Guide at Boot Camp?

[1recon]

I was just wondering what it takes to be guide at Boot Camp, and is their a differance between guide and platoon leader. What are the responsibilities as Guide?

[HardJedi]

The guide is, or was the platoon leader. At first the Guide is just pretty much randomly picked. After that it is pft score, general bearing, knowledge, and leadership ability. at least, that is the way it used to be. they usually try it out on the older recruits first, cause let's face it. they are more mature.:marine:

[1recon]

So basically, you have to be the best at everything, correct?

[cjwright90]

Guide is not that easy to keep, either. I lost the position in the time it took to get the platoon through the chowline.

[1recon]

Is it possible to become guide again once you lose it?

[HardJedi]

yes, it is possible to recover it, but harder to get back than it is to get in the first place

[cjwright90]

Being taller seems to make a difference, too. I never saw the house mouse carrying the guidon.

[arnoldyG/2/5]

I was the guide from the time we dropped until graduation day....the Drill Instructors fired me and the squad leaders for about four hours one day.....that said, most of the other platoons cycled through 3-5 recruits as guide.

By the way, I am only 5'7.....being tall doesn't have anything to do w/ being Plt Guide

[1recon]

thats good news I am only 5'7" inches tall

[Lake0300]

Being able to call cadence helps a lot too.

Find yourself a copy of the guidebook, read through it a few times, pick up on general knowledge, leadership skills, fireteam and squad movement/tactics, NBC Warfare, General Administration, etc. etc. This will help you understand how to lead a lot of people at once, and the responsibilities you'll have to uphold if you plan on being a STRONG leader. Anyone can bring a group of guys from point A to point B, but its not so easy to do it efficiently, safely, and quickly.

Start your PT. Push yourself to the limits and beyond. If you're truly interesting in guide, take it. Anything is obtainable, all ya need is some motivation and some self-discipline.

Hope this helped.

-Lake

[cjwright90]

Maybe my DIs did not want the top of the guidon to be at eye level with the rest of the platoon, choosing not to have the house mouse as guide. BTW 5'7" is not short.

[cjwright90]

My guide at PI never called cadence, is that something new?

[arnoldyG/2/5]

I never called cadence in boot camp

cjwright...if 5'7 isn't short, I served with some awfully tall Marines

[1recon]

Out of all the poolees at my RS, I am the shortest by about 2-3". So I thought I was short.

[HardJedi]

nope. never saw a guide in boot call cadence either.

[Lake0300]

Originally posted by HardJedi
nope. never saw a guide in boot call cadence either.

Learn something new everyday! Sorry about that one.

-Lake

[HardJedi]

Ummm Lake? Are you saying that YOU have been through Marine Corps Boot Camp? and That i and two other MARINES are wrong?

[Saurian'sEdge]

I got to carry the company guidon for about two weeks, and I'm only 5'3". Knocked a guy completely out of the close quarters ring. I was the house mouse also. I wasn't a guide but it might have to do with respect.

[Lake0300]

Originally posted by HardJedi
Ummm Lake? Are you saying that YOU have been through Marine Corps Boot Camp? and That i and two other MARINES are wrong?

No, not in the least. I would never disrespect the Marines on these boards. You guys are really nice, I dont care what Baumy or Cas3 says about you! :D (LOL!)

I was saying the exact opposite. I said "Learn something new everyday!" - meaning I just learned something new, I was under the impression that Guide calls cadence at MCRD, and I was wrong. Then I apologized for giving wrong information to another Poolee.

Sorry, I never meant to confuse you old-timers. ;) Have a good one!

-Lake

[alanUSMCDEP03]

Lake, you give a lot of advice for someone who hasn't been to Bootcamp, and it's often incorrect. Just a tip, maybe you should let the Marines give out the tips and advice, and you just listen to them. I know when I ask for info on these forums, I'm not looking for another Poolee to answer, I'm wanting a Marine, someone who has been there and done that, to answer me.

[cjwright90]

Alan,
Lake does have some good info, too. He is not often wrong. I do think it is a better idea for the current or prior service Marines to answer most of the questions. Lake's done some studying, so don't totally discount his answers.

[mrbsox]

Our guide got picked because the DT's caught him pi$$ing on the side of the barracks.

They said any body that would do something like that with them around has BALL$ :banana:

I carried about 2 days in 1st phase, couldn't march in a straight line :( even with the 1st squad leader giving me corrections, so wound up back in ranks.

Terry

[Lake0300]

Originally posted by alanUSMCDEP03
Lake, you give a lot of advice for someone who hasn't been to Bootcamp, and it's often incorrect. Just a tip, maybe you should let the Marines give out the tips and advice, and you just listen to them. I know when I ask for info on these forums, I'm not looking for another Poolee to answer, I'm wanting a Marine, someone who has been there and done that, to answer me.

Now listen brotherman, I'm not here to try and tell people what they should and shouldnt do. I'm just trying to spread some of what I've learned.

If it really bothers you that much then just ignore the posts that I have my name included, ya know? I apologize if I upset you, but I feel I've earned my pull around here, along with the right to help the other Poolees when I can. Sorry.

-Lake

[Kelvin Quinonez]

im 5'6

[2ndplacesucks]

5'4"

[michy]

im 5'9

[Sgt2Lt]

Serving as the Guide for your platoon is all about LEADERSHIP. When you arrive at PI or San Diego you'll be introduced to the principles of Marine Corps leadership and the leadership traits. But, remember this, before you can lead you have to be able to follow. The best advice I can give all of you is the advice that my recruiter gave me: Do EXACTLY what you are told, as fast as you can; nothing more and nothing less. You will come to know this phrase very well if you don't heed my words: "Good initiative, bad judgement," followed, of course, by a fun trip to the quarter deck or the pit. Remember that the Guide is a model recruit, someone that all the other recruits can look up to; he may not be the fastest, the strongest, or the smartest, but, he LISTENS to the DI's, he FOLLOWS their orders to the letter, he has DISCIPLINE and MOTIVATION. Belive me, what I tell you here works, I served as Guide, and was the Honor Graduate for my platoon; you can do it to. Stay motivated and PT, good luck to you all on your road to becoming a United States Marine.

[Echo_Four_Bravo]

What are you talking about Lake? Recruits don't call cadence, that is why you have highly motivated Drill Instructors... unless you're in MRP or PCP or something, I did see their recruits calling cadence on the way to chow.

[1recon]

What is MRP?

[usmchauer]

Medical Rehab Platoon

[CplDawson]

Guides DO NOT CALL CADENCE!

I recommend that first you go to boot camp graduate and then come back and tell us what you learned first.

Dont shoot from the hip......Lake0300

:marine:

Now at least when I went through if you were the Guide when the platoon graduated you were given a meritoreous promotion to PFC if you were a private......I dont remember anyone picking up Lcpl that way but I guess if you were garunteed PFC as a part of your sign up at graduation....HINT HINT!

Then I cant see why you would not.....I will have to review the graduation video.........

[enviro]

Never say never in the Marine Corps -

Third phase in the summer of 1994 our Senior Drill Instructor took us out on the back stretch over by the airport fence and we were called out to call cadence. I remember it so very well because I broke out in the " I wanna be a drill instructor...." when it was my turn and it was the first and only time I ever saw the man smile before graduation day.

However, calling cadence will not get you Guide because you will rarely (if ever) call cadence as a recruit. I got (and kept) the position by basically putting forth 110% when we were supposed to be worn the hell out. Those times count most. Everyone will be dragging a$$ and you'll be out there motivating EVERYONE to give their best. ALWAYS motivate the other recruits. TEAM effort is required, but every team needs a LEADER.

Be prepared - if you are going to try and stand out, make sure you look good. You might find yourself on the quarterdeck or in the pit loosing a pound of sweat for standing out the wrong way.

Oh and on another side note, DO NOT ever use "C-130 rolling down the strip...." That cadence is more used than a Thai hooker on a Saturday night at the Four Floors of wh0res.

Oh and on another side note, DO NOT go to the Four Floors of wh0res in Thailand.

[Sgt2Lt]

Yeah, the "C-130" cadence is so over used that when I was with VMGR-252, a KC-130 squadron, we would even roll our eyes when somebody busted it out!

[Lake0300]

Well I wont be worrying about MRP OR PCP, so I guess I was wrong about that cadence part. My apologies Echo_Four_Bravo.

CplDawson I'm sorry for "shooting from the hip" - not to worry, it wont happen again. :no:

-Lake

[GySgtRet]

Lake0300,

Your information to other pooles is excellent. I enjoy reading some of your answers you obviously do your research too.

6'.0 never called cadence either.

[michaan]

Was guide for the recently graduated Plt 2065 Fox Co. 2nd Bn. MCRD San Diego on Apr 23 and after the Moto run the guides were tasked with marching their platoon to the staging area right before the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor Ceremony and all of us called cadence. I myself tried to do my best Lo...Right.. Left..Right...Left to the tune of "IronMan." However, none of the recruits called cadences such as C-130 rollin... or anything like that. And, it is definitely possible to get meritoriously promoted to LCPL if you get Series or Company Honorman and are already a contract PFC.

[Echo_Four_Bravo]

Lake, from what I can gather, neither one is out of the realm of possibility for you. Shin splints can bite anyone in the butt.

[Lake0300]

LoL. Echo_Four, you my friend are a real pain in the butt. ;) LoL.

My shins will be fine. Minor aches in the past few days, but nothing to worry about. I start a workout regime this coming Monday. I'll be in top condition by 20040621. Talk to you later on.

-Lake

[SuNmAN]

I'm 6'4 and 180 lbs. I wish height has something to do with being guide !

[LivinSoFree]

Does being a reservist affect your chances at earning guide? Honor grad is almost out of the question for me because I jump platoons after the rifle range and skip team week because of my program (92-Day Program), but does anyone here know if there's still a shot? Not to say that I won't be busting my a**, but just curious as to any insight that I might be able to get.

Ship 10 May, fired up, feels good.

[enviro]

Say what? What type of program are you on?

[LivinSoFree]

I'm on the 92-Day reservist program. Also known as IIADT (Incremental Initial Active Duty Training) program, it's aimed primarily at people already in college to allow them to continue attending...

[enviro]

Learn something new everyday.......

[HardJedi]

Originally posted by SuNmAN
I'm 6'4 and 180 lbs. I wish height has something to do with being guide !

well Sunman, height DOES count for something at Bootcamp. You are pretty much the same size I was wehn I was in Boot. It will get you called LURCh alot, and other things making fun of your hieght. It will also get you placed on the heaviest logs during log drills ( do they still do those?) and if you are not a squad leader, you will be the first person behind one, so you will get caught ANY time you do something wrong in drill.

Congrats! Being tall can be a curse at times LOL

[SuNmAN]

sweet deal :-)

[tlbator]

i'm 6'2" do you think it's worse to be tall or short?

[Saurian'sEdge]

I'm short. Tall and short recruits are easier to find during drill. In the front for the tall ones, dead last for the short ones. Other than that, I really don't think it matters.