What Is The Difference (by Former Sgt. Nick Sparacino, 2/9, Viet Nam 1966) Featured in the Sgt Grit Newsletter - 21 AUG 2014 grunt/corps/newsletter/10187/ What is difference between a Marine, a sailor, a soldier, and an airman? Ask a Marine whats so special about the Marines and the answer would be esprit de corps, an unhelpful French phrase that means exactly what it looks like - the spirit of the Corps, but what is that spirit, and where does it come from? The Marine Corps is the only branch of the U.S. Armed Forces that recruits people specifically to Fight. The Army emphasizes personal development (an Army of One), the Navy promises fun (let the journey begin), the Air Force offers security (its a great way of life). Missing from all the advertisements is the hard fact that a soldiers lot is to suffer and perhaps to die for his people, and take lives at the risk of his/her own. Even the thematic music of the services reflects this evasion. The Armys Caisson Song describes a pleasant country outing. Over hill and dale, lacking only a picnic basket. Anchors Aweigh, the Navys celebration of the joys of sailing, could have been penned by Jimmy Buffet. The Air Force song is a lyric poem of blue skies and engine thrust. All is joyful and invigorating, and safe. There are no land mines in the dales nor snipers behind the hills, no submarines or cruise missiles threaten the ocean jaunt, no bandits are lurking in the wild blue yonder. The Marines Hymn, by contrast, is all combat. We fight are Countrys battles, First to fight for right and freedom, We have fought in every clime and place where we could take a gun, in many a strife we have fought for life and never lost our nerve. The choice is made clear. You may join the... Read the rest of this submission at: grunt/corps/newsletter/10187/#difference Subscribe to the Sgt Grit Newsletter and Special Offers at: grunt/subscribe/ Submit your Marine Corps related stories and images at: grunt/corps/stories/post/
Posted on: Mon, 25 Aug 2014 14:50:00 +0000