The caption at Yahoo Reads:
“President Barack Obama awards the Medal of Honor to former Marine Cpl. Dakota Meyers, 23, from Greensburg, Ky., Thursday, Sept. 15, 2011, during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington. Meyers was in Afghanistan’s Kunar province in Sept. 2009 when he repeatedly ran through enemy fire to recover the bodies of fellow American troops. He is the first living Marine to be awarded the Medal of Honor for actions in Iraq or Afghanistan. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)”
My understanding is that there are NO FORMER Marines. (with a very, very few dishonorable exceptions)
He is a former Cpl. - now a Sgt. Good intentions, poor writing/editing.
No. The qualifier “former” is acceptable.
The qualifier “ex” is disputed, with exceptions.