Ben Carson Probably Shouldn’t Have Said That Marines Aren’t Ready to Deploy

John Mccoy/Zuma

During a discussion about the US military at the Republican debate on Wednesday night, Dr. Ben Carson said Marines were not ready to be deployed. He was likely referring to something he’s said before, which is that perhaps half of the Marines’ nondeployed units aren’t ready to be deployed. Whatever the fine points, his comment didn’t land well with people on Twitter:

Claim from Carson, “our Marine Corps is not ready to be deployed,” insults thousands of Marines deployed around the world at this instant.

— Brian Adam Jones (@bjones) September 17, 2015

Think Carson just lost the Marine vote… Saying they aren’t ready. Ahhh, Marines are always ready.

— Ramblings from Sean (@ongreywaves) September 17, 2015

Dr. Carson, FYSA: Marines are not only ready, they are deployed and deploying right now.

— Kurt Sorensen (@Kurt_Sorensen) September 17, 2015

I would like to hear Carson say our Marines are not ready to a platoon of Marines. Actually say it to just a fire team. #CNNDebate

— lmcscout (@lmcscout) September 17, 2015

#BenCarson just said that the #Marines are not ready to deploy. Ben Carson has clearly never met a United Stated Marine. #GOPDebate

— Matt Stehman (@MattStehman) September 17, 2015

#GOPDebate #Marines #USMC Ben Carson: “Our marine core is not ready” Every marine: pic.twitter.com/2uGy33r7F6

— Buxy (@Cnolan207) September 17, 2015

Dude. It just hit me that Ben Carson said the Marines aren’t ready to deploy??? Is he fucking serious?

— KY (@kenyaizm) September 17, 2015