"PC" Takes a Bite Out of Pride

Hazing or Rite of Passage?

from JoeUser Forums
A few years ago there was a large uproar over a videotape of a group of U.S. Marines who had graduated the U.S. Army Airborne School and were receiving their "Blood Wings" in a particularly enthusiastic manner. For those not familiar with the practice it involves placing the metal airborne insignia on the persons chest, or should I say "IN" their chest. The Jump wings are mounted though your uniform shirt on sharp pointed metal prongs approximately 3/4 of an inch long. then they pierce your skin and Voila! You have blood wings.
Now the Marines in this video were getting roughed up pretty good by the previously indoctrinated members of the USMC Airborne community so the SH*T started rolling downhill. I use these Marines as an example of high Espirit de Corps, as they were suffering but afterwards they were damn proud of their accomplishment. Especially from the indoctrination into the club.
These days there is no room for "hazing" or any "physical abuse" when someone recieves a promotion, or is awarded a skill badge that was particularly difficult to achieve. It is my belief that a bit of hazing makes the persons accomplishment all the more real in their own minds, and in the minds of the people who have already earned the honor or rank awarded.
When I recieved my Air Assault Wings at Ft. Campbell, Ky the awardees were completely smoked from our final task that morning but would our instructors slam those wings into our chest and then shake our hand? Sadly no.
We were to hold our Air Assault Wings in our left hand, hold them up as they approached and then they put them through our pocket flap. How boring, just because my feet were bleeding didn't mean I would not have gladly allowed them to pin them into my chest. I felt a bit cheated. I wanted to let them slam them in so i could scream back " yeah motherfucker! Air fuckin assault!!" as the blood ruined my t-shirt. See how this PC crapola keeps sucking our spirits out of us?
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11,409 views 18 replies
Reply #1 from JoeUser Forums Top

See how this PC crapola keeps sucking our spirits out of us?

Yep. I see it all the time.  The flyboyz I live amongst all wear their rank on their sleeves.  There used to be a 'tacking on' procedure when you got promoted, where people got to punch you in the arm as hard as they can to 'tack' on your stripes.  Not any more, somebody got offended and they complained, and now nobody gets to do it anymore.  It's BS.

I have a question for you, because I can't remember the answer:  was it someone within the unit that complained about the 'blood wings'?  I mean someone who actually recieved the wings?  Or was it a member of the public who has no fucking experience about the ways of elite military units that bitched?

Reply #2 from JoeUser Forums Top
When I made Lance Corporal in the Marine Corps '80 everyone who had that rank or higher got to pin it on both sides. (Ouch) Since you walked both ways through the gauntlet while stopping in front of each person. I admit I really didn't enjoy that one but it was an incentive to get promoted faster than the gorillas : /
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Reply #3 from JoeUser Forums Top

was it someone within the unit that complained about the 'blood wings'? I mean someone who actually recieved the wings? Or was it a member of the public who has no fucking experience about the ways of elite military units that bitched?

actually was one of the weenies who got pinned as I recall either that or the guy who videotaped it all.... I could be wrong though...

Reply #4 from JoeUser Forums Top

actually was one of the weenies who got pinned as I recall either that or the guy who videotaped it all.... I could be wrong though...


I'll go google it and see...


Oh, and Geezer, you just got adopted.  We're adopting new bloggers...and you ended up with me.

Reply #5 from JoeUser Forums Top

Ok, this is what I found:


"the videotape of the 1991 incident so generously and conveniently provided NBC and CNN obviously was taken by a participant who has shown his outrage and courage by refusing to be identified. Why has it taken some 5 1/2 years for this individual to come forward? Is he angry because the Marine Corps didn't promote him or give him an assignment he wanted? Possibly he's angry because he wasn't allowed to reenlist due to substandard performance of duty or disciplinary problems. Or was it money offere d by NBC and/or CNN for the videotape that triggered his sudden outrage and burst of conscience? "

I also found this page that explains what happened: Link


Seems that you were probably right, greywar. 

Reply #6 from JoeUser Forums Top
The unit was a Marine Recon Unit (I think) the elite of the finest light infantry in the world. I believe it was a mommy who got up in arms and was blown off. Could have been one guy who didn't make it through RIP but I doubt it. Oh no doubt, the video really is pretty f-ing brutal but it is part of the macho Corps thing in a lot of ways. you would have hated joining my marine detachment on our last cruise. Think cuffs and sticks.
Reply #7 from JoeUser Forums Top

Oh no doubt the video really is pretty f-ing brutal but it is part of the macho Corps thing in a lot of ways.


well, yeah!  You don't attain wings by sitting on your arse all day....and I know from experience that Marines don't relax on their down time by sitting around in deckchairs drinking martini's. Those boys work hard and play harder.


Cuffs and sticks, huh?  Tell me more......

Reply #8 from JoeUser Forums Top
I don't want you to get too excitable before your hubby comes back from the freezer ; )had to edit my no doubt, the
Reply #9 from JoeUser Forums Top


Reply #8 By: SSG Geezer - 8/4/2004 10:39:05 PM
I don't want you to get too excitable before your hubby comes back from the freezer ; )


Aww, please!  If you don't want to come out with it here, email it to me. 

Reply #10 from JoeUser Forums Top

Think cuffs and sticks.

I always suspected you swung that way. "Band of Brothers" indeed!

Reply #11 from JoeUser Forums Top
I should give you a "Trolling" to match your appearance but I was laughing so hard I hit the "insightful by mistake!
I want it back to use on someone deserving!
Reply #12 from JoeUser Forums Top
I talked to a Former Marine who knew some of the video's participants,
they were from an Air Delivery unit. They rig parachutes for airdrops of people and equipment and the
hazing was one of their few ways to feel elite. Compared to the guys they supported, Anglico and Recon
Marines, they aren't so they overcompensated.
Reply #13 from JoeUser Forums Top
Hmmm . . . my husband recently made SPC, and they did the "blood rank" thing where they pushed the pins into his skin. He was really proud and excited with the whole thing . . .
Reply #14 from JoeUser Forums Top
Of course he was! It is a rite of passage thing. Most of these rituals have been neutered or outlawed completely.
Like the title says...
Reply #15 from JoeUser Forums Top
Ah yes the famous "secret society thing". These guys were not really an Elite unit, but they did a lot of work for and with the Elite units.
This is one reason they went a bit overboard. Hell When I crossed the equator it was the better part of two days of crawling around, barking "WOG"
and getting thumped with a piece of firehose. But it actually was a very fun tradition. Now pretty much extinct since the multi-sex Navy came
into being. And to think a Female friend of mine in the Navy wanted to go and serve on a combatant ship but wasn't allowed.
She would have gone along with the old school version of "Wog Day" (because you are a scurvy polliwog until King neptune approves you)
Reply #16 from JoeUser Forums Top
L W...... I just don't know what to say to that! LMAO!
Reply #17 from JoeUser Forums Top
When my ex received his new rank in this way, I just about passed out. It just seemed so brutal. Ugh, and afterwards the rank had to be "popped" out of the flesh. *shudder* Nasty. I can't handle blood and I hate to see anyone I care about bleed.

But he seemed proud of the experience. Good for him. Bad for me.
Reply #18 from JoeUser Forums Top
xtine:

When my ex received his new rank in this way, I just about passed out.


My husband was promoted in the field, and I was so sad to miss his first promotion . . . maybe I should have been glad I wasn't there, huh?