Catch glimpse of life for Marines

The museum at Parris Island looks at U.S. wars throughout this century.
By REBECCA SLOAN
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
PARRIS ISLAND, S.C. -- There's something about a Marine that makes folks stand up a little straighter and mind their manners the way Mama taught them.
Just ask anyone who has ever visited Parris Island, S.C. -- the training grounds for all male Marines east of the Mississippi River and all female Marines nationwide.
After brushing elbows for just a couple of hours with "the few, the proud," even an everyday, average group of tourists will be toeing a finer line.
The first transformation occurs after the tour group steps through the doors of the Parris Island Museum and comes face to face with a strapping, stern-faced Marine who orders everybody to throw their chewing gum in the trash.
In a flash, even the grown men in the group scurry timidly toward the nearest wastebasket to deposit their Wrigley's and Trident.
That's the first rule about visiting the Parris Island Museum: No chewing gum.
Much to see
The second rule is simpler: Just open your eyes and ears and get ready to soak in nearly 10,000 square feet of exhibits commemorating America's Marine Corps involvement in every conflict from World War I to the Persian Gulf War.
Somewhere amid this impressive maze of war relics, rare photographs and camouflage-clad mannequins, almost a century of battle and bloodshed will become acutely real, and it will hit you just how many young American men and women have sacrificed their lives for their country.
Appropriate background music, such as scratchy Victrola tunes for World War I exhibits and Jimi Hendrix anthems for Vietnam, heighten the museum experience.
The Parris Island museum also features exhibits on South Carolina military history, including the 16th-century rivalry between the early French and Spanish settlers and the state's involvement in the American Revolution, the War of 1812, and of course, the Civil War.
Admission to the Parris Island Museum is free, and it's just one of the attractions awaiting civilians on this remote, Carolina sea island that has been used as a Marine recruit depot since 1915.
A different world
Despite an unmistakable element of secrecy (rumor has it that new Marine recruits are blindfolded en route to the island) and heightened security because of potential threats of terrorism (all civilian guests must currently apply for day passes), Parris Island remains open to the public.
As you drive across the Parris Island causeway that straddles tidewater marshes and unfolds into a forest of junglelike fauna followed by neat rows of military housing, you'll feel a little bit like you're traveling to a different world.
And in a sense, Parris Island is a different world.
Here, young men and women march to a different tune -- literally -- and as you drive through the island's tidy streets, you're sure to see groups of recruits clad in combat boots and camouflage calling cadence at the heels of a gruff, upright officer.
Mess hall for visitors
At Parris Island's Traditions Restaurant, civilians can dine while watching Marine drill exercises through one of the restaurant's many spacious windows.
Used primarily as an officer's club, Traditions Restaurant is open to the public at selected times, so call ahead for a schedule.
Make sure to ask about the Sunday brunch buffet.
Traditions serves up a delectable Sunday brunch buffet, with everything from grits, eggs and bacon to mouthwatering strawberry crepes.
You can even have omelets or pancakes cooked up right before your eyes on a sizzling grill.
Although day passes are required and security remains tight, Parris Island continues to rank as one of the most-visited military facilities in the world, hosting more than 100,000 tourists a year.
With its quality museum, first-rate restaurant and exposure to the Marine way of life, Parris Island is well worth the time for any civilian seeking a glimpse of what life is like for "the few, the proud."
XFor more information on Parris Island, call (843) 228-2951.