Questions about Marines, former Marine, ex-Marines, and rifles

Factual Questions
1

Like many of my posts, this is about my novel. I had a source for information about Marines, but as he is no longer available to me I’m turning to the Dope.

One of the novel’s two protagonists, Andy, is a 13-year-old boy whose dead father was a retired Marine gunnery sergeant. Andy wishes to follow in his father’s footsteps and considers himself a future leatherneck, as his father was a former leatherneck.

In a pivotal chapter in the story, Andy sees his stepfather, also a retired Marine, with a rifle in hand, about to attack another character. This, incidentally, is the moment that Andy sees most inescapably that his stepfather is not the honorable man he, Andy, has believed him to be. As originally written, Andy thinks of the weapon in question as simply a rifle; but, as I look over my manuscript that seems unsatisfying. It would be good for the story, I think, for the stepfather to have taken the rifle with him when he left the service, and for Andy to recognize and name the specific weapon, as he seems likely to immerse himself in Marine lore.

Which brings me to my questions:

  1. Is it reasonable for the stepfather, a career officer, to have taken such a weapon with him when he left the Corps? He was, incidentally, forced to retire because he wasn’t promoted, though Andy does not know this.

  2. Assuming the stepfather could have reasonably taken such a rifle, what would it have been? He retires as a major in 1984 or so, and served in Vietnam.

  3. Is it reasonable for the stepfather to have been a platoon commander in 1968 but to have been a pilot later?

  4. When Andy realizes that his stepfather has betrayed his family, he stops thinking of him as a former Marine; from that point forward, he emphasizes that he’s an ex-Marine. I wrote this because my former source for Marine lore told me that, in the Corps, he’d call only someone who left the Corps in good standing a former Marine; someone in disgrace would be ex. Is this right?

2

I doubt very much that a retired Marine could have sneaked an M16 home with him. He wouldn’t have been issued a rifle unless he was in a combat zone or such, and they would have required it checked in when he returned Stateside. An officer would likely not be issued one at all, if he isn’t directly leading troops in combat. A better bet is to have Andy recognize his step-father’s M1 Garand, which he used to shoot at Camp Perry, or some such.

3

1*. Is it reasonable for the stepfather, a career officer, to have taken such a weapon with him when he left the Corps? He was, incidentally, forced to retire because he wasn’t promoted, though Andy does not know this*.

As has been said: no. However, I bought civilian versions of the rifles I used in the Corps: the M1A, a civilian version of the M-14, and an AR 15, the civilian version of the M-16.

2. Assuming the stepfather could have reasonably taken such a rifle, what would it have been? He retires as a major in 1984 or so, and served in Vietnam.

If he retired as a Major after 20 years of service, that would mean, typically, he entered the corps at age 22, i.e., after college, in 1964. Marines went in Viet Nam in large numbers in 1965, and most Marines pulled out in 1970. Your Marine probably would have gone over as 1st Lieutenant in 65 or 66, or as a Captain 67-70. As a first john in the infantry, he would have been a platoon commander or company exec, as a captain, a commander or battalion assistant exec. To retire after a full 20 with combat experience as a major means, oftentimes, that something went a bit wrong with his career.

In the first couple of years 65-66, most Marines were armed with an M-14, and after that, the M-16, though many still carried the M-14, if they meant to do any long distance firing. M-14’s were in abundance if anyone could make a good case for being issued one. They were heavier than the M-16, longer, the ammo was heavier, so few Marines would want one, unless, again, they clear a clear range of fire 500 yards or so and wanted to hit Charlie the first time with one round. A good Marine can hit a bulls eye with an M-14 at 500 yards with no scope.
3*. Is it reasonable for the stepfather to have been a platoon commander in 1968 but to have been a pilot later?*

A Helo pilot, Yes. But if he went to OCS in 64, it would be odd for him to be a PC in 68. Not impossible, but odd.

  1. When Andy realizes that his stepfather has betrayed his family, he stops thinking of him as a former Marine; from that point forward, he emphasizes that he’s an ex-Marine. I wrote this because my former source for Marine lore told me that, in the Corps, he’d call only someone who left the Corps in good standing a former Marine; someone in disgrace would be ex. Is this right?

In USMC lore, the only ex Marine is Lee Harvey Oswald. It is a bit artificial: the press loves the term “ex Marine” so insisting on “former Marine” is a bit of a pretentious shibboleth. I am an ex Marine to the general public and I didn’t shoot Kennedy. But around fellow Marines, I am careful to say “former Marine”.