Origins of the Gunnery Sergeant

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Chapters:
0:00 - Intro
1:29 - Background
2:38 - Pre-WW2 Gunny
6:29 - Post-WW2 Gunny
8:12 - Modern Gunny

[jmsmeier]

I can tell you what a Gunnery sergeant is, He’s God almighty. When I became a squad leader my gunny taught me what makes a leader. Up until then I thought he was a miserable prick that hated everyone, I couldn’t have been more wrong. Gunnery sergeant Henry Hamel taught me that a leader doesn’t ask his men to do something he won’t, a leader only eats after his men have been fed, and a leader has to balance the mission against the safety of his men and have the backbone to make the right decision. A good NCO values his men more than the highest awards military service has to offer. The last time I saw gunny Hamel was in 1985. He had been promoted to master sergeant and transferred to a combat engineer unit. To this day he is the most honorable Marine I ever met.

[arminwebster]

I am a Gunnery Sergeant (Gunny). My job as a Division Chief was had many folds in it. First - I was told what the mission was and what had to be done to accomplish it. Second - I told the Staff Sergeants what the mission and what had to be done to accomplish it. From that point on the Staff Sergeants would go to their respective shops and brief their people on what the mission was and what had to be done. My Job then was to inspect and check on all of the proper things were done, i.e. supplies, personnel, weapons, ammunition, transport and all of the other fine points of the plan. Additionally, I would insure that the lower ranking troops were well taken care and if they had any questions about anything, I would answer them to the best of my ability. Therefore, I would lead and my people would follow. To me, my troops came first and I came last. Yes, I am a Marine Gunnery Sergeant.

[nonamesplease]

My son is at Parris Island now, just finishing Week 4.
We love our Marines!

[sboy]

Here’s to dad, Master Gunnery Sgt, 30 years in the USMC. I miss him.

[themastermason]

Terminal Lance has taught me that Gunny is the first person you contact when you're in the drunk tank, totalled your 25% apr Mustang or a dead hooker is involved.

[smokingnjokingsportztv]

My Uncle was a gunny. Always wondered why everyone showed him so much respect. R.I.P Gunnery seargent “Big Joe” Joseph T Bailey!! My only real father figure I ever had🙏🏿🙏🏿🙏🏿

[rvail]

Old jarhead here, Master Gunny's (there aren't many of them) are respected and feared by EVERYONE (regardless of rank) because they know pretty much every flag officer in the Corps...they also know where ALL the bodies are buried...you never cross a master gunny without great reason as you could wind up being stationed in Greenland or Antarctica...or FORCIBLY retired.

[georgehawes]

In 1971 I was an Ensign in the Navy Seabees, Construction Battalion #4. We had a Gunnery Sergeant (affectionly called "Gunny"). He was a fairly small, soft-spoken man, but was very much respected by everyone. He didn't say much, but when he talked everyone listened! His job, basically, was to teach us what to do if we were in a combat situation, preparing us for Vietnam. It was over 50 years ago, but I still remember some advice he gave me that could very well have saved my life. Being an officer, it was often our job to go out into the field and tell men what to do. He advised me that when I was doing this in a combat area, don't ever "point" with my hands when I was giving instructions. He said an enemy sniper will hide in a tree for hours, or sometimes days, waiting to take a kill shot. He said they usually try to take out the senior guy, and if he sees you pointing and giving directions with your hands, the sniper will know that you are a senior guy.

[lifeinlimbo]

The man who raised me was a 20 yr veteran, who saw combat action in the Korean( last phase) and Vietnam (4 tours) theatres and retired Gunnery Sargent United States Marine Corps. One hell of a man. In memory of, Herman E. Troester

[zombies]

In case anyone was curious. R Lee Ermey wasn’t a gunnery Sergeant in the Marines. He was a Corporal when he became a drill instructor and worked his way up until he left the Marines as a Staff Sergeant. Later he played the role of Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in FMJ. The movie proved to be so successful in getting people to enlist and painted the Marine Corps in a good image that R Lee Ermey was promoted to Gunnery Sergeant long after he left the Corps. The more you know

[salsaon]

When I joined the Corps in 83 and reported to my first unit, my SNCOIC was a GySgt (two tours in Vietnam), he taught me how to be a Marine and I will forever be thankful. He was fair, firm and consistent. As my career progressed and I became a GySgt, I realized that everything happens, or it doesn't happen unless the Gunny has his or her say. Gunny got the juice!

[larryw.c.]

I retired from the US Army as a Sergeant First Class which is the same rank as a Gunny in the Corps, with the same responsibilities and pay. I would have loved to have been addressed as a Gunnery Sergeant. The title just sounds so much more impressive, and seems to have more prestige or respect. My unit in Vietnam supported Marine Units with air support on a few occasions, and I noticed all Marines, including officers, turned to their Gunny for his opinion. Such respect is not easily earned. The title tells you so much about the man. RIP Gunny Ermey.

[bodidley]

My favorite Gunny was at Parris Island. I was 1st Lt Series commander, he was my series chief DI. He was a big barrel chested tanker from Arkansas. Had a deep dooming DI voice. Had his desk/locker set up behind me in our office. One morning a recruit who wanted to quit our beloved Corps reported in about his hardships. The kid reports in. Incorrectly. I forgot Gunny Burnett was behind me. His response to the young wayward lad actually made me jump like a grenade had gone off behind me. We laughed our asses of about it later. Hope you & the fam are well Gunny. Semper Fi bro.

[borisxanovavich]

Nice one! Having a crayon eater on a USMC video makes it so much better

[oldcop]

I served as a Navy Corpsman (HM3) w/the Marines in Nam, 1966. The toughest guys were Gunnys & Boatswains Mate First Class (BM1).

[shyryTsrk]

My grandpa is a Master Gunnery Sergeant and having served over 20 years as a Marine and a Vietnam veteran I can only admire his hard work and dedication. God bless to all of our veterans and those of our active duty new and old. 🙌

[tomsmithie]

A Gunny is a man too good, too cool and too loved by the troops to be made a Sergeant Major.

[michaelmanning]

Jack Webb did an amazing job as a Gunnery Sergeant in "The D.I." (1957). Well worth watching.

[lamoe]

There are two ranks in the Marines that are afforded the most voluntary respect by other Marines - Sergeant E-5 and Gunny E-7. That's not to say E-6's, E-8's and 9's aren't respected, it's just the mystic associated with each.

Sergeant E-5 is the threshold rank for making life and death decisions on a day to day basis in the infantry ( Marine enlisted of every rank are taught that any given instance in combat they may be the "ranking" Marine).

Gunny E-7's stand next to the Gods (8's & 9's) but are still human (kind of). They can exert direct "one on one" interface with lower ranks when they want to but typically leave that to 5's and 6's.

Depending on conditions (war / conflict and MOS) it is possible to achieve E-5 in less than 4 years (me less than 3, but radar tech not infantry). Was offered Staff E-6 if I re-enlisted after 4.

Little known fact - at least in 1970 - Corps would not allow re-enlistments to exceed 20 years for less than E-5's. E-5 is not an automatic promotion. It takes a review board to approve. Great E-4 Marine was denied 20 qualifying re-enlistment due to being mentally challenged. Last I heard base CO was doing everything he could to get him his 20.

[CandidlyCat]

My dad is a retired gunnery sergeant and a retired cop. His way of showing love... "I fucking love you, now get your ass over here and help me with this". If I go on a date, he demands their address, phone number and a picture of their license and tags. He runs background checks on anyone that comes into my life. I'm 38 🤦‍♀️ lol