Great news! Watch for the new movie at your local theater called We’ll All Die As Marines starring  _________  (you fill in the blank)

My book was published by IUniverse, which is a POD Publisher (Print On Demand). In other words, I paid them to print my book, and I will say they did a magnificent job. I love the cover, which they designed once I provided them with the photos, verbiage, etc. They even designed the website, business cards, book markers, and postcards — by the way, none of this was cheap. Once all that was done they do nothing but sell the book at what I consider an exorbitant price, but I have no say in that whatsoever, it is all based on the number of pages.

I believe they actually make their money on selling programs not books. I have bought into some of their many marketing programs at several thousand dollars each, which did nothing but put me deeper into the red. While some appeared to have promise of getting the book in front of a quasi-military audience, I cannot attribute one sale to any of the programs I purchased.

I was constantly hounded, and yes, I considered it “hounded” and unprofessional to continually call me to buy a program to market the book so they could sell more and receive 80% of the net profit on each sale.

Then came the final shot — they tipped the scales with this one. They wanted me to have a screen writer do an outline, which they would send to an entertainment company. If the company liked it, I would then allow the screen writer to actually develop a movie script. Sounds wonderful right? What author would not want to see his book title on a theater marque, or on a DVD at Blockbuster’s, or on Netflix? There is one small catch; however, this entire program was to cost me slightly over $20,000.00. And even then, there was no guarantee that it would be picked up by a production company. Needless to say, I damned near fell out of my chair laughing at the poor gal that had to make that call.

First of all, the book is not the type that would produce a movie script. Had she read it, or even scanned it before making the call? Hell, had anyone at the company even peeked at the book to see if it had the right kind of story? I think not.

Therefore, once I regained my composure, I politely told the young woman that I thought I’d pass. I told her I wouldn’t do it because they might get Cruise, Clooney, or worse yet Penn to play me. I could handle Mark Wahlberg, Gary Sinise, or John Travolta — I like their passion. She actually thought I was serious and told me I would have “rights” in the production. This was so hilarious — it was beyond belief, and it ended my relationship with the publisher, except for ordering books from them.

So, I am sorry to say, there will be no movie entitled We’ll All Die As Marines. LOL

Semper Fi, Jim

Originally posted 2016-02-17 11:03:55.

I have no idea how I became blessed with the honor of commanding the Special Ceremonial Platoon (SCP) at Marine Barracks, 8th & I, Washington, D.C.  The platoon consisted of three sections: the Corps’s Color Guard, the Body Bearers, and the Silent Drill Team. It was my Officer Candidate School (OCS) as I reported in as a SSgt from Vietnam destined to become the platoon sergeant of SCP. However, a combat commission recommendation from my RVN company commander was approved and I became the platoon commander vice the platoon sergeant — quite a strange sequence of events.

I was blessed to be able to see first-hand what these Marines do day in and day out. It is quite a story in my book and worth the read, especially if you are familiar with the battles during my time there (1967-69) — the Tet Offensive of 1968. The Body Bearers were so busy, we had to augment them and the color guard with Marines from the drill team. A very sad time for all of us in Ceremonial Guard Company. While every burial was deeply emotional, it became unbearable when you knew the Marine you were burying.

This link will take you to an inside look at what it is like to be one of the brave souls — it is very emotional to me personally. God bless those Marine s assigned to that duty. Read the book and learn what it takes to be one of these blessed souls, and how they are able to maintain their sanity in such an assignment.

If this video does not touch your heart, perhaps you do not have one.

Originally posted 2016-02-14 12:52:00.

Colonel Andy has done it again and told it like it is. Such candor, such forthrightness, and such truth from a fellow “Swinger of Birches.” Yes, South Carolina, we wait.

Cover, right click, and go to. Or copy and paste into browser.

http://www.acoloneloftruth.blogspot.com/2016/02/theres-special-place-in-hell.html

Originally posted 2016-02-12 11:02:24.