Red Lion

Across the board, Marines are better trained incombat skill across the board of jobs in the military, such as cooks, clerks, etc...than soldiers in the Army. If youcompare a Marine infantry man to and Army infantry man, you would find no appreciable difference in skill. If you compare a Marine infantry man to an Army Ranger, not even close the Ranger blows the jarhead out of the water!

kenman

Apples and oranges

Red Lion

I totally agree in regards to regular old ground pounders, but in regards to Rangers and Marine infantry, Rangers would woop booty. I have always had great respect for the grunties, but glad I chose Armor over infantry when I first enlisted. Always better to ride then walk. Especially when your packing a 120mm smoothbore!

kenman

Ifyou want to compare Army Rangers to Marines, I would say they would be comparable to Marine Recon. I personally wouldn't want to go up against either

GRIZZLYMAN

If Marine Recon guys were so good, why did they send them to the Ranger School at Ft Benning to train back in the 70's?

One night we were crossing Oswichie (sp) Creek up to our necks and the guy behind me, a Marine officer and Vietnam vet (EM) broke and started cussing a RI (Ranger Instructor). I guess my estimation of Marines fell off after that.

kenman

That's why they are comparable...

GRIZZLYMAN

So the Army Rangers can take credit for bringing the Marine Recon officers and senior EM up to standard? I can understand that!

DANTHEHUNTER

Hey we all have our jobs to do! But after being a Ranger I saw alot of different training. We ate slept and drank training. Like I said before you wouldnt want anyone from my company on you trail or in there sights Here is our motto from the early 80's dont run you will only die tired!!! and that was the truth. But I still have respect for allof my fellow vets and active troops now. Its like comparing a meat cutter and a butcher , they both do the same thing one does it alittle finer and a little farther.

texas8point

As a former infantry man and small arms specialist in the army, im not sure it made me a better hunter cause we are talking about two different things.........but I will say some of the things ive learned have helped me out a bunch. Patience is one of the main things.......while i was in i heard the term "hurry up and wait" and thousand times, and they meant it every time.
Now if I was hunting deer with a claymore or an M60 or an M67 I would have a definate advantage.

Killer_Primate

I think it is pretty well documented that woodsmen have their own place in history when it comes to becoming soldiers. Take a look at Alaskan history and the Japanese if you like, and there are many similar examples.
I have never been in the military, but have supported the military my entire career. Most of the military people that I have met don’t really have a good handle on shooting. However, they think that they do. I think in general, and this includes the Marine Corp, soldiers are given what the leaders think that they need to know and nothing more. I’m not sure why but that seems to be the case. I know one Marine that continually reminds everyone that he qualified as “expert” on the range, but honestly, he has no clue. He cannot define any shooting terms such as point blank range and only knows how to shoot at different distances based on “clicks” which would be defined as adjusting the rear sight on a rifle. When I explained everything that happens to a projectile when it leaves the barrel he seemed to understand, but asked a few questions that resulted in me forming the opinion that this was the first time he’d ever been given the subject info. Then, when I explained how you could manipulate this information, he informed me that I was referring to “Kentucky Windage”. When I explained what Kentucky Windage really was, he had no answer. My opinion is that this one guy, who seems to have similarities to other former soldiers was only given the information he needed to shoot one rifle at one target and he didn’t understand what he was doing, but he still proclaims to be an “expert”.

Another gentleman I work with whom was in the Army, and I guess I should note that it was a number of years ago, is trying to prove me wrong this week, that the barrel of a rifle is not pointed upward when compared to the line of sight. He believes that the twist of the bullet is the only thing that makes it rise. He also doesn’t agree with gravity having the same effect on a projectile simply falling vertically as it does on a projectile flying through the air horizontally. He hasn’t come back to see me, can’t imagine why?

But, I would be willing to make the statement that basic training would make you a better hunter. I say this because you’d be in better shape (most likely), will have learned to shoot from multiple positions. A soldier has probably learned about mind over matter and would be able to coupe with tough conditions. He/she would probably be better suited for survival if needed, which gives you peace of mind in the woods, which I think is important to hunting. Further, I don't know any soldiers who have gone through any sniper training, but I would have to imagine that they would be of the elite when it comes to shooting and would make excellent hunters, since that is what they're being training to do, right? But they hunt people...

God bless our soldiers and the USA!

Respectfully,

KP