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Sent:
Tuesday, October 11, 2005 11:03 AM
To: jason@grose.us
Subject: jarhead
I
did my time in a HAWK battalion out in Yuma, AZ before they
shut down. As a former marine, who got out a LCpl no less, I
wanted to read the book, Jarhead before the movie came
out. Why?? I wanted to be able to discuss the movie with people
when they saw it. I am really getting tired of seeing negative
things get media attention in regard to the Marine Corps. Here
are my feelings
Swofford
has to be lying about some things at best. At worst he is an
opportunist who figured out what would sell and what wouldn't
and wrote a book that would make him a darling in some circles
and loathed in others. He has succeeded. Yes there are some
unsavory things that Marines do, but even though I was in the
Wing I can't believe that he represented what grunts are all
about. I hold grunts in high respect. The one thing that bothers
me though, is that I have not seen any of his platoon mates
discredit anything he is writing about. If so, I have not been
able to find it.
If
someone asked me about this movie and book, I would have to
say that it is one of extremes. Also, you can't believe everything
you read good or bad. In my Marine Corps experience, you had
be squared away to the extreme to even think about being on
a sniper team. Probably the only thing that was true was the
incident with the waste barrels. I would love to see this Swofford's
SRB or DD-214.
The
best thing I tell people is that if I my sons want to join the
Marine Corps I would support them all the way because of the
things both positive and negative I learned from the Marine
Corps. To me there is no better endorsement than that, Semper
Fi.
LCpl.Travis
Partington
MOS 7222 Hawk Missile Systems Operator
(Follow
up email I received from Travis):
Just
a little background. I wanted to go into an Aviation Support
MOS. I got HAWK. I felt it was a bad sign when no one really
knew what a HAWK operator was in boot camp and MCT. All I knew
is my MCT Instructors seemed to dislike MPs, Pogues(when they
screwed up pay), and Wingers. I got to Fort Bliss where I was
told HAWK was going away to make room for the Patriot system.
To make a long story short, they froze promotions for LCpls
for MOS when I got to the fleet. The only way you got promoted
was meritorious board or re-upping and going into another MOS.
I did my time and got out.
I
certainly believed you got out of the Corps what you put into
it. It was contiunally stressed that Force Recon and Snipers
were the cream of the crop. While I don't hold it against any
Marine making a profit off of his Marine Corps experience, I
feel it is not the same being outright biased toward the Marine
Corps. As the Swofford stated, all he wanted to do was paint
houses with his buddies. Take away his Marine Corps time and
you really don't have alot.
I
work for an investment bank now doing Information Security.
I still use what I learned in the Marine Corps everyday.
I
am telling you this so you know I am for real. You can look
me up on military.com. I have a page for other HAWKERS I served
with. I like your page and blogs and it seems like you have
had many good experiences. Semper Fi.
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