Why are Marines called the "few" ?

SFC_Ollie

It is because they are the smallest branch of our Armed forces. Nothing more or less than that.
(excluding the Coast guard)

SFC
US Army
Retired

Wayne C

The phrase was coined at Tun Tavern by Samuel Nicholas, the first commissioned officer of The Continental Marines. he was charged with forming 2 Battalions. He advertised that he only needed "A Few Good Men", they have remained "picky" ever since.

As they get more trying to get in then they need they only take a "few" of the applicants.

USMC 10 Nov 1775. 233 years old and still no wrinkles!

SSG US Army 73-82

Edit: History people, history. The phrase was due to the need for a small group of men...why would he ask for idiots? Of course he wanted "Good Men". The phrase has stuck for 233 years and it is obvious that only this old Army Puke has read anything about it!

While this quote was made years later it does show the age of the phrase:

The Continental ship Providence, now lying at Boston, is bound on a short cruise, immediately; a few good men are wanted to make up her complement." (Marine Captain William Jones, Providence Gazette, 20 March 1779.)

They're not comparing themselves to the militaries of other countries.

Marines are the smallest combat-oriented branch of the United States military because they have the toughest basic training and the highest standards for new recruits.

too408

because compared to the other american military branches, the marines have the fewest number of people.

Lu W

They are a smaller branch. This is America. They are not comparing their forces to other nations.

Brain Babe

My husband was a strapping young Marine when I married him....they say the few, the proud, the Marines, because they have the toughest, most rigorous standards of all the military branches of United States Military.

Their boot camps are the hardest of all the branches, they are known to be fitter, tougher, do more with less, they often get the cast-off equipment of the other service branches, but they still are the ones that get sent in when the government wants some serious butt-kickin' done!

We had Army friends when my husband was in the USMC that were almost tubby, with guts hanging over their pants, and they were declared fit enough to be in uniforn--we were just amazed, because when you are in the USMC, you are never allowed to have a gut like that...

Marines have a lot of pride about the way they train, the way they carry themselves and about the fact that they are one of the few, the proud, the Marines!

Semper Fi!

Matt L

I think when they say few, the mean not many people are willing to do what they do everday. Now 195 thousand is alot, but there are still millions who would never enlist in the army. It's just a phrase, not propaganda.

3DDD

They are the smallest branch of service in the U.S. Coast Guard does not count - they are Navy rejects.

Josh

I wondered that too...what about the USCG with only 42,000 active duty

Pam

I think it is more that only a few will actually make it through the rigorous training and acceptance criteria to actually become a US marine. Not because there are so few of them per se.

pharroahofgreece

Ok the USCG is not DoD, its DoT. Department of Transportation lol!!
And The Marines have about 200,000 pretty minute number if you think about it

death

marines do more drilling than anything...this is what makes them the best branch. there trainings no different than all military force. They have the longest boot camp 13 weeks: one week for water survival and third phase is perfecting drill. People consider this tough. marines do more drilling than anything else... water survival and drill preparation makes marine boot camp longer and tougher than others.

marisa

It refers to the Few Good Women who served along side the Men in the Marine Corps.

Parris Island, is the only place where women are trained. There are no second chances to make the cut. They is only one BN, the 4th BN.

The Marines have one philosophy: The Marine Corps did not issue families- so if you were a woman and got pregnant, you were immediately discharged from the Marine Corps. If you decided to marry, female Marines were who got pregnant would be released. The focus of the battle and the mission.

I joined, I graduated, I became a Marine. I got pregnant while serving, I fought the command's decision to release me due to pregnancy and I finished my tour. When my tour was over, I joined the Army.

Why? Because in the 80's, my family's responsibilities was my own, as it was my decision to ensure I could fulfill my missions for the Marine Corps without my family interfering with the missions.

I found this at link listed below:

"Then They Were Called Marines" - a complete, 50 minute documentary on the training of Women Marines at Parris Island and their role in the modern USMC.

Since 1918, American women have served as members of the few, the proud. Answering their nations call for help during times of crises, their fiery patriotism proved to be equal of their male counterparts. During World War I and II, the role of women Marines was too â€œ Free a Marine to Fight.â€ As the women of each generation have taken their turn to serve, they have broadened the scope of their role in the Marine Corps.

Let there be no doubt. Regardless of gender, becoming a US Marine is tough. Those expecting to earn the privilege of wearing the eagle, globe, and anchor will have to take up the challenge of recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, SC. Those with the courage determination and strength to survive the rigors of boot camp will find their greatest reward on graduation day- the day they will be forever known as United States Marines.

dorrispeter

it is not propaganda i suppose. I think they call it a recruiting tool. They think it is difficult to make it through training, it isn't, just research the pass rate for Marine boot camp. Not to take anything from them because it is the toughest basic military training, but it is designed to pass people. You observations are correct, I have learned not to trust marine recruiters or recruiting efforts because I have only run into men with severe anger issues as well as a feeling of importance and superiority.

to the Marines and all of the U.S. Military

my hat is off and thank you

Brak

Its a recruiting tool to imply they are the best, the select few if you might, its an angle that makes them different than the army, because all in all they fill a similar place in the US military, if you forget the relative size of the Marines compared with the Army.

The few implies an elitism that many strive for in some way shape or form. They don't in their minds want to be just a soldier, they want to be a Marine. Of course though soldiers are just as brave as Marines.

ladybug_jane22

It's to suggest that that not every militiary man has what it takes to be a Marine. I can't say if that's true or not because I am not in the military.

calvin p

because you need to be brave, and mainly just to make you want to join

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