The Few, The Proud, The … Untrusted?

As reported in the Examiner, “The rifles are NOT being carried in bolt open position. The bolts have been removed. You can tell because the operating rods are in the forward position.”

The Washington Examiner reported in an article on February 9th that the 57th Presidential Inaugural Parade, among other contingents  military and civilian, featured Bravo Company Marines from Marine Barracks Washington D.C.,  also known as “8th & I,” the oldest active post in the Marine Corps. According to the USMC website:

Located on the corners of 8th & I Streets in southeast Washington, D.C., the Barracks supports both ceremonial and   security missions in the nation’s Capitol.

The Barracks is home to many nationally recognized units, including the Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon, the Marine Drum and Bugle Corps, the Marine Band, the official Marine Corps Color Guard, and the Marine Corps Body Bearers.

According to Washington Examiner sources, what was remarkable, besides no doubt Bravo Company’s marching precision, was that for the first time in their grand tradition, the firearms of this light infantry contingent of active duty Marines were disabled.  Not merely dispossessed of ammunition  as would be standard operating procedure at such an event but the weapons were visibly disabled, the bolts were removed.  Quoting the Examiner article: “Marines march to honor the president, who honors them in return by requiring them to march with clubs.”

The 8th and I Marines are not a  Praetorian Guard , indeed that would be beneath them and any military component of our constitutional republic. But they do represent a part of the security afforded the nation’s capitol and its residents.  How is it that they are deemed worthy to  be sent into harms way in that cause, perhaps to die for the country at the order of the President,  but not to be trusted around him? There is something exceedingly worrisome in that situation.     R Mall

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