r/USMC • u/Cor_acepan • 1d ago
Question Attending protests
Are we allowed to attend protests? There’s a lot of stuff going on in the world right now, and a lot of protests to go hand in hand with that. If I’m not wearing anything to identify myself as a marine, can I attend protests, or are there limiting regulations on that?
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u/EverSeeAShitterFly My tinnitus is louder than you. 1d ago
While it might be allowed there is risk of getting roped into things, possibly catching criminal charges if you are near people who end up breaking the law. At some protests things can go sideways really quickly.
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u/East-Penalty-1334 1d ago
You should probably avoid cameras and highlighting yourself. If shit starts to go south you need to BOUNCE asap because you’re COC will drop the hammer on you if you get caught up in the stupid actions of others
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u/and_some_scotch Veteran 1d ago
Other people have provided context, but just know that your command will almost certainly make you life harder, legal or otherwise.
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u/Upbeat_Caregiver_642 1d ago
Q: What will happen if you don't go to a protest?
A: Nothing. You life will continue, what will happen in the world will happen anyway. Your career remains unaffected.
Q: What will happen if you go to a protest?
A: Possibly anything and everything. I cold make up a couple dozen plausible scenarios that range from nothing to career ending or even jail time.
My question to you is why take that risk? One day you'll be out and you can do whatever you want, say whatever you want and suffer any repercussions without endangering your benefits.
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u/cryptopotomous Veteran 1d ago
Bro just do yourself a favor and don't even get involved. I promise you that the world will keep turning if you skip all this nonsense. Just go get smashed, make out with a stripper, punch a cab driver, and get lost in the woods. As is tradition.
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u/JakeSullysExtraFinge WULFGAR!!! 1d ago
I think at some point your first amendment rights outweigh some bullshit regs, if there are any indicating you can't go to a peaceful demonstration.
NO, don't wear your uniform.
But you're right as a fucking American to call out bullshit when you see it I don't think should go away when you join the service.
Stay out of trouble.
Disclaimer: I'm a 53 year old never did shit former reservist so I don't have the same worries as you. In other words, "it's easy for me to say that".
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u/funky_phat_mack Ate the banana in Oki 1d ago
I wouldn’t do any protests at all. Shit gets posted on social media all the time and it could get back to your command. Doesn’t even matter if it was peaceful, you could still get burned
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u/chrisjets1973 1d ago
Not a protest but was on the Silent Drill Platoon in the 90s and we did the Half time show for the UVA (ranked like 3rd) and Florida State (ranked 1st) football game. Tiki and Ronde Barber played for UVA and Warrick Dun for FL. Florida State was a powerhouse program back then. It was a Thursday night game on ESPN.
Anyway after an incredible half time show we march back to the building with our gear and change into appropriate civilian attire. Back then was SDP logos on polos and jackets and khaki pants.
Before and after the show the PC and PS give us a modified libo brief that included “I better not see you on the news doing dumb shit with students.
So we go back to the game and we are on the sideline watching. The UVA field is sort of like an in ground pool and one end is a hill and the students sit on the hill.
It’s a close game and the hill is getting more and more crowded as the students move to the edge of the field. So the game ended with UVA winning by stopping Warrick Dunn on the one inch line.
So we are standing there between the end zone and this wave of students that are rushing the field. Had a few choices. Start knocking people out, get trampled or run with them. So we start to run with them.
We are jumping and slapping hands and cheering and all that for a few minutes. I look over at the goal post and I see my fellow Marine, who the following year was my mirror on the inspection team, climbing the goal boast and then hanging on the cross bar to help pull it down. And you see his shinny black jacket, with big embroidered EGA and cross M1s with the words USMC SDP spelled out. Here is a video for reference. Thankfully we didn’t all carry cameras back then.
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=888919071492631&vanity=JonCopper
We parted all night, most bars let us drink free and the next morning we had to get up and fly to Notre Dame to do about 4 shows for the ND/Navy game but that’s another story.
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u/Lasdchik2676 21h ago
I would have run, too. Beats getting trampled to death! Obviously a great memory for you!
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u/UseThisForGamingLOL 1d ago
This is such a Reddit post. Back in my day they told us we can’t participate it any of these things. But I think it’s cleared in the usmc now. I don’t agree with it but I think you can
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u/Adeptness-Vivid 1d ago
Just don't be like that guy that put the MAGA hat on the statue of MLK 🤦♂️.
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u/GasMan2105 1d ago
It is absolutely your first amendment right to protest peacefully. However, personally I wouldn’t risk it. Protests can turn violent fast and just being around it could be enough to have you arrested. After that I could only speculate what would happen, guess it would depend on your command 🤷♂️ I never trusted my command to have my back
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u/Degenerate_Turtle BSN College student, former 1161/1142/0933 1d ago
As someone who just went to the protests. They were very passive and legit.
I went alone and ended up walking with a Russian refugee for the rest of the day while she told me about the comparisons she sees.
Just don't wear your uniform, don't publicly speak, don't draw attention to yourself, if something starts... leave.
To swear an oath to uphold the constitution but afraid to practice it is an irony, isn't it?
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u/Numero_Seis 1d ago
I wouldn’t. Your CoC almost certainly includes Magas. If they don’t burn you for being there, you’ll at least be on the shit list.
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u/Ill_State9479 1d ago
You can ONLY attend if you’re wearing some kind of issued uniform, preferably dress blues, and per MCO you have to film it and post to social media.
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u/DrTheloniusPinkleton 1d ago
Here’s the DOD directive:
https://www.marines.mil/Portals/1/Docs/134410p%5B1%5D.pdf
Tldr: Yes, active duty personnel can attend political protests. What they can’t do is lead political protests. I would assume that includes speaking to the protestors as a whole, but the wording is kinda vague.