Foot Inspections

Just to vent some of my built up stress and anger towards the way things can be in the Marine Corps infantry. Though, I am proud to be serving, some things really get to me and this is one example. The other day, my platoon just came off a 3 day operation. All we did was sit on a road and blocked all the traffic with a rotation of 6 hours on, 6 off. The evening we come back, the platoon sergeant calls a platoon meeting. He then proceeds to ask a Lance Corporal in the platoon to show him the problems with his feet. The LCpl shows his feet to the platoon sergeant and they look alright.

Apparently, the LCpl’s feet, as he tells it, ‘were white and soggy.’ Basically, they looked like he just got out of a long bath with pruny feet. Now, keep this in mind, we have 2 Marines, in the platoon, on light duty because of feet problems. Our platoon sergeant then asks this young Marine when the last time he took off his boots was. The LCpl responded with this, “the last time we were at the Dam.” This, by the way, was 3 days prior. This was an incredibly stupid thing to do, especially when the temperatures are reaching 100s.

The platoon sergeant was furious that the squad leaders and fire team leaders weren’t doing their jobs. I can understand why he would, but then we proceeded with a little speech about the platoon sergeant is now going to micromanage the platoon since the squad and fire team leaders can’t do their jobs.

The platoon then proceeded with a feet inspection done by the squad leaders. With no new foot problems to report, the platoon sergeant then tells that we all will start using foot powder everyday. In addition, he does not like to see dirty socks hanging in our rooms. He says that while in the rear, we should be changing our socks everyday. I totally agree with this. The problem I have is Marines, in our platoon and in the other room, are the cause of most of these ills. Not to mention that their room absolutely reeks of a deathly aroma of feet.

Due to these defects, the platoon sergeant wants another feet inspection in one hour; 2230, that’s 10:30PM for those non-military. So, the grumpy bunch of Marines in 1st platoon goes back to our rooms and we apply foot powder and take down our socks; well, my room does anyway. 2230 rolls around and we partake in another foot inspection; this time done by the fire team leaders. Same as last time, no new foot problems to report and everyone now has foot powder on their feet. One problem, the platoon sergeant sees that there are still socks hanging up in our living quarters. So we have another foot inspection in another hour; 2330 or 11:30PM.

This time, a pissed off platoon goes back to our rooms and corrects the faults. We wait till 2330. We get back in a line; this time for a foot inspection done by our buddy. As before, no new foot problems to report (really, what foot problems can develop in 2 hours while wearing shower shoes?). The platoon sergeant inspects the rooms again, and still finds hanging socks! “This is ridiculous!” I thought to myself as I sit awaiting further gloom in my life. These problems were coming from the other room with a bunch of deficient fire team leaders and 1 squad leader. After another talk by the platoon sergeant about how we can play these games all night, we were able to go to bed after this 3rd and last foot inspection.

Basically, I really hate it when only a few in the group screw up and the higher leadership punishes everyone else for their defects.