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How Marines became known as ‘Jarheads’
Sarah Sicard
Tue, November 7, 2023 at 3:13 PM PST·1 min read
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If you’re a civilian, the word “jarhead” may conjure up the gory image
of a person’s noggin encapsulated in a cylindrical glass container.

But if you’re a U.S. Marine, you know the term as a loving moniker. What
you might not realize, however, is where that nickname originated.

“The term first appeared as early as World War II and referred to
Marines’ appearance wearing their dress blue uniforms,” according to the
National Museum of the Marine Corps. “The high collar on the uniform and
the Marines’ head popping out of the top resembled a Mason Jar.”

At the time, it was intended to be an insult, but much like today’s
stereotype of crayon eating, the Marines chose to own it as their own.

“Since World War II, the term has been applied more widely to Marine
Corps recruits with their ‘squared head’ appearance because of the
close-cropped haircuts,” the museum archive added. “Some Marines refer
to the ‘high and tight’ haircut as a ‘Jarhead cut.’”

So synonymous has the term become with Marine Corps service that author
Anthony Swofford, who served during the Gulf War, gave the name to his
2003 memoir. That book then served as the basis for the 2005 movie
“Jarhead,” starring Jake Gyllenhaal.

According to the National Museum of the Marine Corps, the jarhead
moniker has “become a source of pride for all Marines.”

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Marine Corps Times
Video for Marine Corps’ 248th birthday emphasizes combat readiness
Irene Loewenson
Tue, November 7, 2023 at 2:07 PM PST·3 min read
0

The Marine Corps’ video marking its 248th birthday opens with a Latin
phrase even older than the Corps itself: “Si vis pacem, para bellum.”

If you desire peace, prepare for war.

War — the preparation for it, the deterrence of it and the remembrance
of it — is the main theme running through the nine-minute video released
Oct. 27, in a year when the U.S. military isn’t directly engaged in
waging war.

The birthday video will be played at the annual balls across the globe
marking the anniversary of the Marine Corps’ Nov. 10, 1775, founding.

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