Bazookaman Doesn't Live There Anymore
While at Camp Pendleton this past Friday, I drove up to 33 Area, better known as Camp Margarita. It was where I spent my last eight months in the Marine Corps, before getting out in July of 1969. I just wanted to see the old place before I headed back here.
At first, I thought it was a ghost town, most of the buildings were very dated, and it looked like little had changed over these past 40 years.
I parked the truck in front of my old barracks (#33326), and was STUNNED at what I saw! Not only was the entire ROW of barracks time-weathered and run down, but there are Marines STILL living in them!
Now.........when I returned from Vietnam in the winter of 68, these barracks were old THEN. Last Friday, it almost looked like a ghetto!.........oh, there wasn't any trash or garbage laying around, or anything like that. The Marine Corps has always been fanatical and "neat, clean and squared-away."
Everything WAS clean, swept, swabbed, bunks & footlockers in perfect rows............guys out on the road running in formation.........but the barracks buildings themselves, which should have been condemned back in 1969, are amazingly still in use.
A young Captain (who turned out to be the Camp Chaplain at Margarita) walked up while i was taking a few pictures, and I explained to him that I had once lived in 33326 exactly 40 years ago, and couldn't believe our guys today, were still living in these "dog kennels."
As our Chaplains are all NAVY, I had to get my "digs" in a little bit..............."You know sir," I said, "I know the Navy has always been tight with the Marine budget, but wouldn't you think they could afford some paint and stucco occasionally? This is worse than when I lived here back in 69!"
"Well, it's not as bad as you think" he replied........"all these barracks were re-wired a few years ago, and a couple of them have new plumbing. We even have washers and dryers now! No more hand-scrubbing on the washracks and no more clotheslines!"
"Really sir???? Where ARE they?
"Down at the end of the street. It's marked."
And it was.........inside a leaning singlewide trailer, there were about 4 of each. For 6 barracks.
If Airmen at the base out here had to live like that, you'd hear it from one Senate chamber to the next.
None of the Marines I talked to seemed to mind though. "Better than living in tents."
I guess, looking back, that was OUR outlook too. The Corps is a rough life, but you get so used to it, you think EVERYONE else lives the same way.
When I joined the Air Force in 1971, to learn a "useable trade", I quickly found out there was a HUGE difference in living conditions. The first time I walked into an Air Force "Dining Facility" (as opposed to a "mess hall"}, I thought I'd mistakenly walked into the Officer's Club or something!......Tablecloths, napkin holders, piped-in MUSIC, actual dinnerware (instead of tin trays)...........man, I didn't know WHAT to think! Took quite awhile to get used to it.
2-man rooms WITH REFRIGERATORS.........and I understand that today, they have individual rooms, with cable tv if they want to have it put in.
Well...this is 2008, and "even the MARINES must live better than they used to"................not from what I saw Friday!
I have to think it all has to do with keeping them from getting soft. Keeping life hardcore basic. I didn't drive all the way out to San Onofre, but I was told they are STILL using the old quanset huts in some places. I saw them for myself 5 years ago, and I guess everything's still the same.
It's still sad in a way though.....when I think of the money our government hands out to the rest of the world, the luxuries and perks of our politicians............yet, the guys who they send whenever they have some dirty job to be done...................yeah.............
And Obama's comin'............if he and his cronies are anything similar to past Democratic administrations, the first of whatever CUTS they might make, will be the military. They have traditionally cut into defense to help fund their social programs for the lazy.
One good thing I noticed though..........if they DO start cutting defense funds, it shouldn't impact the Marines a whole lot.............leastwise not up at Camp margarita, or anywhere ELSE in at Pendleton.
It's the same today as it was with US.........."First to go, last to know."
Semper Fi, Brothers
- -- Posted by Benjogilvy on Tue, Nov 18, 2008, at 11:54 AM
- -- Posted by ExInternMike on Tue, Nov 18, 2008, at 1:03 PM
- -- Posted by Jacknife on Tue, Nov 18, 2008, at 5:26 PM
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