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One has to volunteer for the Marines, be accepted and then
earn their EGA and dress blues;
one can still be drafted into the Army.
-
The Army has Drill Sergeants; the Marines have Drill
Instructors.
-
Marine
slang is creative and colorful; Army slang is not.
-
Every Marine is a rifleman (0311); only some soldiers are.
-
All Marines are amphibious; only some soldiers are.
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Marines are also known as "Leathernecks",
"Jarheads, "Gyrenes", "Grunts" or "Ground
Pouners"; soldiers are also knows as "doughboys" or
"GIs".
-
Marines have Lance Corporals (E-3) and Gunnery Sergeants
(E-7); The Army has Corporals (E-3) and 1st Sergeants (E-7).
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Marine NCO's are authorized to carry a ceremonial sword; Army NCOs are not.
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Marines have "platoon commanders"; the Army has
"platoon leaders".
-
Marines are historically the first in and the last out of a
conflict -
hence the nickname "Ground Pounders".
-
Marines attack and take ground; they rarely hold ground or give
it back and then ONLY when there is a FUBAR situation created by some
Army Generals (Examples: Chosin Reservoir, Khe San, Beirut,
etc.)
-
Marines hate to turn ground they've just taken over to the
Army; they know the Army may give it up and the Marines will have to take it
again.
-
Soldiers follow orders; Marines overcome, adapt and
improvise to accomplish their mission.
-
Only Marines guard US Navy commanding officers at sea, US Embassies - as well as the streets of Heaven.
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The Army has Green Berets, Rangers, Airborne, etc. The
Marines are ALL "special forces".
-
The Marines are the only service to drive trucks and tanks,
fire mortars and artillery, fly helicopters and planes - and all from land
bases as well as on and from US Navy ships.
-
Marines rarely, if ever, leave a comrade in arms behind -
even a fallen comrade.
-
The Army gets all new equipment and gear; and still takes 10
times as many people and four times as long to accomplish the same mission
as the Marines can with used equipment and gear.
-
Even then, the Army awards far more medals and promotions than the
Marines.
-
There are many ex-soldiers, but only Active Duty and Former
Marines.
