 Last night I was sifting through my Facebook feed, not really looking for anything, just killing time. Amazingly, I found three Marines I'd served with over ten years ago. I friend-requested them, not really knowing what kind of response I would get. The first response was from a Marine that always seemed to have his hand in some kind of mischief. He reminded me that the first time I was OOD I had to go to the hospital to pick him up after he got a couple teeth knocked out at a club off-base. I laughed just thinking about it. He's a good Marine that I remembered as someone who always pulled strings to take care of our company. He also helped to show a lowly lieutenant the ins and outs of how the battalion chain worked. The second reply was from a Marine who, as a SSgt, I always thought was crusty beyond his age. One of those grunts that just got it. He knew how to take care of Marines AND accomplish the mission. Turns out he's still in the Corps and doing great. I laughed when he first replied to my friend request with, "You're a warrior not an author!" It felt like we fell into the old routine. I can't wait until I can fulfill my promise to buy him a beer. Between you and me, I'll be buying drinks the whole night. The last Marine to write me back was one of those 'Poster Boy' Marines that we all hear about before hitting the Fleet. He's probably about six feet tall, smart, good looking, and a physically fit as they come. I remember checking in to my battalion and thanking my lucky stars that he'd be one of MY Marines. As seems to happen in the Corps, he left my platoon too soon. We had a great conversation as well. Turns out he did a much better job at keeping in touch with some of the old guys than I did. I also realized that there was some of my main character, Cal Stokes, in the Marine. It brought a grin to my face. As I put my iPhone down and got ready for bed, I replayed the conversations in my head. They took me back to the days when it was all about the Marines around me. Part of me really misses those days. Thankfully, we now have technology that allows us to reach out to old comrades and reconnect. It also made me realize how much of THEM is in my books. I say it often: I WRITE FOR THEM. I'd never realized how much I'd missed my Marines. C. G. Cooper is author of the Corps Justice Novels The great thing about the Marine Corps is that the bonds of brotherhood never end. As Marines, we've all been through similar experiences. Whether it's boot camp, OCS, Okinawa, Camp Lejeune, Camp Pendleton or war, there's always a common bond. Most importantly, we are Marines.
I had the distinct pleasure of bumping into two former Marines in the last three days. One is almost forty years my senior and the other probably a couple years younger. I met one because he needed help with his rental property, the other because we met at a networking event. Well, as soon as the conversations started, everything else stopped. I spent almost three hours talking to the Vietnam Marine and tuned out a room full of friends to talk to the other. Why? Because we had a bond that goes deeper than being mere acquaintances. The fact that we were each stamped by the press called The Corps, led us to have an instant bond. We skipped past the usual barriers typical of when you meet a new person. We usually put up walls until we get to know someone. It's important to build that trust. But there's something about meeting a fellow Marine. It allows us to open up. Have you ever had the same experience? I treasure the times I make new Marine friends. Sometimes it ends with a great conversation. Sometimes it leads to a great friendship. Either way, you get to walk away feeling like you, once again, got to experience the bond that is so unique to our Marine family. Although we all bitch and complain about our time in The Corps (we've all heard terms like The Crotch, Big Green Machine, etc..), as Marines we really love it. We love the challenge. We love the pride. And most of all we love the camaraderie.
Leaving the Marine Corps is tough because your brothers are no longer there with you. It can be a really hard pill to swallow. If there's one thing I really miss it's the guys I served with. Through good times and bad your fellow Marine was always beside you. Remember those days playing hurry up and wait? Your Marines waited right there beside you. We did a million and one things to pass the time: sleep, play Spades, smoke a cig, throw in some dip or chew, talk about nothing...you remember. It's funny that I find myself thinking about those boring times just as much as the hard times. How about the weird and sad times? I remember company field training at the base of Mt. Fuji when all of a sudden a freak downpour and lightning storm pounced on us. We hunkered down to try and stay dry (you all know how well that works) when a bolt of lightning struck not fifty feet from our command hooch. The lightning hit one Marine and branched off and hit a few others. That poor Marine didn't make it. That's another thing we learn to deal with. Death. I remember seeing my Marines cry for the first time at their brother's memorial service. It's a scene we've seen played out too many times in the past ten years. You think of Marines as rough and unshakable. We're all human. To do what Marines do doesn't just take strength and courage. It takes compassion for your fellow man as well. Think of all those troops overseas right now. Maybe you're one of them. A lot of them aren't firing their rifles. They're helping the civilian population rebuild. It's a strange duel role that, I feel, Marines are perfectly suited for. One minute you're firing at the enemy; the next you're giving out candy and helping to build a school. So to all our Marines out there in the field: we miss you. |
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