When explorers discovered modern-day Camp Pendleton, it was common for Catholic missionaries to name points of arrival or rest stops for the patron saint whose holy day coincides with time they arrived. A majority of Camp Pendleton locations can be traced to these Spanish padres and voyagers who traveled to Southern California in the late 18th Century.

“The land we know as Camp Pendleton has a rich and colorful history that extends over 230 years,” said Richard B. Rothwell, president, Camp Pendleton Historical Society. “From the Spanish mission days, through its service as a working ranch under Mexican and United States rule, to its present role as an amphibious training base for U.S. Marines. Several historic sights serve as reminders of Camp Pendleton’s rich and colorful past.”

In 1942, The Marine Corps bought 125,000 acres of land in southern California for nearly $4.25 million. The very same undeveloped beachfront, valuable ranch land and scenic mountain vistas would later become the base we know today.

Remaining true to the heritage of this historic land, base officials decided to keep the names given to geographic locations by Spanish explorers and the native descendants after the purchase.

According to the CPHS, examples of these geographic names include:

Cristianitos: Seventeenth century Spanish priests of the Portola-Serra expedition named this area as they made their way through this land on their way to northern California. The site of their encampment was named after St. Apollinaris, but since priests conducted California’s first known Christian baptisms for two dying Indian infants, the soldiers referred to it as Los Cristianitos, or “the little Christians”. Today, the baptismal site is an official California Historical Site.

Las Pulgas: Eighteenth century soldiers accompanying a survey party for the San Luis Rey Mission were constantly bothered by fleas, or Las Pulgas, while camping here. The area was then named after the tiny pests that made a stronger impression than the physical beauty of the area.

Las Flores: The way station or assistance to Mission San Luis Rey was established in 1827 near what is today the Las Pulgas exit to Interstate 5. Seeing wild roses and flowers at the mouth of the canyon and remembering the name given by Father Crespi years earlier, the name Las Flores, meaning “the flowers,” was given to the area.

Chappo: The name is believed to be derived from the word Chapala that was the thick undergrowth found in the area.

Horno: This is the Spanish word for the clay oven or kin used by early settlers. Camp Horno is nestled below the coastal mountains, which block the cooling ocean breezes. As any Marine stationed there can attest, it can get hot as an oven in the summer.

San Onofre: In keeping with the padres’ tradition of naming areas after patron saints, this area was named after the obscure Egyptian, Saint Onuphrius.

San Mateo: This was derived from Saint Matthew, a saint whose name was a favorite with the Catholic missionaries.

Deluz: An Englishman by the name of Luce kept a corral of horses in the area north of the village of Fallbrook. The Spanish-speaking neighbors knew it as Coral de Luz, which was later shortened to the name we use today.

Lake O’Neill: This is a man-made lake created for the irrigation of the fields on Rancho Santa Margarita in the late 1800s. It is named for Richard O’Neill who managed the ranch and later became part owner.

Vado Del Rio: At one time the Margarita River was much deeper and wider. Small trading boats actually sailed up the river from the ocean to trade goods behind the base’s Historic Ranch House. When a bridge was constructed so that travelers could easily cross the river the area overlooking the bridge was named Vado Del Rio, or river crossing.

Amazingly, much of Camp Pendleton would be recognizable today to Richard O’Neill, John Basilone, and other historical figures whose stories are intertwined with the land, said Rothwell.

By Lance Cpl. Daniel Boothe , Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton

War is between brothers, cousins, friends, and neighbors and some of them are women. If you check back into military records, women served as nurses, spies and also as vivandieres. What is a vivandiere you ask? It is a French Army term used for women who provided food, liquor and provisions to the soldiers.

Since the time of the vivandiere, many practices of war have changed. From our increase of technology, to the way we live our lives. But women, will continue to make history in the Army.

One of the first major shifts for women in the military was in the mid 1970’s. The rules changed from a “military draft” to an “all-volunteer force.” This change created opportunities for women to join the Military. Obviously, the rule was changed because there just weren’t enough people joining the army. Also at this time, women could not fly combat aircrafts or serve of combat ships.

In the early 1990’s congress lifted the ban. Women could now fly combat aircrafts and serve on combat ships. Pentagon rules now dictate that women cannot be assigned to ground combat units. There are many women in today’s troops that are gunners, medics, military police, truck drivers, helicopter pilots, but not in ground combat.

Many women will continue to make history with our current conflict in Iraq even with the explosive devices, suicide bombs and rocket propelled grenades. The rules and the technology have changed from the Civil war to present, but the courage and passion for patriotism in the women who serve, has not. History is still being made everyday by women.

Here is a short list of women and the first medals they received.

• The first and only, woman to receive The Medal of Honor was Dr. Mary E. Walker, a contract surgeon during the Civil War.
• The first woman to receive The Purple Heart was Annie G. Fox while serving at Hickam Field during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Dec 7 1941.
• The first woman to receive The Bronze Star was 1Lt Cordelia Cook, Army Nurse Corps, during WWII in Italy. Lt Cook was also awarded The Purple Heart, becoming the first woman to receive two awards.
• Lt Edith Greenwood was awarded The Soldiers Medal in 1943 for heroism acts during a fire at a military hospital in Yuma Arizona. She was the first woman to receive this prestigious award.
• The first woman to receive The Air Medal was Lt Elsie S. Ott. The award was for her abilities as a 1943 air evacuation nurse.
• Barbara Barnwell was the first woman awarded the Navy-Marine Corps Medal for heroism in 1953. Barbara Barnwell, a SSGT was a member of the Marine Reserve, saved a soldier from drowning in 1952.
• Colonel Oveta Culp Hobby, the first Director of the WAC. Oveta was the first woman to receive The U.S. Army Distinguished Service Medal in 1945.

M60 machine gun

Overview

The M60 is a belt-fed machine gun that fires the 7.62 mm NATO cartridge commonly used in larger rifles. It is generally used as crew-served weapon and operated by a team of two or three men. The team consists of the gunner, the assistant gunner (A-gunner in military slang), and the ammunition bearer. The gun’s weight and the amount of ammunition it consumes when fired make it difficult for a single soldier to carry and operate. The gunner carries the weapon and, depending on his strength and stamina, anywhere from 200 to 1000 rounds of ammunition. The assistant carries a spare barrel and extra ammunition, and reloads and spots targets for the gunner. The ammunition bearer carries additional ammunition and the tripod with associated traversing and elevation mechanism, if issued, and fetches more ammunition as needed during firing.

Firing an M60 machine gun from the standing position during the DEFENDER CHALLENGE ‘88 competition

The basic ammunition load carried by the crew is 600 to 900 rounds and theoretically allows approximately two minutes of continuous firing at the maximum rate of fire. All crews carry more than the basic load, sometimes three or more times the basic amount.[citation needed]

The M60 can be accurately fired at short ranges from the shoulder due to its design. This was an initial requirement for the design and a hold-over in concept from the M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle. It may also be fired from the integral bipod, M122 tripod, and some other mounts.

M60 Machine Gun

M60 ammunition comes in a cloth bandolier containing a cardboard box of 100 pre-linked rounds. The M60 changed from M1 link to the different M13 link, a change from the older link system with which it was not compatible. The cloth bandoleer is reinforced to allow it to be hung from the current version of the feed tray. Historically, units in Vietnam used B3A cans from C-rations packs locked into the ammunition box attachment system to roll the ammunition belts over for a straighter and smoother feed to the loading port to enhance reliability of feed. The later models changed the ammunition box attachment point and made this adaptation unnecessary.

History of M60 Machine Gun

The M60 machine gun began development in the late 1940s as a program for a new, lighter 7.62 mm machine gun. The design included features that had been successful on earlier designs (most notably the German MG 42 and FG 42), as well as improvements of its own. It was intended to replace the M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle and M1919A6 Browning machine gun in the squad automatic weapon role. It was also to replace the M1919 family in the medium machine gun role. One of the weapons tested against it during its procurement process was the FN MAG.

The experimental T-44 machine gun developed from the German FG 42 and MG 42 machine guns.

The U.S. Army officially adopted the M60 in 1957. It later served in the Vietnam War as a squad automatic weapon with many U.S. units. Every soldier in the rifle squad would carry an additional 200 linked rounds of ammunition for the M60, a spare barrel, or both. The up-gunned M113 armored personnel carrier ACAV added two M60 gunners beside the main .50 gun, and the Patrol Boat, River had one in addition to two 50 cal mounts.

This section requires expansion with:

Fill in M60 history, including Vietnam War info.

M60 in Vietnam 1966.

In the 1980s, it was partially replaced by the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon within the Infantry squad. The M60 was retained in the vehicle mounted role and the general-purpose role due to its greater power and range compared to the 5.56 mm M249. In USMC service, concerns about the M60’s reliability, the system’s weight, and high round counts of many M60s in service prompted the adoption of the M60E3 to replace most original M60s in Infantry units.

A 19th Special Forces Group soldier mans an M60 machine gun on a HMMWV in Afghanistan, in March 2004. An AT4 anti-tank launcher can be seen in the foreground.

Starting with Ranger Battalions, the US Army began adopting and modifying M240 variants for replacing their remaining M60s in the early 1990s. By comparison, the M240 is several pounds heavier than the M60, and has a longer barrel and overall length, but is more reliable in use and testing.[citation needed] However, the M60 uses a much simpler gas system that is, when care is taken during reassembly, easier to clean. This advantage is obviated by the fact that, in practice, the gas tube is wired shut with lockwire to prevent the gun from disassembling itself due to vibration in hard use.

A sailor fires an M60E3 machine gun during a live-fire exercise at the Mobile Inshore Underwater Warfare Site (MIUW) at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

The M60 continues to be used by U.S. Navy SEALs and as a door gun on U.S. Army helicopters into the 21st century, and as the main 7.62 mm machine gun by some U.S. special operations forces into the late 1990s. As of 2005, it is used by the Coast Guard, Navy, and a number of reserve forces, though it is being phased out in favor of the M240 7.62 mm medium machine gun. The use as an Army helicopter door gun will soon be tapering off, as an improved M240 version has been adopted for this role.

Design

The neutrality of this section is disputed. Please see the discussion on the talk page. Please do not remove this message until the dispute is resolved. (July 2009)

The M60 is a gas-operated, air-cooled, belt-fed, automatic machine gun that fires from the open-bolt position and is chambered for the 7.62 mm NATO cartridge. Ammunition is usually fed into the weapon from a 100-round bandolier containing a disintegrating, metallic split-link belt.

An Airwoman of the UK’s Royal Air Force handles an M60 during a demonstration for Combined Joint Task Force Exercise (CJTFEX) in 2004

The design drew on many common concepts in firearms manufacture of the period, such as stamped sheet metal construction, belt feed (a modified mechanism for belt feed from the MG42 with a single pawl), quick barrel replacement, a pistol grip and stock, and a semi-bull pup design similar to the FG42 (much of the action occupies the weapon’s stock). The M60’s operating system of an operating rod turning a rotating bolt was inspired by the FG42, which was based on the much earlier Lewis Gun. The M60’s gas operation is unique, and drew on technical advances of the period, particularly the White “gas expansion and cutoff” principle also exploited by the M14 rifle. The M60’s gas system was simpler than other gas systems and easier to clean.

The straight-line layout allowed the operating rod and buffer to run directly back into the buttstock and reduce the overall length of the weapon.

As with all such weapons, it can be fired from the shoulder, hip, or underarm position. However, to achieve the maximum effective range, it is recommended that a bipod-steadied position or a tripod-mounted position be used and fired in bursts of 35 rounds. The weapon is heavy and difficult to aim when firing without support, though the weight helps reduce the felt recoil. The large grip also allowed the weapon to be conveniently carried at the hip. The gun can be stripped using a live round of ammunition as a tool. However, this is highly discouraged, as doing so can damage that round and increase the chance of a misfire.

The M60 is often used with its own integrated bipod or with the M122 tripod. The M60 is considered effective up to 1,100 meters when firing at an area target and mounted on a tripod; up to 800 meters when firing at an area target using the integral bipod; up to 600 meters when firing at a point target; and up to 200 meters when firing at a moving point target. United States Marine Corps doctrine holds that the M60 and other weapons in its class are capable of suppressive fire on area targets out to 1,500 meters if the gunner is sufficiently skilled.

Originally an experimental M91 tripod was developed for the M60, but an updated M2 tripod design was selected over it which became the M122. The M122 would be itself replaced in the 2000s by a new mount, in time for the M60 to also be used with it.

Ammunition for M60

M60 machine gun fired during a small arms familiarization exercise aboard USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19); November 2004

810th Military Police Company, mans a 7.62 mm M60 machine gun atop an M998 High-Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) during Operation Desert Shield.

The M60 family of weapons are capable of firing standard NATO rounds of the appropriate caliber. Most common in U.S. use are M61 Armor piercing, M62 Tracer, and M80 Ball. For training purposes, M63 Dummy and M82 Blanks are used. The new tungsten cored M993 Armor-piercing rounds may also be fired in the M60 as well, though they did not enter the inventory until after the M60 was withdrawn from service in active-duty units.

When firing blanks, the M13 or M13A1 blank-firing adaptor (BFA) is necessary in order to produce enough gas pressure to cycle the weapon with blanks. All ammunition must be fixed in a NATO standard M13 disintegrating metallic split-link belt to feed into the weapon.

The standard combat ammunition mix for the M60 consists of four ball (M80) cartridges and one tracer (M62) in belts of 100 rounds. The four to one ratio theoretically allows the gunner to accurately “walk” the fire into the enemy. Tracer bullets do not fly quite the same trajectory as ball and weapon’s sights must be used for accurate firearticularly at ranges in excess of 800 meters, where 7.62×51mm NATO tracer bullets usually burn out and are no longer visible. This is a problem for all weapons in this caliber using this tracer round.

Design flaws

This section does not cite any references or sources.

Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (July 2009)

An M60 machine gun aboard a Navy patrol craft. The USS Constellation (CV-64) is visible in the background.

When tested in the field, the M60 was fairly effective, but in the jungles of Southeast Asia in which it was soon used, the initial versions displayed several potential problems when used on the ground. A common complaint was the weapon’s weight, though M60 was among the lightest 7.62 mm machine guns of the era.

For units in Vietnam, the single most common complaint was that the M60 was comparatively unreliable and prone to jamming and other malfunctions, especially when it was dirty. Fine sand and dust in the mechanism could bring the M60 to a halt. This was a major factor in the Israeli Defense Force declining to adopt the M60. The weapon was more difficult to clean and maintain than the M1918A2 Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) it replaced in the squad. In normal conditions it would often fire thousands of rounds without a serious jam while field conditions tended to reduce reliability without proper maintenance.

The safety was awkward to operate and worked the “wrong way” for soldiers who were trained with the M16 rifle and M1911A1 pistolhat is, it required an upward movement of the thumb on the safety catch to make the gun ready to fire, rather than a downward movement as with the other weapons. Additionally, it is possible to install some of the fire control mechanism incorrectly, causing a “runaway gun”eaning that it would keep firing until empty even if the operator took his finger off the trigger. The gas system of the original model could be assembled incorrectly causing failure to function and could unscrew and come apart if not safety wired in place.

A Gunner Mate 3rd Class in the process of preventative maintenance and cleaning on an M60 machine on the USS Constellation (CV-64); December 2002

The M60 sometimes (depending on the version) tore rims off of fired cartridge cases during the extraction cycle, resulting in failure to remove the empty case, causing a jam that could take time to clear. The barrel latch mechanism (a swinging lever) could catch on the gunner’s equipment and accidentally unlatch, causing the barrel to fall out of the gun. The lever was replaced with a pushbutton mechanism that was less likely to be accidentally released, but many of the swinging-lever latches are still on guns in inventory, forty years after this problem was discovered.

The grip/trigger housing assembly is held in place with a rather fragile leaf spring clip instead of the captive pins used in other designs. The spring clip has been known to be prone to breakage since the first trials at Aberdeen Proving Ground. Duct tape and cable ties have been seen on M60s in the field, placed there by their crews in case the spring clip breaks. The sear in the trigger mechanism gained a reputation for wearing down and a malfunction could cause the gun to “run away”. A second sear notch was eventually added to the operating rod to reduce the chance of this happening.

Several critical parts of early production M60s, such as the receiver cover and feed tray, were made from very thin sheet metal stampings and prone to bending or breaking; sturdier parts were eventually available in the early 1970s. Early M60s also had driving spring guides and operating rods that were too thin and gas pistons that were too narrow behind the piston head (part of an attempt to save weight), leading to problems with breakage. Metallurgical problems also played a part, (blamed by some on low-bid contractors), but after 1970 a slightly heavier part was designed and slowly put into the supply chain. High round count weapons were also susceptible to stretching of the receiver and other parts.

An M60 machine gun team changes barrels before engaging their last target during the DEFENDER CHALLENGE ‘88 competition.

Another criticism with some versions of the M60 is that the barrel was heavy. The bipod was a permanent fixture to the barrel as well as the gas chamber of the gas system; the latter was a result of using a piston design with a fixed regulator design. The advantage of the fixed regulator was no adjustment was required, though it risked the ability to compensate for fouling of the gas system, leading to insufficient power to operate the action, including lifting the ammunition belt. The non-adjustable front sight is fixed to the barrel and adjustments for “zeroing” the sights could only be made at the rear sight requiring readjustment when the barrel is changedot ideal for combat situations.

There was no handle to hold the barrel by for changes. A large asbestos glove was part of the standard issue to allow the crew to handle hot barrels during barrel change. Loss of the glove was always a problem.

U.S. Marines especially disliked the M60, and many Marine units held onto their BARs until 196768 officially, and longer unofficially. The M60E3 variant designed in the mid-1980s for the U.S. Marine Corps, reduced the design’s weight to 18.9 lb (8.61 kg) unloaded and slightly improved reliability. Users complained about the quickly-overheating barrel, a common problem with the original M60. This problem was aggravated in the M60E3, which uses a lighter barrel, which required changing every 100 rounds instead of every 200. The M60E3’s barrel used a wire and plastic handle near the breech end and could be changed safely without the use of heat-resistant mittens.

The U.S. Navy special operations forces continued to use and upgrade the M60E3 for years because of its portability and low weight for its caliber requiring many modifications, including a change in feed system and barrel configuration. Additional required changes were the addition of rails for optical sights and other modern accessories.

The reliability problem with the M60 machine gun was even more evident when the gun was compared to the successful and reliable PK machine gun used by Warsaw Pact forces and Soviet client states.

Variants

A member of the 101st Airborne Division, armed with an M60 machine gun, participates in a field exercise in 1972.

The nomenclature M60 describes either the first adopted version or, generically, the family of weapons derived from it.

Major variations include the M60E1 (an improved version that did not enter production), the M60E2 (a version designed to be used from fixed mounts as a co-axial for armored vehicles or in helicopter armament systems), the M60E3 (a lightweight version) and the M60E4 (another improved version, designated Mk 43 Mod 0 by the U.S. Navy).

The M60C was adopted for use on fixed mounts on aircraft. It was characterized by the use of an electric solenoid to operate the trigger and a hydraulic system to charge the weapon. The M60D differed from the base model by employing spade grips, a different sighting system, and lacking a forearm. It was typically employed as a door gun on helicopters or as a pintle mounted weapon as on the Type 88 K1 tank.

There are many smaller variants among each type, between makers of the firearm, and over time.

Variant summary

T161: The M60’s developmental designation before it was type-classified in the 1950s.

M60: The basic model, type-classified in 1957.

M60E1: An improved version that did not enter production. The primary difference was the handle fixed to the barrel and the removal of the gas cylinder and bipod from the barrel assembly.

M60E2: Used in vehicles as a coaxial machine gun; electrically fired.

M60B: Used in helicopters in the 1960s and 1970s; unmounted.

M60C: Used in fixed mounts in aircraft in the 1960s and 1970s; electrically fired and hydraulically charged.

M60D: Replaced the M60B; a pintle-mounted version used especially in armament subsystem for helicopters, but also some other roles.

M60E3: An updated, lightweight version adopted in the 1980s.

M60E4 (Mk 43 Mod 0/1): An improved model of the 1990s that looks similar to the E3, but has many improvements. It has subvariants of its own, and is also used by the U.S. Navy (as the Mk 43 Mod 0/1). The Mk 43 Mod 1 is a specialized version with additions such as extra rails for mounting accessories.

M60

M60 on the deck of USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) in 2006.

The initial version was officially adopted by the U.S. Army in the late 1950s, though at this time it was only intended for the infantry. It was known as the T161 before it was adopted (specifically the T161E3), and was chosen over the competing T52 during testing in the 1950s. They both used a similar feed and were both gas-operated, but the T161 was easier to produce and its different internals performed better. The model that won the competition was the T161E3.

The model was type-classified in 1957, and entered production. It saw its first heavy use in the 1960s. The basic design has undergone some smaller changes, and has been produced by different manufacturers.

M60E1

The M60E1 was the first major variant of the original M60. It did not go into full-scale production, though many of its features were included into the later E3 and E4 variants. Some of its features were also incorporated into the existing M60 production. This mainly changed how the gas cylinder, the barrel, and the bipod were connected; in the first iteration. The M60 and the M60E1 are two different versions. Opinions are varied on whether the M60E1 was officially adopted or not.

A camouflaged infantryman armed with an M60 machine gun.

One of the more noticeable changes on the M60E1 is that the bipod attachment point was moved to the gas tube rather than the barrel (like on the later M60E3). It did not, however, have a forward pistol grip, as was added on the E3.

M60E2

M60E2, intended for co-axial use. Note gas tube extension and no grip.

The M60E2 is used on armored fighting vehicles, such as the M48A5, later M60 Patton versions and the K1 Type 88. It lacks many of the external components of the standard M60, including stock and grips. The M60E2 was electrically fired, but had a manual trigger as a backup, as well as a metal loop at the back for charging. The gas tube below the barrel was extended to the full length of the weapon to vent the gas outside the vehicle. This version achieved a mean time between failures of 1,669 during testing in the 1970s, more frequent than the FN MAG, which was adopted in 1977 as a co-axial vehicle gun and designated the M240.

The M60E2 is used on the South Korea’s K1 Type 88 tank as a co-axial weapon, along with an M60D on a pintle mount.

M60B

The M60B was a short-lived version designed to be fired from helicopters, with limited deployment made in the 1960s and 1970s. It was not mounted, just held, and was soon replaced by the pintle-mounted M60D. The ‘B’ model differed most noticeably in that it had no bipod and featured a different rear stock than the regular model. It still had a pistol grip (as opposed to spade grips). The M60B’s advantage over pintle-mounted variants was that it had a wider and much less restricted field of fire.

M60C

The M60C machine gun.

The M60C is a variant of the standard M60 for aircraft-mounting, such as in helicopter armament subsystems. It lacks things like the bipod, pistol grip, and iron sights. The main difference between the standard M60 and the “C” variant is the electronic control system and the hydraulic swivel system used. It could be fired from the cockpit by the pilot or co-pilot. It is an electronically-controlled, hydraulic-powered, air-cooled, gas-operated, belt-fed weapon system. It used the M2, M6, and M16 armament subsystems and was mounted on the OH-13 Sioux, the OH-23 Raven, the UH-1B Huey, and comprised the standard fixed armament of the OV-10 Bronco. M60C production was on the order of several hundred. It was also used in the XM19 gun pod.

See also: US Helicopter Armament Subsystems

M60D

The M60D on the M23 Armament Subsystem.

The M60D is a mounted version of the standard M60. It can be mounted on boats, vehicles and as a pintle-mounted door gun in helicopters. When used in aircraft, it differs from the M60C in that it is not controlled by the pilotather, it is mounted in a door and operated by a member of the crew. Like the rest of the M60 family, it is an air-cooled, gas-operated, belt-fed weapon. Unlike other models, however, the M60D normally has spade grips and an aircraft ring-type sight or similar, as well as an improved ammunition feed system. A canvas bag is also affixed to the gun to capture ejected casings and links, preventing them from being sucked into the rotor blades or into an engine intake. The M60D was equipped on the UH-1B Huey (using the M23, XM29, M59, and the Sagami mounts), the CH-47 Chinook (using the M24 and M41 mounts) in both door and ramp locations, the ACH-47A “Guns-A-Go-Go” variant of the Chinook (using the XM32 and XM33 mounts), and on the UH-60 Black Hawk (using the M144 mount). The M60D is also used by the British on Royal Air Force Chinooks. In US service, the M60D are being replaced, primarily by the M240H.

See also: US Helicopter Armament Subsystems

M60E3

Navy SEAL team member fires an M60E3 from the shoulder during a field training exercise in 1987.

The M60E3 was fielded circa 1986 in an attempt to remedy problems with earlier versions of the M60 for infantry use. It is a lightweight, “improved” version intended to reduce the load carried by the gunner. Unlike its predecessors, the M60E3 has several updated modern features. It has a bipod (attached to the receiver) for improved stability, ambidextrous safety, universal sling attachments, a carrying handle on the barrel, and a simplified gas system. However, these features also caused almost as many problems for the weapon as they fixed. There were different types of barrels used, but the lightweight barrel was not as safe for sustained fire at 200 rounds per minute as heavier types. However, some personnel claim to have witnessed successful prolonged firing of the weapon. The stellite superalloy barrel liner makes it possible, but the excessive heat generated by this process can quickly make the gun unusable. There were two main barrels, a lightweight barrel and another heavier typehe former for when lighter weight was desired, and the latter for situations where more sustained fire was required.

M60E3.

The reduced-weight components also reduced the durability of the weapon, making it more prone to rapid wear and parts breakage than the original. Most infantry units in the U.S. Army and Marine Corps have now switched over to the M240 as their general-purpose machine gun, which is more reliable (particularly when dirty) and seems to be well-liked by the troops for its ruggedness, despite the fact that it weighs 27.6lb (12.5kg) compared to the standard M60 at 23.15lb (10.5kg).

The U.S. Air Force Security Forces received the M60E3 from 1988 to 1989. All USAF M60E3s were withdrawn from general issue by 1990, because it did not meet the vehicle mount requirements of the Cadillac Gage Ranger and due to overheating problems. The M60E3 did remain in the Air Force as an emergency issue weapon only. Still in service on Ohio Class ballistic missile submarines as a more reliable weapon has not even been considered for reissue.

M60E4 and Mk 43 Mod 0/1

This firearm is the latest generation of the M60 family and incorporates a number of improvements over other versions. Externally, it looks somewhat like the M60E3, but it has other internal changes and improvements. It features a different forward grip and is also a more reliable weapon than the other M60s. The M60E4/Mk 43 has higher pull for the belt, and is available in a variety of configurations. It is also possible to convert some older models to this standard. The M60E4 and Mk 43 were primarily developed in the 1990s. First the E4, and soon after the Mk 43hese early Mk 43s had some distinct differences from the E4 (such as a duckbill flash suppressor), though by the 2000s these distinctions seemed to have ended.

A mounted Mk 43 Mod 0 (M60E4) (later model) is crewed by a Seabee of NMCB-15 (Naval Mobile Construction Battalion), on a convoy in Iraq in May 2003.

This version also has another designation under the Navy, Mk 43 Mod 0. The Mk 43 Mod 0 was developed for the U.S. Navy SEALs to replace their existing stock of M60E3 machine guns fitted with shorter “assault barrels”. These weapons are identical to standard M60E4s, with the exception of the barrel length, and can be used either as suppressive fire or direct fire weapons, at least in terms of theory and training. The Mk 43 Mod 1 adds significantly more rail attachment points to the weapon’s receiver cover and handguard.

The M60E4 and Mk 43 versions are roughly similar, although they are only part of the same family. While it might be fair to say that the Mk 43s are a type of M60E4, there are technical differences between any given M60E4 model. Early Mk 43s have certain differences over M60E4 from the same period, the most obvious being the duck-bill flash hider and different handguard. Current Mk 43s do not have these differences however, and the U.S. Ordnance website states in their FAQ, as of 2005, that the “M60E4 and the Mk43 are the same weapon system”.

The M60E4 was pitted against the (then called) M240E4 in Army trials during the 1990s for new medium machine gun for the infantry, in a competition to replace the decades-old M60s. The M240E4 won, and was then classified as the M240B. This led to 1,000 existing M240s being sent to Fabrique Nationale for an overhaul and a special kit that modified them for use on ground (such as a stock, a rail, etc.). Afterwards, procurement contracts were let in the late 1990s for all-new M240B models. However, a new feature was added: a hydraulic buffer system to reduce the felt recoilimilar to that of the M60as incorporated. While the M240B had been more reliable in the tests, it was a few pounds heavier than the M60E4.

The M60E4 is not just another version, but a whole update to the series, that is also available in many of the previous configurations, such as a co-axial weapon. Kits are also offered to convert older models to the E4 standard.

M60E4 (Light machine gun):

Short barrel: weight: 22.5 lb (10.2 kg); length: 37.7 in (95.8 cm)

Long barrel: weight: 23.1 lb (10.5 kg); length: 42.4 in (108 cm)

Assault barrel: weight: 21.3 lb (9.66 kg); length: 37.0 in (94.0 cm)

Width: 4.8 in (12.2 cm)

M60E4 (mounted):

Length: 43.5 in (110 cm)

Width: 5.9 in (15.0 cm)

Weight: 22.7 lb (10.3 kg)

M60E4 (co-axial):

Length: 42.3 in (107 cm)

Width: 4.8 in (12.2 cm)

Weight: 21.2 lb (9.62 kg)

Civilian versions

A number of semi-automatic versions for the civilian market have been produced in the United States. The internals must be extensively modified to make it essentially impossible to convert them to fully-automatic weapons. If the design is approved by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE), they are treated as belt-fed semi-automatic rifles; however, individual state and local regulations still apply.

The U.S. Ordnance company is the current maker authorized by Saco to produce mil-spec M60s and M60 parts. However, U.S. Ordnance put its civilian semi-auto sales on hold until 2006 because its production capacity is required for government orders. The company had charged 00 for a new semi-automatic M60.

The Desert Ordnance company is a current maker of M60s and M60 parts. The company charges between 000-000 for a new semi-automatic M60, depending on the model.

Various makes of older fully-automatic versions are on the market as well, but there are many legal requirements to be met before purchasing them, and they cost upwards of U.S. ,00030,000. This is largely due to the restriction on the production of fully-automatic firearms in the U.S. for the general civilian market since 1986. The combination of banning production and importation has led many to think it is illegal to own a machine gun, when, in fact, it is legal to own and use a fully-automatic M60 machine gun in the United States (unless prohibited by other state or local laws).

Users

Republic of Korea soldiers with an M60 conduct combined amphibious landing during Foal Eagle 07.

Moro Islamic Liberation Front militant laying prone with an M60.

Portuguese Army V-150 Commando armed with an M60.

Australia

Colombia

Czech Republic: The M60E4 is used in small numbers by specialized units of the Czech Army.

Egypt

Greece

Jordan

Panama

Peru

Philippines

Portugal: Portuguese Army uses M60E and D mounted on V-150 Commando.[citation needed]

Republic of Korea

Taiwan

Thailand

Tunisia

United States: Used by the US Army and the US Navy SEALs.

See also

Military of the United States portal

Airman with M60, assigned to the 52nd Security Forces Squadron (SFS), at Spangdahlem Air Base (AB), Germany.

PK machine gun, M60’s Warsaw Pact counterpart.

List of individual weapons of the U.S. Armed Forces

List of crew-served weapons of the U.S. Armed Forces

References

^ a b The M60. Federation of American Scientists.

^ Weapons: An International Encyclopedia From 5000 B.C. To 2000 A.D. Diagram Visual, p. 217. ISBN 0-312-03950-6.

^ “Gun Control : Machine Guns”. Guncite.com. 2005-02-19. http://www.guncite.com/gun_control_gcfullau.html. Retrieved 2009-07-06.

^ a b c d e f g h i j k {{cite web |url=http://www.worldpolicy.org/projects/arms/reports/smallarms.htm |title=Profiling the Small Arms Industry

^ http://www.army.cz/assets/files/9334/zbrane_definit.pdf

^ http://www.timawa.net/pmc.htm

^ Miller, David (2001). The Illustrated Directory of 20th Century Guns. Salamander Books Ltd. ISBN 1-84065-245-4.

^ M60E3 & Mk43 Mod 0

Global Security: the M60E3

Modern Firearms & Ammunition: the M60

Department of the Army Field Manual No. 3-22.68

U.S. Army TACOM Rock Island

MCWP 3-15.1 United States Marine Corps: “Machine Guns and Machine Gun Gunnery”

Navy SEALs

M60E4

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

M60 (machine gun) (category)

US Ordnance Website (Current maker of M60s)

Military Factory Small Arms

Belt-Fed FG42: Predecessor to the M60

US Army manual: Operator’s Manual For M60, M122, M60D

Video links

Nazarian`s Gun`s Recognition Guide (FILM) M60 Presentation (.MPEG)

v  d  e

General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG)

AA-52  AEK-999  FN MAG  M60  Heckler & Koch HK21  Kucher Model K1  MG 34  MG 42  MG 3  Type 67  Type 80  SIG MG 50  MG 51  SIG MG 710-3  PK  Pecheneg  Sumitomo NTK-62  Uk vz. 59  UKM-2000  Vektor SS-77  Zastava M84

v  d  e

Current U.S. infantry weapons and cartridges

Handguns

M9  M11  MEU(SOC)  Mk 23  Mk 24

Rifles

Assault and Battle

M16  Mk 14  Mk 16

Carbine

HK416  M4  Mk 18

Designated Marksman

DMR  M14  M39  Mk 12  SAM-R  SDM-R  SEAL Recon Rifle

Sniper

M24  M40  M107  M110  Mk 11  Mk 15

Shotguns

M26  M590  M870  M1014

Submachine guns

MP5N  P90

Machine guns

M2HB  M240B  M249 and Mk 46  Mk 43

Grenade launchers

M203  M32  M320  M79  Mk 19  Mk 47

Mortars

M120  M224  M252

Rockets

M3  M72 series  M136  M141  M202A1  Mk 153

Missiles

FGM-172  FGM-148  FIM-92

Cartridges

12-gauge  5.7×28mm  9×19mm NATO  .45 ACP  5.56×45mm NATO  7.62×51mm NATO  12.7×99mm NATO

v  d  e

Current equipment of the United States Air Force

Aircraft

Attack

A/OA-10A/C Thunderbolt II  AC-130H/U Spectre/Spooky II

Bomber

B-1B Lancer  B-2A Spirit  B-52H Stratofortress

Electronic Warfare

E-3B/C Sentry  E-4B  E-8C Joint STARS  E-9A  EC-130J Commando Solo

Fighter

F-15C/D Eagle  F-15E Strike Eagle  F-16C/D Fighting Falcon  F-22A Raptor

Reconnaissance

OC-135B Open Skies  RC-26B  RC-135S/U/V/W  RQ-4A Global Hawk  RQ-11B Raven  RQ-170 Sentinel  U-2R/S Dragon Lady  WC-130J Super Hercules  WC-135C/W Constant Phoenix  Scan Eagle  Wasp III

Search and Rescue

HH-60G/MH-60G Pave Hawk   HC-130P/N

Tanker

KC-10A Extender  KC-135E/R/T Stratotanker

Trainer

T-1A Jayhawk  T-6A Texan II  (A)T-38A/B/C Talon  T-43A  TG-10B/C/D  TG-15A/B

Transport

C-5A/B/C/M Galaxy  VC-9C  C-12C/D/F Huron  C-17A Globemaster III  C-20A/B/C Gulfstream III  C-20G/H Gulfstream IV  C-21A Learjet  CV-22 Osprey  VC-25A  C-32A/B  C-37A Gulfstream V  C-37B Gulfstream V  C-38 Courier  C-40B Clipper  C-41A Aviocar  C-130E/H/J Hercules

Utility/Multi-Mission

LC-130H  MC-130 Combat Talon I,II/Combat Spear/Combat Shadow  MQ-1B Predator  MQ-9 Reaper  U-28A  UH-1H/N/V Huey  UV-18A/B Twin Otter  YAL-1

Space Systems

Launch Vehicle

Atlas V  Delta II  Delta IV

Satellite

Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP)  Defense Satellite Communications System (DSCS)  Defense Support Program (DSP)  Global Positioning System (GPS)  Milstar Satellite Communications System  Mobile User Objective System (MUOS)  Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS)  Wideband Global SATCOM

C2

AN/USQ-163 Falconer

Munitions

Bomb

CBU-87 Combined Effects Munition  CBU-89 Gator  CBU-97 Sensor Fuzed Weapon  GBU-10 Paveway II  GBU-12 Paveway II  GBU-15  GBU-24 Paveway III  GBU-27 Paveway III  GBU-28  GBU-31 JDAM  GBU-32 JDAM  GBU-38 JDAM  GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb  GBU-54 Laser JDAM  Mk-82  Mk-84  M129

Missile

AGM-65A/B/D/E/G/G2/H/K Maverick  AGM-86B/C/D Air-Launched Cruise Missile (ALCM)  AGM-88A/B/C High-speed Anti-radiation Missile (HARM)  AGM-130 Powered Standoff Weapon  AGM-154A Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW)  AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Stand-off Missile (JASSM)  AIM-7M Sparrow  AIM-9M/X Sidewinder  AIM-120B/C Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM)  LGM-30G Minuteman III

Target

BQM-34 Firebee  BQM-167 Subscale Aerial Target  MQM-107 Streaker  QF-4 Aerial Target

Small Arms

M4 Carbine  M9 Semiautomatic Pistol  M11 Semiautomatic Pistol  M1911A1 Semiautomatic Pistol  M14 Stand-off Munitions Disruptor (SMUD)  M16A2 Rifle  M18A1 Claymore Mine  M24 Sniper Weapon System  M67 Fragmentation Grenade  M79 Grenade Launcher  M107/M82A1 Long Range Sniper Rifle  M2 .50-Caliber Machine Gun  M240B Medium Machine Gun  M249 light machine gun  M60 Medium Machine Gun  MCS 870 Modular Combat Shotgun  MK-19 40 mm Machine Gun  MP5K Submachine Gun  UZI Submachine Gun  M72 Light Anti-tank Weapon (LAW)  GAU-5A/GUU-5P Carbine  M136 AT4 Light Anti-tank Weapon  Mk 14 Mod 0 Enhanced Battle Rifle

Related Marine Corps Reserve Articles

Joining The Military As An Officer, College ROTC

Before you join the military, ask yourself if you are willing to give your life for your  Marines and your country. If you can say yes to that question, then you are ready to join. Many do not consider that question, and then are surprised at the risks they are required to take in time of war. Although, the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq will change and eventually end, enemies of individual freedom continue to exist all over the world. These fanatics will continue to attack the United States and her democratic allies, until we change the dynamic of world-wide poverty and provide opportunity for all.

Becoming a USMC Officer

Now, if you decide you still want to join the military, and you want to be an officer, I recommend you join a reserve officer training program. You can join anytime during your college education. During one of your summers, you will be required to take a college version of basic training for either Army or Navy ROTC. This will give you the initial training and understanding of the responsibilities of wearing the uniform, as well as some of its rewards.

If you choose to be a Marine, you will need to take Navy ROTC, and apply for entry into the Marine Corps. After you graduate and are commissioned as a Marine second lieutenant, you will take Marine basic infantry training. All Marines must take basic infantry training before they are qualified to take any other Marine specialty training. You will not be given your desired specialty until you prove yourself in your initial training.

You can also join the Marines out of college, but the path will be more difficult. You will have to go through enlisted basic infantry training. If you prove yourself worthy there you can earn the chance to go to Marine Officer Candidate School. Here you earn the right to become a Marine second lieutenant. You would already be at this point when you graduate, if you complete a 2 or more year ROTC program.

Unfortunately, you cannot not join the military for a few months. If you are commissioned, your commitment is usually at least 3 years duty. If you accept a scholarship, or a monetary entry bonus of some type, your commitment is usually 8 years, mixed between active duty time and reserve time. The nice thing about trying ROTC is that if you really dislike it, you can turn in your uniforms and stop attending. You would have no binding commitment, unless you accept a scholarship of some kind.

Please talk to the ROTC program at your college or at the university closest to you to get more questions answered. There should be an OTC program close to you, even if your college does not have one. You should be able to join as a member for a satellite campus.

Daily Management and  USMC Leadership

When I was in the U.S. Marine Corps, the term “leadership” was taught, explained, and demonstrated almost every minute of the day. I found that the biggest and most important difference between a manager and a leader is the way they motivate people who work for them, or follow them. I find that the traits associated with management and leadership can be very similar but they are definitely not transferable. In our daily routine, there is a need for both types of individuals and many of you have developed both styles in your personal and professional life.

It has been my experience that if you are a manager you normally have subordinates. These are individuals who have been assigned to your charge by higher authorities within a corporate structure. Managers hold positions of authority that have been given to them by upper level administrators and are assigned a multitude of tasks to accomplish for the betterment of the organization.

Management of the daily routine is a very important function, especially in today’s troubled corporate environment. And let me add, not everyone can be an effective manager. It takes training; perhaps vocational, on-the-job or academic instruction. It also takes a ton of organizational skills, patience, self-confidence, and the ability to efficiently function under some extremely high pressure deadlines. Managers usually are not big risk takers and that’s perfectly alright because the company has tasked them (and their subordinates) with the successful completion of a task for the benefit of the company – nothing more, nothing less. That’s what a manager gets paid to do.

Leaders, on the other hand, normally don’t have subordinates but leaders always have followers. People only follow someone because they want to, not because they are asked or forced to do so. Many corporate leaders have subordinates, but that’s only because they are also managers within the organization. But when these individuals feel the need to lead, they must give up their formal corporate managerial authority, because to lead is to have followers, and following is always a voluntary action – there are no exceptions.

There are all kinds of leaders; some are animated and energetic while some are more reserved. Some people seem to be born to lead while others learn how to lead. Some are charismatic while others are extremely humble but whatever the style; there is always a magnetic appeal to whatever the leader does or asks others to do. Leaders will never ask anyone to do something that they won’t do right along with their team. And although leaders aren’t thrill seekers, willing to do anything to get the job done; they are calculated risk takers and not afraid to do something out of the ordinary in order to successfully complete an assigned task.

Like I said at the beginning, most of us have a touch of both – managerial and leadership traits – within us. This allows us to be organizers when necessary and adapt to changing situations, when required to do so. I have heard a simple explanation concerning the difference between management and leadership style that says “managers do things right, leaders do the right things.”  I believe what this means is that managers are centered on the process of accomplishing tasks while leaders are more visionary and imaginative.  I guess that may be true, but I also believe there are many other factors that must be discussed when we consider the value of each role.

If a company is going to surpass its competitors by becoming more productive and innovative, the proper individuals must be assigned within the leadership and the management makeup of the company.  Both of these functions are important and I think we sometimes give too much credit to the star corporate executive rather than realizing that both the internal leader and his or her management staff/team are needed to assure the ultimate success of a company’s business plan.

A news story on the New Marine Corps Tattoo Policy, produced for Marines TV Pendleton, a monthly newsmagazine broadcasting out of Camp Pendleton, CA.
Video Rating: 4 / 5

Waiver approval is dependent on several factors. One of the factors is how badly that particular military service needs your particular warm body at this particular point in time.

Two of the active duty services are currently overmanned (i.e., they have more people on active duty than Congress says they can have). Those two active duty services are the Air Force and the Navy. Because of this, both services currently get more applicants for enlistment than they are allowed to take. So,they get to “pick and choose” and only take the *most qualified.*

Too put it bluntly, the Navy (and Air Force) currently have thousands of more applicants each year than they are allowed to accept. Your application requires a criminal history waiver (even if not convicted, you were arrested/charged). Hundreds of other qualified applicants don’t require such a waiver. Who do you think the Navy is going to choose?

I should mention here that when it comes to waivers, the military services don’t much care whether or not it resulted in a conviction. They don’t care whether charges were dropped due to some technicality, or due to someone refusing to press charges. They care more about whether or not you actually committed the offense alleged, and not whether you were charged or not due to a legal loophole.

By your own admission, you did commit these two offenses. You were in possession of cocaine, but got out of it because the cop made a “booboo” during the arrest. You committed the offense of domestic battery, but got out of it because your wife refused to press charges. From the military’s point of view, you committed these two offenses. Waivers for the Air Force or Navy are both unlikely.

The Army and Marines are having a harder time recruiting than the Navy and Air Force. While there are no promises, these two services are your best bet.

First of all, the fact that they committed a criminal offense will likely require a waiver. Because you use the term “soldier,” I assume you’re talking about the Army? (Each service has different standards).

“Probation” is considered (by the Army) to be a “civil restraint,” because it limits a person’s ability to do certain things and/or travel to certain areas without permission. The Army regulation requires at least a 30 day waiting period, following removal from probation before a waiver request can even be processed.

Chances of getting a waiver for the active duty Air Force or active duty Coast Guard are slim. The Air Force is reducing in size, so they aren’t granting that many waivers (they have a waiting list for those who want to join, so they don’t need to approve very many waivers), and one of the Coast Guard’s responsibilities is drug enforcement (as you know), so they rarely waiver drug offenses.

If he gets probation, (in most cases), he won’t be allowed to join any of the services until his probation is over. There are some exceptions to this.

His chances of getting a waiver (assuming no other offenses) differ, based on the services, and what their current recruiting needs are. In order (easiest to hardest), it would probably be:
Army National Guard, Army Reserves, Active Duty Army, Marine Corps Reserves, Active Duty Marines, Navy Reserves, Active Duty Navy, Coast Guard Reserves, Active Duty Coast Guard, Air Force National Guard, Air Force Reserves, and Active Duty Air Force.

Real footage of Marine Corps recruit training at Boot Camp. Part 1 (1-6 weeks). Week 01 – Receiving: 2 am new recruits arrive at Parris Island, SC. Week 02 – In the Barracks: Bringing discipline into the recruits routine. Week 03 – Bayonet Assault Course: Turning instruction into intensity. Week 04 – Pugil Sticks: Facing opponents for the first time. Week 05 – MCMAP: Learning Marine Corps Martial Arts. Week 06 – Rappelling: Overcoming fear.

Related Marine Corps Reserves Articles

Who is eligible for this program?

The provisions of the SSRA apply to active duty military personnel who had a mortgage obligation prior to enlistment or prior to being ordered to active duty (for Reservists). This includes members of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, as well as commissioned officers belonging to the Public Health Service and those in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) who are engaged in active service. Military reservists ordered to report for military service and those persons ordered to report for induction under the Military Selective Service Act as well as guardsmen called to active service for more than 30 consecutive days are also covered under the act.

In the area of home mortgage protections, the act limits the amount of mortgage interest that may be charged on home loans incurred by a service member (including debts incurred jointly with a spouse) before he or she entered into active military service.

Once requested by the home owner, mortgage lenders must reduce the interest rate to no more than six percent per year during the period of active military service. They must also recalculate future payments to reflect the lower rate. This provision applies to both conventional and government-insured mortgages.

It is important for those covered by the act to understand that this is not an automatic system. In order to request temporary interest rate reduction, you must send in a written request to the lender. This submission must include a copy of your military orders. The request may be submitted as soon as the orders are issued but must be provided to the lender no later than 180 days after discharge from active duty military service.

Some of those who are covered by the act may find that they cannot make the payments even at the lower rate. If this happens, the lender may let the member stop paying on the principal while the member is on active duty. They are not mandated to do this, but many of them will. The amount that is adjusted will still have to be paid but at a later time, once active duty service is completed or financial status of the member improves.
It is also important to know that many home mortgage lenders have other programs available to help those in need. If you or your spouse should fall into this category, contact your lender immediately and ask about loss mitigation options.

For those with FHA insured loans who are finding it difficult or impossible to make the required payments, FHA has special forbearance and other loss mitigation options that you may be eligible for.

Lastly, those covered under the act should know that mortgage lenders may not foreclose, or seize property for failure to pay, while a service member is on active duty. They may not do foreclose, as well, within 90 days after discharge without court approval. In order to get court approval, the lender would need to prove that the service member’s ability to repay the debt was not affected by his or her military service.
You can learn more the Soldiers and Sailors Relief Act online or at your military base.

Military TA is a benefit paid to those who serve in the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, and Coast Guard.  Each branch has its own criteria for eligibility, required service, procedures and restrictions.

Payment caps are the same for the Air Force, Army, Marines and Coast Guard TA:  0 per Semester Credit Hour, 6 per Quarter Credit Hour, and ,500 per fiscal year.

Here’s a brief overview of benefits available to each branch of service:

Air Force

Air Force Tuition assistance provides 100 percent of tuition and fees for courses taken by active duty personnel.  In fact, this education assistance program is one of the most frequent reasons given for enlisting and re-enlisting.

Candidates must apply for assistance online using the Air Force Virtual TA Education Center.  Log on to www.my.af.mil and complete the six steps.

Army

The Army’s program is open to nearly all soldiers on active duty (officers, warrant officers, enlisted) as well as Army National Guard and Army Reserve on active duty. There are some restrictions as to who may use Army TA and courses it can be used for.

A new automated TA project has been launched that enables active duty soldiers to request assistance and enroll in classes online.  For more information about the new process, go to www.GoArmyEd.com where you can also find out more about eligibility requirements.

Navy

Navy Tuition Assistance is available to Naval Officer and Enlisted active duty personnel as well as Naval Reservists who are on continuous active duty.  It’s also offered to Enlisted Naval Reservists ordered to active duty for 120 days, and to Naval Reservist Officers ordered to active duty for a minimum of two years.

To qualify, an applicant must:
-    be on active duty throughout the duration of the course
-    attend an accredited institution
-    get counseling from the Navy College Office
-    provide all grades from previously funded TA courses
-    agree (if an officer) to stay on active duty for at least two years after completing any funded course

Payment is not to exceed 0 per SCH, 6 per QCH, and 16 semester hours (24 quarter hours or 240 clock hours) per year.

Marines

First-time students are required to complete a TA Orientation Class before using funds.  Marines in remote locations (non Marine Corps installations) may access the course online.  Once enrolled for the program, he or she must submit a degree plan before exceeding 12 semester hours.

Marine Tuition Assistance will cover up to 100 percent of charges for tuition, instructional fees, laboratory fees, computer fees and mandatory enrollment fees combined for postsecondary schooling, from vocational certification through graduate study.  Funds are not approved for payment of books or courses toward a lateral or lower degree than you already have.  Officers who utilize TA must remain on active duty for two years after a funded course is finished.

Coast Guard

Coast Guard TA offers eligible personnel, including active duty, reserve and civilian employees, funding for courses to expand their academic or Coast Guard technical background.

The managing of TA is centralized at the US Coast Guard Institute through a processing system run by the US Naval Education and Training Professional Development and Technology Center.  After approving the application, the USCGI inputs the data and issues the TA Authorization form which the applicant then takes to the academic institution during registration.

Eligibility and benefits are standard across the board for active duty, civilian employees, select drilling reserve members and Public Health Service offices working with the Coast Guard.  TA will be approved “upfront” for traditional college coursework (resident or remote) for classes less than 18 weeks long. Courses must be taken from an accredited institution, and funds can not be used toward reimbursement for books.

Reserves

Many members of the Selective Reserves are eligible for TA., called Army Reseve Tuition Assistance.  However, each service branch determines how to administer its own assistance.  Also, many states offer their own incentives for National Guard service members.  For more information, log on to www.military.com.

For the latest details concerning Military Tuition Assistance benefits and procedures, please visit your education counseling office.

This article is based on publicly-accessible information and has not been reviewed or approved by any military branch.

While each branch of military service has its own set of criteria used to determine eligibility for tuition assistance, the Marine Corps provides up to 100 percent of the cost to service members who elect to pursue off-duty or voluntary education.  This would include all active-duty and Reserve enlisted Marines on continuous active duty attending accredited colleges and universities.

Officers who are on active-duty are eligible to receive MarineTuition Assistance if they commit to staying on active duty for two continuous years after completing the course funded by the program.

Those who meet eligibility requirements and elect to enroll in courses toward a degree may not exceed ,500 in tuition-assistance funds per fiscal year.  Funding is limited to 0 per semester hour or the equivalent in undergraduate, graduate, vocational and technical classes, independent study and distance-learning programs.  TA is funded for authorized courses at the time of registration regardless of the length of the particular class.

If you think you may go beyond your allowed cap for expenses, there are other options available to help cover the additional expenses such as federal grants and scholarships.

Marine Corps College Fund – Marines who demonstrate a potential for academic excellence and are listed on eligible Marines’ contracts during their initial enlistment into the service may be eligible to receive tuition assistance through this fund.
Montgomery G.I. Bil – At the time of their initial enlistment, service members can sign up for the Montgomery G.I. Bill. During the first year, a monthly deduction of 0 is taken out of the participant’s paycheck.  After that, a marine can use the Bill at any time for up to 10 years following the time of honorable discharge.  Those on active duty can use is in conjunction with military tuition assistance.    Now that you know whether or not you are eligible, here are some important details regarding the application process:

-First-time students will be required to complete a Tuition Assistance Orientation Class PRIOR to using the TA funds.  Those service members stationed at remote sites, or non-Marine Corps installations, can access the course online (go to http://www.usmc-mccs.org).

-Prior to enrollment, you must apply for and receive written authorization for tuition assistance through the appropriate education office.

-For Marines in remote locations and those assigned to other service sites, tuition assistance is processed at Camp Lejeune for those east of the Mississippi, and at Camp Pendleton for those west of the Mississippi.  Recruiters apply through their district or region headquarters.

Originally organized as the Continental Marines on November 10, 1775 as naval infantry, the Marine Corps has evolved in its mission with changing military doctrine and American foreign policy. The Marine Corps has served in every American armed conflict and attained prominence in the 20th century when its theories and practice of amphibious warfare proved prescient and ultimately formed the cornerstone of the Pacific campaign of World War II.[5] By the mid 20th century, the Marine Corps had become the dominant theorist and practitioner of amphibious warfare.[6][7][8] Its ability to respond rapidly to regional crises gives it a strong role in the implementation and execution of American foreign policy.

Television”>http://www.himfr.com/buy-Television_Size/”>Television SizeThe United States Marine Corps, with 194,000 active duty and 40,000 reserve Marines,[10] is the smallest of the United States’ armed forces in the Department of Defense (the United States Coast Guard is smaller, about one fifth the size of the Marine Corps, but serves under Homeland Security). The Corps is nonetheless larger than the entire armed forces of many significant military powers; for example, it is larger than the active duty Israel Defense Forces or the whole of the British Army.

The United States Marine Corps serves as an amphibious force-in-readiness. As outlined in 10 U.S.C. § 5063, and originally introduced under the National Security Act of 1947, it has three primary areas of responsibility:

“The seizure or defense of advanced naval bases and other land operations to support naval campaigns;
The development of tactics, technique, and equipment used by amphibious landing forces; and
Such other duties as the President may direct.”
This last clause, while seemingly redundant given the President’s position as Commander-in-Chief, is a codification of the expeditionary duties of the Marine Corps. It derives from similar language in the Congressional Acts “For the Better Organization of the Marine Corps” of 1834, and “Establishing and Organizing a Marine Corps” of 1798. In 1951, the House of Representatives’ Armed Services Committee called the clause “one of the most important statutory—and traditional—functions of the Marine Corps.” It noted that the Corps has more often than not performed actions of a non-naval nature, including its famous actions in the War of 1812, at Tripoli, Chapultepec, numerous counter-insurgency and occupational duties (such as those in Central America), World War I, and the Korean War. While these actions are not accurately described as support of naval campaigns nor as amphibious warfare, their common thread is that they are of an expeditionary nature, using the mobility of the Navy to provide timely intervention in foreign affairs on behalf of American interests.

In addition to its primary duties, the Marine Corps has missions in direct support of the White House and the State Department. The Marine Band, dubbed the “President’s Own” by Thomas Jefferson, provides music for state functions at the White House. Marines guard presidential retreats, including Camp David,[14] and the Marines of the Executive Flight Detachment of HMX-1 provide helicopter transport to the President and Vice President, using the call signs “Marine One” and “Marine Two” respectively. By authority of the 1946 Foreign Service act, the Marine security guards of the Marine Embassy Security Command provide security for American embassies, legations, and consulates at over 110 posts worldwide.

At its founding, the Marine Corps was composed of infantry serving aboard naval vessels and was responsible for the security of the ship and her crew by conducting offensive and defensive combat during boarding actions, and defending the ship’s officers from mutiny; to the latter end, their quarters on ship were often strategically positioned between the officers’ quarters and the rest of the vessel. Continental Marines were also responsible for manning raiding parties, both at sea and ashore. America’s first amphibious assault landing occurred early in the Revolutionary War as the Marines gained control of a British ammunition depot and naval port in New Providence, Bahamas. The role of the Marine Corps has since expanded significantly; as the importance of its original naval mission declined with changing naval warfare doctrine and the professionalization of the Naval service, the Corps adapted by focusing on what were formerly secondary missions ashore. The Advanced Base doctrine of the early 20th century codified their combat duties ashore, outlining the use of Marines in the seizure of bases and other duties on land to support naval campaigns. The Marines would also develop tactics and techniques of amphibious assault on defended coastlines in time for use in World War II.[16] Its original mission of providing shipboard security finally ended in the 1990s, when the last Marine security detachments were withdrawn from U.S. Navy ships.

While the Marine Corps does not employ any unique combat arms, as a force it has the unique ability to rapidly deploy a combined-arms task force to almost anywhere in the world within days. The basic structure for all deployed units is a Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) that integrates a ground combat element, an aviation combat element, and a logistics combat element combat component under a common command element. While the creation of joint commands under the Goldwater-Nichols Act has improved inter-service coordination between the U.S. military services, the Corps’ ability to permanently maintain integrated multi-element task forces under a single command provides a smoother implementation of combined-arms warfare principles.[5]

The close integration of disparate Marine units stems from an organizational culture centered around the infantry. Every other Marine capability exists to support the infantry. Unlike some Western militaries, the Corps remained conservative against theories proclaiming the ability of new weapons to win wars independently. For example, Marine Aviation has always been focused on close air support and has remained largely uninfluenced by air power theories proclaiming that strategic bombing can single-handedly win wars.

This focus on the infantry is matched with the doctrine that “Every Marine is a rifleman,” a focus of Commandant Alfred M. Gray, Jr., emphasizing the infantry combat abilities of every Marine. All enlisted Marines, regardless of military specialization, receive training as a rifleman; all officers receive training as infantry platoon commanders.[17] The value of this culture has been demonstrated many times throughout history. For example, at Wake Island, when all of the Marine aircraft were shot down, pilots continued the fight as ground officers, leading supply clerks and cooks in a final defensive effort.[18] As a result, a large degree of initiative and autonomy is expected of junior Marines, particularly the NCOs, (corporals and sergeants), as compared with many other military organizations. The Marine Corps emphasizes authority and responsibility downward to a greater degree than the other military services. Flexibility of execution is implemented via an emphasis on “commander’s intent” as a guiding principle for carrying out orders; specifying the end state but leaving open the method of execution.[19]

The amphibious assault techniques developed for World War II evolved, with the addition of air assault and maneuver warfare doctrine, into the current “Operational Maneuver from the Sea” doctrine of power projection from the seas.[2] The Marines are credited with the development of helicopter insertion doctrine and were the earliest in the American military to widely adopt maneuver-warfare principles, which emphasize low-level initiative and flexible execution.

The U.S. Marine Corps relies on the U.S. Navy for sealift to provide its rapid deployment capabilities. In addition to basing a third of the Marine Corps Operating Forces in Japan, Marine Expeditionary Units (MEU) are typically stationed at sea. This allows the ability to function as first responders to international incidents. The U.S. Army now maintains light infantry units capable of rapid worldwide deployment, but those units do not match the combined-arms integration of a MAGTF, and lack the logistics that the Navy provides.[5] For this reason, the Marine Corps is often assigned to non-combat missions such as the evacuation of Americans from unstable countries and humanitarian relief of natural disasters. In larger conflicts, Marines act as a stopgap, to get into and hold an area until larger units can be mobilized. The Corps performed this role in World War I, and the Korean War, where Marines were the first significant combat units deployed from the United States and held the line until the country could mobilize for war.

The United States Marine Corps traces its institutional roots to the Continental Marines of the American Revolutionary War, formed at Tun Tavern in Philadelphia, by a resolution of the Second Continental Congress on November 10, 1775 to raise 2 battalions of Marines. That date is regarded and celebrated as the date of the Marine Corps’ “birthday”. At the end of the American Revolution in 1783, both the Continental Navy and Continental Marines were disbanded, and although individual Marines were enlisted for the few American naval vessels left, the institution itself would not be resurrected until 1798. In that year, in preparation for the Naval War with France, Congress created the United States Navy and Marine Corps.

The Marines’ most famous action of this period occurred during the First Barbary War (1801–1805) against the Barbary pirates,[22] when William Eaton and First Lieutenant Presley O’Bannon led seven Marines and 300 mercenaries in an effort to capture Tripoli. Though they only reached Derna, the action at Tripoli has been immortalized in the Marines’ hymn and the Mameluke Sword carried by Marine officers.

During the War of 1812, Marine naval detachments took part in the great frigate duels that characterized the war, which were the first American victories in the conflict. Their most significant contributions were delaying the British march to Washington, D.C. at the Battle of Bladensburg and holding the center of Gen. Andrew Jackson’s defensive line at the defense of New Orleans. By the end of the war, the Marines had acquired a well-deserved reputation as expert marksmen, especially in ship-to-ship actions.

After the war, the Marine Corps fell into a depression that ended with the appointment of Archibald Henderson as its fifth commandant in 1820. Under his tenure, the Corps took on expeditionary duties in the Caribbean, the Gulf of Mexico, Key West, West Africa, the Falkland Islands, and Sumatra. Commandant Henderson is credited with thwarting President Jackson’s attempts to combine and integrate the Marine Corps with the Army.[23] Instead, Congress passed the Act for the Better Organization of the Marine Corps in 1834, stipulating that the Corps was part of the Department of the Navy as a sister service to the U.S. Navy.[24] This would be the first of many times that the existance of the Corps was challenged.

Commandant Henderson volunteered the Marines for service in the Seminole Wars of 1835, personally leading nearly half of the entire Corps (two battalions) to war. A decade later, in the Mexican–American War (1846–1848), the Marines made their famed assault on Chapultepec Palace in Mexico City, which would be later celebrated by the phrase “From The Halls of Montezuma” in Marines’ hymn. In the 1850s, the Marines would see further service in Panama and Asia, escorting Matthew Perry’s East India Squadron on its historic trip to the Far East.

With their vast service in foreign engagements, the Marine Corps played a moderate role in the Civil War (1861–1865); their most prominent task was blockade duty. As more and more states seceded from the Union, about half of the Corps’ officers also left the Union to join the Confederacy and form the Confederate States Marine Corps, which ultimately played little part in the war. The battalion of recruits formed for the First Battle of Bull Run (First Manassas) performed poorly, retreating with the rest of the Union forces.

The remainder of the 19th century was marked by declining strength and introspection about the mission of the Marine Corps. The U.S. Navy’s transition from sail to steam put into question the need for Marines on naval ships. Meanwhile, Marines served as a convenient resource for interventions and landings to protect American lives and interests overseas. The Corps was involved in over 28 separate interventions in the 30 years from the end of the American Civil War to the end of 19th century. They would also be called upon to stem political and labor unrest within the United States.[26] Under Commandant Jacob Zeilin’s tenure, Marine customs and traditions took shape: the Corps adopted the Marine Corps emblem on November 19, 1868. It was also during this time that “The Marines’ Hymn” was first heard. Around 1883, the Marines adopted their current motto “Semper Fidelis” (Latin: Always Faithful).

John Philip Sousa, the musician and composer, enlisted as a Marine apprentice at the age of 13, serving from 1867 until 1872, and again from 1880 to 1892 as the leader of the Marine Band.

During the Spanish–American War (1898), Marines led U.S. forces ashore in the Philippines, Cuba, and Puerto Rico, demonstrating their readiness for deployment. At Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, the Marines seized an advanced naval base that remains in use today. Between 1899 and 1916, the Corps continued its record of participation in foreign expeditions, including the Philippine-American War, the Boxer Rebellion in China (1899–1901), Panama, the Cuban Pacifications, the Perdicaris Incident in Morocco, Veracruz, Santo Domingo, and the Banana Wars in Haiti and Nicaragua; the experiences gained in counter-insurgency and guerrilla operations during this period were consolidated into the Small Wars Manual.

During World War I veteran Marines served a central role in the late American entry into the conflict. Unlike the U.S. Army, the Marine Corps had a deep pool of officers and NCOs with battle experience, and experienced a relatively smaller expansion. Here, the Marines fought their famed battle at Belleau Wood, creating the Marines’ reputation in modern history. While its previous expeditionary experiences had not earned it much acclaim in the Western world, the Marines’ fierceness and toughness in France earned them the respect of the Germans, who rated them of stormtrooper quality. Though Marines and American media reported that Germans had nicknamed them Teufel Hunden as meaning “Devil Dogs,” there is no evidence of this in German records (as Teufelshunde would be the proper German phrase), it was possibly American propaganda. Nevertheless, the name stuck.[28] The Corps had entered the war with 511 officers and 13,214 enlisted personnel, and by November 11, 1918 had reached a strength of 2,400 officers and 70,000 men.[29]

Between the World Wars, the Marine Corps was headed by Commandant John A. Lejeune, and under his leadership, the Corps presciently studied and developed amphibious techniques that would be of great use in World War II. Many officers, including Lt. Col. Earl Hancock “Pete” Ellis, foresaw a war in the Pacific with Japan and took preparations for such a conflict. Through 1941, as the prospect of war grew, the Corps pushed urgently for joint amphibious exercises and acquired amphibious equipment that would prove of great use in the upcoming conflict.

US Marines on Iwo Jima raise the American flag.
In World War II, the Marines played a central role in the Pacific War. The battles of Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Cape Gloucester, Saipan, Peleliu, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa saw fierce fighting between U.S. Marines and the Imperial Japanese Army.

Philip Johnston proposed the use of Navajo as a code language to the Corps. The idea was accepted, and the Navajo code was formally developed and modeled on the Joint Army/Navy Phonetic Alphabet.

During the battle of Iwo Jima, photographer Joe Rosenthal took the famous photograph Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima of five Marines and one Navy Corpsman raising the American flag on Mt. Suribachi. Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal, having come ashore earlier that day, said of the flag raising, “…the raising of that flag on Suribachi means a Marine Corps for the next five hundred years.” The acts of the Marines during the war added to their already significant popular reputation. By war’s end, the Corps expanded from two brigades to six divisions, five air wings, and supporting troops, totaling about 485,000 Marines. In addition, 20 defense battalions and a parachute battalion were set raised.[31] Nearly 87,000 Marines were casualties during World War II (including nearly 20,000 killed), and 82 were awarded the Medal of Honor.[32]

Despite Secretary Forrestal’s prediction, the Corps faced an immediate institutional crisis following the war. Army generals pushing for a strengthened and reorganized defense establishment also attempted to fold the Marine mission and assets into the Navy and Army. Drawing on hastily assembled Congressional support, the Marine Corps rebuffed such efforts to dismantle the Corps, resulting in statutory protection of the Marine Corps in the National Security Act of 1947.[33] Shortly afterward, in 1952 the Douglas-Mansfield Bill afforded the Commandant an equal voice with the Joint Chiefs of Staff on matters relating to the Marines and established the structure of three active divisions and air wings that remain today.

The Korean War (1950–1953) saw the hastily formed Provisional Marine Brigade holding the defensive line at the Pusan Perimeter. To execute a flanking maneuver, General Douglas MacArthur called on Marine air and ground forces to make an amphibious landing at Inchon. The successful landing resulted in the collapse of North Korean lines and the pursuit of North Korean forces north near the Yalu River until the entrance of the People’s Republic of China into the war. Chinese troops surrounded, surprised and overwhelmed the overextended and outnumbered American forces. X Corps, which included the 1st Marine Division and the Army’s 7th Infantry Division, regrouped and inflicted heavy casualties during their fighting withdrawal to the coast, now known as the Battle of Chosin Reservoir. Marines would continue a battle of attrition around the 38th Parallel until the 1953 armistice.[34] The Korean War saw the Corps expand from 75,000 regulars to a force of 261,000 Marines, mostly reservists. 30,544 Marines were killed or wounded during the war and 42 were awarded the Medal of Honor.[35]

The Marine Corps served an important role in the Vietnam War taking part in such battles as Da Nang, Hue City, and Khe Sanh. Individuals from the USMC operated in the Northern I Corps Regions of South Vietnam. While there, they were constantly engaged in a guerilla war against the National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam (NLF) and an intermittent conventional war against the North Vietnamese Army (NVA). Portions of the Corps were responsible for the less-known Combined Action Program (CAP) that implemented unconventional techniques for counter-insurgency and worked as military advisors to the Republic of Vietnam Marine Corps. Marines were withdrawn in 1971, and returned briefly in 1975 to evacuate Saigon and attempt a rescue of the crew of the Mayagüez.

Vietnam was the longest war for Marines; by its end, 13,091[37][38] were killed in action, 51,392 were wounded, and 57 Medals of Honor were awarded.[39][40] Due to policies concerning rotation, more Marines were deployed for service during Vietnam than World War II.

While recovering from Vietnam, the Corps hit a detrimental low point in its service history caused by courts-martial and Non-Judicial Punishments related partially to increased Unauthorized Absences and Desertions during the war. Overhauling of the Corps began in the late 1970s, discharging the most delinquent, and once quality of new recruits improved, the Corps focused on reforming the NCO Corps, a vital functioning part of its forces.[5]

After Vietnam, the Marines resumed their expeditionary role, participating in the 1980 Iran hostage rescue attempt Operation Eagle Claw, the invasion of Grenada (Operation Urgent Fury) and the invasion of Panama (Operation Just Cause). On October 23, 1983, the Marine headquarters building in Beirut, Lebanon, was bombed, causing the highest peacetime losses to the Corps in its history (220 Marines and 21 other service members of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit were killed) and leading to the American withdrawal from the country. The year of 1990 saw Marines of the Joint Task Force Sharp Edge save thousands of lives by evacuating the British, French and American Nationals from the violence of the Liberian Civil War. During the Persian Gulf War (1990–1991), Marine task forces formed the initial core for Operation Desert Shield, while U.S. and Coalition troops mobilized, and later liberated Kuwait in Operation Desert Storm.[23] U.S. Marines participated in combat operations in Somalia (1992–1995) during Operations Restore Hope, Restore Hope II, and United Shield to provide humanitarian relief.

Following the September 11, 2001 attacks President George W. Bush announced a War on Terrorism. The stated objective of the Global War on Terror is “the defeat of Al-Qaeda, other terrorist groups and any nation that supports or harbors terrorists”.[43] Since then, the Marine Corps, alongside other military and federal agencies, has engaged in global operations around the world in support of that mission.

Marines and other U.S. forces began staging in Pakistan and Uzbekistan on the border of Afghanistan as early as October 2001 in preparation for Operation Enduring Freedom.[44] The 15th and 26th Marine Expeditionary Units were the first conventional forces into Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in November 2001, and in December, the Marines seized Kandahar International Airport.[45] Since, then Marine battalions and squadrons have been rotating through, engaging Taliban and Al-Qaeda forces.

In 2002, Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) was stood up at Camp Lemonier to provide regional security.[46] Despite transferring overall command to the U.S. Navy in 2006, the Marines have continued to operate in the Horn of Africa into 2007.

Most recently, the Marines have served prominently in the Iraq War. The I Marine Expeditionary Force, along with the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division, spearheaded the 2003 invasion of Iraq.[48] During the occupation of Iraq, Marines spearheaded both assaults on the city of Fallujah in April (Operation Vigilant Resolve) and November 2004 (Operation Phantom Fury).[49] Their time in Iraq has also courted controversy with the Haditha incident and the Hamdania incident.[44][50] They currently continue to operate throughout Iraq.