New York Post and Fox News proves you don’t have to investigate stories just print them

I was taken aback and truly offended when I learned that a “respected” news source like The New York Post was posting a story that they did not investigate regarding Marines “girly” hats.  I must say that I was not surprised to find that Fox News just took the story and ran with it.  I mean “fair and balanced” is after all only a catch phrase and nothing more.

Let’s see if I can help to correct the story and clear this up.  Published yesterday, October 24, 2013, FoxNews.com reported that “a change to the Marine Corps’ uniform hats could leave hard-nosed leathernecks looking a lot less macho.  According to the New York Post, President Obama’s plan to create a “unisex” look for the Corps has officials on the verge of swapping out the Marines’ iconic caps with a new hat that some have derided as so “girly” that they would make the French blush.” 

First please allow me to educate you on a few things as a former Marine.  Calling us hard-nosed leathernecks and saying the words less macho, says to me that this article was written by someone who may have tried to earn the title Marine but was not good enough.  We are hard-nosed leathernecks, very effective storm troopers, and unyielding jarheads.  The uniform does not make the Marine, even though we do look good, it’s the Marine that makes the uniform so don’t get it twisted.

Second no hat or cap, it should’ve been called a cover, will make any real Marine “girly”, hell even our Women Marines are not “girly”, they are Marines period.  I challenge the author of this article to pick any Woman Marine he/she wishes and test your metal against theirs.  I already know the outcome of that test but maybe you can step out from your hiding place and out from under mother’s skirt long enough to give it a try.

The article quotes “a senior Marine source who said “The Marines deserve better.  It makes them look ridiculous.”  I don’t put much faith in that quote for one reason and one reason only.  Marines, whether former or current, never speaks of “them”.  If we make a statement about the Marine Corps the word would always be “us”.  It makes us look ridiculous.

And finally let me point out that   Colonel  Walt Ford, USMC (Ret), Publisher/Editor, Leatherneck Magazine responded to this article by saying “The Commandant, General James F. Amos, rejects the media stories, newspaper and TV, on the proposed new covers for Marines.   1. The President in no way, shape or form directed the Marine Corps to change our uniform cover.   2. We are looking for a new cover for our female Marines for one overriding reason: the former manufacturer went out of business.  3. The Marine Corps has zero intention of changing the male cover.”  Believe whomever you wish but I would place my bet on Colonel Ford long before I ever risk one penny on the New York Post, FoxNews and their supposedly senior Marine source.  The choice is yours, you are an adult and you are not dumb so place your bets and take your chances.  May God bless you, this United States, its people and of course my beloved Marine Corps.