Jack of Harts

The Second Great Depression affected every military base across America differently. Marine Corps Air Station Yuma did not collapse into internal fighting. It did not suffer massive desertions. Yes, there were some, but Yuma’s fighting strength remained largely intact. The new President slashed their budget, though, and that cut their ability to train and deploy the expensive F-35Bs that were their primary striking power. So the base commander talked to his drill instructors about the Marine Corps unofficial motto. No. Not the one that probably just came to your mind. The “Every Marine is a Rifleman” motto. Knowing that idle hands makes for mischief, he ordered every Marine on base, starting with himself, placed on double physical training duty until the budget issues could be worked out. As you may imagine, his Marines did not love him for that. Though they did follow him onto the parade field every morning.