OK I'm lost, what are we talking about here? I assume it has something to do with umbrellas.
My understanding is that no Male Marine may carry or use an umbrella while in dress uniform without Commandant approval. They ain't your Butler or your slave. They have more ribbons than he does. Even one National Defense Ribbon is more.
Why is it frowned on? I guess because Marines haven't figured out what a umbrella does yet.
Wow, a topic I actually know something about.
I spent 2 1/2 years with the Presidential Honor Guard, and worked in the White House Protocol Office, our boss was Shirley Temple....yes that Shirley Temple.
During that time you would be surprised at what we all did, enough stories to write a book. Just a few:
The First Lady would exit the White House carrying several bags, who ever was closest to her would offer to carry them.
When the President would exit Marine One and it was raining there would always be a Marine that would have an umbrella, two if the first Lady or a visiting dignitary was with the President.
The Marines inside the White house could always be seen carrying something if no one else was around to do it.
You have to realize there was not the instant 24 hour cable news back then, so not a lot of photos were taken of such things, no twitter to light up either.
I guess the press would have had a field day if they would have seen me, a CG LTJG walking President Fords dog on the South Lawn carrying a pooper scooper, When the man asks you, you sure as hell didn't say no it's against our regulations. I have to say I really liked that dog, during an Ambassador meet and greet day, Liberty got out, he ran around, found a Marine standing at attention and proceeded to pee on his leg. To the Marines credit he never broke rank but the look on his face was priceless.
Here is a good example how military regulations were bent from time to time:
King Gustav of Sweden was scheduled to make a White House visit in 1976. We had prepared for the motorcade to arrive on the South Lawn, at the last minute the King's party decided they wanted to use the North Entrance, the King wanted to be let out of the car and walk to the front door. It was a scramble but we got what we could set up on the North Entrance. We decided to have what you could call a reception line, this included a member of each service standing together, I was the rep for the CG, last in line. The King made his way up the driveway, he shook a few hands and then he got to us. The King stopped and said hello to the Army, Army said nothing, he moved down and did the same to the Marine, again, no response, he skipped the AF and stopped in front of me, I could see he was a bit bewildered, he looked at me and said "hello young man, how are you". This is where things got interesting.
When the King said hello I broke out of attention and extended my hand and said "Hello your Majesty, I am well, and you sir?" He got a big smile on his face and to my surprise started a conversation, he asked what branch of the military I served in, he asked what the CG does, how long I have been in, all in all he spent about 7 minutes (I remember because I was told later how long he stood there) talking with me. When he said he better get going, his words were "I guess I shouldn't keep your President waiting" I told him it was an honor to meet him, saluted him, and went back to attention.
After the King and President Ford spoke and entered the White House a very red faced and very angry Army Col. from the Old Guard ran up and proceeded to yell words I don't think I had ever heard before, at one point there was talk of sending me to Greenland, he was not happy I had broke rank. After about 5 minutes of getting screamed at, Dick Cheney, President Ford's Chief of Staff at the time came up to us; at this point I figured they were just going to shoot me. Instead Cheney railed on the Col., said if any dignitary every stops to talk his men better talk back, he then thanked me, said the President had told him "Thank god the Coast Guard spoke up, that could have been very embarrassing"
Sorry for the long story, I just wanted to illustrate that regulations are different at the White House; you sometimes have to go with the moment. Give these guys some credit, all of them. They are usually the only military visiting dignitaries see when they visit, the work is harder then you think and they all do a wonderful job putting a great face on the military.
You think this was something; you should have seen some of the things that went on when Queen Elizabeth made her visit.
Great Post!! I had a cousin in Secret Service back then with some great stories too!
Wow, a topic I actually know something about.
I spent 2 1/2 years with the Presidential Honor Guard, and worked in the White House Protocol Office, our boss was Shirley Temple....yes that Shirley Temple.
During that time you would be surprised at what we all did, enough stories to write a book. Just a few:
The First Lady would exit the White House carrying several bags, who ever was closest to her would offer to carry them.
When the President would exit Marine One and it was raining there would always be a Marine that would have an umbrella, two if the first Lady or a visiting dignitary was with the President.
The Marines inside the White house could always be seen carrying something if no one else was around to do it.
You have to realize there was not the instant 24 hour cable news back then, so not a lot of photos were taken of such things, no twitter to light up either.
I guess the press would have had a field day if they would have seen me, a CG LTJG walking President Fords dog on the South Lawn carrying a pooper scooper, When the man asks you, you sure as hell didn't say no it's against our regulations. I have to say I really liked that dog, during an Ambassador meet and greet day, Liberty got out, he ran around, found a Marine standing at attention and proceeded to pee on his leg. To the Marines credit he never broke rank but the look on his face was priceless.
Here is a good example how military regulations were bent from time to time:
King Gustav of Sweden was scheduled to make a White House visit in 1976. We had prepared for the motorcade to arrive on the South Lawn, at the last minute the King's party decided they wanted to use the North Entrance, the King wanted to be let out of the car and walk to the front door. It was a scramble but we got what we could set up on the North Entrance. We decided to have what you could call a reception line, this included a member of each service standing together, I was the rep for the CG, last in line. The King made his way up the driveway, he shook a few hands and then he got to us. The King stopped and said hello to the Army, Army said nothing, he moved down and did the same to the Marine, again, no response, he skipped the AF and stopped in front of me, I could see he was a bit bewildered, he looked at me and said "hello young man, how are you". This is where things got interesting.
When the King said hello I broke out of attention and extended my hand and said "Hello your Majesty, I am well, and you sir?" He got a big smile on his face and to my surprise started a conversation, he asked what branch of the military I served in, he asked what the CG does, how long I have been in, all in all he spent about 7 minutes (I remember because I was told later how long he stood there) talking with me. When he said he better get going, his words were "I guess I shouldn't keep your President waiting" I told him it was an honor to meet him, saluted him, and went back to attention.
After the King and President Ford spoke and entered the White House a very red faced and very angry Army Col. from the Old Guard ran up and proceeded to yell words I don't think I had ever heard before, at one point there was talk of sending me to Greenland, he was not happy I had broke rank. After about 5 minutes of getting screamed at, Dick Cheney, President Ford's Chief of Staff at the time came up to us; at this point I figured they were just going to shoot me. Instead Cheney railed on the Col., said if any dignitary every stops to talk his men better talk back, he then thanked me, said the President had told him "Thank god the Coast Guard spoke up, that could have been very embarrassing"
Sorry for the long story, I just wanted to illustrate that regulations are different at the White House; you sometimes have to go with the moment. Give these guys some credit, all of them. They are usually the only military visiting dignitaries see when they visit, the work is harder then you think and they all do a wonderful job putting a great face on the military.
You think this was something; you should have seen some of the things that went on when Queen Elizabeth made her visit.
One of the BEST "sea story" posts I've seen on here. HAHA!
I don't know why it comes into my mind as I am typing this but have you seen Kevin Bacon in "Taking Chance?" There are rules you bend and those you never will. Powerful movie in my opinion.