Where and When Did Rev. Wright Serve as a Marine?

myself ^ | 3-22-08 | me

[Judith Anne]

I've heard several times that B. Rocko Bama's Rev. Wright served as a Marine.

Does anyone have any idea when or where he served? What kind of discharge he got? Did he get any medals? In other words, I am starting to wonder.

[Judith Anne]

I see your point, but there is no one here criticizing. My point was simply that since so much has been made of the fact that Rev. Wright served as a Marine, and I normally grant a measure of respect to those who serve as Marines, I wanted to know what he did, as a Marine.

If it hadn’t been mentioned so much, I wouldn’t have been curious.

[flicker]

on military.com: ohecked out for “buddies”
No record found for Jeremiah A. Wright.

[flicker]

on military.com: ohecked out for “buddies”
No record found for Jeremiah A. Wright.

[Judith Anne]

Thanks, Flicker. I appreciate your attempt.

[archy]

I think PFC is E2 which is exactly one step above recruit. Upon graduation from boot camp in the Navy, everyone was moved to E2. Most everybody made E3 in the Navy without problems. In the Marines, I believe an E3 is a Lance Corporal, not an automatic advancement.

The Marines went through a change in rank structure in 1962. The old rank structure (without the crossed rifles in the chevrons) consisted of pay grades E-1 thru E-7 -- Pvt, Pfc, Cpl, Sgt, SSgt, TSgt (Technical Sgt--but, usually referred to as Gunny) and MSgt. (MSgts filled the billets as 1stSgt/SgtMaj in each unit.)

The new, and present, rank structure consisted of pay grades E-1 thru E-9 adding the rank titles of LCpl, 1stSgt, MGySgt and SgtMaj--with the new chevrons with the crossed rifles.

There was a transition period where for several years, the old chevrons were still worn until the wearer was promoted. However, rank title was changed to the use of the word Acting preceeding your rank, and followed by the paygrade. For instance, a Cpl would then be known as Acting Cpl (E-3), a Sgt as Acting Sgt (E-4), etc. And so there were, all at one time, both Acting Cpl (E-3) and Cpl (E-4), Acting SSgt (E-5) and SSgt (E-6) and so on up and down the line. My suspecion: some platoon officer reccomended other Marines in Wright's platoon for promotion and higher ranks, based on their intent to remain in the Corps, and possibly, the same unit. The guy going to technical schools [Wright] was therefore passed over, with any rank or grade increase for him to be left up to those able to evaluate his eventual work in his new specialty.

We had much the same policy in my tank outfit circa 1967: those going off to technical schools didn't get promotions finalized until after they'd returned to the unit- and sometimes not then. New guys just out of stateside training units [aka *School Brigades*] didn't get a promotion until they'd AT LEAST gone through the tank gunnery course for record with us at least once, or done at least one border tour in the *Iron Curtain* 5KM zone along the East German-Czechoslovokian border with West Germany.

[archy]

How can it take 2 years to make PFC? My daughter made PFC by the time she got done with Parris Island boot camp.

During peacetime [IE before the Vietnam war opened up a lot of personnell spaces to be filled] rank was a lot more stagnent. Essentially, when you came into a new unit, you *filled a space* for that rank and grade, and did NOT advance unless a position at a higher rank opened up, AND you were qualified to fill it. Boards of company officers and senior NCOs were held to determine whether, for instance, a jeep driver could advance from Private/E2 to PFC, based both on the Table of Organization for the unit as to whether a PFC was authorized for the vehicle he drove, and he had sufficient time and grade and met other criteria for the promotion...as well as having the appropriate training to operate that particular vehicle.

In Vietnam, such positions opened rapidly, either from casualties or from the expiration of the enlistment [ETS] or draftees [2 years] or enlistees [usually 3 years] In Germany/USAREUR, in addition to ETS vacancies, *levies* for personnel by MOS and rank would sometimes also create vacancies if there were troops fitting that criteria who had sufficient time remaining for a one-year tour in Vietnam. And that opened up positions for new guys to make rank MUCH more quickly...and thereby qualify for levies themselves.

[archy]

He was a corpman involved I think in providing food. But don’t remember where I heard that.

Wright's the one standing behind the stand for the I.V. drip. A Navy Hospital Corpsman, 3rd class holds a paygrade of E-4, equivalent to a Marine Corporal or an Army Specialist or Corporal.

[Milligan]

Wright just compared himself with Cheney who never served.

Wright military service does not mention he served in Vietnam.

The Vietnam War didn’t really start until we sent troops in 1965...before that it was military advisors...right?

Wright could of served in Germany speeding down the Autovon...for all you know...just like Elvis!

That’s not Vietnam.

[Milligan]

Obama on Defense...

http://picasaweb.google.com/dorego/BARACKOBAMAAfter04March20085thBatch02/photo#5193792727357709394