Okay, everyone ready for me to make some people mad? I think the same people who see the SS is this photo as being part of the Nazis are the same people who see Jesus in toast or the Virgin Mary in the tree bark or the swastika in the payout of Denver's Airport. They are either seeing what they want to see or what was suggested. Pretty sure the Marine's in this photo had they lived during the second world war would have been on the front lines killing German soldiers or dying on the beach at Normandy.Get over it and your imaginations.

Mr. Alan; Uh, you for got to tell them about the part where the swastika design itself was stolen from the arabs (it was a good luck symbol) by Herr Hitler, "mirrored", then placed on the background of the Nazi flag. I too see it as an "unknowing act" because the history of the second world war as covered in class rooms today is all of 5 pages (you know their too busy teaching why its OK for Heather to have two mommies and why because of little Billies temper tantrum now they have to have a 2 hour block of instruction about self esteem) according to my brother who teaches High school history. So as I see it you hit the nail on the head, to hell with P.C. attitudes. Get a dose of common sense.

Where are the non-whites in this squad?

Please tell me these guys cannot be that stupid. Oh wait they are.

You'd be surprised at how few minorities volunteer for the combat arms these days. Not because of racism in the Infantry, Armor, or whatever else, they choose their job before they ship out to training. Servicemen and women aren't assigned based on ensuring a 'proper' racial mix, they are assigned to where they are needed. I've known a couple 'dark green' Marines who were scout snipers, and Hispanics. Every platoon is different.

The SS has been in use by Marine Scout Snipers since Vietnam; it's been suppressed and officially banned but keeps making a comeback, because the Scout Snipers have appropriated it for their own symbol. to them, it's not a symbol of Nazism, or the Waffen-SS; it stands for 'Scout Sniper', and many Marine Scout Snipers get the SS tattooed on them after graduating from one of the Scout Sniper Schools.

These guys are about to be sacrificed on the Political Correctness altar, and that's a d*mn shame. It's not enough to fight and risk your life in combat anymore, now your every action, memento, picture, and video will be scrutinized by people safely thousands of miles away and years afterward, and if they are offended by a picture you took or a video you made while in combat, you will be castigated and demonized by them.

Keep it up, America. Mikey Weinstein and all the other 'easily offended by everything' crowd aren't going to fight your wars for you.

I suppose if the Marines knew that the flag was an SS runes flag, it might be awkward to place it that close to an American flag and be in uniform. If they had posed just with the SS flag I would not be concerned, if not in uniform. Not that I am pro or anti Jewish or pro or anti SS. I just think some matters and ideas should not be expressed in an official uniform or in an official setting.