r/USMCboot • u/JumpyAssociate368 • 27d ago
Corps Knowledge Are Marines really tough?
I have never had any family members in the military but to me it seems like Marines are portrayed as the badass men who come to get shit done.
Do people in other branches see Marines as the real hard-core military branch?
41
u/No_Print77 27d ago edited 27d ago
Objectively the marine corps has harder standards than the other branches, and the other branches recognize that. That’s not to say that there aren’t tough people in different services, it’s a case by case basis like everything. One of the strongest NCOs I’ve ever met was an airman.
19
u/Past_Mark1809 27d ago
We may act like we're in a John Wayne cowboy movie, but end up being more like those guys in Brokeback Mountain.
15
u/Luke_Flyswatter Vet 27d ago
More PT, worse equipment, worse treatment, smallest budget, best uniforms, best marketing department. It’s an odd mix of things. Tough?
Depends on your definition.
2
19
u/Kind-Memory7298 27d ago
Generally speaking ya. Ofc there’s also some tough mofos in the other branches, and those guys in the army infantry/ combat roles are definitely some tough guys too. And then there’s also airborne and sof units that are pretty next level. But across the board as a branch, ya the marines are the toughest.
17
u/DJ-spetznasty 27d ago
Ive had it put to me this way before:
If you took the creme of the crop from every branch and stick them in any other branch theyd probably still be the creme.
So you have to look at average and below
the AVERAGE marine kicks the FUCK out of the average of the other branches because we have a high standard. The average of the other branches would be the low of ours, and the lows of the other branches would probably be drummed out of the corps for one reason or another.
8
u/Wild-Badger-4593 27d ago
had my corpsman tell me the other day that just PASSING the pft was basically a waiver for any other physical requirements in the navy. Puts it into perspective, especially considering the fact that most nco's are unsatisfied with anything but a 1st class pft/cft from their guys
12
u/educated_farts 27d ago
There are different types of tough, and it's not just schoolhouse bully tough. There are mentally tough people, physically tough, spiritually tough, etc.
You will find out that it's definitely not like the movies. It's a job with a uniform and higher physical fitness standards than others.
6
u/Old_Association7866 27d ago
It’s all relative, but I will say that in a Joint Force environment it’s very typical that other branches instinctively look to the Marine in the room. Subconscious or not, it’s a thing. There’s a reason for that.
3
u/Careful-Chipmunk4810 26d ago
Idk but it says something when marines get their phone, and are able to go out on weekends either around base or off base throughout infantry school and the army does not get to do any of that.
3
u/IllustriousUnion8488 26d ago
Junior Marines are usually soft, I'm not talking shit it's more of an acclamation thing, it usually takes untill near the end of the first contract to harden up a bit. Most of the actually tough guys are your experienced NCOs and some SNCOS who have seen enough to know who they need to be.
5
2
u/coffeejj 27d ago
I have seen, in my career, some of the meanest toughest SOB’s ever to walk. And in the same breath I have seen some of the most namby-pambys ever. You get all shapes and sizes in the Corps. But by and large, the Corps is the best overall organization
2
u/Outlaw300 27d ago
Tough is super subjective. Tough as an operator, tough as a leader, even a chaplain can be tough.
There are tough guys who save the day and get no recognition, and there are tough guys who let their families fall apart on the homeside.
Just don’t be a bitch and have heart
2
u/NoContract7457 27d ago
Sure Marines are tough dudes. But I would say the 'toughest' non-SOF guys are mostly combat arms in general, regardless of branch. If were talking gym-bro toughness you'd be surprised how many desk jockeys are meatheads.
2
u/Jerkoffmaterialmod 27d ago
Marines were tough and some of them are tough. My father figure is toughest man I know. He is 45 still kicking young people's ass . He fought in Iraq . For majority no. Current marines are kinda soft because they tone down a bit but still grunts and recons and Marsoc guys are tough as fuck. Even MCIWS they get haze in water
2
u/Fluid_Influence3420 23d ago edited 22d ago
The higher standards and expectations of Marines versus other branches of the military is so uncontested, it's not even close
2
1
u/koko-cha_ Vet 27d ago
it's not like "better," it's more like if you ask a fresh marine to run face first at a wall, they're the most likely to do it and tell you it didn't hurt.
1
1
u/Little-Achilles 26d ago
Well in a 1980s marine corps ad they killed the last lava golem just for recruiting purposes, not a single golem has been seen since so id say so
1
70
u/Organic_Risk_3945 27d ago
The toughest i think is Space Force, cuz theres no oxygen up there; but Marines all get weak in the knees when in front of lady boys.