Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: Slurpee on April 03, 2005, 05:44:37 PM
-
As you may have see in Gunslingers post about moving to Texas. I enlisted with the USMC December17, 2004. I ship July25th for Boot Camp. Any advice any tips about military life, basically ANYTHING you can tell me would be greatly appreciated. Currently rightnow we PT usually 2 days a week. Im not worried about the physical part of bootcamp as much as i am the mental part. I talk with the recruiters quite abit, but they are in fact recruiters and i believe i can gain more knowledge from current Marines or former Marines about the how the USMC really is.
Thanks in advance for all the help guys :)
-
Well, I'm not a Marine..I am a sailor (Your ride to the War)..However, just remember why you joined..hopefully it had something to do with patriotism and duty (and not a free college ride)...keep your mind in the game during boot camp..most of it is a mental mind game..learn and do everything by the numbers and you will do fine. Remember you are not as much an individual in the military as you are a part of a team..your shipmate is just as important a part of that team as you are. So if he fails you fail, and vice versa. Go home as much as possible when you can..because you never know when you can deploy and not see home for a long while...Don't let bleeding heart liberals and politics cloud your vision on what you are doing. Thats all I have for now..hope it helps..Glad to have you on the Navy-Marine team (we are the same branch after all...just different jobs)
-
Rgr that! No way definetly not for the free college ride. Ive wanted to join the USMC since i was a little guy.:) Basically, i wanted a job that would be respectable, and give me a quick start at life with good oppurtunity. Thanks for the help:)
-
Very few places you can retire after only 20 years and get half ytour pay and full medical benifits...It goes by quick too..I'm at 12..8 years to go..and i still feel like high school was yesterday...get another government job..federal or local..and get a 2nd retirement since you will be so young when you retire from the military...then have 2 retirements and eventually social security...not a bad deal
-
PT 2 days a week? in marine boot camp you will PT for 2 hours a day, you should have joined the air force, it's more like summer camp.
just remember in marine boot camp, everything they make you do is to help keep you alive in combat, if you keep that in mind it will help you through camp.
wellcome to the corp.
-
Airforce? Why play JV when you can be on Varsity:D just kidding heh not doggin the other branches. Were all on the same team. But, yes they make us PT 2 days a week.
I myself also train on my own time daily though. I got all the requirements for 100% on IST and for Recon indoc (Force Recon is my ultimate goal in the corps).
Thats what i base my training off of. Rightnow i can do about 15 pull ups, 110 or so sit ups 2 mins, 1.5 mile in 9 mins and 3 mile in 20mins.
Ive heard alot that the swimming pool is the killer. My dad was a Navy rescue swimmer/aircraft mechanic for 9 yrs so im hoping he can help me out with that part.
My plan is to use the time i got, about 4 months now, wisely and try to get prepared both physically and mentally for boot camp.
-
I went to a Navy version of boot. It was sorter tho being that were minors. But, I can say that we had to know the General Orders by heart. And study any kind of text you got from the Marines. I studied my BMR (same as Navy uses) and it helped greatly.
-
Good luck for becoming a Marine, Slurpee.
I ain't too sure when I'll enlisted myself into USMC or else.
-
""Ive heard alot that the swimming pool is the killer"" yes it is, you jump in with helmet, rifle, pack, boots, everything , but every marine does it and so can you, (they wont let you drown, i hope).
but the pool is not the worst, you are in for many exciting adventures, the fun part is shooting all the guns and the govt pays for the ammo.
-
Originally posted by Slurpee
I enlisted with the USMC December17, 2004. I ship July25th for Boot Camp. Any advice any tips about military life, basically ANYTHING you can tell me would be greatly appreciated.
Join the Army.
-
Remember, as a Marine in boot camp, you have a lot of rights. Be sure to exert those rights all the time.
Exert your lefts too.
-Sik
-
Slurpee
Good luck! I'm USAF... 19yrs. I'll second the statement that it goes very fast! (Often wish I'd gone USMC, however my knee's which are just about worn out wouldn't have lasted!! lol) Listen to your NCO's and SNCO's, take advantage thier mentoring, and you'll do great! IF nothing else, use college assistance whenever possible, don't waste a single minute, you'll have earned it!
Tumor
-
Slurpee,
I did 2 stints in the Corps One AD for 5 years as a 5953 ATC Radar Mait. Tech. Then as Active reserve for operation enduring freedom.
Let me tell you this. I hope you READ your contract. If not get a copy of it and actually read it to know exactly what your obligations are. Those years in the IRR that it talks about....yup you do get recalled in them. I was enjoying 11 months of civilian life and got a fedex package with plane tickets and orders to report in 12 days. I missed my Son's birth because of that.
2 years ago I couldnt find a job so I enlisted in the Air Force. I did my time with the Corps and don't regret a minute of it. Now I work on Ejection seats and love this as well.
Second,
Know your rights under the UCMJ. Especially your art. 31 rights. They are a lot like Maranda rights. The reason is I've seen a lot of young dumb Marines do dumb things and get burned for it because they incriminated themselves or let statements made prior to their rights being read be used against them. They burn you for being late to work so this is important.
third,
You're right don't worry bout the PT keep up your routine so it wont be that much of a shock to your system. If you are not the running type you soon will be plain and simple. Get used to being completly sore from head to toe....then go to bed only to wake up what seems like 15 minutes later to start the new day hurting even more. Then subjecting your tired body to more PT.
Don't let that scare you because by week 13 you'll be wanting to go to PT...the quaterdeck....you will want to be "beaten" pysically because it makes you feel good when all they can throw at you aint chit!
The mental part is the hard one. Get used to somone telling you what, when, and how to something. Get ALL your friends addresses and write them regularly so they write you back. This is important because contact with the outside world is limited. One of my favorite days was sunday because:
1. we got do wash our clothes
2. We got to go to church
3. we got 4 hours of free time (in wich the above mentioned 2 were completed in)
4. Most of all....I got to read a news paper and feel a little human again.
You'll notice the little things in life that you took for granted that you got to do everyday with out somone telling you do to it. As I said before EVERY THING IS DONE TO YOU FOR A REASON. From the way you put your "palms up for targets" (targets are Napkins in the chow hall) to the way you have to side step through the chow line (think: "Side Step...March" or "close March")
When you get issued your weapon you'll love it at first. It usually lasts about a week until you actually have to cary the thing at right shoulder arms for 3 hours strait and the magazine well is turning your shoulder into hamburger. Or when the DIs are pissed at you and beating you by making you hold the front sight tip by nothing but your figner tips with your arm fully extended. That 7.65lb weapon feels like 20lbs real quick........Respect it...and keep it clean!
You will feel no greater joy in life (untill you have kids if you dont allready) than when you are marching down the back corner of the parade deck for the last time to do pass and review and the Marine's Hymn gets played. You spine will tingle a bit and your eyes get glassy and it all SNAPS together what it all was for.
Edit:
Ive heard alot that the swimming pool is the killer. My dad was a Navy rescue swimmer/aircraft mechanic for 9 yrs so im hoping he can help me out with that part.
If you know how to swim its not hard. we had a bunch of guys (mostly kids that grew up in the inner city) that didnt know how to swim. They struggled. The hardest thing is the 200 meter swim in full gear (BDUs Flack, Boots, Kevlar helmut, rifle) everything minus the alice pack. It's easy if you can get yourself to relax. During the buddy swim try and get somone who isnt an idiot. My "buddy" tried to drown me and quit halfway through. I got "beat" just as much as he did.
Wich MCRD are you going to? PI or SD?
Gunslinger out,
Semper FI.
-
Originally posted by Gunslinger
Second,
Know your rights under the UCMJ. They are a lot like Maranda rights. Gunslinger out,
Semper FI.
Hmmm, in the army we know how to spell:)
It is Miranda:)
:aok
-
Rightnow im in the DEP (still in High School). Read my contract and understand it.
1 part from the contract - basically is saying how you cant get paid while in DEP, However, i also understand that this time is counted toward fulfillment of my military service obligation or commitment.
So thats saying the time im in DEP counts towards the 4 years im suppose to serve right? I have to serve 4 years and can be called back from the reserves for an additional 4 years if needed.
Being 18, i have no kids none of that. Mainly just ready for a life challenge and some adventure/excitment.
Where do i find the Rights at? Definetly better learn those through and through.
If i can get 2 people to join the USMC, i get promoted to PFC, ive been working on that as well. No luck yet though.
Overall ive always been a good natured and respectable kid. Always give older people respect because obviously theyve been around longer and know more then me, and you can learn alot from them. Really im just worryd about doing well in the USMC and having a good time with it.
Swimming im pretty good at but with everything there is always room to improve. BTW ill be going to boot camp in SD:).
Not sure if thats good or bad, but from alota the documentys ive seen etc PI looks hardcore!
Thanks for all the help fellas
Oh another note - The job i secured is 0300 Infantry.
-
Silat -
Portland, Oregon huh? :) Im down here in Redmond near Bend, Central Oregon. Went to portland for MEPS.:aok
-
Slurp,
Your lucky your missing out on the sand fleas. They are fricken horrible.
BUT, in return you get the hills of camp pendleton during second phase.
as far as your rights go this is the skinny on that
http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/ucmj.htm
The uniformed code of military justice. Mainly look over the "punative articles" in section X. These are violations. You'll learn all about what an Art. 15 or NJP is later but you need to know art 77 through 138. Not by heart but just a bug in the ear thing.
831 ART. 31. COMPULSORY SELF-INCRIMINATION PROHIBITED
(a) No person subject to this chapter may compel any person to incriminate himself or to answer any questions the answer to which may tend to incriminate him.
(b) No person subject to this chapter may interrogate, or request any statement from an accused or a person suspected of an offense without first informing him of the nature of the accusation and advising him that he does not have to make any statement regarding the offense of which he is accused or suspected and that any statement made by him may be used as evidence against him in a trial by court-martial.
(c) No person subject to this chapter may compel any person to make a statement or produce evidence before any military tribunal if the statement or evidence in not material to the issue and may tend to degrade him.
(d) No statement obtained from any person in violation of this article, or through the use of coercion, unlawful influence, or unlawful inducement may be received in evidence against him in a trial by court-martial.
Knowing this saved me from getting charged with "underage drinking" while sitting in the MP shack of camp pendleton trying not to throw up.
An MP asked me "you been drinking tonite LCpl?" knowing full well I was underaged. He violated my rights and I knew this and clamed up and they couldnt prosicute me.
I know this sounds strange some guy telling you how to get out of trouble but it's not just this. Young Marines get burned all the time for crap they they may or may not have done because they didn't know their rights.
You are correct about the Dep thing I was in DEP for 6 months and it took 6 months off my IRR time. It also says in your contract. that they can keep you in the military or recall you into the military during your IRR time for the Duration of any conflict or national emergancy plus 6 months.
That's the kicker right there.
So you're gonna be a grunt huh. Well that's good the Corps needs plenty of them. Remember what I said about everything for a reason. It applies even more so in the grunts. To be honest at first you will be treated like complete dog sh#$. There is a reason for that and it does get better/you get used to it. As a grunt you WILL deploy and see some cool parts of the world that not many people see. You will do ALOT of things that not to many have done.
Dont worry about base housing as of yet unless you get married. You WILL live in the Barracks. Barrakcs life is good/bad. There's too many pro/cons I could say about that but I gotta run.
Make sure when they are handing out radios to people you ask for a salamander-E7 that actually works!
-
Hey, thanks alot for all the help. About thinken its strange you were telling me about the articles etc. Whew, No worries, like i said above, you can learn alot from people who have more expierence then you and know how to deal with stuff.
So basically, if i was caught drinking underage in the USMC (which is a possability lol) im protected under that artcle, that i do not have to say anything? See this is the hard part for me. Do you just not say anything in a case like that, or do you inform them about that article etc?
Had you not told me about these articles etc i would have never learnd about it. I appreciate it alot.:) Thanks again Gunslinger.
Ive noticed already at MEPS they try to weed you out pretty hardcore. You hear at least twice from every person you deal with there, all about fraudulant enlistment and how they can put you in jail, fines, etc.
-
Do not stand out!
in other words don't let the DI's get yo know you well LOL.
Keep your trap shut and blend in.
The conversion from civilian to military is hard for some folks because they try to think in Boot or basic.
Don't think do only as told listen to the DI he is an experienced NCO as knows his chit.
I was army but my father was a DI from 1947-1960 several cycles he did.
Oh and yes it was a biotch wearing a crew cut in high school in the 70s LOL.
Good luck to you and know everything you are getting into
Gunslinger speaks the truth know your rights cause when you sign your name and raise you hand and promise to protest the USA against all enemy's foreign or domestic they OWN you butt.
-
0300, excellent. :) I was not in the Marines, but I served with them from 94-99 as a 8404 hospital corpsman. I was at Camp Pendleton, Quantico, Hawaii, Okinawa, and did some reserve duty in Austin too. You asked about the swim quals, so here's a good description of them: CWS (http://scetc.tecom.usmc.mil/SecurityAssistance/general/combatwatersurvival.asp)
I didn't go to marine boot camp, so I won't try to tell you about that, but I did just about all the other training an 0300 marine does in the fleet. The basic qual WS3 swim qual is pretty cheesy. If you have any experience in the pool, I doubt you will have any difficulty with that. (Like Gunslinger said, a lot of inner-city kids really struggle with it.) The higher level swim quals are still not too bad. IMO, the hardest part is the 30 minute treading water part of the WSQ qual. I saw a lot of guys fail that part because they couldn't keep their head above water and they gave up, even guys who had swam pretty well through the earlier parts. You have to tread water vertically and you can't float on your back. It's tougher than it looks. The main thing is staying calm and only expending enough energy to keep your mouth and nose above water. Stay calm and be very efficient with your treading technique and you'll be fine.
Oh, and my best advice, stay hydrated. Drink lots of water. Drink a little bit often, not a lot of water every once in a while. If your tongue is getting tacky (cottonmouth) and your urine isn't clear, you not drinking enough water. Sounds obvious, but you'll see a lot of otherwise healthy & fit marines succumb to heat injuries humping up Mt Motherfscker due to dehydration.
-
Originally posted by Slurpee
Hey, thanks alot for all the help. About thinken its strange you were telling me about the articles etc. Whew, No worries, like i said above, you can learn alot from people who have more expierence then you and know how to deal with stuff.
So basically, if i was caught drinking underage in the USMC (which is a possability lol) im protected under that artcle, that i do not have to say anything? See this is the hard part for me. Do you just not say anything in a case like that, or do you inform them about that article etc?
Had you not told me about these articles etc i would have never learnd about it. I appreciate it alot.:) Thanks again Gunslinger.
Ive noticed already at MEPS they try to weed you out pretty hardcore. You hear at least twice from every person you deal with there, all about fraudulant enlistment and how they can put you in jail, fines, etc.
Your going to hear the whole fraud enlistment thing even in recruit training. I'm not sure if they do it but the "moment of truth" was pretty intense for some people.
(this is more post boot camp stuff really. DONT EVEN THINK ABOUT DOING THIS IN BOOT CAMP UNLESS YOU JUMP THE WALL OR SOMETHING)
I'm not saying do bad things and get away with them. I am saying you have the right in the military to clam up and not say another word untill you speak to a lawyer. Not alot of young Marines know this On the flip side asking for a lawyer allways escilates the situation no matter what. Sometimes it can be solved at a lower level....lawyers eliminate this.
the other thing about SD is the airplanes. You will constantly hear airplanes taking off and landing next door and it will allways remind you of a ride home.
-
Remember the credo....
NO POLY...
NO WAIVER...
NO STATEMENT...
:cool:
-
heheh, i understand, ANY advice even post boot camp is helpful. Boot Camp will be hard enough, im definetly not gonna try something dumb or illeagal while in there. The reason i askd you about that case there in particular is because... well im guessing a good majority of even the underage Marines drink.
I have afew buddies in the USMC, whenever i get in contact with them, whole time they talk about all the fun their having and pass on stories etc. I know your not saying to go out and do it. But the chances given im a dumb young 18 yr old kid are pretty high itll happen.
I was just trying to better understand how not to get in trouble in a situation like that. The only way id ask for a lawyer is if it was something major and i was innocent etc. Petty stuff, they way i see it, if i was dumb enough to get caught and cant get out of it. Then you mise well face the music and pay for what ya did.
About the airplanes in SD. Heh, we just got this Marine that came back from boot camp. I guess they were out on drill or something. Plane flew over, everyone that lookd or even hinted they noticed got squashed lol.
-
Originally posted by Silat
Hmmm, in the army we know how to spell:)
It is Miranda:)
:aok
lol well...nevermind :aok :aok
-
remove the instinct to ask "why", and you're well on your way there. Don't look for the reason, don't look for the cause, just do what you're told.
Good luck,
-
Sleep will be your dear friend, cherish it and do it well.
I'm still catching up with mine 40 years after Army boot.
-
Just run 5 miles a day, every day till they come and get you, the rest will be easy.
-
Start reading some books on house-to-house fighting and urban combat. You will be doing lots of this in Iraq. Remember that you are either fighting the enemy over there or you will be fighting them over here. At some point in your career, you may be asked to sacrifice your life. Or you may become a hero like this guy:
"...His name is Corporal Yeager (Chuck Yeager's grandson). As the Marines cleared an apartment building, they got to the top floor and the point man kicked in the door. As he did so, an enemy grenade and a burst of gunfire came out. The explosion and enemy fire took off the point man's leg. He was then immediately shot in the arm as he lay in the doorway. Corporal Yeager tossed a grenade in the room and ran into the doorway and into the enemy fire in order to pull his buddy back to cover. As he was dragging the wounded Marine to cover, his own grenade came back through the doorway. Without pausing, he reached down and threw the grenade back through the door while he heaved his buddy to safety. The grenade went off inside the room and Cpl Yeager threw another in. He immediately entered the room following the second explosion. He gunned down three enemy all within three feet of where he stood and then let fly a third grenade as he backed out of the room to complete the evacuation of the wounded Marine. You have to understand that a grenade goes off within 5 seconds of having the pin pulled. Marines usually let them "cook off" for a second or two before tossing them in. Therefore, this entire episode took place in less than 30 seconds..."
-
I've been out for just over ten years now so I imagine boot camp will be a little different.
I went in when I was 23 years old so the PT was a bit of a problem because I was really out of shape. But, because I was older the head games didn't really bother me, I knew what they were and ignored them.
Like when you wake up, we used to have an instructor come through and tell us to put on our blouses, and when everyone had one arm through he we scream for us to put on our trousers. Most people wanted to finish putting on their blouse and he would flip out, run up to people, and scream at them about why they can't follow directions.
It didn't matter in what order we got dressed, we still had the same time to do it. Even if you did an arm, a leg, the other arm, the last leg. You still get there.
I also hated the 'games' that the DI's liked for us to play on the quarterdeck. It's not simply PT, you play games which seem like torture sometimes. But you get over it.
I have more advice for when you get out of boot camp.
Don't drink. Especially after boot camp. I got into quite a bit of trouble myself just luckily not something serious, like DWI, rape, assault, etc. While I was on Okinawa a couple of Marines apparently got drunk, raped a native girl, and ended up in a world of ****.
And if you are in Okinawa do not **** with the JP (Japenese Police). They are not only trained in several forms of martial arts they are also not bound by Miranda, etc.
-
Originally posted by wombatt
Do not stand out!
in other words don't let the DI's get yo know you well LOL.
Keep your trap shut and blend in.
This is harder to accomplish than you think. If you're an above average or below average guy, you're going to stand out.
I was Navy. I went through boot camp trying awfully hard not to bring attention to myself. I paid attention, did the drills, and tried to blend in. Unfortunately, I was too successful. By the end of week 3, they fired the ARCPO and guess who got the job? ;)
-
Originally posted by Slurpee
Silat -
Portland, Oregon huh? :) Im down here in Redmond near Bend, Central Oregon. Went to portland for MEPS.:aok
Yes Portland. Born and bred. Let me know if you come to town and you can meet the OLD MAN ( That would be me ).
:D
-
I watched Full Metal Jacket again this weekend. Are the DIs like R. Lee Ermey? I could not keep a straight face if I had him yelling at me. No doubt I would have been choking myself regularly.
-
Once that movie came out every NCO in every basic course in the US and Canada became like that. I went through in 83 and they were still reciting it word for word.
Do the oposite of everything everyone said here. The harder you make it on yourself the better soldier you will be for it in the end.
I think I set the world record for making it hard on myself.
-
Went through SD boot in 1966.
If you get through boot and the DI has trouble remembering your name you did well. :)
At least the DI's aren't allowed to hit you now LOL.
Weren't allowed to then but.....
M.P.'s were fairly cool back then. If you were reasonably cool they knew where you were going and usually looked the other way re drinking under age etc..
Guess things have changed abit since then.
But hear they will still ride certain types pretty hard.
As to the mail thing. I hated it! If it had perfume on it you had to do pushup over it, taking a deep breath at the bottom of every rep.
Had to carry the M14. Up and on shoulders I think they called it. Geeeze my arms would get tired.
-
my brother is a marine...
HWen he was in boot camp..my dad got a call from soem collection agency.."Your son Brad has over due charges"..
Well pops..a retired Col in the AF..calls the boot camp..
somthn liek this..he has to use his rank to get the message to his boy quickly
"Hello..Im Col. Keller ..my son owes money to so and so..please let him know"
well his DI gets the message...and gets brad...'WHAT THE HELL DO YOU NOT TELL ME YOUR DAD IS AN 06!!!..thsi goes on for awhiel..the last thing the DI says is...DO YOU LOVE YOUR FATHER!!!!...Brad says..rigth now sir ..I dont know"
-
I went thru Air Force boot camp the summer of '88. I was really disappointed in the training, it was more mental than physical.
The Confidence Course was about 3 levels easier than the playground you might take your kids too. Just add a big puddle.
The marksmanship stuff...man, we had those terrible .22LR converted M-16s that jammed every round. My front blade site was wobbling around. Accurate? Pfft. This in the era of RAMBO? Man...
We had some Air Force cadet kissing the TI's rear end. One day he didnt have his pass to get into the dorm, threw a really big tantrum as the TI wasnt there to save him. :rolleyes: I'm sure he's an accomplished officer now.
Anyways, enjoy the corp. Sounds like a great challenge.
-
Went through OSUT single unit training at Ft. Knox in 1986 for 19D/Cav Scout.
Sleep and food become the focus of your life. You will be able to fall asleep on a concrete slab in a minute if given the opportunity. Of course, you will seldom be given such a wonderful opportunity.
I was about to write something sentimental, but I just remembered the promise I made to myself in the middle of it all -- at no point will you allow yourself to look back on this with sentimentality :) It is a tough, grinding, exhausting *****, but something that will carry with you all your life afterwards. I can remember the first time I had an honest laugh after getting off that bus in the middle of the night -- it was about 8 weeks later or so.
It will be hard, but worthwhile. You will appreciate that you can do things beyond what you thought possible. My advice (given current world events) would actually be to stand out by excellence. Drive hard, learn your stuff and take it very, very seriously because you will very likely have to use what you have learned for real. You may have to use your training soon after leaving basic, and may not have much of a chance for your active unit to get you up to speed. So, by all means get every ounce of knowledge and skill you can up front, ask questions, help your buddies and receive help in return. Good luck and kick ass.
Charon
-
Thanks for all the help and kind words. :) Its appreciated.
-
Oh yeah, make sure that you 'friends' don't send you a letter with the stamp upside down or calling you "President of the United States Slurpee". You will push for that.
You had better win at the range (2nd movement or whatever it's called these days) or you will endure the world tour of PT. Our DI's dumped everyone's footlockers into a big pile and poured water over it. Then they sent us around to other squad's DI's like red headed step children for them to PT. The other squad's DI's did the same.
If you arrive early for something. It's probably planned. You will either practice marching or will be PT'd. If you can, find the scribe and he will have the day's events on an index card. Somewhere it will probably say "planned PT" on it.
If you go to Parris Island then you will learn to hate sand fleas. I didn't go there but I was told about them.
I went to MCRD in San Diego. We used to run right next to the ****ing airport...LAX I think it was. Can't tell you how many times I looked at that fence and a plane taking off and wished sooooo bad.
Funny story, middle of the night during boot camp DI wakes us up for body count. Right arm up to touch recruit on your right side's shoulder with eyes right. As you count off arm drops and head forward. We counted three times. One recruit was missing. Next morning early chow (barracks are always open but with someone there...two recruits get sent early to chow and two are sent late, they switch when the platoon is at chow) are returning with a DI and they spot the guy in his underwear trying to sneak back into the barracks. He wanted to get some clothes and try to sneak into the airport and fly home. ****ing riot.
Oh yeah, when you are at the range (2nd movement) you will do a ten mile hump that includes the beach (which sucks to march in the sand) and ends with a ****ing big ****ing hill. I think it was named Mount Mother****er before but I can't remeber what it was called for us though. It sucks. It was all hazy and cloudy. It goes up and levels off. Then goes up again. Then levels off again. Everytime it leveled I thought that was it because I couldn't see far enough with the haze/clouds to see the next incline.
-
Drunky it's still called Mt. MutherF'er. There's also the Grim Reaper and First Sgt's Hill.
Mt. MutherF'er is just that. You keep thinking your at the top every time you turn a corner. But to your dismay all you see is more hill around the bend. You just say to your self.....mutherF'er.
You had better win at the range (2nd movement or whatever it's called these days) or you will endure the world tour of PT. Our DI's dumped everyone's footlockers into a big pile and poured water over it. Then they sent us around to other squad's DI's like red headed step children for them to PT. The other squad's DI's did the same.
Ours did much of the same thing but put the guidon right in the middle and re-enacted the Iwo Jima flag raising with it. These 5 recruits had to sit there for what seemd like hours while all the DI's came to check them out.
Slurpee watch your gear closely. A DI found my locker unlocked by kicking it (they have this ability even if you lock it to unlock it with the bottom of their shoe.) He then tossed my crap all over the sqaud bay and they stepped on my tooth paste.
I had cavity fighting crest all over my gear for at least two weeks.
You'll also come to know what a "deck towel" As there is no mopps in the squad bay the floors are cleaned with a recruit running with his feet while his on his hands on top of a towel. You even have nascar races with deck towels....ALL DAY LONG.
Ahhh the memories!
-
Originally posted by Slurpee
As you may have see in Gunslingers post about moving to Texas. I enlisted with the USMC December17, 2004. I ship July25th for Boot Camp. Any advice any tips about military life, basically ANYTHING you can tell me would be greatly appreciated. Currently rightnow we PT usually 2 days a week. Im not worried about the physical part of bootcamp as much as i am the mental part. I talk with the recruiters quite abit, but they are in fact recruiters and i believe i can gain more knowledge from current Marines or former Marines about the how the USMC really is.
Thanks in advance for all the help guys :)
1.) Keep your mouth shut.
2.) Keep your mouth shut.
3.) Keep your mouth shut.
Youll love it.
-
Don't be first and don't be last... ;)
-
Originally posted by Saurdaukar
1.) Keep your mouth shut.
2.) Keep your mouth shut.
3.) Keep your mouth shut.
Youll love it.
Do everything like it has a purpose and move with speed and intensity.
eventualy you will be able to say "aye aye sir" in 2 or less sylibles.
in addition make sure you have your mom or something post your btn and plt number so all of us can write you
-
Originally posted by Gunslinger
Slurpee watch your gear closely. A DI found my locker unlocked by kicking it (they have this ability even if you lock it to unlock it with the bottom of their shoe.) He then tossed my crap all over the sqaud bay and they stepped on my tooth paste.
Yeah, I had something similar happen.
Another recruit and I were chosen to go help move racks or some **** at another barracks right after chow. I forgot to lock my footlocker. Half way there I remembered and ran back. I found an empty footlocker.
Sgt. Tillington saw me come back and looking at my footlocker. He knew that I had forgotten it and remembered half way to where I was supposed to be. Rhetorically he asked me, "Lavender...you missing something?" I acknowledge, "Yes Sir." Then I take a step back, reverse, and head back of the barracks and run to do the moving. Nothing else to do. I was too old to cry about my ****. I ****ed up and I knew it. I would suffer whatever Sgt. Tallington decided I should suffer.
By the end of the day Sgt. Tallington brought over a trash bag with my **** in it. He barks at me for a bit about unsecured foot lockers and then dumps everyone that I own in a pile in front of me.
He could have done worse but I choose to think that because of the way I reacted (not throwing a hissy fit and acknowledging that I ****ed up) he simply made a pig pile of my belongings and left it at that.
Side note: Sgt. Tallington was the DI that I respected the most out of six including our Senior. You could see that he abso-****ing-lutey loved teaching us how to do our ****. From rolling our sleeves and ironing to marching. After gradudation I personally thanked him with a handshake and my heartfelt feelings. Without that man I probably would not be who I am today.
[edit] I just found my boot camp book. I might even take it to school and scan in the page with my picture. Ha, I'm sure not that ****ing skinny anymore, Bud Light be damned.
-
Originally posted by Gunslinger
in addition make sure you have your mom or something post your btn and plt number so all of us can write you
UPS package containing cookies and other assorted goodies that the DI's will confiscate to eat... with "Anal Beads" and "Rush Delivery" written on the side. :D
-
Don't know bout Marines but in the Army they had this thing called a S.M.A.R.T book and you better now lose it LOL.
I ofcoured lost mine and was kindly given another.
But I had to read the whole thing to the platoon.
Not bad you say? LOL I had to read the book while I was in the front leaning rest position or push up position.
Arms got to shaking around page 11 i think.
Just set your goal and never look back always look forward Boot will not last forever.
-
LOL, these are some great stories, keep em comin lol.
About posting my adresses etc, with the anal beeds now im starten to wonder if i should do that lolol.
Still aways off, but ill tell ya guys the night before i leave up to Portland. Then once i get back ill write 1 big long thread allll about it lol.:)
Unlockd footlockers lol, makes me think of Full Metal Jacket and Private Pyle.:D
-
If you have to go to the head, don't tell the DI that it is an 'emergency'. He'll tell you he doesn't here any bells or alarms.
-
You have to follow the orders of your immediate superior officer even if you are under the impression that you want to hit him in the face.
You'll thank him later. :aok
-
As a PFC I was in Okinawa with a Cpl Cherry. Cpl Cherry was from Boston (and I hated his accent) and probably the laziest bastard I have ever known.
I was stationed at a first/second shop for generators even though I was trained EERS (Electronic Equipment Repair Specialist) which means I was able to fix the electronic equipment on the electricity generatoring part of the generator.
Well, it was slow and we were cleaning the tools in the our toolboxes that we could check out. Everyone there including two other senior Corporals were helping clean tools. Cherry says, "I'm not cleaning tools. Especially someone elses." He even stated later that he wanted to marry a rich girl so he didn't have to do anything.
So he's walking around bossing people around since he won't clean tools. I always thought that the other coporals should have nutted up and put Cherry in his place but oh well.
So we are cleaning by the numbers: Everyone pick up a 9/16" wrench. Begin to clean it. Okay, done cleaning, bring it up here.
Well, I've got a really dirty wrench and I'm really trying to get it clean and Cherry tells me to bring my wrench up and I tell him just a second I'm trying to get this last bit clean and tells me to ****ing bring up the ****ing wrench right ****ing now. So I pop up from the ground walkover and throw my wrench down. He says to pick it up and I snap. 'You are a ****ing worthless piece of ****. Even Cpl XXX and YYY are helping are you aren't doing ****,' I tell him and storm back to where I was cleaning tools. He yells something at me but I really wasn't listening. What I wanted to do was pound the absolute **** out of him.
One of our Sgts. comes out and tells us to go bust rust, paint, change oil on our MEP 16's. So I go out into the yard and Cherry comes up to me later. He threatens to kick my bellybutton cause he's so pissed at me and I shouldn't talk to a senior like that, blah, blah, blah. Granted he's right about not talking to a senior but comeon, everyone including our Gunny knew that he was a ****up. I nod my head okay. As soon as he leaves I go back to the office and talk to the more senior Sgt.
First priority is mission accomplishment. Second is troop welfare. Well, we had accomplished our 'mission', the tools were clean and here was Cpl. Sheeitbird threatening the welfare of one of the troops. Oops. And not very leaderlike I might add.
Sgt had Cherry up to the office for a royal bellybutton chewing. And Cherry steered a wide path around me for quite a bit after that. I was more or less happy then.
Just to show how much of a **** up Cherry was. He signed for six year term. He went in with automatic promotion to PFC out of basic. He was in his sixth year when he made Cpl with us at Camp Hanson.
I learned to deal with the suck ass's. The ones that really don't do much in terms of work (they usually delegate the work to others) but they brown nose with Sgts, Staff Sgts, Gunnys, etc. I used to think that working hard would get you recognized but I had to accept brown nosing works also. And a little self-promotion isn't a bad thing after all.
But I still have trouble with the absolutely lazy ****ers that expect everyone else to pick up their slack.
-
lolol, niice haha. Damn, took him until his 6th year to get Cpl? Thats pathetic.
-
Okay, more drunk stories.
I was shipped to South Korea during Freedom Banner '93. (Edit: I still have the T-Shirt. Sprint was giving away T-Shirts if you signed up for their calling card program. My son now wears it to go to bed.) It was pretty cool. Okinaw gets hot and humid (worse than Houston) 9 months out of the year (also known as Black Flag weather) and this was a good change. Or so I thought.
Seven of us from 3rd Battalion, Support Company went; three from Electrical and two Water or whatever they were called along with a Staff Sargent from each. We ran the generators and they did the water pumps. Of the three from Electrical was Cpl. Cherry. ****ity, ****, the ****.
The base we were at only had two permanent personel. It's electricity was provided by seven MEP-7's. A MEP-7 should be able to supply an entire block of downtown Houston. But the showers were hoses attached to spigots inside the showers but without pumps or electricity. Which is where we came in.
We had a MEP-16 (kinda like a back-up generator or a hunting generator) to power the water heaters and the water pumps. I learned that if I volunteered to run the generator in the morning that I could almost avoid Cpl Cherry for the most part. I liked that.
.
-
I remember one morning though in particular. I was coming back to the barrack (they were concrete floor Quanset huts without AC) where a Gunny and a Staff Sargeant were trying to wake Cpl. Cherry. He was senior of us Electrical guys around at the time and they wanted him to look at a generator at the chow hall that was down. Cherry was so drunk from the night before that he actually hit the Staff Sargeant. Me being the vocal little **** that I am offered to go look at the generator since Cherry wasn't getting up. Actually I was embarrased at Cherry's behaviour and I wanted to make sure that it didn't reflect on our platoon. BTW, I actually received a Meritorous Masts from South Korea.
I went to look at the generator. It had a busted belt. Nothing to do but order a replacement belt. The Staff Sargeant handled that later on. I went back to the Quanset huts thought and that is where the fun began.
-
One of the electrical guys in South Korea was Mike. I had met him in North Carolina with his buddy Denver. They had gone into the Buddy Program and went through boot camp together and then school together. Denver was quite absotuley afraid of spiders. Hilarious. You could cup your hands and say, "Denver, I got something for you." His eyes would bulge and he would back away saying, "That's not funny man, that's not funny." Well I thought it was.
Anyway Mike was good looking (and always got the fine girls) but a little quite and almost shy. I'm not. I'm loud and boisterous and when I don't like something I'm probably going to say something...especially after drinking a few beers. And while Mike isn't outgoing on the outside he can be quite devious.
-
Side note: Mike and I used to go to town in Korea. We would end up walking back to find a cab, each drunk out of our minds, telling each other to smell our first finger. It had a particular odor. Then we would dip Copenhagen.
Well Mike and I talk abit. We collectively decide that Cherry must get out of his cot. We talked and whispered. Hell we might have even tittered I don't remember. His cot was first by the door so we walked up between his cot and the next and tipped it over.
Next thing you know Cherry is ****ing AWAKE. Amazing.
Mike moves into the center of the Quanset hut. He's in between the rows of cots but I stay where I was. Funny thing happened. I thought he would zero in on me but he didn't Maybe he was still too drunk. He focuses all his rage on Mike standing right by the door.
Cherry starts yelling and screaming at Mike. Mike is just standing there looking a little scared. And I'm just waiting for him to hit Mike or move toward him. I've already made up my mind that if Cherry does anything I'm tackling his bellybutton out the door and then beat the **** out of him. Damn the consequences. I'm pretecting Mike from a drunk onslaught.
Unfortunately (or maybe not) Cherry screams his bit and then starts fumbling with his **** around his cot. I was both disappointed and relieved. I certainly didn't want Mike (who isn't aggressive except with the ladies) to take the brunt of Cherry but I did want to have an excuse to absolutely beat he ****ing hell out of Cherry.
I had another run in with Cherry but I'll post it later if I get around to it. It isn't as much fun as this one thought. He gets his own goat in it.
-
Originally posted by Slurpee
lolol, niice haha. Damn, took him until his 6th year to get Cpl? Thats pathetic.
Well you get time in service, time in rank during the first two ranks (private and private first class).
During corporal I think you eventually also get time in service and time in rank but you get coporal earlier by doing certain things.
You can go before boards, field promotions (rare AFAIN), them little books that you read and then do the problems, I forget what they are called. These all can earn you points and get you closer or get you a promotion.
Cherry actually was demoted along some point and it took him that long to regain his positon.
Before my second year in I was knocking the door for coporal. I had received a promotion during MOS school.
-
lol, i think ill definetly have a good time in the Marines.:)
-
You mentioned footlockers...
One of the guys in my squad had a good send off with the girlfriend and inadvertantly had a few extra condoms in his shaving kit. When the TI's kicked thru his stuff, those popped out. Man, that was the FUNNIEST 20 minute rant I have ever witnessed in my life, followed by 20 squadmates trying oh-so-hard to not laugh their tulips off at the poor guy.
Some of this stuff you remember like yesterday. I remember having the day off to see San Antonio and saw the Alamo. But as to the hyped recruiting video that showed airmen bowling, dancing and shooting pool....pffft....didnt see ANY of that crap. Just the work end of a lawnmower!