When is an NCO not an NCO?

I, quite frankly, am thoroughly tired of negative press. The Marines in the picture were NOT “forced to break their own code” by holding an umbrella for the Prez. After all, he IS the CIC.

Marines do not hold umbrellas for themselves simply because it makes it difficult to salute. For that matter, I can’t remember a single time I carried an umbrella when I was in uniform, despite the typical tropical weather associated with coastal Mississippi, Okinawa, SoCal, Tennessee, and Carolina. We were issued raincoats and appropriate covers for our head. And wore them when necessary.

Besides that, look closely at the picture, and notice the hands not holding the umbrellas. If there was not a previously established protocol for this sort of occasion, do you think the two Marines would have assumed mirror positions?

Just goes to show, no matter how you translate it, whether it’s “je suis prest” or “semper paratus” the USMC is “semper fidelis.”

When is an NCO not an NCO? Never. And as an NCO, or any soldier, for that matter, the mission always comes first. Whether it means getting wet, holding a brolly, taking a hill, or taking a bullet.