My son is taking 30 days of leave in November and is coming home from Okinawa. Does he need a passport or will his paperwork be good enough how does that work? I was never stationed out of country when I was in so I am not sure.

For context, retired from the Marine Corps. DMO picked up my household goods August 7th, and now no one knows where they are??
What are the next steps? That shipment has EVERYTHING.

So basically I got done with boot camp not too long ago, long story short I did something to my knee. Shit hurt all cycle, it’s hard to fully extend and squat on. Got to mct two weeks ago said nothing about the pain, ended up being put in mat due to there being not enough space in the female platoon. I never got checked out for it in boot because I feared staying. I got picked back up today and now I’m wondering whether or not I say something to medical tomorrow. I mainly don’t wanna get stuck in Lima, would love another two weeks in mat to recover but idk if I can swing that. Also don’t know if I should just push through. Any input is appreciated

Anyone ever ran the MCM before? I’m running at the end of the month here and I was planning on just stuffing my little flip belt with some haribo bears and getting water at all the water points. My wife thinks I’m insane and wants me to get a vest to carry more shit but I really don’t want to buy a vest to use it for one day.

How possible is it to just carry your own food and no water?

I was with 3rd AABN 2008-2011, and never got to see the C7's C2 upgrade. We still had the ancient MSQ, the VRC-92s and had just begun to upgrade to the PRC-150 and PRC-117.

Does anyone happen to have a ramp shot of one of these? I wanted to see what the upgrade looked like.

Be mindful of OPSEC, obviously.

They should have hardened 40oz versions, or softer saggy ones. I myself would pick Deep (color) and maybe that number 4 (shape, number 5 is a little too much for me tbh). If the company (which looks Israeli owned) can affect olfactory Spicy Latina aroma that would be game changer!

My boy Tomanio. Killed a few days ago in a vic accident up in Bangor. You never know when your number or the number of someone you care about is up. Make the most of your time with your friends and family. Semper Fi brother and rest in peace, you were a good one.

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/19PuHL75Q5/

"Key Guidelines for Accommodations

• Case-by-Case Approval: Exemptions are not automatic. Each service member must submit a formal request that is reviewed individually, balancing personal faith with military duties.

• Hair Standards: When approved for uncut hair, soldiers must style it neatly (such as in braids or cornrows) while wearing the uniform.

• Feather Display:

Sacred eagle feathers and associated regalia are authorized for display during official military ceremonies, formal events, and prescribed portrait sessions.

• Branch Policy:

Policies are handled through military religious accommodation channels (such as U.S. Army regulations under AR 670-1), and similar request paths exist across other service branches."

Gents, how do yall deal with suicides? I apologize for depressing post but I’m sure you all have dealt with it, suicides of friends. It used to eat me up alot and I’ve accepted the losses but every now and then emotions come back especially when i see old pictures or think about memorable moments with them.

It’s kind of ironic because they’re usually the last type you’d think that would do it. I guess I’m kind of venting.

Rest easy Barnes, you would’ve been 34 yesterday. Miss you brother. I hope you’re finally at rest.

Can someone qualified and competent please tell me what the actual difference between FTAP and STAP is? I’m having a really hard time finding a recent definition. I found maradmins from FY06 determining it as a “sergeant and above that reenlisted at least once”, but I’m sure it’s more nuanced than that. What even constitutes a reenlistment? I’ve been told STAP is determined by your EOS date changing, but that doesn’t really make any sense to me, since normally that date wouldn’t change if you reenlist while you’re still in.

Command Element MEU a bunch of us got these, but not everyone. We were told it was for MSLT and/or advance party stuff. Where we'd go ahead of the MEU in collared shirts and khaki pants and dress shoes, pack our gear and go augment an embassy or some shit. Never used it tho' in real life. Now I can't even find MSLT anywhere in the write-ups, and I understand theres FAST/MSAU now so maybe its that and MEUs don't do this anymore? Obsolete. I don't fuckin know. But during work ups, it was always the same Comm, Radbn and STA guys doing notional MSLT in a scenario, and we'd all be setting shit up on the roofs. so I'm pretty sure STA had brown passports as well. Any others?

EDIT: thanks, dudes. initially i thought these were just for MEU MSLT stuff, but I guess these brown official passports were used for all sorts of shit in the Marines, to include SP-MAGTFs, Civil Affairs, some dude playing switcheroo with his passports, Air Wing on MEU just cause, random dets somewheres, Marine One, and then also MSGs getting black passports which is sick. very productive thread , answered a lot of my questions... and then some. good stuff.

He’s been out for however long and is still chiming in on Marines and their haircuts, uniforms, etc etc. This is why Marines need hobbies and a life outside of the uniform.

With the implementation of the M27 at all levels, should guys with weapons or radios or even squad leaders start getting issued the RWK variant of the M27? It’s an 11 inch barrel which I know for dudes rocking 60mm mortars, 81mm mortars, MAAWs, JAVs, ect, would help them out a lot.

It just makes sense to me that if the plan is to phase out all M4s and replace them with M27s that guys who are on crew serves maintain a smaller, lighter package for a rifle. I mean with SCO, suppressor, peq, grip, this rifle is Gatta be hovering at 13lbs. Which is fine I suppose for a riflemen, but how does that make any sense for a mortarmen or a someone with a crew serve on top of everything.

Edit:
Thinking smart and using our heads here..

RWK weighs 3lbs less.
60mm HE is 3lbs
50 round belt is around 3lbs

Let’s say your Marine can carry 140lbs for a 20km hump. He’s got the strength and everything ect. Why not swap a rifle out he’s not gonna use and give him extra ammo. From a Mortarmen perspective you’ve given the section 10 more rounds. That’s an entire fire mission for each gun team.

It’s not a question of is the Marine strong enough, is the Marine being a bitch, you can take your strongest Marine and weakest Marine, with the weight they can already carry, swap their rifles and we just made room for 3 more pounds of something else, ammo, demo, water ect.

Pretty damn cool to stand next to my dad in our dress blues. He’s a Beirut vet, and I’m an Iraq vet. Different generations, but we both got to serve our country. Proud to have followed in my dad’s footsteps and to share this memory with him. Semper Fi! 🇺🇸

I absolutely fucking hate going to the ball every year. Why tf do we consistently choose the venues that cost 20k and keep upping the price on Marines to attend something that’s mandatory and if they choose not to pay then they’re punished with more working parties, duty, etc.

I’d much rather have a big ass cookout at the squadron/HQ and everyone brings a 6pack or something.

Am I the only one? Shit is gay asf not gonna lie

I randomly remembered this today after being out since 2018 but did anyone have their units volunteer them to work security as concerts and shit to raise money for the ball? Anyone get to see anything interesting?

I think I went to a U2 concert as well as Tove Lo and Comic Con and worked a shift there for ball money. U2 was actually decent music. Tove Lo flashed us and that was cool. Comic Con was a scam since im pretty sure they said we would get tickets if we signed up but all we got was a bus pass to go from the parking lot to the venue.

It's never made sense to me that the Sgt major of the marine corps is paid the same as a Sgt major at a MALS. Or is there special pay?

With the new implementation of the revamped swim qual and it eventually being integrated into JEPES. If a junior Marine or a NCO who previously missed score for promotion, Would a previous swim qual that granted them the required points rate a remedial from that date ? My thoughts are that it will go from the date the section was Implemented into JEPES, rather than the date the qualification was awarded. If anyone has a deeper understanding or thoughts please do share.

I submitted my HUMS package about 2 weeks ago, although my chain was NOT happy about it, what is the expected timeline to hear if it got approved or denied? (per the order I do meet all requirements for the package to be accepted)