Re: Marine Scout Snipers
I am a Marine Draftee, among the last, in early 1966. My Boot Platoon (246/1966) consisted largely of such folk.
Toward the end of the rotation, my DI and I set aside and had a discussion. He told me that my hopes of being Honor Man (which he seemed to think was important to me, it wasn't) were not to be realized, primarily because I was a Draftee. He seemed to feel that was an injustice and commented that the draftees were, in his opinion and generally, better educated, more motivated, and more practically intelligent than the enlistees. I responded that This Recruit simply didn't know, Sir, and that was the truth.
I had voiced an interest in Sea School, and he told me I should hold off, there was something better in store for me. I ended up being assigned as an Engineer Electrician. Maybe it <span style="font-style: italic">was</span> better, I can't tell, all I have to base my judgements on is what <span style="font-style: italic">actually</span> happened, and it doesn't make me feel special at all.
I do know that of all the individuals who were selected for Squad Leader and Guidon Bearer, I was the only one who was never replaced, and of the final ones, the only one who came back from 'Nam alive.
What I can say is that what the Corps decided I was suited for turned out to be so.
I can also say this was true of nearly all the guys I booted with.
For the ones who weren't, it's probably safe to say they was no such job in existence, and they would have likely been better off not being in the Corps in the first place. A few of them were told so, and discharged honorably and 'at the convenience of the Corps'. The Corps saw no benefit in blemishng the future of someone who had joined for what amounted to the wrong reasons.
Seen in hindsight, nearly every pre-Boot expectation was unrealistic, unattainable in practical terms, and the best approach would be to either abandon them before entering Boot, or soon thereafter.
First you become a Marine, then you become the Marine the Corps feels is most appropriate. Aside from that, be prepared for disappointment, only to be assuaged by embracing whatever your new role turns out to be.
For me, the first role of a Marine is to uphold the honor of his Corps, by upholding his own. Assignments and missions are very small matters by comparison.
Greg
