R. Lee Ermey Quotes

The drill instructor must have total and complete control. Mindless obedience is what he's after.

Kubrick's films have life - they just never die.

I firmly believe that you live and learn, and if you don't learn from past mistakes, then you need to be drug out and shot.

The best part about the movie, and everybody seems to rave about it, is the boot camp part.

I play well with everybody.

It's been a pretty fun ride, to tell you the truth.

The bad news motivated the drill instructors that much more.

A day without blood is like a day without sunshine!

I hate to hear 'Less is more.' It's a crock of crap.

What is your major malfunction?

Drill instructors worked seven days a week, fifteen to seventeen hours a day in many cases, with no time off in between platoons.

I honestly do feel that I am a role model for young people.

I got to write most of everything I said.

For me, it's an honor for the military to ask me to go to Iraq, Afghanistan, or GITMO. I'm happy to go.

The biggest problem was the politicians knew nothing about fighting a war.

America's trying to do the best for its veterans.

Communications are better now than in my Vietnam days.

I go the VA Hospital when I have a problem and the doctor jumps on me.

Because I am hard, you will not like me. But the more you hate me, the more you will learn. I am hard but I am fair.

I try to get over to Iraq and Afghanistan as much as I can.

I've never had to spend any time in the VA hospital, so I really can't speak for those guys.

It's my firm conviction that when Uncle Sam calls, by God we go, and we do the best that we can.

I don't have any respect at all for the scum-bags who went to Canada to avoid the draft or to avoid doing their fair share.

Without discipline, there is no Marine Corps.

I'm never, like I say, I'm never happy, I'm never satisfied, it's never good enough.

Back in those days intimidation was the greatest tool the drill instructor had. Without that tool, he would not have had control.

Kubrick ate it up. He loved it. He just let me go crazy.

In order to be a good actor, I'm a firm believer that you need to bring something to the table.

I was stationed at a marine recruit depot in San Diego from 1965 to 1967.

There have been a lot of changes in recruit training in the past twenty years.

There's a lot of whiners in every crowd.

I don't have to be concerned about everybody else's character.

I disagree with a lot of those changes, however at the end of the day - I go down to recruit graduation at least once or twice a year.

Everybody respects the Vietnam Veterans of America.

I always love to come to Austin.

That's all I cared about too, was getting it right.

I spend a lot of time with my characters.

This is for fighting, this is for fun.