Marines are seaborne troops, right? then what are they doing in Afghanistan?
348961
Fighting the enemy.  That's their job, and they're damn good at too!\n\nThe Marines are either your BEST friend or your WORST enemy.
1059812
No matter what they have done, the Marines need to be disbanded anyway. There are more Army Rangers than Marines (Force Recon Marines graduate from Army Ranger School). We no longer need them. They originally were a Corps of Soldiers loaned to the Navy and never returned.
526683
They are both American fighting forces with different missions. The navy's job is to primarily defend us while at sea, destroy other enemy ships, sea bound blockades and other things related to sea defense.\n\nThe marines are mostly a ground force with their own backup capabilities,depending on the mission,terrain they are assigned they can take and hold, for a short time ground areas, seaports and other missions that would require their military skills.\n\nI hope this has been of use to you, good luck.\n\n"FIGHT ON"
559730
Heck NO!... dont assume that the Army can do half of what my Corps does.  The army has a specific job, they are a large overwhelming, occupation force.  The Marine Corps, is a quick, amphibous, mobile, expiditionary force.  The Marine Corps can be in any place in the world, sending rounds down range, at a moments notice.  Within 24-48 hours we can be there, and making life bad for the enemy.  The army needs months of mobilization to get somewhere.  \n\nWe have Marine Expiditonary Units (MEU's) aboard Navy ships all around the world, near hotspots.  If anything should happen we are right there waiting to respond.  \n\nThis is not a bash of the army, but a clarification of our differences.
618541
This always poses some interesting facts to contrast:\n\n1) The US Army were formed for the people of the United States, whereas the Marines are exclusively for the President. The Army is supposed to be a long term occupational force whereas the Marines were designed as an all-purpose expeditionary force. Both roles are used when required, but Marines are a short term strike force.\n\n2) The Army is it's own department, whereas the Marines come under the Navy.\n\n3) Naval officers also partake in some Marine missions, such as medics and chaplains.\n\n4) The Marines specialize in amphibious landings whereas the Army is more of a dynamic land force. The Army actually has more watercraft than the Marines do, and the Army also does a lot of riverine operations\n\n5) The Army is distinctly American since it was lead by General George Washington, however, the Marines are based on the concept of colonial Marines, who are British in heritage. \n\n6) Only Marines are allowed to guard foreign consulates and embassies.\n\n7) The combat uniforms are different for both services: the Marines use the MARPAT (Marine Disruptive Pattern) for camouflage, whereas the Army has transitioned into the ACU (Army Combat Uniform)\n\n8) In foreign policy, the use of deploying a Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) to the closest body of water in a troubled region, usually shows the United States' intent that it is prepared to launch a landing and potentially invade a territory. Thus, the MEU is similar in policy to an aircraft carrier battle grouop. The Army is a different sort of threat if, in the case of Iraq, we base it forward from another allied country to prepare for war. In both cases, the United States visibly and explicitly illustrates a military might to coerce another delegation for cooperation.\n\n9) The Army has had it's special forces organized for decades, but the Marines only recently acquired their special operations status in November last year. \n\n10) Army special forces are used for purposes such as taking over airfields, anti-terrorist operations, and reconaissance. The Marines have call their forces, "Force Recon", which is basically a forward information post detailing enemy movement and possibly engaging the enemy.\n\n11) Army fixed wing aircraft are not attack planes, but recon and cargo planes, whereas the Marines have attack aircraft based off naval aircraft carriers.\n\n12) Army aircraft are not intended to land on ships, and Marine aircraft obviously are based off ships. \n\n13) Marines have ceremonial swords\n\n14) The Army is used more in peacekeeping operations and reconstruction efforts. \n\n15) Biggest similarity: Both the Army and Marines are "on the same team" when it comes to war: we both fight for the interest of the United States, and her people serve both services. \n\nIt would be biased to say that one is better than the other, but the truth is that these services are indeed different and cannot be judged on the same level. It is all subjective to one's interests and favored opinions
3017
They're the "Grunts" .  The basic training is tougher than the other services and their job in the military is front line fighting while the other services are more specialized in other things.  The marines are actually a department of the Navy, and are used by the navy for frontline defense and guarding gates, etc.  They're the muscle.
38853
The Marine Corps does not believe in "Special Forces"  their view is that all Marines are special forces.  They've have fought tooth and nail NOT to be made a part of SOCOM for years ~ but due to the recent terrorist threat of recent years ~ have finally relented.\n\nTherefore they're forming a new "regiment" comprised of RECON and Force Recon ~ (not the same animal ~ there's a difference between the two)  \n\nAs I understand it, they're not going to be so much a part of SOCOM, as another tool in the shed that SOCOM can call upon, when and as needed.  \n\nMost of the confussion about the SEALS, Green Beret, DELTA Force, RECON, Force RECON, and Rangers is in-house poltical among the varioius branches of the military.  On the one side ~ each branch of the military has their own ax to grind ~ and dog in the fight.  Marine Recon and Force Recon was NEVER meant to to compete with the Green Berets, SEALS, nor Rangers.  They were formed to provide reconnisence to a Marine battalion and/or division in the field.  \n\nThey're Billy Bad Azzes in that they do perform alot of the same or similar type missions that SEALS, Green Berets, Rangers do, but they do what they do to be the eyes and ears out front to let the Marine Commander know what out there and what he's up against. \n\nSOCOM is an effort to bring all these different forces together and to utilize them in their most efficient manner for the task at hand.
1177929
hmmm I've never seen that...\nthe marines aren't hurting the 'por innocent iraqi' people\nthey are trying not to get killed while they are trying to help the innocent iraqi civilians...get your facts straight!
925727
Agreed, although we are in Afghanistan.  I never really understood saying "Support Our Troops" while sending them to die.  That's great support.
426525
The US Marines are a land-attack unit of the US Navy. i.e beach landings. The marines are also known to be highly trained in combat and have some cool equipment. They are also well versed in both marine and land combat.\nMarines are excellent for river patrols too.\n\nThe US Army, well, is the Army. They do ground-based attacks, with of course Army aviation. Their speciality is artillery and everything to do with the ground. They have almost no relation to the sea, but sometimes perform beach landings.\n\nBoth units use similar weapons, but very different aviation equipment\n\nIn terms of actual service differences, I'll try to phrase it a little better. In terms of land warfare equipment, there are some, but few differences between the Army and the Marines. In terms of training, Marine bootcamp is longer, is segregated by genders, and culminates in a 52-hour test known as The Crucible. In terms of doctrinal/tactical differences, the Marines are designed to be shock troops, conducting an intial assault as the first assault forces to enter a war. Thus, the Marines tend to have the highest physical requirements. The Army (not including its special ops units such as Rangers, Green Berets, or Delta Force) are designed to take part in a sustained ground war and thus are trained as your "average" soldier.
118167
Speaking from personal experience and pride.  I would say the Marine Corps is the way to go.  Something my friends and I noticed while I was in; if you ask a soldier what he does, he will tell you "I am in the Army." Navy? "I am in the Navy." Air Force? "I am in the Air Force." But if you ask a Marine what he does, he/she will tell you "I am a Marine!"  That is something no one else in the world can say.  For 230 years the Marine Corps has been monkey stomping anyone that needs it.  There has never been a mutiny in the Marine Corps.  Hence the motto "Semper Fidelis." Which means "Always Faithful."  It applies to more than that also. It applies to the fact that, if we can help it, we never leave a man on the battlefield.  Wounded or dead.  We take care of our own.  From experience with other branches of service they learn a little about their service history.  Marines learn everything about their service history.  It is no longer the history of the Marine Corps, it is MY history as well. I was a Sergeant. I was leader of Marines.  That is one of the greatest feelings in the world.  Almost as good as the day I stood on top of "The Reaper," and my Senior Drill Instructor put that Eagle,Globe, and Anchor in my hand, and told me(this by the way was the first time in the entire 13 weeks of boot camp that any Marine is addressed as Marine, only when their training is complete are you a Marine.) "Congratulations Marine. Welcome to the Corps."  Marines have pride in their service in part because of our history, and also because we had to earn the title Marine.  We had to earn the right to be called Marine.  Everyone else is a soldier, sailor, or airman as soon as they get to basic training.  Not Marines. I was every derogatory term except.  I certainly wasn't a human being. But then it was all worth it.  Marines are the first to fight.  Whatever you think your chances of going to Iraq or Afghanistan are...double it.  I'm not trying to Scare you away, but every Marine is a rifleman. Our pilots learn learn infantry combat tactics.  Oh by the way the whole Navy pilots are the best thing. Only the top 10% of Naval Flight School, are allowed to be Marine pilots.  Someone had mentioned the Navy SEALs.  You can be a Navy SEAL even if you are a Marine.  The SEALs are Special Forces and thus are open for anyone in the Armed Services to try.  But why do that, the Corps just started its own Special Forces program.  I would have retired if I could have.  Anyway I say go Marine.
481966
The Air Force could cover Marine movements but Marine pilots train right along with the ground pounders.  They have a unique perspective on the needs of their ground units.\n\nI am retired from the Air Force and think highly of the organization.  But we do ask a lot of our Marines and in giving it they want their own cover.  I'm willing to give it to them.
562743
Technically, the Marines call all their bases "camps", and the Army calls all their bases "forts" or "posts".  The Air Force and Navy call all of theirs "bases".  Thats it.
542354
There will always be a few people crazy enough to join the Marines. The Marines will take anyone. The only thing good about a Marine is they keep the prison guards employed.
1128518
Not at all. Marines know who they're supposed to kill, when, and why. Anything outside of that is murder, plain and simple. Not everyone is the enemy.
129068
First, Marines are NOT soldiers.  No disrespect intended, but we do not like the term.  Soldiers are in the U.S. Army.  Secondly, when I went to boot camp, nearly 20 years ago, we had extensive training on Marine Corps history.  Smedley Butler was celebrated in song when we marched, ran, or worked out.  I would be surprised if the same is no longer true.\nThank you for honoring a true American hero.
583913
Why? Why the Marines?\nAre you upset about them?\nWhat did they wrong?