So, my cousin John is in the Marine Corps. Last time I talked to him he was at SOI at Camp Geiger, and he was offered the Infantry Machinegun Leaders Course (IMLC), but turned it down to, as he says "learn to be a fuckin pointman!" So, I'm pretty sure he's doing the Infantry Assaultman Leaders Course (IALC).
After he finishes SOI, he's probably going to afghanistan, so I wanted to get him a going away present before he leaves, so I was thinking about one of these:

http://www.rmjforge.com/eagle_talon.htm

From what I hear, they're pretty useful in all sorts of military situations, from use as a simple tool, to a last resort sidearm, to taking human body parts as trophies (totally joking, I had him ask his instructor what the Marine Corps' stance on taking human parts as trophies after battle, and he's totally not allowed to do that, so he can't bring me home an afghani left ear).
I also like a point they make on the website, how many people in the middle east have remnants of a more ancient culture, a blade culture, and they will instinctively have more respect for a blade, as it's a symbol of authority, like how many middle eastern leaders carry a shamshir.
Another thing they say, is the spike can penetrate a kevlar helmet, which is just plain and simple really really badass.

Does anybody have any experience handling one of these tomahawks, especially if you've actually carried one in active duty?

Also, I'm curious to know what my cousin is in for in the Corps, and when he goes to active duty.

So he's in SOI, and being offered to go to courses typically only offered to weapons platoon section leaders. Hmm. Not only that, but his MOS seems to trancend the boundries between 0331 and 0351. Oh yeah, that and they're not even training new 0351s and that MOS is locked for promotion.

Look bro, if you want to get a deployed or deploying marine a nice gift, get him a big ipod with lots of porn, movies, music, and TV shows. If he has that already get him a PSP or something. Most of your time on deployment is spend with your hand around your wank. The best investment I made before I went was on an external HD and a metric ass ton of downloaded video content. As far as cutting tools go, you'll never need anything moar than a leatherman.

Look bro, if you want to get a deployed or deploying marine a nice gift, get him a big ipod with lots of porn, movies, music, and TV shows. If he has that already get him a PSP or something. Most of your time on deployment is spend with your hand around your wank. The best investment I made before I went was on an external HD and a metric ass ton of downloaded video content. As far as cutting tools go, you'll never need anything moar than a leatherman.

And here we thought you spent most of your time being mortared. Oh how the media has lied to us!

The whole deployment-wanking bit is quite amusing.

My brother who's been to Iraq three times quite frequently enjoys recounting stories of pranking fellow troops - most commonly catching them in the middle of the fap-act.

Speaking of pranks,

After watching the film "Munich", I found myself still in the depths of a prank war with someone else on the other end of the berthing area. I'd wake up with shaving cream on my hands and face, he'd wake up with some all over his bed. Finally, after watching the bomb in the bed scene, a light bulb went off above my head. Long story short, using a shaken up can of arab coke (the kind with the old school pull tab), duct tape, dental floss, and the mechanical moving action of a coffin rack, I engineered a huge carbonated disaster that permanently stained his sheets cola, and permanently stained my reputation "terrorist son-of-a-bitch". It was really funny though. That cockhook had it comin.

So he's in SOI, and being offered to go to courses typically only offered to weapons platoon section leaders. Hmm. Not only that, but his MOS seems to trancend the boundries between 0331 and 0351. Oh yeah, that and they're not even training new 0351s and that MOS is locked for promotion.

Look bro, if you want to get a deployed or deploying marine a nice gift, get him a big ipod with lots of porn, movies, music, and TV shows. If he has that already get him a PSP or something. Most of your time on deployment is spend with your hand around your wank. The best investment I made before I went was on an external HD and a metric ass ton of downloaded video content. As far as cutting tools go, you'll never need anything moar than a leatherman.

He was honor graduate, and platoon guide at Parris Island, and came out PFC, but I believe he's Lance Corporal now. I don't know if that helps him in SOI, and I don't really know shit about Marine Corps training. He told me they wanted him to learn to be a SAW gunner, and he didn't want to do it and instead chose to learn to be a pointman, from reading wikipedia I assumed that he was taking IALC, but I might be wrong.

I'll have to ask him next time I talk to him, but from what I know he's training to be an infantry assultman, which is, as you said 0351. He said he was learning to boot down doors and clear buildings, and that sounds like the sort of thing an infantry assaultman will do.

But, I know my cousin better than anybody, and he's the kind of person who would have more fun with a tomahawk than a PSP, it's just a bonus if he actually gets to kill somebody with it.

Nope, 0351s are your basic infantry demolitions and explosives men. As their name implies they train with and employ high explosive charges, for a variety of purposes (destroying doors, walls, and other obstacles being the most obvious purposes), and also using the SMAW launcher. In short, they're pretty much sappers. Although, from what I understood, that MOS is locked out and they're not training any moar.

In machine gun course, you'll learn everything having to do with supporting fire with a general purpose machine gun. This is not in the same class as the SAW. This'll be with your M240s, M2 .50 cals, and MK19 40mms.

SAW users get trained the same way as any other 0311 carrying a M16 or M16/M203. When you get to a grunt battalion, the SAW is considered a bitch weapon, and the person who is liked least in a fire team will be the recipient of the SAW. Team leaders carry the M203, and the general populace gets A4s.

Nope, 0351s are your basic infantry demolitions and explosives men. As their name implies they train with and employ high explosive charges, for a variety of purposes (destroying doors, walls, and other obstacles being the most obvious purposes), and also using the SMAW launcher. In short, they're pretty much sappers. Although, from what I understood, that MOS is locked out and they're not training any moar.

In machine gun course, you'll learn everything having to do with supporting fire with a general purpose machine gun. This is not in the same class as the SAW. This'll be with your M240s, M2 .50 cals, and MK19 40mms.

SAW users get trained the same way as any other 0311 carrying a M16 or M16/M203. When you get to a grunt battalion, the SAW is considered a bitch weapon, and the person who is liked least in a fire team will be the recipient of the SAW. Team leaders carry the M203, and the general populace gets A4s.

Yeah, thats exactly why he said he didn't want to be a saw gunner, because every saw gunner he met was a dickhead.

Speaking of pranks,

After watching the film "Munich", I found myself still in the depths of a prank war with someone else on the other end of the berthing area. I'd wake up with shaving cream on my hands and face, he'd wake up with some all over his bed. Finally, after watching the bomb in the bed scene, a light bulb went off above my head. Long story short, using a shaken up can of arab coke (the kind with the old school pull tab), duct tape, dental floss, and the mechanical moving action of a coffin rack, I engineered a huge carbonated disaster that permanently stained his sheets cola, and permanently stained my reputation "terrorist son-of-a-bitch". It was really funny though. That cockhook had it comin.
Hahah nice job.

How many times have you been deployed and for how long?

For an infantry dude a hatchet type thing CAN come in handy, they are lighter and nobody wants to haul around a breach kit. That one you pictured looks pretty big. SOG makes a smaller, cheaper one thats apparently pretty good.

The Ipod is a good suggestion too!

Hahah nice job.

How many times have you been deployed and for how long?

Just once for 10 months.

Just once for 10 months.
None too shabby, I suppose.

My older brother's a member of the Air Force Security Patrol. Thus far he's spent eighteen months in Iraq at six month intervals, and will be heading to Turkey in March for a two year assignment.

Yeah, a marine deployments supposed to be 7 but we were extended.

wow this place is about 15 minutes from my house i think

http://www.rmjforge.com/crash_axe.html



get him one of these

http://www.rmjforge.com/crash_axe.html



get him one of these

I was thinking about the crash axe, but I like the other one because of that totally badass back point.

its gonna be awesome if he dies... HOORAH!

Yeah, a marine deployments supposed to be 7 but we were extended.

Stoploss?its gonna be awesome if he dies... HOORAH!

Fuck you. It'll be awesome when you die. Hopefully before procreating.