What do you define as a band of brothers?

from MajPain

What do you define as a band of brothers? Some call it a gun club, some call it a mafia of some sort. It’s even been described as a cult. The United States Marine Corps is truly a band of brothers. With the togetherness on the yellow footprints in boot camp, the brotherhood begins and doesn’t end at the end of boot camp. The Marine Corps keeps recruits together through boot camp, and then keeps the same group of Marines together through combat training and schools, and then finally once the new Marines hit the fleet, they are all in the same unit, always reinforcing the cohesion, esprit de corps and brotherhood being together. This plays a significant role as warriors go into combat and look to their right and left and actually know the Marine next to them very well. A vital role in developing the One Team One Fight mentality is developing the teamwork and the Marine brotherhood.

The Bond

I was in the airport one day in Washington DC and a gentlemen approached me and asked if I was a Marine. I thought oh boy here we go this is going to be interesting. I answered Yes Sir I’m a Marine and he introduced himself as a LtCol in the Marine Corps. Then he continued to describe how he had several knives on his possession that he forgot to leave in the car. Of course, I showed him the knife I had with me and we compared notes (it’s a Marine thing). Then he told me that since he couldn’t take them through security that I could have them. I refused and told him to give me his address and I would mail them to him. He did and he caught his flight. Then another gentlemen approached me (yes, then I thought buddy if you only knew how armed I was I doubt you would be talking to me). The second gentlemen said that he had watched what just transpired as he waited to pick up relatives and made the point that you Marines are different that way. An Army “Joe” wouldn’t have done that for another Army soldier. (I disagreed but he continued) He said you Marines have this bond that lasts forever and no matter where you are, two Marines could meet and become the best of friends.

It lasts forever

I was speaking at a convention and followed another Marine speaking before me that had retired in the previous years. When it was my time to speak I began by correcting the announcer as he introduced the previous speaker as “Former Marine LtCol Smith.” I introduced myself and said, just for clarification; LtCol Smith is still a Marine. We don’t have former Marines, Ex-Marines, or any other title that describes us other than Marine. A couple people let out a nervous chuckle but quickly realized I was dead serious.  It’s a title every one of us has earned and by God, we choose to take to the deathbed with us. Feel free to try to strip us of it and we will probably change the way you feel about us in half a heartbeat.

The bond does last forever regardless of the generation or war they fought in or coast they went to boot camp. The Marine brotherhood is a unique bond that usually is boasted about in bars but always demonstrated on the battlefield.

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