THE MODERN MARINE

[Music] see [Applause] [Music] not so very long ago the Marine Corps played its role in a far simpler World Les me organized less technical back in the time of the first world war they were still sending messages by carrier pigeon radio was a new invention just coming into use the terms Electronics technician hadn't even been coined yet Aviation 2 was just newborn a thing of bailing wire and fabric wings of handspun props and open cockpits there were some Marines with specialty assignments driving the vehicles Manning the machine guns but foremost the image of a marine was firmly rooted in every American's mind as a Rifleman ready to charge today that image is just as accurate but only part of the story The Marine of today is a different breed a modern Marine a man with technical [Music] knowledge at the beginning there is the basic training that always comes first the training as a marine learn learning the ways of a Rifleman absorbing the tradition and the Heritage acquiring the fierce pride and stubborn drive that have always meant Marine the training has changed as the times have changed but the fundamental is the same as it ever was build the body the mind and the spirit to build the man [Music] when the initial training is over more than half these new Marines will go on to learn a specialized job in one of the many technical Fields the basic fighting Marine Corps moves on the ground and so do its weapons there must be many men trained to a sharp edge of skill in the knowledge of moving those weapons and using them at a firing range Marines learn to handle the mighty onos a Marine Core answer to enemy tanks [Music] practical application letting the students do it themselves the best way to learn and remember what do you do with a burned out generator if there is no spare you apply what you learned about electrical systems and generators you strip the old one and Rewind it and make it work again in a machine chop van the men learn a philosophy improvise if you can't get what you need manufacture it from what you've got in this Force no battles will be lost for want of that proverbial nail many military vehicles are the gun toting kind same time we can Elevate and depress the [Music] gun rotation goes from fast speed to a slow speed mounted across top turret rof you'll notice the rang finer right in the center is a 90 mm Cannon these are the commander controls these future mechanics have to know as much about breach blocks as they do about cylinder blocks man is now loading 90 mm keep his hand out of the way the gun will now recoil moving backwards to maximum of 13 in back on a counter recoil going back in the battery the breach block drops and a shell is ejected Mobility is an essential of a fighting force these days even the launchpads are mobile [Music] Communications basic and fundamental an absolute necessity Diamond sizes this is Congo roach this is a directed net of what precedents and for whom are your messages over these men are learning to operate the battlefield radios that put a commander instantly in touch with his troops Cowboy operator sir 52 thanks sir curiously alongside the new methods old ones are still in use thank sir Marines still have need for field telephones and wiremen to connect them why because a radio message can be heard by the enemy a telephone message cannot many new Marines are taught the intricate skills of handling complex electronic equipment like this new portable radar that can detect a lone enemy soldier hiding in the woods go ahead and sweep while some learn the mechanics of operating others learn the theory for the challenging job of Maintenance and Repair at the Marine Corps base in San Diego California several thousand Young Marines each year embark on a complete Electronics education that may last a year or more joh entire circuit the training begins with nearly a full semester of math and fundamentals it's like an obstacle course one tough hurdle after another but there's plenty of help to make sure that no one falls behind the plate represented in your schematic in this manner the control grid the course is taught with the most modern techniques and with the best of equipment and training methods it's a big challenge for any young man yet very few flunk out individual attention and personal counseling are part of the reason make sure you read your color coding on your uh secondaries of your Transformer you've got your secondaries hooked up to your power amplifier hook secondaries up the way they're supposed to be this see at the end of the course each team of men builds a radio receiver if they can get it to play they've mastered the basics [Music] and then on to Advanced work in a specialized field radio repair learning to put the theory into practical use learning it well enough to fix the gear and keep it working no matter what the [Music] trouble mtds the Marine tactical data system a vast million dooll complex that combines radar computers data lengths and you name it to provide air defense keeping simultaneous track of countless friendly and enemy aircraft for openers the students take an 11we course in electronic computers [Music] in the repair courses that follow there are no ordinary circuit diagrams everything is in terms of Computer Logic to keep a system like this repaired and functioning is a big responsibility but the Marine Corps instills an attitude that makes accepting responsibility and [Music] Instinct Aviation as important in the changes it is brought to society and to Warfare as any other single accomplishment of man today it's a wideopen field that offers all kinds of career opportunity for young men with an eye on the future the Marine Corps is a place to learn one of these skills in demand Navigator plotting a course to take the aircraft across a continent or across an ocean air traffic controller giving the vital instructions to bring planes in safely in any weather Aviation Electronics is a whole field in [Music] itself and then there's the aviation mechanic in schools at Memphis Tennessee some 500 new Marines at a time go through this vital training [Music] there's a course in jet engines too assignment to this school is based on ability experience and desire plus the needs of the service the same is true of all Marine Corps training straight out now easy it's a little unnerving the first time he sits in the cockpit of a jet aircraft and starts the engine it'll become a routine chore but he'll always experience the sense of power it brings [Music] today's modern Marine must fight his battles on an additional front he must strive to increase his knowledge he must broaden his experience always learning he must meet the great demands of today's society the demand hands of skill and the ability to accomplish he must drive himself on with the desire to succeed that's the modern Marine a man who has traveled the Hard Road running when he can crawling when he must till he's found how to carve his place in today's demanding world of technical knowledge [Music]