This is a recent post from a customer of Sgt. Grit's in his email newsletter today:
Old CorpsGrit, I travel a lot for work and I am truly amazed at the young Marines, I meet in airports, all over our wonderful country. They have the same pride, same "swagger", same confidence, that we had when we were in the Corps. I have talked with some of them and say I'm one of the "Old Corps", they respond, no Sir, you are a Marine, just a time change. I laugh at that.
We talk about boot camp and the differences in the USMC from the 1960's to 2009 and it is amazing to me that the Corps has not changed. Boot camp is longer now, we had 56 days and they have 12 weeks. They are anxious to hear how the Corps was in the 60's and most of the laughs we have is to see that not much has changed. They do not have JOB inspections now. When I mention the JOB, Junk on the Bunk, they look at me like I am telling them about the "Holy Grail". I laugh and say, that was a tradition that I am glad has ended. It is still the USMC and these young men and women are carrying on the tradition that was started, Nov 10, 1775.
I try to speak to as many as I can, and I ask myself, was I ever that young, and slim ?
Time has passed and most of us are not in our Boot camp shape, but we are Marines and we need to thank the young ones who are carrying on the tradition of our beloved Corps.
Eddie Leach
SSGT of Marines
1966-1969 and 1974-1980.
Platoon 2023
