All posts by Jim

Left HS before report cards came out. Enlisted in the Marines for four years. By the time those years were over, I was hooked - they had me for life. Spent nearly ten years as enlisted. Received a Silver Star, Bronze Star w/V, Purple Heart as a Sgt during first RVN tour. Upon returning to the State's received a combat commission to 2Lt. Retired after 36 total years as a Colonel. Book follows my career, but is more about the heroes with whom I served, the great mentors I had, and the leadership principles they instilled in me.

The Marines’ Last Stand

By Ray Starmann

017 (2)     Leave it to the Marines to make the US military’s last stand. It’s the last stand for the Marines, the last stand for reality, the last stand for the military to function as a cohesive war fighting organization and not a Santa Monica yoga class.

In America 180, everything is upside down. What kind of madcap lunatic asylum do we live in when the military has to ask for exemptions to keep women out of combat?  This is what happens when policy is being dictated by radicals whose idea of combat is elbowing for a place in line at the Bloomingdale’s’ lunch counter.
This is what happens when the military’s leaders are gutless moral cowards. Thank God for the Marines. They want an exemption to prevent women from serving in the combat arms branches of the Marine Corps.

The Navy surrendered its masculinity in 1991 after the Tailhook affair and has evolved into the Love Boat with guns and fast planes. The Air Force disappeared over the horizon sometime in the late 90’s. The Army is advertising their 37-year-old Mommy Ranger and sucking down enough Kool Aid to clean out half the grocery stores and lemonade stands in America.  The Pentagon has become a modern-day Jonestown.

But, the Marines won’t go for it. They won’t go for the ridiculous notion that women can cut it in the combat arms and special operations. Unlike the other services, the Marines seem to remember that war is hell and unforgiving and more violent than any civilian can even imagine. The Marines know that in war there is no substitute for victory. The Marines know, but no one else does. They are alone on an island, like one of the many they captured with so much blood and sacrifice and heartbreak in World War II.

A recent U.S. Marine Corps report has concluded that women cannot physically perform well in combat operations. About 400 male and 100 female Marines participated in the Ground Combat Element Integrated Task Force study, which was conducted from October 2014 to July 2015 at Camp Lejeune, NC, and Twentynine Palms, CA.  In September, the Marines released an executive summary that said women in the study sustained significantly higher injury rates than men, were less accurate with infantry weapons and had more difficulty moving “wounded” troops off the battlefield.  Sadly, the Marines had to waste 36 million in taxpayer dollars to tell us something we already knew. But, the liberals and feminist nuts refuse to accept the truth. Liberals don’t like facts. They greatly dislike reality. They view the world they want it to be, rather than the way it really is.

“From a research perspective, there’s almost nothing you could reliably draw from this research,” Megan Mackenzie, a senior lecturer at the University of Sydney in Australia stated. Mackenzie is a radical feminist who has published several books about women in combat. She is an outspoken critic of the “Band of Brothers” myth and believes women can perform well in the combat arms. Of course she’s actually never been in combat herself, but why bring up such trivial details.  Apparently, the US military is taking recommendations from Australian feminist professors.

If the study didn’t persuade anyone, how about the fact that women went 0 for 26 at the Marine Infantry Officer Course this year. That
fact, like the study and all others is shoved under a very large rug and masked by the Pentagon smoke machine.  Facts mean nothing to these people. Testosterone means nothing, upper body strength means nothing, larger aerobic capacity means nothing, less injury prone means nothing. Logic and the truth mean nothing to these modern-day Trotskyists.

Secretary of the Navy, Ray Mabus is the virtual Kool Aid King of the Pentagon E-Ring. Mabus is currently against any exemptions for
the Marines. In a recent Washington Post op-ed piece, Mabus criticized his own organization by claiming the Marines were using “1992 language even as the way we fight and the landscape of our battles has significantly evolved from a quarter-century ago.”

What the hell is Mabus talking about? He makes it sound like war has evolved into some kind of milk toast Olympic sporting event like curling. According to this circus clown, there’s no need for soldiers or Marines to close with and destroy an armed enemy. Has Mabus heard about Fallujah or Tal Afar or a thousand and one other battlefields in Iraq and Afghanistan? Has he seen what is currently going on in the Middle East? This man’s state of delusion is off the charts.  Mabus states that “Every decision I make is purposefully in support of maximizing its combat effectiveness.” Really Mr. Secretary; if you cared about combat effectiveness and not about your Pentagon perks this wouldn’t even be a topic for discussion.

He continues with this obfuscation. “Second, this question is about standards, not gender.”  Hmm, well, it seems that your own service has given you two studies in the last year that clearly show that women cannot hack it in the combat arms. What else do you need Mabus? Should God part the Potomac to prove his point?  Mabus further states. “As the nature of warfare becomes more dynamic and unpredictable, we need to be the strongest force possible, and diversity is one of our greatest strengths. When we talk about diversity, we mean the full spectrum of demographics, but even more important, we mean diversity of thinking. The Marine Corps Times has highlighted an anecdote about the creative,
expeditious way a four-woman team in the Marine Corps’ study confronted an 8-foot obstacle. An American Forces Network report featured female Marines who demonstrated that gender does not define their service. These are the thinkers we need in every part of our force; they will maximize our combat effectiveness.”

In the Pentagon of 2015 we don’t need firepower and riflemen; we can win wars with diversity. And, how about those four women who figured out how to climb over an eight foot wall? What a combat multiplier that must be. They’re some real thinkers.  Newsflash Mabus: four Girl Scouts can figure out how to scale an eight foot wall.  Remember this one, America.  Diversity = Combat Effectiveness.

The Marines are making a last stand for all of us. They are dealing with reality unlike Mabus, Ash Carter, Obama, Mackenzie, and the buffoons running Ranger School. It’s time for the Pentagon to stop lying to itself and the nation it serves.

Semper Fi Marines

NOTE from me: This is the craziest thing I have ever seen our once great nation do in my seventy-five years of living, thirty-six of it as a Marine Infantryman. No one, absolutely no one, has a dog in this fight unless they “Have Been there, Done that!” Otherwise, go suck on the Kool Aid hose and SHUT UP!

Originally posted 2016-01-06 14:08:53.

From D. B. Wright

Posted this Review on Amazon and Good Reads on your great book Col Jim. Semper Fi DB Wright

GunnyThis Author is a very close personal friend, I first met Gunnery Sergeant Jim Bathurst when he reported into the Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C. as the new Company Gunny of Ceremonial Guard Company.

Within two weeks, a combat commission recommendation caught 2dLtup with him, and he was directly appointed a second lieutenant and commander of the Color Guard of the Corps, Body Bearers and the Silent Drill Team.

As a member of the US Marine Drum & Bugle Corps we marched behind Jim in parades and ceremonies around our nation and in Canada. Every Marine who ever served with, or under, Jim throughout his great career in our Corps had an intense pride in doing so to the very best of their ability.

This book, a true labor of love, relates the journey though life and service until retirement from the Marine Corps as a Colonel of Marines! It starts as a high school drop out enlists as a private and follows his career until retirement. Jim served in the thick of combat in Vietnam as a Platoon Leader (2ndLt’s & 1stLt’s position) while only a Sergeant. During that time his actions resulted in being awarded the Silver Star, Bronze Star with “V” (for valor) and Purple Heart.

Any reader will learn many of the secrets of successful leadership. That personal drive, integrity, respect, and honor can come from anyone and along with that the reader will learn a ton of small ways to become a successful leader. The Author’s story of that journey from Private to Colonel as a “Mustang” (Marine’s term for any officer who had previously served as an enlisted Marine and one of great honor and distinction) is inspiring to all, but most especially to the young Marines of today! His description of his time as a Drill Instructor on Parris Island is a peek inside of one of the hardest and elite assignment any Marine can obtain. The title “DI” is one of the hardest to obtain, and once obtained is a brand worn for the rest of a Marine’s life. It is recognized via their professional bearing, command voice (strained horse for live) and their ability to teach.

Am I biased? Absolutely! Any Marine who ever served around, or under, Jim Bathurst, was branded for life by his personal leadership and uncompromising drive to succeed. This is a must have book for the library of any who read about the military and especially those who claim the title of United States Marine! As a retired law enforcement officer this is the kind of book I would use to inspire troubled kids, give them a road map to follow and become a successful and contributing citizen! Semper Fidelis!

 

NOTE: Holy Cow DB, you sure know how to make an old man tear up! Thank you for such kind words, you are too gracious my friend. God bless you and thank you so much. You have no idea how much I loved (and still love) all you guys in the D&B. I have the old albums of the music you guys played back then e.g., “What Now My Love,” “A Hard Day’s Night,” and of course my favorite “Born Free!” I sometimes play them at full volume when I am in my shop and the neighbors just stare at me as though I’m crazy — I am — about you guys! Once again, thank you DB, and Semper Fi my brother, Jim

Originally posted 2016-01-03 16:38:02.

Soaring Valor

I’m going out on the limb here and show a side that I don’t do all that often. I have always been a fan of Mr. Gary Sinise, not only for his abilities on the wide-screen, but for his unapologetic patriotism and concern for military members and veterans. He is atypical of the brash, ungrateful Hollywood types that flood our theaters and TV screens with their less than quality performances, and oftentimes political rhetoric—as though someone actually cares what they think.

I came across one of Mr. Sinise’s videos and was somewhat surprised by the lack of views (168K+). I believe it is well worth the less than eight minutes to watch the expressions of joy and the tears from those involved in these worthy events. God bless Mr. Sinise and all the others who participate in this program for our WW II Veterans—there are less and less of them remaining every month.

I wonder where are the Cruise’s, the Penn’s, the Clooney’s, and the rest of the scum that are missing from scenes. They are probably too busy promoting themselves and another of their trashy movies. Personally, I won’t watch one of their movies on my TV, let alone pay money to see them in a theater.

Originally posted 2015-12-19 15:43:07.

Those Blasted Gyrenes

039d06f75cb623b3d6276c7107fe2f14The Marines, the Marines,
Those blasted Gyrenes,
Those seagoing bellhops,
Those brass-buttoned queens,
Oh! They pat their own back
Write stories in reams,
All in the praise of themselves—
The U.S. Marines!

The Marines, The Marines,
Those publicity fiends,
They built all the forests,
Turned on all the streams,
Discontent with the earth,
They say Heaven’s scenes
Are guarded by—you guess
Right! U.S. Marines!

The moon never beams,
Except when the Marines
Give it permission to turn on its gleams.
And the tide never rises,
The wind never screams—
Unless authorized by the U.S. Marines

The Marines, the Marines,
In their khakis and greens,
Their pretty blue panties,
Red stripes down their seams.
They have thought all the thoughts,
Dreamed all the dreams.

Singing, “The Song of Myself”—The U.S. Marines.—From “Gismo” a publication for all servicemen in the South Pacific, this pent-up irritation was let out in doggerel “believed to be by a sailor.” May 6, 1944.

 

Originally posted 2015-12-17 12:33:18.

TAKE OFF YOUR HAT!!!

This Marine said NO!

Alex at DMVToday Alex went to the DMV to renew his license. When he was told to go have his picture taken he noticed there were some men having their pictures taken wearing turbans. Alex was asked to take his hat off to have his picture taken. He said “no”, and “no” again when asked the second time. When asked why he would not remove his hat he said, “those men didn’t remove their head wear, I shouldn’t either.” It was explained that this was their attire and their religion. Alex told the DMV person that what he had on was his attire, and when he entered the Marines he declared an oath to the USA, and one nation under God, so that his oath was under God—just as good as his religion. The DMV people didn’t know what to do, they spoke to supervisors and called Sacramento. Alex was told, after an hour, that he could wear his hat for the picture and if there were any problems they would let him know and he could appeal their decision. He told them if there was a problem he WILL appeal. Alex feels no one has more right to display their head-gear then a veteran or active duty service person. When he left several employees at the DMV clapped quietly for him. He has spoken to few other Veterans and they plan to do the same.

 

Originally posted 2015-12-16 23:27:05.