Interview of former US Marine deploying to Afghanistan

Captain David Lakota, a.k.a. Pfc Swendiman, a former US Marine Infantry soldier, gives details of why he has decided to re-up and deploy to Afghanistan. He is a member of the First Earth Battalion, a "mythological" branch of the US Army's paranormal research project. Hollywood has recently produced a movie about the First Earth Battalion called "Men Who Stare at Goats". This is a dark comedy about some of the paranormal research and development the Defense Department has applied to soldiers and intelligence personnel. The light side of the First Earth Battalion is its emphasis on using military forces of the world to engage in humanitarian aide: disaster relief, building eco-villages, and going into hot-spots such as Afghanistan with tools and skills for a swift and lasting resolution. David Lakota is in charge of the First Earth Battalion's Cavalry unit under the command of Lt. Colonel Jim Channon.

Music by Miles Wakefield

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[tokingandwoking]

THERE ARE NO US MARINE ''SOLDIERS''. MARINES ARE NOT SOLDIERS, THEY ARE MARINES. IF THEY WANTED TO BE CALLED SOLDIERS THEY WOULD HAVE JOINED THE ARMY. MARINES ARE MARINES, NOT SOLDIERS

[DavidLakota]

If I recall, the US Government, upon graduation from Marine Boot Camp, called us Infantry Soldiers. Maybe they were mistaken, or maybe they did not know. I was a soldier long before I became a Marine. And Marines are tough and all but there are a LOT of tougher branches of service like the Alaska Airborne Rangers or the British Royal Marines.

They call themselves soldiers too. Then you have Apache Scouts. They make Marines look like kindergartners, but instead of soldiers , they are warriors.

[tokingandwoking]

@DavidLakota That's wrong. No disrespect to you (i'm supposing your a Former Marine, so thank you for your service), but Marines are Marines.

I just don't understand how anyone who knows about the Marine Corps can call Marines kingergartners...I have friends in the Corps, I also know a lot about the Corps, I want to be a Marine when I graduate from high school. But you can't call America's finest troops ''kindergartners''.

No disrespect, but a Marine would never trash talk the Corps like that.

[DavidLakota]

"Beyond right doings and wrong-doings there is a field... I'll meet you there." -Sufi poet Rumi.

Yo Toking, I admire ur espirit de corps. You'll make a fine Marine. One thing that makes a Marine a Marine is three months of boot camp and 200 years of trial and error when it comes to preparing young men for battle- especially to be the first to go.

The Apache Scouts make Marines "look" like kindergartners. That does not mean that Marines ARE kindergartners. They're just less experienced.

[potato1001]

there r no "former" marines. once a marine always a marine. Semper Fi

[DavidLakota]

Sermper-fi

[Male125]

thank you for your service.

[nubserver]

@tokingandwoking no Marines are still soldiers...if you are not in the air force if you are not in the navy you are a soldier

[USMCjunior117]

@DavidLakota Apache Scouts?? You mean the Native guys? 

[tokingandwoking]

@DavidLakota Got it. Still don't think Marines are that much worse than Apache Scouts... However, Marines are the toughest SOB's in this planet, no question.

[tokingandwoking]

@potato1001 Your right on one thing, once a Marine, always a Marine. But a Marine who has left the service honourably is called a former Marine.

[Arbitor69]

i can barely hear you