Seller Fi devil dog... I may disagree with you on Obama (I couldn't ever have voted for him) but I agree with you that Putin is not a good dude. He and his spin doctors are doing an outstanding job with his image but thats not the real Putin..
Sorry bout your brother in Beruit.. I am a little younger - graduated OCS 1994 but I worked with some older cats that knew guys there.
FYI - I respect the shit out of you leaving the island 79... I have heard it was a mother back then!!!
Allow me to give you a proper virtual salute, SIR!
I was all set up for the PLC program for USMC/ OCS after 2 years of college , but wanted to go right in after the Marine Barracks/ Hostage situation broke out in Iran in 1979. I was young, dumb and gung ho as hell, so I enlisted and just went right in.
Let me tell ya, going thru boot camp on Parris island back then was no f'n joke.
Having to "qualify" for NBC training with the gas mask in that gas filled hut was the worst.
I swear to GOD, I thought I might be allowed to die in there LOL.
I went TDY and was assigned to be an ammo supply point (ASP) security guard for a few months.
For that temporary MOS, I had to get cleared for a "deadly force card".
It's not that big a deal and I think all military police and security details have something similar.
It's the UCMJ legal requirements for the 10 basic reasons you can use deadly force in the course of duty.
It really is a lamented index card you were required to carry with the 10 things listed 1-10. I never shot anyone, but it was cool to get the card.
I even did 11 months , 14 days on "the rock" LOL, 3rd marine div on Okinawa.
My official MOS was 3421 ( personal financial accounting or dispursing- pay clerk )
I half volunteered to be one of the pay clerks on a float out of Japan.
BUT, that kinda sucked, a lot of 16 hr work days on ship, 100% serious.
I had a short stint with special services on the USMC power team as a 198 lb lifter.
We pulled the army team like rag dolls in an exhibition tug of war down in Savanna.
Ooooh Rah Sir!