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Virginia Military Institute

Virginia Military Institute

Image:vmi.jpg

School Name	Virginia Military Institute
Established	1839
School type	Public University
Address	Lexington, VA 24450-0304
Superintendent	J.H. Binford Peay III
Enrollment	1,300 undergraduates[http://www.vmi.edu/show.asp?durki=454]
Carnegie Classification	Baccalaureate Colleges – Liberal Arts
Type	four-year college [awards bachelor's of science and arts degrees]
ROTC Programs	Army, Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy
Nickname	Keydets
Mascot	Moe the Kangaroo
Website	[http://www.vmi.edu/ VMI.edu]

The Virginia Military Institute (VMI), located in Lexington, Virginia, is the oldest state military college in the United States and the nation's only classical state military college: all VMI students are cadets. VMI offers a spartan, physically demanding environment combined with strict military discipline. Cadets pursue bachelor's degrees in 14 disciplines in the fields of engineering, science, and liberal arts. For the past five years, VMI has been ranked America's best public liberal arts college by the magazine U.S. News and World Report. The Virginia Military Institute is world-renowned for the loyalty and discipline of its Alumni and VMI's $275 million endowment is the largest per-capita endowment of any public college or university in the United States. VMI was called the "West Point of the South" by President Abraham Lincoln and General John J. Pershing. VMI's Mission Statement: :It is the mission of the Virginia Military Institute to produce educated and honorable men and women, prepared for the varied work of civil life, imbued with love of learning, confident in the functions and attitudes of leadership, possessing a high sense of public service, advocates of the American Democracy and free enterprise system, and ready as citizen-soldiers to defend their country in time of national peril.

Early history

John J. Pershing On November 11, 1839, the Virginia Military Institute was founded on the site of the Lexington state arsenal, and the first cadets relieved the enlisted personnel on duty. Under Major Francis H. Smith, superintendent, and Colonel Claudius Crozet, president of the Board of Visitors, the corps was imbued with the discipline and the spirit for which it is famous. The first cadet to march a sentinel post was Private John Strange. Since Private Strange's posting, there have been sentinels at two of the three posts at VMI 24 hours a day, seven days a week, during every school year. The Class of 1842 graduated 16 cadets into the ranks of the first alumni. Living conditions were poor until 1850 when the cornerstone of the new barracks was laid. In 1851 Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson became a member of the faculty and professor of Natural and Experimental Philosophy. Under then-Major Stonewall Jackson and Major William Gilham, VMI infantry and artillery units were present at the execution by hanging of John Brown at Charles Town, Virginia (now West Virginia) in 1859.

Civil War period

The Institute played a valuable part in the training of the Southern armies as well as participating in battle. VMI cadets were called into active military service on 14 different occasions during the Civil War. Many cadets, under the leadership of General Stonewall Jackson, were sent to Camp Lee, at Richmond, to train recruits. VMI alumni were regarded the best officers of the South and several distinguished themselves in the Union forces as well. Fifteen graduates rose to the rank of general in the Confederate Army.[http://www.vmi.edu/archives/Civil_War/cwgen.html] At the Battle of Chancellorsville, Stonewall Jackson was reported to say, "The Institute will be heard from today," commenting on the leadership provided by VMI alumni during the battle. On May 15, 1864, 257 cadets fought as an independent unit at the Battle of New Market.[http://www4.vmi.edu/museum/nm/index.html] VMI is the only military academy in the nation that holds this distinction and is therefore the only school authorized to "fix bayonets" and wear red in their uniforms during parade. Students at only three military schools have fought as a unit in war: École polytechnique in France, Chapultepec in Mexico, and VMI. Chapultepec The Institute was shelled and burned on June 12, 1864, by Union forces under the command of General David Hunter, as part of the Valley Campaigns of 1864. The destruction was almost complete and the Institute had to temporarily hold classes at the Alms house in Richmond, Virginia. In April 1865, Richmond was evacuated after the fall of the Confederacy and the Corps of Cadets was disbanded. The Lexington campus reopened for classes on October 17, 1865.[http://www.vmi.edu/archives/Civil_War/cwchron.html] It is said that Confederate General Jubal A. Early burned the town of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, in retaliation for the shelling of VMI. Following the war, Matthew Fontaine Maury, "Pathfinder of the Seas," accepted a teaching position at the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, holding the chair of physics.

World War I and II

During World War II, VMI participated in the War Department's Army Specialized Training Program from 1943 to 1946. The program provided training in engineering and related subjects to enlisted men at colleges across the United States. Over 2,100 ASTP members studied at VMI during the war. enlisted

Student life

The Virginia Military Institute is a unique military and educational experience. All cadets are housed on campus in a large five story building, called the "barracks." The Old Barracks, which has been designated a National Historic Landmark, stands on the site of the old arsenal. The new wing of the barracks ("New Barracks") was completed in 1949. The two wings surround two quadrangles connected by a sally port. All rooms open onto porch-like stoops on one of the quadrangles. The cadets wear uniforms every day and eat their meals together in a mess hall. Potential students must be between 16 to 22 years of age. They must be unmarried, physically fit for enrollment in ROTC, and graduates of accredited secondary schools. The typical new cadet has an average SAT score of over 1200 and an average high school GPA of 3.35. Eligibility is not restricted to Virginia residents (although it is more difficult to gain an appointment as an out-of-state cadet). Virginia residents do receive a discount in tuition, as is common at most state-sponsored schools. Tuition for the 2005-2006 school year is ~$15,000 for Virginia residents and ~$28,000 for all others. These fees can be misleading, because VMI's nearly $300 million endowment enables VMI to meet a substancial ammount of a cadet's financial need before the cadet needs to take school loans. It is common for in-state cadets to have their last two years at VMI paid for by generous alumni. VMI has graduated students from across the U.S. and from many other countries.

Ratline

tuition] The freshman student is known as a "Rat", and walks a prescribed line in barracks while in an exaggerated form of attention known as "straining." The Rat experience, called the Ratline, is intended to instill pride, discipline, brotherhood, and a sense of honor in the students. A Rat faces many challenges and must memorize rules, school songs, and school history. The Ratline is among the toughest, most grueling, and in-depth initiation programs in the country. It is best described as a longer version of Marine Corps boot camp combined with rigorous academics. After having their heads shaved bald, the rats undergo their first week in a long year of intense military and physical training. The initial week is a crash course in everything VMI: how to wear every uniform, how to march, how to clean a rifle, etc. Once the first week is complete, Rats anxiously await the arrival of the returning students, the "Old Corps". Rats are each paired with a first classman who serves as a mentor for the rest of the first year. This pairing is integral to cadet life at VMI. The first classman is called a "Dyke", reference to an older phrase "to deck out", or to get into a uniform. This arose from a pair of cadets helping each other get into the full parade dress which includes, white pants, full dress coatee, belt and ammunition carton, military dress shako, (head piece with plume), several large web belts, or "cross dykes", that are extremely difficult to don alone, and a school issued M-14 rifle. Cadet Officers and noncommissioned officers have the privledge of bearing a shash and sabre, while the Institute's regimental band carries instruments for parades and formal functions. During the next year, the Ratline continues to undergo training from the most highly skilled cadets at VMI, the Cadre. They enforce all rules, and the Rats live a life involving "sweat-parties," early morning runs, late night runs, and countless push-ups. It is hoped they will learn to think under pressure and focus on a team approach to solving challenges. The Ratline experience culminates in a "Break Out" event during the second semester where the Rats are formally welcomed to the VMI community. After break out, rats are officially fourth class students and no longer have to strain in the barracks or eat "square meals" at attention. Many versions of the Break Out ceremony have been conducted. In the 1950s, Rats from each company would be packed into a corner room in barracks and brawl their way out through the upperclassmen. In the late 60's through the early 80's, the Rats had to fight their way up to the fourth level of the barracks through three other classes of cadets determined not to let them get to the top. The stoops would often be slick with motor oil and grease. Another recent version had the Rats climbing a muddy hill on their stomachs while the upper classes drag them back down.

Honor System

barracks VMI is known for its strict Honor System: cadets "do not lie, cheat, steal, nor tolerate those who do." There is only one possible punishment for a violation of the Honor System: immediate expulsion in the form of a "Drum Out" ceremony, performed in the middle of the night in front of all cadets with the announcement that "the cadet leaves the Institute in shame, never to return. The cadet's name will never be mentioned inside the four walls of VMI again." [http://www.roanoke.com/roatimes/vmi/vmihonor.html] On average, six to ten cadets a year are expelled for honor system violations.[http://www.roanoke.com/roatimes/vmi/vmihonor.html]

Minority and female students

Of the 1,251 students enrolled in 2005, 66 were African-American, 39 were Asian, 34 were Hispanic and 71 were women. The first Jewish cadet, Moses Jacob Ezekiel, graduated in 1866. While at VMI, Ezekiel fought with the VMI cadets at the Battle of New Market. He went on to become a artist/sculptor and many of his works are on display throughout the world. One of the first Asian cadets was Li-Jen Sun, the Chinese National Revolutionary Army general, who graduated in 1927. The first African-American cadets were admitted in 1968. The first African-American regimental commander was Derren McDew, class of 1982. McDew is currently a U.S. Air Force brigadier general and the wing commander at Pope AFB. Pope AFB

Admission of women

VMI excluded women from the Corps of Cadets until 1997. In 1990, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a discrimination lawsuit against VMI for its all-male admissions policy. While the court challenge was pending, a state-sponsored Virginia Women’s Institute for Leadership was opened at Mary Baldwin College in Staunton, Virginia, as a parallel program for women. The Mary Baldwin program continued even after VMI admitted women. The case went through several appeals until 26 June 1996 when the U.S. Supreme Court, in a 7-1 decision, found that it was illegal for a school supported by public funds to exclude women. (Justice Clarence Thomas did not vote because his son was attending VMI.) On 21 September 1996, the VMI Board of Visitors voted to admit women. In August 1997, VMI enrolled its first female cadets, 31 women who would be held to the same strict physical courses and technical training as the male cadets. Unlike other U.S. military academies, VMI requires that female cadets adhere to the same strict physical regimen as male cadets. Female "Rats" are not required to maintain a strict crew cut; however they must keep their hair at a length of approximately four inches or less. Female cadets are also forbidden to wear makeup or jewelry as Rats. The cadets at VMI believe firmly in "One Corps, One Standard" and they expect the same from every cadet. jewelry

Military service

The Virginia Military Institute supports ROTC divisions of all four military branches.[http://www.vmi.edu/show.asp?durki=454] While four years of ROTC is a requirement for all cadets, accepting a commission in the armed forces is optional. The VMI Board of Visitors has set a goal of having 70 percent of cadets take a commission by 2015. The VMI class of 2005 achieved a 50 percent commissioning rate. VMI has graduated 265 General and Flag Officers, more than any other state military college in the United States.[http://www.vmikeydets.com/section_front.asp?arttypeid=509] Six graduates have received the Medal of Honor, the highest award of the U.S. military.[http://www4.vmi.edu/museum/mh.html]

Athletics

VMI fields 15 teams on the NCAA Division I level. The sports include baseball, basketball, men's and women's cross-country, football, lacrosse, men's and women's rifle, men and women's soccer, swimming, men's and women's indoor and outdoor track, and wrestling. VMI is a member of the Big South, the Southern (for wrestling), and the Metro Atlantic Athletic (for Men's Lacrosse) conferences. Perhaps the most famous athletic story in VMI history was the two-year run of the 1976 and 1977 basketball teams. The 1976 squad advanced within one game of the Final Four before bowing to Rutgers in the East Regional Final, and in 1977 VMI finished with 26 wins and just four losses, still a school record, and reached the "Sweet 16" round of the NCAA tournament. VMI has the smallest enrollment among NCAA Division I football schools. Approximately one-third of the Corps of Cadets plays on at least one of VMI's intercollegiate athletic teams, making it one of the most active athletic programs in the country. Of the VMI athletes who complete their eligibility, 92 percent receive their VMI diplomas.

Rankings

In 2005, for the fifth consecutive year, VMI was rated first out of America's public liberal arts colleges. VMI's Engineering program was rated in the Top 20 engineering programs in the nation and its Civil Engineering program was ranked ninth nationally for colleges that offer a Bachelor or Master's degree.

Notable graduates

liberal arts college VMI's graduates include a Secretary of State, Nobel Prize winners, Pulitzer Prize winners, Rhodes Scholars, U.S. Senators and Representatives, and CEOs. Some examples:
- William Mahone, 1847. Confederate Army major general, member Virginia General Assembly, U.S. Senator (1881–1887), and railroad executive.
- Robert E. Rodes, 1848. Railroad civil engineer and a Confederate Army major general killed during the battle of Shenandoah Valley.
- Benjamin Franklin Ficklin, 1849. A founder of the Pony Express.
- James H. Lane, 1854. Confederate Army brigadier general who fought in Pickett's Charge, civil engineering professor, and founder of Virginia Tech.
- Thomas T. Munford, 1854. Confederate Army Brigadier-General.
- John McCausland, 1857. Confederate Army Brigadier-General, serving under General Jubal Early.
- Walter H. Taylor, 1857. Confederate Army lieutenant colonel, chief aide-de-camp to General Robert E. Lee (1861–1865), lawyer, banker, author, railroad executive based in Norfolk, Virginia, and Senator in the Virginia General Assembly.
- Henry G. Shirley, 1896. Commissioner, Department of Highways.
- George Marshall, 1901. U.S. Army General of the Army, Army Chief of Staff during World War II, U.S. Secretary of State (1947–1949), and Nobel Peace Prize winner for the Marshall plan in Europe after World War II.
- Richard Marshall, 1915. U.S. Army general during World War II.
- Lemuel C. Shepherd, Jr., 1917. U.S. Marine Corps general and twentieth commandant of the Marine Corps.
- Randolph McCall Pate, 1921. U.S. Marine Corps general and twenty-first commandant of the Marine Corps.
- Bruce C. Gottwald, 1954. CEO of Ethyl Corporation and Director of CSX Railroad.
- P. Wesley Foster Jr., 1956. President and CEO of Long and Foster Real Estate, Corp., the world’s largest real estate broker.
- Jonathan Myrick Daniels, 1961. American civil rights activist and one of fifteen modern-day martyrs listed by the Anglican Church
- J.H. Binford Peay III, 1962. U.S. Army general, commander 101st Airborne, commander United States Central Command, and fourteenth superintendent of VMI.
- G. Gilmer Minor III, 1963. President and CEO of Owens and Minor Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
- Robert Flowers, 1965. U.S. Army lieutenant general and commander, Army Corps of Engineers.
- John P. Jumper, 1966. U.S. Air Force general and USAF Chief of Staff.
- Carl A. Strock, 1971. U.S. Army lieutenant general and current commander, Army Corps of Engineers
- Daniel J. Darnell, 1975. U.S. Air Force major general, commander and lead pilot of the USAF’s aerial demonstration team, The Thunderbirds.

VMI trivia

- The Cadet, the institute's newspaper, has been run independently by cadets since 1907.
- James A. Walker was expelled in 1852 just before his graduation for "disobediance" in Stonewall Jackson's classroom. Cadet Walker had challenged Jackson to a duel over a perceived insult. VMI granted him an honorary degree in 1872 in recognition of his Civil War service, where he rose to the rank of brigadier general.[http://www.vmi.edu/archives/Civil_War/walkerja.html]
- Alpha Tau Omega fraternity was founded by VMI cadets at Richmond, Virginia on September 11, 1865 while the school was closed for reconstruction. After the re-opening, Kappa Sigma Kappa fraternity was founded by cadets on September 28, 1867, and Sigma Nu fraternity was founded by cadets on January 1, 1869.[http://www.vmi.edu/archives/vmihistoryfaq.asp]
- VMI cadets formed the second chapter of the Kappa Alpha Order fraternity. Today, membership in any secret organization or fraternity is forbidden while a cadet. Your allegiance is to be to the corps of cadets and especially your class. Yet in a special arrangement, some cadets may be nominated by Kappa Alpha Order alumni and inducted into the fraternity following graduation, becoming part of Kappa Alpha Order's Beta Commission (a commission as opposed to an active chapter). This usually occurs on graduation day, and the newly initiated VMI alumni are accepted as full brothers of that fraternity. Kappa Alpha Order insignias and flags often include VMI's colors: red, white, and yellow. These colors reflect the past army colors for [artillery] (red), [infantry] (white), and [cavalry] (yellow).
- The New Mexico Military Institute is the nation's oldest state-supported co-educational college preparatory military high school and junior college, founded in 1891 in Roswell, New Mexico. It was inspired by VMI.
- George Patton, U.S. Army General, studied at VMI for one year in 1903 before resigning to attend West Point.
- Richard E. Byrd, the U.S. Navy rear admiral and polar explorer, studied at VMI for two years, from 1904 to 1906.[http://www4.vmi.edu/museum/byrd.html]
- Lewis Burwell "Chesty" Puller resigned from VMI after his freshman year to enlist as a Private in the United States Marine Corps in August 1918. He retired as a Lieutenant General as the most decorated Marine in U.S. history.
- Ronald Reagan starred in the film, "Brother Rat", which was filmed at VMI. Originally a Broadway hit, the play was written by John Monks Jr. and Fred F. Finklehoffe, both 1932 graduates of VMI.[http://www.vmi.edu/Show.asp?durki=5399]
- VMI rings are the largest class rings in the world and weigh more than Super Bowl rings.

References

- After 158 years, VMI opened doors to women Monday, http://www.cnn.com/US/9708/17/vmi.women/
- Origin of Keydets and Moe the Kangaroo, http://www.vmikeydets.com/section_front.asp?arttypeid=530
- Series of articles on campus life by the Roanoke Times, http://www.roanoke.com/roatimes/vmi/vmi.html
- U.S. News Profile, http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/college/directory/brief/drglance_3753_brief.php

External links

- [http://www.vmi.edu/ VMI website]
- [http://www.vmi.edu/media/VMI_Post_Map.pdf Map of VMI campus] Category:Universities and colleges in Virginia Category:United States military academies Category:U.S. National Historic Landmarks

Public

Public is of or pertaining to the people; belonging to the people; relating to, or affecting, a nation, state, or community; opposed to private; as, the public treasury, a road or lake. Public is also defined as the people of a nation not affiliated with the government of that nation. Public also refers to the general body of mankind, or of a nation, state, or community; the people, indefinitely; as, the public; also, a particular body or aggregation of people; as, an author's public. "Public Network" means a network that is regulated as a common carrier.

J.H. Binford Peay III

J.H Binford "Binnie" Peay III is a retired four-star general from the United States Army and is currently the 14th Superintendent of the Virginia Military Institute. He is also chairman of the Allied Defense Group and a director of United Defense, L.P. He is a trustee of the George C. Marshall Foundation, the National Defense University, and the VMI Foundation. Peay was born in Richmond, Virginia on 10 May 1940.

Education

He graduated from the Virginia Military Institute in 1962 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering. He also has a Master of Arts from George Washington University and is a graduate of the U.S. Army War College.

Military Service

U.S. Army War College He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant of Field Artillery in 1962. Peay’s initial troop assignments were in Germany and Fort Carson, Colorado. From December 1964 to September 1966, he served as Aide-de-Camp to the Commanding General, 5th Infantry Division. He went on to serve in other assignments including two tours in the Republic of Vietnam. In his first tour from May 1967 to July 1968, he commanded both Headquarters Company, I Field Force Vietnam, and a firing battery (Battery B, 4th Battalion, 42d Artillery) with the 4th Infantry Division in the central highlands. During his second tour from August 1971 to June 1972, he served as the assistant operations officer for the 3d Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, and as operations officer for the same division’s 1st Battalion, 21st Artillery. After serving with the Army Military Personnel Center in Washington, DC, as a Field Artillery branch assignments officer, Peay was sent to Hawaii in 1975 to command the 2d Battalion, 11th Field Artillery, 25th Infantry Division. Following completion of the Army War College, he returned to Washington, DC, as Senior Aide to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and later as Chief of the Army Initiatives Group in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operation and Plans. He then moved to Fort Lewis, Washington, to serve as the I Corps’ Assistant Chief of Staff, G-3/Director of Plans and Training, and later became Commander, 9th Infantry Division Artillery. In 1985, he returned to Washington, DC, as Executive to the Chief of Staff, United States Army. He first became a "Screaming Eagle" in July 1987, when he became the Assistant Division Commander (Operations), 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. Beginning in July 1988, he served a one year assignment as Deputy Commandant, Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. On 3 August 1989, Peay returned to Fort Campbell to assume command of the 101st Airborne Division and led the division through Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm in the Persian Gulf. Promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General, he was the Army’s Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Plans, and Senior Army Member, United States Military Committee from June 1991 until March 1993. He was promoted to General on 26 March 1993 and appointed as the Army’s twenty-fourth Vice Chief of Staff. His last active duty position was as Commander in Chief, United States Central Command, at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, from 5 August 1994 until 13 August 1997. Peay's awards and decorations include the Army Distinguished Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, the Silver Star, the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, the Bronze Star Medal with three oak leaf clusters, and the Purple Heart. He has also received the Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, several Air Medals, and the Army Commendation Medal. Additionally, he wore the Parachutist Badge, Ranger Tab, the Air Assault Badge, the Secretary of Defense Identification Badge, Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge, and the Army General Staff Identification Badge.

Professional Career

After retirement from the Army, he become a director at United Defense Industries in 1997. He joined Allied Research Corporation in March 2000 as member of its board of directors. Allied is a diversified defense and security firm, providing conventional medium caliber ammunition and sophisticated security systems. In January 2001, he was made chairman, president and CEO. In 2003, the company was renamed Allied Defense Group. Peay resigned in June 2003 to take the VMI position, but remained the non-executive chairman at Allied.

External links

- [http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/documents/SWA/DSIT/Peay.htm Interview with Peay about the Gulf War]
- [http://www.vmi.edu/Show.asp?durki=3012 VMI Profile]
- [http://www.allieddefensegroup.com/home.html Allied Defense Group web site]

Army

Army (from French armée) can, in some countries, refer to any armed force. More commonly, however, it is only used specifically to refer to a land force of the military. Within a national army, an army can also refer to a large formation, usually comprising one or more corps. Army is also often used in the description or title of military or paramilitary organisations which are not part of a country's official armed forces (and may well be illegal), such as the Irish Republican Army, and also in some non-military organisations organised on a quasi-military basis, such as the Salvation Army and the Church Army.

National land forces

A national army is usually the arm of the military service which conducts land-based warfare (for example, the United States Army, or the French Armée de Terre). Most armed forces make considerable distinction between the army or land forces, the navy, and the air force, often maintaining three independent organizations. Many air forces were formerly part of an army; historically, the United States Air Force originated as part of the United States Army, for example. Modern armies comprise several branches (also called services, or administrative corps). These may include the combat branches: infantry, armoured, artillery, and combat engineers, as well as the support branches: communications, intelligence, medics, supply, and army aviation (as opposed to a national air force).

Formations

An army can also be a large military organization (formation) comprising one or more corps. A particular army is named or numbered to distinguish it from military land forces in general—for example, the U.S. First Army and the Army of Northern Virginia. In the British Army it is normal to spell out the ordinal number of an army (e.g. First Army), whereas lower formations use figures (e.g. 1st Division). Armies (as well as army groups and theaters) are large formations which vary significantly between armed forces in size, composition, and scope of responsibility. In the Soviet Red Army, "armies" were actually corps-sized formations, subordinate to an army-sized "front" in wartime. In peacetime, a Soviet army was usually subordinate to a military district. For the hierarchy of land force organizations, see military organization. .

US Marine Corps

The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is a branch of the U.S. military. While concerned almost exclusively with shipboard security service and amphibious warfare in its formative years, the Marine Corps has evolved to fill a unique, multi-purpose role within the modern United States military. The Marine Corps is the second smallest of the five branches (Navy, Marine Corps, Army, Air Force, Coast Guard) of the U.S. military, with 172,000 active and 40,000 reserve Marines as of 2005. Only the United States Coast Guard, part of the Department of Homeland Security, is smaller. In absolute terms, the US Marine Corps is nonetheless larger than the armed forces of many major nations; it is larger than the British Army, for example.

Mission

British Army The Marine Corps serves as a versatile combat element, and is adapted to a wide variety of combat operations. The Marine Corps was initially composed of infantry combat forces serving aboard naval vessels, responsible for security of the ship, its captain and officers, offensive and defensive combat during boarding actions, by acting as sharpshooters, and carrying out amphibious assaults. The Marines fully developed and used the tactics of amphibious assault in World War II, most notably in the Pacific Island Campaign. Since its creation in 1775, the Corps' role has expanded significantly. The Marines have a unique mission statement, and, alone among the branches of the U.S. armed forces, "shall, at any time, be liable to do duty in the forts and garrisons of the United States, on the seacoast, or any other duty on shore, as the President, at his discretion, shall direct." In this special capacity, charged with carrying out duties given to them directly by the President of the United States, the Marine Corps serves as an all-purpose, fast-response task force, capable of quick action in areas requiring emergency intervention. The Marine Corps possesses organic ground and air combat elements, and relies upon the US Navy to provide sea combat elements to fulfill its mission as "America's 9-1-1 Force". Marine combat forces are largely contained in three Marine Expeditionary Forces, or "MEF's". The 1st MEF is based out of Camp Pendleton, California, the 2nd out of Camp LeJeune, North Carolina, while the third is based on Okinawa, Japan. Within the MEF's are the individual Marine Divisions (MARDIVS), Force Service Support Groups (FSSG's) and Marine Aircraft Wings (MAWs). Force Reconnaissance companies are composed of Marines specially trained in covert insertion, reconnaissance, and surveillance tactics, and some have even received special operations training. The "Recon Marines" basic mission is to scout out the enemy and report what they find. Marine tactics and doctrine tends to emphasize aggressiveness and the offensive, compared to Army tactics for similar units. The Marines have been central in developing groundbreaking tactics for maneuver warfare; they can be credited with the development of helicopter insertion doctrine and modern amphibious assault. The Marines also maintain an operational and training culture dedicated to emphasizing the infantry combat abilities of every Marine. All Marines receive training first and foremost as basic riflemen, and thus the Marine Corps at heart functions culturally as an infantry corps. The Marine Corps is famous for the saying "Every Marine is a rifleman." The maneuver warfare doctrine upon which the Corps is organized and the chaotic nature of the operations which the Corps has traditionally taken on causes it to place a premium on decentralized decision-making and the individual abilities of leaders at all levels. As a result, a large degree of initiative and autonomy is expected of even junior Marines, particularly the NCO's (Corporals and Sergeants) regarding the accomplishment of their particular missions, at least compared to many other military organizations. The Marine Corps has a strong tendency towards pushing authority and responsibility downward throughout its organization onto Marines to a greater degree than their counterparts in rank would have in other services. While the Marine Corps does not necessarily fill unique combat roles, only when combined do the US Army, Navy, and US Air Force overlap every area that the Marine Corps covers. As a force, the Marines consistently use all essential elements of combat (air, ground, sea) together. While the creation of joint commands under the Goldwater-Nichols Act has improved interservice coordination between the larger services, the Marine Corps' ability to permanently maintain integrated multi-element task forces under a single command provides a special ability to respond to flexibility and urgency requirements. The Marines argue that they do not and should not take the place of the other services, any more than an ambulance takes the place of a hospital. Nonetheless, when a pressing emergency develops, the Marines essentially act as a stopgap, to get into and hold an area until the larger machinery can be mobilized. The opinions of other military men and politicians have, at times, differed, and President Harry S. Truman considered abolishing the Corps as part of the 1948 reorganization of the military. As Truman said, "The only propaganda machine that rivals that of Stalin is that of the United States Marine Corps." Truman, a former U.S. Army artillery captain in WWI, still resented the high degrees of praise bestowed the Marines after the First World War mostly at the expense of Army units. He also believed that the Army proved that they could do amphibious landings with the actions in North Africa, Italy and Normandy so there was no need for a separate service to fulfill this function. An example of this coordinated, time-sensitive capability could be seen in 1990, when the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (22nd MEU) conducted Operation Sharp Edge, a noncombatant evacuation operation, or NEO, in the west African city of Monrovia, Liberia. Liberia suffered from civil war at the time, and civilian citizens of the United States and other countries could not leave via conventional means. Sharp Edge ended in success. Only one reconnaissance team came under fire, with no casualties incurred on either side, and the Marines evacuated several hundred civilians within hours to U.S. Navy vessels waiting offshore.

Creation and history

The Marine Corps, originally created as the "Continental Marines" during the American Revolutionary War, was formed by a resolution of the Continental Congress on November 10, 1775, and first recruited at Tun Tavern in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania by Samuel Nicholas. They served as landing troops for the recently created Continental Navy. The Continental Marines were disbanded at the end of the war in April 1783 but re-formed on July 11 1798. Despite the gap, Marines worldwide celebrate November 10 as the Marine Corps Birthday. Historically, the United States Marine Corps has achieved fame in several campaigns, as referenced in the first line of the Marines' Hymn: "From the halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli". In the early 19th century, First Lieutenant Presley O'Bannon led a group of eight Marines and 300 Arab and European mercenaries in capturing Tripoli. Separately, the Marines took part in the Mexican-American War (1846–1848) and assaulted the Castillo de Chapultepec, or the Chapultepec Palace, which overlooked Mexico City. The Marines were placed on guard duty at the Mexican Presidential Palace, "The Halls of Montezuma". Mexico City)
U.S. Marines raise the American Flag on Iwo Jima on February 23, 1945]] After these early 19th-century engagements, the Marine Corps occupied a small role in American military history. They saw little significant action in the American Civil War, but later become prominent due to their deployment in small wars around the world. During the latter half of the 19th century, the Marines saw action in Korea, Cuba, the Philippines, and China. During the years before and after World War I, the Marines saw action throughout the Caribbean in places such as Haiti and Nicaragua. These actions became known as "The Banana Wars", and the experiences gained in counter-insurgency and guerrilla operations during this period were consolidated into the Small Wars Manual. In World War I, the battle-tested, veteran Marines served a central role in the U.S. entry into the conflict, and at the Battle of Belleau Wood, Marine units were in the front, earning the Marines a reputation as the "First to Fight". This battle marked the creation of the Marines' reputation in modern history. Rallying under the battle cries of "Retreat? Hell, we just got here!" (Captain Lloyd Williams) and "Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?" (then Gunnery Sergeant, later Sergeant Major Dan Daly, two time Medal of Honor recipient), the Marines drove German forces from the area. Captured prisoners and German letters referred to the Marines in the battle as "Teufelshunden", literally, "Devil Dogs", a nickname Marines proudly hold to this day. The French government renamed Belleau Wood "Bois de la Brigade de Marine", or "Wood of the Marine Brigade," and decorated both the 5th and 6th Regiments with the Crois de Guerre. Franklin Delano Roosevelt, then Secretary of the Navy, stated that enlisted Marines would henceforth wear the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor on their uniform collar. In World War II, the Marines played a central role in the Pacific War, and the war saw the expansion of the Corps from two brigades to two corps with six divisions and five air wings with 132 squadrons. The battles of Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa saw fierce fighting between US Marines and the Imperial Japanese Army. The secrecy afforded their communications by the now-famous Navajo code talkers program, is widely seen as having contributed significantly to their success. During the Battle of Iwo Jima, Raising of the Flag on Iwo Jima, a famous photograph of five Marines and one Navy corpsman raising the US flag on Mt. Suribachi, was taken. Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal, who had come ashore earlier that day to observe the progress of the troops, said of the flag raising on Iwo Jima, "...the raising of that flag on Suribachi means a Marine Corps for the next five hundred years". The acts of the Marines during the war added to their already significant popular reputation, and the USMC War Memorial in Arlington, VA was dedicated in 1954. The Korean War saw the Marines fighting in the Provisional Marine Brigade at the Pusan Perimeter, then landing at Inchon and assaulting north into North Korea along with the Army. As U.S. forces approached the Yalu River, the People's Republic of China, fearing an incursion by American forces, sent armies over the river to engage American forces within Korea. People's Republic of China At the Battle of Chosin Reservoir, the First Marine Division, vastly outnumbered but vastly better equipped and trained, fought Chinese forces. Although surrounded, the Marines regrouped, assaulted the Chinese, and inflicted heavy casualties during their fighting withdrawal to the coast. The Marines also played an important role in the Vietnam War at battles such as Da Nang, Hué City, and Khe Sanh. Marines were among the first troops deployed to Vietnam, as well as the last to leave during the evacuation of the American embassy in Saigon. After Vietnam, Marines served in a number of important events and places. On October 23, 1983, a Marine barracks in Lebanon was bombed, causing the highest peacetime losses to the Corps in its history (220 Marines killed) and leading to the American withdrawal from Lebanon. Marines were also responsible for liberating Kuwait during the Persian Gulf War, as the Army made an attack to the west directly into Iraq. In 1995, Marines performed a successful mission in Bosnia, rescuing Captain Scott O'Grady, a downed Air Force fighter pilot, in what is called a TRAP (Tactical Recovery of Aircraft and Personnel). Most recently, the Marines served prominently in the 2003 invasion of Iraq and the subsequent occupation, where a light, mobile force was and is especially needed. Perhaps most notably, the Marines spearheaded both assaults on the city of Fallujah in April and November 2004.

Reputation of the Marine Corps

The Marine Corps has a widely-held reputation as a fierce and effective fighting force and the Marines take pride in their gung-ho attitude, they are indoctrinated with a strong belief in their chain of command and the importance of esprit de corps, a spirit of enthusiasm and pride in themselves and the Corps. The Marine Corps is popularly seen as possessing a degree of fame and infamy among the enemies they fight, and examples of this effect are readily seized upon and publicized by the Corps and its supporters. During the 1991 Gulf War, after Iraqi forces had already been bloodied by the Corps in the first ground engagement of the war at Khafji, U.S. Army General Norman Schwarzkopf used a public demonstration of a Marine landing on Kuwait and the Iraqi port of Umm Qasr to pin down Iraqi units, while the Army then executed a sweep from the West. Most recently, Iraqis in the Persian Gulf War and 2003 invasion of Iraq were said to have taken special note of Marine Cobra helicopters and the distinctive look of the Marine combat uniform. The Marines have taken steps to build on this psychological advantage by, for instance, developing a new utility uniform that makes Marines easier to distinguish from other US servicemen. See the [http://www.marcorsyscom.usmc.mil/sites/mcub/PAGES/uniform_plates.htm Web site of the Permanent Marine Corps Uniform Board (PMCUB)] for illustrations of the various Marine uniforms. 2003 invasion of Iraq The Marine Corps has also recently initiated an internally designed martial arts program, an idea borrowed from the South Korean Marines, who train in martial arts and who, during the Vietnam War, were widely rumored to all be black belts. Due to an expectation that urban and police-type peacekeeping missions will become more common in the 21st century, which will place Marines in even closer contact with unarmed civilians, it is expected that the Marines will benefit from having a larger and more versatile set of less-than-lethal options for controlling hostile, but unarmed individuals. It is also a stated aim of the program to instill and maintain the "warrior culture" within Marines. While the reputation of the Marine Corps has remained largely positive in recent years, at least within the United States, the Corps has still struggled with occasional negative press and perceptions. In many conflicts, members of the other armed forces of the United States have complained that the Marine Corps often emphasizes its prowess at the expense of the reputation of Army or Navy units which are nearby. An example occurred at the Battle of Chosin Reservoir in the Korean War, when a Marine officer (probably Lt. General Lewis "Chesty" Puller) disparaged the undermanned Army infantry regiment which took the initial Chinese attack. Additionally, the aggressive tradition of the Marine Corps, and the public perception of the Corps' as both an agressive organization and an elite force within the US military, has at times led to public relations issues surrounding accusations of bullying, harrassment and hazing since WWII. In its post-World War II history, the Marine Corps reputation has been damaged several times. The first major event was the Ribbon Creek Incident on April 8, 1956, when the junior Drill Instructor, Staff Sergeant Matthew Mckeon, led his assigned platoon into a tidal stream on Parris Island in the purpose of disciplining his platoon, while violating several basic Marine and training regulations. 6 recruits died. SSgt McKeon was court-martialed, and, with significant media coverage, an extensive Congressional investigation took place. See also: The Ribbon Creek incident In recent years, following incidents of hazing in various Marine Corps units, such as ANGLICO and the Silent Drill Platoon; incidents involving civilians in Status of Forces Agreement countries; and other public relations issues that could cast the Corps into disrepute, increasingly further-reaching measures have been taken to prevent such incidents and protect the public image of the Marine Corps. Standing orders prohibit hazing and inititation rituals of any kind, at least officially. Marines on Okinawa and at other posts are regularly subject to restrictions and curfews, particularly following incidents between Marines and civilians. Marines today are also discouraged from publicly disparaging other branches of service. These and other measures reflect a realization that the Marine Corps is generally more visible and higher profile than the other branches of service in all that it does and that it relies upon the goodwill of the American people and Congress to a much greater degree for its survival.

Organization

Air-ground task forces

The Marine Corps organization is flexible, and task forces can be formed of any size. Modern deployed Marine units are based upon the doctrine of the Marine air-ground task force, or MAGTF. A MAGTF can generally be of any of three sizes, based upon the amount of force required in the given situation; however, all MAGTFs have a similar organization. A MAGTF is comprised of four elements: the command element (CE), the ground combat element (GCE), the air combat element (ACE) and the combat service support element (CSSE).
- Command element — A headquarters unit that directs the other elements
- Ground combat element — Usually infantry, supported by armor (tanks), and artillery, but including special units such as scouts or Force Reconnaissance, snipers and forward air controllers
- Air combat element — The total airpower strength of the MAGTF, the ACE includes all aerial vehicles (both fixed wing and helicopter), their pilots and maintenance personnel and those units necessary for aviation command and control.
- Combat service support element — This element includes all of the support units for the MAGTF: communications, combat engineers, motor transport, medical and supply units, and certain specialized groups such as air delivery and landing support teams The smallest type of MAGTF is the Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU). The MEU is trained to operated as an independent force or as part of a Joint Task Force. Four elements make up a Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable): The Command Element is the standing headquarters for the MEU, usually headed by a Colonel (O-6). The Ground Combat Element is a Battalion Landing Team; an infantry battalion reinforced with tanks, artillery, engineers, amphibious vehicles, light armored vehicles, and other ground combat assets. The Aviation Combat Element is made up of a composite squadron of both fixed and rotary-wing aircraft. The Combat Service Support Element consists of a MEU Service Support Group which handles the logistics and administration needs of the MEU. The specific makeup of the MEU can be customized based upon the task at hand; additional artillery, armor, or air units can be attached, including squadrons of F/A-18 Hornet and Harrier jets. There are usually three MEUs assigned to each of the U.S. Navy Atlantic and Pacific Fleets, with another MEU based on Okinawa. While one MEU is on deployment, one MEU is training to deploy and one is standing down, resting its Marines, and refitting. Each MEU is rated as capable of performing special operations. A Marine Expeditionary Brigade (MEB) is larger than a MEU, and is based upon a Marine regiment, with larger air and support contingents. A Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF), as deployed in Iraq in 2003, comprises a Marine division with an artillery regiment, several tank battalions, several LAV battalions, as well as an air wing. The I Marine Expeditionary Force as deployed in the Persian Gulf War ultimately consisted of the 1st and 2nd Marine Divisions as well as considerable Marine air and support units.

Ground Combat Elements

Here is the typical organization for Marine Corps infantry units, from smallest to largest: (Note that the organization and weapons below are from Marine Corps Table of Organization and Equipment standard. Any Marine Corps unit might be organized differently under their own SOP and specialized units, such as Force Reconnaissance, could certainly carry different weapons):
- fire team: four Marines; team leader (M16A4 with M203 attachment), automatic rifleman (M249), assistant automatic rifleman(M16A4), and rifleman (M16A4).
- squad: three fire teams and a corporal or sergeant as squad leader
- platoon
- rifle platoon: three squads, a Navy corpsman, a platoon sergeant (staff sergeant), and a lieutenant as platoon commander
- weapons platoon: a 60mm mortar section, an assault section, a medium machine gun section (using M240G 7.62mm machine guns), a Navy corpsman, a platoon sergeant (gunnery sergeant), and a lieutenant as platoon commander
- company
- rifle company: three rifle platoons, a weapons platoon, a Navy corpsman, a administrative clerk, a police sergeant (corporal or sergeant), a training NCO, a company gunnery sergeant, first sergeant, a first lieutenant as executive officer, and captain as commander
- weapons company: an 81mm mortar platoon, an anti-armor platoon, and a heavy machine gun platoon
- headquarters and support company:
- battalion: three or four companies, commanded by a lieutenant colonel
- regiment: three or four battalions, commanded by a colonel
- brigade: less common in the Marine Corps, but typically made up of one or more regiments and commanded by a brigadier general
- division: three or four regiments, officers and others, commanded by a major general Battalions and larger units have a sergeant major, and an executive officer as second in command, plus officers and others for: Administration (S-1), Intelligence (S-2), Operations (S-3), Logistics (S-4), Civil Affairs [wartime only] (S-5), and Communications (S-6). Units of batallion size or larger may be reinforced by the addition of supporting tank or artillery units, as in the Battalion Landing Teams comprising the GCEs of Marine Expeditionary Units. As of 2004, there are four Marine divisions:
- the First in Camp Pendleton, California;
- the Second in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina;
- the Third in Camp Smedley Butler in Okinawa, Japan; and
- the Fourth is a reserve unit headquarted in New Orleans, Louisiana, with units scattered throughout the continental United States. In World War II, two more Marine Divisions were formed: the Fifth and Sixth, which fought in the Pacific War. These divisions were disbanded after the end of the war.

Aviation

Typical aviation units are squadron, group and wing. There are four Marine aircraft wings:
- the 1st MAW in Okinawa, Japan;
- the 2d MAW in Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina;
- the 3d MAW at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California; and
- the 4th MAW, a reserve unit headquartered in New Orleans.

Logistics Groups

There are also four Marine Logistics Group
- the First in Camp Pendleton, California;
- the Second in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina;
- the Third in Okinawa, Japan;
- and the Fourth, a reserve unit, headquartered in New Orleans.

Participation in Joint Operations

The MAGTF structure reflects a strong tradition in the Corps towards self-sufficiency and a committment to combined arms, both essential assets to an expeditionary force often called upon to act independently in discrete, time-sensitive situations. The history of the Marine Corps as well has led to a wariness towards relying too much on its sister services. During WWII, Marines at times viewed the support which they received from the Navy during the Pacific island battles as insufficient. During most of the Korean War, the Corps was forced to fight as "leg infantry" under Army command, and their unique potential advantage as an amphibious force operating in a penninsular country was ignored. In recent years, the Corps has come to cooperate more and more closely with the other service branches under the Joint Command Structure. An example of this is the recent establishment of Marine Special Operations Command under the joint U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM), a move which the Corps eschewed when SOCOM was founded in 1986.

Ranks

This list is in ascending order. It includes pay grades and abbreviations in the style used by the Marine Corps. Enlisted:
- E-1, Private, Pvt
- E-2, Private First Class, PFC
- E-3, Lance Corporal, LCpl
- Noncommissioned Officers, or NCOs:
- E-4, Corporal, Cpl
- E-5, Sergeant, Sgt
- Staff Noncommissioned Officers, or SNCOs:
- E-6, Staff Sergeant, SSgt
- E-7, Gunnery Sergeant, GySgt
- E-8
- Master Sergeant, MSgt
- First Sergeant, 1stSgt
- E-9
- Master Gunnery Sergeant, MGySgt
- Sergeant Major, SgtMaj
- Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, SgtMajMC NOTE 1: The E-8 and E-9 levels each have two ranks per pay grade, each with different responsibilities. Gunnery Sergeants indicate on their annual evaluations, called "fitness reports", or "fitreps" for short, their preferred promotional track: Master Sergeant or First Sergeant. The First Sergeant and Sergeant Major ranks are command-oriented, with Marines of these ranks serving as the senior enlisted Marines in a unit, charged to assist the commanding officer in matter of discipline, administration and the morale and welfare of the unit. Master Sergeants and Master Gunnery Sergeants provide technical leadership as occupational specialists in their specific MOS. First Sergeants typically serve as the senior enlisted Marine in a company, battery or other unit at similar echelon, while Sergeants Major serve the same role in battalions, squadrons or larger units. NOTE 2: The Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps is the senior enlisted Marine of the entire Marine Corps, personally selected by the Commandant of the Marine Corps. Some enlisted ranks have commonly used nicknames, though they are not official and technically improper. For instance, a Master Sergeant, is commonly called "Top". A Gunnery Sergeant is typically called "Gunny", and (much less often) "Guns". A Master Gunnery Sergeant is often called "Master Guns". Likewise, Lance Corporals are often referred to (derisively) as "Lance Coolies", "Lances", or "Lance Criminals". Though they are not usually called by rank due to their status as "non-rates". Unlike the US Army, no enlisted personnel is referred to as "Sarge", and most NCOs will take offense to the term. Likewise, ranks such as Staff Sergeant or Gunnery Sergeant, are never shortened to Sergeant. Warrant Officers
- W-1, Warrant Officer, WO
- W-2, Chief Warrant Officer 2, CWO2
- W-3, Chief Warrant Officer 3, CWO3
- W-4, Chief Warrant Officer 4, CWO4
- W-5, Chief Warrant Officer 5, CWO5 NOTE 3: A Chief Warrant Officer, CWO2-CWO5, serving in the MOS 0306 "Infantry Weapons Officer" is designated as a special rank: "Marine Gunner". A Marine Gunner replaces the Chief Warrant Officer insignia on the LEFT collar with a bursting bomb insignia. Other Warrant Officers are sometimes informally also referred to as "Gunner" but this usage is not correct. Commissioned officers:
- Company-grade officers
- O-1, Second Lieutenant, 2ndLt
- O-2, First Lieutenant, 1stLt
- O-3, Captain, Capt
- Field-grade officers
- O-4, Major, Maj
- O-5, Lieutenant Colonel, LtCol
- O-6, Colonel, Col
- Generals
- O-7, Brigadier General, BGen
- O-8, Major General, MajGen
- O-9, Lieutenant General, LtGen
- O-10, General, Gen NOTE 4: There has never been any O-11 "five-star" General rank thus far in the Marine Corps, though such a rank could theoretically be created at any time by act of Congress (the first time Congress were to promote a Marine Officer to such a rank). Historically, O-11 ranks, such as "General of the Army" or "General of the Air Force" (five star General) or "Fleet Admiral" were established during WWII to allow US General- or Flag-grade officers to command foreign officers under the allied command structure who, otherwise, would have technically outranked them (an example would be a British "Field Marshal", a rank which does not exist in the US military but would be equivalent to a five-star General). Currently, no officer in any branch of the U.S. military holds a grade of O-11.

Commandants

The Commandant of the Marine Corps functions as the highest-ranking officer of the Marine Corps. Even though more senior Marine officers occasionally exist, the commandant is still in charge of the administration of the Marine Corps. The commandant is a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and reports to the Secretary of the Navy, but not to the Chief of Naval Operations. As of October 2005, Marine Generals Peter Pace (Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff) and James L. Jones (Commander of the United States European Command; NATO Supreme Allied Commander, Europe; and a former commandant of the Marine Corps) are senior in time and grade to the commandant. The commandant is responsible for keeping the Marine Corps in fighting condition and does not serve as a direct battlefield commander. However, he is the symbolic and functional head of the Corps, and holds a position of very high esteem among Marines. As of April 2005, the Commandant of the Marine Corps is General Michael W. Hagee, who became Commandant in January of 2003.

Appearance

Michael W. Hagee Marines are often confused with Soldiers, who are members of United States Army. Some differences in appearance are:
- Marines do not wear berets.
- Marines wear boots only with their utility uniform
- Reflecting their naval heritage, Marines do not salute under 'cover' (indoors), in the field, or when they are not wearing a 'cover' (hat).
- The Marine service uniform, roughly equivalent to business attire, has a long or short sleeve button up khaki shirt, the long-sleeved version of which is worn with a double windsor knotted necktie, and olive-green trousers. The equivalent Army uniform has a light-green shirt with forest-green trousers. Enlisted Marines wear their rank insignia on the sleeve of the service shirt, but Army privates and specialists wear their rank on the collar, and NCOs wear theirs on shoulder epaulets. Marine officers wear rank insignia on the collar, whereas Army officers wear their rank insignia in a similar manner as that of NCOs.
- The Marine class "A" service coat is olive green (as opposed to forest green for the Army) and has a waist-belt, formerly a Garrison belt for enlisted Marines and the Sam Browne belt for officers. The Marine service uniform is worn with either a barracks (service) cover, which has a bill and a round top, or a garrison cover, which comes to a peak.
- Marines are less generous with awards and unit identification; the rationale behind this is that as a member of an elite force, it is enough to be identified simply as a Marine. For example, with the exception of breast insignia denoting a few specialized qualifications such as airborne (parachute), pilot or scuba/rebreather qualification, and small red patches sewn on the utility trouser legs and covers of Landing Support Marines, Marines do not normally wear any insignia or device on their utility uniforms denoting their unit, MOS (military occupational specialty), or training.
- Traditionally, Marine officers eschew the wearing of rank insignia in combat, on the theory that it simply makes them targets (as in Vietnam) and do not allow saluting in these situations. Enlisted Marines are supposed to know who their leaders are, regardless of whether or not they are wearing rank insignia. This attitude supports the conduct of amphibious operations, the most complex of all military maneuvers. During such a maneuver, units are typically scattered and without a traditional command structure. Leaders are anyone who takes the initiative to lead, an attribute that is stressed throughout Marine Corps training and doctrine.

Utility uniform

Differences in the utility uniform include:
- The cover (hat) of the utility uniform is constructed differently. Marine covers have eight sides and corners.
- Marines wear green-colored "skivvie" undershirts with their utility uniform, even in the desert. Soldiers wear brown undershirts with BDUs/DCUs and pale undershirts with the ACU.
- Soldiers roll up the sleeves of their utility uniform so the camouflage is facing out. Marines fold their sleeves so that the lighter-colored underside faces out (known as "white-side out").
- Marines "blouse" their boots. That is, they roll the cuffs of their trousers back inside and tighten them over the boots with a cord or an elastic band known as a boot band. Soldiers either blouse their boots or tuck their trousers directly into their boots.
- Marines do not wear any rank insignia or other device on the utility cover. The front of the cover has instead the Marine Corps Eagle, Globe, and Anchor emblem, and since the introduction of the MARPAT pattern, this insignia has been embroidered directly on the front--not ironed on as on previous covers.
- On their utility uniforms, Marine officers typically wear their rank insignia on both collars, while Army officers, since the introduction of the new Army Combat Uniform, wear their rank insignia on a flap located on the front of the ACU shirt. In garrison, Marine officers typically wear collar insignia made of shiny metal, as opposed to the "subdued" stitched-on insignia worn by Army officers.
- Marines wear a colored belt, often referred to as a "rigger's belt", that is color coded to represent their specific qualification under the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program.
- Marines used to wear black combat boots with the utility uniform, as do the Army and Air Force. But in 2002, light-brown suede combat boots were introduced along with a new type of camouflage, the "MARPAT" uniform. (See photo.) Effective 1 October 2004, black combat boots were declared obsolete and no longer authorized for general wear by Marines. Exception is made for black safety boots worn for certain tasks, such as parachuting.
- As of 1 October 2006, the old-style camouflage utility uniform, also worn by the Army and Air Force, will be declared obsolete. The only utility uniform authorized for Marines will be the MARPAT uniform.
- As of 2004, both the Army and the Air Force have announced plans to replace their old-style "pickle suit" camouflage utility uniforms with newer designs similar to the Marine Corps digital "MARPAT" pattern. The Navy has started experimentations on the replacement of their "dungaree" and Officer/Chief Petty Officer uniforms with a variation of the "MARPAT" pattern.

Mess Dress

Mess Dress is a formal set of attire specifically set aside for wear to banquets, balls, and functions of state. While mainly worn by staff NCO's and officers, a few junior enlisted personel can have need of it such as embassy Marines.

Dress uniform

embassy Marine's Dress uniform is the most eleborate of the United States armed forces. The most formal of a Marines uniforms, it is often refered to as "Dress Blues", due to its color (as distinguished from the green and khaki service uniforms), it can be worn in many forms.
- Dress Blue "A" has a long sleeve outer blouse, white barracks cover, with all medals and ribbons. A Mameluke Sword or NCO sword may be worn by officers, SNCOs and NCOs as authorized.
- Dress Blue "B" is the same as "A", but ribbons are worn instead of medals, and badges(optional).
- Dress Blue "C" is same as "B" but without the outer blue coat, a khaki long sleeve shirt and tie instead. Ribbons and badges are normally worn on the shirt.
- Dress Blue "D" is same as "C", but with short sleeve khaki shirt and no tie. All the blues have the same trousers, cover and shoes, although the shoes do not have to be of one brand they do have to be uniform. General officers will wear a two-inch wide scarlet "blood stripe" down the outer seam of each leg of blue dress trousers/slacks, field and company grade officers will wear a 1 1/2-inch wide scarlet stripe down the outer seam of each leg of blue dress trousers/slacks, and SNCO's and NCO's will wear a 1 1/8-inch wide scarlet stripe down the outer seam of each leg of blue dress trousers/slacks. Certain ceremonial Marine units, such as the Silent Drill Platoon, substitute white trousers for blue while performing ceremonial functions.

Culture

The Marine motto "Semper Fidelis" means "Always faithful" in Latin. This motto often appears in the shortened form "Semper Fi!" It is also the name of the official march of the Corps, composed by John Phillip Sousa. Another motto commonly used in recuriting is The Few. The Proud. The Marines.. The colors of the Marine Corps are scarlet and gold. They appear on the flag of the United States Marine Corps, along with the Marine Corps emblem: the eagle, globe, and anchor, with the eagle representing service to the country, the globe representing worldwide service, and the anchor representing naval traditions. The emblem, adopted in its present form in 1868, derives partially from ornaments worn by the Continental Marines and the British Royal Marines, and is usually topped with a ribbon reading "Semper Fidelis". Two styles of swords are worn by Marines. The Marine Corps officer sword is a Mameluke sword, similar to the sword presented to Lt. Presley O'Bannon after the capture of Derne during the First Barbary War. Noncommissioned officers carry a different style of sword, similar in style to a Civil War, U.S. Army infantry officer's sword, making them the only enlisted service members in the U.S. Armed Forces authorized to carry a sword. Marines have several generic nicknames, mildly derogatory when used by outsiders but complimentary when used by Marines themselves. They include "jarhead" (it was said their hats on their uniform made them look like mason jars, or that the regulation "high and tight" haircut gave the appearance of a jar-lid), "gyrene" (perhaps a combination of "G.I." and "Marine"), "leatherneck", referring to the leather collar that was a part of the Marine uniform during the Revolutionary War period, and "Devil Dog" (German: Teufelshund) after the Battle of Belleau Wood. This nicknaming extends to the Corps itself. The acronym 'USMC' is regularly reworked into "Uncle Sam's Misguided Children," and even Marines themselves have semi-derogatory nicknames for their Corps, with Marines during the Vietnam era labeling it 'the Crotch' and Cold War era Marines preferring 'the Suck'. A spirited cry, "Oorah!", is common among Marines, being similar in function and purpose to the Army's "Hooah" cry, but is probably more commonly used among Marines than "Hooah" would be in the Army. "Oorah!" is usually either a reply in the affirmative to a question, an acknowledgment of an order, or an expression of enthusiasm (real or false). In the 1991 Gulf War, Iraqi soldiers nicknamed the Marines "Angels of Death". Another so-called term of endearment for Marines was "blackboots". This was due to supply shortages, leaving tan, desert boots unavailable to most Marine units. Haitians called Marines participating in relief operations "whitesleeves" because of the way they roll up the sleeves of their utility uniform, called "cammies" colloquially. In Somalia, they were referred to as "The Devils in black boots", due to their rapid deployment preventing them from acquiring desert boots.

Initial training

Training for commissioned officers occurs through NROTC, the Navy Reserve Officers Training Corps; OCS, Officer Candidate School, including the Platoon Leaders Class (PLC), or the United States Naval Academy. After that, all officers spend their first six months, regardless of accession route or further training requirements, at The Basic School at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia. The Basic School, solely for freshly commissioned second lieutenants learning the art of infantry and combined arms warfare, is an example of the unique approach the Corps takes to fostering the credo that "Every Marine is a rifleman first." Enlisted Marines attend boot camp, at either Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego or Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, just outside Beaufort, South Carolina. Women must attend Parris Island, but men train at either depot. The Mississippi River serves as the dividing line which delineates who will be trained where (with some minor exceptions), based on the what recruiting district the enlistee was recruited from. Enlisted Marines then attend School of Infantry training at Camp Lejeune or Camp Pendleton, generally based upon where the Marine attended boot camp. Infantry Marines begin their Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) training immediately with the Infantry Training Battalion (ITB), while all other Marines train with the Marine Combat Training (MCT) Battalion before continuing on to their MOS schools. In 1997, the school at Camp Lejeune expanded the MCT program to integrate female Marines. This basic infantry training for all Marines is one element of the philosophy that "Every Marine is a Rifleman."

Marine bases and stations

Main article: List of U.S. Marine Corps bases

Miscellaneous

- The United States Marines have recently agreed to supply a 2,700 Marine unit which will report directly to U.S. Special Operations Command. The move, the result of years-long negotiations between the Defense Department, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and Marine Corps Commandant General Michael W. Hagee, will create a new organization called Marine Special Operations Command (MARSOC). [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/01/AR2005110102069.html]
- Marines guard U.S. embassies (Marine Corps Security Guard) and other foreign missions, in cooperation with the Diplomatic Security Service. Marines also stand guard at the White House.
- The president's helicopter is Marine One, part of HMX-1, at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia.
- Marines do not serve as Chaplains or Corpsmen (medical). Navy sailors fill those roles. They would generally wear the Marine uniforms of the day with Navy markings when serving with the Marines. Officer Ranks and E-7/E-9 Chief Petty Officer rates are worn on the collar, while E-2/E-6 enlisted rate are worn on the left sleeve. For example, when wearing utility uniforms, a Navy Corpsman wears their rank/rate on the right collar, a shield with the Caduceus on the left, and U. S. Navy over the right breast pocket. The Chaplains would also wear their ranks on the right collar and US Navy above the right breast pocket but wear a a religious symbol on their left collar to signify their religious preference.
- The United States Marine Band, known as "The President's Own", is charged with providing music for the President of the United States and often plays during state functions.
- Infamous former Marines: Lee Harvey Oswald, Charles Whitman, Clayton Lonetree, Charles ng and John Wayne Bobbitt .
- Academy Awards
- Four former Marines have been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor: Lee Marvin (won for Cat Ballou), Steve McQueen (nominated for The Sand Pebbles), George C. Scott (won for Patton but returned the statue), and Gene Hackman (won for The French Connection).
- Gene Hackman also won the Academy Award for Best

Navy

For the municipality in the Philippines, see Naval, Biliran. Naval, Biliran, USS John C. Stennis, USS Port Royal, FS Charles de Gaulle, HMS Ocean, FS Surcouf, USS John F. Kennedy, HNLMS Van Amstel, and ITS Luigi Durand de la Penne]] A navy (often Navy) is the branch of a country's military forces principally designated for naval warfare, namely lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions. It includes operations conducted by surface vessels (ships), submarine vessels, and seaborne aviation, as well as ancillary support, communications, training, and other fields; recent developments have included space-related operations. The strategic offensive role of a Navy is projection-of-force into areas beyond a country's shores (for example, to protect sea-lanes, ferry troops, or attack other navies, ports, or shore installations). The strategic defensive purpose of a Navy is to forestall and frustrate sea-borne projection-of-force by enemies.

History

space Naval warfare first developed whenever humankind conducted fighting from water-borne vessels. Prior to the introduction of the cannon, and ships with sufficient capacity to carry the large guns, naval warfare primarily involved ramming and boarding actions. In the time of Ancient Greece and the Roman empire, naval warfare centred around long, narrow vessels powered by banks of oarsmen (such as triremes and quinqueremes) designed to ram and sink enemy vessels, or come alongside the enemy vessel so its occupants could be attacked hand-to-hand. Naval warfare continued in this vein through the Middle Ages until cannon became commonplace and capable of being reloaded quickly enough to be reused in the same battle. The mass and deck space required to carry a large number of cannon made oar-based propulsion impossible, and ships came to rely primarily on sails. Warships were designed to carry increasing numbers of cannon, and naval tactics evolved bring a ship's firepower to bear in a broadside, with ships-of-the-line arranged in a line of battle. The development of large capacity, sail-powered ships carrying cannon led to a rapid expansion of European navies, especially the Spanish and Portuguese navies, which dominated in the sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries, and ultimately helped propel the age of exploration and colonialism. The repulsion of the Spanish Armada (1588) by the Anglo-Dutch fleet revolutionised naval warfare by the success of a guns only strategy, and caused a major overhaul of the Spanish navy, partly along English lines, which resulted in even greater dominance by the Spanish. From the 1620s Dutch raiders began to seriously trouble Spanish shipping and finally the Dutch navy broke the long dominance of the Spanish in the Battle of the Downs (1639). England emerged as a major naval power in the mid seventeenth century in the first Anglo-Dutch war with a technical victory, but successive decisive Dutch victories in the second and third Anglo-Dutch wars confirmed the Dutch mastery of the seas during the Dutch Golden Age, which was financed largely by building the overseas Dutch empire at the expense of the Portuguese. From 1695 the Royal Navy began to more successfully assert itself and throughout the eighteenth century gradually gained increasing ascendancy over the French navy, with victories in the Spanish War of Succession (1701-1714), inconclusive battles in the War of Austrian Succession (1740-1748), victories in the Seven Years War (1754-1763), a reversal during the American War of Independence (1775-1783), and consolidation into uncontested supremacy during the nineteenth century from the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. These conflicts saw the development and refinement of tactics which came to be called the line of battle. line of battle]] The next stage in the evolution of naval warfare was the introduction of metal plating along the hull sides. The increased mass required steam-powered engines, which resulted in an arms race between armor thickness and firepower. The first armoured vessels, the French FS Gloire and British HMS Warrior,