[Old Teufel Hunden]

" It was never a secret: all of the Ground Intel officers and SNCOs that have ever served in a Marine infantry battalion have known."

I can't speak to how long the SS symbol has been a part of Scout Snipers. But I can speak to the above statement. As someone who was a former SNCO in a Marine Infantry battalion I never noticed the SS symbol.

I notice you were in 2/9 during the 80's. I was in 2/5 during that time, one of your sister batallions up at Camp Margarita. Probably humped a lot of the same hills and I know we ran up Magarita peak a few times. However, I never noticed the SS symbol on the STA guys, but then again I didn't have a whole lot of contact with them.

[Salvavida]

Wow, you brought back a lot of fond (and painful) memories. Margarita peak was no joke. Those ridge runs sucked too. Yep, we were definately in the same place at the same time. I reported to 2/9 in April 1986. I can’t remember if we relieved you in Oki, or you relieved us (the following year).

As for the SNCOs, I was refering to those that served with the Ground Intel officers (plt cmdr and plt sgt). But the knowlege of such was very well known. The SS symbol predates me, but I lived in the same barracks, and later served in H&S, my roommate was a SS. Even the other SSs that I met, they all sported the insignia in some way, particularly on their green “lifer” book.

It will be interesting how this all plays out since SECDEF ordered a probe. There is going to be a big surprise once all the data comes in. I bet a run up Margarita peak that NCIS will get involved to investigate whether or not Nazism in any form, was part of the culture.

Semper Fi