Salty Dog Paddle

What getting enshrined in the Hall of Fame means to a football player is almost as important as receiving a paddle for a Recon Marine. There has been debate within the community on the actual origins of the paddle, however that is neither here nor there. We have adopted it, it is ours. Receiving a paddle when you depart your basic recon course is not a right, it is not expected, it is earned. If y

our team feels like you have been a reliable team guy and that you have upheld all of the standards in the creed only then will they talk about making you a paddle. Paddles aren’t popularity contests. I have seen friends who made lat moves to 0321 leave without paddles because even if they were a “good guy” they weren’t a good “team guy.” Paddles have been broken for NCO’s not thinking another deserved one when he left. It’s nothing personal when it happens. When one of my buddies who stayed in sees a paddle when he walks out of his door, he doesn’t look at it and think “man I did a great job at my previous unit.” He looks at it and is reminded of the standard he’s expected to uphold. It doesn’t stop when you leave, you never stop trying to prove yourself worthy. These paddles are their most prized possessions. There is no man or force on earth that can keep them from their paddle. If I had been able to stay in, I wish I had the chance at earning a paddle.” -Adam Driver, actor