A Cash-Strapped Corps Once Tried Training Marines With ‘Doom’

War is Boring ^ | August 3, 2014 | Matthew Gault

[C19fan]

In the mid ‘90s the Marine Corps decided Doom II might make for an excellent training supplement. It did so for two reasons—a forward-thinking commandant and a budgetary shortfall.

The Marines have always had to make due with little financial support compared to the other military branches. The USMC budget often lands somewhere around four percent of the Defense Department total. In 2010, that budget was about $40 billion. Back in the ’90s, it hovered around $10 billion.

The Corps also needs to train all its troops with limited cash. Regardless of their specialization, every Marine is a trained rifleman.

[C19fan]

Hoo rah! I luved playing "Doom" especially using the chain saw.

[tet68]

I don’t see any reason small unit tactics and weapons
couldn’t be taught that way, especially if they start
in grade school...Ooooorah.

[wally_bert]

I have never understood why the Marines get so little of the budget pie.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

The obviously do more with less.

[Riley]

I remember corresponding with a SGT Dan Snyder during that time, about that very subject. I had a copy of Marine Corps Doom, as I recall.

[longfellow]

My son is great at those online games, no wonder he became a Devil dog.

[MMaschin]

It reminds me of a joke I once read in someones office when I worked at HQMC.

An officer of each branch of the military is given an order to "secure this building".

The Marine officer stations snipers on the roof, fortified machine gun positions at all the entries, and armed patrols on each floor.

The Army officer puts armed guards at all the entries.

The Navy officer ensures all the lights are turned off, and the doors are locked.

The Air Force officer signs a 5 year lease with an option to buy.

[tet68]

Uncle Sam’s Misguided Children.

Sorry, no budget for you...but hey, who wants to
assault a defended beach...? Hey, let’s goooo!

[Rides_A_Red_Horse]

They’d have been better off with “Duke Nukem.”

[aomagrat]

I heard almost the same thing except for the marines.

The marines attacked the building, killed everyone inside and blew it up. “The building is secure.”

[puppypusher]

Now they can train with Call of Duty or other Battle simulators.

[NFHale]

Hahah!!! DOOM!!

Damn, I remember that well. When it came out, someone got a copy of it and propagated it ALL throughout the company I worked at.

We had a Large Screen Display room for product demonstrations, and we got caught playing DOOM on that in the conference room and the whole company was ordered to purge it from every PC.

“Castle Wolfenstein” - also by Id Software was also around back then... and we had THAT installed as well!!

Fun stuff...

[sean327]

I also like U Suckers Missed Christmas.

[JRandomFreeper]

LOL!

Former zoomie, and you are more correct than you know.

/johnny

[The KG9 Kid]

This was called ‘Marine Doom’. I downloaded the WAD file for it. Just awful. Uninstall.

[gunnyg]

Old Corps saying...
Ya can shock the sh!t troops...
But ya cannnot sh!t the shock troops!

Semper FIDELIS!

Dick.G: AMERICAN!
aka: Gunny G
*****

[W.]

You can still get a copy at the Marine Doom wikipage. I have yet to play Doom, I know, I'm late to the party...

[MrB]

Small unit tactics - ah... XCom, UFO Defense! How I miss you!

[Azeem]

I remember when they were doing this. I was stationed in an Air Force training squadron at the time.

[PGR88]

I have never understood why the Marines get so little of the budget pie.

Perhaps some very wise person learned that a lot of government money attracts flies like sh**.