Rifleman's Creed

[ShiningIce]

For some reason I keep repeating this to myself over and over at least 4 times a day.

This is my rifle. There are many like it, but this one is mine. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my life. Without me my rifle is useless. Without my rifle, I am useless. I must fire my rifle true. I must shoot straighter than the enemy who is trying to kill me. I must shoot him before he shoots me. I will. My rifle and I know that what counts in war is not the rounds we fire, the noise of our burst, or the smoke we make. We know that it is the hits that count. We will hit.

My rifle is human, even as I am human, because it is my life. Thus, I will learn it as a brother. I will learn its weaknesses, its strengths, its parts, its accessories, its sights and its barrel. I will keep my rifle clean and ready, even as I am clean and ready. We will become part of each other.

Before God I swear this creed. My rifle and I are the defenders of my country. We are the masters of our enemy. We are the saviors of my life.

So be it, until victory is America's and there is no enemy.

 

[BigJim]

Thank you Private Pile!😀

 

[Strelnikov]

Kudos to Jim...

...for recognizing the USMC Rifleman's Creed.

Found this the other day:

San Diego Union-Tribune: August 8, 2002
“Marines Set Sights On New Basic Rifle”
By Otto Kreisher, Copley News Service

WASHINGTON – While most of the Pentagon's procurement efforts focus on exotic, high-tech equipment for future wars, the Marine Corps is conducting an intense study on a replacement for its most basic, but perhaps most important, weapon – its rifle.

After six weeks of concentrated testing, a team will give Marine leaders a recommendation on which of two possible weapons should replace the M-16A2, an improved version of the Vietnam-vintage assault rifle.

It is a serious issue for a service that proclaims "every Marine a rifleman."

"The M-16A2 has been around a long time, so we're taking a look at replacing some of those weapons," said Lt. Gen. Emil Bedard, the deputy commandant for plans, policy and operations.

"We've just conducted a fairly extensive series of tests at Camp Lejeune" in North Carolina, Bedard said.

He added that a report will be submitted to the commandant, Gen. James L. Jones, "very shortly."

The two weapons being tested, the M-4 and the M-16A4, are modifications of the current rifle and are not great technological leaps forward in themselves. But they allow the use of a number of high-tech devices that would improve the Marine infantryman's basic weapon.

The M-4 is a shorter and lighter version of the current rifle. It is particularly effective in the constricted conditions of urban fighting and can be modified quickly with a variety of electronic or special optical sights for improved accuracy at night.

The M-16A4 is slightly shorter than the current rifle and can use the same advanced sights as the M-4.

Capt. Chad Walton, a spokesman for the Marine Corps Systems Command at Quantico, Va., said the two weapons were tested on 19 basic infantry training requirements, including in urban and open-country situations.

Bedard said the widespread failures of newly issued British army rifles in Afghanistan demonstrate why "we wanted to do extensive tests before making a recommendation."



IMO the US Armed Forces made a mistake by sticking with the M-16 design. It's more reliable than the SA-80, but not enough to suit me. We should have produced a Kalashnikov knockoff as the Israelis (Galil) and Finns (Valmet) did. Unfortunately, we're once again up against the Not Invented Here syndrome.

Strelnikov

 

[BigJim]

Nothing is LESS reliable than the SA80!

 

[BigJim]

By the way, my current nickname at work is Private Pile. Being a somewhat less than slender chap and having just had a very short marine style hair cut, I AM him! LOL I've been frightening recruits by giving them the "Pile stare". Picture Pile when all the guys are being given their Marine Corps assignments at the end of their training. Head down, mouth slightly agape with jaw hovering, eyebrows glaring and eyeballs rolled back. That is my current look.

 

[ShiningIce]

Anybody remember the name of the actor who played the drill sgt??

 

[shark]

R. Lee Ermey was the drill instructor.

 

[Strelnikov]

Actor Frank Sutton played Sgt. Vince Carter on "Gomer Pyle". The show ran during the 1964-1969 seasons. At that time, R. Lee Ermey was an active duty Marine NCO.

Strelnikov

 

[shark]

Sorry,I was thinking about the movie Full Metal Jacket.Much of the same material was used there,and the Rifleman's creed was "prayed" in it.

 

[ShiningIce]

Was he ever really in the military because I can actualluy picture him being a REAL Marine drill sgt.

 

[Strelnikov]

Marine Recruit's letter home from Boot Camp

Dear Ma and Pa:

Am well. Hope you are. Tell Brother Walt and Brother Elmer the Marines beats working for Old Man Minch a mile. Tell them to join up quick before maybe all the places are filled.

I was restless at first because you got to stay in bed till nearly
6 a.m. but am getting so I like to sleep late. Tell Walt and Elmer all you do before breakfast is smooth your cot and shine some things - no hogs to slop, feed to pitch, mash to mix, wood to split, fire to lay. Practically nothing. You got to shave but it is not bad in warm water.

Breakfast is strong on trimmings like fruit juice, cereal, eggs, bacon, etc., but kind of weak on chops, potatoes, beef, ham, steak, pie and regular food. But tell Walt and Elmer you can always sit between two city boys that live on coffee. Their food plus yours holds you till noon when you get fed.

It's no wonder these city boys can't walk much. We go on "route marches," which, the Sgt. says, are long walks to harden us. If he thinks so, it is not my place to tell him different. A "route march" is about as far as to our mailbox at home. Then the city guys all get sore feet and we ride back in trucks. The country is nice but awful flat.

The Sgt. is like a schoolteacher. He nags some. The Captain is like the school board. Colonels and Generals just ride around and frown. They don't bother you none.

This next will kill Walt and Elmer with laughing. I keep getting medals for shooting. I don't know why. The bull's-eye is near as big as a chipmonk and don't move. And it ain't shooting at you, like the Higsett boys at home. All you got to do is lie there all comfortable and hit it. You don't even load your own cartridges. They come in boxes.

Be sure to tell Walt and Elmer to hurry and join before other fellows
get onto this setup and come stampeding in.

Loving son,
Zeb

P.S. Speaking of shooting, enclosed is $200 for the barn roof and ma's
teeth. The city boys shoot craps, but not very good.




Strelnikov

 

[Deleted member 2452]

Was he ever really in the military because I can actualluy picture him being a REAL Marine drill sgt.

r.lee ermy was indeed in the marines. he was a great marine, and not a bad actor either, lol.
steve