GySgt R. Lee Ermey United States Marine Corps
Born March 24, 1944
R. Lee Ermey
Nickname	The Gunny
Place of birth	Emporia, Kansas
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	USMC
Years of service	1961 – 1972
Rank	Gunnery Sergeant (Honorary)
Unit	MCRD San Diego Marine Wing Support Group 17
Battles/wars	Vietnam War
Awards	Combat Action Ribbon Meritorious Unit Commendation Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal National Defense Service Medal Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal Vietnam Service Medal with one bronze service star Drill Instructor Ribbon Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Vietnam Campaign Medal Rifle Marksman Badge Pistol Sharpshooter Badge Image File history File links Rleeermeygfdl. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Image File history File links USMC_logo. ... United States Marine Corps Emblem The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is the second smallest of the five branches of the United States armed forces, with 170,000 active and 40,000 reserve Marines as of 2002. ... Gunnery Sergeant insignia (U.S. Marine Corps) Gunnery Sergeant is the seventh enlisted rank in the U.S. Marine Corps, just above Staff Sergeant and below Master Sergeant and First Sergeant, and is a staff non-commissioned officer. ... Marine Corps Recruit Depot (MCRD) San Diego is a United States military installation in San Diego, California. ... Marine Wing Support Group 17 (MWSG-17) is a United States Marine Corps aviation combat service support unit based at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma that is currently composed of two squadrons, that provide the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing and III Marine Expeditionary Force with complete airfield operation services (less... Combatants Republic of Vietnam United States Republic of Korea Thailand Australia New Zealand The Philippines National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam People’s Republic of China Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea Strength US 1,000,000 South Korea 300,000 Australia 48,000... Combat Action Ribbon The Combat Action Ribbon is a personal military decoration of the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps, and which is awarded to those who, in any grade including and below that of a Captain in the Navy (or Colonel in the Marine Corps), have actively... The Meritorious Unit Commendation is a mid-level unit award of the United States military which is awarded to any military command which displays exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service, heroic deeds, or valorous actions. ... The Good Conduct Medal is one of the oldest military decorations of the United States military. ... Ribbon for the National Defense Service Medal The National Defense Service Medal is a military decoration of the United States military originally commissioned by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. ... The Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (AFEM) is a military award of the United States military which was first created in 1961 by Executive Order of President John Kennedy. ... Vietnam Service Medal Vietnam Service Medal ribbon The Vietnam Service Medal is a military award which was created in 1965 by order of President Lyndon B. Johnson. ... Bronze and Silver Service Stars A Service star, also referred to as a battle star, campaign star, or engagement star, is an attachment to a military decoration which denotes participation in military campaigns or multiple bestowals of the same award. ... A Drill Instructor Ribbon is a military decoration of the United States Armed Forces which is issued by the United States Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. ... Gallantry Cross Medal and Unit Citation The Vietnam Gallantry Cross is a military decoration of South Vietnam which was established in August 1950. ... The Vietnam Campaign Medal is a military award of South Vietnam which was established in 1966. ... A Weapons Qualification Badge is a military badge of the United States Army and United States Marine Corps which is presented to service members upon successful completion of a weapons qualification course. ... A Weapons Qualification Badge is a military badge of the United States Army and United States Marine Corps which is presented to service members upon successful completion of a weapons qualification course. ...
Other work	Actor

Ronald Lee Ermey (born March 24, 1944) is a former U.S. Marine Corps drill instructor and later Golden Globe-nominated actor, often playing the roles of authority figures, such as Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in Full Metal Jacket, Mayor Tilman in the Alan Parker film Mississippi Burning and Sheriff Hoyt in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. He currently hosts Mail Call, a military history program on The History Channel, where Ermey answers military-related viewer questions. Ermey is also an official spokesman for Glock firearms, Tupperware, Hoover vacuum cleaners, and the Young Marines. is the 83rd day of the year (84th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... United States Marine Corps Emblem The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is the second smallest of the five branches of the United States armed forces, with 170,000 active and 40,000 reserve Marines as of 2002. ... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The Golden Globe Awards are American awards for motion pictures and television programs, given out each year during a formal dinner. ... Actors in period costume sharing a joke whilst waiting between takes during location filming. ... Full Metal Jacket (1987) is a Stanley Kubrick film based on the novel The Short-Timers by Gustav Hasford. ... Alan Parker on the set of Pink Floyd The Wall Sir Alan Parker (born February 14, 1944) is a British film director, producer, writer, and actor. ... Mississippi Burning is a 1988 film based on the investigation into the real-life murders of three civil rights workers in Mississippi in 1964. ... Sheriff Hoyt was a character from the 2003 remake of the 1974 classic The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and its prequel The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning. ... The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a 2003 film, a re-imagining of the 1974 film The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. ... Mail Call DVD case. ... For the Canadian equivalent of this channel, see History Television. ... Glock is an Austrian weapons manufacturer (named after the founder Gaston Glock) founded in 1963 in Deutsch-Wagram, near Vienna, Austria. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Hoover Company logo, originally designed by Henry Dreyfuss The Hoover Company is an American floor care manufacturer based in North Canton, Ohio. ... The Young Marines were started on October 17, 1965, as the Marine Corps drug demand reduction program. ...

Biography

Early life & military career

Born in Emporia, Kansas, Ermey enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1961, after being arrested several times as a teenager. A court judge gave him the choice of the military or jail. He later joked that the Marine Corps "put a screeching halt to my unconventional manner." He spent two years as a drill instructor at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego in San Diego, California from 1965 to 1967. In 1968, Ermey arrived in Vietnam where he served for 14 months with the Marine Wing Support Group 17. He then served two tours of duty in Okinawa, Japan, during which he rose to the rank of Staff Sergeant and was medically discharged in 1972 for several injuries incurred during his tours. He did not receive a Purple Heart due to his injuries being noncombat in origin. Ermey has admitted that he still has nightmares about his combat experiences, a symptom of post-traumatic stress disorder^{[citation needed]}. Ermey was later bestowed with the honorary rank of Gunnery Sergeant by the Marine Corps. Emporia is a city located in Lyon County, Kansas, USA. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 26,760. ... Official language(s) English[2] Capital Topeka Largest city Wichita Area  Ranked 15th  - Total 82,277 sq mi (213,096 km²)  - Width 211 miles (340 km)  - Length 417 miles (645 km)  - % water 0. ... The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is a branch of the United States military responsible for providing power projection from the sea,[1] utilizing the mobility of the U.S. Navy to rapidly deliver combined-arms task forces. ... Year 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Marine Corps Recruit Depot (MCRD) San Diego is a United States military installation in San Diego, California. ... Nickname: Location of San Diego within San Diego County Coordinates: , Country United States State California County San Diego Founded July 16, 1769 Incorporated March 27, 1850 Government  - Mayor Jerry Sanders  - City Attorney Michael Aguirre  - City Council Scott Peters Kevin Faulconer Toni Atkins Tony Young Brian Maienschein Donna Frye Jim Madaffer... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Largest metro area Greater Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... Marine Wing Support Group 17 (MWSG-17) is a United States Marine Corps aviation combat service support unit based at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma that is currently composed of two squadrons, that provide the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing and III Marine Expeditionary Force with complete airfield operation services (less... This article is about the prefecture. ... United States Military Staff Sergeant insignia (U.S. Air Force) Staff Sergeant is the fifth enlisted rank in the U.S. Air Force, just above Senior Airman and below Technical Sergeant. ... A military discharge is given when a member of the armed forces is released from their obligation to serve. ... For other meanings see Purple Heart (disambiguation). ... The current usage of the term nightmare refers to a dream which causes the sleeper a strong unpleasant emotional response. ... Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a term for certain severe psychological consequences of exposure to, or confrontation with, stressful events that the person experiences as highly traumatic. ...

Graphical representation of R. Lee Ermey's USMC awards

R. Lee Ermeys USMC awards (released by National Archives ujnder U.S. FOIA) File links The following pages link to this file: R. Lee Ermey Categories: National Archives and Records Administration images ... R. Lee Ermeys USMC awards (released by National Archives ujnder U.S. FOIA) File links The following pages link to this file: R. Lee Ermey Categories: National Archives and Records Administration images ...

Acting career

Ermey was cast in his first movie while attending the University of Manila in the Philippines, using his G.I. Bill benefits. He first played a Marine drill instructor (SSgt. Loyce) in the 1978 Vietnam-era film The Boys in Company "C", which brought Ermey to the attention of Stanley Kubrick in later years. Ermey then played a helicopter pilot in Apocalypse Now, doubling as a technical advisor to director Francis Ford Coppola on that film. For the next five years, Ermey played a series of minor film roles until 1987, when he was cast as tough drill instructor Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket; Ermey also served as the technical advisor on the film. Initially, he was only intended to be the technical advisor, but Kubrick changed his mind after putting together an instructional tape with Ermey, where Ermey went on an extended hair-raising DI tirade while being pelted by oranges and tennis balls, all without repeating himself, stopping, or even flinching. Kubrick allowed him to write his own dialogue and improvise on set, a noted rarity in a Kubrick film. Kubrick later indicated that Ermey was an excellent performer, needing just two or three takes per scene, also a noted rarity for a Kubrick film. Ermey's performance won critical raves and he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award as Best Supporting Actor. He would subsequently play tough drill instructors in the pilot episode of Space: Above and Beyond and in the film The Frighteners, both similar to his character in Full Metal Jacket. The University of Manila (UM) is a university in Manila, Philippines. ... The Servicemens Readjustment Act of 1944 (better known as the G.I. Bill) provided for college or vocational education for returning World War II veterans (commonly referred to as GIs or G.I.s) as well as one year of unemployment compensation. ... The Boys in Company C, directed by Sidney J. Furie; starring Stan Shaw and Andrew Stevens, was a 1978 film about United States Marines in the Vietnam War. ... Apocalypse Now is a 1979 American film set during the Vietnam War. ... Francis Ford Coppola (born April 7, 1939) is a five-time Academy Award winning American film director, producer, and screenwriter. ... Year 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar). ... Gunnery Sergeant insignia (U.S. Marine Corps) Gunnery Sergeant is the seventh enlisted rank in the U.S. Marine Corps, just above Staff Sergeant and below Master Sergeant and First Sergeant, and is a staff non-commissioned officer. ... “Kubrick” redirects here. ... Full Metal Jacket (1987) is a Stanley Kubrick film based on the novel The Short-Timers by Gustav Hasford. ... The Golden Globe Award The Golden Globe Awards are American awards for motion pictures and television programs, given out each year during a formal dinner. ... Best Supporting Actor or Best Supporting Actress is an accolade given by a group of film or theatre professionals in recognition of the work of supporting and character actors. ... Space: Above and Beyond was a short-lived 1990s American science fiction television show, created and written by Glen Morgan and James Wong. ... For the Matt Helm spy novel by Donald Hamilton, see The Frighteners (novel). ...

He has since appeared in approximately sixty films, including Mississippi Burning, Dead Man Walking, Se7en, Leaving Las Vegas, Prefontaine, Saving Silverman, Life, Man of the House, as well as the remakes of Willard and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Ermey also lent his voice to Toy Story and Toy Story 2, as well as Roughnecks and X-Men 3. He has appeared on television shows such as The Simpsons, Family Guy, Miami Vice, House, Scrubs, My Life As a Teenage Robot and Invader Zim, in addition to hosting the documentary series Mail Call. Mississippi Burning is a 1988 film based on the investigation into the real-life murders of three civil rights workers in Mississippi in 1964. ... // Dead Man Walking is a work of non-fiction by Sister Helen Prejean, a Roman Catholic nun and one of the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Medaille. ... Se7en (also known as Seven) is an American 1995 Oscar and BAFTA nominated crime film directed by David Fincher. ... Leaving Las Vegas is a 1995 romantic drama film about a relationship between a suicidal alcoholic and a prostitute from Las Vegas, starring Nicolas Cage and Elisabeth Shue, respectively. ... Prefontaine is a 1997 film documenting the life of American long-distance track athlete Steve Prefontaine. ... Saving Silverman is a 2001 black comedy film, directed by Dennis Dugan. ... For other uses, see Life (disambiguation). ... Man of the House is a 2005 comedy film starring Tommy Lee Jones about a Texas Ranger who has to protect a group of cheerleaders who previously witnessed a murder. ... Movie poster for Willard Willard is a 2003 movie directed by Glen Morgan. ... The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a 2003 film, a re-imagining of the 1974 film The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. ... Toy Story is an Academy-award-winning CGI animated feature film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures and Buena Vista Distribution in the United States on November 22, 1995, and Australia on December 7, 1995, as well as in the United Kingdom on 22 March... Toy Story 2 is a CGI animation film and the sequel to Toy Story, and the third Disney / Pixar feature film, which featured the adventures of a group of toys that come to life when humans are not around to see them. ... X-Men 3 (also known as X-Men: The Last Stand) is the third film adaptation of the X-Men superhero comic books. ... Simpsons redirects here. ... Family Guy is an Emmy award winning American animated television series about a nuclear family in the fictional town of Quahog (IPA or ), Rhode Island. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... House, also known as House, M.D., is a critically-acclaimed American medical drama television series created by David Shore and executive produced by Shore and film director Bryan Singer. ... Scrubs is an Emmy- and Peabody Award-winning American situation comedy/dramedy that premiered on October 2, 2001 on NBC. It was created by Bill Lawrence, who also co-created Spin City. ... My Life as a Teenage Robot is an Emmy-nominated American animated television series, produced by Frederator Studios for the Nickelodeon cable channel. ... Invader Zim is an American animated television series created by comic book writer/artist Jhonen Vasquez and aired on Nickelodeon. ...

Ermey has lent his distinctive voice to several video games, including Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel (as General Barnaky) and Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex (as Wa-Wa). He also made a cameo in Real War: Air, Land, Sea, a retail real-time strategy computer game based on the official Joint Chiefs of Staff training game. Ermey traveled to Kuwait in June 2003 during the first phase of Operation Iraqi Freedom to film mail distribution by the Defense Department to service personnel for an episode of "Mail Call". According to a 2005 episode of Mail Call filmed at Whiteman Air Force Base, he is the 341st person to fly in the B-2 Stealth Bomber. “Computer and video games” redirects here. ... The Elementals are characters in the Crash Bandicoot series who made their only appearance in Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex. ... Real-time strategy (often abbreviated as RTS) is a genre of computer wargames which take place in real-time, where resource gathering, base building, technology development and high-level control over individual units (harvest, build, destroy) are key components[1], which distinguishes it from related strategy wargame genres, such as... Joint Chiefs of Staff of the United States of America symbol The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) is a grouping comprising the Chiefs of service of each major branch of the armed services in the United States armed forces. ... Mail Call DVD case. ... Location of Whiteman AFB, Missouri. ... The Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit is a multi-role stealth bomber able to drop conventional and nuclear weapons. ...

On May 17, 2002 he received an honorary promotion to Gunnery Sergeant (E-7) by Commander of Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Forces (SHAEF) United States Marine Corps General James L. Jones, becoming the first ex-military member in the history of the United States Marine Corps to be promoted. is the 137th day of the year (138th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... Gunnery Sergeant insignia (U.S. Marine Corps) Gunnery Sergeant is the seventh enlisted rank in the U.S. Marine Corps, just above Staff Sergeant and below Master Sergeant and First Sergeant, and is a staff non-commissioned officer. ... E-9 E-8 E-7 E-6 E-5 E-4 E-3 E-2 E-1 This chart represents the U.S. Marine Corps enlisted rank insignia with seniority increasing left-to-right inside a given pay grade. ... The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is a branch of the United States military responsible for providing power projection from the sea,[1] utilizing the mobility of the U.S. Navy to rapidly deliver combined-arms task forces. ... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... General James Logan Jones, Jr. ... The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is a branch of the United States military responsible for providing power projection from the sea,[1] utilizing the mobility of the U.S. Navy to rapidly deliver combined-arms task forces. ...

He has also conducted morale tours visiting U.S. troops in locations such as Bagram Airbase, Afghanistan in which he filmed parts for his television show Mail Call. While at Bagram Air Base he held a USO type show in which he portrayed Gunnery SGT Hartman and conducted a comedy routine.

On Mail Call, Ermey discusses weaponry, tactical matters, and military history. 'Mail Call's subject matter is dictated by viewer emails; one episode may focus on an M1A1 Battle Tank, while another may involve World War II secrets, while a third might focus on elements of Medieval warfare. The set consists of a military tent, other military gear and weapons, and Ermey's 30 cal. M1919 Browning machine gun - armed jeep. Commercial breaks are signaled with typical DI type language. The M1 Abrams main battle tank is the principal combat tank of the United States Army and the United States Marine Corps, with three main versions being deployed starting in 1980: the M1, M1A1, and M1A2. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Medieval warfare is the warfare of the Middle Ages. ... The Browning M1919 was a . ...

Filmography

Other media

action figure featuring Ermey's voice and likeness

• Samples from Full Metal Jacket are used on Ministry’s album The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste, on the track "Thieves". Contrary to some reports, the voice credited as "Sgt. Major" on the same band's Rio Grande Blood is not Ermey.

• Samples from Full Metal Jacket are used on the Front Line Assembly track "Millennium".
• Samples from Full Metal Jacket are used on the Grendel track "Soilbleed".
• Samples from Full Metal Jacket are used on the Combichrist track "This Is My Rifle".
• Provided the voice for a speaking "motivational action figure" depicting him in USMC drill instructor uniform with preprogrammed voice messages activated by pressing a button on the figure. The figures' dialogue comes in two versions, one with (somewhat) family-friendly language and one with "Extra-Salty" dialogue which includes profanity, the latter of which is packaged with an R rating as a warning to consumers (pictured at right). One of these figurines also appears on occasion on Mail Call, wherein it is often referred to as 'Mini-Lee' by the host, sometimes seen berating a G.I. Joe figurine.
• Sample of the line "Here you are all equally worthless" from Full Metal Jacket is repeated throughout the song "Never Get Caught" by American Head Charge
• In one showing of a UFC: Fight Night Live event, Ermey was shown on camera as a guest along with an audience of marines.
• Quotes of Ermey saying, "Now go home and snuff that bitch!" "Here you are all equally worthless." "Get on your knees, scumbag!" "Who's the slimy little communist shit, twinkle-toed cocksucker down here who just signed his own death warrant?" and others appear on multiple songs by the band Killwhitneydead.
• A Japanese audiobook/comic parody on "Learning Japanese"-books; Drill Sergeant Maritan contains several quotes of Ermey from Full Metal Jacket, such as "I bet you could suck a golfball through a garden hose" and "Who said that? Who the fuck said that? Who's the slimy little communist shit, twinkle-toed cocksucker down here who just signed his own death warrant?"
• Pani Poni Dash, an anime which bases its humour heavily on parody and references has one scene which clearly parodies Ermey from Full Metal Jacket, featuring an animated drill instructor who looks just like Ermey.

Image File history File links Rleeermeydoll. ... Image File history File links Rleeermeydoll. ... Full Metal Jacket (1987) is a Stanley Kubrick film based on the novel The Short-Timers by Gustav Hasford. ... Ministry is an American industrial metal band founded by front-man by Al Jourgensen in 1981. ... The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste is an album by the band Ministry. ... Rio Grande Blood is the title for Ministrys tenth studio album. ... Full Metal Jacket (1987) is a Stanley Kubrick film based on the novel The Short-Timers by Gustav Hasford. ... Full Metal Jacket (1987) is a Stanley Kubrick film based on the novel The Short-Timers by Gustav Hasford. ... Grendel is a Dutch music group formed from a prior name dating back to 1997. ... Full Metal Jacket (1987) is a Stanley Kubrick film based on the novel The Short-Timers by Gustav Hasford. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Zarbon action figure of from Dragon Ball Z made by Bandai An action figure is a posable plastic figurine of a character, often from a movie, video game, or television program. ... Look up Profanity in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The MPAA film rating system is used in the United States and its territories to rate a movies suitability for certain audiences. ... 1960s Action Soldier Adventure Team circa 1973 G.I. Joe is a line of military-themed action figures produced by the toy company Hasbro. ... Killwhitneydead is the name of an American Deathgrind band that makes extensive use of samples in their music. ... Full Metal Jacket (1987) is a Stanley Kubrick film based on the novel The Short-Timers by Gustav Hasford. ... Pani Poni Dash! ) is a television anime series released in Japan. ... Full Metal Jacket (1987) is a Stanley Kubrick film based on the novel The Short-Timers by Gustav Hasford. ...

External links

United States Marine Corps Portal

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Ronald Lee Ermey

• Official website
• R. Lee Ermey at the Internet Movie Database
• R. Lee Ermey at the Notable Names Database
• R. Lee Ermey interview with Radar magazine