We're the Military and Airpower Guys of Jonah Goldberg of National Review Online + a stray we found wandering around looking lost. All original material JHD, BHD, JR, WT, and KA 2003-2010 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/btw_happy_birthday.html Sat, 24 Mar 2012 16:06:10 Z Movable Type 4.12 en Copyright 2012 http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification ...to the U.S. Navy. Founded (appropriately enough) on Friday the 13th of October, 1775. And, in about the last time the Navy let itself get snookered by another service - it's Junior to the Marine Corps, a subordinate organization... hee hee hee. The Marine Corps has had precedence over the Navy since 1921 because the Marine Corps has been very consistent in citing its origins as the legislation of the Continental Congress that established the Continental Marines on 10 November 1775. In constrast [sic], the United States Navy until 1972 gave various responses to the question of when it... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/btw_happy_birthday.html http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/btw_happy_birthday.html Wed, 13 Oct 2004 09:42:16 -0600 August 4, 1790. We are the oldest continuing seagoing service, as John of Brown Hound demonstrated. ]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/btw_happy_birthday.html#comment-7566 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/btw_happy_birthday.html#comment-7566 Thu, 14 Oct 2004 17:01:07 -0600 ...I thought the Secretary of the Navy was a civilian?... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/btw_happy_birthday.html#comment-7557 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/btw_happy_birthday.html#comment-7557 Thu, 14 Oct 2004 14:31:01 -0600 I won't argue it either, 'cuz it takes a REAL man to keep the XO's passageway waxed to such perfection. Which is about all the Marines ever did on the Enterprise. Except for playing "chase the invisible intruder" games that involved brandishing weapons at everyone on the mess decks. I *swear* they enjoyed that WAY too much :-) http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/btw_happy_birthday.html#comment-7547 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/btw_happy_birthday.html#comment-7547 Thu, 14 Oct 2004 00:14:26 -0600 Sorry, Eric. Until there is a Secretary of the Marine Corps... But I won't argue with the "Men's Department" bit. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/btw_happy_birthday.html#comment-7537 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/btw_happy_birthday.html#comment-7537 Wed, 13 Oct 2004 17:40:42 -0600 subordinate?... Sir, how do you figure that?.. I never had a a sailor in MY chain of command... unless he was chairman of the JCS... Marines may be in the "Department of the Navy"... but, rest assured, we are the Mens Department... and, in no way, subordinate to them... ]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/btw_happy_birthday.html#comment-7536 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/btw_happy_birthday.html#comment-7536 Wed, 13 Oct 2004 16:50:47 -0600 It's kinda a chicken and egg thing. You can't have the Naval Infantry unless you've got the navy. Hurts to think about it. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/btw_happy_birthday.html#comment-7535 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/btw_happy_birthday.html#comment-7535 Wed, 13 Oct 2004 16:37:40 -0600 Ah, I see they are not. The official precedence list for the US military is: Cadets, U.S. Military Academy Midshipmen, U.S. Naval Academy Cadets, U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA) Cadets, U.S. Coast Guard Academy Midshipmen, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy U.S. Army U.S. Marine Corps U.S. Navy U.S. Air Force U.S. Coast Guard Army National Guard of the U.S. U.S. Army Reserve U.S. Marine Corps Reserve U.S. Naval Reserve Air National Guard of the U.S. U.S. Air Force Reserve U.S. Coast Guard Reserve Other training organizations of the U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, and U.S. Coast Guard, in that order When the U.S. Coast Guard operates as part of the U.S. Navy, the Cadets, U.S. Coast Guard Academy; U.S. Coast Guard; and U.S. Coast Guard Reserve precede the Midshipmen, U.S. Naval Academy; U.S. Navy; and U.S. Naval Reserve, respectively Troops of the U.S. Air Force are positioned as follows: officers, USAFA cadets, Officer Training School (OTS) students, and airmen Here's where I confirm I'm not a Ring Knocker. I didn't know (nor do I understand the logic of, at first glance) why the various denizens of the Academy's have precedence. Any of you Ring Knockers know the answer to that? But OHO! Look at that... when push comes to shove, the Coasties *ARE* senior to the Squids! http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/btw_happy_birthday.html#comment-7533 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/btw_happy_birthday.html#comment-7533 Wed, 13 Oct 2004 14:44:31 -0600 Hoist on their own petard, too! I've never been to a parade where all five services were present. Does the Coast Guard have precedence? http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/btw_happy_birthday.html#comment-7532 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/btw_happy_birthday.html#comment-7532 Wed, 13 Oct 2004 14:34:44 -0600 United States Coast Guard! So, the U.S. Coast Guard is older than the U.S. Navy. Semper Paratus!]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/btw_happy_birthday.html#comment-7531 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/10/btw_happy_birthday.html#comment-7531 Wed, 13 Oct 2004 14:30:21 -0600