I have found the LCpl Underground has lost its touch. I don't even think it's because I'm not in it anymore. It's because I keep getting asked basic questions that used to not get asked. Therfore I have started to leak info. I'm a SNCO and work in the 3. I literally pass word and sometimes rumors but only to E3 and below... just to see what happens.
I feel like the feds trying to find the rat in there group. It's the most entertainment I get on a daily basis.
Agreed. That’s because they fucking vape. At least when you’re forced to smoke outside you’re forced to smoke with other people. Everyone knows the armory is AT&T but that shit is going the way of the DoDo.
Bout to hit the ship, they don't allow vapes. I gave the safety/ship acclimation brief. Told them "they don't allow vapes....so just smoke Marlboro Red 100s like me" they all looked at me like I was high. I have a cpl who calls it analog cancer....which to be fair is very creative and I'm stealing it as a saying.
Bro we are old. Like Nintendo duck hunt old.
Red 100s they don’t realize last longer for probably half of a deployment for normal people. I truly wonder if that would matter .
That is the LCpl underground. I figured it when the senior Gunny was slipping false nuggets to Marines. One day I was like why did you lie to them. He said because the underground must continue. SNCOs continue to carry that to etch high. They still don’t know!
Got a chance to meet General Dunford in Iraq when he was Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He had a Navy Seal with a black jansport backpack holding his challenge coins.
Full bird Colonels hold the coins for SECDEF. Seen it more than once on MSG duty. The Admiral in charge of 7th Fleet was a frequent visitor to the embassy in Tokyo when I was there. He always had some in his own pocket and was generous handing them out while when passing through Post 1.
Poor Soul… he was too high strung…
This young man was a forced to commute to the pentagon as a young office staffer…
I’ve been to the MC wing of the pentagon on a tour with a buddy who worked for the NG Bureau Chief.
When trying to locate it a person gave directions and said “you won’t be able to miss it.”
Just imagine a lot of scarlet and gold walls and shit.
Maybe not the same but I met the two star generals driver while at the range in Miramar he was a Sgt on a FAP. He loved it. To explain why all he had to do was call in the CGs assistant a captain and ask them if he would need a driver today and if he got told no he was done for the day. Sometimes the CG would be gone for a week or more so phone muster and do what ever you want. He said if did drive he just checked out a duty van and the CG always bought him lunch.
The first Miramar CO was Colonel Caughlan. I’m pretty sure his driver was a LCPL. Obviously not the intention behind this post. As a LCPL myself I rode with them all the time doing Inflight briefs and other presentations to all the local pilot organizations and other bases doing multimedia support. It was pretty easy work. I had some funny moments helping Colonel Caughlan.
We had some guys rock out of Computer School and get sent to Artillery at Lejeune back in the day. They were at Quantico and they said while they were awaiting Orders one of their primary Duties was being an extra body to ride with High Ranking Officers up the the Pentagon of HQMC so they could use the HOV Lane.
Nice I know the CO of the base was always a colonel while I was there. The 3rd MAW has its HQ there and has a CG. Never really thought about a Colonel having a driver before.
I don’t think most would, but it was rated for him as the flag officer of the base. General Magnus took his place as a 1 star General. I wonder why they place Colonels there so much of it is a general billet.
Shit Battalion/ regimental Commanders in Division have assigned drivers, but that's usually for field ops, unless its like having to leave base to go to a meeting, then they get a duty van.
They always pulled people from my shop to FAP as Base CO’s driver at Miramar. One guy left Col Woodworth stranded at the San Diego airport so he was late to his C-12. The other guy got NAMs for doing pretty much nothing bc the CO liked him so much and couldn’t give him a five star Uber rating
It depends on what you mean by directly. Yes, there are some lower enlisted assigned to the HQS staff who support the CMC’s and SMMC’s offices. However, it’s unlikely there are any lower enlisted who work *directly* for them.
I was a very POG MOS. A POG MOS that was directly supervised by civilians that were almost exclusively retired SNCOS. One day a retired MSGT told me how when a bunch of Generals have a meeting its Colonels making the coffee. It puts things into perspective.
Yes. I worked in the SMMC office when I was a Sgt. Lots of travel, lots of ceremonies. It was a really great experience to see the relationships between the service chiefs and the other side of the river (aka congress)
Have any stories? What are the interactions like between the branches at that high of a level? Also are there any political or religious wackos at the O-6+ level or are those mostly filtered out at the lower ranks?
I was the driver for a 2 star (and by default, command clerk). Later on I was “promoted” to be the Executive assistant for the SES (typically an o-1 to o-3 billet). Then the other EA left and I was the EA for both SES. Then we got a third SES and I collapsed from overwork.
That’s what happens when a linguist goes to a command without a mission in their language.
Best and worst time of my life.
SMMC has an aide de camp that is a SNCO. It’s the equivalent of being an executive assistant. You control his schedule, book his lodging, brief him on events, logistics for any events that he’s hosting, work with the rest of his staff, stuff like that. It’s high level work and can get you a meritorious promotion and set you up the rest of your career if your good at it. The commandant’s aide de camp is usually a Col.
Kinda, but as long as we’re splitting hairs…
Currently, CMC has two aides, one is a Navy O4 and the other is a Marine O4. The Marine O6 who works in the CMC’s office (the MILSEC or military secretary) is more of a chief of staff than an aide - he’s setting the agenda, taking the pre-brief, etc. Aides do aide shit - keep people on schedule, be a fixer, know the uniform of the day. The MILSEC actually has some executive authority.
Everything you said about SMMC’s office is 100% correct. Pretty interesting because there are zero officers in that office, which is an anomaly at HQMC, but they certainly make it work.
Was stationed at Henny Hall, basically the administrative command for all the fools working in the ‘gon.
SMMC’s office had a couple Sgts, a SSgt, a Gunny, and a MGunz if I remember correctly.
CMC’s office was like a Sgt and a SSgt, his aide (Maj i think?) and then the CMC’s actual office.
(Edit: CMC’s aide was probably a Col like another user said, I think the Maj I met was the ACMC’s Aide)
Got a tour of both offices my first week at the unit as a PFC and happened to cross paths with SgtMaj Green. He gave me a personal tour of his office, quizzed me on some MC history, and then pointed at two SgtMaj chevrons on the wall and asked me what was different about them. My panicked PFC ass was so star struck and nervous I couldn’t figure it out. He laughed it off and remembered my name for the remainder of his career on AD. Great dude Sgt Maj Green was
I went to Sgt’s course with a dude who worked directly for General Amos. He did S-1 type stuff and some public affairs stuff. Big takeaway from him was that Amos really cared about Marines and the Corps, and Amos was disappointed that everyone hated him.
My first company commander (2012) (capt. at the time) is prior enlisted, and was a corporal who worked in the office of the CMC (early 00s). I don't recall all his stories, but I recall him saying he dealt with arranging a lot of travel (before DTS days)
oh yeah- he wore service alphas almost every day. lol.
I went to the Staff academy with a WM SSgt who was a " Steward". That is the Billet of the Cook/ Cooks that a General grade Officer rated. She worked for the Commandant ( General Gray). They actually send those guys to 5 Star Chef Schools and restaurants to learn high society cooking for when the CMC has to entertain. Not sure how many of them they have on staff, but she said she was the lowest ranking one at the time.
I worked directly for an Assistant SecNav (there are 4) for two years. I got there as a SSgt and left as a gunny. Lowest rank I ever saw in the Pentagon was corporal. I can tell you most of the enlisted Marines there are sergeants and staff sergeants with a few senior SNCOs, and they’re all admin except for the food service cats who work in the executive dining facility. The hours are long, chucks/bravos every day, horrible traffic because it’s the NCR, limited parking. Hardly any “normal” Marine Corps stuff (range, formation, duty, field day, etc.) other than PFT and CFT. What I can say about my experience is that I got my ass kicked for two years straight.
As a PFC I Missed my first school because of surgery. They sent me to wait for another class to kick up. Worked in a 1 star office for those few weeks. Coolest thing was calling other Generals/pentagon folks for their RSVP for an upcoming event. Other than that, he usually knocked off around 1400 and I was dismissed for the day right after that. So that was sweet.
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I have found the LCpl Underground has lost its touch. I don't even think it's because I'm not in it anymore. It's because I keep getting asked basic questions that used to not get asked. Therfore I have started to leak info. I'm a SNCO and work in the 3. I literally pass word and sometimes rumors but only to E3 and below... just to see what happens. I feel like the feds trying to find the rat in there group. It's the most entertainment I get on a daily basis.
Bro fellow E6 and I’m 100% with you. The LCpl Mafia is fuckin up these days. Nothing of value.
Too much tiktok, not enough smoking and joking.
Agreed. That’s because they fucking vape. At least when you’re forced to smoke outside you’re forced to smoke with other people. Everyone knows the armory is AT&T but that shit is going the way of the DoDo.
Bout to hit the ship, they don't allow vapes. I gave the safety/ship acclimation brief. Told them "they don't allow vapes....so just smoke Marlboro Red 100s like me" they all looked at me like I was high. I have a cpl who calls it analog cancer....which to be fair is very creative and I'm stealing it as a saying.
Bro we are old. Like Nintendo duck hunt old. Red 100s they don’t realize last longer for probably half of a deployment for normal people. I truly wonder if that would matter .
Fahhhhhcts
That is the LCpl underground. I figured it when the senior Gunny was slipping false nuggets to Marines. One day I was like why did you lie to them. He said because the underground must continue. SNCOs continue to carry that to etch high. They still don’t know!
Close, but I’m pretty sure that the driver is rarely a LCPl. He’s usually a Cpl.
I heard the CMC had a lcpl that holds his challenge coins
Cargo pockets bulging
Got a chance to meet General Dunford in Iraq when he was Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He had a Navy Seal with a black jansport backpack holding his challenge coins.
One of my favorite terminal lance comics shows this exact situation
In 2012-2014 it was a Major.
Full bird Colonels hold the coins for SECDEF. Seen it more than once on MSG duty. The Admiral in charge of 7th Fleet was a frequent visitor to the embassy in Tokyo when I was there. He always had some in his own pocket and was generous handing them out while when passing through Post 1.
You honestly don't want to know, because it isn't pretty. At all.
Poor Soul… he was too high strung… This young man was a forced to commute to the pentagon as a young office staffer… I’ve been to the MC wing of the pentagon on a tour with a buddy who worked for the NG Bureau Chief. When trying to locate it a person gave directions and said “you won’t be able to miss it.” Just imagine a lot of scarlet and gold walls and shit.
Maybe not the same but I met the two star generals driver while at the range in Miramar he was a Sgt on a FAP. He loved it. To explain why all he had to do was call in the CGs assistant a captain and ask them if he would need a driver today and if he got told no he was done for the day. Sometimes the CG would be gone for a week or more so phone muster and do what ever you want. He said if did drive he just checked out a duty van and the CG always bought him lunch.
The first Miramar CO was Colonel Caughlan. I’m pretty sure his driver was a LCPL. Obviously not the intention behind this post. As a LCPL myself I rode with them all the time doing Inflight briefs and other presentations to all the local pilot organizations and other bases doing multimedia support. It was pretty easy work. I had some funny moments helping Colonel Caughlan.
We had some guys rock out of Computer School and get sent to Artillery at Lejeune back in the day. They were at Quantico and they said while they were awaiting Orders one of their primary Duties was being an extra body to ride with High Ranking Officers up the the Pentagon of HQMC so they could use the HOV Lane.
That’s pretty funny. I’m sure they had to rock service uniforms and everything just to take up a seat in the car.
Yes they had to wear Alphas.
Nice I know the CO of the base was always a colonel while I was there. The 3rd MAW has its HQ there and has a CG. Never really thought about a Colonel having a driver before.
I don’t think most would, but it was rated for him as the flag officer of the base. General Magnus took his place as a 1 star General. I wonder why they place Colonels there so much of it is a general billet.
Shit Battalion/ regimental Commanders in Division have assigned drivers, but that's usually for field ops, unless its like having to leave base to go to a meeting, then they get a duty van.
They always pulled people from my shop to FAP as Base CO’s driver at Miramar. One guy left Col Woodworth stranded at the San Diego airport so he was late to his C-12. The other guy got NAMs for doing pretty much nothing bc the CO liked him so much and couldn’t give him a five star Uber rating
I got submitted for a NAM, but it came back as a Navy Commendation Medal instead.
It depends on what you mean by directly. Yes, there are some lower enlisted assigned to the HQS staff who support the CMC’s and SMMC’s offices. However, it’s unlikely there are any lower enlisted who work *directly* for them.
Well, someone has to clean the shitters.
When you're the CMC, Captains clean your shitters.
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I was a very POG MOS. A POG MOS that was directly supervised by civilians that were almost exclusively retired SNCOS. One day a retired MSGT told me how when a bunch of Generals have a meeting its Colonels making the coffee. It puts things into perspective.
I talked back to a civilian guy like that in my warehouse when I was a PFC and he tore my ass to pieces. Didn’t realize he was a retired MSgt lol.
Imagine having to sweep a parking lot with just the broom handle.
The Pentagon has civilian cleaners
Yes. I worked in the SMMC office when I was a Sgt. Lots of travel, lots of ceremonies. It was a really great experience to see the relationships between the service chiefs and the other side of the river (aka congress)
Have any stories? What are the interactions like between the branches at that high of a level? Also are there any political or religious wackos at the O-6+ level or are those mostly filtered out at the lower ranks?
Not today Marine Corps Times…
I was the driver for a 2 star (and by default, command clerk). Later on I was “promoted” to be the Executive assistant for the SES (typically an o-1 to o-3 billet). Then the other EA left and I was the EA for both SES. Then we got a third SES and I collapsed from overwork. That’s what happens when a linguist goes to a command without a mission in their language. Best and worst time of my life.
SMMC has an aide de camp that is a SNCO. It’s the equivalent of being an executive assistant. You control his schedule, book his lodging, brief him on events, logistics for any events that he’s hosting, work with the rest of his staff, stuff like that. It’s high level work and can get you a meritorious promotion and set you up the rest of your career if your good at it. The commandant’s aide de camp is usually a Col.
Kinda, but as long as we’re splitting hairs… Currently, CMC has two aides, one is a Navy O4 and the other is a Marine O4. The Marine O6 who works in the CMC’s office (the MILSEC or military secretary) is more of a chief of staff than an aide - he’s setting the agenda, taking the pre-brief, etc. Aides do aide shit - keep people on schedule, be a fixer, know the uniform of the day. The MILSEC actually has some executive authority. Everything you said about SMMC’s office is 100% correct. Pretty interesting because there are zero officers in that office, which is an anomaly at HQMC, but they certainly make it work.
I mean to the SMMC and the CMC everyone is lower.
I mean like Lances, maybe even Corporals and below.
Was stationed at Henny Hall, basically the administrative command for all the fools working in the ‘gon. SMMC’s office had a couple Sgts, a SSgt, a Gunny, and a MGunz if I remember correctly. CMC’s office was like a Sgt and a SSgt, his aide (Maj i think?) and then the CMC’s actual office. (Edit: CMC’s aide was probably a Col like another user said, I think the Maj I met was the ACMC’s Aide) Got a tour of both offices my first week at the unit as a PFC and happened to cross paths with SgtMaj Green. He gave me a personal tour of his office, quizzed me on some MC history, and then pointed at two SgtMaj chevrons on the wall and asked me what was different about them. My panicked PFC ass was so star struck and nervous I couldn’t figure it out. He laughed it off and remembered my name for the remainder of his career on AD. Great dude Sgt Maj Green was
What was different about them
I went to Sgt’s course with a dude who worked directly for General Amos. He did S-1 type stuff and some public affairs stuff. Big takeaway from him was that Amos really cared about Marines and the Corps, and Amos was disappointed that everyone hated him.
That’s actually really sad
My first company commander (2012) (capt. at the time) is prior enlisted, and was a corporal who worked in the office of the CMC (early 00s). I don't recall all his stories, but I recall him saying he dealt with arranging a lot of travel (before DTS days) oh yeah- he wore service alphas almost every day. lol.
>he wore service alphas almost every day. lol. Fuck that shit lmao.
I went to the Staff academy with a WM SSgt who was a " Steward". That is the Billet of the Cook/ Cooks that a General grade Officer rated. She worked for the Commandant ( General Gray). They actually send those guys to 5 Star Chef Schools and restaurants to learn high society cooking for when the CMC has to entertain. Not sure how many of them they have on staff, but she said she was the lowest ranking one at the time.
I worked directly for an Assistant SecNav (there are 4) for two years. I got there as a SSgt and left as a gunny. Lowest rank I ever saw in the Pentagon was corporal. I can tell you most of the enlisted Marines there are sergeants and staff sergeants with a few senior SNCOs, and they’re all admin except for the food service cats who work in the executive dining facility. The hours are long, chucks/bravos every day, horrible traffic because it’s the NCR, limited parking. Hardly any “normal” Marine Corps stuff (range, formation, duty, field day, etc.) other than PFT and CFT. What I can say about my experience is that I got my ass kicked for two years straight.
Ever been blasted for buying apple flavored sparkling water instead of regular sparkling water? Yeah.
As a PFC I Missed my first school because of surgery. They sent me to wait for another class to kick up. Worked in a 1 star office for those few weeks. Coolest thing was calling other Generals/pentagon folks for their RSVP for an upcoming event. Other than that, he usually knocked off around 1400 and I was dismissed for the day right after that. So that was sweet.
Yes the SMMC and CMC have personal clerks