Quotes from R. Lee Ermey

Every character I've ever played, I always try to take him right to the edge and not allow him to fall over, but directors have a tendency to pull me back a little bit.

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

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

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

I spend a lot of time with my characters.

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

I always love to come to Austin.

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

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

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

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

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

You'd be surprised how many kids and young people come to the website and send me email that they are actually going into the Marine Corp because of something that I said or did.

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

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.

When you try to find funding for a VVA function, it doesn't seem like it's any trouble at all. People come out of the woodwork with their money to help out because we went over and fought a war.

The bad news motivated the drill instructors that much more.

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

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

There was a huge, tremendous amount of disabled veterans and the Veteran's Administration just wasn't geared up for it. I know for a fact that it's getting better and better.

Back in the old Corp, we weren't training those privates to infiltrate into the peacetime Marine Corp. We were training those privates to go to Vietnam.

Everybody respects the Vietnam Veterans of America.

Communications are better now than in my Vietnam days.