is right. The military is an extraordinary organization. It’s a place were people you don’t even like and who don’t like you, will give up their lives for you, and you for them. Like any fraternal organization, the police, for instance, that includes covering up for one another. As a veteran, I have always been offended when people excused wartime atrocities as just what people do in the heat of combat. What Calley did at Mei Lai was the worst kind of murder and he should have been executed. If a group of Marines in Iraq conspire to rape a child and then kill her and her entire family to cover up their crime then they should suffer the harshest punishment available to us. The problem isn’t that there are a few bad apples, the problem is that their military organizations are willing to cover up for them.
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