0331

The Marine Corps Infantry Machine Gunner — known as MOS 0331 in the Military Occupational Specialties

“31’s” tend to be bigger and stronger Marines and many do second weight lifting workouts of the day to build the strength needed to carry the extra rounds and heavy equipment. However, carrying an extra 70 lbs more than everyone else in the platoon will make you strong – slow, but strong. The added size and strength is due to the nature of their work."

### December 1995

"Semper Fi" *Always Faithful*

The M4, air cooled, gas operated, magazine fed carbine. With a round, the M4 is on average 7.75 lb, around 30 inches in length depending on the stock, 5.56mm caliber, 30 rounds per fire. Effective firing range: 500 meters.

The M240 Bravo is a belt fed, gas operated machine gun, weighing at 27.6 lb and 49.7 in length. Semi Auto: 650-750 RPM, Auto: 750-850 RPM, Full Blast: 850-950 RPM. Effective firing range: 800 m bipod, 1,100 m tripod. It's a chunk and a half, more effective but at the cost of weight carried. I should have been ...

### Military means

* Highway of Death
* Death by Bulldozer: [Desert Storm]. I don't know if this is note worthy. No one fears death out here. General Harper brought in over a dozen armored bulldozers and some other plows to our line. Watching them come in on the flatbed semis gave a sinking feeling. After the briefing and OPORDER, we packed up and ended up going to the AO in the dozers and plows at 1100. Our mission was to destroy the Iraqi tench network and eliminate all hostiles. General Harper made it his personal business to see the operation through. After some discussion, he gave the signal and all the combat earthmovers plowed over the sand and buried alive all the defending Iraqi soldiers. The entire trench network was buried in sand, several mangled arms and things were noticeably sticking out of the sand, which could explain why the General wanted a media blackout... so he could sweep this under the rug.

*"I know burying people like that sounds pretty nasty, but it would be even nastier if we had to put our troops in the trenches and clean them out with bayonets."*
—General Harper

### Once in a Blue Moon

My mind drifts a lot at night, I think back to the first time I tried an adult drink, it was a Bloody Mary, and it was disgusting. I miss those days, sneaking out of the cabin to go to a night club or to one of Steph's parties. What I don't miss is being caught by "Dad" . . . A pathetic excuse of one. I never smoked, and I never touched the drinks there, I knew better. He didn't care, he just wanted to let his anger out on anyone who crossed his path. *Bastard.*

 I shouldn't think about the bad past, but at night it surrounds me like demon vultures. It's hard trying to get through the nights, and sometimes I wonder if there's going to be a night I won't get through. I can't seem to shake off this saying my old Lieutenant told the platoon. . . *"If there's a will, there's a way."* - 1st Lieutenant Caldrone 1971-1996. That was like his own personal motto when he had to motivate us. it was too bad he disappeared form my life like the rest of the good people I knew.

### Love

Private Nichole was with a joint unit that attached to our infantry for a short time, no more than a month. Their job was in communications, they could tap into the enemies radio with some weird equipment and some...*wires?* It looked confusing to the average grunt like myself, it didn't help with the fact that I stared at her more than the equipment she was trying to explain. I almost wanted to use my all time classic pick up line: "Do you have a map? because I'm lost in your eyes" . . . Damn I'm good! I wanted to ask her out right on the spot . . . you see, females are rare around here and every time one comes along, every jarhead wants to bury their lizard in them, so I had to be swift and claim her. There was one thing holding me back though, that piece of shit sergeant of mine was eyeing her like she was his own personal fuck doll. I already knew I lost, he wasn't at the barracks later that night, what a surprise. I really hate when command pulls their rank on you, what a trash system, I would have been a much better man for her, whatever... life goes on. Unfortunately I heard a rumor that her squad drove over an IED and blew the hummer up - killing everyone inside, but that sounds like bullshit to me. . . I don't really know what happened to her, but I miss her. I have a suspicious feeling that Harper was behind the rumor. Damn . . . can't trust anyone these days.

### ᴷⁱˡˡᵉʳ

ᴵ'ᵐ ᶠᵘᶜᵏⁱⁿᵍ ˡᵒˢⁱⁿᵍ ⁱᵗ

ᴵ'ᵐ ⁱⁿ ᴴᵉˡˡ

ǝɯoɥ oɓ oʇ ʇuɐʍ I ɘmoʜ oǫ oƚ ƚᴎɒw I ᴵ ʷᵃⁿᵗ ᵗᵒ ᵍᵒ ʰᵒᵐᵉ

ᵂʰᵉⁿ ʷⁱˡˡ ᵗʰᵉ ⁿⁱᵍʰᵗᵐᵃʳᵉˢ ˢᵗᵒᵖ

### 2:45 am

I couldn't sleep.

It's hard to sleep anyways inside a burning oil field in the middle of the desert. Only the sand is forever. But I still feel guilty for what I did, there wasn't any other option but it was still the worst possible outcome there is. Maybe when the morning comes, I'll get my head back on my shoulders. . . Or maybe I lost it forever.

### Federal

Federal reeks with sin and misery, rotting cats under trailers and the air suffers with pollution and car exhaust, grease and scum everywhere. Overhead power lines will someday hang the bodies of the unfortunate. I should have cut his ear off, the tongue wasn't enough. When the voltage goes through their bodies, you only watch and wish you had a bucket of water. Watching and wishing. Watching and wishing. Watching and wishing.

Smog has some industrial wastelands with nothing but abandon factories and rival gangs. Nate is his name. Last night he took me out to show me his favorite part of the city, It should have been called hooker alley because thats what it felt like, but there was one slut who was pretty talented, if only her cigarette stench didn't take up the room. 10/10 would cum again. At least Nate wasn't lying.

### Napalm

We shoot the sick, the young, the lame, we do our best to maim, because the kills all count the same, napalm sticks to kids.

Flying low across the trees, pilots doing what they please, dropping frags on refugees, napalm sticks to kids.

Goods in the open, making hay, but I can hear the gunships say, "There'll be no Chieu Hoi today, " napalm sticks to kids.

See those farmers over there, watch me get them with a pair, blood and guts just everywhere, napalm sticks to kids.

I've only seen it happen twice, but both times it was mighty nice, shooting peasants planting rice, napalm sticks to kids.

Napalm, son, is lots of fun, dropped in a bomb or shot from a gun, it gets the gooks when on the run, napalm sticks to kids.

Drop some napalm on a farm, it won't do them any harm, just burn off their legs and arms, napalm sticks to kids.

CIA with guns for hire, montagnards around a fire, napalm makes the fire go higher, napalm sticks to kids.

I've been told it's not so neat, to catch gooks burning in the street, but burning flesh, it smells to sweet, napalm sticks to kids.

Children sucking on a mother's tit, wounded gooks down in a pit, Dow Chemical doesn't give a shit, napalm sticks to kids.

Bombadiers don't care a bit, just as long as the pieces fit, when you stuff the bodies in a pit, napalm sticks to kids.

Eighteen kids in a No Fire Zone, rooks under arms and going home, last in line goes home alone, napalm sticks to kids.

Chuck in a sampan, sitting in the stern, they don't think their boats will burn, those damn gooks will never learn, napalm sticks to kids.

Cobras flying in the sun, killing gooks is lots of fun, get one pregnant and it's two for one, napalm sticks to kids.

Shoot civilians where they sit, take some pictures as you split, all your life you'll remember it, napalm sticks to kids.

NVA are all hard core, flechettes never are a bore, throw those PSYOPS out the door, napalm sticks to kids.

Gather kids as you fly over town, by throwing candy on the ground, then grease 'em when they gather 'round, napalm sticks to kids

### Lance Corporal Lebron

I don't usually think about him much anymore, we hardly got along after an officer tried to get between us, our ideas were not the same, our morals were not the same. He fought for justice, I fought for peace, but his peace and my justice died. I don't know why, but I thought of him like a brother, sure we were barely on the same side, but him and I knew that we thought differently from everyone else, assuming anyone else could even think. He had ideas, he had visions of a better tomorrow, he believed that what we do today matters. He was young, he was innocent to an extent, but everyone's innocence runs out after a while. Eventually he got exposed, eventually he became dead. Killed by your own enemy, a line blurred between right and wrong. I don't usually think about him much anymore, we hardly got along . . . but now that he's gone, I feel like I have no one else, I am alone.

### Out

finally got a month left of this job until my contract is up, I don't know where I'll go after this, I don't want to go back to Emerald City, theres nothing good there. I don't know what kind of man I'll be, I'm mostly worried about finding a job, I don't want to end up like those homeless vets you see on the streets. I don't want to be forgotten, but am I really worth being remembered? I might try out for the police academy in Emerald, I have no other skills that are useful to society. Maybe I could try to be a firefighter but I hate their diets, they have to eat healthy all the time, and to be honest, I want a job where I can have a gun. I don't know, I'll figure it out. In the meantime, I have no use for this journal, this might be my last time writing.

Goodbye.