I just finished reading an article in "The Accurate Rifle" magazine and in it the author mentioned that General Boddington had been made the Commander of all Marine Corps Forces in the Persian Gulf Theater of Opeations.....here's wishing him and all his troops a "target-rich" environment, plenty of ammunition, and all the good luck they can use.

God bless all the young men & women serving and protecting out country.

Oops! Looks like no big game hunting trips for him in the near future. Generals don't get to do battle so no terrorist targets either.

I know there is at least one of our members who has a very good chance of being sent out there too.

Hmm
I wonder if old boddington has swapped sport. Hunting twolegged varmints

I guess Boddington will be hold back in his travels since Generals are a target to terrorist. I guess we have to stick with Seyfried and Barnsness for while.

I wonder how the few Swedes in USMC will feel about giant camel hunt serving Uncle Sam

/ JOHAN

God Bless em

And now ole' Craig will have a real chacne at hunting the hills in the mesopotania

jeffe

DB Bill and others,

Do you think the article is accurate? This by no means a comment on the General but wouldn't it be a bit unusual for a reservist to be a theater commander. I have great respect for reservists because they train hard and when the spam hits the rotating blades nobody "cuts" them slack.

I am just also very familiar on how inaccurate the news media is.

Anybody in the military reserves here that can render an intelligent opinion.

Mike, that is why we have Reservists. The go full time when "action" appropriates it. As I said above, he will not see "targets" on the firing line-field. He's an administrator, that's what Generals do. Boring job.

Ann,

I am really familar with reservists as you know...just was curious about "theater commander".

Here's Boddington's official bio from the U.S.M.C. web site:

Brigadier General (Select) Craig T. Boddington

Note that it was last updated 4 April 2002 so it may not have the most current information.

-Bob F.

Mike....don't know about the accuracy but I tend to believe it. Craig has been "active" almost all of the past 3 or 4 years. This is my impression (and I could be wrong) but I think he developed into the go-to person when you want to get Marines and their equipment some place in a hurry. It has also been my military experience that once you become a General Officer the promotions and responsibility can come very quickly once you show you can do the job.

As a side note I first met Craig about6 or 7 years ago (don't know what his reserve rank was at the time) and my first impression of him was he reminded me of almost every battalion commander I'd ever known.....confident! Another military expression might also be "high speed and low drag".

BGen (one star) Boddington commands the I MACE (I Marine Expeditionary Force Augmentation Command Element), a reserve unit which augments the I MEF headquarters. The I Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF) commander, who would command all marine forces in the gulf, is LtGen (three star) James T. Conway.

All thanks for the info...I have met the General twic eand have tremendoues respect for him.

So much for any book signing at Reno!

[ 11-23-2002, 19:44: Message edited by: Oldsarge ]

Seems strange that they would pick a marine reserve general(even though he may have been active duty lately) over the longtime active generals. The original post made it sound like he was in command of all marine activities there. Wouldn't that require at least a two star ranking; isn't he a brigadere/one star general?

Leo,

Read Chris Long's post

Semper Fi, General Boddington!

What you folks need to realize that a Marine, regular or reserve, male or female, grunt or aviator, snuffy or general, can, and will, do whatever is necessary to get the task done. And that's with left over equipment, little ammunition, fuel or external support. Marines are taught that the impossible is just another day's work and then they go and prove the same. Give 'em hell, Craig!

judgeg, you wouldn't be an ex-Marine, now, would you?

I, for one, hope this is true. Maybe then, the folks that had such a problem with his use of Col. or General Craig Boddington, in conjunction with his writings, will give him his due.

Gator1 -

Captain, 1968-1973, VMA-311, A-4 Skyhawks.

I was talking to an old Marine, (Iwo Jima, Saipan and 3 other landings) about the what he had been called upon to do. He laughed, and said that the only reason that Tiger Woods was the best golfer in the world is that a Marine hadn't tried. And Lee Buck Trevino about proved that 30 years ago, didn't he. That's the Marine spirit.

Kidding aside, the U.S. is blessed with many wonderful units... Airborne Rangers, Seals, Air Force special units, etc. Heck, the Coast Guard folks risk their lives every day. It's just that the entire Marine Corps has a spirit that's not just "up the hill", but "through the hill" if necessary.

God Bless General Boddington and his men. Godspeed on a dangerous, but necessary mission.

[ 11-25-2002, 15:26: Message edited by: judgeg ]