Robert Creamer, Jr. enlisted in the Marine Corps while a junior at Medomak Valley High. The son of a policeman, his dream was to serve in the Army. Robert never considered the Marines. He’d planned to follow in his father, who had served in the Army in Vietnam. And the Marines sounded hard. But when the recruiter came to the school, Robert was awed by his confidence and directness, and the way he listened to whomever he was talking with. And for Robert, that was that. He entered bootcamp in 1997. At graduation, he was assigned the job of combat engineer, working in mines, demolition and construction. But the country was not at war, so he worked at training. Robert served in Okinawa, Korea, Buford, SC, and lastly, on a Navy vessel traveling throughout the Mediterranean. When he left the Corps in July 2001, he’d earned a Navy Marine Corps Achievement Medal and the rank of Sergeant. He had found it hard to have both a personal life and be in the Marines. He settled in southern Maine where jobs with a decent salary were possible. Five years back, he moved to Waldoboro, a place he’s always considered home, the kind of place where people still walk into a store to chew the fat and then ask for what they need. But there’s a part of Robert that misses the Marines. He’d liked the structure and camaraderie. And he misses serving his country. Which is not to say he’s not grateful for all he has -- good work as a truck driver and two daughters who are his pride and love.
In bootcamp they always did this thing: you’d be standing in line in the squad bay, and they’d order us to go to our footlocker and take something out. And they’d give us a certain amount of time to do it. We had maybe less than a minute to open our padlock up and get the thing, and meanwhile they’d started counting down. And when they started counting, you had to be in line, even if you haven’t completed it. Because if you weren’t, they’d start screaming in your face, “WHY DON’T YOU HAVE THIS DONE?” Well, you’d want to explain yourself, but they’d scream, “YOU MEAN I DIDN’T GIVE YOU ENOUGH TIME???” It took a while but finally you realized, “I have no excuse.” And they’d be like, “Now you got it.”
It was four short years of my life, but the way they indoctrinate you, it’s never going away. I tell my daughters, “No, you don’t have an excuse. You knew what you were supposed to do, and you didn’t do it. You have to take responsibility for your actions.”
My last year on the USS Wasp, I worked for Gunnery Sergeant Hammond who was one of the hardest working men I’ve ever met in my life. A very quiet man. He would work alongside you for as long as the job took, loading or unloading tanks and equipment.
I had about 30 guys working under me. I’d get my orders from him and we would get it done. But a lot of things had to be done by hand. Like when the LCACs (landing craft air cushions) would come on. Say a truck had artillery pieces on it like 155mm Howitzers. And say they were facing the wrong way. We had to have the truck pull off the LCAC so we could disconnect the howitzer so the truck could turn around. Then we’d pick the end of the howitzer which is heavy and spin it around the right way and attach it again.
You’re chaining and binding, and the saltwater makes everything difficult. It was back-breaking work. And a lot of work. When we were doing an operation, it would go as long as it would go, and if it was 20 hours, 24 hours, 25, 26 hours, or whatever, you didn’t stop. Believe it or not, I enjoyed it.
In the Marines you learn, mission accomplishment first, troop welfare second. So, if you have to go hungry or are tired — or whatever — it doesn’t matter. You just got to finish the job. That lesson is never leaving me. I never think, “Maybe I’ll take a nap first and get to it later.” I finish the job.
It’s hard because not everybody sees it that way. At work, somebody might not be putting away the cargo straps the right way, or maybe they don’t even put them away because they don’t see it as a big deal. But in the Marine Corps, little things like that are a big deal. We learned that we had to do everything right all the time, even if no one is watching. So, putting away cargo straps the right way? Maybe it’s not a big deal. But, if you’re not doing that correctly, what else aren’t you doing correctly?
It’s pretty easy to tell who has served in the military and who has not. I think it has to do with a certain way of being. The Marine Corps teaches you to have pride in everything you do. If you want something done and you ask, “Can you do this for me?” I’ll say, “Sure, no problem,” and I’ll go to the ends of the earth to do it and do it right. I wish people had more of that gumption, that can-do attitude. I’m not saying it’s what’s wrong with the world these days, but I think it has something to do with it.
When you go into the miliary, it’s a lot of sacrifice. I didn’t serve in combat. But people should be grateful there are people who are willing to do that.
And I think civilians need to think a little more than just about themselves. In the Marines, you work as a team, together. But you’re always looking out for each other, too.
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