Guide to Life in the Marines
Review by Nick Jones on April 20, 2005
Armed with free downloads of USMC manuals, www.marines.cc covers all aspects of being a US Marine from the first step of recruitment through to the reality of their current deployment in Iraq. 
Serving as an online US Marines Corp recruitment advertisement, www.marines.cc looks great. Very fast page loads, unobtrusive google-ads and an absence of annoying animation all ensure a pleasant viewing experience. A suitably military colour scheme and some superb hi-res images of actual Marines add to the impression of a professional operation. The site is let down slightly by some misspelling but remember that this is an unofficial site written for marines by marines (or their fans at least), and the site-owners’ passion for their subject easily outshines such negligible imperfections.
As well as a stylish layout (the designer certainly recognises the importance of using multiple frames) the site benefits from some innovative touches such as v-cards, a ‘who’s online’ meter and the highly efficient search bar. Every self-respecting site has one, but few boast the wealth of options that can be found here to rearrange the results into alphabetical, popularity or categorical order. Impressive stuff.
However, what makes www.marines.cc truly indispensable is the downloadable USMC manuals. These are not available free of charge anywhere else on the net, they download within a minute and provide in-depth information on all aspects of Marine operations such as combat water survival, tactical fundamentals and employment of non lethal weapons.
July 8, 2005 Update: Marines.CC now features a US Marines Forum.
Technically and highly informative, the site’s only downside is that it seems strangely anonymous. There is no About Me page and the contact form is very formal, giving nothing away. Without knowing who’s behind the site or what their motivation was to build it in the first place, visitors may find it rather unfriendly. Like a fierce drill instructor, www.marines.cc sometimes talks at you, rather than with you. However, its depth of content far outweighs that of its more ‘official’, government-run counterparts, thanks to military news feeds which provide constant updates of the Iraq situation. This is less political propaganda, more ‘The Marine’s Best Friend’ and, if the site grows in the right direction, it could gain a large and loyal following.
| Content | Accessibility | Design | Features | Overall |
| 8/10 | 9/10 | 9/10 | 9/10 | 9.5/10 |
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