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New UK memoir

USMCRET

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From Joseph Cosgrove "Being a Wednesday and the foyer closed the captain took me as his driver to go and visit one of the sections on terrain."

Joseph I have a very similar story, I was a very young Corporal, matter of fact I had just been promoted to Corporal Meritoriously during the Gulf War, and the S3 Operations Officer Major Balleski and the S2 Intelligence Officer Chief Warrant Officer 4 decided they had to go to the Jump Combat Operations Center (COC) just inside of Kuwait. So of Course, he, Maj. B, says Corporal B. go get the hummer we are going to Kuwait right now. What can I say other than a Marines Corps Response, Aye Aye Sir! Off we went into Kuwait. And, I need to mention the Major and the CWO4 were Marine Corps Reservist, not active duty like we were, they were activated and their company joined our Battalion, 8th ESB.

Now to get into Kuwait we had to navigate through the Iraqi Mine Field they had laid down prior to the commencement of Desert Storm on the boarder between Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. I am an a Marine Corps Engineer, and our Bravo Company, 8th ESB, had the task of breeching the mine field and open lanes for tanks and other infantry vehicles to pour into Kuwait to expel the Iraqis. Bravo Company had just unleashed the Line Charge, a rocket with a cable attached and on the cable there's almost a couple thousands of pounds of C4, to create a path through the minefield. If you don't know what a line charge is, check out this link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNOIP1dLMaw

But I imagine the Greens on here know what it is, the You Tube video is for the Blue Aspirants with no Military experience a little Motivation to get them pumped up and to head to France for the Legion.

While we are going through the mine field heading to our advanced COC we had to pass through all of the Oil Wells in the Burgan Oilfield. The Iraqis had been blown up all the wells in their retreat, here is a link to see some great images. https://www.google.com/search?q=Bur...hUh6oMKHV4ZBNAQsAQINA&biw=1920&bih=1054&dpr=1.

The oil at each well was a geyser of oil with extreme pressure reaching more than 100 feet in the air and they were on fire. There was also a lake of oil and it was burning too, the whole seen was something straight out of the Apocalypse. After we arrived at the COC and he did his little look around The Major and the Chief Warrant Officer decided to do a bit of souvenir hunting, Iraqi Aks or other Military equipment to take as trophies. We go to this bombed out building, it was hit with a 2000 pound bomb, the crater was awesome and the building rubble. By this time there had been Intel about the Iraqis booby trapping things just for the reason the dumbass Major drug me into he wanted a trophy, also the Maj. and the CWO wanted to get their Combat Action Ribbon (CAR). This was a trophy and CAR adventure I did not want to be on. So the Major goes into a portion of the building and he found an Iraqi foot locker, a small chest, and he just went up to it and lifted the lid carelessly. I turned white, remember the booby trapping, I looked at the Major and said SIR! please do not open things like that again if it were booby trapped you would have been killed, his response, it will be all right Corporal B. Again, Aye Aye Sir! Then I told him Sir, I am going to go back to the HUMMVE and wait for you and the CWO. I fully expected to her the thud of an explosion soon because of his carelessness and I would have to pick up his lifeless body. The bastard got lucky, there were no traps there.

After we explored Kuwait, burning tanks, armored troop carriers, destroyed radar sites, and seeing the body parts all around it was time to head back to Saudi Arabia to our Forward Operating Base (FOB). I had to again navigate the oil field on fire and the mine field to get back to the FOB. We arrived back somewhere around 24:00. What an adventure all because insecure Reservist Officers wanted a taste of war and they were as we say in the Marine Corps "Ribbon Hunting Warriors."
 

USMCRET

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A screw. In charge of the guys banged up en Taule. Sorry Joe couldn't resist it mate ha ha ha

A Screw, Prison Guard? For knuckle heads that Fecked up? Man your euphemisms are great, I am learning a whole new vocabulary.
 

Joseph Cosgrove

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A screw. In charge of the guys banged up en Taule. Sorry Joe couldn't resist it mate ha ha ha

Mick You'd have been glad to have me as a garde punis. I would come across, especially the weekends, guys getting casse croutes and beer brought to them from the foyer or company club. I'd take a beer and move on.
 

Joseph Cosgrove

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A Screw, Prison Guard? For knuckle heads that Fecked up? Man your euphemisms are great, I am learning a whole new vocabulary.

You don't necessarily have to mess up to end up in jail. It's a legion way. Unless it's a major banane it does not affect your career at all. You do your time, come out, no change in rank and carry on. I know one guy who got out three days early to be sent on his Sgt's course. He took off his 'bob' when talking to me while in jail, 4 months later I was saluting him. Did he have any hard feelings? No. I didn't send him to the taule.
 

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It basically means 'In prison'

In the Corps we have the Brig, used to have Correctional Custody, and 45/45 Restriction.

The Brig is prison for the serious Feck-ups

We did away with Correctional Custody, Marines with Attitudes would get sent top CC for a couple of months. The CC Unit was staffed by very unadjusted to regular Marine Corps life former Drill Instructors. CC Unit made boot camp look like Sunday School. Other services like the Navy or Air Force would send some of their little precious ones over for adjustment. When I mean precious the little AF shites were pampered and not used to being handled, let's say roughly and dominated by the maddest most sadistic former Drill Instructors.

45 and 45 is 45-days restriction and 45-days extra duty. 45 and 45 is house arrest. The Old man would sentence the screw ups to 45 and 45 for things like being UA (Unauthorized Absence) or a smaller offense. They had to report everyday to their company for a regular day, then at 16:30 they had to check in with the Battalion Officer of the Day (Enlisted and Officers stand this 24-hour Post once a month) to begin scrubbing shitters and such. Once they were done with Corvee, back to the barracks; however, they were not allowed to be out of uniform until after their last check-in with the OOD at 22:00. They had to check in every 2-hours until 22:00 then the OOD would do surprise bed checks at random wee hours of the morning. They had no liberty, no visitors, were not allowed to be any other place besides their duty station, their barracks room, or at the Battalion cleaning toilets and painting rocks. In Cuba I had a 1st Sergeant (Senior Enlisted in a Company) dump several boxes of 50 pound Nails of varying sizes into a heaping pile of nails and he made the knuckleheads re-sort all of the nails then he'd dump them again.

Instead of 45 and 45, I believe I would have preferred the Brig!
 
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176607Mick

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In the Corps we have the Brig, used to have Correctional Custody, and 45/45 Restriction.

The Brig is prison for the serious Feck-ups

We did away with Correctional Custody, Marines with Attitudes would get sent top CC for a couple of months. The CC Unit was staffed by very unadjusted to regular Marine Corps life former Drill Instructors. CC Unit made boot camp look like Sunday School. Other services like the Navy or Air Force would send some of their little precious ones over for adjustment. When I mean precious the little AF shites were pampered and not used to being handled, let's say roughly and dominated by the maddest most sadistic former Drill Instructors.

45 and 45 is 45-days restriction and 45-days extra duty. 45 and 45 is house arrest. The Old man would sentence the screw ups to 45 and 45 for things like being UA (Unauthorized Absence) or a smaller offense. They had to report everyday to their company for a regular day, then at 16:30 they had to check in with the Battalion Officer of the Day (Enlisted and Officers stand this 24-hour Post once a month) to begin scrubbing shitters and such. Once they were done with Corvee, back to the barracks; however, they were not allowed to be out of uniform until after their last check-in with the OOD at 22:00. They had to check in every 2-hours until 22:00 then the OOD would do surprise bed checks at random wee hours of the morning. They had no liberty, no visitors, were not allowed to be any other place besides their duty station, their barracks room, or at the Battalion cleaning toilets and painting rocks. In Cuba I had a 1st Sergeant (Senior Enlisted in a Company) dump several boxes of 50 pound Nails of varying sizes into a heaping pile of nails and he made the knuckleheads re-sort all of the nails then he'd dump them again.

Instead of 45 and 45, I believe I would have preferred the Brig!

I slept on a concrete floor wearing an itchy old uniform and boots with no laces. I stood up when eating and was in solitary confinement for 14 days. The crime? Beating the shit out of a French sgt in Guyane - he asked me to take him on? Devant Le section So I did. He had it in for Le ******* from day one. He went to the ccs and me to Regina. Knob.
 

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I slept on a concrete floor wearing an itchy old uniform and boots with no laces. I stood up when eating and was in solitary confinement for 14 days. The crime? Beating the shit out of a French sgt in Guyane

I don't care who you are that shite right there is funny.
 
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176607Mick

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Mick You'd have been glad to have me as a garde punis. I would come across, especially the weekends, guys getting casse croutes and beer brought to them from the foyer or company club. I'd take a beer and move on.

Ha ha. It reminds of my best commando raid from the prison to the pouf and back with a few crates of Kro for the blokes banged up. After lights I managed to get out of the back of the nick, clambered across the zone technique hiding behind the vehicles whilst scooting into the bar. Once there I saw a few mates so once beer was bought I stayed for a few. Then two PM's did there normal nose around and one particular horrible Portuguese CCH looked at me straight in the eyes. I thought..that's it, I'm done. But he just left..phew. I then waited until my mate shitters was on duty at the gate and legged it back to the nick, in through the window and handed out my ill gotten gains. A day later whilst appel that same CCH was on duty and looked at me with a puzzled expression, as if to say..I know you Jonny..I smiled. He smiled back. I was a crazy ****er in those days. Do I regret anything? Not one second. I was told by a British adjudent that I was going to Regina a day after I got out. From then on, I was in the trees and 'soldiering' never once after that did I spend anymore time en taule.
 

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Ha ha. It reminds of my best commando raid from the prison to the pouf and back with a few crates of Kro for the blokes banged up. After lights I managed to get out of the back of the nick, clambered across the zone technique hiding behind the vehicles whilst scooting into the bar. Once there I saw a few mates so once beer was bought I stayed for a few. Then two PM's did there normal nose around and one particular horrible Portuguese CCH looked at me straight in the eyes. I thought..that's it, I'm done. But he just left..phew. I then waited until my mate shitters was on duty at the gate and legged it back to the nick, in through the window and handed out my ill gotten gains. A day later whilst appel that same CCH was on duty and looked at me with a puzzled expression, as if to say..I know you Jonny..I smiled. He smiled back. I was a crazy ****er in those days. Do I regret anything? Not one second. I was told by a British adjudent that I was going to Regina a day after I got out. From then on, I was in the trees and 'soldiering' never once after that did I spend anymore time en taule.

You know Johnny, I do believe you done it right. We have a saying if you have never been to Office Hours (Administrative Punishment) you were not a Marine. And there is a Marine Corps famous saying from our very beloved Chesty Puller, "take me to the Brig, where the real Marines are."

You lived it to the fullest from what I can tell.
 
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176607Mick

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You know Johnny, I do believe you done it right. We have a saying if you have never been to Office Hours (Administrative Punishment) you were not a Marine. And there is a Marine Corps famous saying from our very beloved Chesty Puller, "take me to the Brig, where the real Marines are."

You lived it to the fullest from what I can tell.

Well, it was a mixture of smoking 3 Marlboro reds at 5am, running 8km with the section and nearly always coming first back through the gates after a night of kronenbourg enduced sleep for 5years Plus.
 

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You don't necessarily have to mess up to end up in jail. It's a legion way. Unless it's a major banane it does not affect your career at all. You do your time, come out, no change in rank and carry on. I know one guy who got out three days early to be sent on his Sgt's course. He took off his 'bob' when talking to me while in jail, 4 months later I was saluting him. Did he have any hard feelings? No. I didn't send him to the taule.

You see Joseph, another good reason to admire the Legion. In the Corps your career would be over. If you were busted, reduced in Rank, you would never be allowed to re-enlist if you wanted. I did a as you say, a "Banana," not a very bad one but one good enough to have me standing in front of the Battalion Commander. I was all ready a Staff Sergeant and I had about 12-years in the Corps at the time. By accepting the Article 15 administrative proceeding I knew I could not get demoted to Sergeant, that has to be done at a Courts Martial. My offense did not warrant a Courts Martial. From that day I was doomed to never be promoted again. When I retired I retired as a Staff Sergeant with 13-years in grade (rank).

The second chances the Legion offers is amazing, I wish the Marine Corps were more forgiving, there are so many young men in the United States that need the harsh discipline they gain in the Corps, instead, they go down a very unproductive path to prison or worse.
 
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17660 Mick,

Never to forgotten- self charged with 'Dumb Insolence' by my DI Cpl. Marched off the parade square (mad acre) under arrest.

Then direct to guardroom cells. Formally charged landed up with kit inspections every 4 hours accompanied by extra drill, on the square, thereafter.

In the interim not only getting my kit squared away but cleaning the heads with a toothbrush. Barton Stacey and Colchester were nothing in comparison to RM Prison which luckily I avoided.
 

Peter Lyderik

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Had once more a look at this thread, and it is a good example, unfortunately, that some of our Anciens don't know how to behave. A real shame :(
 
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Peter,

That is why I am retiring from the forum pro-tem. It has definitely declined. I shall however retain a watching brief from afar.

Kind regards,

Chas.
 

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Peter,

That is why I am retiring from the forum pro-tem. It has definitely declined. I shall however retain a watching brief from afar.

Kind regards,

Chas.

The amount of Anciens and currently serving has decreased dramatically on the forum, it's always sad to see the real advice givers leave. Look forward to seeing you again on the forum after your temporary retirement...we need our linguistic bootneck to sort out the Riff Raff every now and again.
 

Jefferson'86

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Just popped in. Best thread in years... I;m with Wakey... But I understand why Murray used other photos... If I looked like him, I would have gone with Gollum rather than that weak looking d:ck broom hanging under his nose...

Just saying... As for criminal records... I now have a greatest hits album...

Growing old disgracefully...

Stay Safe...
 

mulgarat

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Just popped in. Best thread in years... I;m with Wakey... But I understand why Murray used other photos... If I looked like him, I would have gone with Gollum rather than that weak looking d:ck broom hanging under his nose...

Just saying... As for criminal records... I now have a greatest hits album...

Growing old disgracefully...

Stay Safe...

Thought the thread was going somewhere but two of the protagonists exited. The best thread ever was the SexyArmy (USA) versus ExPongo (UK) battle it out around June 2011.
Jeezus that was funny.

Now I watch Fergie doing his best to get banned from Face Book by posting the most tasteless shit he can find. LOL
 
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