"The True Meaning of REMF"
(Ready Efficient Marine Corps Forces)
For every Marine in the field or at forward firebase's near the DMZ, there were five to seven Marines working in tenuous areas such as Dong Ha, JJ Carroll; or further south at Phu Bai, Chu Lai, and Da Nang. Their responsibility's included administrative duties, moving supplies, men, and equipment while keeping Marines in the field fed, clothed, and equipped to do their job. Without the effort of these Marines, whose jobs and MOS's varied, the forward firebase's and operations would not have been able to function, let alone exist. Below the Dong Ha Ammo Dump is exploding from incoming 140mm NVA Rockets, the year was 1968; the base, a noted "rear area" REMF haven, twelve miles from the Demilitarized Zone...
These Marines were not impervious or absent from combat; Dong Ha, points west, east, and south received ground probes, mortar and rocket attacks; it was the same for positions north and south of Hue City and Da Nang. Those North of Dong Ha faced NVA artillery; REMF's faced incoming, fought fires, helped the wounded, moved and cared for the dead, took their turn on lines, walked patrols, acted as FO's, RTOs, scouts, and manned listening posts. At a moments notice, these Marines could, and many were in the field fulfilling various duties from FO to a plain 0311; They truly were Ready,
Efficient, Marine Corps, Forces, or REMF's.
Often tagged with the moniker "REMF" it was a name they would learn to wear with pride. After all, field Marines had to be processed, fed, sheltered, supplied, resupplied, medically cared for, counseled, paid, entertained, (if it was safe enough) and damn near anything and everything else; REMF's were the grease that kept the war wheels turning.
These rear-area Marines, in a war where there was not a rear area, had a name that derived from the tag "Rear Echelon Mother Fu...uh, you get the thought." It was not their choice of words; their battles were not only the war but often against enemies such as boredom, tedium, and petty bureaucracy, which was often led by "benched war hero's" who were removed from the field for the many absurdities that made up the other side of the war. Generally, rear echelon command was efficient, well disciplined, and professional but there were the exceptions.
Yes they had cold beer and other "bennies" not available in the field, but hey, they never asked for the job of baby sitting the "FEMF" Marines; it was their duty. Somebody had to drink the beer...
