Full Metal Jacket: The Story of How R. Lee Ermey Made Hartman an Icon

[@maxolivermurray]

"I wouldn't say that Lee is the greatest actor in the world, but I do think the greatest actor in the world couldn't have played the role better than Lee did." - Stanley Kubrick, 1987

[@raymondweaver8526]

He wasn't acting

[@jspntr]

He was a drill instructor, so I don’t think he was acting at all.

[@tomvillellajr.7314]

Truth in all 3 comments before mine.

[@tablature6121]

I was at P.I. in '71 -- Marine boot camp. When I saw Full Metal Jacket for the first time, I had no idea who Ermey was, but I told my friends who I watched it with, "This guy's the real deal" -- exactly how my D.I.s were, language and all.

[@crowttubebot3075]

@@tablature6121 I first saw this leave in early '87 while fresh out of boot camp. Except for the actual physical stuff, I found it accurate as hell. And I was giggling like a little schoolgirl.

[@knightlife98]

He was a Marine till the end..... His wife had stated that R. Lee Ermey was most proud of being a Marine. The man was a national treasure, no question about it! R.I.P. Gunney

[@Anthraxicus]

Well said!

[@brucekopping1287]

i saw FMJ in August 87. one month later i enlsted and one year later i was on the yellow footprints at MCRDSD

[@longshot398]

@@brucekopping1287 Theirs your problem, you was a Hollywood Marine. Real Marines go to PI. Semper Fi Brother

[@brucekopping1287]

@@longshot398 Semper Fi Brother!!!

[@davidrice3337]

Who in the hell can support the athletes who kneel- Labron wouldn't have lasted 5 min training with the men and women who serve- Thanks for your service and thanks for defending our freedom

[@billgrivis2238]

I was a Marine recruit in “71” and a Drill Instructor in “75” in San Diego. I assure you that his portrayal of a Drill Instructor was exactly correct in the smallest detail. Not too much, not too little. Exactly.

[@johnlaslett5339]

I was a royal marine so although different countries, a marine is a marine. Brothers til the end. No such thing as an ex marine. ❤️

[@mikefallopian3191]

I'll buy that. The only trouble is he's 10-15 years too old for the part.

[@shawnneice4322]

@@mikefallopian3191 what makes you think that?

[@georgelloydgonzalez]

Even the beatings?

[@shawnneice4322]

@@georgelloydgonzalez at times,in the early days of basic training, like when my grandfather was in the Army, yes.

[@rlicon1970]

That man did more for the Marines then any commercial they produced.

[@Hambone571]

This is a true statement.

[@mikesheer2429]

I agree 100%

[@theshocker4626]

Even better than the dragon slaying commercial

[@moondive4ever]

By a metric fucking ton

[@axelwulf6220]

I dunno The most recent one actually unapologetically beats the snot out of the Army ads, with a rubber hose and a ballgag, and made me want to try enlisting again

[@tidepoolbay]

R Lee should have won the Academy award for this performance.

[@pikiwiki]

maybe one of the best performances ever recorded on film

[@kj6446]

Louis Gossett Jr won th academy award playing the drill sergeant in An Officer and a Gentleman.....Lee was the technical advisor on that movie...so I guess you could say Lee won by proxy

[@EternalChamp]

@@kj6446 I’ll allow it 😂

[@jamesmack3314]

Definitely

[@jamesmack3314]

@@tryingtotryistrying Definitely you have a good argument here he definitely was already prepared to play that role with his drill instructor experience but I think it was a lot more complicated than it looked and he took it to a whole Nother level in terms of the incredible amount of emotion and intensity that he displayed, that’s not an easy façade to maintain-he didn’t just phone it in that’s for sure it probably took a lot of skill to put forth that effort scene after scene.

[@Kevan808]

Took my dad to see this when it first came out. My dad was a DI in the Corps in the 60s and also in the city of Hue during the Tet offensive. He was laughing so hard during the DI scenes and got very quiet in the other half. He said it was the most realistic war movie he's ever seen. My favorite movie.

[@RCAvhstape]

Interesting note about Ermey, he had retired from the Corps as a Staff Sergeant and that was the highest rank he held when Full Metal Jacket was filmed, but because of his later work in support of Marines and his visibility the Marine Corps promoted him to Gunnery Sergeant, the rank held by his character in the film. This is a pretty rare thing for retired enlisted Marines.

[@RCAvhstape]

@Captain Chaos Borgnine was awesome.

[@uppercutgrandma4425]

@@RCAvhstape what about Ernest Borgnine?

[@RCAvhstape]

@@uppercutgrandma4425 Don't remember. The comment I responded to has been deleted.

[@50URC]

Wouldn’t be surprised, he’s famous!

[@dreamingflurry2729]

He deserved it, he after all did the Corps proud, even when no longer on active duty. Would have loved to meet him - especially if he truly was a friendly, laid back person in RL, because that makes his performance as Hartman even more impressive (that's what makes a great actor IMHO that he or she can step into the character, become the character - so that it kind of isn't only acting anymore, they are the character for the duration of a shoot! Especially if they aren't like that character at all, like say a "I can't hurt a fly" guy who plays a total psycho like say the Joker!)

[@BrentDelong1253]

"Marines die. That's what we're here for, but the Marine Corps lives forever; and that means you live forever.” Gunny will live forever.

[@mcl6406]

Marines won't have to die if we stop invading third world countries.

[@xblackdog]

@@mcl6406 You can take that comment back to facebook, twitter or reddit. No one asked for, nor cares for your irrelevant take on the quote.

[@davidrice3337]

Billy Joe Shaver wrote a song about it

[@Man2Media]

Semper Fidelis!

[@davidrice3337]

@@Man2Media by the way - Happy Belated Birthday to the Marine Core and Again Thank You and your families

[@theshocker4626]

Met him several times and he was always the nicest guy. You will be missed, Gunny.

[@ginog5037]

I only met him once, and will always cherish that memory and stories he told me. An amazing man and wonderful kind man at least to me, miss you Lee!

[@darinfry1543]

Not just a great actor but an amazing advocate for the armed forces and the second amendment. He led an amazing life

[@leechurchill1965]

I met him in the Philippines in the late 70s. He shook my hand and said "Nice to meet you Lee. Hey! That's my name too!"

[@jaredevildog6343]

You are lucky ! I WISH I could have met Gunny Ermy ! RIP Gunny. SEMPER FI !

[@Nick-ty9us]

I mean, he was an actual drill sergeant probably that’s made his performance in full metal jacket so real

[@SuburbanSavage]

My dad was a US Army Drill Sargent until 1966 and was one of the kindest and funniest person I've ever known. Granted, he did take pleasure in mildly tormenting my sisters boyfriends in high school, but they all showed up to be pallbearers at his funeral. They adored him, despite the weird insults he hurled at them.

[@corinnem.239]

😂Creative lot.

[@gardensofthegods]

Nichole it sounds like there's a story in there it really does sound like it would be a great short story or book or movie . Have you ever thought about that ?

[@samsavage3426]

They didn’t just adore him they more than likely had the utmost respect for him as a person

[@srt4fan4u2]

And what the world does that have to do with the movie ? Lol

[@TEXASLOYAL]

@@srt4fan4u2 Go back to sleep little one

[@dejabu24]

Personally I think he was the best part of the movie

[@hugh-martinrouxhughy7419]

Agreed man, FMJ really put a lot of emphasis on the training period those men had to go through and how rough it was - and I think its because of RL Ermey that it was so realistic

[@vernonleewarren280]

Agreed. The boot camp was my favorite part

[@paul6925]

Yes the focus on the drills and the sergeant are what make this movie stand out! One of my favourite movie characters of all time

[@3star2nr]

Agreed I only watch that part of the movie then turn it off... It goes to shit after he dies

[@MrPGC137]

Agreed; everything after him in the movie (which was essentially the 2nd half of the movie) bored me to tears...

[@kenfcarzn]

Man that dude deserved an Oscar for that performance. He played the best Drill Sergeant ever on film. I don’t think the film does as good as it does without his role. Extremely realistic and authentic

[@russellmcgurn4217]

Drill "Instructor" son. Lol. Semper Fi.

[@johnray1520]

I sat close to Ermey on a flight out of LA To Seattle a few years before he died. He was chatting with everyone around him, not pulling the typical movie star aloofness act. He was a genuine person who was a very nice man. Hollywood blackballed him in his last years because of his political views. That was their loss! Full Metal Jacket will always be remembered because of him.

[@wtfisditvoorbullshit]

He was a republican?

[@kendallrivers1119]

@@wtfisditvoorbullshit not exactly a surprise lol.

[@wtfisditvoorbullshit]

@@kendallrivers1119 lol true

[@wtfisditvoorbullshit]

@Captain Chaos true

[@shawnneice4322]

I don't care about the politics of the man. He was a CLASS ACT! I loved his show MAIL CALL!

[@numberstationscartoon2689]

I had the great pleasure of bartending for this man. He was absolutely hilarious and had the whole staff rolling with laughter the whole time.

[@billkaldem5099]

You were blessed

[@gregvalentine2173]

I never met the man, but I can imagine him shootin' the shit with a bunch of guys at the bar. Not a guy one was likely to soon forget.

[@Kaden10]

He was a Real American Hero and I mean that in the best way possible.

[@rdzed3505]

Nicest guy ever. He was in Hawaii filming some show for Discovery. I walked over to our E Club at Barbers Point ( I was in the CG) and he was hanging at the bar. Said he needed to get away for a bit because he was tired of filming. So he found our little Hideaway Club at Barbers Point. I spent about an hour and 45 min with him. The duty flight crew came down and took pics with him. I've got an old 35mm pic too. Nicest and most humble guy you would ever meet. Absolute sweetheart.

[@Jan-dk8ud]

Oh how cool

[@grumpyoldwizard]

God Bless RL Ermey. He was a incredible iconic figure. May he Rest In Peace. Thank you for the video.

[@mattosullivan9687]

Yep and he did it again in Sci Fi drill instructor in Space Above & Beyond

[@gespenjaeger2370]

Rest in peace!? RL Ermey is training Angels in heaven now to be marines Hura!

[@michaelsuder3956]

He died? He was just in Toy Story

[@Gunny1971]

Marines never Die!!

[@timbentle]

Well said, took the words out of my mouth...or vice versa. Lee definitely met spec and exceeded expectations. He was a wonderful actor and human being. Anyways, thanks, respect and regards.

[@nonenowherebye]

One of the most surreal movie watching experiences of my life came when I was a civilian contractor travelling through Iraq back in 2006. At one point, I was embedded with the Marines at Al Asad Air Base, and one night the Marines there pulled out FMJ and put it on. They were able to recite every single line from the movie.

[@gulfmarine8857]

I can do it🤣Grad Nov 85 MCRD San Diego.

[@chadnoland5438]

I doubt it.

[@kennethmitchell1350]

I was in the Marine Corps from 64 to 68 I stationed at MCRDSD for twenty months also went to boot camp there ..His portrayal of the DI,s of the 60s was absolutely spot on from his physical carriage to the dialogue and vernacular…the most realistic USMC /Vietnam era movie ever…an absolute classic RIP Gunny /Semper Fi

[@katieandkevinsears7724]

Lee Ermy is the reason to watch Full Metal Jacket. He was a great American.

[@Scott-bf8km]

Ermey should have won an Oscar for his performance. Instead Platoon had the supporting nomination. Absolute robbery...

[@comicbookninja5268]

I believe he wasn't even nominated because many voters considered his actual experience as a real drill instructor to be a strike against him. Its not really acting if you're just being yourself was probably their attitude.

[@harrytuttle8161]

Like when Jethro Tull beat Metallica .

[@MrPGC137]

His character definitely had some of my favorite movie-lines of all time. One of my top favorites: *"I do not discriminate! To me, you are all equally worthless!"*

[@themoonbubble]

The reason he didn’t get the Oscar it was the second time he played that role the first time was the boys of company c

[@undertakernumberone1]

@@comicbookninja5268 Also, reminder that hte Original Star Wars didn't go for a Special Effects OScar because... using a computer is apparently cheating.

[@kinger7251]

I had the honor of meeting R. Lee Ermey about a year before his passing. He was hands down one of the nicest guys I’ve ever met.

[@sharlahiggins5090]

I always said R. Lee Ermey deserved an Oscar for that role. No matter how many times I watch that film, his performance always stands out.

[@aakkoin]

I saw FMJ as a young kid, after which I was absolutely terrified of going to the military, which is mandatory here in Finland. Thanks Kubrick!

[@lilheinz9496]

There’s a reason that us military is the strongest and most effective fighting force in the in the entire world

[@aakkoin]

@@lilheinz9496 I love the USA!! There's also a reason why little Finland beat the mighty Soviet Union 10 - 1.

[@loungelizard3922]

@@aakkoin But Finland lost the Winter War.

[@aakkoin]

@@loungelizard3922 We lost a little bit of land, but kept our independence. Stalin thought they would just crush us with no problem and take over. Edit: and I said 10-1 because we have a saying that one finnish soldier is same as 10 russkies... One finnish sniper actually took over 500 commies, Simo Häyhä.

[@AK-tf3fc]

@@aakkoin Finland won for two main reasons. First was Russian army is a mess in the long run and their strength is numbers. Second reason offcourse was steel balls of finland people.

[@Junkman2008]

Any Marine will tell you that we knew Gunny was a real Drill Instructor the moment we heard his voice. That wasn't a script that he was following, that was real Drill Instructor MODE. It takes a special kind of personality to impact your life in such a short amount of time that will stay with you forever. R.I.P. Devil Dog, God brought home a good one. 👍

[@daveriley7199]

I went to boot camp in 1975. All of my D. I.'s were Vietnam Vets. I had heard a lot of the lines Ermy used in FMJ in real life.

[@miketobias1821]

What an expierence that must've been. 👍👍

[@timbrock2785]

I was in there in 1982!! I loved every minute of it!!!

[@rdlykryk4384]

Alot of the same in '81-'82 We went through the New Year. U. S.uckers M.issed C.hristmas

[@getmeoutofsanfrancisco9917]

Yea? Is Jody still fucking your wife? That dude really gets around. At least that's what I hear.

[@nateglasscock2883]

He punched my step-father in the face within the first hour of boot camp.

[@lancekeller250]

That lady who was interviewing him acted so shocked and appalled. Its like, yeah lady! Bootcamp ain't disneyland lady!

[@nejinaji]

Makes you realize how uselessly soft people have become

[@williampresley4945]

Naw, it's just women didn't mind acting "feminine" in public and on television back in the 1900s.

[@markusbrauns4274]

She is a Canadian reporter. America is just much more militarily minded, than Canadians.

[@blankblankpog]

They havent change at all

[@snafubar5491]

But.....but....but it's the Uncle Sam's Mickey-Mouse Club and that is at DisneyLand.......no???

[@mikelomez9313]

I'll never forget his opening line where he says "I am sgt gunnery Hartman your senior drill instructor" it made you feel like you were there in boot camp and you're in his world now. A world that is essentially hell as war IS hell.

[@samsavage3426]

War is worse than hell, there are no innocents in hell but lots of innocents in war

[@jamesy4003]

Army vet from the 70’s - his portrayal was spot on - you never forget your drill instructor / E-4-2 Ft Leonard Wood 75’

[@RayTeerlink]

James Yasko thanks for your service

[@saw1565]

Very true. Army vet from the 80's. Will never forget My Drill Sergeant!

[@lunaman98able]

"Dont worry about" in a deep Samoan accent that's what I remember about my drill sergeant Fort Leanerwood MO 1984.

[@grandpoobahful]

@@saw1565 Ft Benning, Harmony Church Barracks E-2-2 1984

[@danroush4269]

D I's were bigger than life and struck fear and respect in the hearts of recruits at least in the early 70's . They taught us how to.stay alive and by graduation we probably would have followed them to hell and back.

[@dleoner1]

Fact: R. Lee Ermey was a Staff Sergeant in the Marine Corps but was always know as his rank Gunnery Sergeant in FMJ. I was responsible to draft up the paperwork while working for the Counsel for the Commandant in order to get him the honorary rank of Gunny. Glad someone brought that task to me, I was honored to type it up.

[@fonetree]

Ooh Rah brother.....can you get me promoted to?? Hopefully you saved the paperwork!

[@dleoner1]

TKO TKO haha!! I got you!

[@jevinday]

Thank you for sharing! It's so awesome to hear these stories. Some may think that us young people don't like to listen to these awesome old stories, but we do, I promise.

[@douglasmcbride4924]

they made him gunnery sergeant later

[@dohc22h]

Are you a Former Marine? Because your not using words that a Marine would use.

[@GVvoltaire]

I was there in real life. I am 72, and I miss my buddy R. Lee (I called him ,”Or-Lee. 1969 - 1989 USMC Ret. Thank you my brother!!

[@garyconner6151]

Your a legend.

[@andrewpridmore1803]

I've only seen Full Metal Jacket a handful of times but I'd be damned if I didn't know Hartman's dialogue by heart. The greatest roasts to ever grace the screen.

[@mackychloe]

I had that shit memorized at age 16.

[@borisCHoppz]

how much of it got sampled and wound up in great music, 2LiveCrew, MInistry, MIA, $uicideboy$, Napalm Death, Fear Factory, Font Line Assembly, Sir Mix A Lot, Numb. Thieves by Ministry was the soundtrack to my highschool experience, and uses probably the most samples and uses them the most creatively. Get up get on your feet! (rhythmic drumming) if youve never heard it go check it out. Itsso ugly it could a modern art masterpiece

[@CriticoolHit]

Imagine having to explain to Kubrick what a reach around is.

[@deke441]

Well, it's common decency..

[@bobabooey4537]

Whats a reach around? Not familiar with the language.

[@Sam-um1wr]

When a daddy and a daddy really love eachother

[@vampcrush]

@@Sam-um1wr lmfao

[@menglinqi2283]

Explain it??? He probably showed him...for that authentic experience. Gunnery Sgt: Kubrick!!!! Do you NOW know what a reach around is???? Kubrick: Yes Sir!!! Gunnery Sgt: Are you sure??? THIS IS THE LAST TIME I'M GONNA SHOW YOU!!!!! HURRAH!!!!

[@doinksinthePM]

That was a nice wholesome thing Kubrick did sending Ermey's parents to a private screening in a limousine. Anything that brings families closer together and stronger is a blessing. And those helping are doing God's work. Ermey did so very much for the Marine Corps. And he _will live forever!_

[@ivancorredera4241]

Even after R Lee Ermey’s iconic role, dozens of actors tried to replicate that loud but dedicated and stoic attitude in other war movies like Hacksaw Ridge or Jar head, but just couldn’t. They all pale to the original. Also the dialogue in Fullmetal Jacket really helped out.

[@captcardinal7082]

I could say one that comes close but not close enough to being as iconic is the drill Sargent from Forest Gump

[@jeffpraterJSF]

The dialogue is so great because Ermey made it up himself. He just snapped into the Drill Instructor facade and said what he would say to actual recruits, just not as loud and intense so we could understand him.

[@shakesperezen6078]

The Latino Drill Sgt Aquilla in 'The Boys in Company C' is bloody brilliant.(Santos Morales.) '1978'..I would love to see him an R Lee go boot to boot in sarcasm an wit an insult as a fun fued..it would be an absolute nutbuster giggle. R Lee also played a drill Sgt in this film as well. 😅😁.. (/-\)..Another good Anti-war film with reality,apathy and warped sardonic dark humour.

[@hendo337]

My Army Drill Sargents pulled it off like gang busters, Ermey had an effect on how Marines and Soldiers were actually trained in real life after that film became iconic.

[@sdmercer99]

@@hendo337 That is just not correct . The Marine Corps did not adjust anything due to the movie . Every Marine Corps drill instructor is a true life bad ass who brings their own character to their position . Ermey gave some realism to the movie . But, speaking as a Marine , who went through in the early 80's, the real drill instructors are much more violent and vulgar . But the movie is the most realistic made. After completing boot camp, You think back about the things that the DI's said and it really is hilarious . Marines have been known to sit around remembering all the hilarious things that their drill Instructors used to say.

[@darthkahn45]

He thought he had ended what he hoped would be a long career in the corps. But through that wound up being probably the most regognisable and everlasting mascot the corps will ever know. Some things are just meant to happen

[@mafistowaltz4857]

Well said

[@BucketOspuds]

Hell yea

[@st3althyone]

darthkahn45 He represented the USMC until the day he died, and did so with honor.

[@smilingbadger6209]

Once a Marine always a Marine. He is guarding the gates of Heaven now.

[@noelwest6130]

Just a badass USMC sergeant. They are heart and soul. I am EX USN and respect the Marines big time.

[@KatherineUribe-1]

Kubrick was a genius. I can watch so many of his films over and over, and each viewing is wonderful. Not everyone can craft a work at that level.

[@yourfavoriteshiba7645]

Ermey always reminded me of my grandfather. He was a drill instructor around the same time too, but he was at Parris Island. Went off to Vietnam, got out and was a legit cowboy for a while, and then became a preacher for the rest of his life. He was the nicest man I have ever known. However, there were two times I ever saw him actually mad and everyone was silent when he was.

[@alfredovelasquez9686]

I cried when I found out R. Lee Ermey died. For never having met the man in person. he had such a profound influence on my life. From full metal jacket to saving Silverman he made me laugh my ass off. He was someone I looked up to and a big hero of mine. Rest in peace Gunny. We all miss you sorely.

[@henrycrabs3497]

Bruh

[@h.donnellgrayiii4276]

He reminds me so much of my maternal grandfather Roosevelt Gray Sr, a silver star Army veteran of the Korean War. He pulled no punches and said exactly what he wanted you to hear. Haha

[@snnnaaaaaakeeeee4470]

@@henrycrabs3497 What?

[@Robbi496]

My Drill Sergeant (Army) was very hard on me, especially because I WANTED to make it, but i saw him the night I was shipping out for AIT and he was a completely different person, he put his arm around me, told me how proud he was of me, what a different person!

[@Rogue0257]

Same thing happened to me, our Senior DI was a nightmare until the day we were leaving.

[@DJNLdabest]

FMJ is such an incredible and funny movie. I never get tired of seeing it.

[@Ghost7065]

I do. Scares the f out of me.

[@phoenixgrove]

Am I the only one that found the movie kinda disturbing?

[@AggressiveBeagle]

It’s incredibly funny, I’ll give ya that...

[@cut--]

@@phoenixgrove mostly the scene where the donut guys blows his brains out.. that in -- 1990 or abouts.. caught a lot of movie goers off gaurd

[@sfmc98]

When I was a teenager before I went into the Marines, I made an audio tape recording of the first act and played it on my car stereo on constant repeat. To this day, I can recite the entire thing line by line.

[@MVuke84]

My dad is a "former" Marine and told me this was the most accurate movie on what Marine boot camp is really like. Not 100 percent accurate, but told me if I wanted to get an idea of what it is like. To watch this movie.

[@coiledsteel8344]

Get your ass in the Military to find out for your dumb ass self!

[@MVuke84]

@@coiledsteel8344 Um, maybe 20 years ago that'd been possible for me. I've had a nice career and family for over a decade my dude. I don't think they'd take me now. Not knowing the facts, and or who your talking to, is being a dumbass...or I'll just say unwise

[@dangp7]

@@coiledsteel8344 what’s the matter sweetheart? Hungry, no crayons in the house?

[@charleighh.990]

There is no such thing as a "Former Marine"..., Its a Title..., Period!

[@MVuke84]

@@charleighh.990 There's no such thing as an "Ex" Marine, they're all "Former" Marines. That's what my father always told me, and I've always addressed them that way.

[@bearowen5480]

I'm a Marine aviator. In 2005 I was also a Continental Airlines pilot, based in Guam. I had the honor of flying the 60th anniversary Marine veterans and their families in the lead 737-800 of three chartered airplanes up to Iwo. On my flight I had the VIPs; Gen. Larry Snowden, senior surviving Iwo vet, Jack Lucas, MOH recipient, the Governor of Guam, Felix Camacho, Gunny R. Lee Ermey and his "Mail Call" History Channel camera crew, and a full load of Marine, Army Air Force, US Coast Guard, and US Navy Iwo Jima heroes. When I let down for the approach and landing at Iwo, I leveled off at 1,000 feet above the water and made three slow orbits of the island so that everyone could get a good view. I had Jack Lucas on the jumpseat and before landing I made a low flyby, close aboard and level with the summit, of Mt. Suribachi so the heroes could see the iconic spot where the unforgettable two flag raisings took place. After we landed and deplaned, we were greeted by a contingent of young Marines from the 1st Marine Division from Okinawa who had landed earlier via amtracks and LCACs from amphibious attack ships off-shore. Each Iwo veteran, USMC, USN, USAAF, and USCG was smartly saluted by the Marines who lined the road to the location of the Ceremony of Honor. After the solemn convocation, also attended by a handful of Japanese imperial Army survivors, each US veteran was transported to the landing beaches and then by HUMVEE to the top of Mt. Suribachi where a contingent of Marine JROTC cadets from JFK High School on Guam reenacted the flag raising for each group of veterans as they arrived at the summit. I'm not embarrassed to admit that as I watched, the tears streamed freely down my cheeks. We lifted off Iwo's runway for the return flight to Guam shortly before a spectacular sunset illuminated the entire western horizon of the North Pacific while the rocky volcanic desolation of Iwo Jima receded behind us. As dark eventally settled over the vast reaches of the ocean where so many heroes had perished from December 1941 to August 1945, our wonderful crew of flight attendants played John Wayne's classic film, "The Sands of Iwo Jima" on the entertainment system throughout the cabin for our distinguished guests. My outstanding first officer, Jonathan Johnson, flew a silky smooth descent, approach, and perfect touchdown at Guam's Agana International Airport just as the final strains of the Marines' Hymn filled the cabin and the credits from "Sands of Iwo Jima" scrolled to black in the darkened cabin. The Last passengers to shake hands with me as they deplaned were off-duty Continental pilots Dick Bright and Darby Kelly. Referring to the beautiful coincidence of the final notes of the Marines'Hymn with Jonathan's flawless landing rollout, Darby said, "Bear, God did that". During the days prior to our historic and unforgettable trip to Iwo Jima, the sponsor, Military Historical Tours, organized for the Iwo Vets a day-long tour of the WWII battle sites on Guam. I volunteered to be a docent. Our narrator for the tour was historian, Col. John Ripley, USMC (Ret) ["Ripley at the Bridge"] who had been awarded the Navy Cross for his heroic action of blowing the key invasion bridge at the DMZ during the North Vietnamese incursion into South Vietnam in April 1972 as an advisor to the South Vietnamese Marines. During the tour I spent the day on the bus seated next to Gunny Ermey and in the course of our visit became well acquainted with him. As others have stated in their comments here, he could not have been more kind, engaging, and humble. He was a truly nice man and devoted Marine. Later, on our flight to Iwo, his crew filmed in the cockpit. In the one hour History Channel special, "Return to Iwo", there's a short snippet of me at the controls, wearing my Continental uniform and my bright red "USMC" ball cap. It's one of the great honors of my twenty year career at Continental Airlines! Semper Fidelis, LtCol J.D. "Bear" Owen (Ret)

[@beauslim]

It definitely is iconic. My sister used the expression "what is your major malfunction" just the other day. I don't think she's ever seen the movie.

[@stewartbloomfield8035]

The line was "Whats your major malfunction numbnuts" ha ha Stew fmj crew.

[@beauslim]

@wargent99 Quite often a particular movie is where the vast majority of the population first hears a phrase that, until then, was known to very few. Being Canadian, I don't imagine my sister knows many vietnam-era US Marine Corps veterans. But, I know what you mean. I have found myself irritated by kids thinking the bowler-hat one-eye-mascara thing was from the Simpsons.

[@jevinday]

HAHAHAHA amazing

[@kansaspatriot2051]

As a Marine from 1986 to 1990 I will tell you this is the closest to actual Marine Corps Recruit Training that a civilian will ever see. Emry did an outstanding job as GySgt Hartman. He will be sorely missed. Semper Fi R.L Ermy!!!

[@JamesBlackwoodRaccoonWhisperer]

When I went through RCMP recruit training in 1973 the drill instructors were exactly like him .

[@trelard]

Hartman is the gold standard for drill instructors in movies. I saw this when it was first in cinemas, and watching that performance, I knew I was seeing something game changing.

[@gorequillnachovidal]

Ermey may have been the most crucial casting job ever...I mean, if he wrote at least 50% of his lines... Ermey is as famous as it gets in a kubrick movie....like Ermey and Jack in the shining are probably the two most memorable performances (along with sellers in stranglove)

[@AnthonyFlack]

Hmm, and Malcom McDowell surely. And Sterling Hayden, George C. Scott and Slim Pickens between them give Sellers a run for his money I'd say. One of my personal favourite performances is Sidney Pollack in Eyes Wide Shut.

[@mingonmongo1]

Unfortunately Kubrick also 'remembered' him for holding up the shoot for several days, after Ermey apparently went off on a bender where he ended up crashing his car.

[@monolithgeometry3221]

I always think of David Bowman and Hal and Frank Poole and Dr. Haywood Floyd and obviously the "monolith"

[@walkingcontradiction223]

There is no such thing as an ex Marine. "Once a Marine always a Marine!" My father served in Korea in the construction corps, after Korea he became a DI for the ones who didn't dodge our next conflict in Vietnam. He was the kindest person I've known, was my best friend, and my wife's when I got married. He died Sept 2020 and is my conscience today. He taught me self reliance, how to treat people deserving of, and firearms with respect from a young age, and put rounds in the 10 ring expeditiously with a .30-06 that carried 8 in an Enbloc. Even gone he's still a Marine in me, the part that will put my life between danger, and those who are in it's way. Semper Fidelis

[@ryukshinigami13]

My grandpa died of Parkinson's from Agent Orange exposure during his time as an Air Cav door gunner in Vietnam, both I and my grandma wish he had draft dodged the conflict. He definitely wouldn't feel the same way though. Even in hospice he considered being in combat in Nam, along with the birth of my father, who ended up being an MP in Germany in the 80's, as his proudest moments in his life.

[@royferguson3909]

✌ love

[@gardensofthegods]

@@ryukshinigami13 all their soldiers who were exposed to agent orange and then later when they were compensated hardly got anything for how it damaged them and killed some of them .

[@plotinuswashere]

Personally I hold nothing against the ones that did dodge

[@tmrezzek5728]

Terrific salute to Lee Ermey! I love how Kubrick films Ermey with some graceful tracking shots in his scenes--Ermey is the center of gravity for the first half of the film.

[@cesargonzalez4146]

When people talk about Fullmetal Jacket the first thing that come to mind is: "the movie with the drill instructor/sergeant". Edit: Done, I didn't notice the responses about the typo.

[@johnnyc4738]

*^Sergeant* I'm not a grammar freak, but it's an earned title.

[@richardlee5486]

The first half was definitely more memorable compared to when they were shipped off to vietnam

[@devinrybarz1508]

I like how before they ship off, they have seen some shit. But not "the shit"

[@jeffpraterJSF]

Johnny C Instructor* It May be an earned title but you don’t earn it in the Marine Corps, you earn it in the army. Drill Sergeants come from the army. Drill Instructors are from the United States Marine Corps

[@johnnyc4738]

@@jeffpraterJSF yeah, I know. I was Army.

[@botz77]

"This is not even my desk." is one of my favorite lines ever. He delivers it perfectly.

[@emceha]

"He was a trouble maker as a kid" That's how every real life legendary soldier story starts.

[@cockoffgewgle4993]

"He was a war criminal as a young man".

[@madtodder1969]

Except he wasn't a soldier, but he is a Marine!

[@dirtcop11]

He was a farm boy from Wyandotte County Kansas.

[@buzzkill808raven2]

uh, no it doesn't

[@ploppyjr2373]

@@madtodder1969 except we know what he means and don’t care for your military nitpicking

[@bflaminio]

I would read 150 pages of R. Lee Ermey insults, and then steal the best for KZbin comments.

[@aspiranttobeapatrioticcana6748]

Underrated and I would do that as well

[@jevinday]

i can't believe they haven't published those pages into a book! I'd read it too! hahaha

[@paulsuprono7225]

. . . Think I'll try that ! 😀

[@tyrannosaurusflex8536]

Darren Taylor bro I work in a kitchen to. He’d make the ultimate chef

[@tyrannosaurusflex8536]

Darren Taylor for sure. I’d definitely work there. Also especially since the hierarchy of a kitchen is based off of the military. Makes perfect sense he’d be a bad ass chef 🤣

[@RobinMarks1313]

I was in the Canadian Forces. Ermey nailed it. Of course, that's because he was a real drill sergeant. So, what I'm saying is that he reminded me of my drill instructors, even my lady drill instructor. She was tough, and could easily out run me. Unrelated, but I still want to reflect on my time in the army, and the movie, Full Metal Jacket. I've heard that many anti-war films actually have the reverse effect. Well, I saw it firsthand. On our time off, we watched movies in the barracks. Everyone loved Full Metal Jacket and they knew all the lines. Unlike my brothers in arms, I joined the Canadian Forces for a very specific reason, I wanted to go to Yugoslavia and be a peacekeeper. It's a very long story, but I am a hippy with a death wish. So, I went to make peace despite my hatred of war. My American Vietnam Vet uncle used to have arguments about war at our family reunions. I had the nerve to ask him about his experience. Another long story, so I'll get to the point. He thought I had gone to the dark side when he found out I had joined the army. I told him I hadn't changed my mind and there was no good war, and I was going to Yugoslavia to stop war. So, when in the barracks and watching Full Metal Jacket, I was horrified by the reaction of my fellow soldiers as they cheered reveled in the violence. I would have maybe said something to them about my feelings about war, but I was outnumbered 20 to 1. The same goes with Apocalypse. So, if you make a beautiful anti-war film, violent men will watch it make it a perversion of the film's intention and make it glorious. We men are kinda effed up.

[@marcelgaud]

NOT A DRILL SEARGENT: a "DRILL INSTRUCTOR"!

[@markpope2949]

A 5'6" tall Black Marine saved my USAF life in Vietnam. Semper Fi all you Jarheads, and "Thank ya very much..." “People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.” ― George Orwell

[@thornstrikesback]

@Michael Engleman he was 5'6" tall.... Stating his height you idiot. He wasn't calling him tall. And show some respect for a veteran. You're the goofball for not being able to understand a basic English sentence construction.

[@mikewebster8224]

Welcome back! Would love to hear that story if you would wouldn't mind sharing it on here?

[@mikewebster8224]

@Connor O'Neal Scanlan Haha so edgy. It was never about saving "us", oh wise one.

[@mikewebster8224]

@Connor O'Neal Scanlan You're not this dense. The people of South Vietnam who did not want to live under communist rule, as well as the other nations in that region that were concerned, as we were, about the unchecked red spread in SE Asia.

[@mikewebster8224]

@Connor O'Neal Scanlan My mistake. You are that dense. I'll leave you to your crusade.

[@MousePounder]

I am starting to think this Tyler guy likes Stanley Kubrick.

[@bacht4799]

Me too.. hmm do you think he also likes Andrei Tarkovsky .. I mean those two is the giants of those kind of movies..

[@kaewonf8]

He love Stanley long time

[@MousePounder]

@@kaewonf8 🤔🤔🤔😏😏😏🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@rheinhartsilvento2576]

@@kaewonf8 😆😅😁

[@tyrannosaurusflex8536]

kaewonf8 too buku 🤣🤣🤣

[@tcplee]

This is my all time favorite movie, i had every line of his memorized. I was lucky enough to meet him at a nascar race in Richmond Virginia in 2011 & was so impressed with what a genuinely nice guy he was.

[@brockfnsamson5079]

Stanley Kubrick made the greatest Marine Corps recruitment film of all time.

[@bobblount7183]

Kubrick wanted to make a movie that would slimeball the Marine Corps (like most of Hollywood LIbs) it backfired, I went thru Boot Camp in 65, all rifles in Bootcamp had no firing pin, would have been impossible for Pyle to have fired his rifle, also all brass at the firing range has to be accounted for.

[@Jaws-zb1cg]

bob blount ??? This movie is still the best example of an anti-war movie, your personal experience isn’t everybody’s

[@GilmerJohn]

@@bobblount7183 -- Well, I was ROTC. Our "summer camp" (equivalent to boot camp) we were issued rifles. We fired the issued rifles on the range. (IOW; they had firing pins.) BUT before we left the range we were checked out to see if we had any ammo with us. A determined person, obviously, would buy some ammo if he wanted. In Jr. ROTC (high school) the rifles were missing the firing pins. But even there, there were the special tools around that could be used to quickly install a firing pin. This was back in the late 50's and 60s when the standard rifle was still the M-1.

[@thisdudeisnotin]

@@bobblount7183 I went through boot in 81. Right after the rifle range [Edson on Pendleton] we got back to San Diego and I was cleaning it on my footlocker and I lost the firing pin retaining clip so I put my firing pin in my utility blouse pocket, never said a word about it, and kept it there till I got out 7 years later, LOL!

[@ralphalvarez5465]

R Lee Ermey was so funny in Mail Call .... I miss his dedication to the US Marine Corps and to the veterans of all eras... He was "The Gunny." Good night Gunny, wherever you are!

[@xelav3775]

He lived in my city of Palmdale. He partially owned a local brewery out here too. The city honored him after his passing by dedicating a street with his name

[@ericdevers3519]

Being an army veteran myself I gotta hand it to Mr. Ermy. He reminded me of my drill sargent. Lou gosset jr. was great in “an officer and a gentleman but Gunny wins that hands down

[@UAHTiger]

He was the advisor to Lou Gossett Jr in that movie.

[@h2opower]

Watching Full Metal Jacket was a flashback to my days in boot camp back in 1986. There is one thing that they got wrong and that was counting when being thrashed as my DI's went by the amount of sweat folks put on the ground but other than that it was totally correct. In fact the guy who snuck food into the barracks in my platoon had a cookie and just like in the movie he stood there and ate it while we all paid for it. My platoon had two major screw-ups a guy name Zenser, and another named Tangora, and yes it's been all these years and I still remember their names even the names of my DI's SSgt Elis, Sgt Olamowitz, don't think I spelled that one right, lol, but it's an experience that changes your life forever. This movie brought back a lot of those memories. I remember when we went to our swimming trials they'd let you drown if you decided to give up and sink and revive you later on. Talk about instilling a no quit attitude that would do it, lol. It was sad to hear he passed away but his actions will live on as they always do in the Marine Corps 😏.

[@sfmc98]

Absolutely true. The quarterdeck became a puddle of sweat. One day after banging on the hatch and stupidly asking for a phone call---because I'd been there three weeks and hadn't gotten any mail while everyone else had--a shitcan came flying out, full of dip juice, followed by three drill instructors. The juice went all over me and all over the quarterdeck. After wearing my ass out, they had me take my skivvy shirt off and wipe down the quarterdeck of the sweat and dip juice and put it back on the rest of the night. My senior (who hadn't been there the night before) pulled me aside the next day and asked what the hell I was thinking. My family just fucking forgot to send me mail--a letter came about a week later.

[@sdmercer99]

Every Marine Corps drill instructor is a true life bad ass who brings their own character to their position . Ermey gave some realism to the movie . But, speaking as a Marine , who went through in the early 80's, the real drill instructors are much more violent and vulgar . But the movie is the most realistic made. After completing boot camp, You think back about the things that the DI's said and it really is hilarious . Marines have been known to sit around remembering all the hilarious things that their drill Instructors used to say.

[@seanjeffery9171]

@@sdmercer99 semper fi bro

[@jimsackmanbusinesscoaching1344]

One of the companies that I worked for had R. Lee's brother Jack as our VP of Sales. Jack used to bring R. Lee to our annual sales meeting. I chatted with R. Lee several times before these events (he would do some motivational stuff as a Drill Instructor). He was very soft spoken and extremely polite. He and Jack were both pretty funny.

[@CinemaTyler]

Interesting! Thanks for sharing!

[@stewartbloomfield8035]

Thats Lee stew fmj crew.

[@rcknbob1]

I met him briefly at an air show which included a WWII display/reenactment. Definitely a class act.

[@Clay3613]

What year was this?

[@jimsackmanbusinesscoaching1344]

@@Clay3613 If you are asking me, from 2000 - 2004.

[@MalXcontent]

R. Lee Ermey was an absolute legend. His acting in Full Metal Jacket was hilarious, however you would never take his character for a fool, as brutal as his role was it garnered respect. In real life he appears to have been a gentleman also worthy of much admiration. I did not know that he helped veterans and I am even more admiring of him for this. He is sorely missed✊️👏👏👏👏

[@mohanicus]

one of the scariest characters ever put to film... fantastic performance.

[@noalear]

He was my first cousin once removed, but I never got to meet him. My dad told me all these stories about him 25 years ago and they've all turned out to be true. Solid dude.

[@TheLewinator902]

So he was your Grandma/Grandpa’s siblings son?

[@noalear]

@@TheLewinator902 yup, grandma's.

[@TheLewinator902]

@@noalear her sister or brothers son?

[@noalear]

@@TheLewinator902 my grandmother's sister's son.

[@TheLewinator902]

@@noalear Cool, I wish I had a famous relative closest thing is that my Great Uncle is friends with Oliver Stone.

[@oldtimer970]

I felt like I was in Basic Training again. The actor's portrayal was spot on.

[@mikequinn6273]

My late Grandfather was a Marine during WW2. I showed FMJ to my mother and an uncle. They both said " That's Dad" as a reaction to Ermey's character.

[@threexfromwsg]

Lol you had a great grandfather.

[@phalanx66Satan]

I met R. Lee Ermey aboard Camp Pendleton, later in life, his character was so great, he'd put in a very long day helping with funding but still took time to talk with everyone. Ermey's characterization of Gunnery Sergeant Hartman was what Marines have come to expect as a standard for drill instructors, a bench mark for drill instructors to meet or exceed; that exceptional quality of just enough sadism, plenty of character, and ultimate attention to detail at all times while molding recruits into basically trained Marines who can go on to their various specialties with an intensity level and willingness to prevail that would rival even the most competitive Olympic athlete. It is what is necessary to create a Warrior that can navigate and survive in the high caliber battlefield of today and tomorrow. Some people out there look upon his character in Full Metal Jacket as crazy or over the top, they're completely naive and likely live in a reality that is buffered from man's worst parts, the parts that seasonally have to be tended to by those who fight.

[@randymiles904]

I saw this movie in the theater as a kid. It's still one of the best, most memorable movies I've seen. He definitely brought it, as the drill instructor. Great performance.

[@ivansalcedo1625]

Having inspired me as a kid he taught me American history on the history channel. Thanks to him and the history channel i surpassed in my history class back in high school! He also inspired me to have respct for old glory and veterans alike! RIP R. LEE EMERY!!!!!!

[@ajconvert]

As someone who was on the recieving end of this training at this time, what Ermey did was as close to real as could be made into a movie. What you cannot capture in a movie is how surreal and terrifying the experience was to all of us. I am deeply indebted to those men because they made me the person that I needed too be to do the job and get home alive.

[@johndenugent4185]

I went through Parris Island in 1977, and agree, esp. with "surreal and terrifying." I do believe that not only thousands of years of military traditions, going way back to Ancient Egypt or Babylon, are used by the Marines but also modern, cutting-edge psychiatric and neuroscience research. I was in after Nam and before the Gulf War, so was not in combat. But to this day, 43 years later, stress does not bother me. When things get hairy, I just focus more. I thank the Corps for permanently changing and toughening me up, and many other young men.

[@itlupe]

I went through US Navy boot camp and, I'm here to tell you, this guy was JUST LIKE our company commander. He called us every name but DID NOT insult our parents. We were clowns, idiots, dirt bags, etc. Some of us were slapped, tapped on the tummy and grabbed by the scruff or our necks. We started with 69 and ended up with 49 at graduation. I have NEVER held resentment for my training. I did 27 years and it was the BEST job I've EVER had.

[@austinknowlton1783]

Great Lakes?

[@itlupe]

@@austinknowlton1783 No sir. NTCC San Diego. Feb 64 - May 64. Came out with the info to become a man. In my case it took a while but I made by golly! 😊

[@austinknowlton1783]

@@itlupe lol before my time, went through Great Lakes in the winter of 89 @ 17. Shoveling snow for PT! And yes it pointed me in the right direction. Got a little lost along the way but I'll make it yet.

[@thomasdaily4363]

Please. I went through Great Lakes in 1981. Navy Boot Camp was then and is now a joke compared to Parris Island or San Diego.

[@itlupe]

@@thomasdaily4363I went in '64. It was not a joke then. It was nothing like MCRF DDiego (We were right next door,). While we were falling in for chow (0430)the Marines would

[@steviesteve5198]

When I was a Drill Sergeant in the US Army, I would watch Full Metal Jacket before every class 'pick up' to get me fired up. The 'Jelly donut' was the most influential scene for me; when even as a brute Drill Sergeant you can strike regret in your recruits' by expressing disappointment, that is a powerful moment. I almost met R Lee once, but missed out, I was very saddened by his passing, I always wanted him to sign my Campaign Hat and to tell him how much of an inspiration he was on me. I almost joined the Marine Corps instead of the Army because of him, regardless I always sought to immolate his stern but fair professionalism... but with less cursing.

[@roycline3529]

As a marine FMJ is my emotional pick up tool. It allows me to focus and address or tackle anything I’m dealing with.

[@shawnneice4322]

Where did you train the "pivots" ( a term my drill sgt used in basic. The strange thing is that my drill sgt in basic and AIT were both Sgt Michael Dawson, and I was Alpha 4 in both as well.

[@pyromania1018]

I do hope you didn't go too far, or had the common sense to notice signs of cracking in a recruit. Because Hartman very much did the former, and did not do the latter. When I joked about cracking in boot camp within earshot of my bunkmate, the DS got in my face the very next day and grilled me intensely to see whether or not I was sincere. Once I made it clear that I wasn't, he backed off, though it did have a more negative consequence than he likely expected; I never trusted my bunkmate again. A GOOD DI/DS knows that there are limits to how far you can go; and Hartman was NOT a good DI.

[@steviesteve5198]

@@pyromania1018 Oh yeah, I agree. Having been a DS taught me great skills I believe in addressing Soldiers as humans - rather than 'ranks' or 'tools', and I strive constantly to prevent suicide and other horrific things, which I hope I have been successful.... my greatest agony in the later part of my career has been observing leaders who don't have that sensitivity, while administering discipline... I often told my students at the Drill Sergeant Academy "You have many tools in your toolbox, and being 'big mean DS' isn't always the best tool.

[@steviesteve5198]

@@shawnneice4322 That is ironic. Interestingly my basic unit was Delta 1/19 Infantry, and the unit I served as a regular DS at was Delta 1/19 Field Artillery... full circle.

[@deborahchesser7375]

The opening made the whole movie, without Gunny it would have been just another war movie.

[@chrisdaw4806]

Lee made that movie. Them stealy eyes and them bushy eye brows.

[@deathwarrent8465]

Is that you John Wayne...who the fuck said that!!!😂

[@deathwarrent8465]

@KOOTHA KOOTHA other then the cowboy reference..it was probably more to do with the outburst..showing up the drill instructor..if you can't keep your mouth shut for 5min of boot..then your probably going to be disrespectful to superior officers too..since your drill instructor is basically your 1st commander you serve

[@coiledsteel8344]

ABSOFUCKINGLUTELY RIGHT!

[@wchandler2010]

100%, as a matter of fact I honestly don’t remember much of the movie beyond the boot camp scene.

[@kevinritchie9227]

When I was in the fire department, we watched this movie so many times, we could turn down the sound and narrate the whole boot camp part. I was so sad when Ermey passed. Rest in Peace Gunny.

[@paulgianni]

Watching Full Metal Jacket makes me homesick. Semper Fi and RIP, Gunny. Good night, Chesty, wherever you are.

[@patrick_dy3r]

"Rehearsals were intense, to say the least." In a Kubrick film? Surely you jest!

[@pingamalinga]

Saw this in the theater when I was 11 years old and it blew my hair back. Just wow. As an adult I still very much love the film.

[@jacoballen3267]

Having met the man in person, it was quite a thrill. SUPER awesome guy! Very funny, very nice, a ladies man, and just a solid American. We sure do miss him.

[@emiles.2629]

Ermey was stealing the movie so much that they had to kill him off to set up the spotlight on Joker.

[@richardhockey8442]

Everyone's seen the battlefields in Vietnam, but no-one had ever seen what Parris Island was like and Ermey made the first half of the film real

[@larrysouthern5098]

It didn't work...

[@TheKyrix82]

There are people that stop watching after the boot camp

[@nala3038]

@@TheKyrix82 that would be me

[@escher2112]

My father was at Boot Camp at Paris Island at exactly that time frame (luckily he never saw battle). When he saw the movie he said it was exactly, in every way, just like his experience. He even had a DI hit him in the solar plexus for laughing at another recruit - just like happened to Joker.

[@kalashnikovdevil]

Gunny Ermey was one hell of a Marine. I had the pleasure of meeting him a few times, and in that one case, well. I'm glad I got to meet one of my heroes, because by whatever god you please the man was larger than life. The screen only limited him. The real deal was a living legend. He's also being 100% honest in that boot camp interview. It's all planned. All an act. They have the recruit's day planned out to the minute. I went in knowing that and it was still intense, but I never developed resentment for my DIs like some guys did. Because everything they were doing was for my own benefit. They're not sadistic. Far from it. They're altruistic in the extreme considering what all a Drill Instructor sacrifices to train recruits. And every slaying on the quarterdeck I got... I earned. Not my DIs. My dumb ass. As for the Gunny, he was a class act. A truly kind and generous heart. He spent every year since the War in Afghanistan kicked off till he passed away overseas with his Marines. Like the man himself liked to say, he got promoted to Gunnery Sergeant because after he was medically discharged he kept showing up to work. The issue with the suicide and killing of GySgt Hartman technically is it happens after graduation. Weapons would have long been turned into armory.

[@macdaddy1149]

He was the best part of the movie. I always saw it as two separate movies in one. He is just amazing and a legend. The fact that he improved almost all of it is Amazing!

[@thetreblerebel]

I'd love to see the outtake reels of Ermy doing these rants

[@mackychloe]

Scroll down the thumbnails on the right, Blooper vid.

[@PappyGunn]

There was a series called Mail Call. There are outtakes from that series on KZbin. Very funny.

[@jimmynoneya2584]

I am in my 50s as I did not serve in the Vietnam war I was only a child my dad did though and he was a marine and he was a grunt he recently passed away but this film was one thing that him and I shared as he depicted this as being so true to life. I appreciate this video more than you'll ever know and I appreciate the work that Mr Kubrick and that Hermie did on this film

[@yodakbarrabucci2582]

I was in Boot camp in the summer of 1987 when the movie came out. I could not wait to see the movie at the theatre. Our DI saw it the week it was released. He did not speak to us personally about casual things unrelated to the Corps, but he did say the movie was very good. The boot camp scenes were so realistic and superbly done. Great movie and a great man.

[@thecollective1584]

I and a few other Marines were blessed enough to meet Gunny about a year, change, before he died. He was never happier than when he was surrounded by his Brothers and Sisters.

[@snidelywhiplash6889]

Ermy used lines from my mother who raised me. Talk about bring me back to my childhood along with the buckle end of a belt she used for emphasis upon my body. LOVE this as it felt like old home week. To be fair my grandfather was an Army lifer in WW1 and WW2 so that's where my mother was trained.

[@theTenthlife]

Interesting to hear Ermey give his own take on Hartman. I've always viewed him as one of the central heroes of the film. Yes he was harsh, but he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he was sending these kids to fight in Vietnam. He realized that Pyle was the most helpless of the group and so he focused on him. He was awful to him, but that is done with the knowledge that the NVA was unlikely to be kind, to say the least. If the Pyle that had arrived at basic had been sent, he would almost surely die and in so doing risk the lives of the men around him. Hartman had no choice but to try his best to harden the man as quickly as possible or he was doomed. His goal was not just to torment Pyle, but to get him to a point where he could withstand torment. A torrent of insults is much easier to handle than enemy fire. Hartman dying was almost sacrificial to me, he put his own life on the line for the recruits he was in charge of and died instead of the man that might have died alongside Pyle in combat. Maybe I read too much into it, I'm pretty nerdy about this movie. It's the funniest and most horrifying movie ever made all at the same time somehow, just an absolute masterpiece.

[@johnnyc4738]

Ermey always carried himself so professionally... I can only imagine how impressive he was as a Marine. 🇺🇲🍻🇺🇲

[@stevenm3823]

All he did in Vietnam was serve as a truck driver bringing Vietnamese to and from their work on the base...he saw no combat and was medically discharged.

[@johnnyc4738]

@@stevenm3823 really? Was his driving impressive,, at least? 😄

[@stevenm3823]

@Leo Peridot I'm sure he got all the standard automatic "off the plane" medals that any guy who served in Vietnam got.

[@stevenm3823]

@@johnnyc4738 I guess so...no Vietnamese died on their way to and from work.

[@stevenm3823]

@Leo Peridot Navy Commendation Medal?...don't know...he maybe had one since he was a Staff Sergeant by the time he was discharged.

[@terrytownsend6664]

My Road Dog and I watched Full Metal Jacket every day...We would always come up with New Insights...Miss that Road Dog!!! R.I.P JEFFRO!!!!

[@roninselman6772]

I can't remember where I found it, but I have a ringtone file, for an email alert, of Ermey shouting "YOU GOT MAIL, MAGGOT!" It's a real attention-getter! And his show Mail Call was one of my all-time favorites. I loved that Jeep he drove around in.

[@SJKelly-tb4ie]

I'm glad you showed the clip in Seven of Lee saying "This is not even my desk" I love that, always gets a laugh out of me.

[@SombraPiloto]

Never saw that movie but i got a laugh from that clip.

[@williamswiniuch7527]

That’s one of the most underrated quotes my friends and I say lol

[@manuginobilisbaldspot424]

Ermey's presence makes that first portion of the movie legitimately some of the best film of the 1980's. As a Marine Corps vet, no I didn't get that stuff done to me, but I also wasn't headed to Vietnam to fight a war at the end of 13 weeks in 1997. But all the tics, all the mannerisms, all the physicality...he NAILED IT. It's a transcendent performance. Met him down in San Diego after my days were done and he could not have been more personable.

[@jeenkzk5919]

One thing I’ve found out about actors is that the nastier they are on camera, the nicer they are in real life.

[@falconytriunfo3734]

This is true-Edward G. Robinson played a gangster but in real life was a nice guy.

[@dddd717]

Danny Trejo is much the same...

[@BrettonFerguson]

One thing I've found about actors, half of hollywood are pedophiles. Watch out for the ones who win lots of awards and keep getting hired even if they aren't very good.

[@maryjennings4913]

I've heard this about the late Jeanne Cooper, the mother of Corbin Bersen. She played a real witch on wheels, Katherine Chancellor, on the CBS daytime soap, The Young and the Restless. Yet she was one of the nicest people, in real life.

[@BenjaminGessel]

Not necessarily true... I think the truth is a bit closer to this kind of thing: 1.) TRULY tough guys-BOTH physically and otherwise type actors (esp. mental/emotional toughness), folks like Lee Marvin, R. Lee Ermey, Jason Robards, Jack Webb, Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, John Wayne, Bolo Yeung, Dolph Lundgren, Mr. T., Chuck Norris, etc., these guys are all great guys, good character, etc., some of them have outstanding character-everyone is a bit different, of course... 2.) Tough guys that also have a more sensitive, emotional side (are somewhat more prone to petty fights, arguments, quarrels, etc., but generally mean well, they just can get pissed off at others a bit quicker/easier, so they have to watch their tempers a bit more...): Mel Gibson, Michael Jai White, Bruce Lee, Steve McQueen, Vin Diesel, Wesley Snipes, Will Smith, Tyrese Gibson, Danny Bonaduce, etc. 3.) Straight up assholes, much of the time at least, lots of temper/abusive behavior, etc. issues: Alec Baldwin, Steven Seagal, Sean Penn, Gene Simmons, Chevy Chase, etc. 4.) Actors, Directors, etc. with fierce tempers/intense emotions who are also more thoughtful, deep thinking/deep feeling sorts of folks, esp. given considerate treatment from others, etc.: Jack Nicholson, Jackie Gleason, Richard Pryor, Tom Cruise, etc. 5.) Deep thinking, extremely intelligent/thoughtful, kinda sensitive, generally kindly, very artsy, goofy, semi-weirdos, etc. 😁: Tim Curry, Jim Carrey, Robin Williams, Crispin Glover, Gene Wilder, Steve Martin, etc. 6.) True gentlemen (more of a mix between tough guy and polite, nice guy type roles): Robert Redford, Tom Selleck, Harrison Ford, Tim Robbins, Gregory Peck, Denzel Washington, Daniel Day-Lewis, Jim Caviezel, Thomas F. Wilson, Sean Connery, Christopher Reeve, Patrick Stewart, Michael Keaton, etc. 7.) Gruff and Tough, (lots of heart too, they just don't always show it) 😁: Tommy Lee Jones, Gene Hackman, Clint Eastwood, Kurt Russell, Wilford Brimley, Morgan Freeman, etc. 8.) Class Clowns: Eddie Murphy, Chris Farley, John Belushi, Martin Short, Adam Sandler, Will Ferrell, Dom Delouise, etc. 9.) Sensitive, Extremely Thoughtful, Profoundly Deep Thinking/Intelligent Actors: Anthony Hopkins, Sir Alec Guinness, Marlon Brando, Michael Caine, etc. 10.) Kinda Perverted/Sex Addicts, etc.: Woody Allen, Roman Polanski, David Duchovny, Charlie Sheen, etc. And so on... Open for critiques of course... Everyone is a little bit different...

[@busterschannel4794]

God bless Ermey , he was a legend. He was such a great actor but a even better man.

[@markmarkofkane8167]

This is great! I had no idea how much work went into this movie. I always felt sorry for Private Pyle. Especially how the platoon beat him with soap bars in socks. Nobody deserved that.

[@alanbud5181]

It is/was called a “blanket party”’had them in AF basic also to let someone know in uncertain terms he better get his shit together. Probably could never get away with it nowadays,

[@akoyash9964]

@@alanbud5181 Yes, you usually can't get away with brutally assaulting innocent people, glad you olds could catch on

[@obey2dmax]

We paid for it, then you eat it.😅

[@mentalrentareactorfactorl-42]

Being a former Jarhead, I can tell you that Ermey's performance was spot on, in every detail. The only difference from the real deal was that the two other drill instructors were silent. No doubt so as not to step on Ermey's lines. In RL, the other two DI's were just as loud, and just as mean.

[@johndenugent4185]

Very true.

[@michaelgoodman1314]

Brother you will never be a next Jarhead period once a marine always a Marine hoorah. Semper Fi

[@dapabur1]

I was in the Navy but a few of my friends said his drill instructor had just made them do a bunch of push-ups. He told them to stand. When they were all standing around he smiled at them and then said ""Run over to those trash cans and dumpsters and dive into them and don't come out. You are nothing but a bunch of trash anyway. He was smiling and he never smiled so my friend said we thought he was not serious. When we stood there questioningly the Drill Instructor became enraged and jumped up and down and yelled ' get in those fking dumpsters before I have you all shot'. My friend said all he remembered is laying at the bottom of a trash can with about four people on top of him. He says now he still laughs at it. At the time...he just knew this maniac would shoot him.

[@henrycrabs3497]

@@michaelgoodman1314 stolen Valor

[@PolymurExcel]

I actually liked him more in Boys in Company C, as someone who has gone through Basic Training, my Drill Sergeants were exactly like him in that movie. He felt a lot more down to Earth than how over the top he was in FMJ.

[@catmandu1957]

I agree......when I saw the Boys from Company C in the theater and was blown away by his performance. Was remembering it today 40+ years later. He’s our Sargent, Lloyds his Name......Took This Job Cause He’s Insane.......Off to Khe Shan we will Go......to Fight The Boys From Uncle Ho.....will never forget it.

[@tomfuleky8948]

Lee was my DI October of 1966 and I will never forget him. I got to meet up with him about 15 years ago at a air show near Detroit. What a great guy l/cpl. Thomas Fuleky scout/sniper Vietnam 1968

[@taco44051]

What about Carlos Hatchcock?? Did you know him? Old Navy Vet....

[@RecklessEnterainment]

I met ermey as a kid when he did the show mail call. He was an incredibly nice and respectful man and was very happy that my dad had taken us to see him. He was an amazing person and it’s very sad he’s since passed away.