He was a kid in Vietnam -- he would have been a total grunt, and not in any position of authority.

How old was he when he left? What rank? I don't remember what ranking Dean gave in Croatoan.

I guess there was a moment, like the moment before he cut his hand for the angel sigils, where it all became different, because it had to.

But I'm wondering what sort of experience he already had, and what he had to gain.

One of my friends on adifferent team than me had some reammates that dud the show up at the address thing. After the work Misha bought them pizza!

So, so jealous.

I think Anne worked it all out, although it doesn't really work, if you check all the dates. He had to have been eighteen and not much more, simply because it was late in the war by then.

SuperWiki says:

John cannot plausibly have been born any later than 1957 (so as to have been 18, and in the Marines, in 1975). Considering the notes below about Vietnam force reduction, the likelihood is high that he turned 18 before 1971 (in which case his birth year would be 1953 or earlier).

In an alternate reality experienced by Dean, John's gravestone indicates he was born in 1954.

And Dean says he was a corporal, which is fourth from the lowest.

For John not to have reached Corporal if he did a full stint, he would have had to fuck up pretty badly. But yeah, the dates only work with a fair amount of hand-waving.

Thank you, Anne, resident Marine expert. So what does Corporal entail in terms of leadership and responsibility.

And thank you, Amy, outsourced wetware.

I feel I should have some sort of badge for that.

I'll have to ask my dad and/or brother about a corporal's duties/leadership, although as Navy guys they might not know specifically.

Leadership-wise I think a corporal might have led a patrol group or work group of about four or so. So, some leadership on a very small, very immediate scale.

Not unlike leading your two boys on hunts!

Perzactly!