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So You Want to be a Marine? Paperback – July 19, 2018

3.4 3.4 out of 5 stars 167 ratings

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What life was really like in the Green Machine. The Recruiter forgot to tell you what? Living a life of poverty and desperation I took a chance and did what so many of my peers did: joined the Marines just as Vietnam was heating up. I fully expected to make a career of the Marines but was soon faced with unbelievable sadism, arrogance, incompetence and outright brutality. The Marine Corps I had hoped to love proved to be an organization run in an authoritarian, "Because I said so" manner, not at all like I had envisioned. If you were a suck up you were promoted; should you question the obvious it was either Mess Duty or lack of promotion or worse, Vietnam. Such is my story. There were characters that came in and out of my life like actors in a Woody Allen movie: W.B. from Pittsburg, "Born to lead, not to be led so don't be mis-led." Disappeared one day and never returned. There was the drug smoking Pitt who, while on guard duty in Vietnam, decided to get high and leave a Chu Lai New Guy high and dry at an outpost. Thieves, liars, drug addicts and more pulled at my heart strings until I made the ultimate decision. I endured four years of indifferent and sadistic leadership coupled with the absurdities of an organization that rewards group think and obedience over individuality and integrity.
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Gary Winstead, the youngest of eleven children, was born in 1948 and grew up in Pontiac, Illinois, an obscure farm town in the middle of the Illinois Farm Belt. At the age of eighteen, he joined the United States Marine Corps and served for four years, rising to the rank of Corporal (E-4), before earning his honourable discharge. He went on to receive a bachelor's degree in physical education, a Master's in educational administration from California State University, Fullerton, and a PhD in Veterinary Science. Gary is the award-winning director of a short film adapted from his story The Pony No-one Could Ride which appeared in Volume 1 of the Crimson Cloak Anthologies, Glodwyn's Treasure Chest, and Frogmore International, based on his story of that name in Volume 4, Consuming Tales. He lives in California.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Crimson Cloak Publishing (July 19, 2018)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 240 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1681605775
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1681605777
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 8.6 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5 x 0.55 x 8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.4 3.4 out of 5 stars 167 ratings

About the author

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Gary R. Winstead
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Gary Winstead, the youngest of eleven children, was born in 1948 and grew up in Pontiac, Illinois, an obscure farm town in the middle of the Illinois Corn Belt. At the age of eighteen, he joined the United States Marine Corps and served for four years, rising to the rank of corporal (E-4) before earning his honorable discharge. He went on to receive a bachelor’s degree in physical education, a master’s in educational administration from California State University, Fullerton, and has a PhD.

He is a roper (header) and member of the USTRC and National Senior Rodeo Cowboys Association.

Currently there are 12 books or short stories available on Amazon and all profits he makes go to charity.

His newest is 420 High School and A Cowboys Tall Tales soon.

The Pony No One Could Ride is his first film.

Pony has won Best Picture Drama at a Russian Film Festival

He also has on the circuit a short film called Welcome To Frogmore.

http://savingliteracy.blogspot.com/

https://www.facebook.com/winsteadgary

https://twitter.com/winsteadgrw

Customer reviews

3.4 out of 5 stars
167 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book engaging and informative. They praise the writing quality as good and the story as true to life. The author is described as an honorable man who told an honorable story.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

14 customers mention "Readability"11 positive3 negative

Customers find the book engaging and informative about Nam.

"This is just a great book...It combines a coming-of-age story with Vietnam-era military service experience with a nicely done criticism of some of..." Read more

"...the 1960's or you want an unvarnished look at those times this is a great read...." Read more

"So You Want To Be A Marine is a great read for anyone who is interested in U.S. history and the hard reality of the lives of Marines...." Read more

"...of his dislike of the mundane tasks he was undertaking and the low quality, as he conceitedly sees it, of his superiors...." Read more

6 customers mention "Writing quality"6 positive0 negative

Customers like the writing quality. They say it's well-written and describes the author's first-hand experience in details.

"...All well told. Full disclosure, I contributed some research on Pontiac, Illinois and went to high school with Gary...." Read more

"I think the book was fairly well written. It wasn't to impressed with the way it went I was expecting a Vietnam story. Nothing much happened...." Read more

"The book is well written and described his first hand experience in details. It was written very honestly as he remembered it." Read more

"Can't say I enjoyed any part of it. Although the it's written well enough, I would be embrassed to know the author in person" Read more

5 customers mention "Authenticity"5 positive0 negative

Customers find the book authentic. They say it's a true account of life, an honorable story told by an honorable man. The story draws them in and brings back memories.

"...The story will pull you in and you may find you're reading late at night to get to the next vignette. All well told...." Read more

"...I found this book to be true. Congratulations to the author for attaining the further education he desired after leaving the Marine's." Read more

"Loved the book. Brought back a hundred memories." Read more

"The truthfully account for the great." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on December 10, 2018
    While I don't know Mr. Winstead personally, we were both in the same places in the Marine Corps at the same time. His recollection of San Diego boot camp in 1967 is right on. When we went to Subic Bay, we also lived in the jungle with the monkeys and yes, his swing rope was still there. I'm sure all the military has unfit for the job lifers, but many in the Marines were true sociopaths. I hope the story is as it was and not how it is today. Mr. Winstead describes it very well.
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on October 27, 2018
    Interesting story
  • Reviewed in the United States on August 26, 2019
    An accurate assessment of Vietnam era military duty. A lot of us enlisted after growing up with dads and uncles that were ww2 veterans thinking the military would be a time of camaraderie and adventure. Only to learn what a horrible place it really was. If you were in the military at this time , this book will be familiar and remind you why you got out. It's hard not to wonder what it's like today.
    I gave it four stars because like my military experience it wasn't that exciting.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on May 26, 2019
    The author paints a narrow picture of the Corps. He was a "do the minimum and just get by" Marine, assigned to a Marine
    air wing. If one approaches the military with an attitude of minimal commitment and expects all the benefits of a satisfactory military career experience, the Corps is better off that he left. The Marine Corps Air Wing enlisted personnel tend to be highly skilled to keep aircraft flying and still expected to know weaponry, tactics, marksmanship and be physically fit, different than serving in infantry divisions. Hitting the bars at every opportunity, is not the end goal!
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on November 18, 2018
    A dull story badly told. The author appears to think that his time in the service was noteworthy because of his dislike of the mundane tasks he was undertaking and the low quality, as he conceitedly sees it, of his superiors. I read it through because I had paid for it and hoped it would improve. It did not. knowing now what I did not know then I cannot think of any reason to buy this book.
    8 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on June 15, 2014
    This is just a great book...It combines a coming-of-age story with Vietnam-era military service experience with a nicely done criticism of some of the worst of the Corps handling of new recruits. It is entertaining and informative (I had never heard of a 'Geedunk' machine before. The story will pull you in and you may find you're reading late at night to get to the next vignette. All well told.
    Full disclosure, I contributed some research on Pontiac, Illinois and went to high school with Gary.
    This is an honorable story told by an honorable man. You'll love it.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on November 17, 2018
    Different look at marine life. True to life. Hurry up and wait. Why do they make the decision they make
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on May 19, 2019
    The author had a bad attitude before he went into the Marines and evidently was a slacker throughout his time of duty. He resisted authority and blamed all his problems on his officers, NCOs, and fellow Marines. He did depict a lot of training that most enlistees don't think about. The Marines do tend to tear a man down and rebuild him to be a dedicated Marine. As a military wife I have seen many like him and certainly am glad that my husband did not have to trust him with having his back.
    2 people found this helpful
    Report

Top reviews from other countries

  • james cousins
    2.0 out of 5 stars Whinger
    Reviewed in Australia on September 17, 2020
    Don’t join a service if you can’t respect authority. Can not be all that hard to under stand. Simper fi