This might sound petty, but that caller could not have been a Marine. We NEVER refer to ourselves as EX- MARINES, simply because there is no such thing. The only 2 ex Marines are Lee Harvey Oswald and Dan White. When I hear someone say that, I know instantly that their lying, it is drummed into your head in boot camp. I've even caught people lying in private settings when they say that, then my hair on the back of neck goes up.

Any other FORMER MARINES notice this? Or am I just being petty, and I don't mean Tom...

I would like to hear Randi call them on it when they say that.

I was only in Air Force ROTC training for 6 years and I know that no marine calls themselves that. The only possible "Ex-Marine" is a seriously disgraced, dishonorably-discharged individual.

With all due respect, you Jarheads are loyal to your branch and each other. Though I swear a good deal of you are crazy in a way that only Marines are, I'm glad you're on our side.

What about Ollie North?

Dani--Thanks, I thought, am I being stupid? No, I'm not, and I didn't disagree with him, but I thought he was parroting a friends point of view, who probably was a former Marine. So it stuck in my craw.

BTW-- If we can't fly with the Navy, we fly with you. Thanks for your time, and I mean it.

Thanks, but I feel ashamed for never going into active duty.

I had "Integrity First, Service Before Self, Excellence in All We Do" as the bedrock of my morality, and my Integrity would not allow me to serve in the closet. It violated the 'Service Before Self' clause so I thought long and hard about the Oath of Office that I would be taking. It was then that I became more political, started learning about what was really going on, and why I left my Conservative roots.

But enough about myself. My biggest concern for all our troops is what happens once they come home. A lot of them are going to have PTSD and won't seek help. My fear is that some event regarding a veteran will happen and it will make Americans afraid of them instead of thanking them for their service and realizing that they need help. To unequivocally state, 'oh dear god, what did we do to you?'

Instead, we have Limbaugh calling anti-war soldiers as 'phony', and O'Reilly denying that veterans are homeless, or worse, that they are deserving of being homeless.

Raygun was the one to kick the vets to the streets. And the repigs want to make him a saint.

I think this is kind of petty. Not that I don't bust a lot of people claiming to be "former Marines" who ain't. I like to say I am a "Once a Marine" but that confuses the majority. If I have to use ex-Marine it's alright. Whats the difference between an ex wife and a former wife? There is probably a joke in there but I'll let it go!

I had the same gut reaction when I heard it, I served in the Corps from 1981-1985 before going into the US Army to be in the Airborne Infantry. Only four years of my twenty four years of service were in the Marine Corps, but I still can't bring myself to use the term ex-Marine.

I joined the Navy to ride the waves.

I was in sea cadets, we were stuck on base in San Diego, it was the weekend. So we decided to take a stroll around the place. We were leaving the base showing the marine guard at the gate our credentials. One of my shipmates asked the marine if they really screw their hats on, I shit my pants.

Tap it's the just like saying, I was a staunch Democrat they use those things to relate to their story but really have no idea what it means. Good catch!

I have never called my self an X sailor, more like an X deck crawler operator.

I am an X brasso operator, red lead technition, head custodian, bilge technition, watch commander, mop operator, restricted duty expert.

It's a fine point Tap, but I think you are right on. I was never in the military myself, but every Marine I've ever talked to never referred to their being a Marine in the past tense. It's just another clue to dissect these pigs when they call in and spout their bullcrap. Just like all those fake "pumas" who claim they were Hillary supporters, but are going to vote for Grampa. Or the newbie here who said she could no longer support "Barry" Obama because of one thing or another.