Free Republic

More than just a branch of America’s armed forces, the modern U.S. Marine Corps serves as a model that other military forces worldwide have attempted to emulate, with varying degrees of success. Marines are aware of this, and justifiably proud. But that pride has not always been conducive to working and playing well with others.

The older I get, the more I realize what an emotional and powerful experience it is to have served my country. And how incredibly strong the bond becomes between other men and women who have served.

Recruit Daniel Murphy, who in college was a 325-pound offensive lineman protecting quarterbacks and opening holes for running backs, lost 100 pounds to join the U.S. Marines, the military's swift-moving, expeditionary shock troops.

An interesting Newsweek story this week – that references CT Blog among its sources – claims scoring a point against what it paints as a “questionable” Bush administration portrayal of Abu Azzam. In short, the authors of the article, Michael Isikoff and Mark Hosenball claim the Administration’s leaders aggrandized the real importance of the killed al Qaida commander basing their conclusion on a number of non-identified U.S. counter-terrorism officials and a report posted by our colleague Evan Kohlman on the blog. The “charge” by Newsweek is about the hierarchy of the man. Was he or was he not the “number...

With all the finger pointing going on over the "disastrous" disaster relief efforts on the part of the federal government, I thought it would be informative to share an exchange between a well-intentioned sideliner who is critical of the response time of the military to relief efforts in New Orleans, and a U.S. Naval officer.

A few months ago, these same guys were fighting in Iraq. Now they were roaring down the highway in a long green line in central South Carolina, in the lane next to me. As I mentioned, they looked tough. But most also looked as if they were barely old enough to shave. Some of them probably had tubes of Clearasil (or whatever teenagers use today to fight acne) stowed away in their field packs.

Unlike the easy ambush of Private Jessica Lynch and her ordnance maintenance unit that made a wrong turn in a bad neighborhood back in 2003, insurgents today are learning that striking any American unit – combat arms or not – can be costly. "When the guys we're training today get hit, they'll fight their asses off," Reece says. Recruits are certainly learning from those who've been in the fight.

I was born to be a soldier. Not that I was particularly brave or even destined for a distinguished military career, but I think there is something inherent in most Southern boys that predisposes them to the profession of arms. I simply got a bigger dose of it than most.

by Leah Kaminsky Special to World Defense Review The first email message I received from Mom after the second attacks on London read: "So Leah, what are the alternatives to mass transit to-and-from your work? A bike? A scooter?" At first I laughed: Does Mom actually think it's safer for me to "scoot" in-and-out of rush-hour London than it is to ride the tube? Then the thought of me in my work clothes with a helmet strapped to my head, frantically zipping down the major highways that wind into the city, yelling, "Bloody English!" at honking, speeding cars along my...

Nothing tougher than an American Marine By W. Thomas Smith Jr. This is one of those rare moments when it might be better if I were not a former Marine. Don't misunderstand me, I'm incredibly proud of my prior service as one of America's "few good men." But I'm afraid I may now come across as being somewhat less-than objective when I attempt to blast Navy fawning James F. Dunnigan out of the water (no pun intended). Here's why: Last month, Dunnigan, acclaimed author and the editor in chief of Strategy Page, wrote a piece, "Why the U.S. Navy Is...