Infantry Officer Course – Slightly Qualified

With the Iraq War (Operation Iraqi Freedom) behind us, and Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom) all but over as we approach the 2014 deadline, Marines today will get more opportunities to do some really cool deployments, whether it’s more MEU’s or more chances to jump on deployments to Australia or what you’ll see in the video above – the Black Sea Rotational Force which features infantry battalions from 8th Marine Regiment. While I never got to do a MEU out of 3d Marine Regiment, I did get a chance to deploy to Afghanistan during the surge, but seriously considered sticking around to be a part of the Corps’ first rotational deployment to Australia. Heading the other direction to the Black Sea to work and train with the Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian militaries would also have been cool, and with the Ukraine/Russia conflict getting hotter by the day, the training relevance there is growing exponentially. Whether you’re an active duty Marine, a part-timer, a former Marine like myself, or just a civilian who likes to watch things blow up, this video will surely get you motivated. Enjoy the video of 3/8 kicking ass in Eastern Europe, and as always hit the link below for more!

Continue reading “Moto USMC Video: 3/8 in Summer Shield 2014”

In my four years as a Marine Corps officer, I had many young Marines tell me they had originally enlisted with the Marine Corps because they wanted to become a scout sniper. I have also fielded a handful of phone calls from friends of family whose sons are interested in enlisting, with many of those as well wanting to earn the title, scout sniper. I bring this up because I feel that I am slightly qualified; no, I am not a scout sniper. I was a scout sniper platoon commander however, and have been through Scout Sniper Platoon Commander’s course. I also have had the grueling opportunity to attend Scout Sniper Basic Course, which is the venue where enlisted Marines, and sometimes Navy SEALs, Soldiers, and even Navy Corpsmen get the chance to become Marine scout snipers. I will tell you that school is as physically demanding as Infantry Officers Course, which has been in the news recently, although it doesn’t hold a candle mentally. Regardless, I didn’t make the cut; I fell three shots short on the known distance range to be exact, and it’s a credit to those who do qualify to truly earn the title. I passed every other phase, to include stalking, but that’s not good enough, and I don’t want to cut corners. Not everyone can be a Marine scout sniper, but lots of young men and women are interested in the true path to earning their own hog’s tooth; quietly hit the link below for my best advice to everyone/anyone interested in this elite path.

Continue reading “How to Become a Marine Corps Scout Sniper”