Marine Mentality

[Bored Civvy]

Ive heard and read a bit about the marines having a different mentality from the army and particularly the paras.

I know that the paras are trained to be really aggressive and fast moving,to get out of the drop zone and all and that the marines are more trained to be amphibious etc but what are the differences in the "mentality" of the two?
(I have read Steven Preeces Amongst the Marines so I know marines are aggresive troops,but honestly that book makes them sound like a load of thugs,no offence meant to any bootnecks at all.)

Whats a marines mentality to things as opposed to a para and vice versa?
Ive read a lot of books on the paras,involving the falklands mainly but cant seem to find a lot of books on the marines.Ive just started reading Matt Crouchers Bulletproof though which is brilliant already.

Ive become really interested in the way people think and how the way they think dictates the way they take their actions forward.

Cheers for any help and insights.

[timex]

Paras train one way Royal Marines train another, "horses for courses". Both get the job done.

Steve Preeces views on the events he recalls have been discussed ad nauseum, so please don't rake that up again, plenty of other books about the RM try some of those.

[Sully]

I think that's about spot on that both get the job done. The difference seems to be in culture and approach but the two attract similar types of person and there are similarities in attitudes and outlook on an individual level. I was thinking of joining the paras but came across a complete tool in the recruiting office - and by the way the Corps unfortunately has tools too - of which I might have been one depending on who you asked

I don't think it has anything to do with 'aggression' - controlled aggression is a feature of all soldiering. It certainly has nothing to do with the airborne/seaborne role. Thing is it's hard for one to comment on the other.

From the RM side of things you could take a look at this research paper:

http://people.exeter.ac.uk/acking/Papers/RMethos4.doc

For books I'd suggest Reflected Glory by Carney Lake and Forced Out by Simon Bywater. There may be more up to date books but I've not read any military type books for years... until an oppo suggested Man Down by Mark Ormrod which I'm reading now - hoofin'

[Bored Civvy]

I have been looking for books on the marines but havent really found any first hand account ones by actual marines which I prefer to the historians books.

I mentioned aggression because of what Ive read about the paras being trained to be quite aggressive,more so than other regiments and I didnt know if that was a trait in the marines.

I`ll have a look at those books,Im interested in the training and soldiering side of what the marines do.

[Macca]

Try reading the book by Marine Mark Ormrod called "Man Down" Fantastic read!! can't fault it.

[bindu]

Why dont you join and see you

Why don't you act your age Bindu ?

Drop me a PM

Pilgrim

[OWK]

I work in an organisation that employs mainly former HM Armed Forces personnel.

The team I work on used to be exclusively RM but now has over 40 lads from different cap badges. I knew some of these blokes before I arrived in the UAE, in fact our first 'Para' applied for the job after contactig me about the T & Cs.

There is very little discernible difference in mentality that I can see.

Everyone is rightly proud of their own cap badge. We seem to share a core of common values. After that we are all as diverse and varied as any bunch of civvies, with different hobbies, interests etc.

Espirit de Corps is vital, but can be quite an insular experience. Every unit appears unique to the members because generally they have nothing to compare it with.