Nit-Pickin’ – Marine’s Cover Cocked Back
Biden Greets Trump at the White House – Jan 20, 2025
There was quite a stir on Social Media about the Marine sentry at the White House yesterday – wearing his cover tilted back like a baseball cap.
Was this disrespectful?
After much forensic analysis, it appears it was secured correctly on his grape minutes earlier. Videos show frame by frame that this Marine was swiped by the flag flapping in the wind. This appears to have knocked his cover back.
Brings up an interesting point about protocol – does he break from his sentry stance and adjust it, or go with it?
I’m assuming that these Marines are properly trained in all kinds of protocols while framed in an official photo or video with the POTUS.
Category: Politics
Sure would like to hear the discussion that the Commandant had with President Obama after this incident.
I’ll bet none. The CMC ‘s position depended on not pissing on Obama’s leg.
I notice the audience is also required to be exposed to the elements.
Well, that’s what peasants are for, I guess.
“It’s good to be the King”.
That Marine has ‘Commandant’ written all over him. I’m confident he adapted to the situation based on his training.
If an admirer threw her panties at this Marine, hitting him in the face and staying there… what is his correct course of action? Not break professionalism?
I would suggest he take a deep breath first.
A quick sniff followed by a discrete tongue flick to make the panties fall off.
Ahhh, well then ask yourself what would Pedo Joe do if those same panties blew into his face?
If they stuck, I would highly recommend going on sick call and getting a dose of something medicinal…just to take care of getting a “dose” of something else.
Unless Kamaltoe threw her panties.
The bacteria laden fabric would disolve his face and a plague of flies would do the rest. Right down to the bone.
Oh yeah…..*Spew Warning * 🤢
Ahhh c’mon man, now that’s just gross. I was on my way down to eat dinner. Now I have to wait an extra 5 minutes for my stomach to settle. You flyboys love to fuck with Devildogs don’t you?
Not us 😏
Don’t feel like the Lone Ranger; that comment fucks with everyone within at least three standard deviations from the mean.
“*Spew Warning *”
At the beginning of the comment, please.
Nit-pickin’, indeed. “…frame by frame…” How many frames passed before the Marine squared his cover away? Did he know he was in a frame with the Potus? Is there a protocol for “cover knocked askew by flapping flag”? Hell, I thought a Marine’s Cover fit so tightly that it would stay in place during Cat V Level Hurricane Wind. If there’s not enough lumber to build a proper scaffold, have the Marine shot by musketry. “Pour encourager les autres”
Well, those Dress Blues covers do come with a Chin Strap, though Hack has never seen it put into use. Probably there as functional as the spike on the WWI German helmets. Speaking of which, here is your lesson for today.
https://militaryhistorynow.com/2012/05/27/a-brief-history-of-german-army-helmets/
The US Army also had a spike at one time:
You go with it.
Never break composure unless there is a way to “ceremoniously” do it.
Fix it on the next salute, “create” a flag adjustment, “create” a necessary move in line with adjacent movement, etc.
TOG training.
Agreed. I believe he did the right thing. I have seen members of the Silent Drill Team get their covers knocked off and they remained at attention until the Inspecting Corporal picked up the wayward cover and placed it back on the Marines grape.
When I got the infamous M-1 Thumb while on the hanger bay being on the honor guard for ComPhibron 3, I was able to hack it until we were dismissed…..
Noli me Tangere! 1986-1990 B Co then Honor Guard.
CINCGUARD here.
Same here. I’ve seen Soldiers lose shoes and hats in Arlington, and all sorts of other stuff. Medal coming off, or C-belt breaks in Conmy Hall of on Summerall Field? You carry on and maintain composure.
This was back when CinC still worked in the Cemetery. Now, 4-3, including CinC and Honor Guard, are strictly ceremonial.
Also, I don’t recall the supernumerary being used too much during my first stint (2004-2008). It took an actual faceplant or similar to be determined a fallout. When I went back in 2018, the Fallout NCO would replace anyone who had unnecessary movement, and even those who had equipment failures on occasion. Sucks for the “fallout”, as they had to do the recertification regardless of whether they’d gone down or had a belt break.
Thought it would be cool to start a business pedaling shit to all of the services in ANC that lost shit between points A and B.
With a mark up and credit line, of course.
Protocol is that you remain at the position of attention, and on your assigned post until such time as the Corporal or Sergeant of The Guard can approach to correct the problem.
I observed a recent performance of the Silent Drill Platoon in which the cover of one Marine was knocked off. The cover remained on the ground, and the Marine remained in the formation and continued his performance.
When the platoon was finally in it’s long line, and at attention, the Sergeant retrieved the cover, replaced it properly on the Marine’s head, and the performance proceeded.
Remember when the Marine’s cover came off by the chopper and he didn’t flinch, and then-President Trump picked it up and placed it back on the young man’s head since he didn’t break bearing to retrieve it?
I don’t think this situation is much to get fluffed up over. I always admired them for maintaining their composure in just about any conditions and circumstances.
I was under the impression that USMC covers screwed on… he mighta got his cross-threaded.
Ahh, good one…hence the term Jar Head, huh? I was among several other Devildogs a few years ago and we were discussing that very term. I was told (this was back in the 80’s) that we are called Jarheads because our heads look like jars when we wear our 8-sided utility cover, but another Devildog suggested it was because our heads look like jars when we wear the high-n-tight haircut that is associated with us. I myself am not sure and would appreciate some enlightening.
I kid because I care, 0331. I always thought it was the high and tight, but I was always afraid to ask a Marine.
It made him look a little bit Russian!
I’ve seen covers get knocked or blown off more times than I can count.
File this under: Shit Happens
Then, the present tense…
Shit B’ Happnin’
With much respect to my Marine Corps brothers, I have to ask: doesn’t a jarhead have threads for a reason? I thought they just put that cover on and then spun it righty-tighty?
What if they were stripped?
I guess the cover would pop up on one side with all that pressure inside, just like in the picture!
Thats why we eat crayons – to relieve the pressure!
Is it righty-righty on left-handed Marines too? Do they even make those?
So there I was, napping in my GP tent, when word came down a US Army Lt Gen wanted to speak to us USAF types. I think the order was, “Get your tired asses out here, fall in, and listen to the General. As the General generally spoke, about what I can’t recall, I noticed my has was on crooked with the bill pointing slightly to the starboard. What to do? I was standing in the front row.
I agree, if protocol says you stand at attention; you stand at attention. ‘and of course there’s a difference between a Lt Gen and the POTUS. However, as the General never mentioned my hat, I never mentioned it him.
If some folks didn’t want to pick nits most DC types would have never known the his hat was on wrong.
You guys got it all wrong. That there is a Motor T security guard. He is just rocking the “pride don’t ride without motor t “
Quick, boring story….
July or August of 1995; regimental change of command on Camp Hansen, Okinawa.
I’m in 1/5 doing a 6 month deployment and some COL. is swapping out.
Instead of going to Port Arms, my dumbass goes to Present Arms.
I held that fucker, front row, for 20 minutes, trying ever so subtly to use the front sight assembly to give my brain bucket (not that I had a brain at that time), some relief from the pressure. I acted as if I was the only one in formation that WASN’T fucked up.
Anyway, I unfucked myself once the commands allowed me to do so.
The outgoing COL. sought me out after the ceremony and said it was the best display of fucked up rifle drill he’d seen.
All I heard in my head was the PI DIs saying not to change a thing until told to.
All I heard in my ears was every fucking Marine around me making comments about how fucked up I was – and you know they were trying to make me break my bearing.
Should of said: Order Arms, not Port.