R. Lee Ermey, a.k.a. "Gunny," is an actor and Marine veteran known for playing no-nonsense drill sergeants who bark lines such as "Now Drop and Give Me 25."
Ermey acted in the film "Full Metal Jacket" and the TV show "Mail Call." But Ermey has a new role. He is the poster boy for a 10-year campaign to give the Marines their due. More specifically, he is spokesman for a bill to re-designate the Department of the Navy as the Department of the Navy and Marine Corps.
Gunny Sergeant appeared the other day with Republican Rep. Walter Jones of Farmville and others at a D.C. news conference to push for a bill that would change the name.
This is about respect. The Marine Corps wants equal billing with the Army, Navy and Air Force. The Marines have their own command structure, and the Marine commandant holds equal status with other members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
But only the Marines are submerged in another department.
Even the condolence letters sent to the families of Marines who have given their lives are written on Department of the Navy letterhead.
"This is a symbolic effort, but it is so important to the Marine Corps," said Jones, whose congressional district includes Camp Lejeune Marine base in Onslow County. "The Marine Corps has earned this recognition."
"Every time I go to the hearing and they have [Chief of Naval Operations] of the Navy and the commandant of the Marine Corps and the secretary of the Navy, the Navy secretary always says, 'we are one fighting team,'" Jones said. "If that is true, why not let the name be the Department of the Navy and the Marine Corps?"
Legislation to rename the department has passed the House several times through the years, only to die in the Senate. The person who generally has been credited with killing it was then-Virginia Sen. John Warner, a former secretary of the Navy. Last year it was Arizona Sen. John McCain, an old Navy pilot and Naval Academy graduate who sidetracked the bill.
"Nobody can tell you why it shouldn't happen," Jones said. "The only thing they can say is, 'This is the way it's been. Why change?'"
But Jones notes that there have been plenty of changes over the years. The Air Force used to be the Army Air Corps. Navy Marine Memorial Stadium in Annapolis used to be Navy Memorial Stadium.
With 370 co-sponsors, the measure is certain to pass the House. A House committee is scheduled to vote on the bill next month.
But the question, as always, is whether it can it can get through the Senate.
Among the bill's Senate co-sponsors are Sens. Richard Burr and Kay Hagan.
Jones thinks the measure has more support than ever, not the least of which is the backing of "Gunny Sergeant."
