Real Marines carry Colt M45A1s...
Parade-tasked Marines are just as important to the Corp as fighting Marines.
I know this was probably written tongue in cheek, but there are plenty of “Real Marines” who died since 2001 who carried M9s instead of M1911A1s, if they did carry a pistol. Many more are permanently disfigured, missing body parts and limbs. Many “Real Marines” have stared down death, called danger close on fire for effect, employed PICMDEEP, shot men, and have been shot... all after the M1911A1 was largely replaced with the M9.